Use of Unicellular Algae for Evaluation of Potential Aquatic Contaminants

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-05-01

well as long term effects on specific water bodies such as lakes and groundwater basins. Both the hydrazine propellants and the alternative jet fuels... freshwater bioassays was S. capricornutum. Initial investigations of marine waters used Dunaliella tertiolecta as the test organism but the differences in...AFAMRL-TR-80-85 USE OF UNICELLUAR ALGAE FOR EVALUATION OF POTENTIAL AQUATIC CONTAMINANTS JAN SCHERFIG PETER S. DIXON CAROL A. JUSTICE ALBERTO ACEVEDO

Cylodextrin Polymer Nitrate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kosowski, Bernard; Ruebner, Anja; Statton, Gary; Robitelle, Danielle; Meyers, Curtis

2000-01-01

The development of the use of cyclodextrin nitrates as possible components of insensitive, high-energy energetics is outlined over a time period of 12 years. Four different types of cyclodextrin polymers were synthesized, nitrated, and evaluated regarding their potential use for the military and aerospace community. The synthesis of these novel cyclodextrin polymers and different nitration techniques are shown and the potential of these new materials is discussed.

Cortical Auditory Evoked Potentials with Simple (Tone Burst) and Complex (Speech) Stimuli in Children with Cochlear Implant

PubMed Central

Martins, Kelly Vasconcelos Chaves; Gil, Daniela

2017-01-01

Introduction  The registry of the component P1 of the cortical auditory evoked potential has been widely used to analyze the behavior of auditory pathways in response to cochlear implant stimulation. Objective  To determine the influence of aural rehabilitation in the parameters of latency and amplitude of the P1 cortical auditory evoked potential component elicited by simple auditory stimuli (tone burst) and complex stimuli (speech) in children with cochlear implants. Method  The study included six individuals of both genders aged 5 to 10 years old who have been cochlear implant users for at least 12 months, and who attended auditory rehabilitation with an aural rehabilitation therapy approach. Participants were submitted to research of the cortical auditory evoked potential at the beginning of the study and after 3 months of aural rehabilitation. To elicit the responses, simple stimuli (tone burst) and complex stimuli (speech) were used and presented in free field at 70 dB HL. The results were statistically analyzed, and both evaluations were compared. Results  There was no significant difference between the type of eliciting stimulus of the cortical auditory evoked potential for the latency and the amplitude of P1. There was a statistically significant difference in the P1 latency between the evaluations for both stimuli, with reduction of the latency in the second evaluation after 3 months of auditory rehabilitation. There was no statistically significant difference regarding the amplitude of P1 under the two types of stimuli or in the two evaluations. Conclusion  A decrease in latency of the P1 component elicited by both simple and complex stimuli was observed within a three-month interval in children with cochlear implant undergoing aural rehabilitation. PMID:29018498

Substrate Selection for Fundamental Studies of Electrocatalysts and Photoelectrodes: Inert Potential Windows in Acidic, Neutral, and Basic Electrolyte

PubMed Central

Gorlin, Yelena; Jaramillo, Thomas F.

2014-01-01

The selection of an appropriate substrate is an important initial step for many studies of electrochemically active materials. In order to help researchers with the substrate selection process, we employ a consistent experimental methodology to evaluate the electrochemical reactivity and stability of seven potential substrate materials for electrocatalyst and photoelectrode evaluation. Using cyclic voltammetry with a progressively increased scan range, we characterize three transparent conducting oxides (indium tin oxide, fluorine-doped tin oxide, and aluminum-doped zinc oxide) and four opaque conductors (gold, stainless steel 304, glassy carbon, and highly oriented pyrolytic graphite) in three different electrolytes (sulfuric acid, sodium acetate, and sodium hydroxide). We determine the inert potential window for each substrate/electrolyte combination and make recommendations about which materials may be most suitable for application under different experimental conditions. Furthermore, the testing methodology provides a framework for other researchers to evaluate and report the baseline activity of other substrates of interest to the broader community. PMID:25357131

Effects of anti-aggregant, anti-inflammatory and anti-coagulant drug consumption on the preparation and therapeutic potential of plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF).

PubMed

Anitua, Eduardo; Troya, María; Zalduendo, Mar; Orive, Gorka

2015-02-01

The prevalence and incidence of trauma-related injuries, coronary heart disease and other chronic diseases increase dramatically with age. This population sector is therefore a regular consumer of different types of drugs that may affect platelet aggregation and the coagulation cascade. We have evaluated whether the consumption of acetylsalicylic acid, acenocoumarol, glucosamine sulfate and chondroitin sulfate, and therefore their presence in blood, could interfere with the preparation and biological outcomes of plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF). Clotting time, clot retraction and platelet activation of PRGF was evaluated. PRGF growth factor content and the release of different biomolecules by tendon fibroblasts were also quantified, as well as cell proliferation and cell migration. The preparation and biological potential of PRGF is not affected by the intake of the evaluated drugs, and solely its angiogenic potential and its capacity to induce HA and fibronectin synthesis, is reduced in patients taking anti-coagulants.

Substrate Selection for Fundamental Studies of Electrocatalysts and Photoelectrodes: Inert Potential Windows in Acidic, Neutral, and Basic Electrolyte

DOE PAGES

Benck, Jesse D.; Pinaud, Blaise A.; Gorlin, Yelena; ...

2014-10-30

The selection of an appropriate substrate is an important initial step for many studies of electrochemically active materials. In order to help researchers with the substrate selection process, we employ a consistent experimental methodology to evaluate the electrochemical reactivity and stability of seven potential substrate materials for electrocatalyst and photoelectrode evaluation. Using cyclic voltammetry with a progressively increased scan range, we characterize three transparent conducting oxides (indium tin oxide, fluorine-doped tin oxide, and aluminum-doped zinc oxide) and four opaque conductors (gold, stainless steel 304, glassy carbon, and highly oriented pyrolytic graphite) in three different electrolytes (sulfuric acid, sodium acetate, andmore » sodium hydroxide). Here, we determine the inert potential window for each substrate/electrolyte combination and make recommendations about which materials may be most suitable for application under different experimental conditions. Furthermore, the testing methodology provides a framework for other researchers to evaluate and report the baseline activity of other substrates of interest to the broader community.« less

Plasticity and Activation of Spared Intraspinal Respiratory Circuits Following Spinal Cord Injury

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-12-01

ipsilateral to the C2Hx lesion. Tracheal pressures were evaluated to explore the potential of a biomechanical impact of ISMS- induced muscle contract...different from 500 µA. %P 0.05, different from 2 wk at same stimulus current. Data were evaluated using 2-way repeated-measures ANOVA with Holm...outcomes assessed. Data were evaluated using 2-way repeated-measures ANOVA with Holm-Sidak post hoc tests for individual comparisons (groups: 2

Production and characterization of spray-dried theophylline powders prepared from fresh milk for potential use in paediatrics.

PubMed

Aguiar, João P; Fernandes, Tânia A P; Nese, Carlotta; Fernandes, Ana I; Pinto, João F

2017-05-01

This work evaluates the potential of using fresh milk to deliver theophylline to children. Theophylline-fresh milk systems were prepared using different solids ratios (0 : 1-1 : 0) and three fat contents in commercial milks (low, medium and high), which were spray-dried at different inlet air temperatures (T inlet - 105, 130 and 150 °C). The process was evaluated for yield and the resulting powders for moisture content (MC), particle size and shape, density and wettability. Theophylline-milk potential interactions (differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and FT-IR) and chemical (theophylline content) and microbiological stability of powders (shelf and in-use) were also evaluated. The production yield (13.6-76.0%), MC (0.0-10.3%) and contact angles in water (77.29-93.51°) were significantly (P < 0.05) affected by T inlet , but no differences were found concerning the mean particle size (3.0-4.3 μm) of the different powders. The milk fat content significantly (P < 0.05) impacted on the density (1.244-1.552 g/cm 3 ). Theophylline content remained stable after 6 months of storage, before extemporaneous reconstitution. After reconstitution in water, low-fat milk samples (stored at 4 °C) met the microbial pharmacopoeia criteria for up to 7 days. No theophylline-milk components interaction was observed. Spray-dried milk-composed powders may be used as vehicles for theophylline delivery in paediatrics following further characterization and in-vivo evaluation. © 2016 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

WMA pavements in Oklahoma : moisture damage and performance issues.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-08-01

This study explored the potential effects of using different Warm Mix Asphalt (WMA) technologies on the rut, fatigue and moisture-induced damage potential of WMA pavements. This task was pursued in two levels: (i) performance evaluation of WMA and co...

[Participation, knowledge production, and evaluative research: participation by different actors in a mental health study].

PubMed

Furtado, Juarez Pereira; Campos, Rosana Onocko

2008-11-01

This article reflects on the interrelations between participation, knowledge production, and public policy evaluation in light of issues from our own experience with evaluative research on a municipal network of Psychosocial Care Centers (CAPS) in Brazil. The article discusses the coordination of the complex process and the potentials and limits of partnerships for conducting qualitative evaluative studies in mental health with participation by different social actors. The authors conclude that qualitative evaluative research aligned with the perspective of including different points of view representing various segments is the best approach for understanding the numerous spin-offs from the implementation of services linked to the Brazilian psychiatric reform movement, given the inherent specificities of the mental health field.

Study of American and Chinese family members' evaluations on institutionalized care for their older parents: potential development in the future.

PubMed

Li, Yushi; Buechel, Annie

2007-01-01

The evaluations on institutionalized care facilities from family members, after their loved ones moved into such services, are very different from culture to culture, family to family and person to person. According to a recent survey in the United States and China, it is found that different cultures and the different health conditions of the residents strongly influence family member's viewpoints on institutionalized care services. It is also found that the availability of the institutionalized care facilities plays a significant role, which strongly affects family members' evaluations on nursing home services.

Evaluating variability with atomistic simulations: the effect of potential and calculation methodology on the modeling of lattice and elastic constants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hale, Lucas M.; Trautt, Zachary T.; Becker, Chandler A.

2018-07-01

Atomistic simulations using classical interatomic potentials are powerful investigative tools linking atomic structures to dynamic properties and behaviors. It is well known that different interatomic potentials produce different results, thus making it necessary to characterize potentials based on how they predict basic properties. Doing so makes it possible to compare existing interatomic models in order to select those best suited for specific use cases, and to identify any limitations of the models that may lead to unrealistic responses. While the methods for obtaining many of these properties are often thought of as simple calculations, there are many underlying aspects that can lead to variability in the reported property values. For instance, multiple methods may exist for computing the same property and values may be sensitive to certain simulation parameters. Here, we introduce a new high-throughput computational framework that encodes various simulation methodologies as Python calculation scripts. Three distinct methods for evaluating the lattice and elastic constants of bulk crystal structures are implemented and used to evaluate the properties across 120 interatomic potentials, 18 crystal prototypes, and all possible combinations of unique lattice site and elemental model pairings. Analysis of the results reveals which potentials and crystal prototypes are sensitive to the calculation methods and parameters, and it assists with the verification of potentials, methods, and molecular dynamics software. The results, calculation scripts, and computational infrastructure are self-contained and openly available to support researchers in performing meaningful simulations.

USE OF AN INTEGRATED APPROACH TO EVALUATE YOUNG CHILDREN'S ACTIVITIES

EPA Science Inventory

Linking a young child's activity pattern data with the environmental, biological, and personal samples that are collected during an exposure assessment is important in evaluating potential exposures and dose associated with environmental contaminants. A number of different appro...

Sex differences in event-related potential components during the solution of complex mental rotation tasks.

PubMed

Jaušovec, Norbert

2012-04-18

The objective of the study was to evaluate the factor of sex in terms of its influence on event-related potential components during the solution of a complex mental rotation task. To evaluate the factor of sex, independent of differences in ability levels and hormonal changes, women and men were equalized with respect to general intelligence and spatial ability. In addition, all women were tested during the low-estrogen phase of the menstrual cycle. The event-related potential analysis indicated that men showed shorter P3 and longer P1 latencies, as well as lower N1 amplitudes. These results suggest that men devoted more time to the analysis of irrelevant information presented in the rotation tasks, which resulted in mental rotation taking place earlier in men than in women. It can be concluded that, even though men and women showed similar performances on complex rotation tasks, they differed in their solution processes.

Automating the evaluation of flood damages: methodology and potential gains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eleutério, Julian; Martinez, Edgar Daniel

2010-05-01

The evaluation of flood damage potential consists of three main steps: assessing and processing data, combining data and calculating potential damages. The first step consists of modelling hazard and assessing vulnerability. In general, this step of the evaluation demands more time and investments than the others. The second step of the evaluation consists of combining spatial data on hazard with spatial data on vulnerability. Geographic Information System (GIS) is a fundamental tool in the realization of this step. GIS software allows the simultaneous analysis of spatial and matrix data. The third step of the evaluation consists of calculating potential damages by means of damage-functions or contingent analysis. All steps demand time and expertise. However, the last two steps must be realized several times when comparing different management scenarios. In addition, uncertainty analysis and sensitivity test are made during the second and third steps of the evaluation. The feasibility of these steps could be relevant in the choice of the extent of the evaluation. Low feasibility could lead to choosing not to evaluate uncertainty or to limit the number of scenario comparisons. Several computer models have been developed over time in order to evaluate the flood risk. GIS software is largely used to realise flood risk analysis. The software is used to combine and process different types of data, and to visualise the risk and the evaluation results. The main advantages of using a GIS in these analyses are: the possibility of "easily" realising the analyses several times, in order to compare different scenarios and study uncertainty; the generation of datasets which could be used any time in future to support territorial decision making; the possibility of adding information over time to update the dataset and make other analyses. However, these analyses require personnel specialisation and time. The use of GIS software to evaluate the flood risk requires personnel with a double professional specialisation. The professional should be proficient in GIS software and in flood damage analysis (which is already a multidisciplinary field). Great effort is necessary in order to correctly evaluate flood damages, and the updating and the improvement of the evaluation over time become a difficult task. The automation of this process should bring great advance in flood management studies over time, especially for public utilities. This study has two specific objectives: (1) show the entire process of automation of the second and third steps of flood damage evaluations; and (2) analyse the induced potential gains in terms of time and expertise needed in the analysis. A programming language is used within GIS software in order to automate hazard and vulnerability data combination and potential damages calculation. We discuss the overall process of flood damage evaluation. The main result of this study is a computational tool which allows significant operational gains on flood loss analyses. We quantify these gains by means of a hypothetical example. The tool significantly reduces the time of analysis and the needs for expertise. An indirect gain is that sensitivity and cost-benefit analyses can be more easily realized.

Application of laser speckle contrast image in the evaluation of arthritis animal model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Son, Taeyoon; Jang, Won Hyuk; Park, Jihoon; Yoon, Hyung-Ju; Lee, Jeon; Kim, Wan-Uk; Jung, Byungjo

2013-03-01

Arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease that induces potentially damaging and commonly disabling. Various imaging modalities have been used for the evaluation of arthritis. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of laser speckle contrast image (LSCI) in the evaluation of the severity and early stage of arthritis in animal model. Arthritis was induced on mouse foot and evaluated by a trained expert and the LSCI. The arthritis severity was quantitatively evaluated by speckle index (SI) computed from LSCI. In visual inspection by an expert, it was difficult to evaluate the arthritis because there was no noticeable different between control mouse group (CMG) and arthritis mouse group (AMG) in erythema. However, arthritis was easily evaluated by significant SI different between the CMG and AMG. In addition, the LSCI also successfully evaluated the early stage of arthritis, presenting different SI distribution depending on lesion.

Evaluating Web accessibility at different processing phases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernandes, N.; Lopes, R.; Carriço, L.

2012-09-01

Modern Web sites use several techniques (e.g. DOM manipulation) that allow for the injection of new content into their Web pages (e.g. AJAX), as well as manipulation of the HTML DOM tree. This has the consequence that the Web pages that are presented to users (i.e. after browser processing) are different from the original structure and content that is transmitted through HTTP communication (i.e. after browser processing). This poses a series of challenges for Web accessibility evaluation, especially on automated evaluation software. This article details an experimental study designed to understand the differences posed by accessibility evaluation after Web browser processing. We implemented a Javascript-based evaluator, QualWeb, that can perform WCAG 2.0 based accessibility evaluations in the two phases of browser processing. Our study shows that, in fact, there are considerable differences between the HTML DOM trees in both phases, which have the consequence of having distinct evaluation results. We discuss the impact of these results in the light of the potential problems that these differences can pose to designers and developers that use accessibility evaluators that function before browser processing.

Modeling impacts of human footprint and soil variability on the potential distribution of invasive plant species in different biomes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wan, Ji-Zhong; Wang, Chun-Jing; Yu, Fei-Hai

2017-11-01

Human footprint and soil variability may be important in shaping the spread of invasive plant species (IPS). However, until now, there is little knowledge on how human footprint and soil variability affect the potential distribution of IPS in different biomes. We used Maxent modeling to project the potential distribution of 29 IPS with wide distributions and long introduction histories in China based on various combinations of climatic correlates, soil characteristics and human footprint. Then, we evaluated the relative importance of each type of environmental variables (climate, soil and human footprint) as well as the difference in range and similarity of the potential distribution of IPS between different biomes. Human footprint and soil variables contributed to the prediction of the potential distribution of IPS, and different types of biomes had varying responses and degrees of impacts from the tested variables. Human footprint and soil variability had the highest tendency to increase the potential distribution of IPS in Montane Grasslands and Shrublands. We propose to integrate the assessment in impacts of human footprint and soil variability on the potential distribution of IPS in different biomes into the prevention and control of plant invasion.

Ergonomic best practices in masonry: regional differences, benefits, barriers, and recommendations for dissemination.

PubMed

Hess, Jennifer; Weinstein, Marc; Welch, Laura

2010-08-01

Within construction the masonry trade has particularly high rates of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). A NIOSH-sponsored meeting of masonry stakeholders explored current and potential "Best Practices" for reducing MSDs in masonry and identified potential regional differences in use of practices. To verify and better understand the regional effects and other factors associated with differences in practice use, a national telephone survey of masonry contractors was conducted. The United States was divided into four regions for evaluation: Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, and West Coast. Nine practices with the potential to reduce MSDs in masonry workers were evaluated. Masonry contractors, owners, and foremen completed 183 surveys. The results verify regional differences in use of best practices in masonry. Half-weight cement bags and autoclave aerated concrete were rarely used anywhere, while lightweight block and mortar silos appear to be diffusing across the country. The Northeast uses significantly fewer best practices than other regions. This article examines reasons for regional differences in masonry best practice, and findings provide insight into use and barriers to adoption that can be used by safety managers, researchers, and other safety advocates to more effectively disseminate ergonomic solutions across the masonry industry.

A simple assay system to monitor the potential for contamination during different stages of cryopreservation.

PubMed

Morris, G J

2009-01-01

A simple assay to monitor the potential for contamination during different steps of cryopreservation is described. The assay is based on the contamination of liquid nitrogen using crystals of sucrose hemi-heptahydrate, these are stable in liquid nitrogen, nitrogen vapour and ambient air and can be monitored by a simple assay which allows contamination risks to be evaluated in a direct, rapid manner.

Integration of genomic endpoints into toxicity identification evaluations

EPA Science Inventory

Toxicity identification and evaluations (TIEs) use physical/chemical manipulation of a sample to isolate or change the potency of different groups of toxicants potentially present in a sample. Organisms are then exposed to these fractions to determine if their toxicity has change...

Active commuting to school in Finland, the potential for physical activity increase in different seasons

PubMed Central

Kallio, Jouni; Turpeinen, Salla; Hakonen, Harto; Tammelin, Tuija

2016-01-01

Background Active commuting to school (ACS) can be a significant source of physical activity and provide many health benefits. Objective This study identified the potential to increase physical activity levels by promoting ACS in Finnish schools and evaluated the effects of season, distance and age on ACS. Design Data were collected with a questionnaire from 5,107 students, aged 10–16, in 45 comprehensive schools in Finland. The distance and the mode of transport to school in different seasons were self-reported. Results The prevalence of ACS was over 80% during spring/fall for those living 0–5 km from school. ACS was inversely associated with the distance to school and was lower in winter compared to spring and fall. Cycling is less common in winter, especially among girls and younger students. The potential for increasing students’ physical activity levels via ACS seems to be largest in winter, especially among students living 1–5 km from school. The variation in the prevalence of ACS between schools was large, especially in winter. Conclusions When planning interventions to promote ACS, one is encouraged to acknowledge and evaluate the potential in the selected target schools in different seasons. The potential varies largely between schools and seasons and is highly dependent on students’ commuting distances. PMID:27924739

Economic evaluations of trastuzumab in HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer: a systematic review and critique.

PubMed

Parkinson, Bonny; Pearson, Sallie-Anne; Viney, Rosalie

2014-01-01

Published economic evaluations of trastuzumab for the treatment of HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer have arrived at different conclusions regarding the cost-effectiveness of trastuzumab, despite comparative efficacy being demonstrated by a small set of randomised controlled trials (RCTs). This article aims to provide insight into the quality of the evaluations and explore the possible drivers of the conflicting conclusions. A systematic literature review was conducted to identify all published economic evaluations that compared the incremental costs and outcomes of trastuzumab versus a comparator. Fifteen economic evaluations were identified. In the evaluations that estimated efficacy using an RCT, the key drivers of the conclusions regarding cost-effectiveness were: the approach used to estimate overall survival in the control group given crossover to trastuzumab following progression in the trials; the inclusion of treatment beyond progression; inclusion of wastage due to unused vial portions, adverse events, and the cost of HER2 testing. Four evaluations used non-randomised approaches to estimate efficacy, thus introducing the potential for confounding. As a result these evaluations reported relatively optimistic estimates of comparative effectiveness. Finally the evaluations used different thresholds to determine whether treatment with trastuzumab was cost-effective. There were numerous drivers of the different conclusions regarding the cost-effectiveness of trastuzumab, many of which are due to judgements made by the authors when translating data from RCTs. Many of the potential drivers were not identified by the published systematic reviews of economic evaluations and perhaps more remain unidentified because of inconsistent and limited reporting.

When structure affects function--the need for partial volume effect correction in functional and resting state magnetic resonance imaging studies.

PubMed

Dukart, Juergen; Bertolino, Alessandro

2014-01-01

Both functional and also more recently resting state magnetic resonance imaging have become established tools to investigate functional brain networks. Most studies use these tools to compare different populations without controlling for potential differences in underlying brain structure which might affect the functional measurements of interest. Here, we adapt a simulation approach combined with evaluation of real resting state magnetic resonance imaging data to investigate the potential impact of partial volume effects on established functional and resting state magnetic resonance imaging analyses. We demonstrate that differences in the underlying structure lead to a significant increase in detected functional differences in both types of analyses. Largest increases in functional differences are observed for highest signal-to-noise ratios and when signal with the lowest amount of partial volume effects is compared to any other partial volume effect constellation. In real data, structural information explains about 25% of within-subject variance observed in degree centrality--an established resting state connectivity measurement. Controlling this measurement for structural information can substantially alter correlational maps obtained in group analyses. Our results question current approaches of evaluating these measurements in diseased population with known structural changes without controlling for potential differences in these measurements.

Assessment of liquefaction potential index for Mumbai city

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dixit, J.; Dewaikar, D. M.; Jangid, R. S.

2012-09-01

Mumbai city is the financial capital of India and is fifth most densely populated city in the world. Seismic soil liquefaction is evaluated for Mumbai city in terms of the factors of safety against liquefaction (FS) along the depths of soil profiles for different earthquakes with 2% probability of exceedance in 50 yr using standard penetration test (SPT)-based simplified empirical procedure. This liquefaction potential is evaluated at 142 representative sites in the city using the borehole records from standard penetration tests. Liquefaction potential index (LPI) is evaluated at each borehole location from the obtained factors of safety (FS) to predict the potential of liquefaction to cause damage at the surface level at the site of interest. Spatial distribution of soil liquefaction potential is presented in the form of contour maps of LPI values. As the majority of the sites in the city are of reclaimed land, the vulnerability of liquefaction is observed to be very high at many places.

Integration of gene expression biomarkers and whole sediment toxicity identification evaluations

EPA Science Inventory

Toxicity identification and evaluations (TIEs) use physical/chemical manipulation of a sample to isolate or change the potency of different groups of chemicals potentially toxic in a sample. Organisms are then exposed to these fractions pre- and post-manipulation to determine if ...

Estimating the Cumulative Ecological Effect of Local Scale Landscape Changes in South Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hogan, Dianna M.; Labiosa, William; Pearlstine, Leonard; Hallac, David; Strong, David; Hearn, Paul; Bernknopf, Richard

2012-01-01

Ecosystem restoration in south Florida is a state and national priority centered on the Everglades wetlands. However, urban development pressures affect the restoration potential and remaining habitat functions of the natural undeveloped areas. Land use (LU) planning often focuses at the local level, but a better understanding of the cumulative effects of small projects at the landscape level is needed to support ecosystem restoration and preservation. The South Florida Ecosystem Portfolio Model (SFL EPM) is a regional LU planning tool developed to help stakeholders visualize LU scenario evaluation and improve communication about regional effects of LU decisions. One component of the SFL EPM is ecological value (EV), which is evaluated through modeled ecological criteria related to ecosystem services using metrics for (1) biodiversity potential, (2) threatened and endangered species, (3) rare and unique habitats, (4) landscape pattern and fragmentation, (5) water quality buffer potential, and (6) ecological restoration potential. In this article, we demonstrate the calculation of EV using two case studies: (1) assessing altered EV in the Biscayne Gateway area by comparing 2004 LU to potential LU in 2025 and 2050, and (2) the cumulative impact of adding limestone mines south of Miami. Our analyses spatially convey changing regional EV resulting from conversion of local natural and agricultural areas to urban, industrial, or extractive use. Different simulated local LU scenarios may result in different alterations in calculated regional EV. These case studies demonstrate methods that may facilitate evaluation of potential future LU patterns and incorporate EV into decision making.

Evaluation to determine the caries remineralization potential of three dentifrices: An in vitro study

PubMed Central

Balakrishnan, Arun; Jonathan, R; Benin, P; Kuumar, Arvind

2013-01-01

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the remineralizing potential of three different remineralizing agents (GC tooth Mousse, Clinpro tooth crθme and SHY-NM) on demineralized tooth surfaces using micro CT and microhardness. Materials and Methods: Forty five freshly extracted mandibular premolars were collected and enamel specimens were prepared. The samples were assigned to three groups with fifteen specimens in each group. The specimens were then demineralized using McInne's demineralizing solution in two cycles. After that, remineralization was carried out in two cycles for 30 days using Casein phosphopeptide - Amorphous calcium phosphate (CPP - ACP), 0.21% sodium fluoride - Tricalcium phosphate (f-TCP) and Calcium Sodium Phosphosilicate (CSP) containing tooth pastes for groups I, II, III respectively. The specimens were evaluated for Linear attenuation co-efficient using micro CT (Scanco™) and Vicker's Micro Hardness (Schimadzu™) testing at different time periods. The results were tabulated and statistically analysed. Results: It was observed that all the three remineralizing agents used in the study significantly increased the Linear Attenuation Co-efficient and Vicker's hardness number values of the enamel specimens following 15 days and 30 days application. Conclusion: CPP – ACP showed the better remineralizing potential than the other two agents and there was no statistical significant difference between f-TCP and CSP groups. PMID:23956545

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

Perry, Frank Vinton; Kelley, Richard E.

The DOE Spent Fuel and Waste Technology (SWFT) R&D Campaign is supporting research on crystalline rock, shale (argillite) and salt as potential host rocks for disposal of HLW and SNF in a mined geologic repository. The distribution of these three potential repository host rocks is limited to specific regions of the US and to different geologic and hydrologic environments (Perry et al., 2014), many of which may be technically suitable as a site for mined geologic disposal. This report documents a regional geologic evaluation of the Pierre Shale, as an example of evaluating a potentially suitable shale for siting amore » geologic HLW repository. This report follows a similar report competed in 2016 on a regional evaluation of crystalline rock that focused on the Superior Province of the north-central US (Perry et al., 2016).« less

The use of available potential energy to evaluate the impact of satellite data on numerical model analysis during FGGE

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Horn, Lyle H.; Koehler, Thomas L.; Whittaker, Linda M.

1988-01-01

To evaluate the effect of the FGGE satellite observing system, the following two data sets were compared by examining the available potential energy (APE) and extratropical cyclone activity within the entire global domain during the first Special Observing Period: (1) the complete FGGE IIIb set, which incorporates satellite soundings, and (2) a NOSAT set which incorporates only conventional data. The time series of the daily total APEs indicate that NOSAT values are larger than the FGGE values, although in the Northern Hemisphere the differences are negligible. Analyses of cyclone scale features revealed only minor differences between the Northern Hemisphere FGGE and NOSAT analyses. On the other hand, substantial differences were revealed in the two Southern Hemisphere analyses, where the satellite soundings apparently add detail to the FGGE set.

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study to evaluate the subjective abuse potential and cognitive effects of nabiximols oromucosal spray in subjects with a history of recreational cannabis use.

PubMed

Schoedel, Kerri Alexandra; Chen, Nancy; Hilliard, Annie; White, Linda; Stott, Colin; Russo, Ethan; Wright, Stephen; Guy, Geoffrey; Romach, Myroslava K; Sellers, Edward M

2011-04-01

This study aimed to evaluate the abuse potential and cognitive effects of nabiximols (Sativex, GW Pharma Ltd. Salisbury, UK), an oromucosal spray primarily containing delta‐9‐tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). This was a single‐dose, randomized, double‐blind, crossover study comparing nabiximols (4, 8, and 16 consecutive sprays: 10.8, 21.6, and 43.2 mg THC, respectively) with dronabinol 20 and 40 mg (synthetic THC: Marinol, Solvay Pharmaceuticals, Brussels, Belgium) and matching placebos in 23 recreational cannabis users. Subjective and cognitive/psychomotor measures were administered over 24 h post‐dose. Dronabinol was significantly different from placebo on abuse potential measures, thereby confirming study validity. Nabiximols 10.8 mg was not significantly different from placebo on primary measures but was different on some secondary measures. Nabiximols 21.6 mg was significantly greater than placebo on some primary/secondary measures, whereas nabiximols 43.2 mg showed significant effects on most measures. Nabiximols 10.8 mg was significantly lower than dronabinol doses on most measures ( p < 0.05). Dronabinol 20 mg effects were numerically higher than nabiximols 21.6 mg but were statistically significant only for some measures. Dronabinol 40 mg and nabiximols 43.2 mg were generally not statistically different. Both dronabinol and nabiximols had significant abuse potential compared with placebo at higher doses. Nabiximols showed similar or slightly less abuse potential compared with dronabinol. Therefore, the abuse potential of nabiximols should be no higher than that of dronabinol.

A systematic uncertainty analysis of an evaluative fate and exposure model.

PubMed

Hertwich, E G; McKone, T E; Pease, W S

2000-08-01

Multimedia fate and exposure models are widely used to regulate the release of toxic chemicals, to set cleanup standards for contaminated sites, and to evaluate emissions in life-cycle assessment. CalTOX, one of these models, is used to calculate the potential dose, an outcome that is combined with the toxicity of the chemical to determine the Human Toxicity Potential (HTP), used to aggregate and compare emissions. The comprehensive assessment of the uncertainty in the potential dose calculation in this article serves to provide the information necessary to evaluate the reliability of decisions based on the HTP A framework for uncertainty analysis in multimedia risk assessment is proposed and evaluated with four types of uncertainty. Parameter uncertainty is assessed through Monte Carlo analysis. The variability in landscape parameters is assessed through a comparison of potential dose calculations for different regions in the United States. Decision rule uncertainty is explored through a comparison of the HTP values under open and closed system boundaries. Model uncertainty is evaluated through two case studies, one using alternative formulations for calculating the plant concentration and the other testing the steady state assumption for wet deposition. This investigation shows that steady state conditions for the removal of chemicals from the atmosphere are not appropriate and result in an underestimate of the potential dose for 25% of the 336 chemicals evaluated.

Differences among practitioners in patterns of preference for information sources in the adoption of new drugs.

PubMed

Peay, M Y; Peay, E R

1984-01-01

The major aim of this study was to identify coherent patterns in doctors' preferences for potential sources of information about new drugs and the characteristics of the doctors who display them. One hundred twenty-four general practitioners and specialists evaluated and reported their use of a number of potential sources. Overall, commercial sources were cited more often than professional ones for providing first information about a new drug, but the reverse was the case when the doctor was actively considering prescribing it. The primary professional sources received more favourable evaluation than any of the commercial sources, but results suggest that usage does not necessarily follow the doctor's opinion of a source. Relationships between reported use and evaluation reveal two coherent patterns of source preference: 'journal' and 'commercial'. The commercial pattern is particularly sharply defined, identifying a subset of doctors who can be designated justifiably as 'commercially-oriented'. Evaluation and use of particular sources varied with age and differed between specialists and general practitioners. Results indicate that differences in patterns of preference are systematically related to characteristics of the doctor in combination with the stage of the adoption process.

Infant toxicology: state of the science and considerations in evaluation of safety.

PubMed

Neal-Kluever, April; Aungst, Jason; Gu, Yan; Hatwell, Karen; Muldoon-Jacobs, Kristi; Liem, Ayesha; Ogungbesan, Adejoke; Shackelford, Mary

2014-08-01

Differences in the physiology and biological susceptibilities of adults and infants have led to growing interest in safety evaluation methods for exposures from infant formula packaging. In addition to potential physiological differences, infants aged 0-6 months may consume a sole source of food, infant formula or breast milk, and consume higher amounts of food relative to body weight compared to adults. While the duration of the exposure is short compared to the expected lifespan of the individual, it occurs during a period of important developmental processes. The purpose of this document is to (1) review key biological and exposure elements that may impact the evaluation of safety for food contact products intended for use by infants, (2) summarize the current reproductive and developmental toxicity testing protocols available, and (3) identify potential data gaps concerning this period of development. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Comparison of the dye method with the thermocouple psychrometer for measuring leaf water potentials.

PubMed

Knipling, E B; Kramer, P J

1967-10-01

The dye method for measuring water potential was examined and compared with the thermocouple psychrometer method in order to evaluate its usefulness for measuring leaf water potentials of forest trees and common laboratory plants. Psychrometer measurements are assumed to represent the true leaf water potentials. Because of the contamination of test solutions by cell sap and leaf surface residues, dye method values of most species varied about 1 to 5 bars from psychrometer values over the leaf water potential range of 0 to -30 bars. The dye method is useful for measuring changes and relative values in leaf potential. Because of species differences in the relationships of dye method values to true leaf water potentials, dye method values should be interpreted with caution when comparing different species or the same species growing in widely different environments. Despite its limitations the dye method has a usefulness to many workers because it is simple, requires no elaborate equipment, and can be used in both the laboratory and field.

Evaluation of alfalfa-tall fescue mixtures across multiple environments

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Binary grass-legume mixtures can benefit forage production systems in different ways helping growers cope both with increasing input costs (e.g., N fertilizer, herbicides) and potentially more variable weather. The main objective of this study was to evaluate alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and tall f...

EVALUATION OF LEAD AVAILABILITY IN AMENDED SOILS MONITORED OVER A LONG-TERM TIME PERIOD

EPA Science Inventory

Two different soil amendment processes were evaluated for reducing lead availability from a contaminated soil at a demonstration study site, to reduce potential public health and environmental concerns. A limited variety of in vitro laboratory availability tests (relativ...

Assessment of the spatial variability in tall wheatgrass forage using LANDSAT 8 satellite imagery to delineate potential management zones.

PubMed

Cicore, Pablo; Serrano, João; Shahidian, Shakib; Sousa, Adelia; Costa, José Luis; da Silva, José Rafael Marques

2016-09-01

Little information is available on the degree of within-field variability of potential production of Tall wheatgrass (Thinopyrum ponticum) forage under unirrigated conditions. The aim of this study was to characterize the spatial variability of the accumulated biomass (AB) without nutritional limitations through vegetation indexes, and then use this information to determine potential management zones. A 27-×-27-m grid cell size was chosen and 84 biomass sampling areas (BSA), each 2 m(2) in size, were georeferenced. Nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers were applied after an initial cut at 3 cm height. At 500 °C day, the AB from each sampling area, was collected and evaluated. The spatial variability of AB was estimated more accurately using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), calculated from LANDSAT 8 images obtained on 24 November 2014 (NDVInov) and 10 December 2014 (NDVIdec) because the potential AB was highly associated with NDVInov and NDVIdec (r (2)  = 0.85 and 0.83, respectively). These models between the potential AB data and NDVI were evaluated by root mean squared error (RMSE) and relative root mean squared error (RRMSE). This last coefficient was 12 and 15 % for NDVInov and NDVIdec, respectively. Potential AB and NDVI spatial correlation were quantified with semivariograms. The spatial dependence of AB was low. Six classes of NDVI were analyzed for comparison, and two management zones (MZ) were established with them. In order to evaluate if the NDVI method allows us to delimit MZ with different attainable yields, the AB estimated for these MZ were compared through an ANOVA test. The potential AB had significant differences among MZ. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that NDVI obtained from LANDSAT 8 images can be reliably used for creating MZ in soils under permanent pastures dominated by Tall wheatgrass.

Characterization and Potential Application of Next Generation Commercial Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering Substrates

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-11-01

were evaluated. For these experiments, an aliquot of the common bacillus spore B. coagulans was drop-dried onto the SERS substrate active surface...the Klarite surface. Spectra for bacillus spore B. coagulans on different substrate types. 3.5 Energetic Sample Evaluation Hazard detection...substrate types (a–f). Notice the dramatic difference in size between the spore and the active areas on the Klarite surface. Spectra for bacillus

A toxicity assessment of 30 pharmaceuticals using Aliivibrio fischeri: a comparison of the acute effects of different formulations.

PubMed

Jacob, Raquel Sampaio; Santos, Lucilaine Valéria de Souza; de Souza, Ana Flávia Rodrigues; Lange, Liséte Celina

2016-11-01

Considerable quantities of different classes of drugs are consumed annually worldwide. These drugs, once disposed, often remain stable, even after conventional or advanced treatments. Although there have been a number of studies on the potential harm caused by drugs when released into the environment, few studies have investigated the toxicity of pharmaceutical excipients. In the present study, the acute toxicity of 30 drugs was tested to Aliivibrio fischeri. Ten different active ingredients were investigated, each in three distinct formulations: generic, similar and reference (brand drug). The aim of the study was to evaluate the harmful potential of drugs frequently sold in drugstores and to assess the contribution of excipients towards the observed acute toxicity. Within the 10 drugs evaluated, only one, dexchlorpheniramine maleate, was not toxic in any formulation. The toxicities of the three formulations were often different, even though the active ingredient has been the same. For some drugs, such as diazepam, glibenclamide, metformin, nimesulide, hydrochlorothiazide and simvastatin, only one or two of the three formulations tested were toxic to A. fischeri. These results highlight the toxicological potential of drug excipients, but not exclusively the toxicity of the active ingredients.

Gold-standard evaluation of a folksonomy-based ontology learning model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Djuana, E.

2018-03-01

Folksonomy, as one result of collaborative tagging process, has been acknowledged for its potential in improving categorization and searching of web resources. However, folksonomy contains ambiguities such as synonymy and polysemy as well as different abstractions or generality problem. To maximize its potential, some methods for associating tags of folksonomy with semantics and structural relationships have been proposed such as using ontology learning method. This paper evaluates our previous work in ontology learning according to gold-standard evaluation approach in comparison to a notable state-of-the-art work and several baselines. The results show that our method is comparable to the state-of the art work which further validate our approach as has been previously validated using task-based evaluation approach.

Anthelmintic activity of Cymbopogon martinii, Cymbopogon schoenanthus and Mentha piperita essential oils evaluated in four different in vitro tests

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Anthelmintic resistance is a worldwide concern in small ruminant industry and new plant derived compounds are being studied for their potential use against gastrointestinal nematodes. Mentha piperita, Cymbopogon martinii and Cymbopogon schoenanthus essential oils were evaluated against developmenta...

GROWTH EVALUATION OF FUNGI (PENICILLIUM AND ASPERGILLUS SPP.) ON CEILING TILES

EPA Science Inventory

The paper gives results of an evaluation of the potential for fungal growth on four different ceiling tiles in static chambers. It was found that even new ceiling tiles supported fungal growth under favorable conditions. Used ceiling tiles appeared to be more susceptible to funga...

Discomfort Intolerance: Evaluation of a Potential Risk Factor for Anxiety Psychopathology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmidt, Norman B.; Richey, J. Anthony; Cromer, Kiara R.; Buckner, Julia D.

2007-01-01

Discomfort intolerance, defined as an individual difference in the capacity to tolerate unpleasant bodily sensations, is a construct recently posited as a risk factor for panic and anxiety psychopathology. The present report used a biological challenge procedure to evaluate whether discomfort intolerance predicts fearful responding beyond the…

Evaluating hybrid bermudagrass using spectral reflectance under different mowing heights and trinexapac-ethyl applications

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Quantitative spectral reflectance data has the potential to improve the evaluation of turfgrass variety trials when management practices are factors in the testing of turf aesthetics and functionality. However, the practical application of this methodology has not been well-developed. The objectives...

Bioassays for toxicological risk assessment of landfill leachate: A review.

PubMed

Ghosh, Pooja; Thakur, Indu Shekhar; Kaushik, Anubha

2017-07-01

Landfilling is the most common solid waste management practice. However, there exist a potential environmental risk to the surface and ground waters due to the possible leaching of contaminants from the landfill leachates. Current municipal solid waste landfill regulatory approaches consider physicochemical characterization of the leachate and do not assess their potential toxicity. However, assessment of toxic effects of the leachates using rapid, sensitive and cost-effective biological assays is more useful in assessing the risks as they measure the overall toxicity of the chemicals in the leachate. Nevertheless, more research is needed to develop an appropriate matrix of bioassays based on their sensitivity to various toxicants in order to evaluate leachate toxicity. There is a need for a multispecies approach using organisms representing different trophic levels so as to understand the potential impacts of leachate on different trophic organisms. The article reviews different bioassays available for assessing the hazard posed by landfill leachates. From the review it appears that there is a need for a multispecies approach to evaluate leachate toxicity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluating Different Dimensions of Programme Effectiveness for Private Medicine Retailer Malaria Control Interventions in Kenya

PubMed Central

Abuya, Timothy O.; Fegan, Greg; Amin, Abdinasir A.; Akhwale, Willis S.; Noor, Abdisalan M.; Snow, Robert W.; Marsh, Vicki

2010-01-01

Background Private medicine retailers (PMRs) are key partners in the home management of fevers in many settings. Current evidence on effectiveness for PMR interventions at scale is limited. This study presents evaluation findings of two different programs implemented at moderate scale targeting PMRs for malaria control in the Kisii and Kwale districts of Kenya. Key components of this evaluation were measurement of program performance, including coverage, PMR knowledge, practices, and utilization based on spatial analysis. Methodology/Principal Findings The study utilized mixed quantitative methods including retail audits and surrogate client surveys based on post-intervention cross-sectional surveys in intervention and control areas and mapping of intervention outlets. There was a large and significant impact on PMR knowledge and practices of the program in Kisii, with 60.5% of trained PMRs selling amodiaquine medicines in adequate doses compared to 2.8% of untrained ones (OR; 53.5: 95% CI 6.7, 428.3), a program coverage of 69.7% targeted outlets, and a potential utilization of about 30,000 children under five. The evaluation in Kwale also indicates a significant impact with 18.8% and 2.3% intervention and control PMRs selling amodiaquine with correct advice, respectively (OR; 9.4: 95% CI 1.1, 83.7), a program coverage of 25.3% targeted outlets, and a potential utilization of about 48,000 children under five. A provisional benchmark of 7.5 km was a reasonable threshold distance for households to access PMR services. Conclusions/Significance This evaluation show that PMR interventions operationalized in the district level settings are likely to impact PMR knowledge and practices and lead to increased coverage of appropriate treatment to target populations. There is value of evaluating different dimensions of public health programs, including quality, spatial access, and implementation practice. This approach strengthens the potential contribution of pragmatic study designs to evaluating public health programs in the real world. PMID:20126620

Evaluation of environmental impact produced by different economic activities with the global pollution index.

PubMed

Zaharia, Carmen

2012-07-01

The paper analyses the environment pollution state in different case studies of economic activities (i.e. co-generation electric and thermal power production, iron profile manufacturing, cement processing, waste landfilling, and wood furniture manufacturing), evaluating mainly the environmental cumulative impacts (e.g. cumulative impact against the health of the environment and different life forms). The status of the environment (air, water resources, soil, and noise) is analysed with respect to discharges such as gaseous discharges in the air, final effluents discharged in natural receiving basins or sewerage system, and discharges onto the soil together with the principal pollutants expressed by different environmental indicators corresponding to each specific productive activity. The alternative methodology of global pollution index (I (GP)*) for quantification of environmental impacts is applied. Environmental data analysis permits the identification of potential impact, prediction of significant impact, and evaluation of cumulative impact on a commensurate scale by evaluation scores (ES(i)) for discharge quality, and global effect to the environment pollution state by calculation of the global pollution index (I (GP)*). The I (GP)* values for each productive unit (i.e. 1.664-2.414) correspond to an 'environment modified by industrial/economic activity within admissible limits, having potential of generating discomfort effects'. The evaluation results are significant in view of future development of each productive unit and sustain the economic production in terms of environment protection with respect to a preventive environment protection scheme and continuous measures of pollution control.

Using Anchoring Vignettes to Assess Group Differences in General Self-Rated Health

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grol-Prokopczyk, Hanna; Freese, Jeremy; Hauser, Robert M.

2011-01-01

This article addresses a potentially serious problem with the widely used self-rated health (SRH) survey item: that different groups have systematically different ways of using the item's response categories. Analyses based on unadjusted SRH may thus yield misleading results. The authors evaluate anchoring vignettes as a possible solution to this…

An induced current method for measuring zeta potential of electrolyte solution-air interface.

PubMed

Song, Yongxin; Zhao, Kai; Wang, Junsheng; Wu, Xudong; Pan, Xinxiang; Sun, Yeqing; Li, Dongqing

2014-02-15

This paper reports a novel and very simple method for measuring the zeta potential of electrolyte solution-air interface. When a measuring electrode contacts the electrolyte solution-air interface, an electrical current will be generated due to the potential difference between the electrode-air surface and the electrolyte solution-air interface. The amplitude of the measured electric signal is linearly proportional to this potential difference; and depends only on the zeta potential at the electrolyte solution-air interface, regardless of the types and concentrations of the electrolyte. A correlation between the zeta potential and the measured voltage signal is obtained based on the experimental data. Using this equation, the zeta potential of any electrolyte solution-air interface can be evaluated quickly and easily by inserting an electrode through the electrolyte solution-air interface and measuring the electrical signal amplitude. This method was verified by comparing the obtained results of NaCl, MgCl2 and CaCl2 solutions of different pH values and concentrations with the zeta potential data reported in the published journal papers. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparison of Relative Binding Affinities for Trout and Human Estrogen Receptor Based upon Different Competitive Binding Assays, oral

EPA Science Inventory

The US EPA has been mandated to screen industrial chemicals and pesticides for potential endocrine activity. To evaluate the potential for chemicals to cause endocrine disruption in fish we have previously measured the affinity of a number of chemicals for the rainbow trout estr...

An Overview of Electron Acceptors in Microbial Fuel Cells

PubMed Central

Ucar, Deniz; Zhang, Yifeng; Angelidaki, Irini

2017-01-01

Microbial fuel cells (MFC) have recently received increasing attention due to their promising potential in sustainable wastewater treatment and contaminant removal. In general, contaminants can be removed either as an electron donor via microbial catalyzed oxidization at the anode or removed at the cathode as electron acceptors through reduction. Some contaminants can also function as electron mediators at the anode or cathode. While previous studies have done a thorough assessment of electron donors, cathodic electron acceptors and mediators have not been as well described. Oxygen is widely used as an electron acceptor due to its high oxidation potential and ready availability. Recent studies, however, have begun to assess the use of different electron acceptors because of the (1) diversity of redox potential, (2) needs of alternative and more efficient cathode reaction, and (3) expanding of MFC based technologies in different areas. The aim of this review was to evaluate the performance and applicability of various electron acceptors and mediators used in MFCs. This review also evaluated the corresponding performance, advantages and disadvantages, and future potential applications of select electron acceptors (e.g., nitrate, iron, copper, perchlorate) and mediators. PMID:28469607

Magnetic resonance metabolomics of intact tissue: a biotechnological tool in cancer diagnostics and treatment evaluation.

PubMed

Bathen, Tone F; Sitter, Beathe; Sjøbakk, Torill E; Tessem, May-Britt; Gribbestad, Ingrid S

2010-09-01

Personalized medicine is increasingly important in cancer treatment for its role in staging and its potential to improve stratification of patients. Different types of molecules, genes, proteins, and metabolites are being extensively explored as potential biomarkers. This review discusses the major findings and potential of tissue metabolites determined by high-resolution magic angle spinning magnetic resonance spectroscopy for cancer detection, characterization, and treatment monitoring.

Study on THz spectra of the active ingredients in the TCM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, ShiHua; Wang, WenFeng; Liu, GuiFeng; Ge, Min; Zhu, ZhiYong

2008-03-01

Terahertz spectroscopy has tremendous potential for applications to evaluate the quality of the drugs including the TCM. In this paper, the Terahertz Time-Domain Spectroscopy investigated two active ingredients: Andrographolide and Dehydroandrographoline, isolated from Andrographis paniculata (Burm. f.) Nees. We also measured the mixtures of two active ingredients at the different ratio and the quantitative analysis is also applied to determine the contents of compound. The Terahertz spectroscopy is a potential and promising technique in identifying the components, evaluating the drugs sanitation and inspecting the quality of medicine including TCM.

A Robust Camera-Based Interface for Mobile Entertainment

PubMed Central

Roig-Maimó, Maria Francesca; Manresa-Yee, Cristina; Varona, Javier

2016-01-01

Camera-based interfaces in mobile devices are starting to be used in games and apps, but few works have evaluated them in terms of usability or user perception. Due to the changing nature of mobile contexts, this evaluation requires extensive studies to consider the full spectrum of potential users and contexts. However, previous works usually evaluate these interfaces in controlled environments such as laboratory conditions, therefore, the findings cannot be generalized to real users and real contexts. In this work, we present a robust camera-based interface for mobile entertainment. The interface detects and tracks the user’s head by processing the frames provided by the mobile device’s front camera, and its position is then used to interact with the mobile apps. First, we evaluate the interface as a pointing device to study its accuracy, and different factors to configure such as the gain or the device’s orientation, as well as the optimal target size for the interface. Second, we present an in the wild study to evaluate the usage and the user’s perception when playing a game controlled by head motion. Finally, the game is published in an application store to make it available to a large number of potential users and contexts and we register usage data. Results show the feasibility of using this robust camera-based interface for mobile entertainment in different contexts and by different people. PMID:26907288

Field Studies to Evaluate Potential Differences between Bt and non-Bt Corn Residue

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Some reports suggest that the genetically-modified Bt corn residue may have higher lignin content and that the residue may be more resistant to decomposition. If true, then there are implications for both farming practices, e.g., tillage and planting, as well as global carbon budgets. We evaluated ...

Analyses on hydrophobicity and attractiveness of all-atom distance-dependent potentials

PubMed Central

Shirota, Matsuyuki; Ishida, Takashi; Kinoshita, Kengo

2009-01-01

Accurate model evaluation is a crucial step in protein structure prediction. For this purpose, statistical potentials, which evaluate a model structure based on the observed atomic distance frequencies in comparison with those in reference states, have been widely used. The reference state is a virtual state where all of the atomic interactions are turned off, and it provides a standard to measure the observed frequencies. In this study, we examined seven all-atom distance-dependent potentials with different reference states. As results, we observed that the variations of atom pair composition and those of distance distributions in the reference states produced systematic changes in the hydrophobic and attractive characteristics of the potentials. The performance evaluations with the CASP7 structures indicated that the preference of hydrophobic interactions improved the correlation between the energy and the GDT-TS score, but decreased the Z-score of the native structure. The attractiveness of potential improved both the correlation and Z-score for template-based modeling targets, but the benefit was smaller in free modeling targets. These results indicated that the performances of the potentials were more strongly influenced by their characteristics than by the accuracy of the definitions of the reference states. PMID:19588493

Wind tunnel and field evaluation of drift from aerial spray applications with multiple spray formulations

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The impact of different spray tank modifiers into an active ingredient spray mixture on spray atomization and in-field behavior under aerial application conditions were examined. Wind tunnel tests demonstrated that active ingredient solutions potentially results in significantly different atomizati...

Kangaroo versus porcine aortic valve tissue--valve geometry morphology, tensile strength and calcification potential.

PubMed

Neethling, W M; Papadimitriou, J M; Swarts, E; Hodge, A J

2000-06-01

Valve related factors and patient related factors are responsible for calcification of valvular bioprostheses. Recent studies showed different donor and recipient species have different influences on the total calcification rate of bioprostheses. This study was performed to evaluate and compare Kangaroo aortic valve leaflets with porcine aortic valve leaflets. Experimental design. Prospective study. Setting. Cardio-thoracic experimental research of a university department. Glutaraldehyde-fixed Kangaroo and porcine valve leaflets were evaluated in vitro according to valve geometry (internal diameter and leaflet thickness), morphology (light and electron microscopy) and tensile strength. In vivo evaluation consisted of implantation in a rat model for 8 weeks, Von Kossa stain for calcium and atomic absorption spectrophotometry for total extractable calcium content. Kangaroo valves indicated a smaller internal valve diameter as well as a thinner valve leaflet (p<0.01, ANOVA) at corresponding body weight, less proteoglycan spicules in the fibrosa, increased elasticity (p<0.05) and low calcification potential (p<0.01, confidence interval 95%). Kangaroo aortic valve leaflets have different valvular qualities compared to porcine valve tissue. Kangaroo valve leaflets are significantly superior to porcine valve leaflets as far as calcification is concerned. These results are encouraging and suggest further in vivo evaluation in a larger animal model before clinical application can be considered.

Event-related potentials reveal task-dependence and inter-individual differences in negation processing during silent listening and explicit truth-value evaluation.

PubMed

Herbert, C; Kissler, J

2014-09-26

In sentences such as dogs cannot fly/bark, evaluation of the truth-value of the sentence is assumed to appear after the negation has been integrated into the sentence structure. Moreover negation processing and truth-value processing are considered effortful processes, whereas processing of the semantic relatedness of the words within sentences is thought to occur automatically. In the present study, modulation of event-related brain potentials (N400 and late positive potential, LPP) was investigated during an implicit task (silent listening) and active truth-value evaluation to test these theoretical assumptions and determine if truth-value evaluation will be modulated by the way participants processed the negated information implicitly prior to truth-value verification. Participants first listened to negated sentences and then evaluated these sentences for their truth-value in an active evaluation task. During passive listening, the LPP was generally more pronounced for targets in false negative (FN) than true negative (TN) sentences, indicating enhanced attention allocation to semantically-related but false targets. N400 modulation by truth-value (FN>TN) was observed in 11 out of 24 participants. However, during active evaluation, processing of semantically-unrelated but true targets (TN) elicited larger N400 and LPP amplitudes as well as a pronounced frontal negativity. This pattern was particularly prominent in those 11 individuals, whose N400 modulation during silent listening indicated that they were more sensitive to violations of the truth-value than to semantic priming effects. The results provide evidence for implicit truth-value processing during silent listening of negated sentences and for task dependence related to inter-individual differences in implicit negation processing. Copyright © 2014 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Elevated outcome-anticipation and outcome-evaluation ERPs associated with a greater preference for larger-but-delayed rewards.

PubMed

Pornpattananangkul, Narun; Nadig, Ajay; Heidinger, Storm; Walden, Keegan; Nusslock, Robin

2017-06-01

Although waiting for a reward reduces or discounts its value, some people have a stronger tendency to wait for larger rewards and forgo smaller-but-immediate rewards. This ability to delay gratification is captured by individual differences in so-called intertemporal choices in which individuals are asked to choose between larger-but-delayed versus smaller-but-immediate rewards. The current study used event-related potentials (ERPs) to examine whether enhancement in two neurocognitive processes, outcome anticipation and outcome evaluation, modulate individual variability in intertemporal responses. After completing a behavioral intertemporal choice task, 34 participants performed an ERP gambling task. From this ERP task, we separately examined individual differences in outcome anticipation (stimulus-preceding negativity; SPN), early outcome valuation (feedback-related negativity; FRN), and late outcome evaluation (P3). We observed that both elevated outcome-anticipation (SPN) and late outcome-evaluation (P3) neural processes predicted a stronger preference toward larger-but-delayed rewards. No relationship was observed between intertemporal responses and early outcome evaluation (FRN), indicating that the relationship between outcome evaluation and intertemporal responses was specific to the late outcome-evaluation processing stream. Moreover, multiple regression analyses indicated that the SPN and P3 independently modulate individual differences in intertemporal responses, suggesting separate mechanisms underlie the relationship between these two neurocognitive processes and intertemporal responses. Accordingly, we identify two potential neurocognitive modulators of individual variability in intertemporal responses. We discuss the mechanisms underlying these modulators in terms of anticipation-related processing (SPN) and a saliency bias toward gain (compared to loss) outcomes (P3).

Comparison of the Dye Method with the Thermocouple Psychrometer for Measuring Leaf Water Potentials 1

PubMed Central

Knipling, Edward B.; Kramer, Paul J.

1967-01-01

The dye method for measuring water potential was examined and compared with the thermocouple psychrometer method in order to evaluate its usefulness for measuring leaf water potentials of forest trees and common laboratory plants. Psychrometer measurements are assumed to represent the true leaf water potentials. Because of the contamination of test solutions by cell sap and leaf surface residues, dye method values of most species varied about 1 to 5 bars from psychrometer values over the leaf water potential range of 0 to −30 bars. The dye method is useful for measuring changes and relative values in leaf potential. Because of species differences in the relationships of dye method values to true leaf water potentials, dye method values should be interpreted with caution when comparing different species or the same species growing in widely different environments. Despite its limitations the dye method has a usefulness to many workers because it is simple, requires no elaborate equipment, and can be used in both the laboratory and field. PMID:16656657

Applied genetic evaluations for production and functional traits in dairy cattle.

PubMed

Mark, T

2004-08-01

The objective of this study was to review the current status of genetic evaluation systems for production and functional traits as practiced in different Interbull member countries and to discuss that status in relation to research results and potential improvements. Thirty-one countries provided information. Substantial variation was evident for number of traits considered per country, trait definition, genetic evaluation procedure within trait, effects included, and how these were treated in genetic evaluation models. All countries lacked genetic evaluations for one or more economically important traits. Improvement in the genetic evaluation models, especially for many functional traits, could be achieved by closing the gaps between research and practice. More detailed and up to date information about national genetic evaluation systems for traits in different countries is available at www.interbull.org. Female fertility and workability traits were considered in many countries and could be next in line for international genetic evaluations.

Case Mix Difference Can Affect Evaluation of Outcome of Treatment for Colorectal Cancer.

PubMed

Ljungman, David; Kodeda, Karl; Derwinger, Kristoffer

2015-07-01

To explore the potential effects of patient selection, for example by organization, on survival as outcome parameter in colorectal cancer treatment. The main cohort was identified in a Hospital-based registry and outcome data of all 2,717 patients operated on for colorectal cancer between 2000-2011 were evaluated. A simulation of different center settings was performed using several potential selection criteria, including emergency cases, referral surgery and palliative resection, and used for comparison of outcome data. Overall survival and cancer-specific survival can be significantly affected in both short-term (30-/90-day) mortality and long-term survival by factors of organizational level. Survival data as an outcome parameter can be affected by the composition of the patient cohort and thus reflect possible selection bias for example due to organization, referral patterns and practice customs. This potential bias should be acknowledged when making inter-hospital comparisons of outcome. Copyright© 2015 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved.

Invasion complexity at large spatial scales is an emergent property of interactions among landscape characteristics and invader traits

PubMed Central

Jordan, Nicholas R.; Forester, James D.

2018-01-01

Invasion potential should be part of the evaluation of candidate species for any species introduction. However, estimating invasion risks remains a challenging problem, particularly in complex landscapes. Certain plant traits are generally considered to increase invasive potential and there is an understanding that landscapes influence invasions dynamics, but little research has been done to explore how those drivers of invasions interact. We evaluate the relative roles of, and potential interactions between, plant invasiveness traits and landscape characteristics on invasions with a case study using a model parameterized for the potentially invasive biomass crop, Miscanthus × giganteus. Using that model we simulate invasions on 1000 real landscapes to evaluate how landscape characteristics, including both composition and spatial structure, affect invasion outcomes. We conducted replicate simulations with differing strengths of plant invasiveness traits (dispersal ability, establishment ability, population growth rate, and the ability to utilize dispersal corridors) to evaluate how the importance of landscape characteristics for predicting invasion patterns changes depending on the invader details. Analysis of simulations showed that the presence of highly suitable habitat (e.g., grasslands) is generally the strongest determinant of invasion dynamics but that there are also more subtle interactions between landscapes and invader traits. These effects can also vary between different aspects of invasion dynamics (short vs. long time scales and population size vs. spatial extent). These results illustrate that invasions are complex emergent processes with multiple drivers and effective management needs to reflect the ecology of the species of interest and the particular goals or risks for which efforts need to be optimized. PMID:29771923

Steady and Oscillatory, Subsonic and Supersonic, Aerodynamic Pressure and Generalized Forces for Complex Aircraft Configurations and Applications to Flutter. M.S. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, L. T.

1975-01-01

A general method for analyzing aerodynamic flows around complex configurations is presented. By applying the Green function method, a linear integral equation relating the unknown, small perturbation potential on the surface of the body, to the known downwash is obtained. The surfaces of the aircraft, wake and diaphragm (if necessary) are divided into small quadrilateral elements which are approximated with hyperboloidal surfaces. The potential and its normal derivative are assumed to be constant within each element. This yields a set of linear algebraic equations and the coefficients are evaluated analytically. By using Gaussian elimination method, equations are solved for the potentials at the centroids of elements. The pressure coefficient is evaluated by the finite different method; the lift and moment coefficients are evaluated by numerical integration. Numerical results are presented, and applications to flutter are also included.

An Assessment of the Potential Uses of Agonistic Behaviors in Termite Control

Treesearch

Barbara L. Thorne; Michael I. Haverty

1991-01-01

The potential use of termite-termite agonism in pest control is explored and evaluated. Intra-and interspecific en-counters among termites from different colonies are known to result in aggressive or avoidance behaviors in a variety of species. Recent studies suggest, however, that intraspecific confrontations only rarely evoke aggressive responses in several...

Novel ion channel targets in atrial fibrillation.

PubMed

Hancox, Jules C; James, Andrew F; Marrion, Neil V; Zhang, Henggui; Thomas, Dierk

2016-08-01

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia in humans. It is progressive and the development of electrical and structural remodeling makes early intervention desirable. Existing antiarrhythmic pharmacological approaches are not always effective and can produce unwanted side effects. Additional atrial-selective antiarrhythmic strategies are therefore desirable. Evidence for three novel ion channel atrial-selective therapeutic targets is evaluated: atrial-selective fast sodium channel current (INa) inhibition; small conductance calcium-activated potassium (SK) channels; and two-pore (K2P) potassium channels. Data from animal models support atrial-ventricular differences in INa kinetics and also suggest atrial-ventricular differences in sodium channel β subunit expression. Further work is required to determine whether intrinsic atrial-ventricular differences in human INa exist or whether functional differences occur due to distinct atrial and ventricular action and resting potentials. SK and K2P channels (particularly K2P 3.1) offer potentially attractive atrial-selective targets. Work is needed to identify the underlying basis of SK current that contributes to (patho)physiological atrial repolarization and settings in which SK inhibition is anti- versus pro-arrhythmic. Although K2P3.1 appears to be a promising target with comparatively selective drugs for experimental use, a lack of selective pharmacology hinders evaluation of other K2P channels as potential atrial-selective targets.

Evaluation of uncontrolled confounding in studies of environmental exposures and neurobehavioral testing in children.

PubMed

Mink, Pamela J; Goodman, Michael; Barraj, Leila M; Imrey, Harriet; Kelsh, Michael A; Yager, Janice

2004-07-01

Neurobehavioral tests are commonly used in studies of children exposed to low-level environmental concentrations of compounds known to be neurotoxic at higher levels. However, uncontrolled or incomplete control for confounding makes interpretation of results problematic because effects of confounders are often stronger than the effects of primary interest. We examined a priori the potential impact of confounding in a hypothetical study evaluating the association of a potentially neurotoxic environmental exposure with neurobehavioral function in children. We used 2 outcome measures: the Bayley Scales of Infant Development Mental Development Index and the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale Composite Score. We selected 3 potential confounders: maternal intelligence, home environment, and socioeconomic status as measured by years of parental education. We conducted 3 sets of analyses measuring the effect of each of the 3 confounding factors alone, 2 confounders acting simultaneously, and all 3 confounders acting simultaneously. Relatively small differences (0.5 standard deviations) in confounding variables between "exposed" and "unexposed" groups, if unmeasured and unaccounted for in the analysis, could produce spurious differences in cognitive test scores. The magnitude of this difference (3-10 points) has been suggested to have a meaningful impact in populations. The method of measuring confounders (eg, maternal intelligence) could also substantially affect the results. It is important to carefully consider the impact of potential confounders during the planning stages of an observational study. Study-to-study differences in neurobehavioral outcomes with similar environmental exposures could be partially explained by differences in the adjustment for confounding variables. Copyright 2004 Lippincott Williams and Wilkins

Does Professional Development School Preparation Make a Difference? A Comparison of Three Teacher Candidate Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Castle, Sharon; Fox, Rebecca K.; Fuhrman, Caroline

2009-01-01

The article compares three replication studies that explore potential differences between teacher candidates trained in professional development schools and those trained in a traditional program. Data sources included student teaching evaluations (analyzed quantitatively) and portfolio reflections, oral and written (analyzed qualitatively). The…

STRATEGIES FOR THE AEROBIC CO-METABOLISM OF CHLORINATED SOLVENTS. (R825689C019)

EPA Science Inventory

Abstract

Recent field and laboratory studies have evaluated the potential for aerobic co-metabolism of chlorinated solvents. Different co-metabolic substrates and different methods of application have been tried, including growing indigenous microbes in situ, an...

Elevated Outcome-Anticipation and Outcome-Evaluation ERPs Associated with a Greater Preference for Larger-But-Delayed Rewards

PubMed Central

Pornpattananangkul, Narun; Nadig, Ajay; Heidinger, Storm; Walden, Keegan; Nusslock, Robin

2017-01-01

Although waiting for a reward reduces or discounts its value, some people have a stronger tendency to wait for larger rewards and forgo smaller-but-immediate rewards. This ability to delay gratification is captured by individual differences in so-called inter-temporal choices in which individuals are asked to choose between larger-but-delayed versus smaller-but-immediate rewards. The current study used event-related potentials (ERPs) to examine whether enhancement in two neuro-cognitive processes, outcome-anticipation and outcome-evaluation, modulate individual variability in inter-temporal responses. After completing a behavioral inter-temporal choice task, 34 participants performed an ERP gambling task. From this ERP task, we separately examined individual differences in outcome-anticipation (Stimulus-Preceding Negativity, SPN), early outcome-evaluation (Feedback-Related Negativity; FRN) and late outcome-evaluation (P3). We observed that both elevated outcome-anticipation (SPN) and late outcome-evaluation (P3) neural processes predicted a stronger preference toward larger-but-delayed rewards. No relationship was observed between inter-temporal responses and early outcome-evaluation (FRN), indicating that the relationship between outcome-evaluation and inter-temporal responses was specific to the late outcome-evaluation processing stream. Moreover, multiple regression analyses indicated that the SPN and P3 independently modulate individual differences in inter-temporal responses, suggesting separate mechanisms underlie the relationship between these two neuro-cognitive processes and inter-temporal responses. Accordingly, we identify two potential neural-cognitive modulators of individual variability in inter-temporal responses. We discuss the mechanisms underlying these modulators in terms of anticipation-related processing (SPN) and a saliency-bias toward gain (compared to loss) outcomes (P3). PMID:28224457

Quantitative Appearance Inspection for Film Coated Tablets.

PubMed

Yoshino, Hiroyuki; Yamashita, Kazunari; Iwao, Yasunori; Noguchi, Shuji; Itai, Shigeru

2016-01-01

The decision criteria for the physical appearance of pharmaceutical products are subjective and qualitative means of evaluation that are based entirely on human interpretation. In this study, we have developed a comprehensive method for the quantitative analysis of the physical appearance of film coated tablets. Three different kinds of film coated tablets with considerable differences in their physical appearances were manufactured as models, and their surface roughness, contact angle, color measurements and physicochemical properties were investigated as potential characteristics for the quantitative analysis of their physical appearance. All of these characteristics were useful for the quantitative evaluation of the physical appearances of the tablets, and could potentially be used to establish decision criteria to assess the quality of tablets. In particular, the analysis of the surface roughness and film coating properties of the tablets by terahertz spectroscopy allowed for an effective evaluation of the tablets' properties. These results indicated the possibility of inspecting the appearance of tablets during the film coating process.

The influence of inherited plumage colour morph on morphometric traits and breeding investment in zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata).

PubMed

Krause, E Tobias; Krüger, Oliver; Hoffman, Joseph I

2017-01-01

Melanin-based plumage polymorphism occurs in many wild bird populations and has been linked to fitness variation in several species. These fitness differences often arise as a consequence of variation in traits such as behaviour, immune responsiveness, body size and reproductive investment. However, few studies have controlled for genetic differences between colour morphs that could potentially generate artefactual associations between plumage colouration and trait variation. Here, we used zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) as a model system in order to evaluate whether life-history traits such as adult body condition and reproductive investment could be influenced by plumage morph. To maximise any potential differences, we selected wild-type and white plumage morphs, which differ maximally in their extent of melanisation, while using a controlled three-generation breeding design to homogenise the genetic background. We found that F2 adults with white plumage colouration were on average lighter and had poorer body condition than wild-type F2 birds. However, they appeared to compensate for this by reproducing earlier and producing heavier eggs relative to their own body mass. Our study thus reveals differences in morphological and life history traits that could be relevant to fitness variation, although further studies will be required to evaluate fitness effects under natural conditions as well as to characterise any potential fitness costs of compensatory strategies in white zebra finches.

The influence of inherited plumage colour morph on morphometric traits and breeding investment in zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata)

PubMed Central

Krüger, Oliver

2017-01-01

Melanin-based plumage polymorphism occurs in many wild bird populations and has been linked to fitness variation in several species. These fitness differences often arise as a consequence of variation in traits such as behaviour, immune responsiveness, body size and reproductive investment. However, few studies have controlled for genetic differences between colour morphs that could potentially generate artefactual associations between plumage colouration and trait variation. Here, we used zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) as a model system in order to evaluate whether life-history traits such as adult body condition and reproductive investment could be influenced by plumage morph. To maximise any potential differences, we selected wild-type and white plumage morphs, which differ maximally in their extent of melanisation, while using a controlled three-generation breeding design to homogenise the genetic background. We found that F2 adults with white plumage colouration were on average lighter and had poorer body condition than wild-type F2 birds. However, they appeared to compensate for this by reproducing earlier and producing heavier eggs relative to their own body mass. Our study thus reveals differences in morphological and life history traits that could be relevant to fitness variation, although further studies will be required to evaluate fitness effects under natural conditions as well as to characterise any potential fitness costs of compensatory strategies in white zebra finches. PMID:29190647

Simple and Efficient Numerical Evaluation of Near-Hypersingular Integrals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fink, Patrick W.; Wilton, Donald R.; Khayat, Michael A.

2007-01-01

Recently, significant progress has been made in the handling of singular and nearly-singular potential integrals that commonly arise in the Boundary Element Method (BEM). To facilitate object-oriented programming and handling of higher order basis functions, cancellation techniques are favored over techniques involving singularity subtraction. However, gradients of the Newton-type potentials, which produce hypersingular kernels, are also frequently required in BEM formulations. As is the case with the potentials, treatment of the near-hypersingular integrals has proven more challenging than treating the limiting case in which the observation point approaches the surface. Historically, numerical evaluation of these near-hypersingularities has often involved a two-step procedure: a singularity subtraction to reduce the order of the singularity, followed by a boundary contour integral evaluation of the extracted part. Since this evaluation necessarily links basis function, Green s function, and the integration domain (element shape), the approach ill fits object-oriented programming concepts. Thus, there is a need for cancellation-type techniques for efficient numerical evaluation of the gradient of the potential. Progress in the development of efficient cancellation-type procedures for the gradient potentials was recently presented. To the extent possible, a change of variables is chosen such that the Jacobian of the transformation cancels the singularity. However, since the gradient kernel involves singularities of different orders, we also require that the transformation leaves remaining terms that are analytic. The terms "normal" and "tangential" are used herein with reference to the source element. Also, since computational formulations often involve the numerical evaluation of both potentials and their gradients, it is highly desirable that a single integration procedure efficiently handles both.

Identification of potential platelet alloantigens in the Equidae family by comparison of gene sequences encoding major platelet membrane glycoproteins.

PubMed

Boudreaux, Mary K; Humphries, Drew M

2013-12-01

Platelet alloantigens in horses may play an important role in the development of neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (NAIT). The objective of this study was to evaluate genes encoding major platelet glycoproteins within the Equidae family in an effort to identify potential alloantigens. DNA was isolated from blood samples obtained from Equidae family members, including a Holsteiner-Oldenburg cross, a Quarter horse, a donkey, and a Plains zebra (Equus burchelli). Gene sequences encoding equine platelet membrane glycoproteins IIb, IIIa (integrin subunits αIIb and β3), Ia (integrin subunit α2), and Ibα were determined using PCR. Gene sequences were compared to the equine genome available on GenBank. Polymorphisms that would be predicted to result in amino acid changes on platelet surfaces were documented and compared with known alloantigenic sites documented on human platelets. Amino acid differences were predicted based on nucleotide sequences for all 4 genes. Nine differences were documented for αIIb, 5 differences were documented for β3, 7 differences were documented for α2, and 16 differences were documented for Ibα outside the macroglycopeptide region. This study represents the first effort at identifying potential platelet alloantigens in members of the Equidae Family based on evaluation of gene sequences. The data obtained form the groundwork for identifying potential platelet alloantigens involved in transfusion reactions and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (NAIT). More work is required to determine whether the predicted amino acid differences documented in this study play a role in alloimmunity, and whether other polymorphisms not detected in this study are present that may result in alloimmunity. © 2013 American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology.

In vitro evaluation of different varieties of maize fodder for their methane generation potential and digestibility with goat rumen liquor.

PubMed

Vaswani, Shalini; Kumar, Ravindra; Kumar, Vinod; Roy, Debashis; Kumar, Muneendra

2016-11-01

To evaluate the methane generation potential and digestibility of different (normal and three high-quality protein maize [HQPM]) varieties of maize fodder with goat rumen liquor in vitro . Methane production potential and digestibility of different varieties of maize fodder were tested in in vitro gas production test. Seven varieties of maize, four normal (HTHM 5101, DHM 117, HM 5, and Shaktiman/900 M Gold), and three high-quality protein (HQPM 5, HQPM 7, and HQPM 9/Vivek) were grown in different plots under the same environmental and agro-climatic conditions. Fodders were harvested at 45-50 days of sowing, and the representative samples of fodder from different varieties of maize were collected for analysis. Dried and grinded form of these maize fodder varieties was tested for gas, methane, and digestibility using goat rumen microflora in in vitro gas syringes. Gas production (ml/g dry matter [DM]) was highest for HM5 variety (97.66, whereas lowest for HQPM 9 variety (64.22). Gas production (ml/g degraded DM [DDM]) and methane (%) were statistically similar in different varieties of maize fodder. The methane production expressed as ml/g DM and ml/g DDM was significantly (p<0.05) highest for HM 5 (14.22 and 26.62) and lowest for DHM 117 variety (7.47 and 14.13). The in vitro DM digestibility (%) and in vitro organic matter digestibility (%) varied from 47.48 (HQPM 5) to 52.05 (HQPM 9) and 50.03 (HQPM 7) to 54.22 (HM 5), respectively. The present study concluded that DHM 117 maize variety fodder has lowest methane generation potential and incorporating it in the dietary regime of ruminants may contribute to lower methane production.

In vitro evaluation of different varieties of maize fodder for their methane generation potential and digestibility with goat rumen liquor

PubMed Central

Vaswani, Shalini; Kumar, Ravindra; Kumar, Vinod; Roy, Debashis; Kumar, Muneendra

2016-01-01

Aim: To evaluate the methane generation potential and digestibility of different (normal and three high-quality protein maize [HQPM]) varieties of maize fodder with goat rumen liquor in vitro. Materials and Methods: Methane production potential and digestibility of different varieties of maize fodder were tested in in vitro gas production test. Seven varieties of maize, four normal (HTHM 5101, DHM 117, HM 5, and Shaktiman/900 M Gold), and three high-quality protein (HQPM 5, HQPM 7, and HQPM 9/Vivek) were grown in different plots under the same environmental and agro-climatic conditions. Fodders were harvested at 45-50 days of sowing, and the representative samples of fodder from different varieties of maize were collected for analysis. Dried and grinded form of these maize fodder varieties was tested for gas, methane, and digestibility using goat rumen microflora in in vitro gas syringes. Results: Gas production (ml/g dry matter [DM]) was highest for HM5 variety (97.66, whereas lowest for HQPM 9 variety (64.22). Gas production (ml/g degraded DM [DDM]) and methane (%) were statistically similar in different varieties of maize fodder. The methane production expressed as ml/g DM and ml/g DDM was significantly (p<0.05) highest for HM 5 (14.22 and 26.62) and lowest for DHM 117 variety (7.47 and 14.13). The in vitro DM digestibility (%) and in vitro organic matter digestibility (%) varied from 47.48 (HQPM 5) to 52.05 (HQPM 9) and 50.03 (HQPM 7) to 54.22 (HM 5), respectively. Conclusion: The present study concluded that DHM 117 maize variety fodder has lowest methane generation potential and incorporating it in the dietary regime of ruminants may contribute to lower methane production. PMID:27956770

Comparison of Human Exploration Architecture and Campaign Approaches

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goodliff, Kandyce; Cirillo, William; Mattfeld, Bryan; Stromgren, Chel; Shyface, Hilary

2015-01-01

As part of an overall focus on space exploration, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) continues to evaluate potential approaches for sending humans beyond low Earth orbit (LEO). In addition, various external organizations are studying options for beyond LEO exploration. Recent studies include NASA's Evolvable Mars Campaign and Design Reference Architecture (DRA) 5.0, JPL's Minimal Mars Architecture; the Inspiration Mars mission; the Mars One campaign; and the Global Exploration Roadmap (GER). Each of these potential exploration constructs applies unique methods, architectures, and philosophies for human exploration. It is beneficial to compare potential approaches in order to better understand the range of options available for exploration. Since most of these studies were conducted independently, the approaches, ground rules, and assumptions used to conduct the analysis differ. In addition, the outputs and metrics presented for each construct differ substantially. This paper will describe the results of an effort to compare and contrast the results of these different studies under a common set of metrics. The paper will first present a summary of each of the proposed constructs, including a description of the overall approach and philosophy for exploration. Utilizing a common set of metrics for comparison, the paper will present the results of an evaluation of the potential benefits, critical challenges, and uncertainties associated with each construct. The analysis framework will include a detailed evaluation of key characteristics of each construct. These will include but are not limited to: a description of the technology and capability developments required to enable the construct and the uncertainties associated with these developments; an analysis of significant operational and programmatic risks associated with that construct; and an evaluation of the extent to which exploration is enabled by the construct, including the destinations visited and the exploration capabilities provided at those destinations. Based upon the comparison of constructs, the paper will identify trends and lessons learned across all of the candidate studies.

Evaluating the impact of a pre-rotation workshop on student preparation for clinical advanced pharmacy practice experiences.

PubMed

Medina, Melissa S; Stark, Jennifer E; Vesta, Kimi S; Lockhart, Staci M

2008-10-01

This pilot study was designed to evaluate the impact of a pre-rotation workshop (PRW) on pharmacy students' clinical skills and preparation for clinical Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPE) involving direct patient care. Randomized controlled trial of an educational intervention with Institutional Review Board approval. PRW activities designed to simulate rotation activities around five competencies, patient charts, medication histories, SOAP notes, patient presentations, and professionalism. Endpoints were evaluated using clinical rotation preceptors' evaluation of performance and students' performance on objective structured clinical exams (OSCE). Eight fourth-year students and eight GPA matched controls (20% of the total class) were selected to voluntarily participate. The PRW demonstrated a positive impact on students' clinical skills and preparation for rotations by improving OSCE performance. However, no significant differences were found between groups when comparing preceptor evaluations of skills on rotations. These results are limited by the small sample size, potential OSCE "test-wiseness" effects, lack of OSCE evaluator blinding to study groups, potential case specificity effects due to the limited number of cases used on the OSCE and possible lack of sensitivity of the rotation evaluation tool to capture true differences among the experimental and control group participants. The PRW was successful at advancing students' clinical skills and preparation for rotations and may be considered as a tool to help bridge didactic to clinical experiences in the Pharm.D. curriculum.

Evaluation of melting point of UO 2 by molecular dynamics simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arima, Tatsumi; Idemitsu, Kazuya; Inagaki, Yaohiro; Tsujita, Yuichi; Kinoshita, Motoyasu; Yakub, Eugene

2009-06-01

The melting point of UO 2 has been evaluated by molecular dynamics simulation (MD) in terms of interatomic potential, pressure and Schottky defect concentration. The Born-Mayer-Huggins potentials with or without a Morse potential were explored in the present study. Two-phase simulation whose supercell at the initial state consisted of solid and liquid phases gave the melting point comparable to the experimental data using the potential proposed by Yakub. The heat of fusion was determined by the difference in enthalpy at the melting point. In addition, MD calculations showed that the melting point increased with pressure applied to the system. Thus, the Clausius-Clapeyron equation was verified. Furthermore, MD calculations clarified that an addition of Schottky defects, which generated the local disorder in the UO 2 crystal, lowered the melting point.

The Effect of Race and Sex on Clients' Evaluations of Their Counselor in an Urban University Counseling Center.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barker, Narviar Cathcart

1979-01-01

Clients' and potential clients' evaluations of counselors are influenced by either sex or race. Concluded that although some difference did occur in the interaction effects between client race, client sex, counselor sex, and counselor race, race and sex of counselors are significant variables for some clients. (Author)

Evaluating Differences in Landscape Interpretation between Webcam and Field-Based Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kolivras, Korine N.; Luebbering, Candice R.; Resler, Lynn M.

2012-01-01

Field trips have become less common due to issues including budget constraints and large class sizes. Research suggests that virtual field trips can substitute for field visits, but the role of webcams has not been evaluated. To investigate the potential for webcams to substitute for field trips, participants viewed urban and physical landscapes…

Effect of odour on multisensory environmental evaluations of road traffic

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

Jiang, Like, E-mail: jianglike@yahoo.com; Masullo, Massimiliano, E-mail: Massimiliano.MASULLO@unina2.it; Maffei, Luigi, E-mail: luigi.maffei@unina2.it

This study investigated the effect of odour on multisensory environmental evaluations of road traffic. The study aimed to answer: (1) Does odour have any effect on evaluations on noise, landscape and the overall environment? (2) How different are participants' responses to odour stimuli and are these differences influential on the evaluations? Experimental scenarios varied in three Traffic levels, three Tree screening conditions and two Odour presence conditions were designed, and presented to participants in virtual reality. Perceived Loudness, Noise Annoyance, Landscape Quality and Overall Pleasantness of each scenario were evaluated and the results were analysed. It shows that Odour presencemore » did not have significant main effect on any of the evaluations, but has significant interactions with Traffic level on Noise Annoyance and with Tree screening on Landscape Quality, indicating the potential of odour to modulate noise and visual landscape perceptions in specific environmental content. Concerning participants' responses to odour stimuli, large differences were found in this study. However, the differences did not seem to be influential on environmental evaluations in this study. Larger samples of participants may benefit this study for more significant results of odour effect.« less

The Role of Sex in Memory Function: Considerations and Recommendations in the Context of Exercise.

PubMed

Loprinzi, Paul D; Frith, Emily

2018-05-31

There is evidence to suggest that biological sex plays a critical role in memory function, with sex differentially influencing memory type. In this review, we detail the current evidence evaluating sex-specific effects on various memory types. We also discuss potential mechanisms that explain these sex-specific effects, which include sex differences in neuroanatomy, neurochemical differences, biological differences, and cognitive and affect-related differences. Central to this review, we also highlight that, despite the established sex differences in memory, there is little work directly comparing whether males and females have a differential exercise-induced effect on memory function. As discussed herein, such a differential effect is plausible given the clear sex-specific effects on memory, exercise response, and molecular mediators of memory. We emphasize that future work should be carefully powered to detect sex differences. Future research should also examine these potential exercise-related sex-specific effects for various memory types and exercise intensities and modalities. This will help enhance our understanding of whether sex indeed moderates the effects of exercise and memory function, and as such, will improve our understanding of whether sex-specific, memory-enhancing interventions should be developed, implemented, and evaluated.

Underbody Blast Models of TBI Caused by Hyper-Acceleration and Secondary Head Impact

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-02-01

discovery rate (FDR), which controls for the expected proportion of false rejected hypotheses. ANOVA was performed to evaluate the significance in gene...acceleration/deceleration11,27 and blast4,13 have also been designed for the purpose of evaluating coup-contrecoup and blast wave energies potentially... evaluation of different angles/ locations of the projectile impact to the surface of the rat head. Finally, pilot studies were conducted to provide further

Spoilage potential of brettanomyces bruxellensis strains isolated from Italian wines.

PubMed

Guzzon, Raffaele; Larcher, Roberto; Guarcello, Rosa; Francesca, Nicola; Settanni, Luca; Moschetti, Giancarlo

2018-03-01

Brettanomyces bruxellensis is an important wine spoilage agent. In this study a population of Brettanomyces strains isolated from Italian wines was thoroughly investigated to evaluate adaptability to wine conditions and spoilage potential. The presumptive isolates of Brettanomyces were identified at species level with 26S rRNA gene sequencing and species-specific PCR, and subsequently subjected to analysis of intra-species variability through the study of intron splice sites (ISS-PCR). Although, some strains were tracked in wines from different regions, extensive genetic biodiversity was observed within the B. bruxellensis population investigated. All strains were evaluated for their growth ability in the presence of ethanol, high sugar content, low pH, different temperatures and sulphur dioxide, using optical density and flow cytometry measurement. The ability of yeasts to produce ethyl phenols in red wines with different chemical compositions was evaluated by means of high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection (HPLC-ECD). The results highlighted wide variability in B. bruxellensis in response to wine limiting factors and in terms of the accumulation of ethyl phenols. As regards this last aspect, the differences found among strains were closely related to chemical composition of wine and strain resistance to environmental stress factors, making a priori evaluation of risk of wine alteration quite difficult. These results suggest that strategies for the control of Brettanomyces should be tailored on the basis of strain distribution and wine characteristics. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Evaluation of the effects of polymeric chitosan/tripolyphosphate and solid lipid nanoparticles on germination of Zea mays, Brassica rapa and Pisum sativum.

PubMed

Nakasato, Daniele Y; Pereira, Anderson E S; Oliveira, Jhones L; Oliveira, Halley C; Fraceto, Leonardo F

2017-08-01

Although the potential toxicity of many metallic and carbon nanoparticles to plants has been reported, few studies have evaluated the phytotoxic effects of polymeric and solid lipid nanoparticles. The present work described the preparation and characterization of chitosan/tripolyphosphate (CS/TPP) nanoparticles and solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) and evaluated the effects of different concentrations of these nanoparticles on germination of Zea mays, Brassica rapa, and Pisum sativum. CS/TPP nanoparticles presented an average size of 233.6±12.1nm, polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.30±0.02, and zeta potential of +21.4±1.7mV. SLN showed an average size of 323.25±41.4nm, PDI of 0.23±0.103, and zeta potential of -13.25±3.2mV. Nanotracking analysis enabled determination of concentrations of 1.33×10 10 (CS/TPP) and 3.64×10 12 (SLN) nanoparticles per mL. At high concentrations, CS/TPP nanoparticles caused complete inhibition of germination, and thus negatively affected the initial growth of all tested species. Differently, SLN presented no phytotoxic effects. The different size and composition and the opposite charges of SLN and CS/TPP nanoparticles could be associated with the differential phytotoxicity of these nanomaterials. The present study reports the phytotoxic potential of polymeric CS/TPP nanoparticles towards plants, indicating that further investigation is needed on the effects of such formulations intended for future use in agricultural systems, in order to avoid damage to the environment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The human ether-a-go-go-related gene (hERG) current inhibition selectively prolongs action potential of midmyocardial cells to augment transmural dispersion.

PubMed

Yasuda, C; Yasuda, S; Yamashita, H; Okada, J; Hisada, T; Sugiura, S

2015-08-01

The majority of drug induced arrhythmias are related to the prolongation of action potential duration following inhibition of rapidly activating delayed rectifier potassium current (I(Kr)) mediated by the hERG channel. However, for arrhythmias to develop and be sustained, not only the prolongation of action potential duration but also its transmural dispersion are required. Herein, we evaluated the effect of hERG inhibition on transmural dispersion of action potential duration using the action potential clamp technique that combined an in silico myocyte model with the actual I(Kr) measurement. Whole cell I(Kr) current was measured in Chinese hamster ovary cells stably expressing the hERG channel. The measured current was coupled with models of ventricular endocardial, M-, and epicardial cells to calculate the action potentials. Action potentials were evaluated under control condition and in the presence of 1, 10, or 100 μM disopyramide, an hERG inhibitor. Disopyramide dose-dependently increased the action potential durations of the three cell types. However, action potential duration of M-cells increased disproportionately at higher doses, and was significantly different from that of epicardial and endocardial cells (dispersion of repolarization). By contrast, the effects of disopyramide on peak I(Kr) and instantaneous current-voltage relation were similar in all cell types. Simulation study suggested that the reduced repolarization reserve of M-cell with smaller amount of slowly activating delayed rectifier potassium current levels off at longer action potential duration to make such differences. The action potential clamp technique is useful for studying the mechanism of arrhythmogenesis by hERG inhibition through the transmural dispersion of repolarization.

Potential Impacts of two SO2 oxidation pathways on regional sulfate concentrations: acqueous-hase oxidation by NO2 and gas-phase oxidation by Stabilized Criegee Intermediates

EPA Science Inventory

We examine the potential impacts of two additional sulfate production pathways using the Community Multiscale Air Quality modeling system. First we evaluate the impact of the aqueous-phase oxidation of S(IV) by nitrogen dioxide using two published rate constants, differing by 1-2...

Phase shifts in I = 2 ππ-scattering from two lattice approaches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurth, T.; Ishii, N.; Doi, T.; Aoki, S.; Hatsuda, T.

2013-12-01

We present a lattice QCD study of the phase shift of I = 2 ππ scattering on the basis of two different approaches: the standard finite volume approach by Lüscher and the recently introduced HAL QCD potential method. Quenched QCD simulations are performed on lattices with extents N s = 16 , 24 , 32 , 48 and N t = 128 as well as lattice spacing a ~ 0 .115 fm and a pion mass of m π ~ 940 MeV. The phase shift and the scattering length are calculated in these two methods. In the potential method, the error is dominated by the systematic uncertainty associated with the violation of rotational symmetry due to finite lattice spacing. In Lüscher's approach, such systematic uncertainty is difficult to be evaluated and thus is not included in this work. A systematic uncertainty attributed to the quenched approximation, however, is not evaluated in both methods. In case of the potential method, the phase shift can be calculated for arbitrary energies below the inelastic threshold. The energy dependence of the phase shift is also obtained from Lüscher's method using different volumes and/or nonrest-frame extension of it. The results are found to agree well with the potential method.

Toxicity of two effluents from agricultural activity: Comparing the genotoxicity of sugar cane and orange vinasse.

PubMed

Garcia, Camila Fernandes H; Souza, Raphael B de; de Souza, Cleiton Pereira; Christofoletti, Cintya Ap; Fontanetti, Carmem S

2017-08-01

Vinasse, produced by several countries as a by-product of agricultural activity, has different alternatives for its reuse, mainly fertirrigation. Several monocultures, such as sugar cane and orange crops, produce this effluent. Sugar cane vinasse is already widely used in fertirrigation and orange vinasse has potential for this intention. However, its use as a fertilizer has caused great concern. Thus, ecotoxicological evaluation is extremely important in order to assess the possible effects on the environment. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the potential toxicity of vinasse of two different crops: sugar cane and orange. For this purpose, bioassays with Allium cepa as a test organism were performed with two vinasse dilutions (2.5% and 5%) to detect chromosomal aberrations and micronucleus induction. The results showed that both types of vinasse are able to induce chromosomal aberrations in meristematic cells, mainly nuclear and anaphasic bridges, suggesting genotoxic potential. The induction of micronuclei in cells of the F 1 region suggests that the two residues have mutagenic potential. Thus, caution is advised when applying these effluents in the environment. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Potential genotoxic effects of melted snow from an urban area revealed by the Allium cepa test.

PubMed

Blagojević, Jelena; Stamenković, Gorana; Vujosević, Mladen

2009-09-01

The presence of well-known atmospheric pollutants is regularly screened for in large towns but knowledge about the effects of mixtures of different pollutants and especially their genotoxic potential is largely missing. Since falling snow collects pollutants from the air, melted snow samples could be suitable for evaluating potential genotoxicity. For this purpose the Allium cepa anaphase-telophase test was used to analyse melted snow samples from Belgrade, the capital city of Serbia. Samples of snow were taken at two sites, characterized by differences in pollution intensity, in three successive years. At the more polluted site the analyses showed a very high degree of both toxicity and genotoxicity in the first year of the study corresponding to the effects of the known mutagen used as the positive control. At the other site the situation was much better but not without warning signals. The results showed that standard analyses for the presence of certain contaminants in the air do not give an accurate picture of the possible consequences of urban air pollution because the genotoxic potential remains hidden. The A. cepa test has been demonstrated to be very convenient for evaluation of air pollution through analyses of melted snow samples.

In vitro and in vivo evaluation of potential aluminum chelators.

PubMed

Graff, L; Muller, G; Burnel, D

1995-10-01

The potential for aluminium (Al) chelation by different compounds was determined using 2 in vitro techniques. The formation of stable complexes with Al in an aqueous solution was evaluated using pulse polarography. This technique allowed the influence of temperature and calcium (Ca) to be studied for each compound. Certain compounds (EDDHA, HAES, citric acid and HBED) showed great chelation in the absence of Ca2+ at a temperature of 37 +/- 1 C. An ultrafiltration technique combined with Al determination by atomic emission spectroscopy allowed the efficiency of different substances to complex Al that were previously bound to serum proteins to be estimated. The kinetics of chelation and minimum efficient concentration have been determined for all products studied. EDDHA had chelation potential similar to DFO. The real efficacies of the compounds were studied in vivo to compare the effectiveness of repeated administrations of the best chelating agents (EDDHA, DFO, HAES and tartaric acid) on the distribution and excretion of Al after repeated i.p. administrations to rats. Intraperitoneal EDDHA significantly increased urinary metal (Al, Ca, Cu, Fe and Zn) excretion. These excretions may be correlated to a renal toxic potential property.

Tolerances of the human face to crash impact.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1965-07-01

Evaluation of the injury potentials of commercial airline seat structures, light-aircraft instrument panels, and other deforming structures requires data on forces that produce fractures, lacerations, or unconsciousness when applied to different part...

Is a SIMPLe smartphone application capable of improving biological rhythms in bipolar disorder?

PubMed

Hidalgo-Mazzei, Diego; Reinares, María; Mateu, Ainoa; Juruena, Mario F; Young, Allan H; Pérez-Sola, Víctor; Vieta, Eduard; Colom, Francesc

2017-12-01

Biological rhythms (BR) disturbance has been suggested as a potential mediator of mood episodes in Bipolar Disorder (BD). The Biological Rhythms Interview of Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (BRIAN) was designed as an assessment tool to evaluate BR domains comprehensively. In the context of a trial evaluating a smartphone application delivering personalized psychoeducational contents for BD (SIMPLe 1.0), the main aim of this study is to evaluate the potential impact of SIMPLe 1.0 in BR regulation using the BRIAN scale. 51 remitted BD patients were asked to use the application for 3 months. Paired t-test analyses were employed to compare baseline and follow-up BRIAN´s total and domains scores. The sample was divided into completers and non-completers of the study to evaluate differences between groups regarding BRIAN scores using ANCOVA analyses. The BRIAN's mean total score of the whole sample significantly decreased from baseline to post-intervention (35.89 (SD 6.64) vs. 31.18 (SD 6.33), t = 4.29, p = 0.001). At post-intervention, there was a significant difference between groups regarding the total BRIAN mean score (29.47 (SD 6.21) completers vs. 35.92 (SD 3.90) non-completers, t = 2.50, p = 0.02). This difference was maintained after conducting a one-way ANCOVA controlling for pre-intervention BRIAN scores, F (1, 46) = 10.545, p=0.002. A limited sample, pre-post measures, and a short study timeframe could have affected the results. Additional factors affecting BR, such as medication, could not be ruled out. Our results suggest that there are potential positive effects of a psychoeducational smartphone application as an adjunctive to treatment as usual on BD patients' BR. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The On-line Waste Library (OWL): Usage and Inventory Status Report

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

Sassani, David; Jang, Je-Hun; Mariner, Paul

The Waste Form Disposal Options Evaluation Report (SNL 2014) evaluated disposal of both Commercial Spent Nuclear Fuel (CSNF) and DOE-managed HLW and Spent Nuclear Fuel (DHLW and DSNF) in the variety of disposal concepts being evaluated within the Used Fuel Disposition Campaign. That work covered a comprehensive inventory and a wide range of disposal concepts. The primary goal of this work is to evaluate the information needs for analyzing disposal solely of a subset of those wastes in a Defense Repository (DRep; i.e., those wastes that are either defense related, or managed by DOE but are not commercial in origin).more » A potential DRep also appears to be safe in the range of geologic mined repository concepts, but may have different concepts and features because of the very different inventory of waste that would be included. The focus of this status report is to cover the progress made in FY16 toward: (1) developing a preliminary DRep included inventory for engineering/design analyses; (2) assessing the major differences of this included inventory relative to that in other analyzed repository systems and the potential impacts to disposal concepts; (3) designing and developing an on-line waste library (OWL) to manage the information of all those wastes and their waste forms (including CSNF if needed); and (4) constraining post-closure waste form degradation performance for safety assessments of a DRep. In addition, some continuing work is reported on identifying potential candidate waste types/forms to be added to the full list from SNL (2014 – see Table C-1) which also may be added to the OWL in the future. The status for each of these aspects is reported herein.« less

Characterisation of kiwifruit and asparagus enzyme extracts, and their activities toward meat proteins.

PubMed

Ha, Minh; Bekhit, Alaa El-Din; Carne, Alan; Hopkins, David L

2013-01-15

Two plant enzyme extracts from kiwifruit and asparagus were evaluated for their ability to hydrolyse commercially available substrates and proteins present in both beef connective tissue and topside myofibrillar extracts. The results show significant differences in protease activity depending on the assay used. Protease assays with connective tissue and meat myofibrillar extracts provide a more realistic evaluation of the potential of the enzymes for application in meat tenderization. Overall, the kiwifruit protease extract was found to be more effective at hydrolysing myofibrillar and collagen proteins than the asparagus protease extract. The two protease extracts appeared to target meat myofibrillar and collagen proteins differently, suggesting the potential of a synergistic effect of these proteases in improving the tenderness of specific cuts of meat, based on their intrinsic protein composition. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Potential of a suite of robot/computer-assisted motivating systems for personalized, home-based, stroke rehabilitation.

PubMed

Johnson, Michelle J; Feng, Xin; Johnson, Laura M; Winters, Jack M

2007-03-01

There is a need to improve semi-autonomous stroke therapy in home environments often characterized by low supervision of clinical experts and low extrinsic motivation. Our distributed device approach to this problem consists of an integrated suite of low-cost robotic/computer-assistive technologies driven by a novel universal access software framework called UniTherapy. Our design strategy for personalizing the therapy, providing extrinsic motivation and outcome assessment is presented and evaluated. Three studies were conducted to evaluate the potential of the suite. A conventional force-reflecting joystick, a modified joystick therapy platform (TheraJoy), and a steering wheel platform (TheraDrive) were tested separately with the UniTherapy software. Stroke subjects with hemiparesis and able-bodied subjects completed tracking activities with the devices in different positions. We quantify motor performance across subject groups and across device platforms and muscle activation across devices at two positions in the arm workspace. Trends in the assessment metrics were consistent across devices with able-bodied and high functioning strokes subjects being significantly more accurate and quicker in their motor performance than low functioning subjects. Muscle activation patterns were different for shoulder and elbow across different devices and locations. The Robot/CAMR suite has potential for stroke rehabilitation. By manipulating hardware and software variables, we can create personalized therapy environments that engage patients, address their therapy need, and track their progress. A larger longitudinal study is still needed to evaluate these systems in under-supervised environments such as the home.

An automated system for evaluation of the potential functionome: MAPLE version 2.1.0

PubMed Central

Takami, Hideto; Taniguchi, Takeaki; Arai, Wataru; Takemoto, Kazuhiro; Moriya, Yuki; Goto, Susumu

2016-01-01

Metabolic and physiological potential evaluator (MAPLE) is an automatic system that can perform a series of steps used in the evaluation of potential comprehensive functions (functionome) harboured in the genome and metagenome. MAPLE first assigns KEGG Orthology (KO) to the query gene, maps the KO-assigned genes to the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) functional modules, and then calculates the module completion ratio (MCR) of each functional module to characterize the potential functionome in the user’s own genomic and metagenomic data. In this study, we added two more useful functions to calculate module abundance and Q-value, which indicate the functional abundance and statistical significance of the MCR results, respectively, to the new version of MAPLE for more detailed comparative genomic and metagenomic analyses. Consequently, MAPLE version 2.1.0 reported significant differences in the potential functionome, functional abundance, and diversity of contributors to each function among four metagenomic datasets generated by the global ocean sampling expedition, one of the most popular environmental samples to use with this system. MAPLE version 2.1.0 is now available through the web interface (http://www.genome.jp/tools/maple/) 17 June 2016, date last accessed. PMID:27374611

[Selection and purification potential evaluation of woody plant in vertical flow constructed wetlands in the subtropical area].

PubMed

Chen, Yong-Hua; Wu, Xiao-Fu; Hao, Jun; Chen, Ming-Li; Zhu, Guang-Yu

2014-02-01

In order to solve the problem that wetland herbaceous plants tend to die during winter in subtropics areas, selection and purification potential evaluation experiments were carried out by introducing into the constructed wetlands 16 species of woody wetland plants. Cluster analysis was performed by including the morphological characteristics, physiological characteristics, as well as nitrogen and phosphorus accumulation of the woody wetland plants. The results indicated that there were significant differences among the tested woody plants in their survival rate, height increase, root length increase and vigor, Chlorophyll content, Superoxide dismutase, Malonaldehyde, Proline, Peroxidase, biomass, average concentration and accumulation of nitrogen and phosphorus. Based on the established evaluation system, the tested plants were clustered into 3 groups. The plants in the 1st group possessing high purification potentials are Nerium oleander and Hibiscus syriacus. Those in the 2nd group possessing moderate purification potentials are Trachycarpus fortune, Llex latifolia Thunb., Gardenia jasminoides, Serissa foetida and Ilex crenatacv Convexa. And those in the 3rd group with low purification potentials are Jasminum udiflorum, Hedera helix, Ligustrum vicaryi, Ligustrum lucidum, Buxus sempervives, Murraya paniculata, Osmanthus fragrans, Mahoniafortune and Photinia serrulata.

Popcorn and sorghum studies by the USDA "Ag Lab" in 2013

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Popcorn ears collected in milk stage from 2010-2012 were used in studies to compare expression of potential insect and ear mold resistance genes in different years, and relate the differences in expression to influences of weather, and levels of mycotoxins at harvest. The same hybrid was evaluated a...

Exploring Sex Differences in Autistic Traits: A Factor Analytic Study of Adults with Autism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grove, Rachel; Hoekstra, Rosa A.; Wierda, Marlies; Begeer, Sander

2017-01-01

Research has highlighted potential differences in the phenotypic and clinical presentation of autism spectrum conditions across sex. Furthermore, the measures utilised to evaluate autism spectrum conditions may be biased towards the male autism phenotype. It is important to determine whether these instruments measure the autism phenotype…

Reproductive potential of Spodoptera eridania (Stoll) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in the laboratory: effect of multiple couples and the size.

PubMed

Specht, A; Montezano, D G; Sosa-Gómez, D R; Paula-Moraes, S V; Roque-Specht, V F; Barros, N M

2016-06-01

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of keeping three couples in the same cage, and the size of adults emerged from small, medium-sized and large pupae (278.67 mg; 333.20 mg and 381.58 mg, respectively), on the reproductive potential of S. eridania (Stoll, 1782) adults, under controlled conditions (25 ± 1 °C, 70% RH and 14 hour photophase). We evaluated the survival, number of copulations, fecundity and fertility of the adult females. The survival of females from these different pupal sizes did not differ statistically, but the survival of males from large pupae was statistically shorter than from small pupae. Fecundity differed significantly and correlated positively with size. The number of effective copulations (espematophores) and fertility did not vary significantly with pupal size. Our results emphasize the importance of indicating the number of copulations and the size of the insects when reproductive parameters are compared.

Bupivacaine, levobupivacaine and ropivacaine: are they clinically different?

PubMed

Casati, Andrea; Putzu, Marta

2005-06-01

Two new, long-acting local anaesthetics have been developed after the evidence of bupivacaine-related severe toxicity: levobupivacaine and ropivacaine. Both these agents are pure left-isomers and, based on their three-dimensional structure, they have less toxic potential both on the central nervous system and on the heart. Several clinical studies have evaluated their toxicology and clinical profiles: theoretically and experimentally, some differences can be seen, but the reflections of these characteristics into clinical practice have not been evident. Evaluating randomised, controlled trials that have compared these three local anaesthetics, this chapter supports the evidence that both levobupivacaine and ropivacaine have a clinical profile similar to that of racemic bupivacaine, and that the minimal differences observed between the three agents are mainly related to the slightly different anaesthetic potency, with racemic bupivacaine>levobupivacaine>ropivacaine. However, the reduced toxic potential of the two pure left-isomers supports their use in those clinical situations in which the risk of systemic toxicity related to either overdosing or unwanted intravascular injection is high, such as during epidural or peripheral nerve blocks.

Characteristics and practices of National Immunisation Technical Advisory Groups in Europe and potential for collaboration, April 2014.

PubMed

Takla, A; Wichmann, O; Carrillo-Santisteve, P; Cotter, S; Levy-Bruhl, D; Paradowska-Stankiewicz, I; Valentiner-Branth, P; D'Ancona, F

2015-03-05

In many countries, national vaccination recommendations are developed by independent expert committees, so-called national immunisation technical advisory groups (NITAG). Since the evaluation of vaccines is complex and resource-demanding, collaboration between NITAGs that evaluate the same vaccines could be beneficial. We conducted a cross-sectional survey among 30 European countries in February 2014, to explore basic characteristics and current practices of European NITAGs and identify potential modes and barriers for collaboration. Of 28 responding countries, 26 reported to have a NITAG or an equivalent expert group. Of these, 20 apply a systematic approach in the vaccine decision-making process, e.g. by considering criteria such as country-specific disease epidemiology, vaccine efficacy/effectiveness/safety, health economics, programme implementation/logistics or country-specific values/preferences. However, applied frameworks and extent of evidence review differ widely. The use of systematic reviews is required for 15 of 26 NITAGs, while results from transmission modelling and health economic evaluations are routinely considered by 18 and 20 of 26 NITAGs, respectively. Twenty-five countries saw potential for NITAG-collaboration, but most often named structural concerns, e.g. different NITAG structures or countries’ healthcare systems. Our survey gathered information that can serve as an inventory on European NITAGs, allowing further exploration of options and structures for NITAG collaboration.

Challenges in testing genetically modified crops for potential increases in endogenous allergen expression for safety.

PubMed

Panda, R; Ariyarathna, H; Amnuaycheewa, P; Tetteh, A; Pramod, S N; Taylor, S L; Ballmer-Weber, B K; Goodman, R E

2013-02-01

Premarket, genetically modified (GM) plants are assessed for potential risks of food allergy. The major risk would be transfer of a gene encoding an allergen or protein nearly identical to an allergen into a different food source, which can be assessed by specific serum testing. The potential that a newly expressed protein might become an allergen is evaluated based on resistance to digestion in pepsin and abundance in food fractions. If the modified plant is a common allergenic source (e.g. soybean), regulatory guidelines suggest testing for increases in the expression of endogenous allergens. Some regulators request evaluating endogenous allergens for rarely allergenic plants (e.g. maize and rice). Since allergic individuals must avoid foods containing their allergen (e.g. peanut, soybean, maize, or rice), the relevance of the tests is unclear. Furthermore, no acceptance criteria are established and little is known about the natural variation in allergen concentrations in these crops. Our results demonstrate a 15-fold difference in the major maize allergen, lipid transfer protein between nine varieties, and complex variation in IgE binding to various soybean varieties. We question the value of evaluating endogenous allergens in GM plants unless the intent of the modification was production of a hypoallergenic crop. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Aqueous extract of Psidium guajava leaves: phenolic compounds and inhibitory potential on digestive enzymes.

PubMed

Simão, Anderson A; Marques, Tamara R; Marcussi, Silvana; Corrêa, Angelita D

2017-01-01

Leaves of Psidium guajava L. (guava) have been widely used in the popular way for prevention and treatment of various diseases. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the inhibitory potential of leaves aqueous extract from three cultivars of P. guajava (Pedro Sato, Paluma and Século XXI) on α-amylase, α-glycosidase, lipase, and trypsin enzymes, in the presence or not of simulated gastric fluid and to determine the content of phenolic compounds by high performance liquid chromatography. All cultivars presented the same composition in phenolic compounds, but in different proportions. The compounds identified are gallic acid, epigallocatechin gallate, syringic acid, o-coumaric acid, resveratrol, quercetin, and catechin (which was the major compound in all the cultivars evaluated). In the absence of simulated gastric fluid, it was observed different inhibitions exercised by the leaves aqueous extracts from three cultivars of P. guajava on each enzyme. In presence of simulated gastric fluid, all cultivars showed increase in the inhibition of lipase and α-glycosidase, and decrease in inhibition of α-amylase and trypsin enzymes. These results indicate that P. guajava leaves aqueous extracts from all cultivars evaluated possess potential of use as an adjuvant in the treatment of obesity and other dyslipidemias.

An Acute Retinal Model for Evaluating Blood Retinal Barrier Breach and Potential Drugs for Treatment.

PubMed

Wu, Hao; Rodriguez, Ana R; Spur, Bernd W; Venkataraman, Venkat

2016-09-13

A low-cost, easy-to-use and powerful model system is established to evaluate potential treatments that could ameliorate blood retinal barrier breach. An inflammatory factor, histamine, is demonstrated to compromise vessel integrity in the cultured retina through positive staining of IgG outside of the blood vessels. The effects of histamine itself and those of candidate drugs for potential treatments, such as lipoxin A4, are assessed using three parameters: blood vessel leakage via IgG immunostaining, activation of Müller cells via GFAP staining and change in neuronal dendrites through staining for MAP2. Furthermore, the layered organization of the retina allows a detailed analysis of the processes of Müller and ganglion cells, such as changes in width and continuity. While the data presented is with swine retinal culture, the system is applicable to multiple species. Thus, the model provides a reliable tool to investigate the early effects of compromised retinal vessel integrity on different cell types and also to evaluate potential drug candidates for treatment.

Family history tools in primary care: does one size fit all?

PubMed

Wilson, B J; Carroll, J C; Allanson, J; Little, J; Etchegary, H; Avard, D; Potter, B K; Castle, D; Grimshaw, J M; Chakraborty, P

2012-01-01

Family health history (FHH) has potential value in many health care settings. This review discusses the potential uses of FHH information in primary care and the need for tools to be designed accordingly. We developed a framework in which the attributes of FHH tools are mapped against these different purposes. It contains 7 attributes mapped against 5 purposes. In considering different FHH tool purposes, it is apparent that different attributes become more or less important, and that tools for different purposes require different implementation and evaluation strategies. The context in which a tool is used is also relevant to its effectiveness. For FHH tools, it is unlikely that 'one size fits all', although appreciation of different purposes, users and contexts should facilitate the development of different applications from single FHH platforms. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Potentially-toxic and essential elements profile of AH1N1 patients in Mexico City

PubMed Central

Moya, Mireya; Bautista, Edgar G.; Velázquez-González, Antonio; Vázquez-Gutiérrez, Felipe; Tzintzun, Guadalupe; García-Arreola, María Elena; Castillejos, Manuel; Hernández, Andrés

2013-01-01

During spring of 2009, a new influenza virus AH1N1 spread in the world causing acute respiratory illness and death, resulting in the first influenza pandemic since 1968. Blood levels of potentially-toxic and essential elements of 40 pneumonia and confirmed AH1N1 were evaluated against two different groups of controls, both not infected with the pandemic strain. Significant concentrations of potentially-toxic elements (lead, mercury, cadmium, chromium, arsenic) along with deficiency of selenium or increased Zn/Cu ratios characterized AH1N1 cases under study when evaluated versus controlled cases. Deficiency of selenium is progressively observed from controls I (influenza like illness) through controls II (pneumonia) and finally pneumonia -AH1N1 infected patients. Cases with blood Se levels greater than the recommended for an optimal cut-off to activate glutathione peroxidase (12.5 μg/dL) recovered from illness and survived. Evaluation of this essential element in critical pneumonia patients at the National Institutes is under evaluation as a clinical trial. PMID:23422930

All That Matters: What Is It We Value in School and Beyond?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rief, Linda, Ed.; Barbieri, Maureen, Ed.

Suggesting that evaluation is an ongoing part of classroom life from day one, this book presents essays by classroom teachers that examine learning and evaluation and the need to bring the two together in more relevant ways. Essays in the book discuss ways to examine the potential of portfolios to reflect different kinds of intelligence; balance…

Evaluating the potential of image fusion of multispectral and radar remote sensing data for the assessment of water body structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hunger, Sebastian; Karrasch, Pierre; Wessollek, Christine

2016-10-01

The European Water Framework Directive (Directive 2000/60/EC) is a mandatory agreement that guides the member states of the European Union in the field of water policy to fulfill the requirements for reaching the aim of the good ecological status of water bodies. In the last years several workflows and methods were developed to determine and evaluate the characteristics and the status of the water bodies. Due to their area measurements remote sensing methods are a promising approach to constitute a substantial additional value. With increasing availability of optical and radar remote sensing data the development of new methods to extract information from both types of remote sensing data is still in progress. Since most limitations of these data sets do not agree the fusion of both data sets to gain data with higher spectral resolution features the potential to obtain additional information in contrast to the separate processing of the data. Based thereupon this study shall research the potential of multispectral and radar remote sensing data and the potential of their fusion for the assessment of the parameters of water body structure. Due to the medium spatial resolution of the freely available multispectral Sentinel-2 data sets especially the surroundings of the water bodies and their land use are part of this study. SAR data is provided by the Sentinel-1 satellite. Different image fusion methods are tested and the combined products of both data sets are evaluated afterwards. The evaluation of the single data sets and the fused data sets is performed by means of a maximum-likelihood classification and several statistical measurements. The results indicate that the combined use of different remote sensing data sets can have an added value.

Evaluating and interpreting cross-taxon congruence: Potential pitfalls and solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gioria, Margherita; Bacaro, Giovanni; Feehan, John

2011-05-01

Characterizing the relationship between different taxonomic groups is critical to identify potential surrogates for biodiversity. Previous studies have shown that cross-taxa relationships are generally weak and/or inconsistent. The difficulties in finding predictive patterns have often been attributed to the spatial and temporal scales of these studies and on the differences in the measure used to evaluate such relationships (species richness versus composition). However, the choice of the analytical approach used to evaluate cross-taxon congruence inevitably represents a major source of variation. Here, we described the use of a range of methods that can be used to comprehensively assess cross-taxa relationships. To do so, we used data for two taxonomic groups, wetland plants and water beetles, collected from 54 farmland ponds in Ireland. Specifically, we used the Pearson correlation and rarefaction curves to analyse patterns in species richness, while Mantel tests, Procrustes analysis, and co-correspondence analysis were used to evaluate congruence in species composition. We compared the results of these analyses and we described some of the potential pitfalls associated with the use of each of these statistical approaches. Cross-taxon congruence was moderate to strong, depending on the choice of the analytical approach, on the nature of the response variable, and on local and environmental conditions. Our findings indicate that multiple approaches and measures of community structure are required for a comprehensive assessment of cross-taxa relationships. In particular, we showed that selection of surrogate taxa in conservation planning should not be based on a single statistic expressing the degree of correlation in species richness or composition. Potential solutions to the analytical issues associated with the assessment of cross-taxon congruence are provided and the implications of our findings in the selection of surrogates for biodiversity are discussed.

Leaf and Root Extracts from Campomanesia adamantium (Myrtaceae) Promote Apoptotic Death of Leukemic Cells via Activation of Intracellular Calcium and Caspase-3

PubMed Central

Campos, Jaqueline F.; Espindola, Priscilla P. de Toledo; Torquato, Heron F. V.; Vital, Wagner D.; Justo, Giselle Z.; Silva, Denise B.; Carollo, Carlos A.; de Picoli Souza, Kely; Paredes-Gamero, Edgar J.; dos Santos, Edson L.

2017-01-01

Phytochemical studies are seeking new alternatives to prevent or treat cancer, including different types of leukemias. Campomanesia adamantium, commonly known as guavira or guabiroba, exhibits pharmacological properties including antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antiproliferative activities. Considering the anticancer potential of this plant species, the aim of this study was to evaluate the antileukemic activity and the chemical composition of aqueous extracts from the leaves (AECL) and roots (AECR) of C. adamantium and their possible mechanisms of action. The extracts were analyzed by LC-DAD-MS, and their constituents were identified based on the UV, MS, and MS/MS data. The AECL and AECR showed different chemical compositions, which were identified as main compounds glycosylated flavonols from AECL and ellagic acid and their derivatives from AECR. The cytotoxicity promoted by these extracts were evaluated using human peripheral blood mononuclear cells and Jurkat leukemic cell line. The cell death profile was evaluated using annexin-V-FITC and propidium iodide labeling. Changes in the mitochondrial membrane potential, the activity of caspases, and intracellular calcium levels were assessed. The cell cycle profile was evaluated using propidium iodide. Both extracts caused concentration-dependent cytotoxicity only in Jurkat cells via late apoptosis. This activity was associated with loss of the mitochondrial membrane potential, activation of caspases-9 and -3, changes in intracellular calcium levels, and cell cycle arrest in S-phase. Therefore, the antileukemic activity of the AECL and AECR is mediated by mitochondrial dysfunction and intracellular messengers, which activate the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. Hence, aqueous extracts of the leaves and roots of C. adamantium show therapeutic potential for use in the prevention and treatment of diseases associated the proliferation of tumor cell. PMID:28855870

What Have the Difference Scores Not Been Telling Us? A Critique of the Use of Self-Ideal Discrepancy in the Assessment of Body Image and Evaluation of an Alternative Data-Analytic Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cafri, Guy; van den Berg, Patricia; Brannick, Michael T.

2010-01-01

Difference scores are often used as a means of assessing body image satisfaction using silhouette scales. Unfortunately, difference scores suffer from numerous potential methodological problems, including reduced reliability, ambiguity, confounded effects, untested constraints, and dimensional reduction. In this article, the methodological…

Benefit-risk Evaluation for Diagnostics: A Framework (BED-FRAME).

PubMed

Evans, Scott R; Pennello, Gene; Pantoja-Galicia, Norberto; Jiang, Hongyu; Hujer, Andrea M; Hujer, Kristine M; Manca, Claudia; Hill, Carol; Jacobs, Michael R; Chen, Liang; Patel, Robin; Kreiswirth, Barry N; Bonomo, Robert A

2016-09-15

The medical community needs systematic and pragmatic approaches for evaluating the benefit-risk trade-offs of diagnostics that assist in medical decision making. Benefit-Risk Evaluation of Diagnostics: A Framework (BED-FRAME) is a strategy for pragmatic evaluation of diagnostics designed to supplement traditional approaches. BED-FRAME evaluates diagnostic yield and addresses 2 key issues: (1) that diagnostic yield depends on prevalence, and (2) that different diagnostic errors carry different clinical consequences. As such, evaluating and comparing diagnostics depends on prevalence and the relative importance of potential errors. BED-FRAME provides a tool for communicating the expected clinical impact of diagnostic application and the expected trade-offs of diagnostic alternatives. BED-FRAME is a useful fundamental supplement to the standard analysis of diagnostic studies that will aid in clinical decision making. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.

Nitrogen Trifluoride-Based Fluoride- Volatility Separations Process: Initial Studies

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

McNamara, Bruce K.; Scheele, Randall D.; Casella, Andrew M.

2011-09-28

This document describes the results of our investigations on the potential use of nitrogen trifluoride as the fluorinating and oxidizing agent in fluoride volatility-based used nuclear fuel reprocessing. The conceptual process uses differences in reaction temperatures between nitrogen trifluoride and fuel constituents that produce volatile fluorides to achieve separations and recover valuable constituents. We provide results from our thermodynamic evaluations, thermo-analytical experiments, kinetic models, and provide a preliminary process flowsheet. The evaluations found that nitrogen trifluoride can effectively produce volatile fluorides at different temperatures dependent on the fuel constituent.

Ion Release and Galvanic Corrosion of Different Orthodontic Brackets and Wires in Artificial Saliva.

PubMed

Tahmasbi, Soodeh; Sheikh, Tahereh; Hemmati, Yasamin B

2017-03-01

To investigate the galvanic corrosion of brackets manufactured by four different companies coupled with stainless steel (SS) or nickel-titanium (NiTi) wires in an artificial saliva solution. A total of 24 mandibular central incisor Roth brackets of four different manufacturers (American Orthodontics, Dentaurum, Shinye, ORJ) were used in this experimental study. These brackets were immersed in artificial saliva along with SS or NiTi orthodontic wires (0.016'', round) for 28 days. The electric potential difference of each bracket/ wire coupled with a saturated calomel reference electrode was measured via a voltmeter and recorded constantly. Corrosion rate (CR) was calculated, and release of ions was measured with an atomic absorption spectrometer. Stereomicroscope was used to evaluate all samples. Then, samples with corrosion were further assessed by scanning electron microscope and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Two-way analysis of variance was used to analyze data. Among ions evaluated, release of nickel ions from Shinye brackets was significantly higher than that of other brackets. The mean potential difference was significantly lower in specimens containing a couple of Shinye brackets and SS wire compared with other specimens. No significant difference was observed in the mean CR of various groups (p > 0.05). Microscopic evaluation showed corrosion in two samples only: Shinye bracket coupled with SS wire and American Orthodontics bracket coupled with NiTi wire. Shinye brackets coupled with SS wire showed more susceptibility to galvanic corrosion. There were no significant differences among specimens in terms of the CR or released ions except the release of Ni ions, which was higher in Shinye brackets.

Heritability of regeneration in tissue cultures of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.).

PubMed

Templeton-Somers, K M; Collins, W W

1986-03-01

A population of open-pollinated progeny from 12 parents, and the 12 parents, was surveyed for in vitro growth and regeneration characteristics. Four different tissue culture procedures involving different media and the use of different explants to initiate the cultures were used. Petiole explants from young leaves were used as explants for initiation of callus cultures. These were evaluated for callus growth rate, friability, and callus color and texture, before transferring to each of three different regeneration media for evaluation of morphogenetic potential. Small shoot tips also were used to initiate callus cultures, which were evaluated for the same growth characteristics and transferred to growth-regulator free regeneration media. Regeneration occurred through root or shoot regeneration or through embryogenesis. Tissue culture treatment effects, as well as genotypic effects, were highly significant in determining: the types of callus produced, callus growth rates, color and texture on the two types of media used for the second and third subcultures. The family x treatment interaction was generally not statistically significant, affecting only callus color. Estimates of narrow sense heritability for callus growth rate in both the second and third subcultures were high enough (0.35 and 0.63, respectively) for the evaluation of parental lines for selection procedures. These characteristics were also the only early culture callus traits that were consistently correlated with later morphogenesis of the cultures. They were negatively correlated with root or shoot regeneration. The occurence of somatic embryogenesis was not correlated with early callus growth characteristics. Genetic and treatment effects were highly significant in the evaluation of morphogenetic potential, through root or shoot regeneration, or through embryogenesis. Regeneration of all types was of low frequency for all procedures, expressed in ≦ 11% of the cultures of the total population.

Injury potentials of light-aircraft instrument panels.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1966-04-01

Results of head-impact tests against typical light-aircraft instrument panels to determine their g time-force parameters during deformation of structure are presented for three different velocities of impact. Evaluations of the energy attenuator rece...

A general transformation to canonical form for potentials in pairwise interatomic interactions.

PubMed

Walton, Jay R; Rivera-Rivera, Luis A; Lucchese, Robert R; Bevan, John W

2015-06-14

A generalized formulation of explicit force-based transformations is introduced to investigate the concept of a canonical potential in both fundamental chemical and intermolecular bonding. Different classes of representative ground electronic state pairwise interatomic interactions are referenced to a chosen canonical potential illustrating application of such transformations. Specifically, accurately determined potentials of the diatomic molecules H2, H2(+), HF, LiH, argon dimer, and one-dimensional dissociative coordinates in Ar-HBr, OC-HF, and OC-Cl2 are investigated throughout their bound potentials. Advantages of the current formulation for accurately evaluating equilibrium dissociation energies and a fundamentally different unified perspective on nature of intermolecular interactions will be emphasized. In particular, this canonical approach has significance to previous assertions that there is no very fundamental distinction between van der Waals bonding and covalent bonding or for that matter hydrogen and halogen bonds.

Simultaneous evaluation of renal morphology and function in live kidney donors using dynamic magnetic resonance imaging.

PubMed

Artunc, F; Yildiz, S; Rossi, C; Boss, A; Dittmann, H; Schlemmer, H P; Risler, T; Heyne, N

2010-06-01

Evaluation of potential kidney donors requires the assessment of both kidney anatomy and function. In this prospective study, we sought to expand the diagnostic yield of magnetic resonance (MR) by adding functional measurements of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and split renal function. Between 2007 and 2009, all potential kidney donors presenting to our facility underwent a comprehensive single-stop MR study that included an assessment of anatomy, angiography and functional measurements. GFR was measured after a bolus injection of gadobutrol (4 ml, approximately 0.05 mmol/kg) and calculated from the washout of the signal intensity obtained over the liver. Split renal function was calculated from the increase of signal intensity over the renal cortex. Values were compared to renal scintigraphy with (99m)Tc-DTPA from the same day. The MR investigation was successfully performed in 21 participants. The GFR derived from MR (MR-GFR) correlated well (r = 0.84) with the GFR derived from scintigraphy (DTPA-GFR). The mean value of the paired differences was 4 +/- 13 [SD] ml/min/1.73 m(2) and was not significantly different from zero. The ratio between right and left kidney function was similar with both techniques (1.01 +/- 0.17 with MR and 1.06 +/- 0.12 with scintigraphy, P = 0.20). We demonstrate an MR-based approach to comprehensively evaluate both kidney anatomy and function in a single investigation, thereby facilitating the evaluation of potential kidney donors.

Determination of the rockfall source in an urban settlement area by using a rule-based fuzzy evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aksoy, H.; Ercanoglu, M.

2006-10-01

The evaluation of the rockfall initiation mechanism and the simulation of the runout behavior is an important issue in the prevention and remedial measures for potential rockfall hazards in highway protection, in forest preservation, and especially in urban settlement areas. In most of the studies in the literature, the extent of the rockfall hazard was determined by various techniques basing on the selection of a rockfall source, generally defined as zones of rock bodies having slope angles higher than a certain value, proposed by general practice. In the present study, it was aimed to carry out a rule-based fuzzy analysis on the discontinuity data of andesites in the city of Ankara, Turkey, in order to bring a different and rather systematic approach to determine the source areas for rockfall hazard in an urban settlement, based on the discontinuity and natural slope features. First, to obtain rock source areas (RSAs), data obtained from the field studies were combined with a rule-based fuzzy evaluation, incorporating the altitude difference, the number of discontinuities, the number of wedges and the number of potential slides as the parameters of the fuzzy sets. After processing the outputs of the rule-based fuzzy system and producing the linguistic definitions, it could be possible to obtain potential RSAs. According to the RSA maps, 1.7% of the study area was found to have "high RSA", and 5.8% of the study area was assigned as "medium RSA". Then, potential rockfall hazard map was prepared. At the final stage, based upon the high and medium RSAs, 3.6% of the study area showed "high rockfall potential", while areal distribution of "medium rockfall potential" was found as 7.9%. Both RSA and potential rockfall hazard map were in accordance with the observations performed in the field.

Short-term versus long-term rainfall time series in the assessment of potable water savings by using rainwater in houses.

PubMed

Ghisi, Enedir; Cardoso, Karla Albino; Rupp, Ricardo Forgiarini

2012-06-15

The main objective of this article is to assess the possibility of using short-term instead of long-term rainfall time series to evaluate the potential for potable water savings by using rainwater in houses. The analysis was performed considering rainfall data from 1960 to 1995 for the city of Santa Bárbara do Oeste, located in the state of São Paulo, southeastern Brazil. The influence of the rainfall time series, roof area, potable water demand and percentage rainwater demand on the potential for potable water savings was evaluated. The potential for potable water savings was estimated using computer simulations considering a set of long-term rainfall time series and different sets of short-term rainfall time series. The ideal rainwater tank capacity was also assessed for some cases. It was observed that the higher the percentage rainwater demand and the shorter the rainfall time series, the larger the difference between the potential for potable water savings and the greater the variation in the ideal rainwater tank size. The sets of short-term rainfall time series considered adequate for different scenarios ranged from 1 to 13 years depending on the roof area, percentage rainwater demand and potable water demand. The main finding of the research is that sets of short-term rainfall time series can be used to assess the potential for potable water savings by using rainwater, as the results obtained are similar to those obtained from the long-term rainfall time series. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Examining the Potential for Gender Bias in the Prediction of Symptom Validity Test Failure by MMPI-2 Symptom Validity Scale Scores

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Tayla T. C.; Graham, John R.; Sellbom, Martin; Gervais, Roger O.

2012-01-01

Using a sample of individuals undergoing medico-legal evaluations (690 men, 519 women), the present study extended past research on potential gender biases for scores of the Symptom Validity (FBS) scale of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 by examining score- and item-level differences between men and women and determining the…

Sensorimotor Slowing with Ageing is Mediated by a Functional Dysregulation of Motor-Generation Processes: Evidence from High-Resolution Event-Related Potentials

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yordanova, Juliana; Kolev, Vasil; Hohnsbein, Joachim; Falkenstein, Michael

2004-01-01

The objective of the present study was to identify the origin(s) of aging-related behavioral slowing in sensorimotor tasks. For this aim, event-related potentials (ERPs) were analyzed at 64 electrodes to evaluate the strength and timing of different stages of information processing in the brain. Electrophysiological induces of stimulus processing,…

Potency testing of mesenchymal stromal cell growth expanded in human platelet lysate from different human tissues.

PubMed

Fazzina, R; Iudicone, P; Fioravanti, D; Bonanno, G; Totta, P; Zizzari, I G; Pierelli, L

2016-08-25

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have been largely investigated, in the past decade, as potential therapeutic strategies for various acute and chronic pathological conditions. MSCs isolated from different sources, such as bone marrow (BM), umbilical cord tissue (UCT) and adipose tissue (AT), share many biological features, although they may show some differences on cumulative yield, proliferative ability and differentiation potential. The standardization of MSCs growth and their functional amplification is a mandatory objective of cell therapies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cumulative yield and the ex vivo amplification potential of MSCs obtained from various sources and different subjects, using defined culture conditions with a standardized platelet lysate (PL) as growth stimulus. MSCs isolated from BM, UCT and AT and expanded in human PL were compared in terms of cumulative yield and growth potential per gram of starting tissue. MSCs morphology, phenotype, differentiation potential, and immunomodulatory properties were also investigated to evaluate their biological characteristics. The use of standardized PL-based culture conditions resulted in a very low variability of MSC growth. Our data showed that AT has the greater capacity to generate MSC per gram of initial tissue, compared to BM and UCT. However, UCT-MSCs replicated faster than AT-MSCs and BM-MSCs, revealing a greater proliferation capacity of this source irrespective of its lower MSC yield. All MSCs exhibited the typical MSC phenotype and the ability to differentiate into all mesodermal lineages, while BM-MSCs showed the most prominent immunosuppressive effect in vitro. The adoption of standardized culture conditions may help researchers and clinicians to reveal particular characteristics and inter-individual variability of MSCs sourced from different tissues. These data will be beneficial to set the standards for tissue collection and MSCs clinical-scale expansion both for cell banking and for cell-based therapy settings.

Generalized approach for identification and evaluation of technology-insertion options for military avionics systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harkness, Linda L.; Sjoberg, Eric S.

1996-06-01

The Georgia Tech Research Institute, sponsored by the Warner Robins Air Logistics Center, has developed an approach for efficiently postulating and evaluating methods for extending the life of radars and other avionics systems. The technique identified specific assemblies for potential replacement and evaluates the system level impact, including performance, reliability and life-cycle cost of each action. The initial impetus for this research was the increasing obsolescence of integrated circuits contained in the AN/APG-63 system. The operational life of military electronics is typically in excess of twenty years, which encompasses several generations of IC technology. GTRI has developed a systems approach to inserting modern technology components into older systems based upon identification of those functions which limit the system's performance or reliability and which are cost drivers. The presentation will discuss the above methodology and a technique for evaluating and ranking the different potential system upgrade options.

Evaluation of antioxidant potential of Artocarpus heterophyllus L. J33 variety fruit waste from different extraction methods and identification of phenolic constituents by LCMS.

PubMed

Daud, Mohd Nazrul Hisham; Fatanah, Dian Nashiela; Abdullah, Noriham; Ahmad, Rohaya

2017-10-01

Artocarpus heterophyllus J33 (AhJ33) fruit is a popular and valuable jackfruit variety in Malaysia. For export, the pulp has to be separated from the skin which is usually discarded. Hence, the conversion of the fruit waste to food products with economic value needs to be explored utilizing the waste to wealth concept. This paper reports the evaluation of antioxidant potential of AhJ33 fruit waste (rind and rachis) extracts from three different extraction methods (maceration, percolation and Soxhlet). The antioxidant potential was assessed by DPPH radical scavenging, FRAP and β-carotene bleaching assays. The total phenolic and total flavonoid contents were estimated by TPC and the TFC assays. For both rind and rachis, the maceration technique yielded extracts with the strongest antioxidant activities which correlated with the highest TPC and TFC values. TOF LCMS analyses identified two phenolic acids as the major constituents responsible for the antioxidant activity of the active extracts. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of a staged fuel combustor for turboprop engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Verdouw, A. J.

1976-01-01

Proposed EPA emission regulations require emission reduction by 1979 for various gas turbine engine classes. Extensive combustion technology advancements are required to meet the proposed regulations. The T56 turboprop engine requires CO, UHC, and smoke reduction. A staged fuel combustor design was tested on a combustion rig to evaluate emission reduction potential in turboprop engines from fuel zoning. The can-type combustor has separately fueled-pilot and main combustion zones in series. The main zone fueling system was arranged for potential incorporation into the T56 with minor or no modifications to the basic engine. Three combustor variable geometry systems were incorporated to evaluate various airflow distributions. Emission results with fixed geometry operation met all proposed EPA regulations over the EPA LTO cycle. CO reduction was 82 percent, UHC reduction was 96 percent, and smoke reduction was 84 percent. NOx increased 14 percent over the LTO cycle. At high power, NOx reduction was 40 to 55 percent. This NOx reduction has potential application to stationary gas turbine powerplants which have different EPA regulations.

A Workflow for Learning Objects Lifecycle and Reuse: Towards Evaluating Cost Effective Reuse

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sampson, Demetrios G.; Zervas, Panagiotis

2011-01-01

Over the last decade Learning Objects (LOs) have gained a lot of attention as a common format for developing and sharing digital educational content in the field of technology-enhanced learning. The main advantage of LOs is considered to be their potential for component-based reuse in different learning settings supporting different learning…

Problems associated with digital luminescence radiography in the neonate and young infant. Problems with digital radiography.

PubMed

Arthur, R J; Pease, J N

1992-01-01

An evaluation of the Siemens Digiscan has been undertaken to determine whether digital luminescence radiography (DLR) could replace conventional radiography in the examination of the neonate and young infant. Whilst the overall image quality of the digital radiograph was consistently higher than for conventional radiography the difference was less marked than we had expected. Furthermore, the potential for reduction in radiation dose by reducing the repeat rate due to incorrect exposure was limited. The potential advantages of DLR have been critically examined in relationship to neonatal radiography and a number of problems encountered during the evaluation have been highlighted.

Robots in food systems: a review and assessment of potential uses.

PubMed

Adams, E A; Messersmith, A M

1986-04-01

Management personnel in foodservice, food processing, and robot industries were surveyed to evaluate potential job functions for robots in the food industry. The survey instrument listed 64 different food-related job functions that participants were asked to assess as appropriate or not appropriate for robotic implementation. Demographic data were collected from each participant to determine any positive or negative influence on job function responses. The survey responses were statistically evaluated using frequencies and the chi-square test of significance. Sixteen of the 64 job functions were identified as appropriate for robot implementation in food industries by both robot manufacturing and food managers. The study indicated, first, that food managers lack knowledge about robots and robot manufacturing managers lack knowledge about food industries. Second, robots are not currently being used to any extent in the food industry. Third, analysis of the demographic data in relation to the 16 identified job functions showed no significant differences in responses.

Chemical, Bioactive, and Antioxidant Potential of Twenty Wild Culinary Mushroom Species.

PubMed

Sharma, S K; Gautam, N

2015-01-01

The chemical, bioactive, and antioxidant potential of twenty wild culinary mushroom species being consumed by the people of northern Himalayan regions has been evaluated for the first time in the present study. Nutrients analyzed include protein, crude fat, fibres, carbohydrates, and monosaccharides. Besides, preliminary study on the detection of toxic compounds was done on these species. Bioactive compounds evaluated are fatty acids, amino acids, tocopherol content, carotenoids (β-carotene, lycopene), flavonoids, ascorbic acid, and anthocyanidins. Fruitbodies extract of all the species was tested for different types of antioxidant assays. Although differences were observed in the net values of individual species all the species were found to be rich in protein, and carbohydrates and low in fat. Glucose was found to be the major monosaccharide. Predominance of UFA (65-70%) over SFA (30-35%) was observed in all the species with considerable amounts of other bioactive compounds. All the species showed higher effectiveness for antioxidant capacities.

Influence of boar breeds or hybrid genetic composition on semen quality and seminal plasma biochemical variables.

PubMed

Žaja, Ivona Žura; Samardžija, Marko; Vince, Silvijo; Majić-Balić, Ivanka; Vilić, Marinko; Đuričić, Dražen; Milinković-Tur, Suzana

2016-01-01

The enzyme concentrations of seminal plasma are important for spermatozoa metabolism and function in boars. The need has arisen for introducing a biochemical evaluation of semen, along with the usual standard semen analyses. There are no data on the influence of boar breeds on the seminal plasma biochemical variables investigated in this study. Therefore, the objective was to determine the influence of breed and hybrid genetic composition of boars on semen quality and seminal plasma biochemical variables. Semen samples of 27 boars (Swedish Landrace, German Landrace, Large White, Pietrain and Pig Improvement Company hybrid-PIC-hybrid), aged between 1.5 and 3 years, were collected. After evaluation of semen quality, the seminal plasma was separated from the spermatozoa by centrifugation of semen. The seminal plasma was subjected to spectrophotometric analysis to determine alkaline phosphatase (ALP), acid phosphatase (ACP), γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT), creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and to atomic absorption spectrophotometric analysis to measure the concentration of calcium and magnesium. Conventional semen quality variables differed depending on breed and PIC-hybrid genetic composition, though these differences were typically insignificant. In the seminal plasma, significant differences were determined in enzyme activity (ALP, GGT, CK and LDH) and in calcium concentration among boars of different breeds. There are, therefore, differences in semen quality and significant differences in the seminal plasma biochemical variables among boars of different breeds and PIC-hybrid genetic composition. The data and differences in semen variables detected in the present study provide knowledge for enhancing evaluation and monitoring of boar reproductive potential, semen quality and explain the potential causes of boar infertility. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Genetic potential of common bean progenies obtained by different breeding methods evaluated in various environments.

PubMed

Pontes Júnior, V A; Melo, P G S; Pereira, H S; Melo, L C

2016-09-02

Grain yield is strongly influenced by the environment, has polygenic and complex inheritance, and is a key trait in the selection and recommendation of cultivars. Breeding programs should efficiently explore the genetic variability resulting from crosses by selecting the most appropriate method for breeding in segregating populations. The goal of this study was to evaluate and compare the genetic potential of common bean progenies of carioca grain for grain yield, obtained by different breeding methods and evaluated in different environments. Progenies originating from crosses between lines and CNFC 7812 and CNFC 7829 were replanted up to the F 7 generation using three breeding methods in segregating populations: population (bulk), bulk within F 2 progenies, and single-seed descent (SSD). Fifteen F 8 progenies per method, two controls (BRS Estilo and Perola), and the parents were evaluated in a 7 x 7 simple lattice design, with plots of two 4-m rows. The tests were conducted in 10 environments in four States of Brazil and in three growing seasons in 2009 and 2010. Genetic parameters including genetic variance, heritability, variance of interaction, and expected selection gain were estimated. Genetic variability among progenies and the effect of progeny-environment interactions were determined for the three methods. The breeding methods differed significantly due to the effects of sampling procedures on the progenies and due to natural selection, which mainly affected the bulk method. The SSD and bulk methods provided populations with better estimates of genetic parameters and more stable progenies that were less affected by interaction with the environment.

Assessing the Total Mortality Caused by Two Species of Trichogramma on Its Natural Host Plutella xylostella (L.) at Different Temperatures.

PubMed

Marchioro, C A; Krechemer, F S; Foerster, L A

2015-06-01

Trichogramma pretiosum Riley and Trichogramma atopovirilia Oatman & Platner are natural enemies of Plutella xylostella (L.) in Southern Brazil. Laboratory studies to evaluate parasitoids performance under different conditions, such as temperature regimes, are necessary to assess their potential as biocontrol agents of P. xylostella. In most studies involving Trichogramma, parasitism rate is the main parameter used to evaluate parasitoid performance, ignoring that parasitoids can cause egg mortality by feeding on the host content and/or to multiple drilling without laying eggs. This study was conducted to investigate three main issues: how temperature affects T. pretiosum and T.atopovirilia development on eggs of P. xylostella, whether or not these species respond differently to temperature, and how important is the mortality they cause besides parasitism on P. xylostella. Temperature effects (from 10 to 30°C) on development, survival, parasitism rate, mortality, and total mortality caused by T. pretiosum and T. atopovirilia on eggs of P. xylostella were evaluated. Temperature affected the development time, female longevity, parasitism rate, mortality not directly related to parasitoid larval development, and total mortality caused on the host. No significant differences were recorded for the estimated thermal requirements for T. pretiosum and T. atopovirilia. However, the higher mortality caused by T. pretiosum indicates that this parasitoid is the most suitable to be used against P. xylostella. Also, the results suggest that the use of parasitism rate as the only parameter to evaluate the performance of T. pretiosum and T. atopovirilia may underestimate the potential of these parasitoids in regulating pest populations.

Biogas Production from Sugarcane Waste: Assessment on Kinetic Challenges for Process Designing.

PubMed

Janke, Leandro; Leite, Athaydes; Nikolausz, Marcell; Schmidt, Thomas; Liebetrau, Jan; Nelles, Michael; Stinner, Walter

2015-08-31

Biogas production from sugarcane waste has large potential for energy generation, however, to enable the optimization of the anaerobic digestion (AD) process each substrate characteristic should be carefully evaluated. In this study, the kinetic challenges for biogas production from different types of sugarcane waste were assessed. Samples of vinasse, filter cake, bagasse, and straw were analyzed in terms of total and volatile solids, chemical oxygen demand, macronutrients, trace elements, and nutritional value. Biochemical methane potential assays were performed to evaluate the energy potential of the substrates according to different types of sugarcane plants. Methane yields varied considerably (5-181 Nm³·tonFM(-1)), mainly due to the different substrate characteristics and sugar and/or ethanol production processes. Therefore, for the optimization of AD on a large-scale, continuous stirred-tank reactor with long hydraulic retention times (>35 days) should be used for biogas production from bagasse and straw, coupled with pre-treatment process to enhance the degradation of the fibrous carbohydrates. Biomass immobilization systems are recommended in case vinasse is used as substrate, due to its low solid content, while filter cake could complement the biogas production from vinasse during the sugarcane offseason, providing a higher utilization of the biogas system during the entire year.

Biogas Production from Sugarcane Waste: Assessment on Kinetic Challenges for Process Designing

PubMed Central

Janke, Leandro; Leite, Athaydes; Nikolausz, Marcell; Schmidt, Thomas; Liebetrau, Jan; Nelles, Michael; Stinner, Walter

2015-01-01

Biogas production from sugarcane waste has large potential for energy generation, however, to enable the optimization of the anaerobic digestion (AD) process each substrate characteristic should be carefully evaluated. In this study, the kinetic challenges for biogas production from different types of sugarcane waste were assessed. Samples of vinasse, filter cake, bagasse, and straw were analyzed in terms of total and volatile solids, chemical oxygen demand, macronutrients, trace elements, and nutritional value. Biochemical methane potential assays were performed to evaluate the energy potential of the substrates according to different types of sugarcane plants. Methane yields varied considerably (5–181 Nm3·tonFM−1), mainly due to the different substrate characteristics and sugar and/or ethanol production processes. Therefore, for the optimization of AD on a large-scale, continuous stirred-tank reactor with long hydraulic retention times (>35 days) should be used for biogas production from bagasse and straw, coupled with pre-treatment process to enhance the degradation of the fibrous carbohydrates. Biomass immobilization systems are recommended in case vinasse is used as substrate, due to its low solid content, while filter cake could complement the biogas production from vinasse during the sugarcane offseason, providing a higher utilization of the biogas system during the entire year. PMID:26404248

Evaluating sphingosine and its analogues as potential alternatives for aggressive lymphoma treatment.

PubMed

Bode, Constantin; Berlin, Max; Röstel, Franziska; Teichmann, Bianca; Gräler, Markus H

2014-01-01

Ceramide (Cer) and sphingosine (Sph) interfere with critical cellular functions relevant for cancer progression and cell survival. While Cer has already been investigated as a potential drug target for lymphoma treatment, information about the potency of sphingosine is scarce. The aim of this study therefore was to evaluate Sph and its synthetic stereoisomer L-threo-sphingosine (Lt-Sph) as potential treatment options for aggressive lymphomas. Diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) cell lines were incubated with Sph and Lt-Sph and consequently analysed by flow cytometry (FACS), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), liquid chromatography coupled to triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS), electron microscopy, and Western blot. Sph induced cell death and blocked cell growth independently of S1P receptors in different DLBCL cell lines. Three different modes of Sph-mediated cell death were observed: Apoptosis, autophagy, and protein kinase C (PKC) inhibition. Generation of pro-apoptotic Cer accounted only for a minor portion of the apoptotic rate. Sph and its analogues could evolve as alternative treatment options for aggressive lymphomas via PKC inhibition, apoptosis, and autophagy. These physiological responses induced by different intracellular signalling cascades (phosphorylation of JNK, PARP cleavage, LC3-II accumulation) identify Sph and analogues as potent cell death inducing agents. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.

A preliminary test of an ecological classification system for the Oconee National Forest using forest inventory and analysis data

Treesearch

W. Henry McNab; Ronald B. Stephens; Richard D. Rightmyer; Erika M. Mavity; Samuel G. Lambert

2012-01-01

An ecological classification system (ECS) has been developed for use in evaluating management, conservation and restoration options for forest and wildlife resources on the Oconee National Forest. Our study was the initial evaluation of the ECS to determine if the units at each level differed in potential productivity. We used loblolly pine (Pinus taeda...

Systematic approach to developing empirical interatomic potentials for III-N semiconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ito, Tomonori; Akiyama, Toru; Nakamura, Kohji

2016-05-01

A systematic approach to the derivation of empirical interatomic potentials is developed for III-N semiconductors with the aid of ab initio calculations. The parameter values of empirical potential based on bond order potential are determined by reproducing the cohesive energy differences among 3-fold coordinated hexagonal, 4-fold coordinated zinc blende, wurtzite, and 6-fold coordinated rocksalt structures in BN, AlN, GaN, and InN. The bond order p is successfully introduced as a function of the coordination number Z in the form of p = a exp(-bZn ) if Z ≤ 4 and p = (4/Z)α if Z ≥ 4 in empirical interatomic potential. Moreover, the energy difference between wurtzite and zinc blende structures can be successfully evaluated by considering interaction beyond the second-nearest neighbors as a function of ionicity. This approach is feasible for developing empirical interatomic potentials applicable to a system consisting of poorly coordinated atoms at surfaces and interfaces including nanostructures.

Diffraction and Transmission Synchrotron Imaging at the German Light Source ANKA--Potential Industrial Applications

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

Rack, Alexander; Weitkamp, Timm; European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, BP 220, F-38043 Grenoble Cedex

2009-03-10

Diffraction and transmission synchrotron imaging methods have proven to be highly suitable for investigations in materials research and non-destructive evaluation. The high flux and spatial coherence of X-rays from modern synchrotron light sources allows one to work using high resolution and different contrast modalities. This article gives a short overview of different transmission and diffraction imaging methods with high potential for industrial applications, now available for commercial access via the German light source ANKA (Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe) and its new department ANKA Commercial Service (ANKA COS, http://www.anka-cos.de)

Priority screening of toxic chemicals and industry sectors in the U.S. toxics release inventory: a comparison of the life cycle impact-based and risk-based assessment tools developed by U.S. EPA.

PubMed

Lim, Seong-Rin; Lam, Carl W; Schoenung, Julie M

2011-09-01

Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) and Risk Assessment (RA) employ different approaches to evaluate toxic impact potential for their own general applications. LCIA is often used to evaluate toxicity potentials for corporate environmental management and RA is often used to evaluate a risk score for environmental policy in government. This study evaluates the cancer, non-cancer, and ecotoxicity potentials and risk scores of chemicals and industry sectors in the United States on the basis of the LCIA- and RA-based tools developed by U.S. EPA, and compares the priority screening of toxic chemicals and industry sectors identified with each method to examine whether the LCIA- and RA-based results lead to the same prioritization schemes. The Tool for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemical and other environmental Impacts (TRACI) is applied as an LCIA-based screening approach with a focus on air and water emissions, and the Risk-Screening Environmental Indicator (RSEI) is applied in equivalent fashion as an RA-based screening approach. The U.S. Toxic Release Inventory is used as the dataset for this analysis, because of its general applicability to a comprehensive list of chemical substances and industry sectors. Overall, the TRACI and RSEI results do not agree with each other in part due to the unavailability of characterization factors and toxic scores for select substances, but primarily because of their different evaluation approaches. Therefore, TRACI and RSEI should be used together both to support a more comprehensive and robust approach to screening of chemicals for environmental management and policy and to highlight substances that are found to be of concern from both perspectives. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of the genotoxic potential of soil contaminated with mineral coal tailings on snail Helix aspersa.

PubMed

de Souza, Melissa Rosa; da Silva, Fernanda Rabaioli; de Souza, Claudia Telles; Niekraszewicz, Liana; Dias, Johnny Ferraz; Premoli, Suziane; Corrêa, Dione Silva; Soares, Mariana do Couto; Marroni, Norma Possa; Morgam-Martins, Maria Isabel; da Silva, Juliana

2015-11-01

Coal remains an important source of energy, although the fuel is a greater environmental pollutant. Coal is a mixture of several chemicals, especially inorganic elements and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). Many of these compounds have mutagenic and carcinogenic effects on organisms exposed to this mineral. In the town of Charqueadas (Brazil), the tailings from mining were used for landfill in the lower areas of the town, and the consequence is the formation of large deposits of this material. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the genotoxic potential of soil samples contaminated by coal waste in different sites at Charqueadas, using the land snail Helix aspersa as a biomonitor organism. Thirty terrestrial snails were exposed to different treatments: 20 were exposed to the soil from two different sites in Charqueadas (site 1 and 2; 10 in each group) and 10 non-exposed (control group). Hemolymph cells were collected after 24h, 5days and 7days of exposure and comet assay, micronucleus test, oxidative stress tests were performed. Furthermore, this study quantified the inorganic elements present in soil samples by the PIXE technique and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) by HPLC. This evaluation shows that, in general, soils from sites in Charqueadas, demonstrated a genotoxic effect associated with increased oxidative stress, inorganic and PAH content. These results demonstrate that the coal pyrite tailings from Charqueadas are potentially genotoxic and that H. aspersa is confirmed to be a sensitive instrument for risk assessment of environmental pollution. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Time-frequency analysis of event-related potentials associated with the origin of the motor interference effect from dangerous objects.

PubMed

Liu, Peng

2018-03-01

Previous research has suggested that the motor interference effect of dangerous objects may originate from danger evaluations rather than direct response inhibition, as evidenced by a larger parietal P3 amplitude (which represents danger evaluations) under dangerous conditions than under safe conditions and an insignificant difference between dangerous and safe conditions in the frontal P3 component (which represents response inhibition). However, an alternative explanation exists for the null effect of the frontal P3 component. Specifically, this null effect may be attributed to cancellation between the theta and delta band oscillations, and only theta band oscillations represent response inhibition. To clarify this issue, the current study decomposed event-related potential data into different frequency bands using short-time Fourier transform. The results identified an insignificant difference of theta oscillations between dangerous and safe conditions in the mid-frontal area during a 200-500-ms time window. Instead, decreased alpha oscillations were identified in the dangerous compared with the safe condition in Go trials in the right parietal area during a 100-660-ms time window. Regression analyses further indicated that the alpha oscillations significantly contributed to the parietal P3 amplitude in the right parietal area. In summary, the results indicated that when an emergent dangerous object is encountered during the execution of prepared motor actions, an individual may tend to chiefly evaluate the potential dangerousness rather than directly suppress the prepared motor actions toward the dangerous object. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Body mass index and gastroesophageal reflux disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Corley, Douglas A; Kubo, Ai

2006-11-01

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common cause of morbidity and health-care utilization in many countries. Obesity is a potentially modifiable risk factor, but existing studies have conflicting results, possibly due to differences in study design, definitions, or populations. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies identified using MEDLINE, the Web of Science electronic database, manual literature review, and a review of expert bibliographies. Studies were included if they: (1) evaluated obesity, body mass index (BMI), or another measure of body size; (2) included data on reflux symptoms, esophagitis, or a GERD-related hospitalization; and (3) reported a relative risk or odds ratio (OR) with confidence intervals or provided sufficient data to permit their calculation. We identified 20 studies that included 18,346 patients with GERD. Studies from the United States demonstrated an association between increasing BMI and the presence of GERD (95% confidence interval [CI]= 1.36-1.80, overweight, OR = 1.57, P value homogeneity = 0.51, 95% CI = 1.89-2.45, obese, OR = 2.15, P= 0.10). Studies from Europe provided heterogeneous results despite stratification for several factors; individual studies demonstrated both positive associations and no association. This analysis demonstrates a positive association between increasing BMI and the presence of GERD within the United States; this relationship became apparent only after stratification by country and level of BMI. These results support the evaluation of weight reduction as a potential therapy for GERD. Further studies are needed to evaluate potential mechanisms and any differences in this relationship among different study populations.

Potential of a suite of robot/computer-assisted motivating systems for personalized, home-based, stroke rehabilitation

PubMed Central

Johnson, Michelle J; Feng, Xin; Johnson, Laura M; Winters, Jack M

2007-01-01

Background There is a need to improve semi-autonomous stroke therapy in home environments often characterized by low supervision of clinical experts and low extrinsic motivation. Our distributed device approach to this problem consists of an integrated suite of low-cost robotic/computer-assistive technologies driven by a novel universal access software framework called UniTherapy. Our design strategy for personalizing the therapy, providing extrinsic motivation and outcome assessment is presented and evaluated. Methods Three studies were conducted to evaluate the potential of the suite. A conventional force-reflecting joystick, a modified joystick therapy platform (TheraJoy), and a steering wheel platform (TheraDrive) were tested separately with the UniTherapy software. Stroke subjects with hemiparesis and able-bodied subjects completed tracking activities with the devices in different positions. We quantify motor performance across subject groups and across device platforms and muscle activation across devices at two positions in the arm workspace. Results Trends in the assessment metrics were consistent across devices with able-bodied and high functioning strokes subjects being significantly more accurate and quicker in their motor performance than low functioning subjects. Muscle activation patterns were different for shoulder and elbow across different devices and locations. Conclusion The Robot/CAMR suite has potential for stroke rehabilitation. By manipulating hardware and software variables, we can create personalized therapy environments that engage patients, address their therapy need, and track their progress. A larger longitudinal study is still needed to evaluate these systems in under-supervised environments such as the home. PMID:17331243

Evaluating Hyperspectral Vegetation Indices for Leaf Area Index Estimation of Oryza sativa L. at Diverse Phenological Stages

PubMed Central

Din, Mairaj; Zheng, Wen; Rashid, Muhammad; Wang, Shanqin; Shi, Zhihua

2017-01-01

Hyperspectral reflectance derived vegetation indices (VIs) are used for non-destructive leaf area index (LAI) monitoring for precise and efficient N nutrition management. This study tested the hypothesis that there is potential for using various hyperspectral VIs for estimating LAI at different growth stages of rice under varying N rates. Hyperspectral reflectance and crop canopy LAI measurements were carried out over 2 years (2015 and 2016) in Meichuan, Hubei, China. Different N fertilization, 0, 45, 82, 127, 165, 210, 247, and 292 kg ha-1, were applied to generate various scales of VIs and LAI values. Regression models were used to perform quantitative analyses between spectral VIs and LAI measured under different phenological stages. In addition, the coefficient of determination and RMSE were employed to evaluate these models. Among the nine VIs, the ratio vegetation index, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), modified soil-adjusted vegetation index (MSAVI), modified triangular vegetation index (MTVI2) and exhibited strong and significant relationships with the LAI estimation at different phenological stages. The enhanced vegetation index performed moderately. However, the green normalized vegetation index and blue normalized vegetation index confirmed that there is potential for crop LAI estimation at early phenological stages; the soil-adjusted vegetation index and optimized soil-adjusted vegetation index were more related to the soil optical properties, which were predicted to be the least accurate for LAI estimation. The noise equivalent accounted for the sensitivity of the VIs and MSAVI, MTVI2, and NDVI for the LAI estimation at phenological stages. The results note that LAI at different crop phenological stages has a significant influence on the potential of hyperspectral derived VIs under different N management practices. PMID:28588596

Fluorescence spectroscopy for the detection of potentially malignant disorders and squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity.

PubMed

Francisco, Ana Lucia Noronha; Correr, Wagner Rafael; Azevedo, Luciane Hiramatsu; Kern, Vivian Galletta; Pinto, Clóvis Antônio Lopes; Kowalski, Luiz Paulo; Kurachi, Cristina

2014-06-01

Oral cancer is a public health problem with relevant incidence in the world population. The affected patient usually presents advanced stage disease and the consequence of this delay is a reduction in survival rates. Given this, it is essential to detect oral cancer at early stages. Fluorescence spectroscopy is a non-invasive diagnostic tool that can improve cancer detection in real time. It is a fast and accurate technique, relatively simple, which evaluates the biochemical composition and structure using the tissue fluorescence spectrum as interrogation data. Several studies have positive data regarding the tools for differentiating between normal mucosa and cancer, but the difference between cancer and potentially malignant disorders is not clear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of fluorescence spectroscopy in the discrimination of normal oral mucosa, oral cancer, and potentially malignant disorders. The fluorescence spectroscopy was evaluated in 115 individuals, of whom 55 patients presented oral squamous cell carcinoma, 30 volunteers showing normal oral mucosa, and 30 patients having potentially malignant disorders. The spectra were classified and compared to histopathology to evaluate the efficiency in diagnostic discrimination employing fluorescence. In order to classify the spectra, a decision tree algorithm (C4.5) was applied. Despite of the high variance observed in spectral data, the specificity and sensitivity obtained were 93.8% and 88.5%, respectively at 406 nm excitation. These results point to the potential use of fluorescence spectroscopy as an important tool for oral cancer diagnosis and potentially malignant disorders. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An automated system for evaluation of the potential functionome: MAPLE version 2.1.0.

PubMed

Takami, Hideto; Taniguchi, Takeaki; Arai, Wataru; Takemoto, Kazuhiro; Moriya, Yuki; Goto, Susumu

2016-07-03

Metabolic and physiological potential evaluator (MAPLE) is an automatic system that can perform a series of steps used in the evaluation of potential comprehensive functions (functionome) harboured in the genome and metagenome. MAPLE first assigns KEGG Orthology (KO) to the query gene, maps the KO-assigned genes to the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) functional modules, and then calculates the module completion ratio (MCR) of each functional module to characterize the potential functionome in the user's own genomic and metagenomic data. In this study, we added two more useful functions to calculate module abundance and Q-value, which indicate the functional abundance and statistical significance of the MCR results, respectively, to the new version of MAPLE for more detailed comparative genomic and metagenomic analyses. Consequently, MAPLE version 2.1.0 reported significant differences in the potential functionome, functional abundance, and diversity of contributors to each function among four metagenomic datasets generated by the global ocean sampling expedition, one of the most popular environmental samples to use with this system. MAPLE version 2.1.0 is now available through the web interface (http://www.genome.jp/tools/maple/) 17 June 2016, date last accessed. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Kazusa DNA Research Institute.

Electropysiologic evaluation of the visual pathway in patients with multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Rodriguez-Mena, Diego; Almarcegui, Carmen; Dolz, Isabel; Herrero, Raquel; Bambo, Maria P; Fernandez, Javier; Pablo, Luis E; Garcia-Martin, Elena

2013-08-01

To evaluate the ability of visual evoked potentials and pattern electroretinograms (PERG) to detect subclinical axonal damage in patients during the early diagnostic stage of multiple sclerosis (MS). The authors also compared the ability of optical coherence tomography (OCT), PERG, and visual evoked potentials to detect axonal loss in MS patients and correlated the functional and structural properties of the retinal nerve fiber layer. Two hundred twenty-eight eyes of 114 subjects (57 MS patients and 57 age- and sex-matched healthy controls) were included. The visual pathway was evaluated based on functional and structural assessments. All patients underwent a complete ophthalmic examination that included assessment of visual acuity, ocular motility, intraocular pressure, visual field, papillary morphology, OCT, visual evoked potentials, and PERG. Visual evoked potentials (P100 latency and amplitude), PERG (N95 amplitude and N95/P50 ratio), and OCT parameters differed significantly between MS patients and healthy subjects. Moderate significant correlations were found between visual evoked potentials or PERG parameters and OCT measurements. Axonal damage in ganglion cells of the visual pathway can be detected based on structural measures provided by OCT in MS patients and by the N95 component and N95/P50 index of PERG, thus providing good correlation between function and structure.

METALS IN GROUND WATER: SAMPLING ARTIFACTS AND REPRODUCIBILITY

EPA Science Inventory

Field studies evaluated sampling procedures for determination of aqueous inorganic geochemistry and assessment of contaminant transport by colloidal mobility. esearch at three different metal-contaminated sites has shown that 0.45 tm filtration has not removed potentially mobile ...

Electrochemical Engineering.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alkire, Richard C.

1983-01-01

Discusses engineering ramifications of electrochemistry, focusing on current/potential distribution, evaluation of trade-offs between influences of different phenomena, use of dimensionless numbers to assist in scale-over to new operating conditions, and economics. Also provides examples of electrochemical engineering education content related to…

Considerations of Environmentally Relevant Test Conditions for Improved Evaluation of Ecological Hazards of Engineered Nanomaterials

EPA Science Inventory

Engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) are increasingly entering the environment with uncertain consequences including potential ecological effects. Various research communities view differently whether ecotoxicological testing of ENMs should be conducted using environmentally relevant ...

Oxidative stability, phenolic compounds and antioxidant potential of a virgin olive oil enriched with natural bioactive compounds.

PubMed

Delgado-Adámez, Jonathan; Baltasar, M Nieves Franco; Yuste, María Concepción Ayuso; Martín-Vertedor, Daniel

2014-01-01

The aim of this research was to evaluate strategies for the development of a virgin olive oil (VOO) enriched with aqueous extracts of olive leaf and cake to increase the necessary dose in the diet of phenolic compounds with a natural product, as phenolic compounds are involved on the healthy properties of olive oil. Different extraction procedures were evaluated with the aim of increasing the phenol content and antioxidant potential of extracts of olive leaf and cake. As leaves extract presented a higher total phenolic content, it was characterized in order to determine its phenolic profile, and was employed to enrich VOO. Diverse procedures were used to prepare enriched VOO with the leaves extract, and finally the effects of phenol enrichment were evaluated based on the antioxidant potential and oxidative stability of the prepared phenol-enriched virgin olive oils. These enriched VOOs increased significantly the content in phenolic compounds, antioxidant potential and oxidative stability 40, 4 and 1.5 fold more, respectively, than the Control oil. Furthermore, the addition of lecithin had a positive effect both on the phenolic compounds content, and on the antioxidant potential of the oils. Besides, the use of the olive leaves extract, with and without lecithin respectively, supposes a strategy potential for reducing the harmful effects that inflicts long-term preservation of VOOs and its possible deterioration.

Regional characterization of freshwater Use in LCA: modeling direct impacts on human health.

PubMed

Boulay, Anne-Marie; Bulle, Cécile; Bayart, Jean-Baptiste; Deschênes, Louise; Margni, Manuele

2011-10-15

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a methodology that quantifies potential environmental impacts for comparative purposes in a decision-making context. While potential environmental impacts from pollutant emissions into water are characterized in LCA, impacts from water unavailability are not yet fully quantified. Water use can make the resource unavailable to other users by displacement or quality degradation. A reduction in water availability to human users can potentially affect human health. If financial resources are available, there can be adaptations that may, in turn, shift the environmental burdens to other life cycle stages and impact categories. This paper proposes a model to evaluate these potential impacts in an LCA context. It considers the water that is withdrawn and released, its quality and scarcity in order to evaluate the loss of functionality associated with water uses. Regionalized results are presented for impacts on human health for two modeling approaches regarding affected users, including or not domestic uses, and expressed in disability-adjusted life years (DALY). A consumption and quality based scarcity indicator is also proposed as a midpoint. An illustrative example is presented for the production of corrugated board with different effluents, demonstrating the importance of considering quality, process effluents and the difference between the modeling approaches.

Evaluation of the constant potential method in simulating electric double-layer capacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zhenxing; Yang, Yang; Olmsted, David L.; Asta, Mark; Laird, Brian B.

2014-11-01

A major challenge in the molecular simulation of electric double layer capacitors (EDLCs) is the choice of an appropriate model for the electrode. Typically, in such simulations the electrode surface is modeled using a uniform fixed charge on each of the electrode atoms, which ignores the electrode response to local charge fluctuations in the electrolyte solution. In this work, we evaluate and compare this Fixed Charge Method (FCM) with the more realistic Constant Potential Method (CPM), [S. K. Reed et al., J. Chem. Phys. 126, 084704 (2007)], in which the electrode charges fluctuate in order to maintain constant electric potential in each electrode. For this comparison, we utilize a simplified LiClO4-acetonitrile/graphite EDLC. At low potential difference (ΔΨ ⩽ 2 V), the two methods yield essentially identical results for ion and solvent density profiles; however, significant differences appear at higher ΔΨ. At ΔΨ ⩾ 4 V, the CPM ion density profiles show significant enhancement (over FCM) of "inner-sphere adsorbed" Li+ ions very close to the electrode surface. The ability of the CPM electrode to respond to local charge fluctuations in the electrolyte is seen to significantly lower the energy (and barrier) for the approach of Li+ ions to the electrode surface.

Evaluation and its importance for nursing practice.

PubMed

Moule, Pam; Armoogum, Julie; Douglass, Emma; Taylor, Dr Julie

2017-04-26

Evaluation of service delivery is an important aspect of nursing practice. Service evaluation is being increasingly used and led by nurses, who are well placed to evaluate service and practice delivery. This article defines evaluation of services and wider care delivery and its relevance in NHS practice and policy. It aims to encourage nurses to think about how evaluation of services or practice differs from research and audit activity and to consider why and how they should use evaluation in their practice. A process for planning and conducting an evaluation and disseminating findings is presented. Evaluation in the healthcare context can be a complicated activity and some of the potential challenges of evaluation are described, alongside possible solutions. Further resources and guidance on evaluation activity to support nurses' ongoing development are identified.

Antiestrogenic and Anti-Inflammatory Potential of n-Hexane Fraction of Vitex negundo Linn Leaf Extract: A Probable Mechanism for Blastocyst Implantation Failure in Mus musculus.

PubMed

Jivrajani, Mehul; Ravat, Nirav; Anandjiwala, Sheetal; Nivsarkar, Manish

2014-01-01

The anti-implantation potential of different fractions of Vitex negundo Linn leaf extract was evaluated in female Swiss Albino mice. Animals from different groups were dosed orally either with 0.2% agar (vehicle) or with fractions of V. negundo leaf extract (n-hexane, chloroform, n-butanol, and remnant fractions) at 10:00 a.m., from day 1 to day 6 of pregnancy. The pregnant females from each group were sacrificed on different days of pregnancy (n = 6), and uterus was excised and used for estimation of lipid peroxidation and assay of superoxide dismutase activity as a marker for blastocyst implantation. Animals treated with n-hexane fraction showed altered level of superoxide anion radical and superoxide dismutase activity as compared to control animals. The probable mechanism by which this extract exhibits inhibition of blastocyst implantation is through the anti-inflammatory and antiestrogenic potential.

Human abuse liability evaluation of CNS stimulant drugs.

PubMed

Romach, Myroslava K; Schoedel, Kerri A; Sellers, Edward M

2014-12-01

Psychoactive drugs that increase alertness, attention and concentration and energy, while also elevating mood, heart rate and blood pressure are referred to as stimulants. Despite some overlapping similarities, stimulants cannot be easily categorized by their chemical structure, mechanism of action, receptor binding profile, effects on monoamine uptake, behavioral pharmacology (e.g., effects on locomotion, temperature, and blood pressure), therapeutic indication or efficacy. Because of their abuse liability, a pre-market assessment of abuse potential is required for drugs that show stimulant properties; this review article focuses on the clinical aspects of this evaluation. This includes clinical trial adverse events, evidence of diversion or tampering, overdoses and the results of a human abuse potential study. While there are different types of human experimental studies that can be employed to evaluate stimulant abuse potential (e.g., drug discrimination, self-administration), only the human abuse potential study and clinical trial adverse event data are required for drug approval. The principal advances that have improved human abuse potential studies include using study enrichment strategies (pharmacologic qualification), larger sample sizes, better selection of endpoints and measurement strategies and more carefully considered interpretation of data. Because of the methodological advances, comparisons of newer studies with historical data is problematic and may contribute to a biased regulatory framework for the evaluation of newer stimulant-like drugs, such as A2 antagonists. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled 'CNS Stimulants'. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Clinical significance of the summating potential-action potential ratio and the action potential latency difference for condensation and rarefaction clicks in Meniere's disease.

PubMed

Ohashi, Toru; Nishino, Hirohito; Arai, Yoko; Hyodo, Makoto; Takatsu, Mitsuharu

2009-04-01

This study was aimed to elucidate the diagnostic significance of the summating potential (SP)-action potential (AP) ratio and the AP latency difference between condensation and rarefaction clicks (AP con-rar difference) in Meniere's disease. The AP and SP were recorded transtympanically in 67 patients with definite Meniere's disease. The SP/AP ratio and the AP con-rar difference were assessed in terms of 1) their interrelationship, 2) their relationship to hearing level, and 3) the rate of occurrence of abnormal values according to the stages of Meniere's disease. No correlation was found between the SP/AP ratio and the AP con-rar difference. Neither the SP/AP ratio in general nor the AP con-rar difference was correlated with the hearing level. However, enhanced values of the SP/AP ratio (0.35 or higher) were moderately correlated with the hearing level (r = 0.51), and their occurrence rate was 55.2%. An increased AP con-rar difference (0.13 ms or longer) was not correlated with the hearing level, and its occurrence rate was 50.2%; it appeared most frequently at stage 3 (p <0.05). An enhanced SP/AP ratio might not always indicate the presence of endolymphatic hydrops associated with an increase in endolymphatic pressure. An increased AP con-rar difference might reflect the presence of a biased basilar membrane resulting from an increased endolymphatic pressure, and hence it is diagnostically essential to simultaneously evaluate the SP/AP ratio and the AP con-rar difference.

Evaluation of genotoxic potential of avarol, avarone, and its methoxy and methylamino derivatives in prokaryotic and eukaryotic test models.

PubMed

Kolarević, Stoimir; Milovanović, Dragana; Kračun-Kolarević, Margareta; Kostić, Jovana; Sunjog, Karolina; Martinović, Rajko; Đorđević, Jelena; Novaković, Irena; Sladić, Dušan; Vuković-Gačić, Branka

2018-01-04

In this study, mutagenic and genotoxic potential of anti-tumor compounds avarol, avarone, and its derivatives 3'-methoxyavarone, 4'-(methylamino)avarone and 3'-(methylamino)avarone was evaluated and compared to cytostatics commonly used in chemotherapy (5-fluorouracil, etoposid, and cisplatin). Mutagenic potential of selected hydroquinone and quinones was assessed in prokaryotic model by the SOS/umuC assay in Salmonella typhimurium TA1535/pSK1002. Genotoxic potential was also assessed in eukaryotic models using comet assay in human fetal lung cell line (MRC-5), human adenocarcinoma epithelial cell line (A549), and in human peripheral blood cells (HPBC). The results indicated that avarol and avarone do not exert mutagenic/genotoxic potential. Among the studied avarone derivatives, mutagenic potential was detected by SOS/umuC test for 3'-(methylamino)avarone, but only after metabolic activation. The results of comet assay indicated that 3'-methoxyavarone and 3'-(methylamino)avarone have a significant impact on the level of DNA damage in the MRC-5 cell line. Genotoxic potential was not observed in A549 cells or HPBC probably due to a different uptake rate for the compounds and lower in metabolism rate within these cells.

Evaluation of 19,460 Wheat Accessions Conserved in the Indian National Genebank to Identify New Sources of Resistance to Rust and Spot Blotch Diseases.

PubMed

Kumar, Sundeep; Archak, Sunil; Tyagi, R K; Kumar, Jagdish; Vk, Vikas; Jacob, Sherry R; Srinivasan, Kalyani; Radhamani, J; Parimalan, R; Sivaswamy, M; Tyagi, Sandhya; Yadav, Mamata; Kumari, Jyotisna; Deepali; Sharma, Sandeep; Bhagat, Indoo; Meeta, Madhu; Bains, N S; Chowdhury, A K; Saha, B C; Bhattacharya, P M; Kumari, Jyoti; Singh, M C; Gangwar, O P; Prasad, P; Bharadwaj, S C; Gogoi, Robin; Sharma, J B; Gm, Sandeep Kumar; Saharan, M S; Bag, Manas; Roy, Anirban; Prasad, T V; Sharma, R K; Dutta, M; Sharma, Indu; Bansal, K C

2016-01-01

A comprehensive germplasm evaluation study of wheat accessions conserved in the Indian National Genebank was conducted to identify sources of rust and spot blotch resistance. Genebank accessions comprising three species of wheat-Triticum aestivum, T. durum and T. dicoccum were screened sequentially at multiple disease hotspots, during the 2011-14 crop seasons, carrying only resistant accessions to the next step of evaluation. Wheat accessions which were found to be resistant in the field were then assayed for seedling resistance and profiled using molecular markers. In the primary evaluation, 19,460 accessions were screened at Wellington (Tamil Nadu), a hotspot for wheat rusts. We identified 4925 accessions to be resistant and these were further evaluated at Gurdaspur (Punjab), a hotspot for stripe rust and at Cooch Behar (West Bengal), a hotspot for spot blotch. The second round evaluation identified 498 accessions potentially resistant to multiple rusts and 868 accessions potentially resistant to spot blotch. Evaluation of rust resistant accessions for seedling resistance against seven virulent pathotypes of three rusts under artificial epiphytotic conditions identified 137 accessions potentially resistant to multiple rusts. Molecular analysis to identify different combinations of genetic loci imparting resistance to leaf rust, stem rust, stripe rust and spot blotch using linked molecular markers, identified 45 wheat accessions containing known resistance genes against all three rusts as well as a QTL for spot blotch resistance. The resistant germplasm accessions, particularly against stripe rust, identified in this study can be excellent potential candidates to be employed for breeding resistance into the background of high yielding wheat cultivars through conventional or molecular breeding approaches, and are expected to contribute toward food security at national and global levels.

Evaluation of 19,460 Wheat Accessions Conserved in the Indian National Genebank to Identify New Sources of Resistance to Rust and Spot Blotch Diseases

PubMed Central

Jacob, Sherry R.; Srinivasan, Kalyani; Radhamani, J.; Parimalan, R.; Sivaswamy, M.; Tyagi, Sandhya; Yadav, Mamata; Kumari, Jyotisna; Deepali; Sharma, Sandeep; Bhagat, Indoo; Meeta, Madhu; Bains, N. S.; Chowdhury, A. K.; Saha, B. C.; Bhattacharya, P. M.; Kumari, Jyoti; Singh, M. C.; Gangwar, O. P.; Prasad, P.; Bharadwaj, S. C.; Gogoi, Robin; Sharma, J. B.; GM, Sandeep Kumar; Saharan, M. S.; Bag, Manas; Roy, Anirban; Prasad, T. V.; Sharma, R. K.; Dutta, M.; Sharma, Indu; Bansal, K. C.

2016-01-01

A comprehensive germplasm evaluation study of wheat accessions conserved in the Indian National Genebank was conducted to identify sources of rust and spot blotch resistance. Genebank accessions comprising three species of wheat–Triticum aestivum, T. durum and T. dicoccum were screened sequentially at multiple disease hotspots, during the 2011–14 crop seasons, carrying only resistant accessions to the next step of evaluation. Wheat accessions which were found to be resistant in the field were then assayed for seedling resistance and profiled using molecular markers. In the primary evaluation, 19,460 accessions were screened at Wellington (Tamil Nadu), a hotspot for wheat rusts. We identified 4925 accessions to be resistant and these were further evaluated at Gurdaspur (Punjab), a hotspot for stripe rust and at Cooch Behar (West Bengal), a hotspot for spot blotch. The second round evaluation identified 498 accessions potentially resistant to multiple rusts and 868 accessions potentially resistant to spot blotch. Evaluation of rust resistant accessions for seedling resistance against seven virulent pathotypes of three rusts under artificial epiphytotic conditions identified 137 accessions potentially resistant to multiple rusts. Molecular analysis to identify different combinations of genetic loci imparting resistance to leaf rust, stem rust, stripe rust and spot blotch using linked molecular markers, identified 45 wheat accessions containing known resistance genes against all three rusts as well as a QTL for spot blotch resistance. The resistant germplasm accessions, particularly against stripe rust, identified in this study can be excellent potential candidates to be employed for breeding resistance into the background of high yielding wheat cultivars through conventional or molecular breeding approaches, and are expected to contribute toward food security at national and global levels. PMID:27942031

Relationship between medication event rates and the Leapfrog computerized physician order entry evaluation tool.

PubMed

Leung, Alexander A; Keohane, Carol; Lipsitz, Stuart; Zimlichman, Eyal; Amato, Mary; Simon, Steven R; Coffey, Michael; Kaufman, Nathan; Cadet, Bismarck; Schiff, Gordon; Seger, Diane L; Bates, David W

2013-06-01

The Leapfrog CPOE evaluation tool has been promoted as a means of monitoring computerized physician order entry (CPOE). We sought to determine the relationship between Leapfrog scores and the rates of preventable adverse drug events (ADE) and potential ADE. A cross-sectional study of 1000 adult admissions in five community hospitals from October 1, 2008 to September 30, 2010 was performed. Observed rates of preventable ADE and potential ADE were compared with scores reported by the Leapfrog CPOE evaluation tool. The primary outcome was the rate of preventable ADE and the secondary outcome was the composite rate of preventable ADE and potential ADE. Leapfrog performance scores were highly related to the primary outcome. A 43% relative reduction in the rate of preventable ADE was predicted for every 5% increase in Leapfrog scores (rate ratio 0.57; 95% CI 0.37 to 0.88). In absolute terms, four fewer preventable ADE per 100 admissions were predicted for every 5% increase in overall Leapfrog scores (rate difference -4.2; 95% CI -7.4 to -1.1). A statistically significant relationship between Leapfrog scores and the secondary outcome, however, was not detected. Our findings support the use of the Leapfrog tool as a means of evaluating and monitoring CPOE performance after implementation, as addressed by current certification standards. Scores from the Leapfrog CPOE evaluation tool closely relate to actual rates of preventable ADE. Leapfrog testing may alert providers to potential vulnerabilities and highlight areas for further improvement.

Synthesis: Small library of hybrid scaffolds of benzothiazole having hydrazone and evaluation of their β-glucuronidase activity.

PubMed

Taha, Muhammad; Arbin, Mastura; Ahmat, Norizan; Imran, Syahrul; Rahim, Fazal

2018-04-01

Due to the great biological importance of β-glucuronidase inhibitors, here in this study, we have synthesized a library of novel benzothiazole derivatives (1-30), characterized by different spectroscopic methods and evaluated for β-glucuronidase inhibitory potential. Among the series sixteen compounds i.e.1-6, 8, 9, 11, 14, 15, 20-23 and 26 showed outstanding inhibitory potential with IC 50 value ranging in between 16.50 ± 0.26 and 59.45 ± 1.12 when compared with standard d-Saccharic acid 1,4-lactone (48.4 ± 1.25 µM). Except compound 8 and 23 all active analogs showed better potential than the standard. Structure activity relationship has been established. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A comparative study on the mechanical energy of the normal, ACL, osteoarthritis, and Parkinson subjects.

PubMed

Bahreinizad, Hossein; Salimi Bani, Milad; Hasani, Mojtaba; Karimi, Mohammad Taghi; Sharifmoradi, Keyvan; Karimi, Alireza

2017-08-09

The influence of various musculoskeletal disorders has been evaluated using different kinetic and kinematic parameters. But the efficiency of walking can be evaluated by measuring the effort of the subject, or by other words the energy that is required to walk. The aim of this study was to identify mechanical energy differences between the normal and pathological groups. Four groups of 15 healthy subjects, 13 Parkinson subjects, 4 osteoarthritis subjects, and 4 ACL reconstructed subjects have participated in this study. The motions of foot, shank and thigh were recorded using a three dimensional motion analysis system. The kinetic, potential and total mechanical energy of each segment was calculated using 3D markers positions and anthropometric measurements. Maximum value and sample entropy of energies was compared between the normal and abnormal subjects. Maximum value of potential energy of OA subjects was lower than the normal subjects. Furthermore, sample entropy of mechanical energy for Parkinson subjects was low in comparison to the normal subjects while sample entropy of mechanical energy for the ACL subjects was higher than that of the normal subjects. Findings of this study suggested that the subjects with different abilities show different mechanical energy during walking.

Potential Experimental Topics for EGS Collab Experiment 3

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

Johnston, Henry; Mattson, Earl; Blankenship, Douglas

To facilitate the success of FORGE, the DOE GTO has initiated a new research effort, the EGS Collab project, which will utilize readily accessible underground facilities that can refine our understanding of rock mass response to stimulation and provide a test bed at intermediate (~10 m) scale for the validation of thermal-hydrological-mechanical-chemical modeling approaches as well as novel monitoring tools. The first two EGS Experiments 1 and 2 are planned be performed under different stress/fracture conditions, and will evaluate different stimulation processes: Experiment 1 will focus on hydrofracturing of a competent rock mass, while Experiment 2 will concentrate on hydroshearingmore » of a rock mass that contains natural fractures. Experiment 3 is scheduled to begin in 2019 will build off the lessons learned in Experiments 1 and 2 and will investigate alternate stimulation and operation methods to improve heat extraction in an EGS reservoir. This paper evaluates potential experiments that could potentially be conducted in Experiment 3. The two technical parameters defining energy extracted from EGS reservoirs with the highest economic uncertainty and risk are the production well flow rates and the reservoir thermal drawdown rate. A review of historical and currently on-going EGS studies has identified that over 1/2 of the projects have identified heat extraction challenges during their operation associated with these two parameters as well as some additional secondary issues. At present, no EGS reservoir has continuously produced flow rates on the order of 80 kg/s. Short circuiting (i.e. early thermal breakthrough) has been identified in numerous cases. In addition, working fluid loss (i.e. the difference between the injected fluid mass and the extracted fluid mass as compared to the injected mass) has been as high as 90%. Finally, the engineering aspects of operating a true EGS multi-fracture reservoir such as repairing/modifying fractures and controlling working fluid fluxes within multiple fractures for the effective EGS fracture management has not been sufficiently studied. To examine issues such as these, EGS Collab Experiment 3 may be conducted in the testbeds prepared for Experiments 1 and 2 by improving the previously performed stimulations, or conducted at a new site performing new stimulations with alternate method. Potential experiments may include using different stimulation and working fluids, evaluating different stimulation methods, using proppants to enhance permeability, and other high-risk high-reward methods that can be evaluated at the 10-m scale environment.« less

Induction of stable benomyl-tolerant phenotypic mutants of Trichoderma pseudokoningii MTCC 3011, and their evaluation for antagonistic and biocontrol potential.

PubMed

Mukherjee, P K; Sherkhane, P D; Murthy, N B

1999-07-01

Trichoderma pseudokoningii MTCC 3011 is a very useful strain for biological control of the plant pathogen Sclerotium rolfsii under post-harvest conditions. In the present investigation, several benomyl-tolerant phenotypic mutants of this strain have been generated using a two step mutagenesis-chemical followed by gamma irradiation. The mutants differed from the wild type strain in antibiotic and disease control potential. Some of the mutants are superior to the wild type in biocontrol potential on S. rolfsii.

Using fractal analysis of thermal signatures for thyroid disease evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gavriloaia, Gheorghe; Sofron, Emil; Gavriloaia, Mariuca-Roxana; Ghemigean, Adina-Mariana

2010-11-01

The skin is the largest organ of the body and it protects against heat, light, injury and infection. Skin temperature is an important parameter for diagnosing diseases. Thermal analysis is non-invasive, painless, and relatively inexpensive, showing a great potential research. Since the thyroid regulates metabolic rate it is intimately connected to body temperature, more than, any modification of its function generates a specific thermal image on the neck skin. The shapes of thermal signatures are often irregular in size and shape. Euclidean geometry is not able to evaluate their shape for different thyroid diseases, and fractal geometry is used in this paper. Different thyroid diseases generate different shapes, and their complexity are evaluated by specific mathematical approaches, fractal analysis, in order to the evaluate selfsimilarity and lacunarity. Two kinds of thyroid diseases, hyperthyroidism and papillary cancer are analyzed in this paper. The results are encouraging and show the ability to continue research for thermal signature to be used in early diagnosis of thyroid diseases.

Development of a Computerized Data Base to Monitor Wheeled Vehicle Corrosion

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-10-01

the region which corrodes. This potential difference , or voltage of these little batteries or cells, is due to the difference in the oxygen...availability at the point of attack. Differential aeration cells occur at all places where there is a difference in the availability of oxygen and can only...program is actually an evaluation of the various corrosion prevention systems and methods which were applied to the wheeled vehicles when they were

The effect of dose reduction on the detection of anatomical structures on panoramic radiographs.

PubMed

Kaeppler, G; Dietz, K; Reinert, S

2006-07-01

The aim was to evaluate the effect of dose reduction on diagnostic accuracy using different screen-film combinations and digital techniques for panoramic radiography. Five observers assessed 201 pairs of panoramic radiographs (a total of 402 panoramic radiographs) taken with the Orthophos Plus (Sirona, Bensheim, Germany), for visualization of 11 anatomical structures on each side, using a 3-point scale -1, 0 and 1. Two radiographs of each patient were taken at two different times (conventional setting and setting with decreased dose, done by increasing tube potential settings or halving tube current). To compare the dose at different tube potential settings dose-length product was measured at the secondary collimator. Films with medium and regular intensifying screens (high and low tube potential settings) and storage phosphor plates (low tube potential setting, tube current setting equivalent to regular intensifying screen and halved) were compared. The five observers made 27 610 assessments. Intrarater agreement was expressed by Cohen's kappa coefficient. The results demonstrated an equivalence of regular screens (low tube potential setting) and medium screens (high and low tube potential settings). A significant difference existed between medium screens (low tube potential setting, mean score 0.92) and the group of regular film-screen combinations at high tube potential settings (mean score 0.89) and between all film-screen combinations and the digital system irrespective of exposure (mean score below 0.82). There were no significant differences between medium and regular screens (mean score 0.88 to 0.92) for assessment of the periodontal ligament space, but there was a significant difference compared with the digital system (mean score below 0.76). The kappa coefficient for intrarater agreement was moderate (0.55). New regular intensifying screens can replace medium screens at low tube potential settings. Digital panoramic radiographs should be taken at low tube potential levels with an exposure equivalent at least to a regular intensifying screen.

Virtual hospital--a computer-aided platform to evaluate the sense of direction.

PubMed

Jiang, Ching-Fen; Li, Yuan-Shyi

2007-01-01

This paper presents a computer-aided platform, named Virtual Hospital (VH), to evaluate the wayfinding ability that is found impaired in senile people with early dementia. The development of the VH takes the advantage of virtual reality technology to make the evaluation of the sense of direction more convenient and accurate then the conventional way. A pilot study was carried out to test its feasibility in differentiating the sense of direction between different genders. The results with significant differences in the response time (p<0.05) and the pointing error (p<0.01) between genders suggest the potential of the VH for clinical uses. Further improvement on the human-machine interface is necessary to make it easy for geriatric people to use.

Automation and Preclinical Evaluation of a Dedicated Emission Mammotomography System for Fully 3-D Molecular Breast Imaging

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-10-01

molecular breast imaging, with the ability to dynamically contour any sized breast, will improve detection and potentially in vivo characterization of...Having flexible 3D positioning about the breast yielded minimal RMSD differences, which is important for high resolution molecular emission imaging. This...TITLE: Automation and Preclinical Evaluation of a Dedicated Emission Mammotomography System for Fully 3-D Molecular Breast Imaging PRINCIPAL

Evaluating popcorn as a potential refuge of Ostrinia nubilalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae).

PubMed

Tate, C D; Hellmich, R L; Lewis, L C

2008-04-01

Popcorn was evaluated in a series of experiments conducted over four growing seasons for its potential as a refuge for European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner). Objectives of these studies were to determine whether more larvae were produced in popcorn than in field corn and to determine how popcorn influenced female oviposition and larval distribution in neighboring field corn. Two varieties of popcorn (M140, 105d and M3374Y, 118d), one mixture of popcorn (50% 105d and 50% 118d), and field corn (DK580, 108d) were evaluated. Number of egg masses, eggs per egg mass, and larvae were significantly higher in popcorn compared with field corn. Moth oviposition and larval distribution were evaluated using 105d popcorn embedded in several cornfields across Iowa. The row of field corn adjacent to popcorn had significantly more larvae compared with background field corn. In larger field experiments, O. nubilalis larval survival after overwintering was significantly different, with 2.2-18.7 times more O. nubilalis larvae surviving in popcorn than field corn. The potential use of popcorn as an O. nubilalis refuge for genetically engineered corn is considered.

Integrated Emergy and Economic Evaluation of Lotus-Root ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Lotus (Neumbo nucifera, Gaertn) is the most important aquatic vegetable in China, with a cultivation history of over 3000 years. The emergy, energy, material, and money flows of three lotus root cultivation modes in Wanqingsha, Nansha District, Guangzhou, China were examined using Energy Systems Language models and emergy evaluation to better understand their ecological and economic characteristics on multiple spatial and temporal scales. The natural resource foundations, economic characteristics and sustainability of these modes were evaluated and compared. The results showed that although all three modes were highly dependent on purchased emergy inputs, their potential impacts as measured by the local (ELRL) and global (ELRW) environmental loading ratios were less than 1.2 and 0.7, respectively. The lotus-fish mode was the most sustainable with its emergy index of sustainable development (EISD) 2.09 and 2.13 times that of the pure lotus and lotus-shrimp modes, respectively. All three lotus-root production modes had superior economic viability, since their Output/Input ratio ranged from 2.56 to 4.95. The results indicated that agricultural systems may have different environmental impacts and sustainability characteristics at different spatial and temporal scales, and that these impacts and characteristics can be simultaneously explored using integrated emergy and economic evaluations. This study provides some major new insights about agriculture and its potenti

How (Not) to Talk on Twitter: Effects of Politicians' Tweets on Perceptions of the Twitter Environment.

PubMed

Lyons, Benjamin A; Veenstra, Aaron S

2016-01-01

Politicians' Twitter habits can vary considerably. Those who choose to use may do so as part of a broad discussion community or as a one-to-many broadcaster. Because each user sees a different mix of tweets, a politician seen by one user as interacting with the public may be seen by another as engaging in one-way communication, potentially prompting different evaluations of the politician, the ongoing discussion, or even Twitter itself. This study uses an experiment to test the effects of different engagement and framing styles in politician tweets on evaluations of the politician, other discussants, and Twitter itself. Findings suggest that politicians who use Twitter to broadcast, rather than engage with other users, not only receive worse evaluations themselves but that the negative evaluation carries over to other users discussing the same topics, as well as to evaluations of the utility of Twitter as an information source. This effect is attributed to intramedium interaction, in which reactions to one aspect of a multimedia object carry over to other aspects of the same object.

Elucidating Water Contamination by Fracturing Fluids and Formation Waters from Gas Wells: Integrating Isotopic and Geochemical Tracers

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The objective of this presentation is to evaluate the potential and applicability of different geochemical and isotopic tracers for tracing the impacts of fracturing fluids and co-produced waters on water resources.

DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF IN VITRO IMAGING TECHNIQUES USED TO SCREEN AGENTS THAT AFFECT NEURONAL DIFFERENTIATION.

EPA Science Inventory

Testing chemicals for potential developmental neurotoxicity is an issue of regulatory concern. Developmental vulnerability is determined by pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic differences between developing and adult animals. These pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic factors dete...

An integrated experimental and computational approach for characterizing the kinetics and mechanism of triadimefon racemization.

EPA Science Inventory

Enantiomers of chiral molecules commonly exhibit differing pharmacokinetics and toxicities, which can introduce significant uncertainty when evaluating biological and environmental fates and potential risks to humans and the environment. However, racemization (the irreversible tr...

Individual Differences in Social Anxiety Affect the Salience of Errors in Social Contexts

PubMed Central

Barker, Tyson V.; Troller-Renfree, Sonya; Pine, Daniel S.; Fox, Nathan A.

2015-01-01

The error-related negativity (ERN) is an event-related potential that occurs approximately 50 ms after an erroneous response. The magnitude of the ERN is influenced by contextual factors, such as when errors are made during social evaluation. The ERN is also influenced by individual differences in anxiety, and it is elevated amongst anxious individuals. However, little research has examined how individual differences in anxiety interact with contextual factors to impact the ERN. Social anxiety involves fear and apprehension of social evaluation. The current study explored how individual differences in social anxiety interact with social contexts to modulate the ERN. The ERN was measured in 43 young adults characterized as either high or low in social anxiety while they completed a flanker task in two contexts: alone and during social evaluation. Results revealed a significant interaction between social anxiety and context, such that the ERN was enhanced in a social relative to a non-social context only among high socially anxious individuals. Furthermore, the degree of such enhancement significantly correlated with individual differences in social anxiety. These findings demonstrate that social anxiety is characterized by enhanced neural activity to errors in social evaluative contexts. PMID:25967929

Spatially distributed potential evapotranspiration modeling and climate projections.

PubMed

Gharbia, Salem S; Smullen, Trevor; Gill, Laurence; Johnston, Paul; Pilla, Francesco

2018-08-15

Evapotranspiration integrates energy and mass transfer between the Earth's surface and atmosphere and is the most active mechanism linking the atmosphere, hydrosphsophere, lithosphere and biosphere. This study focuses on the fine resolution modeling and projection of spatially distributed potential evapotranspiration on the large catchment scale as response to climate change. Six potential evapotranspiration designed algorithms, systematically selected based on a structured criteria and data availability, have been applied and then validated to long-term mean monthly data for the Shannon River catchment with a 50m 2 cell size. The best validated algorithm was therefore applied to evaluate the possible effect of future climate change on potential evapotranspiration rates. Spatially distributed potential evapotranspiration projections have been modeled based on climate change projections from multi-GCM ensembles for three future time intervals (2020, 2050 and 2080) using a range of different Representative Concentration Pathways producing four scenarios for each time interval. Finally, seasonal results have been compared to baseline results to evaluate the impact of climate change on the potential evapotranspiration and therefor on the catchment dynamical water balance. The results present evidence that the modeled climate change scenarios would have a significant impact on the future potential evapotranspiration rates. All the simulated scenarios predicted an increase in potential evapotranspiration for each modeled future time interval, which would significantly affect the dynamical catchment water balance. This study addresses the gap in the literature of using GIS-based algorithms to model fine-scale spatially distributed potential evapotranspiration on the large catchment systems based on climatological observations and simulations in different climatological zones. Providing fine-scale potential evapotranspiration data is very crucial to assess the dynamical catchment water balance to setup management scenarios for the water abstractions. This study illustrates a transferable systematic method to design GIS-based algorithms to simulate spatially distributed potential evapotranspiration on the large catchment systems. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Regional comparisons of on-site solar potential in the residential and industrial sectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gatzke, A. E.; Skewes-Cox, A. O.

1980-10-01

Regional and subregional differences in the potential development of decentralized solar technologies are studied. Two sectors of the economy were selected for intensive analysis: the residential and industrial sectors. The sequence of analysis follows the same general steps: (1) selection of appropriate prototypes within each land use sector disaggregated by census region; (2) characterization of the end-use energy demand of each prototype in order to match an appropriate decentralized solar technology to the energy demand; (3) assessment of the energy conservation potential within each prototype limited by land use patterns, technology efficiency, and variation in solar insolation; and (4) evaluation of the regional and subregional differences in the land use implications of decentralized energy supply technologies that result from the combination of energy demand, energy supply potential, and the subsequent addition of increasingly more restrictive policies to increase the percent contribution of on-site solar energy.

Hyperspectral Imaging and K-Means Classification for Histologic Evaluation of Ductal Carcinoma In Situ.

PubMed

Khouj, Yasser; Dawson, Jeremy; Coad, James; Vona-Davis, Linda

2018-01-01

Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) is a non-invasive optical imaging modality that shows the potential to aid pathologists in breast cancer diagnoses cases. In this study, breast cancer tissues from different patients were imaged by a hyperspectral system to detect spectral differences between normal and breast cancer tissues. Tissue samples mounted on slides were identified from 10 different patients. Samples from each patient included both normal and ductal carcinoma tissue, both stained with hematoxylin and eosin stain and unstained. Slides were imaged using a snapshot HSI system, and the spectral reflectance differences were evaluated. Analysis of the spectral reflectance values indicated that wavelengths near 550 nm showed the best differentiation between tissue types. This information was used to train image processing algorithms using supervised and unsupervised data. The K-means method was applied to the hyperspectral data cubes, and successfully detected spectral tissue differences with sensitivity of 85.45%, and specificity of 94.64% with true negative rate of 95.8%, and false positive rate of 4.2%. These results were verified by ground-truth marking of the tissue samples by a pathologist. In the hyperspectral image analysis, the image processing algorithm, K-means, shows the greatest potential for building a semi-automated system that could identify and sort between normal and ductal carcinoma in situ tissues.

Evaluating the Potential Usefulness of new Hurricane Indices for Emergency Management and Other Decision Makers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jordan, M. R.; Clayson, C. A.

2006-12-01

Over the past 35 years, the Saffir-Simpson scale has used wind speed as a means for categorizing damage and surge risks associated with hurricanes. Time has shown, however, that hurricanes with the same wind speed do not necessarily cause equal damage values and storm-surge heights. Therefore, it is prudent to now consider a different method for categorizing storms so that emergency management officials in a coastal location can have a better idea as to the potential hazards posed by a particular hurricane. Recognizing this need, three new indices were developed by Lakshmi Kantha in 2005 for evaluating hurricane intensity, hurricane damage potential, and hurricane surge potential. This paper applies these indices to a twenty-year database (1986-2005) of Atlantic, U.S.-landfalling hurricanes and compares the relative indices to known damage estimates and surge heights. Some general conclusions will be made regarding the possible usefulness of these indices for emergency management officials in areas prone to landfalling tropical cyclones.

Influence of gestation, regular bleeding and intermittent exposure on blood perfluorooctane sulfonate levels in mice: potential factors inducing sex difference and affecting exposure evaluation.

PubMed

Liu, Wei; Li, Xiao; Xu, Lei; Liu, Li; Jin, Yihe; Sato, Itaru; Tsuda, Shuji

2010-06-01

Higher blood levels of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in males than the females have been observed in many human biomonitoring studies, which is not well explained yet. The effects of gestation and regular bleeding on blood PFOS level in mice were investigated to evaluate the potential factors that could result in the sex difference. The mice were exposed to PFOS via drinking water at a concentration of 50 mug/l. After 6 weeks of pre-exposure and the gestation period, the blood PFOS concentrations in the gestagenic mice were significantly lower than the control non-gestagenic mice with a ratio of 0.45. Significant lower blood PFOS concentrations in the male mice treated by regular artificial bleeding were observed compared with those from the control male. However, such difference was not observed for the females. The sex difference in the effect of regular artificial bleeding on the blood PFOS level may be caused by the different accumulation and elimination rate in the female and male mice. In addition, the effect of intermittent exposure to PFOS on blood level was evaluated. Each single exposure caused a significant increase in blood PFOS level in both females and males, suggesting the acute exposure to PFOS occurred before the blood sampling, e.g. exposure to PFOS-contaminated foods or drinks, would affect the biomonitoring data to some extent depending on the background blood level. Thus serial blood monitoring is required to obtain accurate body burden.

Numerical simulation of aerobic exercise as a countermeasure in human spaceflight

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perez-Poch, Antoni

The objective of this work is to analyse the efficacy of long-term regular exercise on relevant cardiovascular parameters when the human body is also exposed to microgravity. Computer simulations are an important tool which may be used to predict and analyse these possible effects, and compare them with in-flight experiments. We based our study on a electrical-like computer model (NELME: Numerical Evaluation of Long-term Microgravity Effects) which was developed in our laboratory and validated with the available data, focusing on the cardiovascu-lar parameters affected by changes in gravity exposure. NELME is based on an electrical-like control system model of the physiological changes, that are known to take place when grav-ity changes are applied. The computer implementation has a modular architecture. Hence, different output parameters, potential effects, organs and countermeasures can be easily imple-mented and evaluated. We added to the previous cardiovascular system module a perturbation module to evaluate the effect of regular exercise on the output parameters previously studied. Therefore, we simulated a well-known countermeasure with different protocols of exercising, as a pattern of input electric-like perturbations on the basic module. Different scenarios have been numerically simulated for both men and women, in different patterns of microgravity, reduced gravity and time exposure. Also EVAs were simulated as perturbations to the system. Results show slight differences in gender, with more risk reduction for women than for men after following an aerobic exercise pattern during a simulated mission. Also, risk reduction of a cardiovascular malfunction is evaluated, with a ceiling effect found in all scenarios. A turning point in vascular resistance for a long-term exposure of microgravity below 0.4g has been found of particular interest. In conclusion, we show that computer simulations are a valuable tool to analyse different effects of long-term microgravity exposure on the human body. Potential countermeasures such as physical exercise can also be evaluated as an induced perturbation into the system. Relevant results are compatible with existing data, and are of valuable interest as an assessment of the efficacy of aerobic exercise as a countermeasure in future missions to Mars.

Potential Sex Differences Relative to Autism Spectrum Disorder and Metals.

PubMed

Dickerson, Aisha S; Rotem, Ran S; Christian, MacKinsey A; Nguyen, Vy T; Specht, Aaron J

2017-12-01

This study aims to summarize the current body of literature on the relationship between various toxic metals exposures (i.e., aluminum, antimony, arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, lead, manganese, and nickel) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), with a focus on potential sex differences in these associations. Sex differences in ASD diagnosis and mutagenic effects of toxic exposures indicate that sex differences may play a major part in the causal relationship of any potential associations seen; however, we were only able to find three studies that reported on sex differences in observed associations with toxic metals exposure and ASD. We also found several studies investigating associations between ASD and metals exposures, including 11 on aluminum, 6 on antimony, 15 on arsenic, 5 on beryllium, 17 on cadmium, 11 on chromium, 25 on lead, 14 on manganese, and 13 on nickel with markers of exposure in hair, urine, blood, teeth, fingernails, and air pollution. Results for each metal were conflicting, but studies on cadmium and lead yielded the highest proportion of studies with positive results (72% and 36%, respectively). Based on our examination of existing literature, the current evidence warrants a considerable need for evaluations of sex differences in future studies assessing the association between metals exposures and ASD. Additionally, failure to account for potential sex differences could result in bias and misinterpretation of exposure-disease relationships.

[Rehabilitation potential of disabled persons with consequences of cerebral stroke and effects of factors of the organization of rehabilitation assistance].

PubMed

Voskresenskaia, O N; Klemesheva, Iu N; Akimova, T N

2012-01-01

The authors demonstrated the possibility for the practical use of the index "Rehabilitation Potential" in the evaluation of the degree of restoration of neurological deficit developed due to cerebral stroke. The most significant factors characterizing the organization and implementation of rehabilitation measures in different periods of stroke and the effect of these factors on the level of rehabilitation potential of disabled persons with consequences of stroke are specified. It has been shown that the perfect organization of restorative treatment has a positive effect on the level of rehabilitation potential of disabled persons.

Bilastine vs. hydroxyzine: occupation of brain histamine H1-receptors evaluated by positron emission tomography in healthy volunteers

PubMed Central

Farré, Magí; Pérez-Mañá, Clara; Papaseit, Esther; Menoyo, Esther; Pérez, Marta; Martin, Soraya; Bullich, Santiago; Rojas, Santiago; Herance, José-Raúl; Trampal, Carlos; Labeaga, Luis; Valiente, Román

2014-01-01

Aim A close correlation exists between positron emission tomography (PET)-determined histamine H1-receptor occupancy (H1RO) and the incidence of sedation. Antihistamines with H1RO <20% are classified as non-sedating. The objective was to compare the H1RO of bilastine, a second generation antihistamine, with that of hydroxyzine. Methods This randomized, double-blind, crossover study used PET imaging with [11C]-doxepin to evaluate H1RO in 12 healthy males (mean age 26.2 years), after single oral administration of bilastine (20 mg), hydroxyzine (25 mg) or placebo. Binding potentials and H1ROs were calculated in five cerebral cortex regions of interest: frontal, occipital, parietal, temporal, insula. Plasma bilastine concentrations, subjective sedation (visual analogue scale), objective psychomotor performance (digital symbol substitution test), physiological variables and safety (adverse events, AEs), were also evaluated. Results The mean binding potential of all five regions of interest (total binding potential) was significantly greater with bilastine than hydroxyzine (mean value 0.26 vs. 0.13, P < 0.01; mean difference and 95% CI −0.130 [−0.155, 0.105]). There was no significant difference between bilastine and placebo. Overall H1RO by bilastine was significantly lower than that by hydroxyzine (mean value −3.92% vs. 53.95%, P < 0.01; mean difference and 95% CI 57.870% [42.664%, 73.075%]). There was no significant linear relationship between individual bilastine plasma concentrations and total binding potential values. No significant between-treatment differences were observed for sedation and psychomotor performance. Twenty-six non-serious AEs were reported. Sleepiness or sedation was not reported with bilastine but appeared in some subjects with hydroxyzine. Conclusions A single oral dose of bilastine 20 mg had minimal H1RO, was not associated with subjective sedation or objective impairment of psychomotor performance and was devoid of treatment-related sedative AEs, thus satisfying relevant subjective, objective and PET criteria as a non-sedating antihistamine. PMID:24833043

Bilastine vs. hydroxyzine: occupation of brain histamine H1 -receptors evaluated by positron emission tomography in healthy volunteers.

PubMed

Farré, Magí; Pérez-Mañá, Clara; Papaseit, Esther; Menoyo, Esther; Pérez, Marta; Martin, Soraya; Bullich, Santiago; Rojas, Santiago; Herance, José-Raúl; Trampal, Carlos; Labeaga, Luis; Valiente, Román

2014-11-01

A close correlation exists between positron emission tomography (PET)-determined histamine H1 -receptor occupancy (H1 RO) and the incidence of sedation. Antihistamines with H1 RO <20% are classified as non-sedating. The objective was to compare the H1 RO of bilastine, a second generation antihistamine, with that of hydroxyzine. This randomized, double-blind, crossover study used PET imaging with [(11) C]-doxepin to evaluate H1 RO in 12 healthy males (mean age 26.2 years), after single oral administration of bilastine (20 mg), hydroxyzine (25 mg) or placebo. Binding potentials and H1 ROs were calculated in five cerebral cortex regions of interest: frontal, occipital, parietal, temporal, insula. Plasma bilastine concentrations, subjective sedation (visual analogue scale), objective psychomotor performance (digital symbol substitution test), physiological variables and safety (adverse events, AEs), were also evaluated. The mean binding potential of all five regions of interest (total binding potential) was significantly greater with bilastine than hydroxyzine (mean value 0.26 vs. 0.13, P < 0.01; mean difference and 95% CI -0.130 [-0.155, 0.105]). There was no significant difference between bilastine and placebo. Overall H1 RO by bilastine was significantly lower than that by hydroxyzine (mean value -3.92% vs. 53.95%, P < 0.01; mean difference and 95% CI 57.870% [42.664%, 73.075%]). There was no significant linear relationship between individual bilastine plasma concentrations and total binding potential values. No significant between-treatment differences were observed for sedation and psychomotor performance. Twenty-six non-serious AEs were reported. Sleepiness or sedation was not reported with bilastine but appeared in some subjects with hydroxyzine. A single oral dose of bilastine 20 mg had minimal H1 RO, was not associated with subjective sedation or objective impairment of psychomotor performance and was devoid of treatment-related sedative AEs, thus satisfying relevant subjective, objective and PET criteria as a non-sedating antihistamine. © 2014 The British Pharmacological Society.

Recursion-transform method and potential formulae of the m × n cobweb and fan networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tan, Zhi-Zhong

2017-08-01

In this paper, we made a new breakthrough, which proposes a new Recursion-Transform (RT) method with potential parameters to evaluate the nodal potential in arbitrary resistor networks. For the first time, we found the exact potential formulae of arbitrary m× n cobweb and fan networks by the RT method, and the potential formulae of infinite and semi-infinite networks are derived. As applications, a series of interesting corollaries of potential formulae are given by using the general formula, the equivalent resistance formula is deduced by using the potential formula, and we find a new trigonometric identity by comparing two equivalence results with different forms. Project supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province, China (Grant No. BK20161278).

Potential antibacterial activity of some Saudi Arabia honey

PubMed Central

Hegazi, Ahmed G.; Guthami, Faiz M. Al; Gethami, Ahmed F. M. Al; Allah, Fyrouz M. Abd; Saleh, Ashraf A.; Fouad, Ehab A.

2017-01-01

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the potential antibacterial activity of some Saudi Arabia honey against selected bacterial strains of medical importance. Materials and Methods: A total of 10 Saudi Arabia honey used to evaluate their antimicrobial activity against some antibiotic-resistant pathogenic bacterial strains. The bacterial strains were Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Results: The antibacterial activity of Saudi honey against five bacterial strains showed different levels of inhibition according to the type of honey. The overall results showed that the potential activity was differing according to the pathogen and honey type. Conclusion: It could be concluded that the Saudi honey inhibit the growth of bacterial strains and that honey can be used as complementary antimicrobial agent against selected pathogenic bacteria. PMID:28344408

Date palm and the activated sludge co-composting actinobacteria sanitization potential.

PubMed

El Fels, Loubna; Hafidi, Mohamed; Ouhdouch, Yedir

2016-01-01

The objective of this study was to find a connection between the development of the compost actinobacteria and the potential involvement of antagonistic thermophilic actinomycetes in compost sanitization as high temperature additional role. An abundance of actinobacteria and coliforms during the activated sludge and date palm co-composting is determined. Hundred actinomycete isolates were isolated from the sample collected at different composting times. To evaluate the antagonistic effects of the different recovered actinomycete isolates, several wastewater-linked microorganisms known as human and plant potential pathogens were used. The results showed that 12 isolates have an in vitro inhibitory effect on at least 9 of the indicator microorganisms while only 4 active strains inhibit all these pathogens. The antimicrobial activities of sterilized composting time extracts are also investigated.

Brackish habitat dictates cultivable Actinobacterial diversity from marine sponges

PubMed Central

Chanana, Shaurya; Adnani, Navid; Szachowicz, Emily; Braun, Doug R.; Harper, Mary Kay; Wyche, Thomas P.; Bugni, Tim S.

2017-01-01

Bacterial communities associated with marine invertebrates such as sponges and ascidians have demonstrated potential as sources of bio-medically relevant small molecules. Metagenomic analysis has shown that many of these invertebrates harbor populations of Actinobacteria, many of which are cultivable. While some populations within invertebrates are transmitted vertically, others are obtained from the environment. We hypothesized that cultivable diversity from sponges living in brackish mangrove habitats have associations with Actinobacterial populations that differ from those found in clear tropical waters. In this study, we analyzed the cultivable Actinobacterial populations from sponges found in these two distinct habitats with the aim of understanding the secondary metabolite potential. Importantly, we wanted to broadly evaluate the potential differences among these groups to guide future Actinobacterial collection strategies for the purposes of drug discovery. PMID:28692665

Evaluation method for in situ electric field in standardized human brain for different transcranial magnetic stimulation coils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iwahashi, Masahiro; Gomez-Tames, Jose; Laakso, Ilkka; Hirata, Akimasa

2017-03-01

This study proposes a method to evaluate the electric field induced in the brain by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to realize focal stimulation in the target area considering the inter-subject difference of the brain anatomy. The TMS is a non-invasive technique used for treatment/diagnosis, and it works by inducing an electric field in a specific area of the brain via a coil-induced magnetic field. Recent studies that report on the electric field distribution in the brain induced by TMS coils have been limited to simplified human brain models or a small number of detailed human brain models. Until now, no method has been developed that appropriately evaluates the coil performance for a group of subjects. In this study, we first compare the magnetic field and the magnetic vector potential distributions to determine if they can be used as predictors of the TMS focality derived from the electric field distribution. Next, the hotspots of the electric field on the brain surface of ten subjects using six coils are compared. Further, decisive physical factors affecting the focality of the induced electric field by different coils are discussed by registering the computed electric field in a standard brain space for the first time, so as to evaluate coil characteristics for a large population of subjects. The computational results suggest that the induced electric field in the target area cannot be generalized without considering the morphological variability of the human brain. Moreover, there was no remarkable difference between the various coils, although focality could be improved to a certain extent by modifying the coil design (e.g., coil radius). Finally, the focality estimated by the electric field was more correlated with the magnetic vector potential than the magnetic field in a homogeneous sphere.

Evaluation method for in situ electric field in standardized human brain for different transcranial magnetic stimulation coils.

PubMed

Iwahashi, Masahiro; Gomez-Tames, Jose; Laakso, Ilkka; Hirata, Akimasa

2017-03-21

This study proposes a method to evaluate the electric field induced in the brain by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to realize focal stimulation in the target area considering the inter-subject difference of the brain anatomy. The TMS is a non-invasive technique used for treatment/diagnosis, and it works by inducing an electric field in a specific area of the brain via a coil-induced magnetic field. Recent studies that report on the electric field distribution in the brain induced by TMS coils have been limited to simplified human brain models or a small number of detailed human brain models. Until now, no method has been developed that appropriately evaluates the coil performance for a group of subjects. In this study, we first compare the magnetic field and the magnetic vector potential distributions to determine if they can be used as predictors of the TMS focality derived from the electric field distribution. Next, the hotspots of the electric field on the brain surface of ten subjects using six coils are compared. Further, decisive physical factors affecting the focality of the induced electric field by different coils are discussed by registering the computed electric field in a standard brain space for the first time, so as to evaluate coil characteristics for a large population of subjects. The computational results suggest that the induced electric field in the target area cannot be generalized without considering the morphological variability of the human brain. Moreover, there was no remarkable difference between the various coils, although focality could be improved to a certain extent by modifying the coil design (e.g., coil radius). Finally, the focality estimated by the electric field was more correlated with the magnetic vector potential than the magnetic field in a homogeneous sphere.

HCMM energy budget data as a model input for assessing regions of high potential groundwater pollution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, D. G. (Principal Investigator); Tunheim, J. A.; Heilman, J.

1977-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. The finite difference model was used to calculate the differences in surface temperature between two hypothetical sites which result from a temperature difference at 50 cm due to the presence of shallow ground water at one of the sites. Although qualitative results of the model seemed consistant with experimental results, further evaluation showed a need for taking account of differences in thermal conductivity due to different moisture profiles at the two sites considered.

The Role of Psychometrics in Individual Differences Research in Cognition: A Case Study of the AX-CPT

PubMed Central

Cooper, Shelly R.; Gonthier, Corentin; Barch, Deanna M.; Braver, Todd S.

2017-01-01

Investigating individual differences in cognition requires addressing questions not often thought about in standard experimental designs, especially regarding the psychometric properties of the task. Using the AX-CPT cognitive control task as a case study example, we address four concerns that one may encounter when researching the topic of individual differences in cognition. First, we demonstrate the importance of variability in task scores, which in turn directly impacts reliability, particularly when comparing correlations in different populations. Second, we demonstrate the importance of variability and reliability for evaluating potential failures to replicate predicted correlations, even within the same population. Third, we demonstrate how researchers can turn to evaluating psychometric properties as a way of evaluating the feasibility of utilizing the task in new settings (e.g., online administration). Lastly, we show how the examination of psychometric properties can help researchers make informed decisions when designing a study, such as determining the appropriate number of trials for a task. PMID:28928690

Evaluation of I-FIT results and machine variability using MnRoad test track mixtures.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-06-01

The Illinois Flexibility Index Test (I-FIT) was developed to distinguish between different mixtures in terms of potential cracking. Several : machines were manufactured and are currently available to perform the I-FIT. This report presents the result...

Variation in asparagine concentration in Nebraska wheat

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The concentration of asparagine in wheat grain depends on both genetics and environmental factors, therefore study of different wheat cultivars, growing locations and crops years is needed for proper evaluation of potential risks of acrylamide formation in baked products made from Nebraska wheats. T...

The role of episodic memory in controlled evaluative judgments about attitudes: an event-related potential study.

PubMed

Johnson, Ray; Simon, Elizabeth J; Henkell, Heather; Zhu, John

2011-04-01

Event-related potentials (ERPs) are unique in their ability to provide information about the timing of activity in the neural networks that perform complex cognitive processes. Given the dearth of extant data from normal controls on the question of whether attitude representations are stored in episodic or semantic memory, the goal here was to study the nature of the memory representations used during conscious attitude evaluations. Thus, we recorded ERPs while participants performed three tasks: attitude evaluations (i.e., agree/disagree), autobiographical cued recall (i.e., You/Not You) and semantic evaluations (i.e., active/inactive). The key finding was that the parietal episodic memory (EM) effect, a well-established correlate of episodic recollection, was elicited by both attitude evaluations and autobiographical retrievals. By contrast, semantic evaluations of the same attitude items elicited less parietal activity, like that elicited by Not You cues, which only access semantic memory. In accord with hemodynamic results, attitude evaluations and autobiographical retrievals also produced overlapping patterns of slow potential (SP) activity from 500 to 900ms preceding the response over left and right inferior frontal, anterior medial frontal and occipital brain areas. Significantly different patterns of SP activity were elicited in these locations for semantic evaluations and Not You cues. Taken together, the results indicate that attitude representations are stored in episodic memory. Retrieval timing varied as a function of task, with earlier retrievals in both evaluation conditions relative to those in the autobiographical condition. The differential roles and timing of memory retrieval in evaluative judgment and memory retrieval tasks are discussed. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Estimation and Inclusion of Presenteeism Costs in Applied Economic Evaluation: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Kigozi, Jesse; Jowett, Sue; Lewis, Martyn; Barton, Pelham; Coast, Joanna

2017-03-01

Given the significant costs of reduced productivity (presenteeism) in comparison to absenteeism, and overall societal costs, presenteeism has a potentially important role to play in economic evaluations. However, these costs are often excluded. The objective of this study is to review applied cost of illness studies and economic evaluations to identify valuation methods used for, and impact of including presenteeism costs in practice. A structured systematic review was carried out to explore (i) the extent to which presenteeism has been applied in cost of illness studies and economic evaluations and (ii) the overall impact of including presenteeism on overall costs and outcomes. Potential articles were identified by searching Medline, PsycINFO and NHS EED databases. A standard template was developed and used to extract information from economic evaluations and cost of illness studies incorporating presenteeism costs. A total of 28 studies were included in the systematic review which also demonstrated that presenteeism costs are rarely included in full economic evaluations. Estimation and monetisation methods differed between the instruments. The impact of disease on presenteeism whilst in paid work is high. The potential impact of presenteeism costs needs to be highlighted and greater consideration should be given to including these in economic evaluations and cost of illness studies. The importance of including presenteeism costs when conducting economic evaluation from a societal perspective should be emphasised in national economic guidelines and more methodological work is required to improve the practical application of presenteeism instruments to generate productivity cost estimates. Copyright © 2017 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Geometry of carbon nanotubes and mechanisms of phagocytosis and toxic effects.

PubMed

Harik, Vasyl Michael

2017-05-05

A review of in vivo and in vitro toxicological studies of the potential toxic effects of carbon nanotubes is presented along with the analysis of experimental data and a hypothesis about the nanotube-asbestos similarity. Developments of the structure-activity paradigm have been reviewed along with the size effects and the classification of carbon nanotubes into eleven distinct classes (e.g., the high aspect ratio nanotubes, thick multi-wall nanotubes and short nanotubes). Scaling analysis of similarities between different classes of carbon nanotubes and asbestos fibers in the context of their potential toxicity and the efficiency of phagocytosis has been reviewed. The potential toxic effects of carbon nanotubes have been characterized by their normalized length, their aspect ratio and other parameters related to their inhalability, engulfment by macrophages and the effectiveness of phagocytosis. Geometric scaling parameters and the classification of carbon nanotubes are used to develop an updated parametric map for the extrapolation of the potential toxic effects resulting from the inhalation of long and short carbon nanotubes. An updated parametric map has been applied to the evaluation of the efficiency of phagocytosis involving distinct classes of carbon nanotubes. A critical value of an important nondimensional parameter characterizing the efficiency of phagocytosis for different nanotubes is presented along with its macrophage-based normalization. The present evaluation of the potential toxicological effects of the high aspect ratio carbon nanotubes is found to be in the agreement with other available studies and earlier scaling analyses. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Young bamboo culm: Potential food as source of fiber and starch.

PubMed

Felisberto, Mária Herminia Ferrari; Miyake, Patricia Satie Endo; Beraldo, Antonio Ludovico; Clerici, Maria Teresa Pedrosa Silva

2017-11-01

With the objective of widening the use of bamboo in the food industry, the present work aimed to produce and characterize the young bamboo culm flours from varieties Dendrocalamus asper, Bambusa tuldoides and Bambusa vulgaris as potential sources of fiber and starch. The young culms were collected, cut in three sections (bottom, middle, top), processed into flour, and they were physically, chemically and technologically analyzed. The data were obtained in triplicate and evaluated by means of average differences, using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Scott-Knott test (p<0.05). The young bamboo culms flours presented low values for moisture content (<10g/100g), protein, lipids and ash contents (<3g/100g). Regarding the carbohydrates profile, the flours were significantly different in their sugar, starch and total fiber contents. All flour samples presented a potential for fiber extraction (>60g/100g), and the varieties B. vulgaris and D. asper, presented an additional potential for starch extraction (16 and 10g/100g, respectively). Regarding technological characteristics, all flours presented bright yellow color, lightly acidic pH (>5.0), water solubility index (WSI) lower to 2.5%, excepting D. asper, which presented a WSI superior to 7.5%. In this way, the evaluated young bamboo culms present potential application in the food industry as flours and as source of fibers; in addition, the varieties D. asper and B. vulgaris can also be used for starch extraction. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of road approaches to four different types of stream crossings in the Virginia Piedmont

Treesearch

Matthew B. Carroll; W. Michael Aust; C. Andrew Dolloff; Robert M. Shaffer

2013-01-01

Erosion potential was estimated for road approaches during 4 phases of a timber harvesting scheduled for 23 stream crossings in the Virginia Piedmont. The objectives of this study were to: (1) examine four different types of stream crossing structures (steel bridges, pole bridges, standard culverts, and reenforced fords) in order to determine if the type of stream...

What are the potential advantages and disadvantages of volumetric CT scanning?

PubMed

Voros, Szilard

2009-01-01

After the introduction and dissemination of 64-slice multislice computed tomography systems, cardiovascular CT has arrived at a crossroad, and different philosophies lead down different paths of technologic development. Increased number of detector rows in the z-axis led to the introduction of dynamic, volumetric scanning of the heart and allows for whole-organ imaging. Dynamic, volumetric "whole-organ" scanning significantly reduces image acquisition time; "single-beat whole-heart imaging" results in improved image quality and reduced radiation exposure and reduced contrast dose. It eliminates helical and pitch artifacts and allows for simultaneous imaging of the base and apex of the heart. Beyond coronary arterial luminal imaging, such innovations open up the opportunity for myocardial perfusion and viability imaging and coronary arterial plaque imaging. Dual-source technology with 2 x-ray tubes placed at 90-degree angles provides heart rate-independent temporal resolution and has the potential for tissue characterization on the basis of different attenuation values at different energy levels. Refined detector technology allows for improved low-contrast resolution and may be beneficial for more detailed evaluation of coronary arterial plaque composition. The clinical benefit of each of these technologies will have to be evaluated in carefully designed clinical trials and in everyday clinical practice. Such combined experience will probably show the relative benefit of each of these philosophies in different patient populations and in different clinical scenarios.

Efficacy of different methanolic plant extracts on anti-methanogenesis, rumen fermentation and gas production kinetics in vitro

PubMed Central

Sirohi, S.K.; Goel, N.; Pandey, P.

2012-01-01

The present study was carried out to evaluate the effect of methanolic extracts of three plants, mehandi (Lawsonia inermis), jaiphal (Myristica fragrans) and green chili (Capsicum annuum) on methanogenesis, rumen fermentation and fermentation kinetic parameters by in vitro gas production techniques. Single dose of each plant extract (1 ml / 30 ml buffered rumen fluid) and two sorghum fodder containing diets (high and low fiber diets) were used for evaluating the effect on methanogenesis and rumen fermentation pattern, while sequential incubations (0, 1, 2, 3, 6 9, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72 and 96 h) were carried out for gas production kinetics. Results showed that methane production was reduced, ammonia nitrogen was increased significantly, while no significant effect was found on pH and protozoal population following addition of different plant extracts in both diets except mehandi. Green chili significantly reduced digestibility of dry matter, total fatty acid and acetate concentration at incubation with sorghum based high and low fiber diets. Among all treatments, green chili increased potential gas production, while jaiphal decreased the gas production rate constant significantly. The present results demonstrate that methanolic extracts of different plants are promising rumen modifying agents. They have the potential to modulate the methane production, potential gas production, gas production rate constant, dry matter digestibility and microbial biomass synthesis. PMID:26623296

Efficacy of different methanolic plant extracts on anti-methanogenesis, rumen fermentation and gas production kinetics in vitro.

PubMed

Sirohi, S K; Goel, N; Pandey, P

2012-01-01

The present study was carried out to evaluate the effect of methanolic extracts of three plants, mehandi (Lawsonia inermis), jaiphal (Myristica fragrans) and green chili (Capsicum annuum) on methanogenesis, rumen fermentation and fermentation kinetic parameters by in vitro gas production techniques. Single dose of each plant extract (1 ml / 30 ml buffered rumen fluid) and two sorghum fodder containing diets (high and low fiber diets) were used for evaluating the effect on methanogenesis and rumen fermentation pattern, while sequential incubations (0, 1, 2, 3, 6 9, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72 and 96 h) were carried out for gas production kinetics. Results showed that methane production was reduced, ammonia nitrogen was increased significantly, while no significant effect was found on pH and protozoal population following addition of different plant extracts in both diets except mehandi. Green chili significantly reduced digestibility of dry matter, total fatty acid and acetate concentration at incubation with sorghum based high and low fiber diets. Among all treatments, green chili increased potential gas production, while jaiphal decreased the gas production rate constant significantly. The present results demonstrate that methanolic extracts of different plants are promising rumen modifying agents. They have the potential to modulate the methane production, potential gas production, gas production rate constant, dry matter digestibility and microbial biomass synthesis.

Preference assessments in the zoo: Keeper and staff predictions of enrichment preferences across species.

PubMed

Mehrkam, Lindsay R; Dorey, Nicole R

2015-01-01

Environmental enrichment is widely used in the management of zoo animals, and is an essential strategy for increasing the behavioral welfare of these populations. It may be difficult, however, to identify potentially effective enrichment strategies that are also cost-effective and readily available. An animal's preference for a potential enrichment item may be a reliable predictor of whether that individual will reliably interact with that item, and subsequently enable staff to evaluate the effects of that enrichment strategy. The aim of the present study was to assess the utility of preference assessments for identifying potential enrichment items across six different species--each representing a different taxonomic group. In addition, we evaluated the agreement between zoo personnel's predictions of animals' enrichment preferences and stimuli selected via a preference assessment. Five out of six species (nine out of 11 individuals) exhibited clear, systematic preferences for specific stimuli. Similarities in enrichment preferences were observed among all individuals of primates, whereas individuals within ungulate and avian species displayed individual differences in enrichment preferences. Overall, zoo personnel, regardless of experience level, were significantly more accurate at predicting least-preferred stimuli than most-preferred stimuli across species, and tended to make the same predictions for all individuals within a species. Preference assessments may therefore be a useful, efficient husbandry strategy for identifying viable enrichment items at both the individual and species levels. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

[The importance of an early accompanying evaluation of new care forms for the development of indicators for quality assurance in outpatient psychiatric integrated care].

PubMed

Hausen, A; Glaeske, G

2015-05-01

Aim of this contribution is to illustrate the imp-ortance of an early accompanying evaluation of new care forms for the development of indicators. The illustration uses the experience of the accompanying evaluation of the integrated care model for optimisation of outpatient psychiatric care. For the integrated care model we could develop potential indicators by using medical-psychiatric and insured-related routine data, but all potential indicators need further development to enable reliable statements about achieved quality targets. It is shown that the development of indicators in the outpatient psychiatric integrated care is affected by many different factors such as vague target agreements in the contract and missing contractual agreements for the data. As a result it is illustrated that in this project the evaluation was introduced after implementation of this new form of care and the already established contract and the data management impeded the development of indicators. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

The use of digital PCR to improve the application of quantitative molecular diagnostic methods for tuberculosis.

PubMed

Devonshire, Alison S; O'Sullivan, Denise M; Honeyborne, Isobella; Jones, Gerwyn; Karczmarczyk, Maria; Pavšič, Jernej; Gutteridge, Alice; Milavec, Mojca; Mendoza, Pablo; Schimmel, Heinz; Van Heuverswyn, Fran; Gorton, Rebecca; Cirillo, Daniela Maria; Borroni, Emanuele; Harris, Kathryn; Barnard, Marinus; Heydenrych, Anthenette; Ndusilo, Norah; Wallis, Carole L; Pillay, Keshree; Barry, Thomas; Reddington, Kate; Richter, Elvira; Mozioğlu, Erkan; Akyürek, Sema; Yalçınkaya, Burhanettin; Akgoz, Muslum; Žel, Jana; Foy, Carole A; McHugh, Timothy D; Huggett, Jim F

2016-08-03

Real-time PCR (qPCR) based methods, such as the Xpert MTB/RIF, are increasingly being used to diagnose tuberculosis (TB). While qualitative methods are adequate for diagnosis, the therapeutic monitoring of TB patients requires quantitative methods currently performed using smear microscopy. The potential use of quantitative molecular measurements for therapeutic monitoring has been investigated but findings have been variable and inconclusive. The lack of an adequate reference method and reference materials is a barrier to understanding the source of such disagreement. Digital PCR (dPCR) offers the potential for an accurate method for quantification of specific DNA sequences in reference materials which can be used to evaluate quantitative molecular methods for TB treatment monitoring. To assess a novel approach for the development of quality assurance materials we used dPCR to quantify specific DNA sequences in a range of prototype reference materials and evaluated accuracy between different laboratories and instruments. The materials were then also used to evaluate the quantitative performance of qPCR and Xpert MTB/RIF in eight clinical testing laboratories. dPCR was found to provide results in good agreement with the other methods tested and to be highly reproducible between laboratories without calibration even when using different instruments. When the reference materials were analysed with qPCR and Xpert MTB/RIF by clinical laboratories, all laboratories were able to correctly rank the reference materials according to concentration, however there was a marked difference in the measured magnitude. TB is a disease where the quantification of the pathogen could lead to better patient management and qPCR methods offer the potential to rapidly perform such analysis. However, our findings suggest that when precisely characterised materials are used to evaluate qPCR methods, the measurement result variation is too high to determine whether molecular quantification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis would provide a clinically useful readout. The methods described in this study provide a means by which the technical performance of quantitative molecular methods can be evaluated independently of clinical variability to improve accuracy of measurement results. These will assist in ultimately increasing the likelihood that such approaches could be used to improve patient management of TB.

Sensitivity of potential evapotranspiration and simulated flow to varying meteorological inputs, Salt Creek watershed, DuPage County, Illinois

USGS Publications Warehouse

Whitbeck, David E.

2006-01-01

The Lamoreux Potential Evapotranspiration (LXPET) Program computes potential evapotranspiration (PET) using inputs from four different meteorological sources: temperature, dewpoint, wind speed, and solar radiation. PET and the same four meteorological inputs are used with precipitation data in the Hydrological Simulation Program-Fortran (HSPF) to simulate streamflow in the Salt Creek watershed, DuPage County, Illinois. Streamflows from HSPF are routed with the Full Equations (FEQ) model to determine water-surface elevations. Consequently, variations in meteorological inputs have potential to propagate through many calculations. Sensitivity of PET to variation was simulated by increasing the meteorological input values by 20, 40, and 60 percent and evaluating the change in the calculated PET. Increases in temperatures produced the greatest percent changes, followed by increases in solar radiation, dewpoint, and then wind speed. Additional sensitivity of PET was considered for shifts in input temperatures and dewpoints by absolute differences of ?10, ?20, and ?30 degrees Fahrenheit (degF). Again, changes in input temperatures produced the greatest differences in PET. Sensitivity of streamflow simulated by HSPF was evaluated for 20-percent increases in meteorological inputs. These simulations showed that increases in temperature produced the greatest change in flow. Finally, peak water-surface elevations for nine storm events were compared among unmodified meteorological inputs and inputs with values predicted 6, 24, and 48 hours preceding the simulated peak. Results of this study can be applied to determine how errors specific to a hydrologic system will affect computations of system streamflow and water-surface elevations.

Electrophysiologic and functional evaluations of regenerated facial nerve defects with a tube containing dental pulp cells in rats.

PubMed

Sasaki, Ryo; Matsumine, Hajime; Watanabe, Yorikatsu; Takeuchi, Yuichi; Yamato, Masayuki; Okano, Teruo; Miyata, Mariko; Ando, Tomohiro

2014-11-01

Dental pulp tissue contains Schwann and neural progenitor cells. Tissue-engineered nerve conduits with dental pulp cells promote facial nerve regeneration in rats. However, no nerve functional or electrophysiologic evaluations were performed. This study investigated the compound muscle action potential recordings and facial functional analysis of dental pulp cell regenerated nerve in rats. A silicone tube containing rat dental pulp cells in type I collagen gel was transplanted into a 7-mm gap of the buccal branch of the facial nerve in Lewis rats; the same defect was created in the marginal mandibular branch, which was ligatured. Compound muscle action potential recordings of vibrissal muscles and facial functional analysis with facial palsy score of the nerve were performed. Tubulation with dental pulp cells showed significantly lower facial palsy scores than the autograft group between 3 and 10 weeks postoperatively. However, the dental pulp cell facial palsy scores showed no significant difference from those of autograft after 11 weeks. Amplitude and duration of compound muscle action potentials in the dental pulp cell group showed no significant difference from those of the intact and autograft groups, and there was no significant difference in the latency of compound muscle action potentials between the groups at 13 weeks postoperatively. However, the latency in the dental pulp cell group was prolonged more than that of the intact group. Tubulation with dental pulp cells could recover facial nerve defects functionally and electrophysiologically, and the recovery became comparable to that of nerve autografting in rats.

Evaluation of Hands-On Clinical Exam Performance Using Marker-less Video Tracking.

PubMed

Azari, David; Pugh, Carla; Laufer, Shlomi; Cohen, Elaine; Kwan, Calvin; Chen, Chia-Hsiung Eric; Yen, Thomas Y; Hu, Yu Hen; Radwin, Robert

2014-09-01

This study investigates the potential of using marker-less video tracking of the hands for evaluating hands-on clinical skills. Experienced family practitioners attending a national conference were recruited and asked to conduct a breast examination on a simulator that simulates different clinical presentations. Videos were made of the clinician's hands during the exam and video processing software for tracking hand motion to quantify hand motion kinematics was used. Practitioner motion patterns indicated consistent behavior of participants across multiple pathologies. Different pathologies exhibited characteristic motion patterns in the aggregate at specific parts of an exam, indicating consistent inter-participant behavior. Marker-less video kinematic tracking therefore shows promise in discriminating between different examination procedures, clinicians, and pathologies.

Sensitivity of Force Fields on Mechanical Properties of Metals Predicted by Atomistic Simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rassoulinejad-Mousavi, Seyed Moein; Zhang, Yuwen

Increasing number of micro/nanoscale studies for scientific and engineering applications, leads to huge deployment of atomistic simulations such as molecular dynamics and Monte-Carlo simulation. Many complains from users in the simulation community arises for obtaining wrong results notwithstanding of correct simulation procedure and conditions. Improper choice of force field, known as interatomic potential is the likely causes. For the sake of users' assurance, convenience and time saving, several interatomic potentials are evaluated by molecular dynamics. Elastic properties of multiple FCC and BCC pure metallic species are obtained by LAMMPS, using different interatomic potentials designed for pure species and their alloys at different temperatures. The potentials created based on the Embedded Atom Method (EAM), Modified EAM (MEAM) and ReaX force fields, adopted from available open databases. Independent elastic stiffness constants of cubic single crystals for different metals are obtained. The results are compared with the experimental ones available in the literature and deviations for each force field are provided at each temperature. Using current work, users of these force fields can easily judge on the one they are going to designate for their problem.

Evaluation of the impact of frost resistances on potential altitudinal limit of trees.

PubMed

Charrier, Guillaume; Cochard, Hervé; Améglio, Thierry

2013-09-01

Winter physiology of woody plants is a key issue in temperate biomes. Here, we investigated different frost resistance mechanisms on 1-year-old branches of 11 European tree species from November until budburst: (i) frost hardiness of living cells (by electrolyte leakage method), (ii) winter embolism sensitivity (by percentage loss of conductivity: PLC) and (iii) phenological variation of budburst (by thermal time to budburst). These ecophysiological traits were analyzed according to the potential altitudinal limit, which is highly related to frost exposure. Seasonal frost hardiness and PLC changes are relatively different across species. Maximal PLC observed in winter (PLCMax) was the factor most closely related to potential altitudinal limit. Moreover, PLCMax was related to the mean hydraulic diameter of vessels (indicating embolism sensitivity) and to osmotic compounds (indicating ability of living cells to refill xylem conducting elements). Winter embolism formation seems to be counterbalanced by active refilling from living cells. These results enabled us to model potential altitudinal limit according to three of the physiological/anatomical parameters studied. Monitoring different frost resistance strategies brings new insights to our understanding of the altitudinal limits of trees.

Using risk elasticity to prioritize risk reduction strategies for geographical areas and industry sectors.

PubMed

Li, Pei-Chiun; Ma, Hwong-Wen

2016-01-25

The total quantity of chemical emissions does not take into account their chemical toxicity, and fails to be an accurate indicator of the potential impact on human health. The sources of released contaminants, and therefore, the potential risk, also differ based on geography. Because of the complexity of the risk, there is no integrated method to evaluate the effectiveness of risk reduction. Therefore, this study developed a method to incorporate the spatial variability of emissions into human health risk assessment to evaluate how to effectively reduce risk using risk elasticity analysis. Risk elasticity analysis, the percentage change in risk in response to the percentage change in emissions, was adopted in this study to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of risk reduction. The results show that the main industry sectors are different in each area, and that high emission in an area does not correspond to high risk. Decreasing the high emissions of certain sectors in an area does not result in efficient risk reduction in this area. This method can provide more holistic information for risk management, prevent the development of increased risk, and prioritize the risk reduction strategies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Delayed-Type Hypersensitivity to Metals of Environmental Burden in Patients with Takotsubo Syndrome – Is There a Clinical Relevance?

PubMed Central

Manousek, Jan; Stejskal, Vera; Kubena, Petr; Jarkovsky, Jiri; Nemec, Petr; Lokaj, Petr; Dostalova, Ludmila; Zadakova, Andrea; Pavlusova, Marie; Benesova, Klara; Kala, Petr; Miklik, Roman; Spinar, Jindrich; Parenica, Jiri

2016-01-01

Objective Takotsubo syndrome (TS) is a heart condition characterised by a sudden transient left ventricular dysfunction; its pathophysiology is probably associated with elevated levels of catecholamines but the exact mechanism is not known as yet. Literature and clinical experience suggest that TS affects persons with various comorbidities. This pilot work aims to evaluate the frequency of comorbidities with potential pathological immune reactivity, and to evaluate the potential association between TS and hypersensitivity to metals assessed by LTT-MELISA®. Methodology, Results A total of 24 patients (23 women, 1 man) with a history of TS attack and 27 healthy controls were evaluated. Hypersensitivity was evaluated by a lymphocyte transformation test (LTT-MELISA®); a questionnaire of environmental burden was used to select evaluated metals. A total of 19 patients (79%) had at least one condition that might potentially be associated with pathological immune reactivity (autoimmune thyroid disease, drug allergy, bronchial asthma, cancer, contact dermatitis, rheumatoid arthritis). Hypersensitivity to metals was identified significantly more frequently in TS patients than in healthy controls (positive reaction to at least one metal was identified in 95.8% of TS patients and in 59.3% of controls; p = 0.003); the difference was statistically significant for mercury (45.8% and 14.8%, respectively; p = 0.029). Conclusion Our work shows that conditions with pathological immune reactivity occur frequently in TS patients, and our data suggest a possible association between TS and hypersensitivity to metals (mercury in particular) evaluated by LTT-MELISA®. We also suggest that apart from the triggering stress factor, potential existence of other serious conditions should be considered when taking medical history of TS patients. PMID:27824862

Utilization of potatoes for life support in space. V. Evaluation of cultivars in response to continuous light and high temperature

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tibbitts, T. W.; Cao, W.; Bennett, S. M.

1992-01-01

Twenty-four potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cultivars from different regions of the world were evaluated in terms of their responses to continuous light (24 h photoperiod) and to high temperature (30 C) in two separate experiments under controlled environments. In each experiment, a first evaluation of the cultivars was made at day 35 after transplanting, at which time 12 cultivars exhibiting best growth and tuber initiation were selected. A final evaluation of the 12 cultivars was made after an additional 21 days of growth, at which time plant height, total dry weight, tuber dry weight, and tuber number were determined. In the continuous light evaluation, the 12 selected cultivars were Alaska 114, Atlantic, Bintje, Denali, Desiree, Haig, New York 81, Ottar, Rutt, Snogg, Snowchip, and Troll. In the high temperature evaluation, the 12 selected cultivars were Alpha, Atlantic, Bake King, Denali, Desiree, Haig, Kennebec, Norland, Russet Burbank, Rutt, Superior, and Troll. Among the cultivars selected under continuous irradiation, Desiree, Ottar, Haig, Rutt, Denali and Alaska showed the best potential for high productivity whereas New York 81 and Bintje showed the least production capability. Among the cultivars selected under high temperature, Rutt, Haig, Troll and Bake King had best performance whereas Atlantic, Alpha, Kennebec and Russet Burbank exhibited the least production potential. Thus, Haig and Rutt were the two cultivars that performed well under continuous irradiation and high temperature conditions, and could have maximum potential for adaptation to varying stress environments. These two cultivars may have the best potential for use in future space farming in which continuous light and/or high temperature conditions may exist. However, cultivar responses under combined conditions of continuous light and high temperature remains for further validation.

The Neural Response to Maternal Stimuli: An ERP Study

PubMed Central

Wu, Lili; Gu, Ruolei; Cai, Huajian; Luo, Yu L. L.; Zhang, Jianxin

2014-01-01

Mothers are important to all humans. Research has established that maternal information affects individuals' cognition, emotion, and behavior. We measured event-related potentials (ERPs) to examine attentional and evaluative processing of maternal stimuli while participants completed a Go/No-go Association Task that paired mother or others words with good or bad evaluative words. Behavioral data showed that participants responded faster to mother words paired with good than the mother words paired with bad but showed no difference in response to these others across conditions, reflecting a positive evaluation of mother. ERPs showed larger P200 and N200 in response to mother than in response to others, suggesting that mother attracted more attention than others. In the subsequent time window, mother in the mother + bad condition elicited a later and larger late positive potential (LPP) than it did in the mother + good condition, but this was not true for others, also suggesting a positive evaluation of mother. These results suggest that people differentiate mother from others during initial attentional stage, and evaluative mother positively during later stage. PMID:25375157

Do health economic evaluations using observational data provide reliable assessment of treatment effects?

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Economic evaluation in modern health care systems is seen as a transparent scientific framework that can be used to advance progress towards improvements in population health at the best possible value. Despite the perceived superiority that trial-based studies have in terms of internal validity, economic evaluations often employ observational data. In this review, the interface between econometrics and economic evaluation is explored, with emphasis placed on highlighting methodological issues relating to the evaluation of cost-effectiveness within a bivariate framework. Studies that satisfied the eligibility criteria exemplified the use of matching, regression analysis, propensity scores, instrumental variables, as well as difference-in-differences approaches. All studies were reviewed and critically appraised using a structured template. The findings suggest that although state-of-the-art econometric methods have the potential to provide evidence on the causal effects of clinical and policy interventions, their application in economic evaluation is subject to a number of limitations. These range from no credible assessment of key assumptions and scarce evidence regarding the relative performance of different methods, to lack of reporting of important study elements, such as a summary outcome measure and its associated sampling uncertainty. Further research is required to better understand the ways in which observational data should be analysed in the context of the economic evaluation framework. PMID:24229445

Evaluation of a deformable registration algorithm for subsequent lung computed tomography imaging during radiochemotherapy

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

Stützer, Kristin; Haase, Robert; Exner, Florian

2016-09-15

Purpose: Rating both a lung segmentation algorithm and a deformable image registration (DIR) algorithm for subsequent lung computed tomography (CT) images by different evaluation techniques. Furthermore, investigating the relative performance and the correlation of the different evaluation techniques to address their potential value in a clinical setting. Methods: Two to seven subsequent CT images (69 in total) of 15 lung cancer patients were acquired prior, during, and after radiochemotherapy. Automated lung segmentations were compared to manually adapted contours. DIR between the first and all following CT images was performed with a fast algorithm specialized for lung tissue registration, requiring themore » lung segmentation as input. DIR results were evaluated based on landmark distances, lung contour metrics, and vector field inconsistencies in different subvolumes defined by eroding the lung contour. Correlations between the results from the three methods were evaluated. Results: Automated lung contour segmentation was satisfactory in 18 cases (26%), failed in 6 cases (9%), and required manual correction in 45 cases (66%). Initial and corrected contours had large overlap but showed strong local deviations. Landmark-based DIR evaluation revealed high accuracy compared to CT resolution with an average error of 2.9 mm. Contour metrics of deformed contours were largely satisfactory. The median vector length of inconsistency vector fields was 0.9 mm in the lung volume and slightly smaller for the eroded volumes. There was no clear correlation between the three evaluation approaches. Conclusions: Automatic lung segmentation remains challenging but can assist the manual delineation process. Proven by three techniques, the inspected DIR algorithm delivers reliable results for the lung CT data sets acquired at different time points. Clinical application of DIR demands a fast DIR evaluation to identify unacceptable results, for instance, by combining different automated DIR evaluation methods.« less

Electroencephalographic study showing that tactile stimulation by fabrics of different qualities elicit graded event-related potentials.

PubMed

Hoefer, D; Handel, M; Müller, K-M; Hammer, T R

2016-11-01

Neurophysiologic data on reactions of the human brain towards tactile stimuli evoked by fabrics moved on the skin are scarce. Furthermore, evaluation of fabrics' pleasantness using questionnaires suffers subjective biases. That is why we used a 64-channel electroencephalography (EEG) to objectively evaluate real-time brain reactions to fabric-skin interactions. Tactile stimuli were triggered by selected fabrics of different qualities, i.e. modal/polyamide single jersey, cotton double rib and a jute fabric, applied hidden to either the palm or forearm of 24 subjects via a custom-made fabric-to-skin applicator called SOFIA. One-way anova analysis was carried out to verify the EEG data. The modal/polyamide fabric applied to the forearm and palm led to slightly stronger emotional valence scores in the brain than the conventional or baseline fabric. Furthermore, the single jersey elicits significant higher event-related potential (ERP) signals in all subjects when applied to the forearm, suggesting less distraction and better cognitive resources during the fabric/skin interaction. The brain thus reacts with instantaneous ERP to tactile stimulation of fabrics and is able to discriminate different qualities via implicit preferences. The test procedure described here may be a tool to evaluate the fabric feel with the exclusion of subjective biases. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Evaluation of Fertilizer Potential of Different K Compounds Prepared Utilizing Sea Bittern as Feed Stock

PubMed Central

Trivedi, Khanjan; Kubavat, Denish; Ghara, Krishna K.; Kumar, Ranjeet; Trivedi, Hardik; Anand, K. G. Vijay; Maiti, Pratyush; Ghosh, Arup

2017-01-01

Aim: Many countries import potassic fertilizers due to dearth of K-mineral deposits. Therefore processes to obtain K-nutrient sources from sea bittern were developed by our Institute. The present investigation evaluated the fertilizer potential of three different sea bittern-derived (SBD) potassium forms developed viz., potassium schoenite, potassium nitrate and potassium ammonium sulfate on maize productivity in two cropping seasons. Methods: The pot and field experiments consisted of four treatments, wherein the three K forms were applied at the recommended rate of 40 kg K2O ha−1 and were compared with commercially used sulfate of potash. The effect of these fertilizers on different parameters of plant and soil were evaluated. Results: The application of SBD-potassic fertilizers led to enhancement in growth, productivity and quality of maize which related well with higher photosynthesis, nutrient uptake and soil quality parameters. On an average all the three forms of sea bittern-derived potash enhanced yield of maize over control by 22.3 and 23.8%, respectively, in pot and field trials. The best performance was under SBD-KNO3, which also recorded the highest benefit: cost ratio of 1.76. Conclusion: The K-fertilizers derived from sea-bittern—a waste product of salt industry—can thus be economically used to improve crop production sustainably. PMID:28936217

Nonviral Reprogramming of Human Wharton's Jelly Cells Reveals Differences Between ATOH1 Homologues

PubMed Central

Mellott, Adam J.; Devarajan, Keerthana; Shinogle, Heather E.; Moore, David S.; Talata, Zsolt; Laurence, Jennifer S.; Forrest, M. Laird; Noji, Sumihare; Tanaka, Eiji; Staecker, Hinrich

2015-01-01

The transcription factor atonal homolog 1 (ATOH1) has multiple homologues that are functionally conserved across species and is responsible for the generation of sensory hair cells. To evaluate potential functional differences between homologues, human and mouse ATOH1 (HATH1 and MATH-1, respectively) were nonvirally delivered to human Wharton's jelly cells (hWJCs) for the first time. Delivery of HATH1 to hWJCs demonstrated superior expression of inner ear hair cell markers and characteristics than delivery of MATH-1. Inhibition of HES1 and HES5 signaling further increased the atonal effect. Transfection of hWJCs with HATH1 DNA, HES1 siRNA, and HES5 siRNA displayed positive identification of key hair cell and support cell markers found in the cochlea, as well as a variety of cell shapes, sizes, and features not native to hair cells, suggesting the need for further examination of other cell types induced by HATH1 expression. In the first side-by-side evaluation of HATH1 and MATH-1 in human cells, substantial differences were observed, suggesting that the two atonal homologues may not be interchangeable in human cells, and artificial expression of HATH1 in hWJCs requires further study. In the future, this line of research may lead to engineered systems that would allow for evaluation of drug ototoxicity or potentially even direct therapeutic use. PMID:25760435

Antinociceptive and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Bridelia retusa Methanolic Fruit Extract in Experimental Animals

PubMed Central

Kumar, Tekeshwar; Jain, Vishal

2014-01-01

Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory potentials of methanolic extract of Bridelia retusa fruit (BRME) were evaluated against different animal models in rodents. Antinociceptive effects of BRME were assessed in mice using the acetic acid-induced writhing and formalin test. Anti-inflammatory effects of BRME in three different doses, namely, 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg, were evaluated by utilizing different animal models representing various changes associated with inflammation, namely, carrageenan-induced paw oedema, histamine and serotonin-induced paw oedema, arachidonic acid-induced paw oedema, formalin-induced paw oedema, TPA-induced ear oedema, acetic acid-induced vascular permeability, total WBC count in paw fluid, and myeloperoxidase assay. Also BRME was phytochemically evaluated using chromatographic method. The BRME did not exhibit any signs of toxicity up to a dose of 2000 mg/kg. The extract showed statistical significant inhibition of induced nociception and inflammation in dose dependent manner. The higher dose of extract significantly inhibited pain and inflammation against control (P < 0.001). HPLC results revealed the presence of gallic acid and ellagic acid as phytoconstituents in BRME and it was proven as anti-inflammatory agents. The present study scientifically demonstrated the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory potential of fruit of B. retusa methanolic extract. These effects may be attributed to the presence of polyphenolic phytoconstituents in the extract. PMID:25506619

Transdermal monosialoganglioside with laser in the treatment of spinal cord lesion in rats

PubMed Central

de Souza, Fabiano Inácio; Cristante, Alexandre Fogaça; Marcon, Raphael Martus; Ferreira, Ricardo; dos Santos, Gustavo Bispo; de Barros, Tarcísio Eloy Pessoa

2013-01-01

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effects of monosialoganglioside (GM1) administered transdermally with laser in the recovery of spinal cord injury in rats. METHODS: Forty male Wistar rats underwent spinal cord contusion using the NYU Impactor. In Group 1, the rats received 0,2 ml of saline intraperitoneally daily; in Group 2, GM1 was administered intraperitoneally at a concentration of 30 mg/kg per day; in Group 3, rats were treated daily with laser at low temperature on the skin, and in Group 4, the daily laser session also contained GM1. All the groups were treated for 42 days. The animals were evaluated by the Basso, Baettie and Bresnahan (BBB) functional scale on days 7, 14, 21, 28, 35 and 42 after the injury, and by histopathology and motor evoked potential after 42 days of injury. RESULTS: The animals in Group 4 had higher BBB scores compared with the other groups. There were no differences between the groups, or in the comparisons over time. Histological evaluation showed no differences, and no differences were found in the motor evoked potential tests either. CONCLUSION: GM1 associated with the use of low-temperature laser shows no superior functional, neurological or histological results in the treatment of spinal cord lesions in rats. Evidence Level I, Experimental, Controlled, Animal Study. PMID:24453649

Semantic Web Services Challenge, Results from the First Year. Series: Semantic Web And Beyond, Volume 8.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petrie, C.; Margaria, T.; Lausen, H.; Zaremba, M.

Explores trade-offs among existing approaches. Reveals strengths and weaknesses of proposed approaches, as well as which aspects of the problem are not yet covered. Introduces software engineering approach to evaluating semantic web services. Service-Oriented Computing is one of the most promising software engineering trends because of the potential to reduce the programming effort for future distributed industrial systems. However, only a small part of this potential rests on the standardization of tools offered by the web services stack. The larger part of this potential rests upon the development of sufficient semantics to automate service orchestration. Currently there are many different approaches to semantic web service descriptions and many frameworks built around them. A common understanding, evaluation scheme, and test bed to compare and classify these frameworks in terms of their capabilities and shortcomings, is necessary to make progress in developing the full potential of Service-Oriented Computing. The Semantic Web Services Challenge is an open source initiative that provides a public evaluation and certification of multiple frameworks on common industrially-relevant problem sets. This edited volume reports on the first results in developing common understanding of the various technologies intended to facilitate the automation of mediation, choreography and discovery for Web Services using semantic annotations. Semantic Web Services Challenge: Results from the First Year is designed for a professional audience composed of practitioners and researchers in industry. Professionals can use this book to evaluate SWS technology for their potential practical use. The book is also suitable for advanced-level students in computer science.

A systematic review on the quality of measurement techniques for the assessment of burn wound depth or healing potential.

PubMed

Jaspers, Mariëlle E H; van Haasterecht, Ludo; van Zuijlen, Paul P M; Mokkink, Lidwine B

2018-06-22

Reliable and valid assessment of burn wound depth or healing potential is essential to treatment decision-making, to provide a prognosis, and to compare studies evaluating different treatment modalities. The aim of this review was to critically appraise, compare and summarize the quality of relevant measurement properties of techniques that aim to assess burn wound depth or healing potential. A systematic literature search was performed using PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane Library. Two reviewers independently evaluated the methodological quality of included articles using an adapted version of the Consensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) checklist. A synthesis of evidence was performed to rate the measurement properties for each technique and to draw an overall conclusion on quality of the techniques. Thirty-six articles were included, evaluating various techniques, classified as (1) laser Doppler techniques; (2) thermography or thermal imaging; (3) other measurement techniques. Strong evidence was found for adequate construct validity of laser Doppler imaging (LDI). Moderate evidence was found for adequate construct validity of thermography, videomicroscopy, and spatial frequency domain imaging (SFDI). Only two studies reported on the measurement property reliability. Furthermore, considerable variation was observed among comparator instruments. Considering the evidence available, it appears that LDI is currently the most favorable technique; thereby assessing burn wound healing potential. Additional research is needed into thermography, videomicroscopy, and SFDI to evaluate their full potential. Future studies should focus on reliability and measurement error, and provide a precise description of which construct is aimed to measure. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Towards eliminating systematic errors caused by the experimental conditions in Biochemical Methane Potential (BMP) tests

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

Strömberg, Sten, E-mail: sten.stromberg@biotek.lu.se; Nistor, Mihaela, E-mail: mn@bioprocesscontrol.com; Liu, Jing, E-mail: jing.liu@biotek.lu.se

Highlights: • The evaluated factors introduce significant systematic errors (10–38%) in BMP tests. • Ambient temperature (T) has the most substantial impact (∼10%) at low altitude. • Ambient pressure (p) has the most substantial impact (∼68%) at high altitude. • Continuous monitoring of T and p is not necessary for kinetic calculations. - Abstract: The Biochemical Methane Potential (BMP) test is increasingly recognised as a tool for selecting and pricing biomass material for production of biogas. However, the results for the same substrate often differ between laboratories and much work to standardise such tests is still needed. In the currentmore » study, the effects from four environmental factors (i.e. ambient temperature and pressure, water vapour content and initial gas composition of the reactor headspace) on the degradation kinetics and the determined methane potential were evaluated with a 2{sup 4} full factorial design. Four substrates, with different biodegradation profiles, were investigated and the ambient temperature was found to be the most significant contributor to errors in the methane potential. Concerning the kinetics of the process, the environmental factors’ impact on the calculated rate constants was negligible. The impact of the environmental factors on the kinetic parameters and methane potential from performing a BMP test at different geographical locations around the world was simulated by adjusting the data according to the ambient temperature and pressure of some chosen model sites. The largest effect on the methane potential was registered from tests performed at high altitudes due to a low ambient pressure. The results from this study illustrate the importance of considering the environmental factors’ influence on volumetric gas measurement in BMP tests. This is essential to achieve trustworthy and standardised results that can be used by researchers and end users from all over the world.« less

A biological evaluation of DNA damage detected by comet assay in healthy populations residing in areas that differ in lung cancer incidence.

PubMed

Heepchantree, Worapa; Paratasilpin, Thipmani; Kangwanpong, Daoroong

2006-06-01

The comet assay was performed to evaluate the effect of environmental exposure between human populations residing in two areas that differ in lung cancer incidence, Saraphi (n = 91) and Chom Thong (n = 94). Three parameters, the tail length, tail intensity, and tail moment, were used to detect DNA damage in peripheral blood and stimulated lymphocytes with and without the DNA repair inhibitor, aphidicolin. Internal standards, cryopreserved isolated lymphocytes, and isolated lymphocytes irradiated with 2 Gy gamma rays, were used to correct the interexperimental variability. Results revealed a significant difference between two populations only when the tail length was used to measure DNA damage. The evaluation of various potential confounding factors, such as gender, pesticide exposure, smoking, alcohol drinking, and fermented tea leaf or betel nut chewing, indicated no significant influence in DNA damage. In conclusion, significant difference in DNA damage, detected only by tail length between the two populations residing in the areas with different incidence of lung cancer, may reflect a nonhazardous level of exposure to toxic substances.

Flight program language requirements. Volume 2: Requirements and evaluations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

The efforts and results are summarized for a study to establish requirements for a flight programming language for future onboard computer applications. Several different languages were available as potential candidates for future NASA flight programming efforts. The study centered around an evaluation of the four most pertinent existing aerospace languages. Evaluation criteria were established, and selected kernels from the current Saturn 5 and Skylab flight programs were used as benchmark problems for sample coding. An independent review of the language specifications incorporated anticipated future programming requirements into the evaluation. A set of detailed language requirements was synthesized from these activities. The details of program language requirements and of the language evaluations are described.

Total antioxidant potential of resinous exudates from Heliotropium species, and a comparison of the ABTS and DPPH methods.

PubMed

Lissi, E A; Modak, B; Torres, R; Escobar, J; Urzua, A

1999-06-01

Total reactive antioxidant potential (TRAP) of resinous exudates from Heliotropium species was evaluated by measuring the bleaching of stable free radicals. The antioxidant capacity of the resinous exudates in Trolox equivalents, evaluated from the bleaching of ABTS derived radical cations, ranged from 2.0 M (H. huascoense) to 5.2 M (H. stenophyllum), indicating a very high concentration of phenolic compounds. Considerably smaller values were obtained by measuring the bleaching of DPPH radicals. The ratio between the values obtained employing ABTS derived radicals and DPPH, ranged from 37 (H. megalanthum) to 4.5 (H. chenopodiaceum variety typica). The magnitude of the difference can be considered as an indication of the relative reactivity of the antioxidants present in the exudates. Similar ratios were observed when stoichiometric coefficients were evaluated for representative purified flavonoids obtained from the resinous exudates.

Space shuttle main engine computed tomography applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sporny, Richard F.

1990-01-01

For the past two years the potential applications of computed tomography to the fabrication and overhaul of the Space Shuttle Main Engine were evaluated. Application tests were performed at various government and manufacturer facilities with equipment produced by four different manufacturers. The hardware scanned varied in size and complexity from a small temperature sensor and turbine blades to an assembled heat exchanger and main injector oxidizer inlet manifold. The evaluation of capabilities included the ability to identify and locate internal flaws, measure the depth of surface cracks, measure wall thickness, compare manifold design contours to actual part contours, perform automatic dimensional inspections, generate 3D computer models of actual parts, and image the relationship of the details in a complex assembly. The capabilities evaluated, with the exception of measuring the depth of surface flaws, demonstrated the existing and potential ability to perform many beneficial Space Shuttle Main Engine applications.

Parent-based diagnosis of ADHD is as accurate as a teacher-based diagnosis of ADHD.

PubMed

Bied, Adam; Biederman, Joseph; Faraone, Stephen

2017-04-01

To review the literature evaluating the psychometric properties of parent and teacher informants relative to a gold-standard ADHD diagnosis in pediatric populations. We included studies that included both a parent and teacher informant, a gold-standard diagnosis, and diagnostic accuracy metrics. Potential confounds were evaluated. We also assessed the 'OR' and the 'AND' rules for combining informant reports. Eight articles met inclusion criteria. The diagnostic accuracy for predicting gold standard ADHD diagnoses did not differ between parents and teachers. Sample size, sample type, participant drop-out, participant age, participant gender, geographic area of the study, and date of study publication were assessed as potential confounds. Parent and teachers both yielded moderate to good diagnostic accuracy for ADHD diagnoses. Parent reports were statistically indistinguishable from those of teachers. The predictive features of the 'OR' and 'AND' rules are useful in evaluating approaches to better integrating information from these informants.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of arctigenin ester and ether derivatives as activators of AMPK.

PubMed

Shen, Sida; Zhuang, Jingjing; Chen, Yijia; Lei, Min; Chen, Jing; Shen, Xu; Hu, Lihong

2013-07-01

A series of new arctigenin and 9-deoxy-arctigenin derivatives bearing different ester and ether side chains at the phenolic hydroxyl positions are designed, synthesized, and evaluated for activating AMPK potency in L6 myoblasts. Initial biological evaluation indicates that some alkyl ester and phenethyl ether arctigenin derivatives display potential activities in AMPK phosphorylation improvement. Further structure-activity relationship analysis shows that arctigenin ester derivatives 3a, 3h and 9-deoxy-arctigenin phenethyl ether derivatives 6a, 6c, 6d activate AMPK more potently than arctigenin. Moreover, the 2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)ethyl ether moiety of 6c has been demonstrated as a potential functional group to improve the effect of AMPK phosphorylation. The structural optimization of arctigenin leads to the identification of 6c as a promising lead compound that exhibits excellent activity in AMPK activation. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

A Novel Pairwise Comparison-Based Method to Determine Radiation Dose Reduction Potentials of Iterative Reconstruction Algorithms, Exemplified Through Circle of Willis Computed Tomography Angiography.

PubMed

Ellmann, Stephan; Kammerer, Ferdinand; Brand, Michael; Allmendinger, Thomas; May, Matthias S; Uder, Michael; Lell, Michael M; Kramer, Manuel

2016-05-01

The aim of this study was to determine the dose reduction potential of iterative reconstruction (IR) algorithms in computed tomography angiography (CTA) of the circle of Willis using a novel method of evaluating the quality of radiation dose-reduced images. This study relied on ReconCT, a proprietary reconstruction software that allows simulating CT scans acquired with reduced radiation dose based on the raw data of true scans. To evaluate the performance of ReconCT in this regard, a phantom study was performed to compare the image noise of true and simulated scans within simulated vessels of a head phantom. That followed, 10 patients scheduled for CTA of the circle of Willis were scanned according to our institute's standard protocol (100 kV, 145 reference mAs). Subsequently, CTA images of these patients were reconstructed as either a full-dose weighted filtered back projection or with radiation dose reductions down to 10% of the full-dose level and Sinogram-Affirmed Iterative Reconstruction (SAFIRE) with either strength 3 or 5. Images were marked with arrows pointing on vessels of different sizes, and image pairs were presented to observers. Five readers assessed image quality with 2-alternative forced choice comparisons. In the phantom study, no significant differences were observed between the noise levels of simulated and true scans in filtered back projection, SAFIRE 3, and SAFIRE 5 reconstructions.The dose reduction potential for patient scans showed a strong dependence on IR strength as well as on the size of the vessel of interest. Thus, the potential radiation dose reductions ranged from 84.4% for the evaluation of great vessels reconstructed with SAFIRE 5 to 40.9% for the evaluation of small vessels reconstructed with SAFIRE 3. This study provides a novel image quality evaluation method based on 2-alternative forced choice comparisons. In CTA of the circle of Willis, higher IR strengths and greater vessel sizes allowed higher degrees of radiation dose reduction.

Addressing species diversity in biotransformation: variability in expressed transcripts of hepatic biotransformation enzymes among fishes

EPA Science Inventory

There is increasing evidence that diverse xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes exist among fishes, potentially resulting in different chemical sensitivities and accumulation, but this has never been systematically evaluated. One concern is that model test species such as rainbow trou...

Proteomic responses of switchgrass and prairie cordgrass to senescence

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Senescence in biofuel grasses is a critical issue because early senescence decreases potential biomass production by limiting aerial growth and development. 2-Dimensional,differential in-gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) followed by mass spectrometry of selected protein spots was used to evaluate differ...

Time-course, dose-response, and age comparative sensitivity of N-methyl carbamates in rats

EPA Science Inventory

N-Methyl carbamate insecticides are reversible inhibitors of central and peripheral acetylcholinesterease (ChE). Despite their widespread use, there are few studies of neurotoxicity in young animals. To study potential age-related differences, we evaluated seven carbamates (carba...

SUMMARY OF EPA'S RADON REDUCTION RESEARCH IN SCHOOLS DURING 1989-90

EPA Science Inventory

The report details radon mitigation research in schools conducted by EPA during 1989 and part of 1990. The major objective was to evaluate the potential of active subslab depressurization (ASD) in various geologic and climatic regions. The different geographic regions also pres...

SUMMARY OF EPA'S RADON REDUCTION RESEARCH IN SCHOOLS DURING 1989-90

EPA Science Inventory

The report details radon mitigation research in schools conducted by EPA during 1989 and part of 1990. he major objective was to evaluate the potential of active subslab depressurization (ASD) in various geologic and climatic regions. he different geographic regions also presente...

Space Shuttle Program: STS-1 Medical Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

The necessity for developing medical standards addressing individual classes of Shuttle crew positions is discussed. For the U.S. manned program the conclusion of the Apollo era heralded the end of water recovery operations and the introduction of land-based medical operations. This procedural change marked a significant departure from the accepted postflight medical recovery and evaluation techniques. All phases of the missions required careful re-evaluation, identification of potential impact on preexisting medical operational techniques, and development of new methodologies which were carefully evaluated and tested under simulated conditions. Significant coordination was required between the different teams involved in medical operations. Additional dimensions were added to the concepts of medical operations, by the introduction of different toxic substances utilized by the Space Transportation Systems especially during ground operations.

An Evaluation of the HVAC Load Potential for Providing Load Balancing Service

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

Lu, Ning

This paper investigates the potential of providing aggregated intra-hour load balancing services using heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems. A direct-load control algorithm is presented. A temperature-priority-list method is used to dispatch the HVAC loads optimally to maintain consumer-desired indoor temperatures and load diversity. Realistic intra-hour load balancing signals were used to evaluate the operational characteristics of the HVAC load under different outdoor temperature profiles and different indoor temperature settings. The number of HVAC units needed is also investigated. Modeling results suggest that the number of HVACs needed to provide a {+-}1-MW load balancing service 24 hours a day variesmore » significantly with baseline settings, high and low temperature settings, and the outdoor temperatures. The results demonstrate that the intra-hour load balancing service provided by HVAC loads meet the performance requirements and can become a major source of revenue for load-serving entities where the smart grid infrastructure enables direct load control over the HAVC loads.« less

Low Cardiorespiratory Fitness in African Americans: A Health Disparity Risk Factor?

PubMed Central

Swift, Damon L.; Staiano, Amanda E.; Johannsen, Neil M.; Lavie, Carl J.; Earnest, Conrad P.; Katzmarzyk, Peter T.; Blair, Steven N.; Newton, Robert L.; Church, Timothy S.

2013-01-01

Low cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is a well-established risk factor for all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality. African Americans have higher rates of cardiovascular disease compared to their Caucasian counterparts. However, the extent to which lower CRF levels contribute to the excess risk in African Americans has not been fully explored. The purpose of this review is to: 1) explore the literature evaluating the relationship between CRF and mortality specifically in African American populations; and 2) critically evaluate the studies which have compared CRF between African American and Caucasians in epidemiological studies and clinical trials. We have further discussed several potential mechanisms that may contribute to the observation of lower CRF levels in African American compared to Caucasian adults including potential racial differences in physical activity levels, muscle fiber type distribution, and hemoglobin levels. If lower CRF is generally present in African Americans compared to Caucasians, and is of a clinically meaningful difference, this may represent an important public health concern. PMID:23982718

Chemical, Bioactive, and Antioxidant Potential of Twenty Wild Culinary Mushroom Species

PubMed Central

Sharma, S. K.; Gautam, N.

2015-01-01

The chemical, bioactive, and antioxidant potential of twenty wild culinary mushroom species being consumed by the people of northern Himalayan regions has been evaluated for the first time in the present study. Nutrients analyzed include protein, crude fat, fibres, carbohydrates, and monosaccharides. Besides, preliminary study on the detection of toxic compounds was done on these species. Bioactive compounds evaluated are fatty acids, amino acids, tocopherol content, carotenoids (β-carotene, lycopene), flavonoids, ascorbic acid, and anthocyanidins. Fruitbodies extract of all the species was tested for different types of antioxidant assays. Although differences were observed in the net values of individual species all the species were found to be rich in protein, and carbohydrates and low in fat. Glucose was found to be the major monosaccharide. Predominance of UFA (65–70%) over SFA (30–35%) was observed in all the species with considerable amounts of other bioactive compounds. All the species showed higher effectiveness for antioxidant capacities. PMID:26199938

Beyond Osteogenesis: An in vitro Comparison of the Potentials of Six Bone Morphogenetic Proteins

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-10-01

therapy . To date the majority of studies comparing BMPs have focused on the direct osteogenic effects of the different BMPs utilizing cells with...regards to the osteogenic differentiation of human MSCs (Friedman et al., 2006). Although their study did not include BMP-9, our results are in...the spectrum of potential applications for BMPs, the objective of this study was to evaluate various BMPs under a variety of conditions to provide

Immunomodulation by different types of N-oxides in the hemocytes of the marine bivalve Mytilus galloprovincialis.

PubMed

Ciacci, Caterina; Canonico, Barbara; Bilaniĉovă, Dagmar; Fabbri, Rita; Cortese, Katia; Gallo, Gabriella; Marcomini, Antonio; Pojana, Giulio; Canesi, Laura

2012-01-01

The potential toxicity of engineered nanoparticles (NPs) for humans and the environment represents an emerging issue. Since the aquatic environment represents the ultimate sink for NP deposition, the development of suitable assays is needed to evaluate the potential impact of NPs on aquatic biota. The immune system is a sensitive target for NPs, and conservation of innate immunity represents an useful basis for studying common biological responses to NPs. Suspension-feeding invertebrates, such as bivalves, are particularly at risk to NP exposure, since they have extremely developed systems for uptake of nano and microscale particles integral to intracellular digestion and cellular immunity. Evaluation of the effects of NPs on functional parameters of bivalve immunocytes, the hemocytes, may help understanding the major toxic mechanisms and modes of actions that could be relevant for different NP types in aquatic organisms.In this work, a battery of assays was applied to the hemocytes of the marine bivalve Mytilus galloprovincialis to compare the in vitro effects of different n-oxides (n-TiO(2), n-SiO(2), n-ZnO, n-CeO(2)) chosen on the basis of their commercial and environmental relevance. Physico-chemical characterization of both primary particles and NP suspensions in artificial sea water-ASW was performed. Hemocyte lysosomal and mitochondrial parameters, oxyradical and nitric oxide production, phagocytic activity, as well as NP uptake, were evaluated. The results show that different n-oxides rapidly elicited differential responses hemocytes in relation to their chemical properties, concentration, behavior in sea water, and interactions with subcellular compartments. These represent the most extensive data so far available on the effects of NPs in the cells of aquatic organisms. The results indicate that Mytilus hemocytes can be utilized as a suitable model for screening the potential effects of NPs in the cells of aquatic invertebrates, and may provide a basis for future experimental work for designing environmentally safer nanomaterials.

Immunomodulation by Different Types of N-Oxides in the Hemocytes of the Marine Bivalve Mytilus galloprovincialis

PubMed Central

Ciacci, Caterina; Canonico, Barbara; Bilaniĉovă, Dagmar; Fabbri, Rita; Cortese, Katia; Gallo, Gabriella; Marcomini, Antonio; Pojana, Giulio; Canesi, Laura

2012-01-01

The potential toxicity of engineered nanoparticles (NPs) for humans and the environment represents an emerging issue. Since the aquatic environment represents the ultimate sink for NP deposition, the development of suitable assays is needed to evaluate the potential impact of NPs on aquatic biota. The immune system is a sensitive target for NPs, and conservation of innate immunity represents an useful basis for studying common biological responses to NPs. Suspension-feeding invertebrates, such as bivalves, are particularly at risk to NP exposure, since they have extremely developed systems for uptake of nano and microscale particles integral to intracellular digestion and cellular immunity. Evaluation of the effects of NPs on functional parameters of bivalve immunocytes, the hemocytes, may help understanding the major toxic mechanisms and modes of actions that could be relevant for different NP types in aquatic organisms.In this work, a battery of assays was applied to the hemocytes of the marine bivalve Mytilus galloprovincialis to compare the in vitro effects of different n-oxides (n-TiO2, n-SiO2, n-ZnO, n-CeO2) chosen on the basis of their commercial and environmental relevance. Physico-chemical characterization of both primary particles and NP suspensions in artificial sea water-ASW was performed. Hemocyte lysosomal and mitochondrial parameters, oxyradical and nitric oxide production, phagocytic activity, as well as NP uptake, were evaluated. The results show that different n-oxides rapidly elicited differential responses hemocytes in relation to their chemical properties, concentration, behavior in sea water, and interactions with subcellular compartments. These represent the most extensive data so far available on the effects of NPs in the cells of aquatic organisms. The results indicate that Mytilus hemocytes can be utilized as a suitable model for screening the potential effects of NPs in the cells of aquatic invertebrates, and may provide a basis for future experimental work for designing environmentally safer nanomaterials. PMID:22606310

Novel application of red-light runner proneness theory within traffic microsimulation to an actual signal junction.

PubMed

Bell, Margaret Carol; Galatioto, Fabio; Giuffrè, Tullio; Tesoriere, Giovanni

2012-05-01

Building on previous research a conceptual framework, based on potential conflicts analysis, has provided a quantitative evaluation of 'proneness' to red-light running behaviour at urban signalised intersections of different geometric, flow and driver characteristics. The results provided evidence that commonly used violation rates could cause inappropriate evaluation of the extent of the red-light running phenomenon. Initially, an in-depth investigation of the functional form of the mathematical relationship between the potential and actual red-light runners was carried out. The application of the conceptual framework was tested on a signalised intersection in order to quantify the proneness to red-light running. For the particular junction studied proneness for daytime was found to be 0.17 north and 0.16 south for opposing main road approaches and 0.42 east and 0.59 west for the secondary approaches. Further investigations were carried out using a traffic microsimulation model, to explore those geometric features and traffic volumes (arrival patterns at the stop-line) that significantly affect red-light running. In this way the prediction capability of the proposed potential conflict model was improved. A degree of consistency in the measured and simulated red-light running was observed and the conceptual framework was tested through a sensitivity analysis applied to different stop-line positions and traffic volume variations. The microsimulation, although at its early stages of development, has shown promise in its ability to model unintentional red light running behaviour and following further work through application to other junctions, potentially provides a tool for evaluation of alternative junction designs on proneness. In brief, this paper proposes and applies a novel approach to model red-light running using a microsimulation and demonstrates consistency with the observed and theoretical results. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of leaching potential of three systemic neonicotinoid insecticides in vineyard soil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurwadkar, Sudarshan; Wheat, Remington; McGahan, Donald G.; Mitchell, Forrest

2014-12-01

Dinotefuran (DNT), imidacloprid (IMD), and thiamethoxam (THM) are commonly used neonicotinoid insecticides in a variety of agriculture operations. Although these insecticides help growers control pest infestation, the residual environmental occurrence of insecticides may cause unintended adverse ecological consequences to non-target species. In this study, the leaching behavior of DNT, IMD, and THM was investigated in soils collected from an active AgriLife Research Extension Center (AREC) vineyard. A series of column experiments were conducted to evaluate the leaching potential of insecticides under two experimental scenarios: a) individual pulse mode, and b) mixed pulse mode. In both scenarios, the breakthrough pattern of the insecticides in the mostly acidic to neutral vineyard soil clearly demonstrates medium to high leachability. Of the three insecticides studied for leaching, DNT has exhibited high leaching potential and exited the column with fewer pore volumes, whereas IMD was retained for longer, indicating lower leachability. Relative differences in leaching behavior of neonicotinoids could be attributed to their solubility with the leaching pattern IMD < THM < DNT showing strong correlation with increasing aqueous solubility 610 mg/L < 4100 mg/L < 39,830 mg/L. Triplicate column study experiments were conducted to evaluate the consistency of the breakthrough pattern of these insecticides. The repeatability of the breakthrough curves shows that both DNT and IMD are reproducible between runs, whereas, THM shows some inconsistency. Leaching behavior of neonicotinoid insecticides based on the leachability indices such as groundwater ubiquity score, relative leaching potential, and partitioning between different environmental matrices through a fugacity-based equilibrium criterion model clearly indicates that DNT may pose a greater threat to aquatic resources compared to IMD and THM.

A uniform bacterial growth potential assay for different water types.

PubMed

Farhat, Nadia; Hammes, Frederik; Prest, Emmanuelle; Vrouwenvelder, Johannes

2018-06-06

The bacterial growth potential is important to understand and manage bacterial regrowth-related water quality concerns. Bacterial growth potential depends on growth promoting/limiting compounds, therefore, nutrient availability is the key factor governing bacterial growth potential. Selecting proper tools for bacterial growth measurement is essential for routine implementation of the growth potential measurement. This study proposes a growth potential assay that is universal and can be used for different water types and soil extract without restrictions of pure culture or cultivability of the bacterial strain. The proposed assay measures the sample bacterial growth potential by using the indigenous community as inocula. Flow cytometry (FCM) and adenosine tri-phosphate (ATP) were used to evaluate the growth potential of six different microbial communities indigenous to the sample being analyzed, with increasing carbon concentrations. Bottled mineral water, non-chlorinated tap water, seawater, river water, wastewater effluent and a soil organic carbon extract were analyzed. Results showed that indigenous bacterial communities followed normal batch growth kinetics when grown on naturally present organic carbon. Indigenous bacterial growth could detect spiked organic carbon concentrations as low as 10 μg/L. The indigenous community in all samples responded proportionally to the increase in acetate-carbon and proportional growth could be measured with both FCM and ATP. Bacterial growth was proportional to the carbon concentration but not the same proportion factor for the different water samples tested. The effect of inoculating the same water with different indigenous microbial communities on the growth potential was also examined. The FCM results showed that the highest increase in total bacterial cell concentration was obtained with bacteria indigenous to the water sample. The growth potential assay using indigenous bacterial community revealed consistent results of bacterial growth in all the different samples tested and therefore providing a fast, more stable, and accurate approach for monitoring the biological stability of waters compared to the previously developed assays. The growth potential assay can be used to aid in detecting growth limitations by compounds other than organic carbon. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of Eye Irritation Potential of Solid Substance with New 3D Reconstructed Human Cornea Model, MCTT HCETM

PubMed Central

Jang, Won-hee; Jung, Kyoung-mi; Yang, Hye-ri; Lee, Miri; Jung, Haeng-Sun; Lee, Su-Hyon; Park, Miyoung; Lim, Kyung-Min

2015-01-01

The eye irritation potential of drug candidates or pharmaceutical ingredients should be evaluated if there is a possibility of ocular exposure. Traditionally, the ocular irritation has been evaluated by the rabbit Draize test. However, rabbit eyes are more sensitive to irritants than human eyes, therefore substantial level of false positives are unavoidable. To resolve this species difference, several three-dimensional human corneal epithelial (HCE) models have been developed as alternative eye irritation test methods. Recently, we introduced a new HCE model, MCTT HCETM which is reconstructed with non-transformed human corneal cells from limbal tissues. Here, we examined if MCTT HCETM can be employed to evaluate eye irritation potential of solid substances. Through optimization of washing method and exposure time, treatment time was established as 10 min and washing procedure was set up as 4 times of washing with 10 mL of PBS and shaking in 30 mL of PBS in a beaker. With the established eye irritation test protocol, 11 solid substances (5 non-irritants, 6 irritants) were evaluated which demonstrated an excellent predictive capacity (100% accuracy, 100% specificity and 100% sensitivity). We also compared the performance of our test method with rabbit Draize test results and in vitro cytotoxicity test with 2D human corneal epithelial cell lines. PMID:26157556

Screening and identification of potential protein biomarkers for evaluating the efficacy of intensive therapy in pulmonary tuberculosis.

PubMed

Jiang, Ting-Ting; Shi, Li-Ying; Chen, Jing; Wei, Li-Liang; Li, Meng; Hu, Yu-Ting; Gan, Lin; Liu, Chang-Ming; Tu, Hui-Hui; Li, Zhi-Bin; Yi, Wen-Jing; Li, Ji-Cheng

2018-06-27

This research aimed to discover potential biomarkers for evaluating the therapeutic efficacy of intensive therapy in pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). Protein profiles in 2-months intensively treated TB patients, untreated TB patients, and healthy controls were investigated with iTRAQ-2DLC-MS/MS technique. 71 differential proteins were identified in 2-months intensively treated TB patients. Significant differences in complement component C7 (CO7), apolipoprotein A-IV (APOA4), apolipoprotein C-II (APOC2), and angiotensinogen (ANGT) were found by ELISA validation. CO7 and ANGT were also found significantly different in sputum negative patients, compared with sputum positive patients after intensive treatment. Clinical analysis showed that after 2-months intensive treatment several indicators were significantly changed, and the one-year cure rate of sputum negative patients were significantly higher than sputum positive patients. Diagnostic models consisting of APOC2, CO7 and APOA4 were established to distinguish intensively treated TB patients from untreated TB patients and healthy controls with the AUC value of 0.910 and 0.935. Meanwhile, ANGT and CO7 were combined to identify sputum negative and sputum positive TB patients after intensive treatment with 89.36% sensitivity, 71.43% specificity, and the AUC value of 0.853. The results showed that APOC2, CO7, APOA4, and ANGT may be potential biomarkers for evaluating the efficacy of intensive anti-TB therapy. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Dogs cannot bark: event-related brain responses to true and false negated statements as indicators of higher-order conscious processing.

PubMed

Herbert, Cornelia; Kübler, Andrea

2011-01-01

The present study investigated event-related brain potentials elicited by true and false negated statements to evaluate if discrimination of the truth value of negated information relies on conscious processing and requires higher-order cognitive processing in healthy subjects across different levels of stimulus complexity. The stimulus material consisted of true and false negated sentences (sentence level) and prime-target expressions (word level). Stimuli were presented acoustically and no overt behavioral response of the participants was required. Event-related brain potentials to target words preceded by true and false negated expressions were analyzed both within group and at the single subject level. Across the different processing conditions (word pairs and sentences), target words elicited a frontal negativity and a late positivity in the time window from 600-1000 msec post target word onset. Amplitudes of both brain potentials varied as a function of the truth value of the negated expressions. Results were confirmed at the single-subject level. In sum, our results support recent suggestions according to which evaluation of the truth value of a negated expression is a time- and cognitively demanding process that cannot be solved automatically, and thus requires conscious processing. Our paradigm provides insight into higher-order processing related to language comprehension and reasoning in healthy subjects. Future studies are needed to evaluate if our paradigm also proves sensitive for the detection of consciousness in non-responsive patients.

Development of a fast dissolving film of epinephrine hydrochloride as a potential anaphylactic treatment for pediatrics.

PubMed

Alayoubi, Alaadin; Haynes, Lindsay; Patil, Hemlata; Daihom, Baher; Helms, Richard; Almoazen, Hassan

2017-12-01

To develop a fast dissolving film strip containing epinephrine HCl for the potential treatment of pediatric anaphylaxis. Four different films have been prepared by solvent casting technique where the percentages of the polymer (Lycoat RS720) were optimized. The polymer percentages were (20%, 25%, 27% and 30%) of the total formulation weighs. The thickness and elastic modulus of the optimized film was evaluated using dynamic mechanical analyzer. Epinephrine content uniformity was assessed using UV at wavelength 280 nm. For the dissolution test, fast dissolving films (FDFs) were evaluated in 500 Simulated Saliva, with 50 rpm. In vivo taste and disintegration evaluation was performed on six healthy volunteers. Films formed by formulations 1, 2 and 3 were too sticky after drying, while formulation 4 that has 30% polymer content formed smooth, transparent, flexible and uniform film, and therefore, it was selected for further testing. The value of elastic modulus was determined at 1.325 MPa. The thickness of the film at different locations was measured at 0.29 mm. Drug content in film was measured at 93% ±10. More than 90% of epinephrine was released from the film within 7.2 min. Bitterness of epinephrine was masked efficiently according to volunteer's comments with average disintegration time of 20 s. This study presents potential proof for using FDFs as a replacement therapy of epinephrine injections for pediatrics.

Evaluation of higher order statistics parameters for multi channel sEMG using different force levels.

PubMed

Naik, Ganesh R; Kumar, Dinesh K

2011-01-01

The electromyograpy (EMG) signal provides information about the performance of muscles and nerves. The shape of the muscle signal and motor unit action potential (MUAP) varies due to the movement of the position of the electrode or due to changes in contraction level. This research deals with evaluating the non-Gaussianity in Surface Electromyogram signal (sEMG) using higher order statistics (HOS) parameters. To achieve this, experiments were conducted for four different finger and wrist actions at different levels of Maximum Voluntary Contractions (MVCs). Our experimental analysis shows that at constant force and for non-fatiguing contractions, probability density functions (PDF) of sEMG signals were non-Gaussian. For lesser MVCs (below 30% of MVC) PDF measures tends to be Gaussian process. The above measures were verified by computing the Kurtosis values for different MVCs.

Characterization of cells and bacteria by photophoretic velocimetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Helmbrecht, Clemens; Niessner, Reinhard; Haisch, Christoph

2008-02-01

The migration induced by intensive light is termed photophoresis. We could show that the evaluation of light-induced velocities of microparticles, bacteria and cells suspended in water is valuable for the prediction of their intrinsic properties. Two different laser setups were evaluated for photophoretic migration, a He-Ne laser (P = 45 mW, λ = 633 nm) and a diode-pumped cw-Nd:YAG (P = 1.1 W, λ = 532 nm). When analyzing the migration behavior of particles, we find significant differences depending on both, geometrical size and refractive index. We describe migration of PS particles of different size as well as with different refractive index but same diameter, SiO II and melamine resin. The potential for the separation of biological matter is shown as velocity distributions of heat killed bacteria of Escherichia coli, Salmonella enteritidis, and baker's yeast is reported.

Evaluation of the neurotoxic/neuroprotective role of organoselenides using differentiated human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell line challenged with 6-hydroxydopamine.

PubMed

Lopes, Fernanda Martins; Londero, Giovana Ferreira; de Medeiros, Liana Marengo; da Motta, Leonardo Lisbôa; Behr, Guilherme Antônio; de Oliveira, Valeska Aguiar; Ibrahim, Mohammad; Moreira, José Cláudio Fonseca; Porciúncula, Lisiane de Oliveira; da Rocha, João Batista Teixeira; Klamt, Fábio

2012-08-01

It is well established that oxidative stress plays a major role in several neurodegenerative conditions, like Parkinson disease (PD). Hence, there is an enormous effort for the development of new antioxidants compounds with therapeutic potential for the management of PD, such as synthetic organoselenides molecules. In this study, we selected between nine different synthetic organoselenides the most eligible ones for further neuroprotection assays, using the differentiated human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell line as in vitro model. Neuronal differentiation of exponentially growing human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells was triggered by cultivating cells with DMEM/F12 medium with 1% of fetal bovine serum (FBS) with the combination of 10 μM retinoic acid for 7 days. Differentiated cells were further incubated with different concentrations of nine organoselenides (0.1, 0.3, 3, 10, and 30 μM) for 24 h and cell viability, neurites densities and the immunocontent of neuronal markers were evaluated. Peroxyl radical scavenging potential of each compound was determined with TRAP assay. Three organoselenides tested presented low cytotoxicity and high antioxidant properties. Pre-treatment of cells with those compounds for 24 h lead to a significantly neuroprotection against 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) toxicity, which were directly related to their antioxidant properties. Neuroprotective activity of all three organoselenides was compared to diphenyl diselenide (PhSe)₂, the simplest of the diaryl diselenides tested. Our results demonstrate that differentiated human SH-SY5Y cells are suitable cellular model to evaluate neuroprotective/neurotoxic role of compounds, and support further evaluation of selected organoselenium molecules as potential pharmacological and therapeutic drugs in the treatment of PD.

Innovative approach to facilitate reuse of nonhazardous industrial solid waste as building material

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

St-Laurent, S.G.; Boutin, A.

1997-12-31

The steel industry generates large volumes of inorganic nonhazardous solid waste. During the last five years, Quebec`s steel industry has developed new technologies to recover metal from slags and tailings. Since these processes recover 10 to 30 percent of the metal, large volumes of nonhazardous residues still need to be recycled or disposed of. In order to encourage recycling initiatives, le Ministere de l`Environnement et de la Faune du Quebec (MEF) (Quebec`s Ministry of Environment and Wildlife) established guidelines for the management of nonhazardous industrial solid waste. The aim of these guidelines is to propose a test procedure to evaluatemore » the quality of the material and to define material classes based on their potential for reuse. The evaluation procedure is based on standard tests, generally used for the evaluation of stabilized and solidified hazardous waste. The protocol includes an analysis of the total content of metals in the residue, the determination of the acid neutralization capacity and the prediction of the acid generation potential when the residue contains significant levels of sulfides. The protocol includes three different leachate tests in order to evaluate the mobility of contaminants present in the residue. The leaching procedures are: (1) an equilibrium extraction with water, (2) a modified TCLP extraction, and (3) an acid rain simulation effect extraction. A method is actually under development to collect leachate from a material pile subject to 18 months of rainfall. Materials are categorized into different classes according to their test results. Various potential reuse options are associated with material classes. Evaluation criteria were defined by using water quality standards and results obtained by testing reference construction material supplied by the Quebec`s Ministere des Transports (Ministry of Transportation).« less

Evaluation of sewage sludge incineration ash as a potential land reclamation material.

PubMed

Lin, Wenlin Yvonne; Ng, Wei Cheng; Wong, Belinda Shu Ee; Teo, Serena Lay-Ming; Sivananthan, Gayathiri D/O; Baeg, Gyeong Hun; Ok, Yong Sik; Wang, Chi-Hwa

2018-05-23

This study evaluated the potential of utilising sewage sludge incineration ash as a land reclamation material. Toxicity assessment of the leachate of the ash was carried out for both terrestrial and marine organisms. Both the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster and barnacle Amphibalanus amphitrite showed that both bottom and fly ash leached at liquid-to-solid (L/S) ratio 5 did not substantially affect viabilities. The leachate carried out at L/S 10 was compared to the European Waste Acceptance Criteria and the sewage sludge ashes could be classified as non-hazardous waste. The geotechnical properties of the sewage sludge ash were studied and compared to sand, a conventional land reclamation material, for further evaluation of its potential as a land reclamation material. It was found from direct shear test that both bottom and fly ashes displayed similar and comparable shear strength to that of typical compacted sandy soil based on the range of internal friction angle obtained. However, the consolidation profile of bottom ash was significantly different from sand, while that of fly ash was more similar to sand. Our study showed that the sewage sludge ash has the potential to be used as a land reclamation material. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Additive value of non-contrast MRA in the preoperative evaluation of potential liver donors.

PubMed

Luk, Lyndon; Shenoy-Bhangle, Anuradha S; Jimenez, Guillermo; Ahmed, Firas S; Prince, Martin R; Samstein, Benjamin; Hecht, Elizabeth M

The purpose of this study is to compare diagnostic quality, inter-observer variability and agreement of non-contrast enhanced MRA (NC-MRA) with contrast-enhanced MRA (CE-MRA) in the evaluation of hepatic arterial anatomy. 20 potential liver donors were included in this retrospective study. NC-MRA, CE-MRA and combined data sets were randomized and reviewed by two readers. Reference standard was consensus by two senior radiologists using all data including CTA. There was no difference in IQ or diagnostic confidence between NC-MRA, CE-MRA or combined data for either reader but the arterial origin of segment IV was successfully identified on NC-MRA when CE-MRA was suboptimal. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Vortex energy landscape from real space imaging analysis of YBa2Cu3O7 with different defect structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luccas, R. F.; Granados, X.; Obradors, X.; Puig, T.

2014-10-01

A methodology based on real space vortex image analysis is presented able to estimate semi-quantitatively the relevant energy densities of an arbitrary array of vortices, map the interaction energy distributions and evaluate the pinning energy associated to particular defects. The combined study using nanostructuration tools, a vortex visualization technique and the energy method is seen as an opportunity to estimate vortex pinning potentials strengths. Particularly, spatial distributions of vortex energy densities induced by surface nanoindented scratches are evaluated and compared to those of twin boundaries. This comparative study underlines the remarkable role of surface nanoscratches in pinning vortices and its potentiality in the design of novel devices for pinning and guiding vortex motion.

A Cognitive Systems Engineering Approach to Developing HMI Requirements for New Technologies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fern, Lisa Carolynn

2016-01-01

This document examines the challenges inherent in designing and regulating to support human-automation interaction for new technologies that will deployed into complex systems. A key question for new technologies, is how work will be accomplished by the human and machine agents. This question has traditionally been framed as how functions should be allocated between humans and machines. Such framing misses the coordination and synchronization that is needed for the different human and machine roles in the system to accomplish their goals. Coordination and synchronization demands are driven by the underlying human-automation architecture of the new technology, which are typically not specified explicitly by the designers. The human machine interface (HMI) which is intended to facilitate human-machine interaction and cooperation, however, typically is defined explicitly and therefore serves as a proxy for human-automation cooperation requirements with respect to technical standards for technologies. Unfortunately, mismatches between the HMI and the coordination and synchronization demands of the underlying human-automation architecture, can lead to system breakdowns. A methodology is needed that both designers and regulators can utilize to evaluate the expected performance of a new technology given potential human-automation architectures. Three experiments were conducted to inform the minimum HMI requirements a detect and avoid system for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). The results of the experiments provided empirical input to specific minimum operational performance standards that UAS manufacturers will have to meet in order to operate UAS in the National Airspace System (NAS). These studies represent a success story for how to objectively and systematically evaluate prototype technologies as part of the process for developing regulatory requirements. They also provide an opportunity to reflect on the lessons learned from a recent research effort in order to improve the methodology for defining technology requirements for regulators in the future. The biggest shortcoming of the presented research program was the absence of the explicit definition, generation and analysis of potential human-automation architectures. Failure to execute this step in the research process resulted in less efficient evaluation of the candidate prototypes technologies in addition to the complete absence of different approaches to human-automation cooperation. For example, all of the prototype technologies that were evaluated in the research program assumed a human-automation architecture that relied on serial processing from the automation to the human. While this type of human-automation architecture is typical across many different technologies and in many different domains, it ignores different architectures where humans and automation work in parallel. Defining potential human-automation architectures a priori also allows regulators to develop scenarios that will stress the performance boundaries of the technology during the evaluation phase. The importance of adding this step of generating and evaluating candidate human-automation architectures prior to formal empirical evaluation is discussed.

Forecasting and evaluating patterns of energy development in southwestern Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

Garman, Steven L.

2015-01-01

The effects of future oil and natural gas development in southwestern Wyoming on wildlife populations are topical to conservation of the sagebrush steppe ecosystem. To aid in understanding these potential effects, the U.S. Geological Survey developed an Energy Footprint simulation model that forecasts the amount and pattern of energy development under different assumptions of development rates and well-drilling methods. The simulated disturbance patterns produced by the footprint model are used to assess the potential effects on wildlife habitat and populations. A goal of this modeling effort is to use measures of energy production (number of simulated wells), well-pad and road-surface disturbance, and potential effects on wildlife to identify build-out designs that minimize the physical and ecological footprint of energy development for different levels of energy production and development costs.

Harm avoidance in adolescents modulates late positive potentials during affective picture processing.

PubMed

Zhang, Wenhai; Lu, Jiamei; Ni, Ziyin; Liu, Xia; Wang, Dahua; Shen, Jiliang

2013-08-01

Research in adults has shown that individual differences in harm avoidance (HA) modulate electrophysiological responses to affective stimuli. To determine whether HA in adolescents modulates affective information processing, we collected event-related potentials from 70 adolescents while they viewed 90 pictures from the Chinese affective picture system. Multiple regressions revealed that HA negatively predicted late positive potential (LPP) for positive pictures and positively predicted for negative pictures; however, HA did not correlate with LPP for neutral pictures. The results suggest that at the late evaluative stage, high-HA adolescents display attentional bias to negative pictures while low-HA adolescents display attentional bias to negative pictures. Moreover, these dissociable attentional patterns imply that individual differences in adolescents' HA modulate the late selective attention mechanism of affective information. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Application of Hyperspectral Vegetation Indices to Detect Variations in High Leaf Area Index Temperate Shrub Thicket Canopies

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

sensing an attractive technique for estimating LAI. Many vegetation indices, such as Normalized Difference Vegetation Index ( NDVI ), tend to saturate at...little or no improvement over NDVI . Furthermore, indirect ground-sampling techniques often used to evaluate the potential of vegetation indices also...landscapes makes remote sensing an attractive technique for estimating LAI. Many vegetation indices, such as Normalized Difference Vegetation Index ( NDVI

Adapalene gel 0.1% is better tolerated than tretinoin gel 0.025% among healthy volunteers of various ethnic origins.

PubMed

Goh, Chee Leok; Tang, Mark B Y; Briantais, Philippe; Kaoukhov, Alexandre; Soto, Pascale

2009-01-01

The efficacious acne treatment adapalene gel 0.1% is significantly less irritating than tretinoin of various concentrations and formulations, according to several clinical studies conducted predominantly in Caucasian patients. To confirm the lower irritation potential of adapalene gel 0.1% compared to tretinoin gel 0.025% among volunteers of various ethnic origins and to explore the difference in the irritant susceptibility among ethnic groups. The study was a single-centre, randomized, investigator-masked and intra-individual comparison. Healthy volunteers applied adapalene and tretinoin daily to the face for 21 days and to the forearms for 4 days, and were then evaluated for the level of irritation. The irritation potential of adapalene gel 0.1% was significantly lower than that of tretinoin gel 0.025% in all tolerability assessments, irrespective of the volunteers' ethnic origins. The between-treatment differences were similar among various ethnic groups. Statistically significant but small inter-ethnicity differences were observed in the evaluation of facial signs, with Caucasians being less susceptible than Chinese, Asian Indians and Malays. Adapalene gel 0.1% was significantly better tolerated than tretinoin gel 0.025% among various ethnic groups. The patients' ethnic origins had no impact on the difference between adapalene and tretinoin treatments in terms of tolerability.

Evaluating potential overlap between pack stock and Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis sierrae) in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Klinger, Robert C.; Few, Alexandra P.; Knox, Kathleen A.; Hatfield, Brian E.; Clark, Jonathan; German, David W.; Stephenson, Thomas R.

2015-01-01

The association analyses indicated the potential for overlap between pack stock and SNBS was minimal; only 1 percent of the potential meadow area in the SNBS herd home ranges overlapped that of pack stock meadows. There were no systematic differences in overall vegetation structure or composition, or in diversity, cover, or composition of forage species, that indicated pack stock were altering SNBS habitat or affecting their nutrition. Variation in plant species composition was influenced primarily by random differences among meadows and environmental gradients, and there was little evidence that pack stock use contributed in meaningful ways to this variation. The few differences among meadows with different levels of use by bighorn sheep and pack stock either were minor or were not in a direction consistent with negative effects of pack stock on SNBS. We conclude that the current plan for managing pack stock grazing has been successful in minimizing significant negative effects on Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.

Summary of gas bearing applications in the field of space electric power systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dunn, J. H.; Ream, L. W.

1972-01-01

The testing and evaluation of different bearing systems to be used in the turbine-alternator-compressor of a closed Brayton cycle electric power system are described. A specification of each bearing is presented along with the results of the evaluation and a comparison of the merits and limitations of each bearing. The contribution of improved bearings to the power supply reliability, potential life, and ability to accept shock and vibration is examined.

Evaluation of MMX1902 as an Oral Treatment for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-10-01

0704-0188 Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing...min for 60 minutes 2 times a week for 10 weeks. Four different SQ treatment groups (n = 9/group) were evaluated – wild-type controls and three groups...potential for MMX1902 treatment to stimulate and sustain regeneration even in the face of long- term, intensive exercise. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Duchenne

Evaluation of Signature Erosion in Ebola Virus Due to Genomic Drift and Its Impact on the Performance of Diagnostic Assays

PubMed Central

Sozhamannan, Shanmuga; Holland, Mitchell Y.; Hall, Adrienne T.; Negrón, Daniel A.; Ivancich, Mychal; Koehler, Jeffrey W.; Minogue, Timothy D.; Campbell, Catherine E.; Berger, Walter J.; Christopher, George W.; Goodwin, Bruce G.; Smith, Michael A.

2015-01-01

Genome sequence analyses of the 2014 Ebola Virus (EBOV) isolates revealed a potential problem with the diagnostic assays currently in use; i.e., drifting genomic profiles of the virus may affect the sensitivity or even produce false-negative results. We evaluated signature erosion in ebolavirus molecular assays using an in silico approach and found frequent potential false-negative and false-positive results. We further empirically evaluated many EBOV assays, under real time PCR conditions using EBOV Kikwit (1995) and Makona (2014) RNA templates. These results revealed differences in performance between assays but were comparable between the old and new EBOV templates. Using a whole genome approach and a novel algorithm, termed BioVelocity, we identified new signatures that are unique to each of EBOV, Sudan virus (SUDV), and Reston virus (RESTV). Interestingly, many of the current assay signatures do not fall within these regions, indicating a potential drawback in the past assay design strategies. The new signatures identified in this study may be evaluated with real-time reverse transcription PCR (rRT-PCR) assay development and validation. In addition, we discuss regulatory implications and timely availability to impact a rapidly evolving outbreak using existing but perhaps less than optimal assays versus redesign these assays for addressing genomic changes. PMID:26090727

Evaluation of cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, and apoptosis of wastewater before and after disinfection with performic acid.

PubMed

Ragazzo, Patrizia; Feretti, Donatella; Monarca, Silvano; Dominici, Luca; Ceretti, Elisabetta; Viola, Gaia; Piccolo, Valentina; Chiucchini, Nicoletta; Villarini, Milena

2017-06-01

Disinfection with performic acid (PFA) represents an emerging technology in wastewater treatment. Many recent studies indicate its effectiveness and suitability as a disinfectant for different applications; several have demonstrated its reliability as an alternative to chlorine for disinfecting secondary effluents from urban wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Some disinfection technologies, in relation to their oxidative power, lead to the formation of disinfection by-products (DBPs), some of which are of concern for their toxic and carcinogenic potential. The aim of this study was to investigate potential genotoxic, cytotoxic, and mutagenic effects of this disinfection agent on treated secondary effluent coming from a municipal WWTP. A strategy with multiple short-term tests and different target cells (bacterial, plant, and mammalian) was adopted to explore a relatively wide range of potential genotoxic events. The Ames test (point mutation in Salmonella), the micronucleus (chromosomal damage) and Comet tests (primary DNA damage) on human hepatic cells (HepG2) were conducted to detect mutagenicity and chromosomal DNA alterations. DNA fragmentation and mitochondrial potential assays were conducted to evaluate apoptosis in the same kinds of cells. Mutagenic and clastogenic effect potentials were evaluated by examining micronucleus formation in Allium cepa root cells. In all the in vitro tests, carried out on both disinfected and non-disinfected effluents, negative results were always obtained for mutagenic and genotoxic effects. In the Allium cepa tests, however, some non-concentrated wastewater samples after PFA treatment induced a slight increase in micronucleus frequencies in root cells, but not in a dose-related manner. In conclusion, PFA applied for disinfection to a secondary effluent from a municipal wastewater treatment plant did not contribute to the release of genotoxic or mutagenic compounds. Further studies are required to establish to which extent these findings can be generalized to support PFA for other disinfection applications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Rational design and evaluation of HBsAg polymeric nanoparticles as antigen delivery carriers.

PubMed

Dewangan, Hitesh Kumar; Pandey, Tarun; Maurya, Lakshmi; Singh, Sanjay

2018-05-01

The present work is focused on the development and evaluation of single dose sustained-release Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) loaded nanovaccine for Hepatitis B. The conventional treatment suffers from repeated administration and hence requires a booster dose. Therefore, polymeric nanovaccine of HBsAg was developed by double emulsion solvent evaporation technique, utilizing central composite design for formulation optimization. The effects of independent variables (like polymer amount, stabilizer concentration, aqueous/organic phase ratio and homogenizer speed) were also studied on critical quality attributes like particle size and entrapment efficiency. Nanovaccine was characterized in terms of physicochemical parameters, release, internalization and in vivo immunological evaluation in BALB/c mice after administration by different routes such as oral, sub-cutaneous, nasal and intramuscular. The designed nanovaccine demonstrated nanometric size with smooth surface, negative zeta potential, maximum entrapment, sustained release and better internalization in macrophage and MRC-5 cell line. The immune-stimulating activity of nanovaccine administered by different routes was evaluated by measuring anti-HBsAg titre like specific immunoglobulin IgG and IgA response and cytokine level (interleukin-2, interferon-Y) measurement. The results indicated that the nanovaccine administered by intramuscular route produced better humoral as well as cellular responses and potential carriers for antigen delivery at single dose administration via intramuscular route. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quantitative determination of biological activity of botulinum toxins utilizing compound muscle action potentials (CMAP), and comparison of neuromuscular transmission blockage and muscle flaccidity among toxins.

PubMed

Torii, Yasushi; Goto, Yoshitaka; Takahashi, Motohide; Ishida, Setsuji; Harakawa, Tetsuhiro; Sakamoto, Takashi; Kaji, Ryuji; Kozaki, Shunji; Ginnaga, Akihiro

2010-01-01

The biological activity of various types of botulinum toxin has been evaluated using the mouse intraperitoneal LD(50) test (ip LD(50)). This method requires a large number of mice to precisely determine toxin activity, and so has posed a problem with regard to animal welfare. We have used a direct measure of neuromuscular transmission, the compound muscle action potential (CMAP), to evaluate the effect of different types of botulinum neurotoxin (NTX), and we compared the effects of these toxins to evaluate muscle relaxation by employing the digit abduction scoring (DAS) assay. This method can be used to measure a broad range of toxin activities the day after administration. Types A, C, C/D, and E NTX reduced the CMAP amplitude one day after administration at below 1 ip LD(50), an effect that cannot be detected using the mouse ip LD(50) assay. The method is useful not only for measuring toxin activity, but also for evaluating the characteristics of different types of NTX. The rat CMAP test is straightforward, highly reproducible, and can directly determine the efficacy of toxin preparations through their inhibition of neuromuscular transmission. Thus, this method may be suitable for pharmacology studies and the quality control of toxin preparations. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessing the potential to combine attitude tracking and health campaign evaluation surveys.

PubMed

Hollier, Lauren P; Pettigrew, Simone; Minto, Carolyn; Slevin, Terry; Strickland, Mark

2016-04-06

Issue addressed: Online surveys are becoming increasingly popular in health research because of the low cost and fast completion time. A large proportion of online survey costs are allocated to setup and administration expenses, which suggests that conducting fewer, longer surveys would be a cost-effective approach. The current study assessed whether the incorporation of a health campaign evaluation survey within a longitudinal attitudes and behaviours tracking survey produced different outcomes compared with the separate administration of the evaluation survey. Methods: Data were collected via an online panel, with 688 respondents completing the combined survey and 657 respondents completing the evaluation-only survey. Regression analyses were conducted to examine whether survey type was related to the campaign evaluation results. Results: Those who completed the combined survey perceived the campaign advertisement to be more personally relevant than those completing the evaluation-only survey. There were no differences in results relating to campaign awareness and reported behavioural change as a result of campaign exposure. Conclusions: There were minimal differences between results obtained from combining an attitude/behaviour tracking survey with a campaign evaluation survey. Any priming or order effects were limited to respondents' cognitive responses to the advertisement. So what?: The results suggest that health practitioners with limited resources available for tracking and evaluation research may be able to maximise outcomes by administering fewer, longer surveys.

Assessment of the effects of multiple extreme floods on flow and transport processes under competing flood protection and environmental management strategies.

PubMed

Tu, Tongbi; Carr, Kara J; Ercan, Ali; Trinh, Toan; Kavvas, M Levent; Nosacka, John

2017-12-31

Extreme floods are regarded as one of the most catastrophic natural hazards and can result in significant morphological changes induced by pronounced sediment erosion and deposition processes over the landscape. However, the effects of extreme floods of different return intervals on the floodplain and river channel morphological evolution with the associated sediment transport processes are not well explored. Furthermore, different basin management action plans, such as engineering structure modifications, may also greatly affect the flood inundation, sediment transport, solute transport and morphological processes within extreme flood events. In this study, a coupled two-dimensional hydrodynamic, sediment transport and morphological model is applied to evaluate the impact of different river and basin management strategies on the flood inundation, sediment transport dynamics and morphological changes within extreme flood events of different magnitudes. The 10-year, 50-year, 100-year and 200-year floods are evaluated for the Lower Cache Creek system in California under existing condition and a potential future modification scenario. Modeling results showed that select locations of flood inundation within the study area tend to experience larger inundation depth and more sediment is likely to be trapped in the study area under potential modification scenario. The proposed two dimensional flow and sediment transport modeling approach implemented with a variety of inflow conditions can provide guidance to decision-makers when considering implementation of potential modification plans, especially as they relate to competing management strategies of large water bodies, such as the modeling area in this study. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Commercial potential of rambutan cultivars grown at two locations in Puerto Rico

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Eight rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum) cultivars grown on an Oxisol and Ultisol were evaluated for four years under intensive management at Isabela and Corozal, Puerto Rico, respectively. There were significant differences in number and weight of fruits per hectare between locations and years. Signif...

Assessing Long Term Impact of Phosphorus Fertilization on Phosphorus Loadings Using AnnAGNPS

EPA Science Inventory

High phosphorus (P) loss from agricultural fields has been an environmental concern because of potential water quality problems in streams and lakes. To better understand the process of P loss and evaluate the different phosphorus fertilization rates on phosphorus losses, the US...

Use of industrial by-products to sorb and retain phosphorus

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The potential of six industrial byproducts for use as phosphorus sorbing materials (PSMs) in solutions and manures was evaluated. These included two different acid mine drainage treatment residuals (AMDR1 and AMDR2); water treatment residual (WTR) from a drinking water treatment facility in Lancaste...

Evaluation of ammonia emissions from manure incorporated with different soil aerator configurations

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The incorporation of swine manure with tillage effectively reduces ammonia emissions and conserves crop available N but is not compatible with no-till and many other conservation tillage programs. Rolling-tine aerators potentially provide a means to enhance manure infiltration with limited disruptio...

Using Online Compound Interest Tools to Improve Financial Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hubbard, Edward; Matthews, Percival; Samek, Anya

2016-01-01

The widespread use of personal computing presents the opportunity to design educational materials that can be delivered online, potentially addressing low financial literacy. The authors developed and evaluated three different educational tools focusing on interest compounding. In the authors' laboratory experiment, individuals were randomized to…

The use of recycled concrete aggregate in a dense graded aggregate base course.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-03-01

The research project was broken up into 2 different parts. The first part involved evaluating the potential use of the Time : Domain Reflectometry, TDR (ASTM D6780), as a non-nuclear means for determining the dry density and moisture content of : gra...

77 FR 5253 - Agency Information Collection Request. 60-Day Public Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-02

..., despite their different methods of assessing income or otherwise determining eligibility. CHIPRA.... The evaluation also provides an opportunity to understand other methods of simplified enrollment that states have been pursuing and to assess the benefits and potential costs of these methods compared to...

Relationship between NDVI at early bloom and yield in germplasm evaluation trials

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The use of high-throughput phenotyping (HTP) equipment is expanding as it offers the potential to increase the efficiency of making selections in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) improvement programs. Measurements often being collected on HTP field equipment include normalized difference vegetative in...

Bacteriocinogenic Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis DF04Mi isolated from goat milk: evaluation of the probiotic potential.

PubMed

Furtado, Danielle N; Todorov, Svetoslav D; Landgraf, Mariza; Destro, Maria T; Franco, Bernadette D G M

2014-01-01

Lactic acid bacteria capable of producing bacteriocins and presenting probiotic potential open innovative technological applications in the dairy industry. In this study, a bacteriocinogenic strain (Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis DF4Mi) was isolated from goat milk, and studied for its probiotic potential. Lc. lactis DF4Mi was resistant to acidic pH and oxbile, presented co-aggregation with Listeria monocytogenes, and was not affected by several drugs from different generic groups, being sensitive to most tested antibiotics. These properties indicate that this Lc. lactis strain can be used for enhancement of dairy foods safety and quality, in combination with potential probiotic properties.

Activity and Durability of Iridium Nanoparticles in the Oxygen Evolution Reaction

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

Alia, Shaun M.; Rasimick, Brian; Ngo, Chilan

Unsupported iridium (Ir) nanoparticles, that serve as standard oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts in acidic electrolyzers, were investigated for electrochemical performance and durability in rotating disk electrode (RDE) half-cells. Fixed potential holds and potential cycling were applied to probe the durability of Ir nanoparticles, and performance losses were found to be driven by particle growth (coarsening) at moderate potential (1.4 to 1.6 V) and Ir dissolution at higher potential (>/=1.8 V). Several different commercially available samples were evaluated and standardized conditions for performance comparison are reported. In conclusion, the electrocatalyst RDE results have also been compared to results obtained formore » performance and durability in electrolysis cells.« less

Activity and Durability of Iridium Nanoparticles in the Oxygen Evolution Reaction

DOE PAGES

Alia, Shaun M.; Rasimick, Brian; Ngo, Chilan; ...

2016-07-15

Unsupported iridium (Ir) nanoparticles, that serve as standard oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts in acidic electrolyzers, were investigated for electrochemical performance and durability in rotating disk electrode (RDE) half-cells. Fixed potential holds and potential cycling were applied to probe the durability of Ir nanoparticles, and performance losses were found to be driven by particle growth (coarsening) at moderate potential (1.4 to 1.6 V) and Ir dissolution at higher potential (>/=1.8 V). Several different commercially available samples were evaluated and standardized conditions for performance comparison are reported. In conclusion, the electrocatalyst RDE results have also been compared to results obtained formore » performance and durability in electrolysis cells.« less

[Quality assurance in coding expertise of hospital cases in the German DRG system. Evaluation of inter-rater reliability in MDK expertise].

PubMed

Huber, H; Brambrink, M; Funk, R; Rieger, M

2012-10-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate differences in the D-DRG results of a hospital case by 2 independently coding MKD raters. Calculation of the 2-inter-rater reliability was performed by examination of the coding of individual hospital cases. The reasons for the non-agreement of the expert evaluations and suggestions to improve the process are discussed. From the expert evaluation pool of the MDK-WL a random sample of 0.7% of the 57,375 expertises was taken. Distribution equality with the basic total was tested by the χ² test or, respectively, Fisher's exact test. For the total of 402 individual hospital cases, the G-DRG case sums of 2 experts of the MDK were determined independently and the results checked for each individual case for agreement or non-agreement. The corresponding confidence intervals with standard errors were analysed to test if certain major diagnosis categories (MDC) were statistically significantly more affected by differing expertise results than others. In 280 of the total 402 tested hospital cases, the 2 MDK raters independently reached the same G-DRG results; in 122 cases the G-DRG case sums determined by the 2 raters differed (agreement 70%; CI 65.2-74.1). Different DRG results between the 2 experts occurred regularly in the entire MDC spectrum. No MDC chapter in which significant differences between the 2 raters arose could be identified. The results of our study demonstrate an almost 70% agreement in the evaluation of hospital cost accounts by 2 independently operating MDK. This result leaves room for improvement. Optimisation potentials can be recognised on the basis of the results. Potential for improvement was established in combination with regular further training and the expansion of binding internal code recommendations as well as exchange of code-relevant information among experts in internal forums. The presented model is in principle suitable for cross-border examinations within the MDK system with the advantage that further trends could be uncovered by more variety and larger numbers of the randomly selected cases. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Probabilistic liquefaction hazard analysis at liquefied sites of 1956 Dunaharaszti earthquake, in Hungary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Győri, Erzsébet; Gráczer, Zoltán; Tóth, László; Bán, Zoltán; Horváth, Tibor

2017-04-01

Liquefaction potential evaluations are generally made to assess the hazard from specific scenario earthquakes. These evaluations may estimate the potential in a binary fashion (yes/no), define a factor of safety or predict the probability of liquefaction given a scenario event. Usually the level of ground shaking is obtained from the results of PSHA. Although it is determined probabilistically, a single level of ground shaking is selected and used within the liquefaction potential evaluation. In contrary, the fully probabilistic liquefaction potential assessment methods provide a complete picture of liquefaction hazard, namely taking into account the joint probability distribution of PGA and magnitude of earthquake scenarios; both of which are key inputs in the stress-based simplified methods. Kramer and Mayfield (2007) has developed a fully probabilistic liquefaction potential evaluation method using a performance-based earthquake engineering (PBEE) framework. The results of the procedure are the direct estimate of the return period of liquefaction and the liquefaction hazard curves in function of depth. The method combines the disaggregation matrices computed for different exceedance frequencies during probabilistic seismic hazard analysis with one of the recent models for the conditional probability of liquefaction. We have developed a software for the assessment of performance-based liquefaction triggering on the basis of Kramer and Mayfield method. Originally the SPT based probabilistic method of Cetin et al. (2004) was built-in into the procedure of Kramer and Mayfield to compute the conditional probability however there is no professional consensus about its applicability. Therefore we have included not only Cetin's method but Idriss and Boulanger (2012) SPT based moreover Boulanger and Idriss (2014) CPT based procedures into our computer program. In 1956, a damaging earthquake of magnitude 5.6 occurred in Dunaharaszti, in Hungary. Its epicenter was located about 5 km from the southern boundary of Budapest. The quake caused serious damages in the epicentral area and in the southern districts of the capital. The epicentral area of the earthquake is located along the Danube River. Sand boils were observed in some locations that indicated the occurrence of liquefaction. Because their exact locations were recorded at the time of the earthquake, in situ geotechnical measurements (CPT and SPT) could be performed at two (Dunaharaszti and Taksony) sites. The different types of measurements enabled the probabilistic liquefaction hazard computations at the two studied sites. We have compared the return periods of liquefaction that were computed using different built-in simplified stress based methods.

Organization of research team for nano-associated safety assessment in effort to study nanotoxicology of zinc oxide and silica nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Kim, Yu-Ri; Park, Sung Ha; Lee, Jong-Kwon; Jeong, Jayoung; Kim, Ja Hei; Meang, Eun-Ho; Yoon, Tae Hyun; Lim, Seok Tae; Oh, Jae-Min; An, Seong Soo A; Kim, Meyoung-Kon

2014-01-01

Currently, products made with nanomaterials are used widely, especially in biology, bio-technologies, and medical areas. However, limited investigations on potential toxicities of nanomaterials are available. Hence, diverse and systemic toxicological data with new methods for nanomaterials are needed. In order to investigate the nanotoxicology of nanoparticles (NPs), the Research Team for Nano-Associated Safety Assessment (RT-NASA) was organized in three parts and launched. Each part focused on different contents of research directions: investigators in part I were responsible for the efficient management and international cooperation on nano-safety studies; investigators in part II performed the toxicity evaluations on target organs such as assessment of genotoxicity, immunotoxicity, or skin penetration; and investigators in part III evaluated the toxicokinetics of NPs with newly developed techniques for toxicokinetic analyses and methods for estimating nanotoxicity. The RT-NASA study was carried out in six steps: need assessment, physicochemical property, toxicity evaluation, toxicokinetics, peer review, and risk communication. During the need assessment step, consumer responses were analyzed based on sex, age, education level, and household income. Different sizes of zinc oxide and silica NPs were purchased and coated with citrate, L-serine, and L-arginine in order to modify surface charges (eight different NPs), and each of the NPs were characterized by various techniques, for example, zeta potentials, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Evaluation of the “no observed adverse effect level” and systemic toxicities of all NPs were performed by thorough evaluation steps and the toxicokinetics step, which included in vivo studies with zinc oxide and silica NPs. A peer review committee was organized to evaluate and verify the reliability of toxicity tests, and the risk communication step was also needed to convey the current findings to academia, industry, and consumers. Several limitations were encountered in the RT-NASA project, and they are discussed for consideration for improvements in future studies. PMID:25565821

Comparison of Different Magnetic Resonance Cholangiography Techniques in Living Liver Donors Including Gd-EOB-DTPA Enhanced T1-Weighted Sequences

PubMed Central

Kinner, Sonja; Steinweg, Verena; Maderwald, Stefan; Radtke, Arnold; Sotiropoulos, Georgios; Forsting, Michael; Schroeder, Tobias

2014-01-01

Objectives Preoperative evaluation of potential living liver donors (PLLDs) includes the assessment of the biliary anatomy to avoid postoperative complications. Aim of this study was to compare T2-weighted (T2w) and Gd-EOB-DTPA enhanced T1-weighted (T1w) magnetic resonance cholangiography (MRC) techniques in the evaluation of PLLDs. Materials and Methods 30 PLLDs underwent MRC on a 1.5 T Magnetom Avanto (Siemens, Erlangen, Germany) using (A) 2D T2w HASTE (Half Fourier Acquisition Single Shot Turbo Spin Echo) fat saturated (fs) in axial plane, (B) 2D T2w HASTE fs thick slices in coronal plane, (C) free breathing 3D T2w TSE (turbo spin echo) RESTORE (high-resolution navigator corrected) plus (D) maximum intensity projections (MIPs), (E) T2w SPACE (sampling perfection with application optimized contrasts using different flip angle evolutions) plus (F) MIPs and (G) T2w TSE BLADE as well as Gd-EOB-DTPA T1w images without (G) and with (H) inversion recovery. Contrast enhanced CT cholangiography served as reference imaging modality. Two independent reviewers evaluated the biliary tract anatomy on a 5-point scale subjectively and objectively. Data sets were compared using a Mann-Whitney-U-test. Kappa values were also calculated. Results Source images and maximum intensity projections of 3D T2w TSE sequences (RESTORE and SPACE) proved to be best for subjective and objective evaluation directly followed by 2D HASTE sequences. Interobserver variabilities were good to excellent (k = 0.622–0.804). Conclusions 3D T2w sequences are essential for preoperative biliary tract evaluation in potential living liver donors. Furthermore, our results underline the value of different MRCP sequence types for the evaluation of the biliary anatomy in PLLDs including Gd-EOB-DTPA enhanced T1w MRC. PMID:25426932

R-IDEAL: A Framework for Systematic Clinical Evaluation of Technical Innovations in Radiation Oncology.

PubMed

Verkooijen, Helena M; Kerkmeijer, Linda G W; Fuller, Clifton D; Huddart, Robbert; Faivre-Finn, Corinne; Verheij, Marcel; Mook, Stella; Sahgal, Arjun; Hall, Emma; Schultz, Chris

2017-01-01

The pace of innovation in radiation oncology is high and the window of opportunity for evaluation narrow. Financial incentives, industry pressure, and patients' demand for high-tech treatments have led to widespread implementation of innovations before, or even without, robust evidence of improved outcomes has been generated. The standard phase I-IV framework for drug evaluation is not the most efficient and desirable framework for assessment of technological innovations. In order to provide a standard assessment methodology for clinical evaluation of innovations in radiotherapy, we adapted the surgical IDEAL framework to fit the radiation oncology setting. Like surgery, clinical evaluation of innovations in radiation oncology is complicated by continuous technical development, team and operator dependence, and differences in quality control. Contrary to surgery, radiotherapy innovations may be used in various ways, e.g., at different tumor sites and with different aims, such as radiation volume reduction and dose escalation. Also, the effect of radiation treatment can be modeled, allowing better prediction of potential benefits and improved patient selection. Key distinctive features of R-IDEAL include the important role of predicate and modeling studies (Stage 0), randomization at an early stage in the development of the technology, and long-term follow-up for late toxicity. We implemented R-IDEAL for clinical evaluation of a recent innovation in radiation oncology, the MRI-guided linear accelerator (MR-Linac). MR-Linac combines a radiotherapy linear accelerator with a 1.5-T MRI, aiming for improved targeting, dose escalation, and margin reduction, and is expected to increase the use of hypofractionation, improve tumor control, leading to higher cure rates and less toxicity. An international consortium, with participants from seven large cancer institutes from Europe and North America, has adopted the R-IDEAL framework to work toward coordinated, evidence-based introduction of the MR-Linac. R-IDEAL holds the promise for timely, evidence-based introduction of radiotherapy innovations with proven superior effectiveness, while preventing unnecessary exposure of patients to potentially harmful interventions.

Organization of research team for nano-associated safety assessment in effort to study nanotoxicology of zinc oxide and silica nanoparticles.

PubMed

Kim, Yu-Ri; Park, Sung Ha; Lee, Jong-Kwon; Jeong, Jayoung; Kim, Ja Hei; Meang, Eun-Ho; Yoon, Tae Hyun; Lim, Seok Tae; Oh, Jae-Min; An, Seong Soo A; Kim, Meyoung-Kon

2014-01-01

Currently, products made with nanomaterials are used widely, especially in biology, bio-technologies, and medical areas. However, limited investigations on potential toxicities of nanomaterials are available. Hence, diverse and systemic toxicological data with new methods for nanomaterials are needed. In order to investigate the nanotoxicology of nanoparticles (NPs), the Research Team for Nano-Associated Safety Assessment (RT-NASA) was organized in three parts and launched. Each part focused on different contents of research directions: investigators in part I were responsible for the efficient management and international cooperation on nano-safety studies; investigators in part II performed the toxicity evaluations on target organs such as assessment of genotoxicity, immunotoxicity, or skin penetration; and investigators in part III evaluated the toxicokinetics of NPs with newly developed techniques for toxicokinetic analyses and methods for estimating nanotoxicity. The RT-NASA study was carried out in six steps: need assessment, physicochemical property, toxicity evaluation, toxicokinetics, peer review, and risk communication. During the need assessment step, consumer responses were analyzed based on sex, age, education level, and household income. Different sizes of zinc oxide and silica NPs were purchased and coated with citrate, L-serine, and L-arginine in order to modify surface charges (eight different NPs), and each of the NPs were characterized by various techniques, for example, zeta potentials, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Evaluation of the "no observed adverse effect level" and systemic toxicities of all NPs were performed by thorough evaluation steps and the toxicokinetics step, which included in vivo studies with zinc oxide and silica NPs. A peer review committee was organized to evaluate and verify the reliability of toxicity tests, and the risk communication step was also needed to convey the current findings to academia, industry, and consumers. Several limitations were encountered in the RT-NASA project, and they are discussed for consideration for improvements in future studies.

Raman spectroscopy as a tool to understand Kerogen production potential

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khatibi, S.; Ostadhassan, M.; Mohammed, R. A.; Alexeyev, A.

2017-12-01

A lot attention has given to unconventional reservoirs specifically oil shale in North America during the last decades. Understanding Kerogen properties in terms of maturity and production potential are crucial for unconventional reservoir. Since, the amount of hydrocarbon generation is a function of kerogen type and content in the formation, and the magnitude and duration in which heat and pressure were applied. This study presents a non-destructive and fast method to determine Kerogen properties in terms of Rock-Eval parameters by means of Raman Spectroscopy. Samples were gathered from upper and lower Bakken formation, with different maturities at different depth. Raman spectroscopy as a powerful nondestructive analytical tool for molecular reconstruction was employed to find Raman spectra of different samples. In the next step, Rock-Eval was performed for each sample and different measurements were made. Then in an original approach, correlation between Rock-Eval parameters with Raman Spectroscopy results was established to fully understand how kerogen productivity potentials can be reflected on the Raman response. Results showed, maturity related parameters (RO, Tmax), S1 (already generated oil in the rock), S2 (potential hydrocarbon) and OSI (oil saturation index as indication of potential oil flow zones) can be correlated to band separation, D band intensity, G band intensity and G/D intensity, respectively. Proposed method provide a fast nondestructive method to evaluate Kerogen quality even at field without any special sample preparation.

Economic and environmental evaluations of extractable coal resources conducted by the U. S. Geological Survey

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ellis, M.S.; Rohrbacher, T.J.; Carter, M.D.; Molnia, C.L.; Osmonson, L.M.; Scott, D.C.

2001-01-01

The Economic and Environmental Evaluations of Extractable Coal Resources (E4CR) project integrates economic analyses of extractable coal resources with environmental and coal quality considerations in order to better understand the contribution that coal resources can make to help meet the Nation’s future energy needs. The project utilizes coal resource information derived from the recent National Coal Resource Assessment (NCRA), National Oil and Gas Assessment (NOGA), and Coal Availability and Recoverability Studies (CARS) conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey and other State and Federal cooperating agencies. The E4CR evaluations are designed to augment economic models created by the U.S. Geological Survey CARS and NCRA projects and by the Department of Energy/Energy Information Administration (DOE/EIA). E4CR evaluations are conducted on potentially minable coal beds within selected coalfields in the United States. Emphasis is placed on coalfields containing Federally owned coal and within or adjacent to Federal lands, as shown in U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheets 012-98, 145-99, and 011-00 (U.S. Geological Survey, 1998, 1999, 2000). Other considerations for the selection of study areas include coal quality, potential environmental impact of coal production activities and coal utilization, the potential for coalbed methane development from the coal, and projected potential for future mining. Completion dates for the E4CR studies loosely follow the schedule for analogous NOGA studies to allow for a comparison of different energy resources in similar geographic areas.

Off-Line Evaluation of Mobile-Centric Indoor Positioning Systems: The Experiences from the 2017 IPIN Competition

PubMed Central

Moreira, Adriano; Lungenstrass, Tomás; Lu, Wei-Chung; Seco, Fernando; Nicolau, Maria João; Farina, Joaquín; Morales, Juan Pablo; Lu, Wen-Chen; Cheng, Ho-Ti; Yang, Shi-Shen

2018-01-01

The development of indoor positioning solutions using smartphones is a growing activity with an enormous potential for everyday life and professional applications. The research activities on this topic concentrate on the development of new positioning solutions that are tested in specific environments under their own evaluation metrics. To explore the real positioning quality of smartphone-based solutions and their capabilities for seamlessly adapting to different scenarios, it is needed to find fair evaluation frameworks. The design of competitions using extensive pre-recorded datasets is a valid way to generate open data for comparing the different solutions created by research teams. In this paper, we discuss the details of the 2017 IPIN indoor localization competition, the different datasets created, the teams participating in the event, and the results they obtained. We compare these results with other competition-based approaches (Microsoft and Perf-loc) and on-line evaluation web sites. The lessons learned by organising these competitions and the benefits for the community are addressed along the paper. Our analysis paves the way for future developments on the standardization of evaluations and for creating a widely-adopted benchmark strategy for researchers and companies in the field. PMID:29415508

Off-Line Evaluation of Mobile-Centric Indoor Positioning Systems: The Experiences from the 2017 IPIN Competition.

PubMed

Torres-Sospedra, Joaquín; Jiménez, Antonio R; Moreira, Adriano; Lungenstrass, Tomás; Lu, Wei-Chung; Knauth, Stefan; Mendoza-Silva, Germán Martín; Seco, Fernando; Pérez-Navarro, Antoni; Nicolau, Maria João; Costa, António; Meneses, Filipe; Farina, Joaquín; Morales, Juan Pablo; Lu, Wen-Chen; Cheng, Ho-Ti; Yang, Shi-Shen; Fang, Shih-Hau; Chien, Ying-Ren; Tsao, Yu

2018-02-06

The development of indoor positioning solutions using smartphones is a growing activity with an enormous potential for everyday life and professional applications. The research activities on this topic concentrate on the development of new positioning solutions that are tested in specific environments under their own evaluation metrics. To explore the real positioning quality of smartphone-based solutions and their capabilities for seamlessly adapting to different scenarios, it is needed to find fair evaluation frameworks. The design of competitions using extensive pre-recorded datasets is a valid way to generate open data for comparing the different solutions created by research teams. In this paper, we discuss the details of the 2017 IPIN indoor localization competition, the different datasets created, the teams participating in the event, and the results they obtained. We compare these results with other competition-based approaches (Microsoft and Perf-loc) and on-line evaluation web sites. The lessons learned by organising these competitions and the benefits for the community are addressed along the paper. Our analysis paves the way for future developments on the standardization of evaluations and for creating a widely-adopted benchmark strategy for researchers and companies in the field.

Evaluation of Aerosol-cloud Interaction in the GISS Model E Using ARM Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DeBoer, G.; Bauer, S. E.; Toto, T.; Menon, Surabi; Vogelmann, A. M.

2013-01-01

Observations from the US Department of Energy's Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) program are used to evaluate the ability of the NASA GISS ModelE global climate model in reproducing observed interactions between aerosols and clouds. Included in the evaluation are comparisons of basic meteorology and aerosol properties, droplet activation, effective radius parameterizations, and surface-based evaluations of aerosol-cloud interactions (ACI). Differences between the simulated and observed ACI are generally large, but these differences may result partially from vertical distribution of aerosol in the model, rather than the representation of physical processes governing the interactions between aerosols and clouds. Compared to the current observations, the ModelE often features elevated droplet concentrations for a given aerosol concentration, indicating that the activation parameterizations used may be too aggressive. Additionally, parameterizations for effective radius commonly used in models were tested using ARM observations, and there was no clear superior parameterization for the cases reviewed here. This lack of consensus is demonstrated to result in potentially large, statistically significant differences to surface radiative budgets, should one parameterization be chosen over another.

Validating predictions from climate envelope models

USGS Publications Warehouse

Watling, J.; Bucklin, D.; Speroterra, C.; Brandt, L.; Cabal, C.; Romañach, Stephanie S.; Mazzotti, Frank J.

2013-01-01

Climate envelope models are a potentially important conservation tool, but their ability to accurately forecast species’ distributional shifts using independent survey data has not been fully evaluated. We created climate envelope models for 12 species of North American breeding birds previously shown to have experienced poleward range shifts. For each species, we evaluated three different approaches to climate envelope modeling that differed in the way they treated climate-induced range expansion and contraction, using random forests and maximum entropy modeling algorithms. All models were calibrated using occurrence data from 1967–1971 (t1) and evaluated using occurrence data from 1998–2002 (t2). Model sensitivity (the ability to correctly classify species presences) was greater using the maximum entropy algorithm than the random forest algorithm. Although sensitivity did not differ significantly among approaches, for many species, sensitivity was maximized using a hybrid approach that assumed range expansion, but not contraction, in t2. Species for which the hybrid approach resulted in the greatest improvement in sensitivity have been reported from more land cover types than species for which there was little difference in sensitivity between hybrid and dynamic approaches, suggesting that habitat generalists may be buffered somewhat against climate-induced range contractions. Specificity (the ability to correctly classify species absences) was maximized using the random forest algorithm and was lowest using the hybrid approach. Overall, our results suggest cautious optimism for the use of climate envelope models to forecast range shifts, but also underscore the importance of considering non-climate drivers of species range limits. The use of alternative climate envelope models that make different assumptions about range expansion and contraction is a new and potentially useful way to help inform our understanding of climate change effects on species.

Evaluation of medical students using the "qi, blood, and fluid" system of Kampo medicine.

PubMed

Arai, Makoto; Arai, Katsuhiko; Hioki, Chizuko; Takashi, Masanori; Matsumoto, Kaori; Honda, Masamitsu; Izumi, Shun-ichiro

2013-04-20

Although "qi, blood, and fluid" (QBF) is the most important concept for patients in Kampo medicine, there are few studies about the conditions of the QBF system among healthy populations. We used QBF pattern scores to determine whether or not medical students, presumed to be healthy, had any potentially pathological conditions. Six consecutive fourth-year classes totaling 652 medical students evaluated their own QBF conditions using Terasawa's QBF pattern scores. The six conditions: "qi deficiency" (QD), "qi stagnation" (QS), "qi counterflow" (QC), "blood deficiency" (BD), "blood stasis" (BS), and "fluid disturbance" (FD), were categorized according to Terasawa's criteria. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the score differences between the genders, Chi-square test was used to examine gender differences in the QBF diagnoses, and the Spearman's rank-order correlation coefficient analysis was used to analyze the correlation between each category of QBF. In all, 44.6% of the students met at least one diagnostic criterion in the QBF system. QC, BD, BS, and FD were established more in females, and QD and QS were established without gender differences. Most students who were presumed to be healthy were revealed to have some potentially pathological conditions using the QBF system.

Non ictal onset zone: A window to ictal dynamics.

PubMed

Afra, Pegah; Hanrahan, Sara J; Kellis, Spencer Sterling; House, Paul

2017-01-01

The focal and network concepts of epilepsy present different aspects of electroclinical phenomenon of seizures. Here, we present a 23-year-old man undergoing surgical evaluation with left fronto-temporal electrocorticography (ECoG) and microelectrode-array (MEA) in the middle temporal gyrus (MTG). We compare action-potential (AP) and local field potentials (LFP) recorded from MEA with ECoG. Seizure onset in the mesial-temporal lobe was characterized by changes in the pattern of AP-firing without clear changes in LFP or ECoG in MTG. This suggests simultaneous analysis of neuronal activity in differing spatial scales and frequency ranges provide complementary insights into how focal and network neurophysiological activity contribute to ictal activity.

Common method biases in behavioral research: a critical review of the literature and recommended remedies.

PubMed

Podsakoff, Philip M; MacKenzie, Scott B; Lee, Jeong-Yeon; Podsakoff, Nathan P

2003-10-01

Interest in the problem of method biases has a long history in the behavioral sciences. Despite this, a comprehensive summary of the potential sources of method biases and how to control for them does not exist. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to examine the extent to which method biases influence behavioral research results, identify potential sources of method biases, discuss the cognitive processes through which method biases influence responses to measures, evaluate the many different procedural and statistical techniques that can be used to control method biases, and provide recommendations for how to select appropriate procedural and statistical remedies for different types of research settings.

Evaluation of advanced lift concepts and potential fuel conservation for short-haul aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sweet, H. S.; Renshaw, J. H.; Bowden, M. K.

1975-01-01

The effect of different field lengths, cruise requirements, noise level, and engine cycle characteristics on minimizing fuel consumption and minimizing operating cost at high fuel prices were evaluated for some advanced short-haul aircraft. The conceptual aircraft were designed for 148 passengers using the upper surface-internally blown jet flap, the augmentor wing, and the mechanical flap lift systems. Advanced conceptual STOL engines were evaluated as well as a near-term turbofan and turboprop engine. Emphasis was given to designs meeting noise levels equivalent to 95-100 EPNdB at 152 m (500 ft) sideline.

[Potentialities of the vegetative resonance test for diagnostics of hyperplastic processes in vocal folds].

PubMed

Ukhankova, N I; Sotskaia, T Iu

2010-01-01

The objective of the present study was to evaluate potentialities of the vegetative resonance test (VRT) for the elucidation of metabolic aspects of the inflammatory process in different forms of chronic vocal fold hyperplasty. The proposed diagnostic criteria characterize the inflammatory process in the larynx, specific features of metabolism in patients presenting with catarrhal and oedematopolypous laryngitis, characteristic changes in oedematofibrous and fibrous polyps. The use of VRT allowed diagnostic criteria for precarcinogenic conditions in the larynx to be developed.

NanoRiskCat: a conceptual tool for categorization and communication of exposure potentials and hazards of nanomaterials in consumer products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hansen, Steffen Foss; Jensen, Keld Alstrup; Baun, Anders

2014-01-01

The literature on nano(eco)toxicology is growing rapidly and has become increasingly difficult to interpret. We have developed a systematic tool called NanoRiskCat that can support companies and regulators in their first-tier assessment and communication on what they know about the hazard and exposure potential of consumer products containing engineered nanomaterials. The final outcome of NanoRiskCat is communicated in the form of a short-title describing the intended use and five colored dots. The first three dots refer to the qualitative exposure potential for professional end-users, consumers and the environment, whereas the last two refers to the hazard potential for humans and the environment. Each dot can be assigned one of four different colors, i.e. red, yellow, green, and gray indicating high, medium, low, and unknown, respectively. In this paper, we first introduce the criteria used to evaluate the exposure potential and the human and environmental hazards of specific uses of the nanoproduct. We then apply NanoRiskCat to eight different nanoproducts. The human and environmental exposure potential was found to be high (i.e., red) for many of the products due to direct application on skin and subsequent environmental release. In the NanoRiskCat evaluation, many of the nanomaterials achieve a red human and environmental hazard profile as there is compelling in vivo evidence to associate them with irreversible effects, e.g., carcinogenicity, respiratory, and cardiovascular effects, etc., in laboratory animals. A significant strength of NanoRiskCat is that it can be used even in cases where lack of data is prominent.

Geotechnology and landscape ecology applied to the selection of potential forest fragments for seed harvesting.

PubMed

Santos, Alexandre Rosa Dos; Antonio Alvares Soares Ribeiro, Carlos; de Oliveira Peluzio, Telma Machado; Esteves Peluzio, João Batista; de Queiroz, Vagner Tebaldi; Figueira Branco, Elvis Ricardo; Lorenzon, Alexandre Simões; Domingues, Getulio Fonseca; Marcatti, Gustavo Eduardo; de Castro, Nero Lemos Martins; Teixeira, Thaisa Ribeiro; Dos Santos, Gleissy Mary Amaral Dino Alves; Santos Mota, Pedro Henrique; Ferreira da Silva, Samuel; Vargas, Rozimelia; de Carvalho, José Romário; Macedo, Leandro Levate; da Silva Araújo, Cintia; de Almeida, Samira Luns Hatum

2016-12-01

The Atlantic Forest biome is recognized for its biodiversity and is one of the most threatened biomes on the planet, with forest fragmentation increasing due to uncontrolled land use, land occupation, and population growth. The most serious aspect of the forest fragmentation process is the edge effect and the loss of biodiversity. In this context, the aim of this study was to evaluate the dynamics of forest fragmentation and select potential forest fragments with a higher degree of conservation for seed harvesting in the Itapemirim river basin, Espírito Santo State, Brazil. Image classification techniques, forest landscape ecology, and multi-criteria analysis were used to evaluate the evolution of forest fragmentation to develop the landscape metric indexes, and to select potential forest fragments for seed harvesting for the years 1985 and 2013. According to the results, there was a reduction of 2.55% of the occupancy of the fragments in the basin between the years 1985 and 2013. For the years 1985 and 2013, forest fragment units 2 and 3 were spatialized with a high potential for seed harvesting, representing 6.99% and 16.01% of the total fragments, respectively. The methodology used in this study has the potential to be used to support decisions for the selection of potential fragments for seed harvesting because selecting fragments in different environments by their spatial attributes provides a greater degree of conservation, contributing to the protection and conscious management of the forests. The proposed methodology can be adapted to other areas and different biomes of the world. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessment of flood risk in Tokyo metropolitan area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hirano, J.; Dairaku, K.

2013-12-01

Flood is one of the most significant natural hazards in Japan. The Tokyo metropolitan area has been affected by several large flood disasters. Therefore, investigating potential flood risk in Tokyo metropolitan area is important for development of adaptation strategy for future climate change. We aim to develop a method for evaluating flood risk in Tokyo Metropolitan area by considering effect of historical land use and land cover change, socio-economic change, and climatic change. Ministry of land, infrastructure, transport and tourism in Japan published 'Statistics of flood', which contains data for flood causes, number of damaged houses, area of wetted surface, and total amount of damage for each flood at small municipal level. By using these flood data, we estimated damage by inundation inside a levee for each prefecture based on a statistical method. On the basis of estimated damage, we developed flood risk curves in the Tokyo metropolitan area, representing relationship between damage and exceedance probability of flood for the period 1976-2008 for each prefecture. Based on the flood risk curve, we attempted evaluate potential flood risk in the Tokyo metropolitan area and clarify the cause for regional difference of flood risk. By analyzing flood risk curves, we found out regional differences of flood risk. We identified high flood risk in Tokyo and Saitama prefecture. On the other hand, flood risk was relatively low in Ibaraki and Chiba prefecture. We found that these regional differences of flood risk can be attributed to spatial distribution of entire property value and ratio of damaged housing units in each prefecture.We also attempted to evaluate influence of climate change on potential flood risk by considering variation of precipitation amount and precipitation intensity in the Tokyo metropolitan area. Results shows that we can evaluate potential impact of precipitation change on flood risk with high accuracy by using our methodology. Acknowledgments This study is conducted as part of the research subject "Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate Change in Water Hazard Assessed Using Regional Climate Scenarios in the Tokyo Region' (National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention; PI: Koji Dairaku) of Research Program on Climate Change Adaptation (RECCA) and was supported by the SOUSEI Program, funded by Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Government of Japan

Bioimpedance for oedema evaluation after total knee arthroplasty.

PubMed

Pichonnaz, Claude; Bassin, Jean-Philippe; Currat, Damien; Martin, Estelle; Jolles, Brigitte M

2013-09-01

Electrical bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS) allows the evaluation of limb extracellular fluid (R0) and total fluid (Rinf). BIS could facilitate post-surgical oedema evaluation after total knee arthroplasty (TKA), as it is easily performed and is non-invasive. However, neither its applicability in this context nor the influence of metallic implants on measurement has been evaluated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of TKA implants on the BIS R0 and Rinf variables used for oedema evaluation. This was a prospective non-randomized comparative clinical trial. One oedema-free group of patients with TKA was compared with a group presenting similar characteristics except for the arthroplasty, to assess the influence of the implant on BIS measurement in the absence of oedema. The TKA group included 15 patients who had undergone surgery more than a year previously, and the control group included 19 patients awaiting TKA surgery. Volume and perimeter measurements served as reference criterions. The lower limb percentage differences for BIS, knee perimeter and volume were calculated. The significance of differences between groups was calculated for all measurement methods, using the Mann-Whitney test. The setting was a Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology in a university hospital. The differences between groups were not significant for R0, Rinf, volume and perimeter. R0 showed the smallest mean difference in limb percentage difference between groups [means (SD): TKA 3.98 (8.09), controls 3.97 (5.16)]. The lower-leg percentage difference in the TKA group is comparable with that of healthy subjects. R0 can be used for oedema evaluation following TKA surgery, as there was no sign of alteration from the metallic implant. These findings indicate the potential for early oedema evaluation after TKA. More research is warranted to extensively validate the application of BIS for oedema evaluation after TKA. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Using conservation value to assess land restoration and management alternatives across a degraded oak savanna landscape

USGS Publications Warehouse

Grundel, R.; Pavlovic, N.B.

2008-01-01

1. Managers considering restoration of landscapes often face a fundamental challenge - what should be the habitat composition of the restored landscape? We present a method for evaluating an important conservation trade-off inherent in making that decision. 2. Oak savannas and grasslands were historically widespread across central North America but are now rare. Today, in north-west Indiana, USA, habitats spanning a range of woody vegetation density, from nearly treeless open habitats to forests, occur across the conserved landscape where savannas probably once dominated. To understand the benefits of different potential landscape compositions, we evaluated how different proportions of five habitats - open, savanna, woodland, scrub and forest - might affect the conservation value of the north-west Indiana landscape for birds. Two variables of potential conservation importance were examined: species diversity, a measure of avian community richness, and conservation index, the percentage of a bird species' global population occurring on a hectare of landscape, summed across all bird species present. Higher values of conservation index were associated with higher local densities of globally more rare and more threatened species. 3. Conservation index and species diversity were correlated negatively across hypothetical landscapes composed of different proportions of the five habitats. Therefore, a management trade-off existed between conservation index and species diversity because landscapes that maximized species diversity differed from landscapes that maximized conservation index. 4. A landscape of 50% open, 22% savanna, 15% scrub and 13% forest was predicted to represent a compromise at which conservation index and species diversity reached the same percentage of their maxima. In contrast, the current landscape is dominated by forest. 5. Synthesis and applications. We quantified the trade-off between two potential aspects of a landscape's conservation value for birds - the landscape's ability to promote avian species diversity and the landscape's use by threatened avian species. This quantification allowed us to evaluate the ability of different landscape compositions to achieve preferable trade-off compromises, such as maximizing diversity for a given level of landscape use by threatened species. Managers can use these trade-off results to determine which landscape compositions are associated with particular conservation and management priorities.

Phloem water relations and translocation.

PubMed

Kaufmann, M R; Kramer, P J

1967-02-01

Satisfactory measurements of phloem water potential of trees can be obtained with the Richards and Ogata psychrometer and the vapor equilibration techniques, although corrections for loss of dry weight and for heating by respiration are required for the vapor equilibrium values. The psychrometer technique is the more satisfactory of the 2 because it requires less time for equilibration, less tissue, and less handling of tissue. Phloem water potential of a yellow-poplar tree followed a diurnal pattern quite similar to that of leaves, except that the values were higher (less negative) and changed less than in the leaves.The psychrometer technique permits a different approach to the study of translocation in trees. Measurements of water potential of phloem discs followed by freezing of samples and determination of osmotic potential allows estimation of turgor pressure in various parts of trees as the difference between osmotic potential and total water potential. This technique was used in evaluating gradients in water potential, osmotic potential, and turgor pressure in red maple trees. The expected gradients in osmotic potential were observed in the phloem, osmotic potential of the cell sap increasing (sap becoming more dilute) down the trunk. However, values of water potential were such that a gradient in turgor pressure apparently did not exist at a time when rate of translocation was expected to be high. These results do not support the mass flow theory of translocation favored by many workers.

Phloem Water Relations and Translocation 1

PubMed Central

Kaufmann, Merrill R.; Kramer, Paul J.

1967-01-01

Satisfactory measurements of phloem water potential of trees can be obtained with the Richards and Ogata psychrometer and the vapor equilibration techniques, although corrections for loss of dry weight and for heating by respiration are required for the vapor equilibrium values. The psychrometer technique is the more satisfactory of the 2 because it requires less time for equilibration, less tissue, and less handling of tissue. Phloem water potential of a yellow-poplar tree followed a diurnal pattern quite similar to that of leaves, except that the values were higher (less negative) and changed less than in the leaves. The psychrometer technique permits a different approach to the study of translocation in trees. Measurements of water potential of phloem discs followed by freezing of samples and determination of osmotic potential allows estimation of turgor pressure in various parts of trees as the difference between osmotic potential and total water potential. This technique was used in evaluating gradients in water potential, osmotic potential, and turgor pressure in red maple trees. The expected gradients in osmotic potential were observed in the phloem, osmotic potential of the cell sap increasing (sap becoming more dilute) down the trunk. However, values of water potential were such that a gradient in turgor pressure apparently did not exist at a time when rate of translocation was expected to be high. These results do not support the mass flow theory of translocation favored by many workers. PMID:16656495

Evaluation of the Quality of Action Cameras with Wide-Angle Lenses in Uav Photogrammetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hastedt, H.; Ekkel, T.; Luhmann, T.

2016-06-01

The application of light-weight cameras in UAV photogrammetry is required due to restrictions in payload. In general, consumer cameras with normal lens type are applied to a UAV system. The availability of action cameras, like the GoPro Hero4 Black, including a wide-angle lens (fish-eye lens) offers new perspectives in UAV projects. With these investigations, different calibration procedures for fish-eye lenses are evaluated in order to quantify their accuracy potential in UAV photogrammetry. Herewith the GoPro Hero4 is evaluated using different acquisition modes. It is investigated to which extent the standard calibration approaches in OpenCV or Agisoft PhotoScan/Lens can be applied to the evaluation processes in UAV photogrammetry. Therefore different calibration setups and processing procedures are assessed and discussed. Additionally a pre-correction of the initial distortion by GoPro Studio and its application to the photogrammetric purposes will be evaluated. An experimental setup with a set of control points and a prospective flight scenario is chosen to evaluate the processing results using Agisoft PhotoScan. Herewith it is analysed to which extent a pre-calibration and pre-correction of a GoPro Hero4 will reinforce the reliability and accuracy of a flight scenario.

Differential expression of cell cycle and WNT pathway-related genes accounts for differences in the growth and differentiation potential of Wharton's jelly and bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells.

PubMed

Batsali, Aristea K; Pontikoglou, Charalampos; Koutroulakis, Dimitrios; Pavlaki, Konstantia I; Damianaki, Athina; Mavroudi, Irene; Alpantaki, Kalliopi; Kouvidi, Elisavet; Kontakis, George; Papadaki, Helen A

2017-04-26

In view of the current interest in exploring the clinical use of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from different sources, we performed a side-by-side comparison of the biological properties of MSCs isolated from the Wharton's jelly (WJ), the most abundant MSC source in umbilical cord, with bone marrow (BM)-MSCs, the most extensively studied MSC population. MSCs were isolated and expanded from BM aspirates of hematologically healthy donors (n = 18) and from the WJ of full-term neonates (n = 18). We evaluated, in parallel experiments, the MSC immunophenotypic, survival and senescence characteristics as well as their proliferative potential and cell cycle distribution. We also assessed the expression of genes associated with the WNT- and cell cycle-signaling pathway and we performed karyotypic analysis through passages to evaluate the MSC genomic stability. The hematopoiesis-supporting capacity of MSCs from both sources was investigated by evaluating the clonogenic cells in the non-adherent fraction of MSC co-cultures with BM or umbilical cord blood-derived CD34 + cells and by measuring the hematopoietic cytokines levels in MSC culture supernatants. Finally, we evaluated the ability of MSCs to differentiate into adipocytes and osteocytes and the effect of the WNT-associated molecules WISP-1 and sFRP4 on the differentiation potential of WJ-MSCs. Both ex vivo-expanded MSC populations showed similar morphologic, immunophenotypic, survival and senescence characteristics and acquired genomic alterations at low frequency during passages. WJ-MSCs exhibited higher proliferative potential, possibly due to upregulation of genes that stimulate cell proliferation along with downregulation of genes related to cell cycle inhibition. WJ-MSCs displayed inferior lineage priming and differentiation capacity toward osteocytes and adipocytes, compared to BM-MSCs. This finding was associated with differential expression of molecules related to WNT signaling, including WISP1 and sFRP4, the respective role of which in the differentiation potential of WJ-MSCs was specifically investigated. Interestingly, treatment of WJ-MSCs with recombinant human WISP1 or sFRP4 resulted in induction of osteogenesis and adipogenesis, respectively. WJ-MSCs exhibited inferior hematopoiesis-supporting potential probably due to reduced production of stromal cell-Derived Factor-1α, compared to BM-MSCs. Overall, these data are anticipated to contribute to the better characterization of WJ-MSCs and BM-MSCs for potential clinical applications.

Potential Analysis of Rainfall-induced Sediment Disaster

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Jing-Wen; Chen, Yie-Ruey; Hsieh, Shun-Chieh; Tsai, Kuang-Jung; Chue, Yung-Sheng

2014-05-01

Most of the mountain regions in Taiwan are sedimentary and metamorphic rocks which are fragile and highly weathered. Severe erosion occurs due to intensive rainfall and rapid flow, the erosion is even worsen by frequent earthquakes and severely affects the stability of hillsides. Rivers are short and steep in Taiwan with large runoff differences in wet and dry seasons. Discharges respond rapidly with rainfall intensity and flood flows usually carry large amount of sediment. Because of the highly growth in economics and social change, the development in the slope land is inevitable in Taiwan. However, sediment disasters occur frequently in high and precipitous region during typhoon. To make the execution of the regulation of slope land development more efficiency, construction of evaluation model for sediment potential is very important. In this study, the Genetic Adaptive Neural Network (GANN) was implemented in texture analysis techniques for the classification of satellite images of research region before and after typhoon or extreme rainfall and to obtain surface information and hazard log data. By using GANN weight analysis, factors, levels and probabilities of disaster of the research areas are presented. Then, through geographic information system the disaster potential map is plotted to distinguish high potential regions from low potential regions. Finally, the evaluation processes for sediment disaster after rainfall due to slope land use are established. In this research, the automatic image classification and evaluation modules for sediment disaster after rainfall due to slope land disturbance and natural environment are established in MATLAB to avoid complexity and time of computation. After implementation of texture analysis techniques, the results show that the values of overall accuracy and coefficient of agreement of the time-saving image classification for different time periods are at intermediate-high level and above. The results of GANN show that the weight of building density is the largest in all slope land disturbance factors, followed by road density, orchard density, baren land density, vegetation density, and farmland density. The weight of geology is the largest in all natural environment factors, followed by slope roughness, slope, and elevation. Overlaying the locations of large sediment disaster in the past on the potential map predicted by GANN, we found that most damage areas were in the region with medium-high or high potential of landslide. Therefore, the proposed potential model of sediment disaster can be used in practice.

Comparison of different static methods for assessment of AMD generation potential in mining waste dumps in the Muteh Gold Mines, Iran.

PubMed

Mohammadi, Zohreh; Modabberi, Soroush; Jafari, Mohammad Reza; Ajayebi, Kimia Sadat

2015-06-01

Acid mine drainage (AMD) gives rise to several problems in sulfide-bearing mineral deposits whether in an ore body or in the mining wastes and tailings. Hence, several methods and parameters have been proposed to evaluate the acid-producing and acid-neutralizing potential of a material. This research compares common static methods for evaluation of acid-production potential of mining wastes in the Muteh gold mines by using 62 samples taken from six waste dumps around Senjedeh and Chah-Khatoun mines. According to a detailed mineralogical study, the waste materials are composed of mica-schist and quartz veins with a high amount of pyrite and are supposed to be susceptible to acid production, and upon a rainfall, they release acid drainage. All parameters introduced in different methods were calculated and compared in this research in order to predict the acid-generating and neutralization potential, including APP, NNP, MPA, NPR, and NAGpH. Based on the analytical results and calculation of different parameters, all methods are in a general consensus that DWS-02 and DWS-03 waste dumps are acid-forming which is clearly attributed to high content of pyrite in samples. DWS-04 is considered as non-acid forming in all methods except method 8 which is uncertain about its acid-forming potential and method 7 which considers a low potential for it. DWC-01 is acid-forming based on all methods except 8, 9, 10, and 11 which are also uncertain about its potential. The methods used are not reached to a compromise on DWS-01 and DWC-02 waste dumps. It is supposed that method 7 gives the conservationist results in all cases. Method 8 is unable to decide on some cases. It is recommended to use and rely on results provided by methods 1, 2, 3, and 12 for taking decisions for further studies. Therefore, according to the static tests used, the aforementioned criteria in selected methods can be used with much confidence as a rule of thumb estimation.

How Communication Context Impacts Judgments of a Potential Peer Mentor

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christofides, Emily; Wood, Eileen; Benn, Amanda Catherine; Desmarais, Serge; Westfall, Krista

2017-01-01

Disclosure is a critical element of interpersonal relationships and individuals are often evaluated on what they share with others, whether in personal, professional, or learning contexts. Technology now allows for many different outlets for communicating with other people. We used experimental methods to explore the impact of communication medium…

Evaluation of Physical Strength of Wheat Straw Under Different Fertilizer Treatments and Rates

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Application of nitrogen (N) fertilizer as urea ammonium nitrate and N plus sulfur fertilizer as ammonium thiosulfate as a mist on crop residue to stimulate microbial activity and subsequent decomposition of the residue is often debated, particularly for its potential to solve stand establishment iss...

Do Differences in Exposures Explain the Observed Heterogeneity in PM2.5 - Mortality Associations across U.S. cities?

EPA Science Inventory

This analysis evaluates exposure factors as potential determinants of the heterogeneity in city-specific associations between PM2.5 and mortality. Exposure factor variables were created based on housing characteristics, commuting patterns, heating fuel usage, and climatic factors...

NREL Suite of Tools for PV and Storage Analysis

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

Elgqvist, Emma M; Salasovich, James A

Many different factors such as the solar resource, technology costs and incentives, utility cost and consumption, space available, and financial parameters impact the technical and economic potential of a PV project. NREL has developed techno-economic modeling tools that can be used to evaluate PV projects at a site.

Executive Jobs and Executive Continuity, ’An Investigation with Special Reference to Swiss Army Instructors’,

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-12-01

people. This requires accepting different ways of doing things; evaluating worker potential; and seeina the consequences beyond the results. (6) Managing ... innovation . This includes knowing how to anticipate innovation and how to make innovation economically effective. This implies seeing innova- tion as

Applying isozyme analyses in tree-breeding programs

Treesearch

W. T. Adams

1981-01-01

Four examples illustrate the potential for practical use of isozyme analyses in applied breeding programs. These include identifying parent trees and clones, seed sources, and parentage of controlled crosses, and evaluating the effectiveness of different procedures involving open-pollination to produce seed of specific crosses. The improved ability to assess the true...

Preserving older adults' routine outdoor activities in contrasting neighborhood environments through a physical activity intervention

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

While neighborhood design can potentially influence routine outdoor physical activities (PA), little is known concerning its effects on such activities among older adults attempting to increase their PA levels. We evaluated the effects of living in neighborhoods differing in compactness on changes i...

Phosphorus and nitrogen losses from poultry litter stacks and leaching through soils

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The practice of stacking poultry litter in fields prior to spreading provides important logistical benefits to farmers but is controversial due to its potential to serve as a source of nutrients to leachate and runoff. We evaluated nutrient fate under stacked poultry litter to assess differences in ...

MUTAGENICITY EVALUATION OF THE COMMERCIAL PRODUCT CI DISPERSE BLUE 291 USING DIFFERENT PROTOCOLS OF THE SALMONELLA ASSAY

EPA Science Inventory

Textile dyes can enter the water ecosystem through wastewater discharges potentially exposing humans through the consumption of water and food. The commercial disperse dye product C.I. Disperse Blue 291 containing the aminoazobenzene 2-[(2-bromo-4,6-dinitrophenyl)azo]-5(diethylam...

Effect of silhouette color on trap catches of Dendroctonus frontalis (Coleoptera: Scolytidae)

Treesearch

B.L. Strom; R.A. Goyer

2001-01-01

With the exception of responses to semiochemicals, host selection behaviors of D. frontalis are largely unstudied. To better understand the host finding behavior of D. frontalis, and to identify potential visual disruptants, we evaluated the response of D. frontalis to multiple-funnel traps of eight different...

Assessment of potential economic and environmental impacts caused by Phytophthora ramorum in Europe

Treesearch

Hella Kehlenbeck

2008-01-01

Economic and environmental impacts of Phytophthora ramorum in Europe were evaluated within the European Union framework 6 project on ?Risk Analysis for P. ramorum a pathogen threat to Europe? (RAPRA). Impact assessment was conducted according to three different scenarios: 1. ?Nursery System? - describes losses occurring in...

Integrating Sustainability Programs into the Facilities Capital Planning Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buchanan, Susan

2011-01-01

With detailed information about the costs and benefits of potential green investments, educational facilities can effectively evaluate which initiatives will ultimately provide the greatest results over the short and long term. Based on its overall goals, every school, college, or university will have different values and therefore different…

Phosphorus retention by fly-ash amended filter media in aged bioretention cells

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Bioretention cells (BRCs) have shown potential for stormwater quantity and quality control. However, the phosphorus (P) removal in BRC has been variable due to differences of soil properties in filter media. The objectives of this research were to identify and evaluate P accumulation in filter media...

77 FR 13095 - Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for NOAA Restoration Center Programmatic...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-05

... Coastal Wetland Planning, Protection and Restoration Act (CWPPRA) Program, and the Great Lakes Habitat... Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for NOAA Restoration Center Programmatic Coastal Habitat... (PEIS) to evaluate the potential environmental impacts of different ranges of coastal and marine habitat...

VLEs, Social Stories and Children with Autism: A Prototype Implementation and Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Volioti, C.; Tsiatsos, T.; Mavropoulou, S.; Karagiannidis, C.

2016-01-01

Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) have been successfully used in educational interventions for children with Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC) for overcoming their persistent differences related to social communication and imagination. This paper investigates the potential of VLEs presenting Social Stories, as an advantageous pathway for the…

Cognitive Indicators of Different Levels of Special Educational Support Needs in Autism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aljunied, Mariam; Frederickson, Norah

2011-01-01

Potential cognitive indicators of the level of special educational needs (SEN) were investigated in 52 children with autism. Two general indicators (intelligence quotient and cognitive modifiability) and three specific indicators (theory of mind, executive functioning and central coherence) were evaluated for their ability to discriminate three…

Use of different spices as potential natural antioxidant additives on cooked beans (Phaseolus vulgaris). Increase of DPPH radical scavenging activity and total phenolic content.

PubMed

Pereira, Marina Pelincer; Tavano, Olga Luisa

2014-12-01

Herbs and spices, excellent sources of phenolic compounds, can be considered potential antioxidant additives. The use of spices must strike a balance between their potential antioxidant capabilities during preparation and the flavor acceptance, in order to avoid rejection of the food. The aimed of this study is to evaluate the influence of different spices and their concentrations on cooked common beans, focusing its potential as antioxidant additives. Onion, parsley, spring onion, laurel and coriander increased the antioxidant activity of preparation when used at 7.96 g of onion, 1.06 g parsley, 3.43 g spring onion, 0.25 g laurel (dry leaves), and 0.43 g coriander/100 g of cooked beans. Besides, these spices concentrations enhance total phenolics and alter the mixture protein digestibility minimally. For garlic samples it was not possible to establish a concentration that increases the antioxidant activity of cooked beans.

S-wave Approach for \\varvec{nnp} and \\varvec{ppn} Systems with Phenomenological Correction for Singlet \\varvec{NN} Potentials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vlahovic, B.; Suslov, V. M.; Filikhin, I.

2017-03-01

Three-nucleon systems are considered assuming the neutrons and protons to be distinguishable particles. The configuration space Faddeev equations within the s-wave approach are applied for studying bound state and scattering problems. The phenomenological Malfliet-Tjon MT I-III and Afnan-Tang ATS3 NN potentials are used with scaling factors chosen to reproduce the singlet nn, pp and np experimental scattering lengths. Numerical evaluation for the charge symmetry breaking energy is found to be about 50 keV for ^3H and ^3He nuclei. To determine any effects related to the nn ( pp) and np potential differences, the nd and pd breakup scattering calculations were performed at E_{lab}=4.0 and 14.1 MeV. We found the effects due to potential differences are small but noticeable. We discuss the dependence of calculated inelasticities and phase-shifts with respect to the chosen value for cutoff radius.

Cyclic voltammetry to evaluate the antioxidant potential in winemaking by-products.

PubMed

José Jara-Palacios, M; Luisa Escudero-Gilete, M; Miguel Hernández-Hierro, J; Heredia, Francisco J; Hernanz, Dolores

2017-04-01

Grape pomace is composed of seeds, skins and stems that are an important source of phenolic substances, which have antioxidant properties and potential benefits to human health. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) has been used to measure the total antioxidant potential of different winemaking by-products. The electrochemical behavior of pomace, seeds, skins and stems was measured by CV and lipid peroxidation inhibition by thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) method. Differences for the electrochemical parameter were found between the by-products, pomace and seeds, which presented the greatest voltammetric peak area. Furthermore, the by-products induced inhibition of lipid peroxidation in rat liver homogenates. Pomace and seeds showed higher capacity to inhibit lipid peroxidation than stems and skins, which could be because these by-products are richer in flavanols. Simple regression analyses showed that voltammetric parameters are highly correlated to the values obtained for lipid peroxidation inhibition. CV is a promising technique to estimate the total antioxidant potential of phenolic extract from winemaking by-products. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Aquifer Characterization and Groundwater Potential Evaluation in Sedimentary Rock Formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ashraf, M. A. M.; Yusoh, R.; Sazalil, M. A.; Abidin, M. H. Z.

2018-04-01

This study was conducted to characterize the aquifer and evaluate the ground water potential in the formation of sedimentary rocks. Electrical resistivity and drilling methods were used to develop subsurface soil profile for determining suitable location for tube well construction. The electrical resistivity method was used to infer the subsurface soil layer by use of three types of arrays, namely, the pole–dipole, Wenner, and Schlumberger arrays. The surveys were conducted using ABEM Terrameter LS System, and the results were analyzed using 2D resistivity inversion program (RES2DINV) software. The survey alignments were performed with maximum electrode spreads of 400 and 800 m by employing two different resistivity survey lines at the targeted zone. The images were presented in the form of 2D resistivity profiles to provide a clear view of the distribution of interbedded sandstone, siltstone, and shale as well as the potential groundwater zones. The potential groundwater zones identified from the resistivity results were confirmed using pumping, step drawdown, and recovery tests. The combination among the three arrays and the correlation between the well log and pumping test are reliable and successful in identifying potential favorable zones for obtaining groundwater in the study area.

Apoptosis induction and anti-cancer activity of LeciPlex formulations.

PubMed

Dhawan, Vivek V; Joshi, Ganesh V; Jain, Ankitkumar S; Nikam, Yuvraj P; Gude, Rajiv P; Mulherkar, Rita; Nagarsenker, Mangal S

2014-10-01

Cationic agents have been reported to possess anti-neoplastic properties against various cancer cell types. However, their complexes with lipids appear to interact differently with different cancer cells. The purpose of this study was to (i) design and generate novel cationic lecithin nanoparticles, (ii) assess and understand the mechanism underlying their putative cytotoxicity and (iii) test their effect on cell cycle progression in various cancer-derived cell lines. In addition, we aimed to evaluate the in vivo potential of these newly developed nanoparticles in oral anti-cancer delivery. Cationic lecithin nanoparticles were generated using a single step nanoprecipitation method and they were characterized for particle size, zeta potential, stability and in vitro release. Their cytotoxic potential was assessed using a sulforhodamine B assay, and their effect on cell cycle progression was evaluated using flow cytometry. The nanoparticle systems were also tested in vivo for their anti-tumorigenic potential. In contrast to cationic agents alone, the newly developed nanoformulations showed a specific toxicity against cancer cells. The mechanism of toxic cell death included apoptosis, S and G2/M cell cycle phase arrest, depending on the type of cationic agent and the cancer-derived cell line used. Both blank and drug-loaded systems exhibited significant anti-cancer activity, suggesting a synergistic anti-tumorigenic effect of the drug and its delivery system. Both in vitro and in vivo data indicate that cationic agents themselves exhibit broad anti-neoplastic activities. Complex formation of the cationic agents with phospholipids was found to provide specificity to the anti-cancer activity. These formulations thus possess potential for the design of effective anti-cancer delivery systems.

Customizing semen preservation protocols for individual dogs and individual species: sperm preservation beyond the state of the art.

PubMed

Farstad, W

2012-12-01

Sperm quality can be variable in morphometric and physiological attributes between males of different species, between males within species subtypes reared under different environmental conditions, between ejaculates of the same male or even between sperm populations within an ejaculate. Clinical semen evaluation is based on evaluation of whole ejaculates, which is not a chemically or physiologically well-defined entity, rather a collection of heterogeneous subpopulations giving different measurements and possessing different fertilizing potential. Identification of subpopulations with different motility patterns is important as well as characterizing the subtle structural changes underlying the motility differences observed. The ability to identify populations of sperm responding rapidly or failing to progress through the capacitation process may have clinical applications. Studies of lipid-phase fluidity of sperm membranes, mathematical modelling of membrane ion transport, role of modifying components and detergent-resistant microdomains are of particular interest. When customizing extenders to ejaculates from cryosensitive males or species, a thorough knowledge of species sperm membrane physiology and an assessment of the individual ejaculate's sperm populations are necessary. Structural differences have been found in sperm membranes between fox species with different cryosurvival potential of their spermatozoa. Supplementation of lipids and detergents in cryoextenders may influence membrane fluidity of the surviving spermatozoa in a species-dependent manner and influence capacitation. Immobilization of sperm prior to cryopreservation with subsequent slow release of sperm in the female genital tract may be a way to prolong the fertile life of sperm. In canids with a long oocyte maturation time, delayed capacitation may be beneficial. © 2012 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

A device-specific prioritization strategy based on the potential for harm to human health in informal WEEE recycling.

PubMed

Cesaro, Alessandra; Belgiorno, Vincenzo; Vaccari, Mentore; Jandric, Aleksander; Chung, Tran Duc; Dias, Maria Isabel; Hursthouse, Andrew; Salhofer, Stefan

2018-01-01

In developing countries, the recovery of valuable materials from Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) is carried out via uncontrolled practices, posing potentially severe risks both to human health and the environment. The assessment of the risk, which depends on both the kind and hazardous properties of the substances contained in WEEE, is currently limited as the exposure scenario for the single informal practice cannot be fully characterized for this purpose. In this context, this work proposes and evaluates a strategy to identify the relative potential harm of different kinds of WEEE by their content in metals, selected as the target substances of concern. This was based on the individual metal content, primarily located in the printed circuit boards (PCBs) of the different devices. The metal composition of the individual PCBs was identified and the dominant unregulated metal recovery practices were reviewed to identify the most suitable parameter to express the toxicity of these metals. Based on a mass-normalized cumulative toxicity, via the inhalation route, individual components were assessed from compositional variation found in the literature. The results is a semiquantitative ranking of individual components, revealing significant differences in potential harm posed by different electronic appliances and an opportunity to provide prioritization strategies in future management.

Evaluation of antioxidant, in vitro cytotoxicity of micropropagated and naturally grown plants of Leptadenia reticulata (Retz.) Wight & Arn.-an endangered medicinal plant.

PubMed

Mohanty, Sudipta Kumar; Malappa, Kumaraswamy; Godavarthi, Ashok; Subbanarasiman, Balasubramanya; Maniyam, Anuradha

2014-09-01

To evaluate the antioxidant and anti proliferative potential of different solvent extract of micropropagated and naturally grown plants of Leptadenia reticulata against various cancer cell lines. In this study different extract were tested for cytotoxicity against human breast adenocarcinoma cell line MCF-7, human colon adenocarcinoma grade II cell line HT-29 and non cancer skeletal muscle cell line L6 through 3-(4, 5-dimethyl thiazol-2-yl)-5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay. The total antioxidant potential was estimated by three different antioxidant model diphenylpicrylhydrazyl free radical scavenging activity, H2O2 scavenging activity and FeCl3 reducing activity. The ethyl acetate extract of both naturally grown plant and tissue cultured plant exhibited significant cytotoxicity with IC50 values of 21 µg/mL, 26 µg/mL and 22 µg/mL; 20 µg/mL, 30 µg/mL and 18 µg/mL respectively against three cell lines. The diphenylpicrylhydrazyl free radical scavenging activity was found to be highest with IC50 value of 267.13 µg/mL in ethyl acetate extract. The methanolic extract exhibited moderate antioxidant activity with IC50 value of 510.15 µg/mL. A highly positive correlation was observed between the antioxidant potential and cytotoxic activity of the plant. The strong cytotoxicity of ethyl acetate extract revealed anti carcinogenic potential of the plant which supports its traditional use as medicine. The present investigation is new to literature till date and will provide better scientific basis for future pharmacological, in vivo studies and novel source of pure bioactive compounds having anti cancer properties in this plant. Copyright © 2014 Hainan Medical College. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of Süleymanköy (Diyarbakir, Eastern Turkey) and Seferihisar (Izmir, Western Turkey) Self Potential Anomalies with Multilayer Perceptron Neural Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaftan, Ilknur; Sindirgi, Petek

2013-04-01

Self-potential (SP) is one of the oldest geophysical methods that provides important information about near-surface structures. Several methods have been developed to interpret SP data using simple geometries. This study investigated inverse solution of a buried, polarized sphere-shaped self-potential (SP ) anomaly via Multilayer Perceptron Neural Networks ( MLPNN ). The polarization angle ( α ) and depth to the centre of sphere ( h )were estimated. The MLPNN is applied to synthetic and field SP data. In order to see the capability of the method in detecting the number of sources, MLPNN was applied to different spherical models at different depths and locations.. Additionally, the performance of MLPNN was tested by adding random noise to the same synthetic test data. The sphere model successfully obtained similar parameters under different S/N ratios. Then, MLPNN method was applied to two field examples. The first one is the cross section taken from the SP anomaly map of the Ergani-Süleymanköy (Turkey) copper mine. MLPNN was also applied to SP data from Seferihisar Izmir (Western Turkey) geothermal field. The MLPNN results showed good agreement with the original synthetic data set. The effect of The technique gave satisfactory results following the addition of 5% and 10% Gaussian noise levels. The MLPNN results were compared to other SP interpretation techniques, such as Normalized Full Gradient (NFG), inverse solution and nomogram methods. All of the techniques showed strong similarity. Consequently, the synthetic and field applications of this study show that MLPNN provides reliable evaluation of the self potential data modelled by the sphere model.

Geomatics for Mapping of Groundwater Potential Zones in Northern Part of the United Arab Emiratis - Sharjah City

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Ruzouq, R.; Shanableh, A.; Merabtene, T.

2015-04-01

In United Arab Emirates (UAE) domestic water consumption has increased rapidly over the last decade. The increased demand for high-quality water, create an urgent need to evaluate the groundwater production of aquifers. The development of a reasonable model for groundwater potential is therefore crucial for future systematic developments, efficient management, and sustainable use of groundwater resources. The objective of this study is to map the groundwater potential zones in northern part of UAE and assess the contributing factors for exploration of potential groundwater resources. Remote sensing data and geographic information system will be used to locate potential zones for groundwater. Various maps (i.e., base, soil, geological, Hydro-geological, Geomorphologic Map, structural, drainage, slope, land use/land cover and average annual rainfall map) will be prepared based on geospatial techniques. The groundwater availability of the basin will qualitatively classified into different classes based on its hydro-geo-morphological conditions. The land use/land cover map will be also prepared for the different seasons using a digital classification technique with a ground truth based on field investigation.

Zeta-potential Analyses using Micro Electrical Field Flow Fractionation with Fluorescent Nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Chang, Moon-Hwan; Dosev, Dosi; Kennedy, Ian M.

2007-01-01

Increasingly growing application of nanoparticles in biotechnology requires fast and accessible tools for their manipulation and for characterization of their colloidal properties. In this work we determine the zeta-potentials for polystyrene nanoparticles using micro electrical field flow fractionation (μ–EFFF) which is an efficient method for sorting of particles by size. The data obtained by μ–EFFF were compared to zeta potentials determined by standard capillary electrophoresis. For proof of concept, we used polystyrene nanoparticles of two different sizes, impregnated with two different fluorescent dyes. Fluorescent emission spectra were used to evaluate the particle separation in both systems. Using the theory of electrophoresis, we estimated the zeta-potentials as a function of size, dielectric permittivity, viscosity and electrophoretic mobility. The results obtained by the μ–EFFF technique were confirmed by the conventional capillary electrophoresis measurements. These results demonstrate the applicability of the μ–EFFF method not only for particle size separation but also as a simple and inexpensive tool for measurements of nanoparticles zeta potentials. PMID:18542710

Spatiotemporal electrochemical measurements across an electric double layer capacitor electrode with application to aqueous sodium hybrid batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tully, Katherine C.; Whitacre, Jay F.; Litster, Shawn

2014-02-01

This paper presents in-situ spatiotemporal measurements of the electrolyte phase potential within an electric double layer capacitor (EDLC) negative electrode as envisaged for use in an aqueous hybrid battery for grid-scale energy storage. The ultra-thick electrodes used in these batteries to reduce non-functional material costs require sufficiently fast through-plane mass and charge transport to attain suitable charging and discharging rates. To better evaluate the through-plane transport, we have developed an electrode scaffold (ES) for making in situ electrolyte potential distribution measurements at discrete known distances across the thickness of an uninterrupted EDLC negative electrode. Using finite difference methods, we calculate local current, volumetric charging current and charge storage distributions from the spatiotemporal electrolyte potential measurements. These potential distributions provide insight into complex phenomena that cannot be directly observed using other existing methods. Herein, we use the distributions to identify areas of the electrode that are underutilized, assess the effects of various parameters on the cumulative charge storage distribution, and evaluate an effectiveness factor for charge storage in EDLC electrodes.

Placing the power of real options analysis into the hands of natural resource managers - taking the next step.

PubMed

Nelson, Rohan; Howden, Mark; Hayman, Peter

2013-07-30

This paper explores heuristic methods with potential to place the analytical power of real options analysis into the hands of natural resource managers. The complexity of real options analysis has led to patchy or ephemeral adoption even by corporate managers familiar with the financial-market origins of valuation methods. Intuitively accessible methods for estimating the value of real options have begun to evolve, but their evaluation has mostly been limited to researcher-driven applications. In this paper we work closely with Bush Heritage Australia to evaluate the potential of real options analysis to support the intuitive judgement of conservation estate managers in covenanting land with uncertain future conservation value due to climate change. The results show that modified decision trees have potential to estimate the option value of covenanting individual properties while time and ongoing research resolves their future conservation value. Complementing this, Luehrman's option space has potential to assist managers with limited budgets to increase the portfolio value of multiple properties with different conservation attributes. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Potential Impact of Graphic Health Warnings on Cigarette Packages in Reducing Cigarette Demand and Smoking-Related Deaths in Vietnam.

PubMed

Minh, Hoang Van; Chung, Le Hong; Giang, Kim Bao; Duc, Duong Minh; Hinh, Nguyen Duc; Mai, Vu Quynh; Cuong, Nguyen Manh; Manh, Pham Duc; Duc, Ha Anh; Yang, Jui-Chen

2016-01-01

Two years after implementation of the graphic health warning intervention in Vietnam, it is very important to evaluate the intervention's potential impact. The objective of this paper was to predict effects of graphic health warnings on cigarette packages, particularly in reducing cigarette demand and smoking-associated deaths in Vietnam. In this study, a discrete choice experiment (DCE) method was used to evaluate the potential impact of graphic tobacco health warnings on smoking demand. To predict the impact of GHWs on reducing premature deaths associated with smoking, we constructed different static models. We adapted the method developed by University of Toronto, Canada and found that GHWs had statistically significant impact on reducing cigarette demand (up to 10.1% through images of lung damage), resulting in an overall decrease of smoking prevalence in Vietnam. We also found that between 428,417- 646,098 premature deaths would be prevented as a result of the GHW intervention. The potential impact of the GHW labels on reducing premature smoking-associated deaths in Vietnam were shown to be stronger among lower socio-economic groups.

Building-integrated photovoltaics: A case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kiss, G.; Kinkead, J.; Raman, M.

1995-03-01

In 1992, Kiss Cathcart Anders Architects performed a study for NREL on Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) issues as seen from the perspective of the building community. In general, the purpose of the study was to list major issues and potential applications; by it's nature it asked more questions than it answered. This second phase study was to produce quantitative data on the performance of specific BIPV systems. Only roof systems are evaluated. The energy performance, construction cost and simple payback for five different BIPV roof options are evaluated in six different locations: Oakland, New York, Miami, Phoenix, Chicago, and Cincinnati. The roof options evaluated include the following: single-glazed PV roof using glass-substrate PVs; double-glazed PV roof with insulating PV modules; ballasted roof-mounted system; sawtooth light monitor roof with indirect north daylighting; sawtooth roof with north light and active heat recovery.

Calibration of redox potential in sperm wash media and evaluation of oxidation-reduction potential values in various assisted reproductive technology culture media using MiOXSYS system.

PubMed

Panner Selvam, M K; Henkel, R; Sharma, R; Agarwal, A

2018-03-01

Oxidation-reduction potential describes the balance between the oxidants and antioxidants in fluids including semen. Various artificial culture media are used in andrology and IVF laboratories for sperm preparation and to support the development of fertilized oocytes under in vitro conditions. The composition and conditions of these media are vital for optimal functioning of the gametes. Currently, there are no data on the status of redox potential of sperm processing and assisted reproduction media. The purpose of this study was to compare the oxidation-reduction potential values of the different media and to calibrate the oxidation-reduction potential values of the sperm wash medium using oxidative stress inducer cumene hydroperoxide and antioxidant ascorbic acid. Redox potential was measured in 10 different media ranging from sperm wash media, freezing media and assisted reproductive technology one-step medium to sequential media. Oxidation-reduction potential values of the sequential culture medium and one-step culture medium were lower and significantly different (p < 0.05) from the sperm wash media. Calibration of the sperm wash media using the oxidant cumene hydroperoxide and antioxidant ascorbic acid demonstrated that oxidation-reduction potential and the concentration of oxidant or antioxidant are logarithmically dependent. This study highlights the importance of calibrating the oxidation-reduction potential levels of the sperm wash media in order to utilize it as a reference value to identify the physiological range of oxidation-reduction potential that does not have any adverse effect on normal physiological sperm function. © 2017 American Society of Andrology and European Academy of Andrology.

The versatile biopolymer chitosan: potential sources, evaluation of extraction methods and applications.

PubMed

Kaur, Surinder; Dhillon, Gurpreet Singh

2014-05-01

Among the biopolymers, chitin and its derivative chitosan (CTS) have been receiving increasing attention. Both are composed of randomly distributed β-(1-4)-linked d-glucosamine and N-acetyl glucosamine units. On commercial scale, CTS is mainly obtained from the crustacean shells. The chemical methods employed for extraction of CTS from crustacean shells are laden with many disadvantages. Waste fungal biomass represents a potential biological source of CTS, in fact with superior physico-chemical properties, such as high degree of deacetylation, low molecular weight, devoid of protein contamination and high bioactivity. Researchers around the globe are attempting to commercialize CTS production and extraction from fungal sources. Fungi are promising and environmentally benign source of CTS and they have the potential to completely replace crustacean-derived CTS. Waste fungal biomass resulting from various pharmaceutical and biotechnological industries is grown on inexpensive agro-industrial wastes and its by-products are a rich and inexpensive source of CTS. CTS is emerging as an important natural polymer having broad range of applications in different fields. In this context, the present review discusses the potential sources of CTS and their advantages and disadvantages. This review also deals with potential applications of CTS in different fields. Finally, the various attributes of CTS sought in different applications are discussed.

Toward production from gas hydrates: Current status, assessment of resources, and simulation-based evaluation of technology and potential

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moridis, G.J.; Collett, T.S.; Boswell, R.; Kurihara, M.; Reagan, M.T.; Koh, C.; Sloan, E.D.

2009-01-01

Gas hydrates (GHs) are a vast energy resource with global distribution in the permafrost and in the oceans. Even if conservative estimates are considered and only a small fraction is recoverable, the sheer size of the resource is so large that it demands evaluation as a potential energy source. In this review paper, we discuss the distribution of natural GH accumulations, the status of the primary international research and development (R&D) programs, and the remaining science and technological challenges facing the commercialization of production. After a brief examination of GH accumulations that are well characterized and appear to be models for future development and gas production, we analyze the role of numerical simulation in the assessment of the hydrate-production potential, identify the data needs for reliable predictions, evaluate the status of knowledge with regard to these needs, discuss knowledge gaps and their impact, and reach the conclusion that the numerical-simulation capabilities are quite advanced and that the related gaps either are not significant or are being addressed. We review the current body of literature relevant to potential productivity from different types of GH deposits and determine that there are consistent indications of a large production potential at high rates across long periods from a wide variety of hydrate deposits. Finally, we identify (a) features, conditions, geology and techniques that are desirable in potential production targets; (b) methods to maximize production; and (c) some of the conditions and characteristics that render certain GH deposits undesirable for production. Copyright ?? 2009 Society of Petroleum Engineers.

Toward production from gas hydrates: Current status, assessment of resources, and simulation-based evaluation of technology and potential

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moridis, G.J.; Collett, T.S.; Boswell, R.; Kurihara, M.; Reagan, M.T.; Koh, C.; Sloan, E.D.

2008-01-01

Gas hydrates are a vast energy resource with global distribution in the permafrost and in the oceans. Even if conservative estimates are considered and only a small fraction is recoverable, the sheer size of the resource is so large that it demands evaluation as a potential energy source. In this review paper, we discuss the distribution of natural gas hydrate accumulations, the status of the primary international R&D programs, and the remaining science and technological challenges facing commercialization of production. After a brief examination of gas hydrate accumulations that are well characterized and appear to be models for future development and gas production, we analyze the role of numerical simulation in the assessment of the hydrate production potential, identify the data needs for reliable predictions, evaluate the status of knowledge with regard to these needs, discuss knowledge gaps and their impact, and reach the conclusion that the numerical simulation capabilities are quite advanced and that the related gaps are either not significant or are being addressed. We review the current body of literature relevant to potential productivity from different types of gas hydrate deposits, and determine that there are consistent indications of a large production potential at high rates over long periods from a wide variety of hydrate deposits. Finally, we identify (a) features, conditions, geology and techniques that are desirable in potential production targets, (b) methods to maximize production, and (c) some of the conditions and characteristics that render certain gas hydrate deposits undesirable for production. Copyright 2008, Society of Petroleum Engineers.

Habitability Assessment on Earth in Preparation for Mars Science Laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Conrad, Pamela; Mahaffy, Paul

NASA's upcoming Mars Science Laboratory mission is designed to explore and quantitatively assess a local region on the surface of Mars as a potential habitat for life, past or present. In advance of this complex mission, we are developing metrics from which to frame such an assess-ment. Evaluation of habitability potential is clearly different and more challenging than direct measurement of a discrete potential such as a voltage, which is a single parameter expressing the magnitude of a difference between a ground state and a measurable charge. Habitability potential is likely to require measurement of several parameters whose relationships determine the threshold value above which an environment may be deemed habitable in some regard. On Earth, in the continuum from uninhabitable to inhabited, one can measure environmental parameters that co-vary with biological parameters such as total biomass, functional diversity and/or ecotype along that binary join. Recognition of this statistical association facilitates development of predictive tools for assessment of habitability potential in environments that fall in between the end members of the habitability spectrum. The success of a habitabil-ity investigation on Mars depends upon development of criteria that can be agreed upon by the scientific community that will enable interpretation of the data from experiments on Mars within the context of a scalar notion of habitability, which we describe in this report. The scalar approach involves (1) measurement of physical, chemical and biological features of the candidate environment, (2) normalization of the scales over which they vary and (3) evaluation of their covariance. Inclusion of biological measurements, e.g., total biomass, diversity, ecotype, etc., serves as a benchmark in Earth environments, and the subsequent step in a campaign to develop a habitability scale involves measuring and analyzing only the chemical and physical environmental parameters, then predicting the habitability of the environment and validating the prediction with the biological measurements. Ultimately, one compares the parameters we measure at Earth analogs to environments of deposition that are most consistent with the candidate MSL landing sites. In this way, we can optimize the measurement approach of the powerful MSL payload to evaluate the habitability potential at the field site where its mission conducts surface operations.

Delayed Immunomodulatory Effect of Cow Milk-Free Diet in Ménière's Disease.

PubMed

Di Berardino, Federica; Zanetti, Diego

2018-02-01

Since 1930, dietary modification has been proposed as adjunct treatment in Ménière's disease (MD) with different and controversial results. We report the case of a 42-year-old female suffering from definite MD and intermittent seasonal allergic rhino-conjunctivitis because it highlights the importance of evaluating the different combinations of defined causative elements in an atopic patient with MD. An immunological and audiological evaluation was performed, including pure-tone, speech, and immittance audiometry; glycerol dehydration test; bithermal caloric testing; video head impulse test; cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potentials; static posturography; and Dizziness Handicap Inventory questionnaire. A milk-free diet was crucial to relief from MD symptoms and a cow's milk challenge test was able to evoke them but vestibukar symptoms persist. The effect of dietary modification was evident only after specific immunotherapies against other allergens. This highlights the importance of evaluating different combinations of defined causative elements in the allergic treatment of MD.

Development of an Alert System to Detect Drug Interactions with Herbal Supplements using Medical Record Data.

PubMed

Archer, Melissa; Proulx, Joshua; Shane-McWhorter, Laura; Bray, Bruce E; Zeng-Treitler, Qing

2014-01-01

While potential medication-to-medication interaction alerting engines exist in many clinical applications, few systems exist to automatically alert on potential medication to herbal supplement interactions. We have developed a preliminary knowledge base and rules alerting engine that detects 259 potential interactions between 9 supplements, 62 cardiac medications, and 19 drug classes. The rules engine takes into consideration 12 patient risk factors and 30 interaction warning signs to help determine which of three different alert levels to categorize each potential interaction. A formative evaluation was conducted with two clinicians to set initial thresholds for each alert level. Additional work is planned add more supplement interactions, risk factors, and warning signs as well as to continue to set and adjust the inputs and thresholds for each potential interaction.

Physicochemical characteristics of pristine and functionalized graphene.

PubMed

Bourdo, Shawn E; Al Faouri, Radwan; Sleezer, Robert; Nima, Zeid A; Lafont, Andersen; Chhetri, Bijay P; Benamara, Mourad; Martin, Betty; Salamo, Gregory J; Biris, Alexandru S

2017-11-01

Graphene-based nanomaterials have received significant attention in the last decade due to their interesting properties. Its electrical and thermal conductivity and strength make graphene well suited for a variety of applications, particularly for use as a composite material in plastics. Furthermore, much work is taking place to utilize graphene as a biomaterial for uses such as drug delivery and tissue regeneration scaffolds. Owing to the rapid progress of graphene and its potential in many marketplaces, the potential toxicity of these materials has garnered attention. Graphene, while simple in its purest form, can have many different chemical and physical properties. In this paper, we describe our toxicity evaluation of pristine graphene and a functionalized graphene sample that has been oxidized for enhanced hydrophilicity, which was synthesized from the pristine sample. The samples were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, zeta-potential, atomic force microscopy and electron microscopy. We discuss the disagreement between the size of imaged samples analyzed by atomic force microscopy and by transmission electron microscopy. Furthermore, the samples each exhibit quite different surface chemistry and structure, which directly affects their interaction with aqueous environments and is important to consider when evaluating the toxicity of materials both in vitro and in vivo. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Pre-donation cognitions of potential living organ donors: the development of the Donation Cognition Instrument in potential kidney donors.

PubMed

Wirken, Lieke; van Middendorp, Henriët; Hooghof, Christina W; Sanders, Jan-Stephan F; Dam, Ruth E; van der Pant, Karlijn A M I; Berendsen, Elsbeth C M; Wellink, Hiske; Dackus, Henricus J A; Hoitsma, Andries J; Hilbrands, Luuk B; Evers, Andrea W M

2017-03-01

Cognitions surrounding living organ donation, including the motivation to donate, expectations of donation and worries about donation, are relevant themes during living donor evaluation. However, there is no reliable psychometric instrument assessing all these different cognitions. This study developed and validated a questionnaire to assess pre-donation motivations, expectations and worries regarding donation, entitled the Donation Cognition Instrument (DCI). Psychometric properties of the DCI were examined using exploratory factor analysis for scale structure and associations with validated questionnaires for construct validity assessment. From seven Dutch transplantation centres, 719 potential living kidney donors were included. The DCI distinguishes cognitions about donor benefits, recipient benefits, idealistic incentives, gratitude and worries about donation (Cronbach's alpha 0.76-0.81). Scores on pre-donation cognitions differed with regard to gender, age, marital status, religion and donation type. With regard to construct validity, the DCI was moderately correlated with expectations regarding donor's personal well-being and slightly to moderately to health-related quality of life. The DCI is found to be a reliable instrument assessing cognitions surrounding living organ donation, which might add to pre-donation quality of life measures in facilitating psychosocial donor evaluation by healthcare professionals. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of ERA-EDTA. All rights reserved.

Preliminary nutritional and biological potential of Artocarpus heterophyllus L. shell powder.

PubMed

Sharma, Anubhuti; Gupta, Priti; Verma, A K

2015-03-01

Artocarpus heterophyllus shell powder was investigated in terms of its nutritional and biological potential. A thorough examination of shell powder demonstrated its potential as a source of minerals, β carotene and dietary fiber, which were assessed gravimetrically & spectrophotometrically. This showed 3.05 ± 0.19 g 100 g(-1) DW of alkaloids followed by saponins and tannins. Three different extracts; acetone, methanol, & mix solvent were used to evaluate phenolic & flavonoid content, antioxidant & antimicrobial activity, GC/MS screening and quantitative analysis of polyphenols. Among all, the methanol extract showed highest antioxidant activity evaluated by DPPH, FRAP & ABTS assays and was significantly correlated with phenolic and flavonoid contents. Phenolic & flavonoid content was found to be 158 ± 0.34 mg (GAE) and 10.0 ± 0.64 mg (CE) respectively. The results of antimicrobial activity showed that L. monocytogenes was more susceptible to all extracts followed by other microorganisms. Catechin, ascorbic & chlorogenic acids were identified as major polyphenols analyzed by LC-MS/MS. GC/MS analysis showed that it contains a variety of compounds with different therapeutic activities. The study revealed that A. heterophyllus shell is a good source of natural antioxidants & other bioactive compounds and can be used in cosmetics, medicines and functional food application.

Power systems for future missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gill, S. P.; Frye, P. E.; Littman, Franklin D.; Meisl, C. J.

1994-01-01

A comprehensive scenario of future missions was developed and applicability of different power technologies to these missions was assessed. Detailed technology development roadmaps for selected power technologies were generated. A simple methodology to evaluate economic benefits of current and future power system technologies by comparing Life Cycle Costs of potential missions was developed. The methodology was demonstrated by comparing Life Cycle Costs for different implementation strategies of DIPS/CBC technology to a selected set of missions.

An electrochemical approach to development of a method for accele strength evaluation of hard tissue replacement materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Byung Jun; Kim, Min Gun

2003-04-01

To develop a method of accelerating the strength evaluation of hard tissue replacement materials (Ti-6Al-4V alloy) with an electrochemical approach in the short term, corrosion tests were carried out on Ti-6Al-4V alloy) by means of applying a uniform current to a simulated physiological environment and the potental difference was scanned to check the variations in the resistance of the specimens. As a result, the corrosion behavior was monitored by scanning the potential difference and an empirical formula for controlling the corrosion behavior of the Ti-6Al-4V alloy in the simulated physiological environment was proposed.

Duration perception of emotional stimuli: Using evaluative conditioning to avoid sensory confounds.

PubMed

Kliegl, Katrin M; Watrin, Luc; Huckauf, Anke

2015-01-01

It has been found that emotional pictures are estimated to last longer than neutral ones. However, emotional and neutral stimuli often differ in their physical characteristics, too. Since this might also affect time perception, we present a method disentangling a possible confounding regarding the processing of physically different stimulus material. In the evaluative condition paradigm, participants, at first, learnt the association of neutral images with a certain Landolt ring and of emotional images with another Landolt ring with a different gap position. The conditioned Landolt rings were subsequently used in a temporal bisection task. In two experiments, the results revealed a temporal overestimation of Landolt rings conditioned with emotional pictures compared to neutral pictures showing that the temporal overestimation of emotional stimuli cannot be attributed to perceptual differences between neutral and emotional stimuli. The method provides the potential for investigating emotional effects on various perceptual processes.

Initial evaluation of an ultrasound measure for assessing the activity of skin lesions in juvenile localized scleroderma.

PubMed

Li, S C; Liebling, M S; Haines, K A; Weiss, J E; Prann, A

2011-05-01

To evaluate the construct validity of 2 proposed measures (the Ultrasound Disease Activity [U-DA] and the Tissue Thickness Score [TTS]) for evaluating sonographic differences in juvenile localized scleroderma skin lesions. We conducted a retrospective review of juvenile localized scleroderma patients who had ultrasound scans of their skin lesions between October 2005 and February 2009. Imaged lesions were classified as active or inactive based upon clinical assessment. Lesions had to have been imaged within 1 month of a clinic visit or have the same clinical assessment during both the visit before and the visit after the scan. Two physicians scored the scans using the U-DA, which scores for differences in lesion echogenicity and vascularity compared with normal tissue. Tissue thickness differences were evaluated by percent differences and by using the TTS. Wilcoxon's rank sum test was performed to assess differences. We studied 52 scans from 21 patients, 32 scans of active skin lesions and 20 scans of inactive skin lesions. Features reported by clinicians as indicative of active disease included erythema, warmth, violaceous color, new lesion, expansion of lesion, and induration. The U-DA was significantly different between active and inactive skin lesions (P = 0.0010) with significant differences found for the parameters of total echogenicity, hypodermis echogenicity, and deep tissue layer vascularity (P = 0.0014, P = 0.0023, and P = 0.0374, respectively). No significant differences were found for tissue layer thickness or TTS. The U-DA may be a useful tool in the identification of localized scleroderma activity. Further study is needed to prospectively evaluate the validity, reliability, and sensitivity of this potential monitoring tool. Copyright © 2011 by the American College of Rheumatology.

Testing nano-silver food packaging to evaluate silver migration and food spoilage bacteria on chicken meat.

PubMed

Gallocchio, Federica; Cibin, Veronica; Biancotto, Giancarlo; Roccato, Anna; Muzzolon, Orietta; Carmen, Losasso; Simone, Belluco; Manodori, Laura; Fabrizi, Alberto; Patuzzi, Ilaria; Ricci, Antonia

2016-06-01

Migration of nanomaterials from food containers into food is a matter of concern because of the potential risk for exposed consumers. The aims of this study were to evaluate silver migration from a commercially available food packaging containing silver nanoparticles into a real food matrix (chicken meat) under plausible domestic storage conditions and to test the contribution of such packaging to limit food spoilage bacteria proliferation. Chemical analysis revealed the absence of silver in chicken meatballs under the experimental conditions in compliance with current European Union legislation, which establishes a maximum level of 0.010 mg kg(-1) for the migration of non-authorised substances through a functional barrier (Commission Regulation (EU) No. 10/2011). On the other hand, microbiological tests (total microbial count, Pseudomonas spp. and Enterobacteriaceae) showed no relevant difference in the tested bacteria levels between meatballs stored in silver-nanoparticle plastic bags or control bags. This study shows the importance of testing food packaging not only to verify potential silver migration as an indicator of potential nanoparticle migration, but also to evaluate the benefits in terms of food preservation so as to avoid unjustified usage of silver nanoparticles and possible negative impacts on the environment.

Antifungal activities of cytochalasins produced by Diaporthe miriciae, an endophytic fungus associated with tropical medicinal plants.

PubMed

Carvalho, Camila Rodrigues de; Ferreira-D'Silva, Alice; Wedge, David E; Cantrell, Charles L; Rosa, Luiz H

2018-06-06

In the present study, we evaluated the antifungal potential of cytochalasins produced by Diaporthe taxa against phytopathogenic fungi. Using molecular methods, seven endophytic fungal strains from the medicinal plants Copaifera pubiflora and Melocactus ernestii were identified as D. miriciae, while two isolates were identified to the genus level (Diaporthe sp.). All crude extracts of Diaporthe species produced via solid-state fermentation were evaluated by 1H NMR analyses. Crude extracts of the isolates D. miriciae UFMGCB 6350, 7719, 7646, 7653, 7701, 7772, and 7770 and Diaporthe sp. UFMGCB 7696 and 7720 were demonstrated to produce highly functionalized compounds. The extracts of D. miriciae UFMGCB 7719 and 6350 were selected as representative Diaporthe samples and subjected to bioassay-directed fractionation to isolate cytochalasins H and J. Cytochalasins H and J were evaluated for activities against the fungal plant pathogens Colletotrichum fragariae, C. gloeosporioides, C. acutatum, Botrytis cinerea, Fusarium oxysporum, Phomopsis obscurans, and P. viticola using microdilution broth assays. Cytochalasin H and J exhibited the most potent activities against the Phomopsis species tested. Our results showed that Diaporthe species were potential producers of different cytochalasins, which exhibit potential for controlling fungal diseases in planta and/or maintaining antagonism.

Effect of five year storage on total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity of almond (Amygdalus communisL.) hull and shell from different genotypes.

PubMed

Moosavi Dolatabadi, Khadijeh Sadat; Dehghan, Gholamreza; Hosseini, Siavash; Jahanban Esfahlan, Ali

2015-01-01

Almond (Prunus amygdalus) hull and shell are agricultural by-products that are a source of phenolic compounds.The processing of almond produce shell and hull, accounts for more than 50% by dry weight of the almond fruits. Recently, more studies have focused on the influence of storage conditions and postharvest handling on the nutritional quality of fruits, especially the antioxidant phenolics. In this study, influence of long-term storage (five years) on the total phenolic and antioxidant capacity of almond hull and shell from different genotypes was evaluated. The fruits of subjected genotypes were collected and their hull and shell were separated. They were dried and reduced to fine powder. This powder stored at room temperature for five years. The total phenolic content (TPC) and bioactivities (antioxidant potential: DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging and reducing power) of extracts were evaluated using spectrophotometric methods. It was found that TPC content and bioactivity levels in the stored almond hull and shell were different, compared to the hulls and shells which were evaluated in 2007. S1-4 genotype had the highest TPC and reducing power in its hull and shell.Low correlation coefficient was observed between phenolic content and the DPPH radical scavenging percentage in hull and shell extract. For the first time, results of this investigation showed that storage can influence the antioxidant and antiradical potential of almond hull and shell.

Genotoxic effects of environmental endocrine disruptors on the aquatic insect Chironomus riparius evaluated using the comet assay.

PubMed

Martínez-Paz, Pedro; Morales, Mónica; Martínez-Guitarte, José Luis; Morcillo, Gloria

2013-12-12

Genotoxicity is one of the most important toxic endpoints in chemical toxicity testing and environmental risk assessment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the genotoxic potential of various environmental pollutants frequently found in aquatic environments and characterized by their endocrine disrupting activity. Monitoring of DNA damage was undertaken after in vivo exposures of the aquatic larvae of the midge Chironomus riparius, a model organism that represents an abundant and ecologically relevant macroinvertebrate, widely used in freshwater toxicology. DNA-induced damage, resulting in DNA fragmentation, was quantified by the comet assay after short (24 h) and long (96 h) exposures to different concentrations of the selected toxicants: bisphenol A (BPA), nonylphenol (NP), pentachlorophenol (PCP), tributyltin (TBT) and triclosan (TCS). All five compounds were found to have genotoxic activity as demonstrated by significant increases in all the comet parameters (%DNA in tail, tail length, tail moment and Olive tail moment) at all tested concentrations. Persistent exposure did not increase the extent of DNA damage, except for TCS at the highest concentration, but generally there was a reduction in DNA damage thought to be associated with the induction of the detoxification processes and repairing mechanisms. Comparative analysis showed differences in the genotoxic potential between the chemicals, as well as significant time and concentration-dependent variations, which most likely reflect differences in the ability to repair DNA damage under the different treatments. The present report demonstrates the sensitivity of the benthic larvae of C. riparius to these environmental genotoxins suggesting its potential as biomonitor organism in freshwater ecosystems. The results obtained about the DNA-damaging potential of these environmental pollutants reinforce the need for additional studies on the genotoxicity of endocrine active substances that, by linking genotoxic activity to other biological responses, could provide further understanding of adverse effects in aquatic environments. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

DART MS based chemical profiling for therapeutic potential of Piper betle landraces.

PubMed

Bajpai, Vikas; Pandey, Renu; Negi, Mahendra Pal Singh; Kumar, Nikhil; Kumar, Brijesh

2012-12-01

Piper betle Linn. leaves are traditionally used as a folk medicine in India and other Asiatic countries. Twenty-one P. betle landraces were analyzed using a Direct Analysis in Real Time (DART) mass spectral technique and evaluated on the basis of molecules detected in the leaves. Clustering of landraces based on three well known biologically active phenols (m/z 151,165,193) showed two broad groups with high and low phenol contents suggesting differences in their therapeutic potential. Findings of this study could be useful in rapid screening of the landraces for determining their medicinal potential and optimum utilization of the bioresource.

A Literature Survey and Experimental Evaluation of the State-of-the-Art in Uplift Modeling: A Stepping Stone Toward the Development of Prescriptive Analytics.

PubMed

Devriendt, Floris; Moldovan, Darie; Verbeke, Wouter

2018-03-01

Prescriptive analytics extends on predictive analytics by allowing to estimate an outcome in function of control variables, allowing as such to establish the required level of control variables for realizing a desired outcome. Uplift modeling is at the heart of prescriptive analytics and aims at estimating the net difference in an outcome resulting from a specific action or treatment that is applied. In this article, a structured and detailed literature survey on uplift modeling is provided by identifying and contrasting various groups of approaches. In addition, evaluation metrics for assessing the performance of uplift models are reviewed. An experimental evaluation on four real-world data sets provides further insight into their use. Uplift random forests are found to be consistently among the best performing techniques in terms of the Qini and Gini measures, although considerable variability in performance across the various data sets of the experiments is observed. In addition, uplift models are frequently observed to be unstable and display a strong variability in terms of performance across different folds in the cross-validation experimental setup. This potentially threatens their actual use for business applications. Moreover, it is found that the available evaluation metrics do not provide an intuitively understandable indication of the actual use and performance of a model. Specifically, existing evaluation metrics do not facilitate a comparison of uplift models and predictive models and evaluate performance either at an arbitrary cutoff or over the full spectrum of potential cutoffs. In conclusion, we highlight the instability of uplift models and the need for an application-oriented approach to assess uplift models as prime topics for further research.

Evaluation of an interactive science publishing tool: toward enabling three-dimensional analysis of medical images.

PubMed

Rinewalt, Daniel; Williams, Betsy W; Reeves, Anthony P; Shah, Palmi; Hong, Edward; Mulshine, James L

2015-03-01

Higher resolution medical imaging platforms are rapidly emerging, but there is a challenge in applying these tools in a clinically meaningful way. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate a novel three-dimensional (3D) software imaging environment, known as interactive science publishing (ISP), in appraising 3D computed tomography images and to compare this approach with traditional planar (2D) imaging in a series of lung cancer cases. Twenty-four physician volunteers at different levels of training across multiple specialties were recruited to evaluate eight lung cancer-related clinical vignettes. The volunteers were asked to compare the performance of traditional 2D versus the ISP 3D imaging in assessing different visualization environments for diagnostic and measurement processes and to further evaluate the ISP tool in terms of general satisfaction, usability, and probable applicability. Volunteers were satisfied with both imaging methods; however, the 3D environment had significantly higher ratings. Measurement performance was comparable using both traditional 2D and 3D image evaluation. Physicians not trained in 2D measurement approaches versus those with such training demonstrated better performance with ISP and preferred working in the ISP environment. Recent postgraduates with only modest self-administered training performed equally well on 3D and 2D cases. This suggests that the 3D environment has no reduction in accuracy over the conventional 2D approach, while providing the advantage of a digital environment for cross-disciplinary interaction for shared problem solving. Exploration of more effective, efficient, self-directed training could potentially result in further improvement in image evaluation proficiency and potentially decrease training costs. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Meaning of the field dependence of the renormalization scale in Higgs inflation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamada, Yuta; Kawai, Hikaru; Nakanishi, Yukari; Oda, Kin-ya

2017-05-01

We consider the prescription dependence of the Higgs effective potential under the presence of general nonminimal couplings. We evaluate the fermion loop correction to the effective action in a simplified Higgs-Yukawa model whose path integral measure takes simple form either in the Jordan or Einstein frame. The resultant effective action becomes identical in both cases when we properly take into account the quartically divergent term coming from the change of measure. Working in the counterterm formalism, we clarify that the difference between the prescriptions I and II comes from the counter term to cancel the logarithmic divergence. This difference can be absorbed into the choice of tree-level potential from the infinitely many possibilities, including all the higher-dimensional terms. We also present another mechanism to obtain a flat potential by freezing the running of the effective quartic coupling for large field values, using the nonminimal coupling in the gauge kinetic function.

Statistical Primer on Biosimilar Clinical Development.

PubMed

Isakov, Leah; Jin, Bo; Jacobs, Ira Allen

A biosimilar is highly similar to a licensed biological product and has no clinically meaningful differences between the biological product and the reference (originator) product in terms of safety, purity, and potency and is approved under specific regulatory approval processes. Because both the originator and the potential biosimilar are large and structurally complex proteins, biosimilars are not generic equivalents of the originator. Thus, the regulatory approach for a small-molecule generic is not appropriate for a potential biosimilar. As a result, different study designs and statistical approaches are used in the assessment of a potential biosimilar. This review covers concepts and terminology used in statistical analyses in the clinical development of biosimilars so that clinicians can understand how similarity is evaluated. This should allow the clinician to understand the statistical considerations in biosimilar clinical trials and make informed prescribing decisions when an approved biosimilar is available.

Vestibular evoked myogenic potential (Vemp): evaluation of responses in normal subjects.

PubMed

Felipe, Lilian; Santos, Marco Aurélio Rocha; Gonçalves, Denise Utsch

2008-01-01

the Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potential (Vemp) is formed by myogenic neurophysiologic responses activated by high-intensity sound stimulation. The response is registered through surface electromyography of the cervical muscles during muscle contraction. The acoustic stimuli activate the saccular macula, the vestibular inferior nerve and the pathways related to the vestibule-spinal descendant nerves. to describe Vemp parameters in a normal population. thirty adults, 13 men and 17 women with no otoneurological complaints were selected. The stimuli were 200 tone burst, with a frequency of 1Hz and intensity of 118 dB Na, band-pass filter ranging from 10Hz to 1500Hz. The first potential biphasic P13-N23 wave was analyzed. no significant difference was observed between the sides of stimulation in terms of latency and amplitude. However, a statistically significant difference was found for amplitude between genders. Vemp demonstrated to be a reliable instrument in the clinical assessment of the vestibular function.

Carrier Propagation Dependence on Applied Potentials in Pentacene Organic Field Effect Transistors Investigated by Impedance Spectroscopy and Electrical Time-of-Flight Techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Jack; Weis, Martin; Taguchi, Dai; Manaka, Takaaki; Iwamoto, Mitsumasa

2011-04-01

Transient measurements of impedance spectroscopy and electrical time-of-flight (TOF) techniques were used for the evaluation of carrier propagation dependence on applied potentials in a pentacene organic field effect transistor (OFET). These techniques are based on carrier propagation, thus isolates the effect of charge density. The intrinsic mobility which is free from contact resistance effects was obtained by measurement of various channel lengths. The obtained intrinsic mobility shows good correspondence with steady-state current-voltage measurement's saturation mobility. However, their power law relations on mobility vs applied potential resulted in different exponents, suggesting different carrier propagation mechanisms, which is attributable to filling of traps or space charge field in the channel region. The hypothesis was verified by a modified electrical TOF experiment which demonstrated how the accumulated charges in the channel influence the effective mobility.

Prey-predator relationship between the cyclopoids Mesocyclops longisetus and Mesocyclops meridianus with Anopheles aquasalis larvae.

PubMed

Pernía, Javier; de Zoppi, Roa Evelyn; Palacios-Cáceres, Mario

2007-06-01

Copepods from the genus Mesocyclops are considered predators and potential biological control for mosquito larvae. Two copepod species M. meridianus and M. longisetus were found in natural developmental habitat for malaria vector Anopheles aquasalis in Paria, Venezuela. Predatory potential on 1st-stage mosquito larvae An. aquasalis was evaluated under laboratory conditions for the 2 species of copepod. Further records of both copepod life cycle and body size were taken. A 2 x 3 factorial design was used, consisting of 1:1 and 10:1 prey-predator ratios with and without interspecific interactions. Despite significant body-size differences, M. longisetus and M. meridianus reached maturity 17 days after hatching with no significant differences. Life cycle span of both copepod species are described for the first time. The 2 species showed the same predatory potential despite larval (prey) abundance variation.

Preparticipation Evaluation for Climbing Sports.

PubMed

Campbell, Aaron D; Davis, Christopher; Paterson, Ryan; Cushing, Tracy A; Ng, Pearlly; Peterson, Charles S; Sedgwick, Peter E; McIntosh, Scott E

2015-09-01

Climbing is a popular wilderness sport among a wide variety of professional athletes and amateur enthusiasts, and many styles are performed across many environments. Potential risks confront climbers, including personal health or exacerbation of a chronic condition, in addition to climbing-specific risks or injuries. Although it is not common to perform a preparticipation evaluation (PPE) for climbing, a climber or a guide agency may request such an evaluation before participation. Formats from traditional sports PPEs can be drawn upon, but often do not directly apply. The purpose of this article was to incorporate findings from expert opinion from professional societies in wilderness medicine and in sports medicine, with findings from the literature of both climbing epidemiology and traditional sports PPEs, into a general PPE that would be sufficient for the broad sport of climbing. The emphasis is on low altitude climbing, and an overview of different climbing styles is included. Knowledge of climbing morbidity and mortality, and a standardized approach to the PPE that involves adequate history taking and counseling have the potential for achieving risk reduction and will facilitate further study on the evaluation of the efficacy of PPEs.

The economics of biobanking and pharmacogenetics databasing: the case of an adaptive platform on breast cancer.

PubMed

Huttin, Christine C; Liebman, Michael N

2013-01-01

This paper aims to discuss the economics of biobanking. Among the critical issues in evaluating potential ROI for creation of a bio-bank are: scale (e.g. local, national, international), centralized versus virtual/distributed, degree of sample annotation/QC procedures, targeted end-users and uses, types of samples, potential characterization, both of samples and annotations. The paper presents a review on cost models for an economic analysis of biobanking for different steps: data collection (e.g. biospecimens in different types of sites, storage, transport and distribution, information management for the different types of information (e.g. biological information such as cell, gene, and protein)). It also provides additional concepts to process biospecimens from laboratory to clinical practice and will help to identify how changing paradigms in translational medicine affect the economic modeling.

Developmental and Individual Differences in the Neural Processing of Dynamic Expressions of Pain and Anger

PubMed Central

Missana, Manuela; Grigutsch, Maren; Grossmann, Tobias

2014-01-01

We examined the processing of facial expressions of pain and anger in 8-month-old infants and adults by measuring event-related brain potentials (ERPs) and frontal EEG alpha asymmetry. The ERP results revealed that while adults showed a late positive potential (LPP) to emotional expressions that was enhanced to pain expressions, reflecting increased evaluation and emotional arousal to pain expressions, infants showed a negative component (Nc) to emotional expressions that was enhanced to angry expressions, reflecting increased allocation of attention to angry faces. Moreover, infants and adults showed opposite patterns in their frontal asymmetry responses to pain and anger, suggesting developmental differences in the motivational processes engendered by these facial expressions. These findings are discussed in the light of associated individual differences in infant temperament and adult dispositional empathy. PMID:24705497

Physiological responses of bacteria in biofilms to disinfection.

PubMed Central

Yu, F P; McFeters, G A

1994-01-01

In situ enumeration methods using fluorescent probes and a radioisotope labelling technique were applied to evaluate physiological changes of Klebsiella pneumoniae within biofilms after disinfection treatment. Chlorine (0.25 mg of free chlorine per liter [pH 7.2]) and monochloramine (1 mg/liter [pH 9.0]) were employed as disinfectants in the study. Two fluorgenic compounds, 5-cyano-2,3-ditolyl tetrazolium chloride and rhodamine 123, and tritiated uridine incorporation were chosen for assessment of physiological activities. Results obtained by these methods were compared with those from the plate count and direct viable count methods. 5-Cyano-2,3-ditolyl tetrazolium chloride is an indicator of bacterial respiratory activity, rhodamine 123 is incorporated into bacteria in response to transmembrane potential, and the incorporation of uridine represents the global RNA turnover rate. The results acquired by these methods following disinfection exposure showed a range of responses and suggested different physiological reactions in biofilms exposed to chlorine and monochloramine. The direct viable count response and respiratory activity were affected more by disinfection than were the transmembrane potential and RNA turnover rate on the basis of comparable efficiency as evaluated by plate count enumeration. Information revealed by these approaches can provide different physiological insights that may be used in evaluating the efficacy of biofilm disinfection. PMID:8074525

Application of micronucleus test and comet assay to evaluate BTEX biodegradation.

PubMed

Mazzeo, Dânia Elisa Christofoletti; Matsumoto, Silvia Tamie; Levy, Carlos Emílio; de Angelis, Dejanira de Franceschi; Marin-Morales, Maria Aparecida

2013-01-01

The BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene) mixture is an environmental pollutant that has a high potential to contaminate water resources, especially groundwater. The bioremediation process by microorganisms has often been used as a tool for removing BTEX from contaminated sites. The application of biological assays is useful in evaluating the efficiency of bioremediation processes, besides identifying the toxicity of the original contaminants. It also allows identifying the effects of possible metabolites formed during the biodegradation process on test organisms. In this study, we evaluated the genotoxic and mutagenic potential of five different BTEX concentrations in rat hepatoma tissue culture (HTC) cells, using comet and micronucleus assays, before and after biodegradation. A mutagenic effect was observed for the highest concentration tested and for its respective non-biodegraded concentration. Genotoxicity was significant for all non-biodegraded concentrations and not significant for the biodegraded ones. According to our results, we can state that BTEX is mutagenic at concentrations close to its water solubility, and genotoxic even at lower concentrations, differing from some described results reported for the mixture components, when tested individually. Our results suggest a synergistic effect for the mixture and that the biodegradation process is a safe and efficient methodology to be applied at BTEX-contaminated sites. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Maternal and neonatal evaluation of derivated reactive oxygen metabolites (d-ROMs) and biological antioxidant potential in the horse.

PubMed

Sgorbini, M; Bonelli, F; Marmorini, P; Biagi, G; Corazza, M; Pasquini, A

2015-01-01

The aim of the present work was to evaluate derivated reactive oxygen metabolites (d-ROMs) and biological antioxidant potential (BAP) in mares and foals to study perinatal oxidative status. A total of 60 animals were included in the present study. Maternal and foal venous blood samples were collected immediately after delivery along with a sample drawn from one of the umbilical arteries, and plasma samples were evaluated for lactatemia, d-ROMs, and BAP. The t test for unpaired data was applied between mares versus umbilical artery blood versus foals, both for d-ROMs and BAP. The Pearson test with two-tailed P value and a confidence interval of 95% was performed between d-ROMs and BAP and between d-ROMs and lactatemia, both for mares and foals. Finally, the t test for unpaired data was performed between fillies and colts. The t test showed differences between mares versus their own foals versus umbilical artery blood but not foals versus. umbilical artery blood, both for d-ROMs and BAP. A positive correlation was found both in mares and foals between BAP and d-ROMs and in mares between lactatemia and d-ROM. No differences in gender were found in BAP concentration. Our data are in line to previous studies performed in women and cattle.

Evaluation of the genotoxic and antigenotoxic potential of Baccharis dracunculifolia extract on V79 cells by the comet assay.

PubMed

Munari, Carla Carolina; Alves, Jacqueline Morais; Bastos, Jairo Kenupp; Tavares, Denise Crispim

2010-01-01

Baccharis dracunculifolia (Asteraceae), the main botanical source of green propolis, is a shrub of the Brazilian 'cerrado'. In folk medicine it is used as an anti-inflammatory agent, mainly for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the genotoxic and antigenotoxic effects of B. dracunculifolia ethyl acetate extract (Bd-EAE) on Chinese hamster lung fibroblasts (V79 cells) by the comet assay. Methyl methanesulfonate (MMS; 200 microM) was used as an inducer of DNA damage. Genotoxicity was evaluated using four different concentrations of Bd-EAE: 12.5, 25.0, 50.0 and 100.0 microg ml(-1). Antigenotoxicity was assessed before, simultaneously, and after treatment with the mutagen. The results showed a significant increase in the frequency of DNA damage in cultures treated with 50.0 and 100.0 microg ml(-1) Bd-EAE. Regarding its antigenotoxic potential, Bd-EAE reduced the frequency of DNA damage induced by MMS. However, this chemopreventive activity depended on the concentrations and treatment regimens used. The antioxidant activity of phenolic components present in Bd-EAE may contribute to reduce the alkylation damage induced by MMS. In conclusion, our findings confirmed the chemopreventive activity of Bd-EAE and showed that this effect occurs under different mechanism.

Attention in essential tremor: evidence from event-related potentials.

PubMed

Pauletti, C; Mannarelli, D; Locuratolo, N; Vanacore, N; De Lucia, M C; Mina, C; Fattapposta, F

2013-07-01

Clinically subtle executive dysfunctions have recently been described in essential tremor (ET), though the presence of attentional deficits is still unclear. We investigated the psychophysiological aspects of attention in ET, using event-related potentials (ERPs). Twenty-one non-demented patients with ET and 21 age- and sex-matched healthy controls underwent a psychophysiological evaluation. P300 components and the Contingent Negative Variation (CNV) were recorded. The latencies and amplitudes of the P3a and P3b subcomponents and CNV areas were evaluated. Possible correlations between clinical parameters and ERP data were investigated. P3a latency was significantly longer in the ET group (p < 0.05), while no differences emerged between patients and controls in P3b latency. No differences were observed between the two groups in the CNV parameters. ET patients display a difficulty in the response to novelty and in the recruitment of prefrontal attentive circuits, while the memory context-updating process appears to be spared. This selective cognitive dysfunction does not appear to interfere with the attentional set linked to the expectancy evaluated during a complex choice-reaction time task, which is preserved in ET. This multitask psychophysiological approach reveals the presence of a peculiar attentional deficit in patients with ET, thus expanding the clinical features of this disease.

Evaluation of anode (electro)catalytic materials for the direct borohydride fuel cell: Methods and benchmarks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olu, Pierre-Yves; Job, Nathalie; Chatenet, Marian

2016-09-01

In this paper, different methods are discussed for the evaluation of the potential of a given catalyst, in view of an application as a direct borohydride fuel cell DBFC anode material. Characterizations results in DBFC configuration are notably analyzed at the light of important experimental variables which influence the performances of the DBFC. However, in many practical DBFC-oriented studies, these various experimental variables prevent one to isolate the influence of the anode catalyst on the cell performances. Thus, the electrochemical three-electrode cell is a widely-employed and useful tool to isolate the DBFC anode catalyst and to investigate its electrocatalytic activity towards the borohydride oxidation reaction (BOR) in the absence of other limitations. This article reviews selected results for different types of catalysts in electrochemical cell containing a sodium borohydride alkaline electrolyte. In particular, propositions of common experimental conditions and benchmarks are given for practical evaluation of the electrocatalytic activity towards the BOR in three-electrode cell configuration. The major issue of gaseous hydrogen generation and escape upon DBFC operation is also addressed through a comprehensive review of various results depending on the anode composition. At last, preliminary concerns are raised about the stability of potential anode catalysts upon DBFC operation.

Optically Thin Liquid Water Clouds: Their Importance and Our Challenge

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Turner, D. D.; Vogelmann, A. M.; Austin, R. T.; Barnard, J. C.; Cady-Pereira, K.; Chiu, J. C.; Clough, S. A.; Flynn, C.; Khaiyer, M. M.; Liljegren, J.;

Organic honey supplementation reverses pesticide-induced genotoxicity by modulating DNA damage response.

PubMed

Alleva, Renata; Manzella, Nicola; Gaetani, Simona; Ciarapica, Veronica; Bracci, Massimo; Caboni, Maria Fiorenza; Pasini, Federica; Monaco, Federica; Amati, Monica; Borghi, Battista; Tomasetti, Marco

2016-10-01

Glyphosate (GLY) and organophosphorus insecticides such as chlorpyrifos (CPF) may cause DNA damage and cancer in exposed individuals through mitochondrial dysfunction. Polyphenols ubiquitously present in fruits and vegetables, have been viewed as antioxidant molecules, but also influence mitochondrial homeostasis. Here, honey containing polyphenol compounds was evaluated for its potential protective effect on pesticide-induced genotoxicity. Honey extracts from four floral organic sources were evaluated for their polyphenol content, antioxidant activity, and potential protective effects on pesticide-related mitochondrial destabilization, reactive oxygen and nitrogen species formation, and DNA damage response in human bronchial epithelial and neuronal cells. The protective effect of honey was, then evaluated in a residential population chronically exposed to pesticides. The four honey types showed a different polyphenol profile associated with a different antioxidant power. The pesticide-induced mitochondrial dysfunction parallels ROS formation from mitochondria (mtROS) and consequent DNA damage. Honey extracts efficiently inhibited pesticide-induced mtROS formation, and reduced DNA damage by upregulation of DNA repair through NFR2. Honey supplementation enhanced DNA repair activity in a residential population chronically exposed to pesticides, which resulted in a marked reduction of pesticide-induced DNA lesions. These results provide new insight regarding the effect of honey containing polyphenols on pesticide-induced DNA damage response. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A systematic review of the effect of pre-test rest duration on toe and ankle systolic blood pressure measurements

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Measurement of toe and ankle blood pressure is commonly used to evaluate peripheral vascular status, yet the pre-test rest period is inconsistent in published studies and among practitioners, and could affect results. The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate all research that has investigated the effect of different periods of pre-test rest on toe and ankle systolic blood pressure. Methods The following databases were searched up to April 2012: Medline (from 1946), EMBASE (from 1947), CINAHL (from 1937), and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (from 1800). No language or publication restrictions were applied. Eighty-eight content experts and researchers in the field were contacted by email to assist in the identification of published, unpublished, and ongoing studies. Studies evaluating the effect of two or more pre-test rest durations on toe or ankle systolic blood pressure were eligible for inclusion. No restrictions were placed on participant characteristics or the method of blood pressure measurement. Outcomes included toe or ankle systolic blood pressure and adverse effects. Abstracts identified from the search terms were independently assessed by two reviewers for potential inclusion. Results 1658 abstracts were identified by electronic searching. Of the 88 content experts and researchers in the field contacted by email a total of 33 replied and identified five potentially relevant studies. No studies were eligible for inclusion. Conclusions There is no evidence of the effect of different periods of pre-test rest duration on toe and ankle systolic blood pressure measurements. Rigorous trials evaluating the effect of different durations of pre-test rest are required to direct clinical practice and research. PMID:24708870

Evaluation of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for Roadway Drainage Systems.

PubMed

Byrne, Diana M; Grabowski, Marta K; Benitez, Amy C B; Schmidt, Arthur R; Guest, Jeremy S

2017-08-15

Roadway drainage design has traditionally focused on cost-effectively managing water quantity; however, runoff carries pollutants, posing risks to the local environment and public health. Additionally, construction and maintenance incur costs and contribute to global environmental impacts. While life cycle assessment (LCA) can potentially capture local and global environmental impacts of roadway drainage and other stormwater systems, LCA methodology must be evaluated because stormwater systems differ from wastewater and drinking water systems to which LCA is more frequently applied. To this end, this research developed a comprehensive model linking roadway drainage design parameters to LCA and life cycle costing (LCC) under uncertainty. This framework was applied to 10 highway drainage projects to evaluate LCA methodological choices by characterizing environmental and economic impacts of drainage projects and individual components (basin, bioswale, culvert, grass swale, storm sewer, and pipe underdrain). The relative impacts of drainage components varied based on functional unit choice. LCA inventory cutoff criteria evaluation showed the potential for cost-based criteria, which performed better than mass-based criteria. Finally, the local aquatic benefits of grass swales and bioswales offset global environmental impacts for four impact categories, highlighting the need to explicitly consider local impacts (i.e., direct emissions) when evaluating drainage technologies.

Self-relevant beauty evaluation: Evidence from an event-related potentials study.

PubMed

Kong, Fanchang; Zhang, Yan; Tian, Yuan; Fan, Cuiying; Zhou, Zongkui

2015-03-01

This study examines the electrophysiological correlates of beauty evaluation when participants performed the self-reference task. About 13 (7 men, 6 women) undergraduates participated in the experiment using event-related potentials. Results showed that the response to self-relevant information was faster compared to other-relevant information and no significant differences for self-relevant relative to mother-relevant information were observed. Both physical and interior beauty words for self-relevant information showed an enhanced late positive component as compared to other-relevant information. Physical beauty for self-relevant information yielded a larger late positive component in contrast to mother-relevant information but not for interior beauty. This study indicates that beauty is specific to the person who judges it though an individual and one's mother may hold similar views of interior beauty.

Development of a degradable composite for orthopaedic use: mechanical evaluation of an hydroxyapatite-polyhydroxybutyrate composite material.

PubMed

Boeree, N R; Dove, J; Cooper, J J; Knowles, J; Hastings, G W

1993-08-01

This study evaluates the mechanical properties of a composite material comprising polyhydroxybutyrate with hydroxyapatite added in proportions varying from 0 to 50%. Among the three methods of production, injection moulding was found to result in the most satisfactory mechanical properties. The tensile and compressive strength and the modulus of elasticity of composite produced in this way fell within the range for fresh human bone from different anatomical sites. With the additional advantages of biocompatibility, biodegradability and the potential for piezoelectric stimulation of new local bone formation, it was concluded that the injection-moulded composite material has considerable potential for use in orthopaedic surgery, both as a material to construct certain orthopaedic implants and as an alternative to corticocancellous bone graft.

Novel 2,5-disubtituted-1,3,4-oxadiazoles with benzimidazole backbone: a new class of β-glucuronidase inhibitors and in silico studies.

PubMed

Zawawi, Nik Khairunissa Nik Abdullah; Taha, Muhammad; Ahmat, Norizan; Wadood, Abdul; Ismail, Nor Hadiani; Rahim, Fazal; Ali, Muhammad; Abdullah, Norishah; Khan, Khalid Mohammed

2015-07-01

A library of novel 2,5-disubtituted-1,3,4-oxadiazoles with benzimidazole backbone (3a-3r) was synthesized and evaluated for their potential as β-glucuronidase inhibitors. Several compounds such as 3a-3d, 3e-3j, 3l-3o, 3q and 3r showed excellent inhibitory potentials much better than the standard (IC50=48.4±1.25μM: d-saccharic acid 1,4-lactone). All the synthesized compounds were characterized satisfactorily by using different spectroscopic methods. We further evaluated the interaction of the active compounds and the enzyme active site with the help of docking studies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Microcomputed tomography with a second generation photon-counting x-ray detector: contrast analysis and material separation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, X.; Meier, D.; Oya, P.; Maehlum, G. E.; Wagenaar, D. J.; Tsui, B. M. W.; Patt, B. E.; Frey, E. C.

2010-04-01

The overall aim of this work was to evaluate the potential for improving in vivo small animal microCT through the use of an energy resolved photon-counting detector. To this end, we developed and evaluated a prototype microCT system based on a second-generation photon-counting x-ray detector which simultaneously counted photons with energies above six energy thresholds. First, we developed a threshold tuning procedure to reduce the dependence of detector uniformity and to reduce ring artifacts. Next, we evaluated the system in terms of the contrast-to-noise ratio in different energy windows for different target materials. These differences provided the possibility to weight the data acquired in different windows in order to optimize the contrast-to-noise ratio. We also explored the ability of the system to use data from different energy windows to aid in distinguishing various materials. We found that the energy discrimination capability provided the possibility for improved contrast-to-noise ratios and allowed separation of more than two materials, e.g., bone, soft-tissue and one or more contrast materials having K-absorption edges in the energy ranges of interest.

The mouse mammary gland as a sentinel organ: distinguishing 'control' populations with diverse environmental histories.

PubMed

Kolla, SriDurgaDevi; Pokharel, Aastha; Vandenberg, Laura N

2017-03-09

There are numerous examples of laboratory animals that were inadvertently exposed to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) during the process of conducting experiments. Controlling contaminations in the laboratory is challenging, especially when their source is unknown. Unfortunately, EDC contaminations can interfere with the interpretation of data during toxicological evaluations. We propose that the male CD-1 mouse mammary gland is a sensitive bioassay to evaluate the inadvertent contamination of animal colonies. We evaluated mammary glands collected from two CD-1 mouse populations with distinct environmental histories. Population 1 was born and raised in a commercial laboratory with unknown EDC exposures; Population 2 was the second generation raised in an animal facility with limited exposures to xenoestrogens from caging, feed, etc. Mammary glands were collected from all animals and evaluated using morphometric techniques to quantify morphological characteristics of the mammary gland. Population 1 (with suspected history of environmental chemical exposure) and Population 2 (with known limited history of xenoestrogen exposure) were morphologically distinguishable in adult males, prepubertal females, and pubertal females. Mammary glands from males raised in the commercial animal facility were significantly more developed, with larger ductal trees and more branching points. The appearance of these mammary glands was consistent with prior reports of male mice exposed to low doses of bisphenol A (BPA) during early development. In females, the two populations were morphologically distinct at both prepuberty and puberty, with the most striking differences observed in the number, size, and density of terminal end buds, e.g. highly proliferative structures found in the developing mammary gland. Collectively, these results suggest that the mouse mammary gland has the potential to be used as a sentinel organ to evaluate and distinguish animal colonies raised in different environmental conditions including potential EDC exposures. Our findings could help researchers that wish to perform a posteriori evaluations to determine whether inadvertent contamination with xenoestrogens (and potentially other EDCs) has occurred in their animal colonies, especially after new materials (feed, caging, water bottles) have been introduced. Finally, our results challenge the relatively common practice of using historical controls in toxicological experiments.

Mechanistic-based non-animal assessment of eye toxicity: Inflammatory profile of human keratinocytes cells after exposure to eye damage/irritant agents.

PubMed

da Silva, Artur Christian Garcia; Chialchia, Adrienny Rodrigues; de Ávila, Renato Ivan; Valadares, Marize Campos

2018-06-25

Eye toxicity is a mandatory parameter in human risk and safety evaluation for products including chemicals, pesticides, medicines and cosmetics. Historically, this endpoint has been evaluated using the Draize rabbit eye test, an in vivo model that was never formally validated. Due to advances in scientific knowledge, economic and ethical issues, non-animal methods based on mechanisms of toxicity are being developed and validated for increasing the capability of these models to predict eye toxicity. In this study, the Cytometric Bead Array (CBA) and ELISA assays were used to evaluate the inflammatory cytokine profile produced by HaCaT human keratinocytes after exposure to chemicals with different UN GHS eye toxicity classifications, aiming to stablish a correlation between inflammatory endpoints and eye toxicity (damage/irritation) potential. As a first step, cytotoxic profile of the chemicals, including 3 non-irritants and 10 eye toxicants (GHS Category 1, 2A and 2B), was evaluated after 24 h exposure using MTT assay and Inhibitory Concentration of 20% of cell viability (IC 20 ) was calculated for each chemical. Then, the cells were exposed to these chemicals at IC 20 for 24 h and supernatants and cell lysates were analyzed by CBA assay for quantification of the following cytokines: IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-1β, TNF and IL-12p70. Regarding cytotoxicity evaluation, chemicals showed different cytotoxicity profiles and data demonstrated no correlation with their UN GHS classification. Among the cytokines evaluated, IL-1β production has changed after exposure and such alterations were confirmed by quantification employing ELISA method. The higher intracellular levels of IL-1β were found in GHS Category 1 chemicals, followed by Category 2A and 2B, while non irritants did not induce such increase. Thus, these findings show that IL-1β measurement, using HaCaT model, can be a considerable biomarker to identify chemicals according to their potential in promote eye toxicity, differentiating damage from irritation potential. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

An fMRI investigation of the effects of culture on evaluations of stigmatized individuals.

PubMed

Krendl, Anne C

2016-01-01

Certain groups (e.g., women, older adults, and the economically disadvantaged) are universally stigmatized. Numerous studies, however, have identified cross-cultural differences in the attitudes expressed toward stigmatized groups. These differences may potentially be due to existing cross-cultural dissimilarities in social status for some groups. The current study used fMRI to examine whether Chinese and Caucasian-American participants engage the same cognitive and affective mechanisms when perceiving stigmatized individuals with similarly low social status in both cultures (homeless individuals), but different cognitive and/or affective processes when evaluating stigmatized individuals whose status differs across cultures (older adults). Using a social neuroscience approach can provide unique insight into this question because the neural regions involved in cognitive and affective evaluations of stigmatized individuals have been well characterized. Results revealed that Chinese participants and Caucasian-American participants engaged similar patterns of negative affective processing associated with disgust (left anterior insula) when evaluating homeless individuals. Moreover, self-reported negative explicit attitudes toward homeless individuals were associated with increased activity in the insula. However, Chinese participants and Caucasian-American participants engaged increased activity in neural regions associated with status (ventral striatum) when they evaluated older adults. Moreover, self-reported attitudes toward older adults and ventral striatal activity were correlated with the extent to which participants reported being affiliated with their respective cultural traditions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

In vitro immunotoxicity assessment of culture-derived extracellular vesicles in human monocytes

PubMed Central

Rosas, Lucia E.; Elgamal, Ola A.; Mo, Xiaokui; Phelps, Mitch A.; Schmittgen, Thomas D.; Papenfuss, Tracey L.

2016-01-01

The potential to engineer extracellular vesicles (EV) that target specific cells and deliver a therapeutic payload has propelled a growing interest in their development as promising therapeutics. These EV are often produced from cultured cells. Very little is known about the interaction of cell culture-derived EV with cells of the immune system and their potential immunomodulatory effects. The present study evaluated potential immunotoxic effects of HEK293T-derived EV on the human monocytic cell lines THP-1 and U937. Incubation of cells with different doses of EV for 16–24 h was followed by assessment of cytotoxicity and cell function by flow cytometry. Changes in cell functionality were evaluated by the capacity of cells to phagocytize fluorescent microspheres. In addition, the internalization of labeled EV in THP-1 and U937 cells was evaluated. Exposure to EV did not affect the viability of THP-1 or U937 cells. Although lower doses of the EV increased phagocytic capacity in both cell lines, phagocytic efficiency of individual cells was not affected by EV exposure at any of the doses evaluated. This study also demonstrated that THP-1 and U937 monocytic cells are highly permissive to EV entry in a dose-response manner. These results suggest that, although HEK293T-derived EV are efficiently internalized by human monocytic cells, they do not exert a cytotoxic effect or alter phagocytic efficiency on the cell lines evaluated. PMID:27075513

Predicting long-range transport: a systematic evaluation of two multimedia transport models.

PubMed

Bennett, D H; Scheringer, M; McKone, T E; Hungerbühler, K

2001-03-15

The United Nations Environment Program has recently developed criteria to identify and restrict chemicals with a potential for persistence and long-range transport (persistent organic pollutants or POPs). There are many stakeholders involved, and the issues are not only scientific but also include social, economic, and political factors. This work focuses on one aspect of the POPs debate, the criteria for determining the potential for long-range transport (LRT). Our goal is to determine if current models are reliable enough to support decisions that classify a chemical based on the LRT potential. We examine the robustness of two multimedia fate models for determining the relative ranking and absolute spatial range of various chemicals in the environment. We also consider the effect of parameter uncertainties and the model uncertainty associated with the selection of an algorithm for gas-particle partitioning on the model results. Given the same chemical properties, both models give virtually the same ranking. However, when chemical parameter uncertainties and model uncertainties such as particle partitioning are considered, the spatial range distributions obtained for the individual chemicals overlap, preventing a distinct rank order. The absolute values obtained for the predicted spatial range or travel distance differ significantly between the two models for the uncertainties evaluated. We find that to evaluate a chemical when large and unresolved uncertainties exist, it is more informative to use two or more models and include multiple types of uncertainty. Model differences and uncertainties must be explicitly confronted to determine how the limitations of scientific knowledge impact predictions in the decision-making process.

Oak Ridge Health Studies Phase 1 report, Volume 2, Part B, Dose Reconstruction Feasibility Study. Tasks 3 and 4, Identification of important environmental pathways for materials released from the Oak Ridge Reservation

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

Brorby, G.P.; Bruce, G.M.; Widner, T.E.

1993-09-01

While each of the three different screening comparisons made in this report (i.e., within-medium evaluation, between-media evaluation and relative importance grouping) individually provides information potentially of value in focusing future studies, each one is subject to a variety of limitations, the most important being associated with the absence or variable quality of environmental data for a number of the contaminants and media. These screening exercises are intended to provide an initial framework for approaching the study of an extremely complex site. Other approaches could very well yield somewhat different priorities, and the identification or reinterpretation of data in subsequent detailedmore » studies are likely to invalidate some of the results of these screening exercises. However, these evaluations provide a logical approach to defining initial off- site health impact study priorities for the ORR. Therefore, while care must be taken in attempting to make any broad generalizations or greatly simplifying assumptions with regard to the potential health hazards posed by the complex releases from the Reservation, Table 6-1 represents an attempt to summarize a set of recommendations that are derived from the screening exercises presented in this report. Table 6-1 identifies the facilities, processes and contaminants believed to have the highest potential for resulting in off-site health impacts. Table 6-2 identifies contaminants for which no ranking could be performed as part of this feasibility study, because of the absence of any appropriate data for any environmental medium.« less

Stem-cell-derived products: an FDA update.

PubMed

Moos, Malcolm

2008-12-01

The therapeutic potential of products derived from stem cells of various types has prompted increasing research and development and public attention. Initiation of human clinical trials in the not-too-distant future is now a realistic possibility. It is, therefore, important to weigh the potential benefits against known, theoretical and totally unsuspected risks in light of current knowledge to ensure that subjects participating in these trials are afforded the most reasonable balance possible between potential risks and potential benefits. There are no apparent differences in fundamental, qualitative biological characteristics between stem-cell-derived products and other cellular therapies regulated by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Existing authorities can, therefore, be applied. Nevertheless, these products do have properties that require careful evaluation.

A systematic review of studies evaluating Australian indigenous community development projects: the extent of community participation, their methodological quality and their outcomes.

PubMed

Snijder, Mieke; Shakeshaft, Anthony; Wagemakers, Annemarie; Stephens, Anne; Calabria, Bianca

2015-11-21

Community development is a health promotion approach identified as having great potential to improve Indigenous health, because of its potential for extensive community participation. There has been no systematic examination of the extent of community participation in community development projects and little analysis of their effectiveness. This systematic review aims to identify the extent of community participation in community development projects implemented in Australian Indigenous communities, critically appraise the qualitative and quantitative methods used in their evaluation, and summarise their outcomes. Ten electronic peer-reviewed databases and two electronic grey literature databases were searched for relevant studies published between 1990 and 2015. The level of community participation and the methodological quality of the qualitative and quantitative components of the studies were assessed against standardised criteria. Thirty one evaluation studies of community development projects were identified. Community participation varied between different phases of project development, generally high during project implementation, but low during the evaluation phase. For the majority of studies, methodological quality was low and the methods were poorly described. Although positive qualitative or quantitative outcomes were reported in all studies, only two studies reported statistically significant outcomes. Partnerships between researchers, community members and service providers have great potential to improve methodological quality and community participation when research skills and community knowledge are integrated to design, implement and evaluate community development projects. The methodological quality of studies evaluating Australian Indigenous community development projects is currently too weak to confidently determine the cost-effectiveness of community development projects in improving the health and wellbeing of Indigenous Australians. Higher quality studies evaluating community development projects would strengthen the evidence base.

Age difference between parents influences parity and number of sons.

PubMed

Kuna, Berenika; Galbarczyk, Andrzej; Klimek, Magdalena; Nenko, Ilona; Jasienska, Grazyna

2018-05-01

Among couples, women usually prefer slightly older men, and men tend to choose much younger partners. Age difference between partners has been shown to influence their parity; however, results of previous studies are inconsistent. This study analyzed relationships between husband and wife age difference and their total number of children, and number of daughters and sons in a contemporary, rural Polish population. Demographic and reproductive data were collected from 384 postmenopausal women from rural Poland who were married only once. Regression models were used to evaluate the impact of the age gap between partners on total number of children and on number of daughters and sons. Women's age, age at marriage (as an indicator of reproductive value), and years of education were used in analyzes as potential confounders. There was an inverted U-shape association between parental age difference and number of children and also the number of sons. The highest number of children and sons was observed when men were approximately 6.5 years older than their wives. There was no significant relationship between parental age difference and number of daughters. Age difference between partners is important for reproductive success (with younger wives having higher reproductive potential) and is also related to number of sons. Older husbands might provide more resources for the family, thus facilitating production of well-nourished male offspring. Future research should evaluate not only number of children but also their biological condition, health, and lifetime achievements in relation to the age difference between their parents. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Potential herb-drug interaction of shexiang baoxin pill in vitro based on drug metabolism/transporter

PubMed Central

Shen, Zhijie; Wang, Yingjie; Guo, Wei; Yao, Yili; Wang, Xiaolong

2016-01-01

Many researches have proved functions of anti-oxidation, endothelial protection and pro-angiogenesis efficiency of Shexiang Baoxin Pill (SBP). This study aims to investigate potential for metabolism-based interaction on CYP450s and transporter based interaction on OATP1B1, BRCP and MDR1. Human primary hepatocytes were used in this study. Probe substrates of cytochrome P450 enzymes were incubated in human liver microsomes (HLMs) with or without SBP and IC50 values were estimated. Inhibitive potential of SBP on activities of CYP1A2, 2B6, 2C8, 2C9, 2C19, 2D6 and 3A4 was evaluated. Inducible potential of SBP on activities of CYP1A2, 2B6 and 3A4 was accessed. Inhibitive potential of SBP on human OATP1B1 was evaluated using cell-based assay. Inhibitive potential of SBP on human MDR1 and BCRP was also evaluated using vesicles assay. MDR1 and BCRP vesicle kit were used to determine ATP dependent uptake activity when incubated with SBP. SBP was a competitive inhibitor of CYP2B6, 2C19, while neither inhibitory nor inductive potentials toward other CYP450s were detected. No significant MDR1 inhibitory potential was estimated, while only high concentration of SBP (500 μg/ml) could inhibit activity of BCRP. Probe substrates Estradiol-17 β-glucuronide was incubated in HEK293-OATP1B1 and HEK293-MOCK cell system with different concentration of SBP and estimated IC50 was 179 μg/mL, which demonstrated a moderate inhibition potential against OATP1B1. In conclusion, outcome of this study suggests that SBP plays an important role in inhibition of CYP450 isozymes (including CYP2B6 and 2C9) and transporter OATP1B1. Therefore, precautions should be taken when using SBP for CYP and OATP-related herb-drug interactions. PMID:28078025

In vitro evaluation of the fermentation properties and potential prebiotic activity of Agave fructans.

PubMed

Gomez, E; Tuohy, K M; Gibson, G R; Klinder, A; Costabile, A

2010-06-01

This study was carried out to evaluate in vitro the fermentation properties and the potential prebiotic activity of Agave-fructans extracted from Agave tequilana (Predilife). Five different commercial prebiotics were compared using 24-h pH-controlled anaerobic batch cultures inoculated with human faecal slurries. Measurement of prebiotic efficacy was obtained by comparing bacterial changes, and the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) was also determined. Effects upon major groups of the microbiota were monitored over 24 h incubations by fluorescence in situ hybridization. SCFA were measured by HPLC. Fermentation of the Agave fructans (Predilife) resulted in a large increase in numbers of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli. Under the in vitro conditions used, this study has shown the differential impact of Predilife on the microbial ecology of the human gut. This is the first study reporting of a potential prebiotic mode of activity for Agave fructans investigated which significantly increased populations of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli compared to cellulose used as a control.

An in silico algal toxicity model with a wide applicability potential for industrial chemicals and pharmaceuticals.

PubMed

Önlü, Serli; Saçan, Melek Türker

2017-04-01

The authors modeled the 72-h algal toxicity data of hundreds of chemicals with different modes of action as a function of chemical structures. They developed mode of action-based local quantitative structure-toxicity relationship (QSTR) models for nonpolar and polar narcotics as well as a global QSTR model with a wide applicability potential for industrial chemicals and pharmaceuticals. The present study rigorously evaluated the generated models, meeting the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development principles of robustness, validity, and transparency. The proposed global model had a broad structural coverage for the toxicity prediction of diverse chemicals (some of which are high-production volume chemicals) with no experimental toxicity data. The global model is potentially useful for endpoint predictions, the evaluation of algal toxicity screening, and the prioritization of chemicals, as well as for the decision of further testing and the development of risk-management measures in a scientific and regulatory frame. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:1012-1019. © 2016 SETAC. © 2016 SETAC.

Two-dimensional computer simulation of EMVJ and grating solar cells under AMO illumination

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gray, J. L.; Schwartz, R. J.

1984-01-01

A computer program, SCAP2D (Solar Cell Analysis Program in 2-Dimensions), is used to evaluate the Etched Multiple Vertical Junction (EMVJ) and grating solar cells. The aim is to demonstrate how SCAP2D can be used to evaluate cell designs. The cell designs studied are by no means optimal designs. The SCAP2D program solves the three coupled, nonlinear partial differential equations, Poisson's Equation and the hole and electron continuity equations, simultaneously in two-dimensions using finite differences to discretize the equations and Newton's Method to linearize them. The variables solved for are the electrostatic potential and the hole and electron concentrations. Each linear system of equations is solved directly by Gaussian Elimination. Convergence of the Newton Iteration is assumed when the largest correction to the electrostatic potential or hole or electron quasi-potential is less than some predetermined error. A typical problem involves 2000 nodes with a Jacobi matrix of order 6000 and a bandwidth of 243.

Biocatalytic Synthesis of the Rare Sugar Kojibiose: Process Scale-Up and Application Testing.

PubMed

Beerens, Koen; De Winter, Karel; Van de Walle, Davy; Grootaert, Charlotte; Kamiloglu, Senem; Miclotte, Lisa; Van de Wiele, Tom; Van Camp, John; Dewettinck, Koen; Desmet, Tom

2017-07-26

Cost-efficient (bio)chemical production processes are essential to evaluate the commercial and industrial applications of promising carbohydrates and also are essential to ensure economically viable production processes. Here, the synthesis of the naturally occurring disaccharide kojibiose (2-O-α-d-glucopyranosyl-d-glucopyranoside) was evaluated using different Bifidobacterium adolescentis sucrose phosphorylase variants. Variant L341I_Q345S was found to efficiently synthesize kojibiose while remaining fully active after 1 week of incubation at 55 °C. Process optimization allowed kojibiose production at the kilogram scale, and simple but efficient downstream processing, using a yeast treatment and crystallization, resulted in more than 3 kg of highly pure crystalline kojibiose (99.8%). These amounts allowed a deeper characterization of its potential in food applications. It was found to have possible beneficial health effects, including delayed glucose release and potential to trigger SCFA production. Finally, we compared the bulk functionality of highly pure kojibiose to that of sucrose, hereby mapping its potential as a new sweetener in confectionery products.

An evaluation of the utility and limitations of counting motor unit action potentials in the surface electromyogram

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Ping; Zev Rymer, William

2004-12-01

The number of motor unit action potentials (MUAPs) appearing in the surface electromyogram (EMG) signal is directly related to motor unit recruitment and firing rates and therefore offers potentially valuable information about the level of activation of the motoneuron pool. In this paper, based on morphological features of the surface MUAPs, we try to estimate the number of MUAPs present in the surface EMG by counting the negative peaks in the signal. Several signal processing procedures are applied to the surface EMG to facilitate this peak counting process. The MUAP number estimation performance by this approach is first illustrated using the surface EMG simulations. Then, by evaluating the peak counting results from the EMG records detected by a very selective surface electrode, at different contraction levels of the first dorsal interosseous (FDI) muscles, the utility and limitations of such direct peak counts for MUAP number estimation in surface EMG are further explored.

Chitosan-coated diacerein nanosuspensions as a platform for enhancing bioavailability and lowering side effects: preparation, characterization, and ex vivo/in vivo evaluation

PubMed Central

Allam, Ahmed N; Hamdallah, Sherif I; Abdallah, Ossama Y

2017-01-01

Nanodrug delivery systems have been widely reviewed for their use in several drug formulations to improve bioavailability, sustain effect, and decrease side effects of many candidate drugs. The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of chitosan (CS)-coated nanosuspensions to enhance bioavailability and reduce the diarrheal side effect of diacerein (DCN) after oral administration. DCN nanosuspensions (DNS) were prepared by sonoprecipitation technique using different stabilizers at three different concentrations. The selected DNS with optimum particle size (PS), polydispersity index (PDI), and Zeta potential (ZP) was coated with three different concentrations of CS-coated DNS (CS-DNS) and screened. In vitro dissolution was performed for the selected lyophilized formulae and compared with DCN powder in addition to the assessment of drug crystallinity via scanning electron microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, and differential scanning calorimetry. Ex vivo drug permeability using noneverted rat intestine, intraluminal content, and mucoadhesion evaluation was studied for nominated formulae in comparison to DCN suspension. Moreover, in vivo study, pharmacokinetic parameters, and evaluation of diarrheal potential were conducted after oral administration of selected formulae. Polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP)-stabilized DNS showed a significant increase (P≤0.05) in PS and PDI as the stabilizer concentration increased. PVP-stabilized DNS with the lowest CS concentration was protected from aggregation by lyophilization with mannitol. A remarked enhancement in dissolution parameters was observed in the nanocrystals’ formulae. Morphological examination and X-ray diffraction confirmed drug crystallinity. The intermediate permeation parameters of CS-DNS-F10, lowest rhein-to-DCN ratio in intraluminal content along with the highest percentage of mucoadhesive, could serve as a sustaining profile of coated formula. CS-DNS-F10 showed a significantly higher Cmax of 0.74±0.15 µg/mL at a delayed Tmax of 3.60±0.55 hours with a relative bioavailability of 172.1% compared to DCN suspension. CS-coated nanosuspensions could serve as promising revenue to enhance bioavailability and reduce the diarrheal side effect of DCN after oral administration. PMID:28740381

Chitosan-coated diacerein nanosuspensions as a platform for enhancing bioavailability and lowering side effects: preparation, characterization, and ex vivo/in vivo evaluation.

PubMed

Allam, Ahmed N; Hamdallah, Sherif I; Abdallah, Ossama Y

2017-01-01

Nanodrug delivery systems have been widely reviewed for their use in several drug formulations to improve bioavailability, sustain effect, and decrease side effects of many candidate drugs. The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of chitosan (CS)-coated nanosuspensions to enhance bioavailability and reduce the diarrheal side effect of diacerein (DCN) after oral administration. DCN nanosuspensions (DNS) were prepared by sonoprecipitation technique using different stabilizers at three different concentrations. The selected DNS with optimum particle size (PS), polydispersity index (PDI), and Zeta potential (ZP) was coated with three different concentrations of CS-coated DNS (CS-DNS) and screened. In vitro dissolution was performed for the selected lyophilized formulae and compared with DCN powder in addition to the assessment of drug crystallinity via scanning electron microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, and differential scanning calorimetry. Ex vivo drug permeability using noneverted rat intestine, intraluminal content, and mucoadhesion evaluation was studied for nominated formulae in comparison to DCN suspension. Moreover, in vivo study, pharmacokinetic parameters, and evaluation of diarrheal potential were conducted after oral administration of selected formulae. Polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP)-stabilized DNS showed a significant increase ( P ≤0.05) in PS and PDI as the stabilizer concentration increased. PVP-stabilized DNS with the lowest CS concentration was protected from aggregation by lyophilization with mannitol. A remarked enhancement in dissolution parameters was observed in the nanocrystals' formulae. Morphological examination and X-ray diffraction confirmed drug crystallinity. The intermediate permeation parameters of CS-DNS-F10, lowest rhein-to-DCN ratio in intraluminal content along with the highest percentage of mucoadhesive, could serve as a sustaining profile of coated formula. CS-DNS-F10 showed a significantly higher C max of 0.74±0.15 µg/mL at a delayed T max of 3.60±0.55 hours with a relative bioavailability of 172.1% compared to DCN suspension. CS-coated nanosuspensions could serve as promising revenue to enhance bioavailability and reduce the diarrheal side effect of DCN after oral administration.

Macroalgae Extracts From Antarctica Have Antimicrobial and Anticancer Potential

PubMed Central

Martins, Rosiane M.; Nedel, Fernanda; Guimarães, Victoria B. S.; da Silva, Adriana F.; Colepicolo, Pio; de Pereira, Claudio M. P.; Lund, Rafael G.

2018-01-01

Background: Macroalgae are sources of bioactive compounds due to the large number of secondary metabolites they synthesize. The Antarctica region is characterized by extreme weather conditions and abundant aggregations of macroalgae. However, current knowledge on their biodiversity and their potential for bio-prospecting is still fledging. This study evaluates the antimicrobial and cytotoxic activity of different extracts of four macroalgae (Cystosphaera jacquinotii, Iridaea cordata, Himantothallus grandifolius, and Pyropia endiviifolia) from the Antarctic region against cancer and non-cancer cell lines. Methods: The antimicrobial activity of macroalgae was evaluated by the broth microdilution method. Extracts were assessed against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 19095, Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 4083, Escherichia coli ATCC29214, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 9027, Candida albicans ATCC 62342, and the clinical isolates from the human oral cavity, namely, C. albicans (3), C. parapsilosis, C. glabrata, C. lipolytica, and C. famata. Cytotoxicity against human epidermoid carcinoma (A-431) and mouse embryonic fibroblast (NIH/3T3) cell lines was evaluated with MTT colorimetric assay. Results: An ethyl acetate extract of H. grandifolius showed noticeable antifungal activity against all fungal strains tested, including fluconazole-resistant samples. Cytotoxicity investigation with a cancer cell line revealed that the ethyl acetate extract of I. cordata was highly cytotoxic against A-431 cancer cell line, increasing the inhibitory ratio to 91.1 and 95.6% after 24 and 48 h exposure, respectively, for a concentration of 500 μg mL−1. Most of the algal extracts tested showed little or no cytotoxicity against fibroblasts. Conclusion: Data suggest that macroalgae extracts from Antarctica may represent a source of therapeutic agents. HIGHLIGHTS Different macroalgae samples from Antarctica were collected and the lyophilized biomass of each macroalgae was extracted sequentially with different solventsThe antimicrobial and anticancer potential of macroalgae extracts were evaluatedEthyl acetate extract of H. grandifolius showed noticeable antifungal activity against all the fungal strains tested, including fluconazole-resistant samplesEthyl acetate extract of I. cordata was highly cytotoxic against the A-431 cancer cell lineMost of the algal extracts tested showed little or no cytotoxicity against normal cell lines PMID:29568291

Integrated Environmental Health Impact Assessment for Risk Governance Purposes; Across What Do We Integrate?

PubMed

Lebret, Erik

2015-12-23

Integrated Environmental Health Impact Assessment (IEHIA) can be considered as an element in the third phase of environmental risk management. Its focus is on providing inclusive descriptions of multiple impacts from multiple stressors in such a way that they can be evaluated against the potential societal benefits of the causes of the stressors. This paper emphasises some differences and difficulties in the integration across professional paradigms and scientific fields, across stakeholder perspectives and differences in impact indicators that emanate from these different fields and paradigms.

Integrated Environmental Health Impact Assessment for Risk Governance Purposes; Across What Do We Integrate?

PubMed Central

Lebret, Erik

2015-01-01

Integrated Environmental Health Impact Assessment (IEHIA) can be considered as an element in the third phase of environmental risk management. Its focus is on providing inclusive descriptions of multiple impacts from multiple stressors in such a way that they can be evaluated against the potential societal benefits of the causes of the stressors. This paper emphasises some differences and difficulties in the integration across professional paradigms and scientific fields, across stakeholder perspectives and differences in impact indicators that emanate from these different fields and paradigms. PMID:26703709

Evaluating aquatic invertebrate vulnerability to insecticides based on intrinsic sensitivity, biological traits, and toxic mode of action.

PubMed

Rico, Andreu; Van den Brink, Paul J

2015-08-01

In the present study, the authors evaluated the vulnerability of aquatic invertebrates to insecticides based on their intrinsic sensitivity and their population-level recovery potential. The relative sensitivity of invertebrates to 5 different classes of insecticides was calculated at the genus, family, and order levels using the acute toxicity data available in the US Environmental Protection Agency ECOTOX database. Biological trait information was linked to the calculated relative sensitivity to evaluate correlations between traits and sensitivity and to calculate a vulnerability index, which combines intrinsic sensitivity and traits describing the recovery potential of populations partially exposed to insecticides (e.g., voltinism, flying strength, occurrence in drift). The analysis shows that the relative sensitivity of arthropods depends on the insecticide mode of action. Traits such as degree of sclerotization, size, and respiration type showed good correlation to sensitivity and can be used to make predictions for invertebrate taxa without a priori sensitivity knowledge. The vulnerability analysis revealed that some of the Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera taxa were vulnerable to all insecticide classes and indicated that particular gastropod and bivalve species were potentially vulnerable. Microcrustaceans (e.g., daphnids, copepods) showed low potential vulnerability, particularly in lentic ecosystems. The methods described in the present study can be used for the selection of focal species to be included as part of ecological scenarios and higher tier risk assessments. © 2015 SETAC.

Functional Movement ScreenTM and history of injury in assessment of potential risk of injury among team handball players.

PubMed

Slodownik, Robert; Ogonowska-Slodownik, Anna; Morgulec-Adamowicz, Natalia

2017-09-29

Handball is known to be one of the team sports representing the highest risk of injury. Several investigators have tried to identify injury risk factors in team sports including handball and suggested the need to develop an optimal tool to capture and quantify the potential risk of injury. The aim of the study was to evaluate potential risk of injury among handball players. It was a mixed design study. Handball players from 1st and 2nd division were evaluated (n = 30) using the Functional Movement ScreenTM (FMSTM). Additionally, self-reported history of injury was collected during FMSTM evaluation and after 6 months. Competitive level, training experience, playing position, anthropometric features, symmetry of movement patterns and history of previous injury were analysed while assessing the potential risk of injury. Significant difference between the right and left side (upper limb) was revealed for Shoulder Mobility Test (U = 308.5, p = 0.014). Odds Ratio analysis revealed that having previous injury in the last 12 months is the only statistically significant injury risk factor (OR = 13.71, p = 0.02). Based on this study we can assume that previous injury history reports are crucial in predicting injuries. FMSTM can help in identifying a typical adaptation in throwing shoulder among handball players, but should not be used alone to assess injury risk.

Methodological challenges in evaluating the effectiveness of women's crisis houses compared with psychiatric wards: findings from a pilot patient preference RCT.

PubMed

Howard, Louise M; Leese, Morven; Byford, Sarah; Killaspy, Helen; Cole, Laura; Lawlor, Caroline; Johnson, Sonia

2009-10-01

There are several methodological difficulties to address when evaluating acute psychiatric services. This study explored potential methods in evaluating the effectiveness of women's crisis houses compared with psychiatric wards in a pilot patient preference randomized controlled trial. Women requiring voluntary admission to a psychiatric hospital or women's crisis house were asked to enter this pilot and different options for recruitment were explored, including different recruitment sites in the pathway to admission and methods for including women without capacity. Forty-one percent (n = 42) of women entering the study agreed to be randomized and 59% (n = 61) entered patient preference arms. Only 7% of women were recruited before admission and 1 woman without capacity entered the study, despite procedures to facilitate this. Recruitment of patients with acute psychiatric crises is therefore challenging; researchers evaluating acute services should establish a consensus on how ethically and practically to recruit patients in this setting.

Influence of rotational energy barriers to the conformational search of protein loops in molecular dynamics and ranking the conformations.

PubMed

Tappura, K

2001-08-15

An adjustable-barrier dihedral angle potential was added as an extension to a novel, previously presented soft-core potential to study its contribution to the efficacy of the search of the conformational space in molecular dynamics. As opposed to the conventional soft-core potential functions, the leading principle in the design of the new soft-core potential, as well as of its extension, the soft-core and adjustable-barrier dihedral angle (SCADA) potential (referred as the SCADA potential), was to maintain the main equilibrium properties of the original force field. This qualifies the methods for a variety of a priori modeling problems without need for additional restraints typically required with the conventional soft-core potentials. In the present study, the different potential energy functions are applied to the problem of predicting loop conformations in proteins. Comparison of the performance of the soft-core and SCADA potential showed that the main hurdles for the efficient sampling of the conformational space of (loops in) proteins are related to the high-energy barriers caused by the Lennard-Jones and Coulombic energy terms, and not to the rotational barriers, although the conformational search can be further enhanced by lowering the rotational barriers of the dihedral angles. Finally, different evaluation methods were studied and a few promising criteria found to distinguish the near-native loop conformations from the wrong ones.

Possibilities for specific utilization of material properties for an optimal part design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beier, T.; Gerlach, J.; Roettger, R.; Kuhn, P.

2017-09-01

High-strength, cold-formable steels offer great potential for meeting cost and safety requirements in the automotive industry. In view of strengths of up to 1200 MPa now attainable, certain aspects need to be analysed and evaluated in advance in the development process using these materials. In addition to early assessment of crash properties, it is also highly important to adapt the forming process to match the material potential. The steel making companies have widened their portfolios of cold-rolled dual-phase steels well beyond the conventional high-strength steels. There are added new grades which offer a customized selection of high energy absorption, deformation resistance or enhanced cold-forming properties. In this article the necessary components for material modelling for finite element simulation are discussed. Additionally the required tests for material model calibration are presented and the potentials of the thyssenkrupp Steel material data base are introduced. Besides classical tensile tests at different angles to rolling direction and the forming limit curve, the hydraulic bulge test is now available for a wide range of modern steel grades. Using the conventional DP-K®60/98 and the DP-K®700Y980T with higher yield strength the method for calibrating yield locus, hardening and formability is given. With reference to the examples of an A-pillar reinforcement and different crash tests the procedure is shown how the customer can evaluate an optimal steel grade for specific requirements. Although the investigated materials have different yield strengths, no large differences in the forming process between the two steel grades can be found. However some advantages of the high-yield grade can be detected in crash performance depending on the specific boundary and loading conditions.

Evaluation of the enteric microflora of captive whooping cranes (Grus americana) and sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis).

PubMed

Hoar, Bryanne M; Whiteside, Douglas P; Ward, Linda; Douglas Inglis, G; Morck, Douglas W

2007-03-01

The enteric flora of captive whooping cranes (Grus americana) and sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) has not been well described, despite its potential importance in the understanding of both the normal condition of the intestinal physiology of these animals and the altered colonization within disease states in these birds. Nineteen whooping cranes and 23 sandhill cranes housed currently at the Calgary Zoo or its affiliated Devonian Wildlife Conservation Centre (DWCC) in Calgary, Alberta were sampled from October 2004-February 2005 by collecting aerobic and anaerobic cloacal swabs from each bird. There were seven major groupings of bacteria isolated from both species of crane. Gram-positive cocci, coliforms, and gram-negative bacilli were the most prevalent types of bacteria isolated for both crane species, with Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, and Streptococcus Group D, not Enterococcus the bacterial species isolated most commonly. There was a significant difference in the average number of isolates per individual between the two crane species but no differences between age or gender categories within crane species. Campylobacter sp. were isolated from five whooping cranes. The potential zoonotic pathogen Campylobacter jejuni was isolated from one whooping crane and C. upsaliensis was isolated from a second. Three other isolates were unspeciated members of the Campylobacter genus and likely belong to a species undescribed previously. The evaluation of the enteric cloacal flora of whooping cranes and sandhill cranes illustrates that differences exist between these two closely related crane species, and highlights the potential implications these differences may have for current practices involving captive wildlife. Zoo Biol 0:1-13, 2007. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Differences in the bioenergetic potential of athletes participating in team sports.

PubMed

Malacko, Julijan; Doder, Dragan; Djurdjević, Slavisa; Savić, Biljana; Doder, Radoslava

2013-07-01

In modern training technology, assessment of aerobic bioenergetic potential in athletes is commonly performed by standard laboratory procedures to determine basic or specific functional abilities for specific sport activity or discipline. The aim of study was to assess the aerobic bioenergetic potential of athletes participating in basketball, football and handball. The study included 87 athletes (29 basketball players, 29 football players, and 29 handball players) aged 21-24. Evaluation of the aerobic bioenergetic potential of athletes participating in basketball, football and handball was performed followed by both univariate (ANOVA) and multivariate (MANOVA) statistical methods to determine differences among the athletes in relative (VO2 mL/kg/min) and absolute oxygen consumption (VO2 L/min). Statistically significant differences between absolute and relative oxygen consumption were found in basketball players (Mb), football players (Mf), and handball players (Mh) (MANOVA, p = 0.00). ANOVA also revealed significant differences in relative oxygen consumption (VO2 mL/kg/min) (p = 0.00). The football players (55.32 mL/kg/min) had the highest relative oxygen consumption, followed by the handball players (51.84 mL/kg/min) and basketball players (47.00 mL/kg/min). The highest absolute oxygen consumption was recorded in the basketball players (4.47 L/min), followed by the handball players (4.40 L/min) and footballers (4.16 L/min). Statistically significant differences in the aerobic bioenergetic potential, expressed by the relative oxygen consumption were found among atletes participating in different team sports. It can be assumed that the player from the sports in which it is necessary to cross greater distance in total during the match have a greater need for aerobic capacity.

Soil quality in the Lomellina area using in vitro models and ecotoxicological assays

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

Baderna, Diego, E-mail: diego.baderna@marionegri.it; Colombo, Andrea; Romeo, Margherita

2014-08-15

Soil quality is traditionally evaluated by chemical characterization to determine levels of pollutants. Biological tools are now employed for soil monitoring since they can take account of the global biological effects induced by all xenobiotics. A combined monitoring of soils based on chemical analyses, human-related in vitro models and ecotoxicological assay was applied in the Lomellina, a semirural area of northern Italy. Chemical characterization indicated overall good quality of the soils, with low levels of toxic and carcinogenic pollutants such as heavy metals, PAHs, PCDD/Fs and PCBs. HepG2 cells were used as a model for the human liver and BALB/cmore » 3T3 cells to evaluate carcinogenic potential. Cells were treated with soil extractable organic matter (EOM) and the MTS assay, DNA release and morphological transformation were selected as endpoints for toxicity and carcinogenicity. Soil EOMs induced dose-dependent inhibition of cell growth at low doses and cytotoxicity only at doses of 500 and 1000 mg soil equivalents/ml. Potential issues for human health can be hypothesized after ingestion of soil samples from some sites. No statistically significant inductions of foci were recorded after exposure to EOMs, indicating that the levels of the soil-extracted organic pollutants were too low to induce carcinogenesis in our experimental conditions. An acute phytotoxicity test and studies on Caenorhabditis elegans were used as ecotoxicological assays for plants and small invertebrates. No significant alerts for ecotoxicity were found. In this proposed case study, HepG2 cells detected differences in the toxicity of soil EOMs, indicating that this cell line could be appropriate to assess the potential harm caused by the ingestion of contaminated soil. Additional information on the carcinogenic potential of mixtures was provided by the cell transformation assay, strengthening the combined approach. - Highlights: • A combined approach for evaluation of soil quality is proposed. • Organic extracts from investigated soils inhibited HepG2 cell proliferation. • The carcinogenic potential of extracts was evaluated by cell transformation assay. • Potential alerts were estimated after ingestion of soils. • Caenorhabditis elegans and phytotest were used to evaluate ecological effects.« less

Complexity of intravenous iron nanoparticle formulations: implications for bioequivalence evaluation.

PubMed

Pai, Amy Barton

2017-11-01

Intravenous iron formulations are a class of complex drugs that are commonly used to treat a wide variety of disease states associated with iron deficiency and anemia. Venofer® (iron-sucrose) is one of the most frequently used formulations, with more than 90% of dialysis patients in the United States receiving this formulation. Emerging data from global markets outside the United States, where many iron-sucrose similars or copies are available, have shown that these formulations may have safety and efficacy profiles that differ from the reference listed drug. This may be attributable to uncharacterized differences in physicochemical characteristics and/or differences in labile iron release. As bioequivalence evaluation guidance evolves, clinicians should be educated on these potential clinical issues before a switch to the generic formulation is made in the clinical setting. © 2017 New York Academy of Sciences.

Refining and defining riverscape genetics: How rivers influence population genetic structure

Treesearch

Chanté D. Davis; Clinton W. Epps; Rebecca L. Flitcroft; Michael A. Banks

2018-01-01

Traditional analysis in population genetics evaluates differences among groups of individuals and, in some cases, considers the effects of distance or potential barriers to gene flow. Genetic variation of organisms in complex landscapes, seascapes, or riverine systems, however, may be shaped by many forces. Recent research has linked habitat heterogeneity and landscape...

Evaluation of feed grade sodium bisulfate impact on gastrointestinal tract microbiota ecology in broilers via a pyrosequencing platform

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The gastrointestinal microbial community in broiler chicken consists of many different species of bacteria and the overall microbiota can be various from bird to bird. In order to control pathogenic bacteria in broiler and improve gut health, numerous potential dietary amendments such as prebiotics...

Mapping Cropland and Major Crop Types Across the Great Lakes Basin Using MODIS-NDVI Data

EPA Science Inventory

This research evaluated the potential for using the MODIS Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) 16-day composite (MOD13Q) 250-m time-series data to develop a cropland mapping capability throughout the 480 000 km2 Great Lakes Basin (GLB). Cropland mapping was conducted usi...

Childhood History of Abuse and Child Abuse Potential in Adolescent Mothers: A Longitudinal Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Paul, Joaquin; Domenech, Leticia

2000-01-01

Two matched groups (24 adolescents and 24 adults) of pregnant mothers were followed for 20 months. During pregnancy, memories of child maltreatment were evaluated. Although adolescent and adult mothers showed no differences in memories of childhood physical or emotional abuse, adolescent mothers and physically abused mothers showed higher child…

Using Technology to Facilitate Effective Assessment for Learning and Feedback in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deeley, Susan J.

2018-01-01

The aims of this paper are to examine and critically evaluate a selection of different technological methods that were specifically chosen for their alignment with, and potential to enhance, extant assessment for learning practice. The underpinning perspectives are that: (a) both formative and summative assessment are valuable opportunities for…

Identification and assessment of kefir yeast potential for sugar/ethanol-resistance

PubMed Central

Miguel, M.G.C.P.; Cardoso, P.G.; Magalhães-Guedes, K.T.; Schwan, R.F.

2013-01-01

Biochemical and molecular analysis was used for identification of different kefir yeasts species from Brazil, Canada and the United States of America. The sugar/ethanol-resistant activity of the yeasts was evaluated. Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Kluyveromyces marxianus had the highest growth rates, suggesting biotechnological applications possible for these strains. PMID:24159292

Manage postharvest deficit irrigation of peach trees using canopy to air temperature

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A field study was conducted to use mid-day canopy to air temperature difference (delta T) to manage postharvest deficit irrigation of peach trees in San Joaquin Valley of California and its performance was evaluated. Delta T thresholds were selected, based on previous years’ stem water potential and...

Teachers' Perceptions and Expectations and the Black-White Test Score Gap.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferguson, Ronald F.

2003-01-01

Evaluates how schools can positively affect the test score gap between black and white students by examining two potential sources for this difference: teachers and students. Offers evidence for the proposition that teachers' perceptions, expectations, and behaviors interact with students' beliefs, behaviors, and work habits in ways that help to…

Flowering times in genetically modified Brassica hybrids in the absence of selection

EPA Science Inventory

Changes in days to flowering (DTF) were observed among reciprocal F1 progeny of Brassica napus ‘RaideRR’ with other B. napus and also with weedy B. rapa. Changes in DTF are presented as factors to consider in evaluating the potential of crop to weed gene flow in different geograp...

Differential Relationships between WISC-IV and WIAT-II Scales: An Evaluation of Potentially Moderating Child Demographics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Konold, Timothy R.; Canivez, Gary L.

2010-01-01

Considerable debate exists regarding the accuracy of intelligence tests with members of different groups. This study investigated differential predictive validity of the "Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition". Participants from the WISC-IV--WIAT-II standardization linking sample (N = 550) ranged in age from 6 through…

Choline and its metabolites are differently associated with cardiometabolic risk factors, cardiovascular history and MRI documented cerebrovascular disease in older adults

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Background: There is a potential role of choline in cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease through its involvement in lipid and one-carbon metabolism. Objective: We evaluated the associations of plasma choline and choline-related compounds with cardiometabolic risk factors, history of cardiovas...

Field Studies to Evaluate Potential Differences between Bt and non-Bt Corn Residue

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Some reports suggest that the genetically-modified Bt corn residue may have higher lignin content and that the residue may be more resistant to decomposition. If true, then there are implications for both farming practices, e.g., tillage and planting, as well as global carbon budgets. We conducted ...

An Evaluation of a Peer Support Program to Improve Quality of Life with Breast Cancer

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-07-01

educated women there was no difference between the two groups. In addition we investigated the potential for heterogeneity in the intervention effect by...therapy than women in the control group (p=.005) (Table 28). This relationship only existed among the less educated women. Among the more highly

Phosphorus dynamics and phosphatase acitivity of soils under corn production with supplemental irrigation in humid coastal plain region, USA

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A three-year (2013-2015) field study was conducted to evaluate the effect of integrated nutrient management (NM) and three irrigation scheduling methods (IS): irrigator pro (IPro); normalized difference vegetative index (NDVI) and soil water potentials (SWP) on phosphorus (P) dynamics and phosphatas...

Ultrasmall Peptides Self-Assemble into Diverse Nanostructures: Morphological Evaluation and Potential Implications

PubMed Central

Lakshmanan, Anupama; Hauser, Charlotte A.E.

2011-01-01

In this study, we perform a morphological evaluation of the diverse nanostructures formed by varying concentration and amino acid sequence of a unique class of ultrasmall self-assembling peptides. We modified these peptides by replacing the aliphatic amino acid at the C-aliphatic terminus with different aromatic amino acids. We tracked the effect of introducing aromatic residues on self-assembly and morphology of resulting nanostructures. Whereas aliphatic peptides formed long, helical fibers that entangle into meshes and entrap >99.9% water, the modified peptides contrastingly formed short, straight fibers with a flat morphology. No helical fibers were observed for the modified peptides. For the aliphatic peptides at low concentrations, different supramolecular assemblies such as hollow nanospheres and membrane blebs were found. Since the ultrasmall peptides are made of simple, aliphatic amino acids, considered to have existed in the primordial soup, study of these supramolecular assemblies could be relevant to understanding chemical evolution leading to the origin of life on Earth. In particular, we propose a variety of potential applications in bioengineering and nanotechnology for the diverse self-assembled nanostructures. PMID:22016623

Analysis of water sorption isotherms of amorphous food materials by solution thermodynamics with relevance to glass transition: evaluation of plasticizing effect of water by the thermodynamic parameters.

PubMed

Shimazaki, Eriko; Tashiro, Akiko; Kumagai, Hitomi; Kumagai, Hitoshi

2017-04-01

Relation between the thermodynamic parameters obtained from water sorption isotherms and the degree of reduction in the glass transition temperature (T g ), accompanied by water sorption, was quantitatively studied. Two well-known glassy food materials namely, wheat gluten and maltodextrin were used as samples. The difference between the chemical potential of water in a solution and that of pure water ([Formula: see text]), the difference between the chemical potential of solid in a solution and that of a pure solid ([Formula: see text]), and the change in the integral Gibbs free energy ([Formula: see text]) were obtained by analyzing the water sorption isotherms using solution thermodynamics. The parameter [Formula: see text] correlated well with ΔT g (≡T g  - T g0 ; where T g0 is the glass transition temperature of dry material), which had been taken to be an index of plasticizing effect. This indicates that plasticizing effect of water on foods can be evaluated through the parameter [Formula: see text].

Ensiling of fish industry waste for biogas production: a lab scale evaluation of biochemical methane potential (BMP) and kinetics.

PubMed

Kafle, Gopi Krishna; Kim, Sang Hun; Sung, Kyung Ill

2013-01-01

Fish waste (FW) obtained from a fish processor was ensiled for biogas production. The FW silages were prepared by mixing FW with bread waste (BW) and brewery grain waste (BGW), and the quality of the prepared silages were evaluated. The biogas potentials of BW, BGW, three different types of FW, and FW silages were measured. A first-order kinetic model and the modified Gompertz model were also used to predict methane yield. The biogas and methane yield for FW silages after 96 days was calculated to be 671-763 mL/g VS and 441-482 mL/g VS, respectively. There were smaller differences between measured and predicted methane yield for FW silages when using a modified Gompertz model (1.1-4.3%) than when using a first-order kinetic model (22.5-32.4%). The critical HRTs and technical digestion times (T(80-90)) for the FW silages were calculated to be 21.0-23.8 days and 40.5-52.8 days, respectively. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparative study of β-catenin and CD44 immunoexpression in oral lichen planus and squamous cell carcinoma.

PubMed

Zargaran, Massoumeh; Baghaei, Fahimeh; Moghimbeigi, Abbas

2018-04-24

Dysfunction of adhesion molecules is believed to play an early and important role in developing cancer. Accordingly, this study aims to compare beta-catenin (β-catenin) and CD44 expression in oral lichen planus (OLP) as a condition with malignant potential and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). β-Catenin and CD44 expression were evaluated in 15 patients with epithelial hyperplasia (group A), 20 OLP (group B), and 20 OSCC (group C) by immunohistochemistry. Quantitative and semi-quantitative evaluations revealed β-catenin, and CD44 membranous expression had significant differences among the three groups. Expression of these markers in the OSCC group decreased significantly compared to that of the OLP. Also, nuclear/cytoplasmic expression of β-catenin was significantly different among the three groups, considering that nuclear expression was not observed in any of the epithelial hyperplasia and OLP samples. According to the findings of this study, β-catenin and CD44 can differentiate between behavior of OLP and OSCC, while the precancerous nature of OLP and malignant transformation potential of it are not suggested. © 2018 The International Society of Dermatology.

An Anomaly Correlation Skill Score for the Evaluation of the Performance of Hyperspectral Infrared Sounders

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aumann, Hartmut H.; Manning, Evan; Barnet, Chris; Maddy, Eric; Blackwell, William

2009-01-01

With the availability of very accurate forecasts, the metric of accuracy alone for the evaluation of the performance of a retrieval system can produce misleading results. A useful characterization of the quality of a retrieval system and its potential to contribute to an improved weather forecast is its skill, which we define as the ability to make retrievals of geophysical parameters which are closer to the truth than the six hour forecast, when the truth differs significantly from the forecast. We illustrate retrieval skill using one day of AMSU and AIRS data with three different retrieval algorithms, which result in retrievals for more than 90% of the potential retrievals under clear and cloudy conditions. Two of the three algorithms have better than 1 K rms "RAOB quality" accuracy on the troposphere, but only one has skill between 900 and 100 mb. AIRS was launched on the EOS Aqua spacecraft in May 2002 into a 705 km polar sun-synchronous orbit with accurately maintained 1:30 PM ascending node. Essentially uninterrupted data are freely available since September 2002.

Music to Make Your Mouth Water? Assessing the Potential Influence of Sour Music on Salivation

PubMed Central

Wang, Qian J.; Knoeferle, Klemens; Spence, Charles

2017-01-01

People robustly associate various sound attributes with specific smells/tastes, and soundtracks that are associated with specific tastes can influence people’s evaluation of the taste of food and drink. However, it is currently unknown whether such soundtracks directly impact the eating experience via physiological changes (an embodiment account), or whether they act at a higher cognitive level, or both. The present research assessed a version of the embodiment account, where a soundtrack associated with sourness is hypothesized to induce a physiological response in the listener by increasing salivary flow. Salivation was measured while participants were exposed to three different experimental conditions – a sour soundtrack, a muted lemon video showing a man eating a lemon, and a silent baseline condition. The results revealed that salivation during the lemon video condition was significantly greater than in the sour soundtrack and baseline conditions. However, contrary to our hypothesis, there was no significant difference between salivation levels in the sour soundtrack compared to the baseline condition. These results are discussed in terms of potential mechanisms underlying the auditory modulation of taste perception/evaluation. PMID:28491044

A Sorting Statistic with Application in Neurological Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Autism.

PubMed

Levman, Jacob; Takahashi, Emi; Forgeron, Cynthia; MacDonald, Patrick; Stewart, Natalie; Lim, Ashley; Martel, Anne

2018-01-01

Effect size refers to the assessment of the extent of differences between two groups of samples on a single measurement. Assessing effect size in medical research is typically accomplished with Cohen's d statistic. Cohen's d statistic assumes that average values are good estimators of the position of a distribution of numbers and also assumes Gaussian (or bell-shaped) underlying data distributions. In this paper, we present an alternative evaluative statistic that can quantify differences between two data distributions in a manner that is similar to traditional effect size calculations; however, the proposed approach avoids making assumptions regarding the shape of the underlying data distribution. The proposed sorting statistic is compared with Cohen's d statistic and is demonstrated to be capable of identifying feature measurements of potential interest for which Cohen's d statistic implies the measurement would be of little use. This proposed sorting statistic has been evaluated on a large clinical autism dataset from Boston Children's Hospital , Harvard Medical School , demonstrating that it can potentially play a constructive role in future healthcare technologies.

A Sorting Statistic with Application in Neurological Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Autism

PubMed Central

Takahashi, Emi; Lim, Ashley; Martel, Anne

2018-01-01

Effect size refers to the assessment of the extent of differences between two groups of samples on a single measurement. Assessing effect size in medical research is typically accomplished with Cohen's d statistic. Cohen's d statistic assumes that average values are good estimators of the position of a distribution of numbers and also assumes Gaussian (or bell-shaped) underlying data distributions. In this paper, we present an alternative evaluative statistic that can quantify differences between two data distributions in a manner that is similar to traditional effect size calculations; however, the proposed approach avoids making assumptions regarding the shape of the underlying data distribution. The proposed sorting statistic is compared with Cohen's d statistic and is demonstrated to be capable of identifying feature measurements of potential interest for which Cohen's d statistic implies the measurement would be of little use. This proposed sorting statistic has been evaluated on a large clinical autism dataset from Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, demonstrating that it can potentially play a constructive role in future healthcare technologies. PMID:29796236

Discrepancies between Judgment and Choice of Action in Moral Dilemmas

PubMed Central

Tassy, Sébastien; Oullier, Olivier; Mancini, Julien; Wicker, Bruno

2013-01-01

Everyone has experienced the potential discrepancy between what one judges as morally acceptable and what one actually does when a choice between alternative behaviors is to be made. The present study explores empirically whether judgment and choice of action differ when people make decisions on dilemmas involving moral issues. Two hundred and forty participants evaluated 24 moral and non-moral dilemmas either by judging (“Is it acceptable to…”) or reporting the choice of action they would make (“Would you do…”). We also investigated the influence of varying the number of people benefiting from the decision and the closeness of relationship of the decision maker with the potential victim on these two types of decision. Variations in the number of beneficiaries from the decision did not influence judgment nor choice of action. By contrast, closeness of relationship with the victim had a greater influence on the choice of action than on judgment. This differentiation between evaluative judgments and choices of action argues in favor of each of them being supported by (at least partially) different psychological processes. PMID:23720645

Music to Make Your Mouth Water? Assessing the Potential Influence of Sour Music on Salivation.

PubMed

Wang, Qian J; Knoeferle, Klemens; Spence, Charles

2017-01-01

People robustly associate various sound attributes with specific smells/tastes, and soundtracks that are associated with specific tastes can influence people's evaluation of the taste of food and drink. However, it is currently unknown whether such soundtracks directly impact the eating experience via physiological changes (an embodiment account), or whether they act at a higher cognitive level, or both. The present research assessed a version of the embodiment account, where a soundtrack associated with sourness is hypothesized to induce a physiological response in the listener by increasing salivary flow. Salivation was measured while participants were exposed to three different experimental conditions - a sour soundtrack, a muted lemon video showing a man eating a lemon, and a silent baseline condition. The results revealed that salivation during the lemon video condition was significantly greater than in the sour soundtrack and baseline conditions. However, contrary to our hypothesis, there was no significant difference between salivation levels in the sour soundtrack compared to the baseline condition. These results are discussed in terms of potential mechanisms underlying the auditory modulation of taste perception/evaluation.

Transglutaminase from newly isolated Streptomyces sp. CBMAI 1617: Production optimization, characterization and evaluation in wheat protein and dough systems.

PubMed

Ceresino, Elaine B; de Melo, Ricardo R; Kuktaite, Ramune; Hedenqvist, Mikael S; Zucchi, Tiago D; Johansson, Eva; Sato, Helia H

2018-02-15

The popularity of transglutaminase (TG) by the food industry and the variation in functionality of this enzyme from different origins, prompted us to isolate and evaluate a high-yielding TG strain. Through the statistical approaches, Plackett-Burman and response surface methodology, a low cost fermentation media was obtained to produce 6.074±0.019UmL -1 of TG from a novel source; Streptomyces sp. CBMAI 1617 (SB6). Its potential exploitation was compared to commonly used TG, from Streptomyces mobaraensis. Biochemical and FT-IR studies indicated differences between SB6 and commercial TG (Biobond™ TG-M). Additions of TG to wheat protein and flour based doughs revealed that the dough stretching depended on the wheat protein fraction, TG amount and its origin. A higher degree of cross-linking of glutenins and of inclusion of gliadin in the polymers was seen for SB6 as compared to commercial TG. Thus, our results support the potential of SB6 to tailor wheat protein properties within various food applications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A potential gender bias in assessing quality of life - a standard gamble experiment among university students.

PubMed

Obaidi, Leath Al; Mahlich, Jörg

2015-01-01

There are several methodologies that can be used for evaluating patients' perception of their quality of life. Most commonly, utilities are directly elicited by means of either the time-trade-off or the standard-gamble method. In both methods, risk attitudes determine the quality of life values. Quality of life values among 31 Austrian undergraduate students were elicited by means of the standard gamble approach. The impact of several variables such as gender, side job, length of study, and living arrangements on the quality of life were identified using different types of regression techniques (ordinary least squares, generalized linear model, Betafit). Significant evidence was found that females are associated with a higher quality of life in all specifications of our estimations. The observed gender differences in quality of life can be attributed to a higher degree of risk aversion of women. A higher risk aversion leads to a higher valuation of given health states and a potential gender bias in health economic evaluations. This result could have implications for health policy planners when it comes to budget allocation decisions.

Noninvasive assessment of diabetic foot ulcers with diffuse photon density wave methodology: pilot human study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papazoglou, Elisabeth S.; Neidrauer, Michael; Zubkov, Leonid; Weingarten, Michael S.; Pourrezaei, Kambiz

2009-11-01

A pilot human study is conducted to evaluate the potential of using diffuse photon density wave (DPDW) methodology at near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths (685 to 830 nm) to monitor changes in tissue hemoglobin concentration in diabetic foot ulcers. Hemoglobin concentration is measured by DPDW in 12 human wounds for a period ranging from 10 to 61 weeks. In all wounds that healed completely, gradual decreases in optical absorption coefficient, oxygenated hemoglobin concentration, and total hemoglobin concentration are observed between the first and last measurements. In nonhealing wounds, the rates of change of these properties are nearly zero or slightly positive, and a statistically significant difference (p<0.05) is observed in the rates of change between healing and nonhealing wounds. Differences in the variability of DPDW measurements over time are observed between healing and nonhealing wounds, and this variance may also be a useful indicator of nonhealing wounds. Our results demonstrate that DPDW methodology with a frequency domain NIR device can differentiate healing from nonhealing diabetic foot ulcers, and indicate that it may have clinical utility in the evaluation of wound healing potential.

Stability of superheavy nuclei

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pomorski, K.; Nerlo-Pomorska, B.; Bartel, J.; Schmitt, C.

2018-03-01

The potential-energy surfaces of an extended set of heavy and superheavy even-even nuclei with 92 ≤Z ≤126 and isospins 40 ≤N -Z ≤74 are evaluated within the recently developed Fourier shape parametrization. Ground-state and decay properties are studied for 324 different even-even isotopes in a four-dimensional deformation space, defined by nonaxiality, quadrupole, octupole, and hexadecapole degrees of freedom. Nuclear deformation energies are evaluated in the framework of the macroscopic-microscopic approach, with the Lublin-Strasbourg drop model and a Yukawa-folded mean-field potential. The evolution of the ground-state equilibrium shape (and possible isomeric, metastable states) is studied as a function of Z and N . α -decay Q values and half-lives, as well as fission-barrier heights, are deduced. In order to understand the transition from asymmetric to symmetric fission along the Fm isotopic chain, the properties of all identified fission paths are investigated. Good agreement is found with experimental data wherever available. New interesting features about the population of different fission modes for nuclei beyond Fm are predicted.

On the assimilation set-up of ASCAT soil moisture data for improving streamflow catchment simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loizu, Javier; Massari, Christian; Álvarez-Mozos, Jesús; Tarpanelli, Angelica; Brocca, Luca; Casalí, Javier

2018-01-01

Assimilation of remotely sensed surface soil moisture (SSM) data into hydrological catchment models has been identified as a means to improve streamflow simulations, but reported results vary markedly depending on the particular model, catchment and assimilation procedure used. In this study, the influence of key aspects, such as the type of model, re-scaling technique and SSM observation error considered, were evaluated. For this aim, Advanced SCATterometer ASCAT-SSM observations were assimilated through the ensemble Kalman filter into two hydrological models of different complexity (namely MISDc and TOPLATS) run on two Mediterranean catchments of similar size (750 km2). Three different re-scaling techniques were evaluated (linear re-scaling, variance matching and cumulative distribution function matching), and SSM observation error values ranging from 0.01% to 20% were considered. Four different efficiency measures were used for evaluating the results. Increases in Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (0.03-0.15) and efficiency indices (10-45%) were obtained, especially when linear re-scaling and observation errors within 4-6% were considered. This study found out that there is a potential to improve streamflow prediction through data assimilation of remotely sensed SSM in catchments of different characteristics and with hydrological models of different conceptualizations schemes, but for that, a careful evaluation of the observation error and re-scaling technique set-up utilized is required.

Cultural background, gender, and institutional status have an effect on the evaluation of multi-disciplinary participatory action research.

PubMed

Graef, Frieder; Sieber, Stefan

2018-01-01

Research and development increasingly apply participatory approaches that involve both stakeholders and scientists. This article presents an evaluation of German and Tanzanian researchers' perceptions during their activities as part of a large interdisciplinary research project in Tanzania. The project focused on prioritizing and implementing food-securing upgrading strategies across the components of rural food value chains. The participants involved during the course of the project were asked to provide feedback on 10 different research steps and to evaluate eight core features related to the functioning and potential shortcomings of the project. The study discriminated among evaluation differences linked to culture, gender, and institutional status. Perceptions differed between Tanzanian and German participants depending on the type and complexity of the participatory research steps undertaken and the intensity of stakeholder participation. There were differences in perception linked to gender and hierarchical status; however, those differences were not as concise and significant as those linked to nationality. These findings indicate that participatory action research of this nature requires more targeted strategies and planning tailored to the type of activity. Such planning would result in more efficient and satisfactory communication, close collaboration, and mutual feedback to avoid conflicts and other problems. We further conclude that it would be advisable to carefully incorporate training on these aspects into future project designs.

The Riverscape Analysis Project: Using Remote Sensing to Leverage Salmon Science and Management Applications Around the Pacific Rim

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chilcote, S.; Maumenee, N.; Lucotch, J.; Whited, D.; Bansack, T.; Kimball, J. S.; Stanford, J.

2009-12-01

The Salmonid Rivers Observatory Network (SaRON) is an intensive field research project which aims to describe the relation between salmon productivion and diversity in relation to environmental drivers and physical complexity of riverine shifting habitat mosaics. The Riverscape Analysis Project (RAP) is a spatially explicit remote sensing database which quantifies and ranks different combinations of physical landscape metrics around the Pacific Rim, displaying results through a publically accessible web based decision support framework designed to empower regional management and conservation efforts for wild salmon. The objective of our research is to explicitly describe and relate different habitat types and their potential fish production at a variety of scales and throughout the range of Pacific salmon, leveraging our field research through available satellite remote sensing and geospatial analysis. We find that rivers exhibit a range of physical, chemical, and biotic conditions consistent with the shifting habitat mosaic (SHM) concept. Landscape physical variables derived from global Landsat imagery and SRTM-DEM information explain 93.2% of observed variability in over 1500 watersheds across the Pacific Rim. We expect that it is these coarse scale differences in river typologies which are responsible for the fine scale differences in habitat conditions and juvenile salmon production. Therefore, we ranked rivers using landscape scale physical variables to prioritize them for management actions based on potential productivity. For example, the Kvichak River of Bristol Bay is highly ranked, 8th, based on its physical landscape structure as well as current human impacts. Currently, the Bristol Bay fishery is extremely productive. Habitat structure can be used not only to define reference conditions and management targets for how many fish we would expect a river to produce based on its potential habitat capacity, but it also provides new analytical tools to quantitatively evaluate potential ecosystem impacts from proposed development activities. We found that proposed water extraction of 29 cubic feet per second (cfs) in a tributary of the Kvichak could potentially reduce off-channel habitat capacity by over 512 juvenile fish per hectare of habitat. In this article, we provide examples of how managers can integrate these novel data and tools into their evaluation frameworks in order to make informed, ecologically based decisions about current ecosystem conditions, desired ecological states, and potential tradeoffs in meeting salmon management goals in relation to human impacts.

Evaluating tretinoin formulations in the treatment of acne.

PubMed

Kircik, Leon H

2014-04-01

Topical tretinoin has been a standard treatment for acne vulgaris for more than 4 decades. While tretinoin has demonstrated proven efficacy in the treatment of acne lesions, it also is associated with the potential for skin irritation. Newer formulations have been designed to optimize both the drug concentration and the delivery vehicle with the aim to enable clinicians to provide increasingly effective acne treatment that minimizes irritation. These therapies include formulations with varying concentrations of tretinoin and vehicles that utilize a microsponge delivery system, hydrogels and micronized tretinoin, or propolymers. The purpose of this review is to evaluate different formulations and combinations of tretinoin in the treatment of acne vulgaris. While these advanced formulations were designed for controlled release of active ingredient, and have the potential to reduce cutaneous irritation relative to standard tretinoin cream and gel formulations, there is a need for comparative studies to evaluate the relative benefits of each of these advanced tretinoin formulations in optimizing acne treatment.

Assessing the Fire Risk for a Historic Hangar

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Datta, Koushik; Morrison, Richard S.

2010-01-01

NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) is evaluating options of reuse of its historic Hangar 1. As a part of this evaluation, a qualitative fire risk assessment study was performed to evaluate the potential threat of combustion of the historic hangar. The study focused on the fire risk trade-off of either installing or not installing a Special Hazard Fire Suppression System in the Hangar 1 deck areas. The assessment methodology was useful in discussing the important issues among various groups within the Center. Once the methodology was deemed acceptable, the results were assessed. The results showed that the risk remained in the same risk category, whether Hangar 1 does or does not have a Special Hazard Fire Suppression System. Note that the methodology assessed the risk to Hangar 1 and not the risk to an aircraft in the hangar. If one had a high value aircraft, the aircraft risk analysis could potentially show a different result. The assessed risk results were then communicated to management and other stakeholders.

Safranal-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles: evaluation of sunscreen and moisturizing potential for topical applications

PubMed Central

Khameneh, Bahman; Halimi, Vahid; Jaafari, Mahmoud Reza; Golmohammadzadeh, Shiva

2015-01-01

Objective(s): In the current study, sunscreen and moisturizing properties of solid lipid nanoparticle (SLN)-safranal formulations were evaluated. Materials and Methods: Series of SLN were prepared using glyceryl monostearate, Tween 80 and different amounts of safranal by high shear homogenization, and ultrasound and high-pressure homogenization (HPH) methods. SLN formulations were characterized for size, zeta potential, morphology, thermal properties, and encapsulation efficacy. The Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of the products was determined in vitro using transpore tape. The moisturizing activity of the products was also evaluated by corneometer. Results: The SPF of SLN-safranal formulations was increased when the amount of safranal increased. Mean particle size for all formulas was approximately 106 nm by probe sonication and 233 nm using HPH method. The encapsulation efficiency of safranal was around 70% for all SLN-safranal formulations. Conclusion: The results conclude that SLN-safranal formulations were found to be effective for topical delivery of safranal and succeeded in providing appropriate sunscreen properties. PMID:25810877

A multicriteria decision analysis of augmentative treatment of upper limbs in persons with tetraplegia.

PubMed

Hummel, J M Marjan; Snoek, Govert J; van Til, Janine A; van Rossum, Wouter; Ijzerman, Maarten J

2005-01-01

This study supported the evaluation by a rehabilitation team of the performance of two treatment options that improve the arm-hand function in subjects with sixth cervical vertebra (C6) level Motor Group 2 tetraplegia. The analytic hierarchy process, a technique for multicriteria decision analysis, was used by a rehabilitation team and potential recipients to quantitatively compare a new technology, Functional Elec trical Stimulation (FES), with conventional surgery. Perform-ance was measured by functional improvement, treatment load, risks, user-friendliness, and social outcomes. Functional improvement after FES was considered better than that after conventional surgery. However, the rehabilitation team's overall rating for conventional surgery was slightly higher than that for FES (57% vs 44%). Compared with the rehabilitation team, potential recipients gave greater weight to burden of treatment and less weight to functional improvement. This study shows that evaluation of new technology must be more comprehensive than the evaluation of functional improvement alone, and that patient preferences may differ from those of the rehabilitation team.

Novel alginate biphasic scaffold for osteochondral regeneration: an in vivo evaluation in rabbit and sheep models.

PubMed

Filardo, Giuseppe; Perdisa, Francesco; Gelinsky, Michael; Despang, Florian; Fini, Milena; Marcacci, Maurilio; Parrilli, Anna Paola; Roffi, Alice; Salamanna, Francesca; Sartori, Maria; Schütz, Kathleen; Kon, Elizaveta

2018-05-26

Current therapeutic strategies for osteochondral restoration showed a limited regenerative potential. In fact, to promote the growth of articular cartilage and subchondral bone is a real challenge, due to the different functional and anatomical properties. To this purpose, alginate is a promising biomaterial for a scaffold-based approach, claiming optimal biocompatibility and good chondrogenic potential. A previously developed mineralized alginate scaffold was investigated in terms of the ability to support osteochondral regeneration both in a large and medium size animal model. The results were evaluated macroscopically and by microtomography, histology, histomorphometry, and immunohistochemical analysis. No evidence of adverse or inflammatory reactions was observed in both models, but limited subchondral bone formation was present, together with a slow scaffold resorption time.The implantation of this biphasic alginate scaffold provided partial osteochondral regeneration in the animal model. Further studies are needed to evaluate possible improvement in terms of osteochondral tissue regeneration for this biomaterial.

GANViz: A Visual Analytics Approach to Understand the Adversarial Game.

PubMed

Wang, Junpeng; Gou, Liang; Yang, Hao; Shen, Han-Wei

2018-06-01

Generative models bear promising implications to learn data representations in an unsupervised fashion with deep learning. Generative Adversarial Nets (GAN) is one of the most popular frameworks in this arena. Despite the promising results from different types of GANs, in-depth understanding on the adversarial training process of the models remains a challenge to domain experts. The complexity and the potential long-time training process of the models make it hard to evaluate, interpret, and optimize them. In this work, guided by practical needs from domain experts, we design and develop a visual analytics system, GANViz, aiming to help experts understand the adversarial process of GANs in-depth. Specifically, GANViz evaluates the model performance of two subnetworks of GANs, provides evidence and interpretations of the models' performance, and empowers comparative analysis with the evidence. Through our case studies with two real-world datasets, we demonstrate that GANViz can provide useful insight into helping domain experts understand, interpret, evaluate, and potentially improve GAN models.

Evaluation of Shape and Textural Features from CT as Prognostic Biomarkers in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer.

PubMed

Bianconi, Francesco; Fravolini, Mario Luca; Bello-Cerezo, Raquel; Minestrini, Matteo; Scialpi, Michele; Palumbo, Barbara

2018-04-01

We retrospectively investigated the prognostic potential (correlation with overall survival) of 9 shape and 21 textural features from non-contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer. We considered a public dataset of 203 individuals with inoperable, histologically- or cytologically-confirmed NSCLC. Three-dimensional shape and textural features from CT were computed using proprietary code and their prognostic potential evaluated through four different statistical protocols. Volume and grey-level run length matrix (GLRLM) run length non-uniformity were the only two features to pass all four protocols. Both features correlated negatively with overall survival. The results also showed a strong dependence on the evaluation protocol used. Tumour volume and GLRLM run-length non-uniformity from CT were the best predictor of survival in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer. We did not find enough evidence to claim a relationship with survival for the other features. Copyright© 2018, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.

Philometra floridensis (Nematoda: Philometridae) damages ovarian tissue without reducing host (Sciaenops ocellatus) fecundity.

PubMed

Bakenhaster, Micah D; Lowerre-Barbieri, Susan; Kiryu, Yasunari; Walters, Sarah; Fajer-Avila, Emma J

2014-04-03

The parasitic nematode Philometra floridensis infects the ovary of its only host, the economically important fish species Sciaenops ocellatus, but the factors influencing host susceptibility and potential pathogenic effects are unknown. Here we report new information on these topics from evaluations of infected and uninfected hosts collected from the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. Fish length and age were evaluated vis-à-vis nematode prevalence to check for ontogenetic differences in host susceptibility. To evaluate health and reproductive consequences of infection, we looked for effects in Fulton's condition factor (K) and batch fecundity estimates (BF), and we evaluated ovarian tissue histologically to check for oocyte atresia and other host responses. We observed localized pathological changes in fish ovarian tissue associated with female nematodes, including leucocytic exudates, granulomatous inflammation, and Langhans-type multinucleated giant cells; the hosts, however, appeared to maintain high fecundity and actually exhibited, on average, better health index scores and higher relative fecundity than did uninfected fish. These differences are likely explained by the parasite's tendency to disproportionately infect the largest, actively spawning fish and by the localization of pathogenic changes, which could have masked effects that otherwise would have been reflected in mass-based health indicators. Although we did not detect negative effects on measures of overall health or reproductive output, further research is needed to better elucidate the relationship between these parasites and other factors affecting host reproductive potential, such as egg quality.

A plea for the development of an universally accepted modular tooth wear evaluation system.

PubMed

Wetselaar, P; Faris, A; Lobbezoo, F

2016-11-03

Tooth wear is considered an increasing oral health problem. Due to its multifactorial nature, recognizing and diagnosing of tooth wear is difficult but nevertheless important. Over the years, a wide variety of evaluation systems has been developed, yet none of them is universally accepted. This has implications for both research and clinical practice. This paper describes an in-depth analysis of four commonly used tooth wear evaluation systems, namely, the Eccles index, the Tooth Wear Index, the Lussi index, and the Basic Erosive Wear Examination. Comparing those systems revealed that despite several similarities, they differ considerably from each other. Notably, all four systems have their specific advantages and disadvantages. However, neither one of them meets all necessary characteristics of a hypothetical, broadly applicable tooth wear evaluation system. In fact, it is not realistic that a single system qualifies for all purposes (for example, diagnosing or monitoring individual patients, performing epidemiological studies, etc.). As a potentially feasible solution for this issue, the development of an evaluation system is recommended that consists of multiple, coherent modules, which cover different purposes.

Benchmarking of dynamic simulation predictions in two software platforms using an upper limb musculoskeletal model

PubMed Central

Saul, Katherine R.; Hu, Xiao; Goehler, Craig M.; Vidt, Meghan E.; Daly, Melissa; Velisar, Anca; Murray, Wendy M.

2014-01-01

Several opensource or commercially available software platforms are widely used to develop dynamic simulations of movement. While computational approaches are conceptually similar across platforms, technical differences in implementation may influence output. We present a new upper limb dynamic model as a tool to evaluate potential differences in predictive behavior between platforms. We evaluated to what extent differences in technical implementations in popular simulation software environments result in differences in kinematic predictions for single and multijoint movements using EMG- and optimization-based approaches for deriving control signals. We illustrate the benchmarking comparison using SIMM-Dynamics Pipeline-SD/Fast and OpenSim platforms. The most substantial divergence results from differences in muscle model and actuator paths. This model is a valuable resource and is available for download by other researchers. The model, data, and simulation results presented here can be used by future researchers to benchmark other software platforms and software upgrades for these two platforms. PMID:24995410

Benchmarking of dynamic simulation predictions in two software platforms using an upper limb musculoskeletal model.

PubMed

Saul, Katherine R; Hu, Xiao; Goehler, Craig M; Vidt, Meghan E; Daly, Melissa; Velisar, Anca; Murray, Wendy M

2015-01-01

Several opensource or commercially available software platforms are widely used to develop dynamic simulations of movement. While computational approaches are conceptually similar across platforms, technical differences in implementation may influence output. We present a new upper limb dynamic model as a tool to evaluate potential differences in predictive behavior between platforms. We evaluated to what extent differences in technical implementations in popular simulation software environments result in differences in kinematic predictions for single and multijoint movements using EMG- and optimization-based approaches for deriving control signals. We illustrate the benchmarking comparison using SIMM-Dynamics Pipeline-SD/Fast and OpenSim platforms. The most substantial divergence results from differences in muscle model and actuator paths. This model is a valuable resource and is available for download by other researchers. The model, data, and simulation results presented here can be used by future researchers to benchmark other software platforms and software upgrades for these two platforms.

Wavelet methodology to improve single unit isolation in primary motor cortex cells

PubMed Central

Ortiz-Rosario, Alexis; Adeli, Hojjat; Buford, John A.

2016-01-01

The proper isolation of action potentials recorded extracellularly from neural tissue is an active area of research in the fields of neuroscience and biomedical signal processing. This paper presents an isolation methodology for neural recordings using the wavelet transform (WT), a statistical thresholding scheme, and the principal component analysis (PCA) algorithm. The effectiveness of five different mother wavelets was investigated: biorthogonal, Daubachies, discrete Meyer, symmetric, and Coifman; along with three different wavelet coefficient thresholding schemes: fixed form threshold, Stein’s unbiased estimate of risk, and minimax; and two different thresholding rules: soft and hard thresholding. The signal quality was evaluated using three different statistical measures: mean-squared error, root-mean squared, and signal to noise ratio. The clustering quality was evaluated using two different statistical measures: isolation distance, and L-ratio. This research shows that the selection of the mother wavelet has a strong influence on the clustering and isolation of single unit neural activity, with the Daubachies 4 wavelet and minimax thresholding scheme performing the best. PMID:25794461

Through the looking glass of a chemistry video game: Evaluating the effects of different MLEs presenting identical content material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hillman, Dustin S.

The primary goal of this study is to evaluate the effects of different media-based learning environments (MLEs) that present identical chemistry content material. This is done with four different MLEs that utilize some or all components of a chemistry-based media-based prototype video game. Examination of general chemistry student volunteers purposefully randomized to one of four different MLEs did not provide evidence that the higher the level of interactivity resulted in a more effective MLE for the chemistry content. Data suggested that the cognitive load to play the chemistry-based video game may impaired the chemistry content being presented and recalled by the students while the students watching the movie of the chemistry-based video game were able to recall the chemistry content more efficiently. Further studies in this area need to address the overall cognitive load of the different MLEs to potentially better determine what the most effective MLE may be for this chemistry content.

A review of the use of wear-resistant coatings in the cutting-tool industry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Salik, J.

1983-01-01

The main mechanisms involved in the wear of cutting tools are reviewed. Evaluation of the different coating properties required for the reduction of the different kinds of wear was also reviewed. The types of coatings and their ranges of applicability are presented and discussed in view of their properties. Various coating processes as well as their advantages and shortcomings are described. Potential future developments in the field of wear-resistant coatings are discussed.

Contrasting nitrate adsorption in Andisols of two coffee plantations in Costa Rica.

PubMed

Ryan, M C; Graham, G R; Rudolph, D L

2001-01-01

Fertilizer use in coffee plantations is a suspected cause of rising ground water nitrate concentrations in the ground water-dependent Central Valley of Costa Rica. Nitrate adsorption was evaluated beneath two coffee (Coffea arabica L.) plantations in the Central Valley. Previous work at one site had identified unsaturated zone nitrate retardation relative to a tritium tracer. Differences in nitrate adsorption were assessed in cores to 4 m depth in Andisols at this and one other plantation using differences in KCl- and water-extractable nitrate as an index. Significant adsorption was confirmed at the site of the previous tracer test, but not at the second site. Anion exchange capacity, X-ray diffraction data, extractable Al and Si, and soil pH in NaF corroborated that differences in adsorption characteristics were related to subtle differences in clay mineralogy. Soils at the site with significant nitrate adsorption showed an Al-rich allophane clay content compared with a more weathered, Si-rich allophane and halloysite clay mineral content at the site with negligible adsorption. At the site with significant nitrate adsorption, nitrate occupied less than 10% of the total anion adsorption capacity, suggesting that adsorption may provide long-term potential for mitigation or delay of nitrate leaching. Evaluation of nitrate sorption potential of soil at local and landscape scales would be useful in development of nitrogen management practices to reduce nitrate leaching to ground water.

The Impact of Non-attempted and Dually-Attempted Items on Person Abilities Using Item Response Theory

PubMed Central

Sideridis, Georgios D.; Tsaousis, Ioannis; Al Harbi, Khaleel

2016-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to relate response strategy with person ability estimates. Two behavioral strategies were examined: (a) the strategy to skip items in order to save time on timed tests, and, (b) the strategy to select two responses on an item, with the hope that one of them may be considered correct. Participants were 4,422 individuals who were administered a standardized achievement measure related to math, biology, chemistry, and physics. In the present evaluation, only the physics subscale was employed. Two analyses were conducted: (a) a person-based one to identify differences between groups and potential correlates of those differences, and, (b) a measure-based analysis in order to identify the parts of the measure that were responsible for potential group differentiation. For (a) person abilities the 2-PL model was employed and later the 3-PL and 4-PL models in order to estimate upper and lower asymptotes of person abilities. For (b) differential item functioning, differential test functioning, and differential distractor functioning were investigated. Results indicated that there were significant differences between groups with completers having the highest ability compared to both non-attempters and dual responders. There were no significant differences between no-attempters and dual responders. The present findings have implications for response strategy efficacy and measure evaluation, revision, and construction. PMID:27790174

The Impact of Non-attempted and Dually-Attempted Items on Person Abilities Using Item Response Theory.

PubMed

Sideridis, Georgios D; Tsaousis, Ioannis; Al Harbi, Khaleel

2016-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to relate response strategy with person ability estimates. Two behavioral strategies were examined: (a) the strategy to skip items in order to save time on timed tests, and, (b) the strategy to select two responses on an item, with the hope that one of them may be considered correct. Participants were 4,422 individuals who were administered a standardized achievement measure related to math, biology, chemistry, and physics. In the present evaluation, only the physics subscale was employed. Two analyses were conducted: (a) a person-based one to identify differences between groups and potential correlates of those differences, and, (b) a measure-based analysis in order to identify the parts of the measure that were responsible for potential group differentiation. For (a) person abilities the 2-PL model was employed and later the 3-PL and 4-PL models in order to estimate upper and lower asymptotes of person abilities. For (b) differential item functioning, differential test functioning, and differential distractor functioning were investigated. Results indicated that there were significant differences between groups with completers having the highest ability compared to both non-attempters and dual responders. There were no significant differences between no-attempters and dual responders. The present findings have implications for response strategy efficacy and measure evaluation, revision, and construction.

Watershed-scale response to climate change through the twenty-first century for selected basins across the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hay, Lauren E.; Markstrom, Steven; Ward-Garrison, Christian D.

2011-01-01

The hydrologic response of different climate-change emission scenarios for the twenty-first century were evaluated in 14 basins from different hydroclimatic regions across the United States using the Precipitation-Runoff Modeling System (PRMS), a process-based, distributed-parameter watershed model. This study involves four major steps: 1) setup and calibration of the PRMS model in 14 basins across the United States by local U.S. Geological Survey personnel; 2) statistical downscaling of the World Climate Research Programme’s Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 3 climate-change emission scenarios to create PRMS input files that reflect these emission scenarios; 3) run PRMS for the climate-change emission scenarios for the 14 basins; and 4) evaluation of the PRMS output.This paper presents an overview of this project, details of the methodology, results from the 14 basin simulations, and interpretation of these results. A key finding is that the hydrological response of the different geographical regions of the United States to potential climate change may be very different, depending on the dominant physical processes of that particular region. Also considered is the tremendous amount of uncertainty present in the climate emission scenarios and how this uncertainty propagates through the hydrologic simulations. This paper concludes with a discussion of the lessons learned and potential for future work.

Physiotherapy rehabilitation for whiplash associated disorder II: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

PubMed Central

Wright, Chris; Heneghan, Nicola; Eveleigh, Gillian; Calvert, Melanie; Freemantle, Nick

2011-01-01

Objective To evaluate effectiveness of physiotherapy management in patients experiencing whiplash associated disorder II, on clinically relevant outcomes in the short and longer term. Design Systematic review and meta-analysis. Two reviewers independently searched information sources, assessed studies for inclusion, evaluated risk of bias and extracted data. A third reviewer mediated disagreement. Assessment of risk of bias was tabulated across included trials. Quantitative synthesis was conducted on comparable outcomes across trials with similar interventions. Meta-analyses compared effect sizes, with random effects as primary analyses. Data sources Predefined terms were employed to search electronic databases. Additional studies were identified from key journals, reference lists, authors and experts. Eligibility criteria for selecting studies Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) published in English before 31 December 2010 evaluating physiotherapy management of patients (>16 years), experiencing whiplash associated disorder II. Any physiotherapy intervention was included, when compared with other types of management, placebo/sham, or no intervention. Measurements reported on ≥1 outcome from the domains within the international classification of function, disability and health, were included. Results 21 RCTs (2126 participants, 9 countries) were included. Interventions were categorised as active physiotherapy or a specific physiotherapy intervention. 20/21 trials were evaluated as high risk of bias and one as unclear. 1395 participants were incorporated in the meta-analyses on 12 trials. In evaluating short term outcome in the acute/sub-acute stage, there was some evidence that active physiotherapy intervention reduces pain and improves range of movement, and that a specific physiotherapy intervention may reduce pain. However, moderate/considerable heterogeneity suggested that treatments may differ in nature or effect in different trial patients. Differences between participants, interventions and trial designs limited potential meta-analyses. Conclusions Inconclusive evidence exists for the effectiveness of physiotherapy management for whiplash associated disorder II. There is potential benefit for improving range of movement and pain short term through active physiotherapy, and for improving pain through a specific physiotherapy intervention. PMID:22102642

Collision Avoidance for Airport Traffic Simulation Evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Denise R.; Prinzel, Lawrence J., III; Shelton, Kevin J.; Bailey, Randall E.; Otero, Sharon D.; Barker, Glover D.

2010-01-01

A Collision Avoidance for Airport Traffic (CAAT) concept for the airport Terminal Maneuvering Area (TMA) was evaluated in a simulation study at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Langley Research Center. CAAT is being designed to enhance surface situation awareness and provide cockpit alerts of potential conflicts during runway, taxi, and low altitude air-to-air operations. The purpose of the study was to evaluate pilot reaction to conflict events in the TMA near the airport, different alert timings for various scenarios, alerting display concepts, and directive alerting concepts. This paper gives an overview of the conflict detection and resolution (CD&R) concept, simulation study, and test results

Comparative evaluation of antimicrobials for textile applications.

PubMed

Windler, Lena; Height, Murray; Nowack, Bernd

2013-03-01

Many antimicrobial technologies are available for textiles. They may be used in many different textile applications to prevent the growth of microorganisms. Due to the biological activity of the antimicrobial compounds, the assessment of the safety of these substances is an ongoing subject of research and regulatory scrutiny. This review aims to give an overview on the main compounds used today for antimicrobial textile functionalization. Based on an evaluation of scientific publications, market data as well as regulatory documents, the potential effects of antimicrobials on the environment and on human health were considered and also life cycle perspectives were taken into account. The characteristics of each compound were summarized according to technical, environmental and human health criteria. Triclosan, silane quaternary ammonium compounds, zinc pyrithione and silver-based compounds are the main antimicrobials used in textiles. The synthetic organic compounds dominate the antimicrobials market on a weight basis. On the technical side the application rates of the antimicrobials used to functionalize a textile product are an important parameter with treatments requiring lower dosage rates offering clear benefits in terms of less active substance required to achieve the functionality. The durability of the antimicrobial treatment has a strong influence on the potential for release and subsequent environmental effects. In terms of environmental criteria, all compounds were rated similarly in effective removal in wastewater treatment processes. The extent of published information about environmental behavior for each compound varies, limiting the possibility for an in-depth comparison of all textile-relevant parameters across the antimicrobials. Nevertheless the comparative evaluation showed that each antimicrobial technology has specific risks and benefits that should be taken into account in evaluating the suitability of different antimicrobial products. The results also indicated that nanoscale silver and silver salts that achieve functionality with very low application rates offer clear potential benefits for textile use. The regular care of textiles consumes lots of resources (e.g. water, energy, chemicals) and antimicrobial treatments can play a role in reducing the frequency and/or intensity of laundering which can give potential for significant resource savings and associated impact on the environment. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation design for a complex intervention program targeting loneliness in non-institutionalized elderly Dutch people.

PubMed

de Vlaming, Rianne; Haveman-Nies, Annemien; Van't Veer, Pieter; de Groot, Lisette Cpgm

2010-09-13

The aim of this paper is to provide the rationale for an evaluation design for a complex intervention program targeting loneliness among non-institutionalized elderly people in a Dutch community. Complex public health interventions characteristically use the combined approach of intervening on the individual and on the environmental level. It is assumed that the components of a complex intervention interact with and reinforce each other. Furthermore, implementation is highly context-specific and its impact is influenced by external factors. Although the entire community is exposed to the intervention components, each individual is exposed to different components with a different intensity. A logic model of change is used to develop the evaluation design. The model describes what outcomes may logically be expected at different points in time at the individual level. In order to address the complexity of a real-life setting, the evaluation design of the loneliness intervention comprises two types of evaluation studies. The first uses a quasi-experimental pre-test post-test design to evaluate the effectiveness of the overall intervention. A control community comparable to the intervention community was selected, with baseline measurements in 2008 and follow-up measurements scheduled for 2010. This study focuses on changes in the prevalence of loneliness and in the determinants of loneliness within individuals in the general elderly population. Complementarily, the second study is designed to evaluate the individual intervention components and focuses on delivery, reach, acceptance, and short-term outcomes. Different means of project records and surveys among participants are used to collect these data. Combining these two evaluation strategies has the potential to assess the effectiveness of the overall complex intervention and the contribution of the individual intervention components thereto.

Evaluation design for a complex intervention program targeting loneliness in non-institutionalized elderly Dutch people

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background The aim of this paper is to provide the rationale for an evaluation design for a complex intervention program targeting loneliness among non-institutionalized elderly people in a Dutch community. Complex public health interventions characteristically use the combined approach of intervening on the individual and on the environmental level. It is assumed that the components of a complex intervention interact with and reinforce each other. Furthermore, implementation is highly context-specific and its impact is influenced by external factors. Although the entire community is exposed to the intervention components, each individual is exposed to different components with a different intensity. Methods/Design A logic model of change is used to develop the evaluation design. The model describes what outcomes may logically be expected at different points in time at the individual level. In order to address the complexity of a real-life setting, the evaluation design of the loneliness intervention comprises two types of evaluation studies. The first uses a quasi-experimental pre-test post-test design to evaluate the effectiveness of the overall intervention. A control community comparable to the intervention community was selected, with baseline measurements in 2008 and follow-up measurements scheduled for 2010. This study focuses on changes in the prevalence of loneliness and in the determinants of loneliness within individuals in the general elderly population. Complementarily, the second study is designed to evaluate the individual intervention components and focuses on delivery, reach, acceptance, and short-term outcomes. Different means of project records and surveys among participants are used to collect these data. Discussion Combining these two evaluation strategies has the potential to assess the effectiveness of the overall complex intervention and the contribution of the individual intervention components thereto. PMID:20836840

Evaluating multicenter DTI data in Huntington's disease on site specific effects: An ex post facto approach.

PubMed

Müller, Hans-Peter; Grön, Georg; Sprengelmeyer, Reiner; Kassubek, Jan; Ludolph, Albert C; Hobbs, Nicola; Cole, James; Roos, Raymund A C; Duerr, Alexandra; Tabrizi, Sarah J; Landwehrmeyer, G Bernhard; Süssmuth, Sigurd D

2013-01-01

Assessment of the feasibility to average diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) metrics of MRI data acquired in the course of a multicenter study. Sixty-one early stage Huntington's disease patients and forty healthy controls were studied using four different MR scanners at four European sites with acquisition protocols as close as possible to a given standard protocol. The potential and feasibility of averaging data acquired at different sites was evaluated quantitatively by region-of-interest (ROI) based statistical comparisons of coefficients of variation (CV) across centers, as well as by testing for significant group-by-center differences on averaged fractional anisotropy (FA) values between patients and controls. In addition, a whole-brain based statistical between-group comparison was performed using FA maps. The ex post facto statistical evaluation of CV and FA-values in a priori defined ROIs showed no differences between sites above chance indicating that data were not systematically biased by center specific factors. Averaging FA-maps from DTI data acquired at different study sites and different MR scanner types does not appear to be systematically biased. A suitable recipe for testing on the possibility to pool multicenter DTI data is provided to permit averaging of DTI-derived metrics to differentiate patients from healthy controls at a larger scale.

Evaluation of genotoxic effects caused by extracts of chlorinated drinking water using a combination of three different bioassays.

PubMed

Zeng, Qiang; Zhang, Shao-Hui; Liao, Jing; Miao, Dong-Yue; Wang, Xin-Yi; Yang, Pan; Yun, Luo-Jia; Liu, Ai-Lin; Lu, Wen-Qing

2015-10-15

Potential genotoxic effects of chlorinated drinking water now are of a great concern. In this study, raw water, finished water, and tap water from a water plant in Wuhan, China were collected in two different sampling times of the year (January and July). Genotoxic effects of water extracts were evaluated using a combination of three different bioassays: SOS/umu test, HGPRT gene mutation assay, and micronucleus assay, which were separately used to detect DNA damage, gene mutation, and chromosome aberration. The results of three different bioassays showed that all water samples in January and July induced at least one types of genotoxic effects, of which the DNA-damage effects were all detectable. The levels of DNA-damage effects and gene-mutation effects of finished water and tap water in January were higher than those in July. Chlorination could increase the DNA-damage effects of drinking water in January and the gene-mutation effects of drinking water in both January and July, but did not increase the chromosome-aberration effects of drinking water in both January and July. Our results highlighted the importance of using a combination of different bioassays to evaluate the genotoxicity of water samples in different seasons. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Antibacterial effect of plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF®-Endoret®) against Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis strains.

PubMed

Anitua, E; Alonso, R; Girbau, C; Aguirre, J J; Muruzabal, F; Orive, G

2012-08-01

Formulations containing plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF) are opening new avenues in the field of regenerative medicine. To evaluate the potential antimicrobial effects of a product (plasma rich in growth factors; PRGF(®)-Endoret(®)) against both methicillin-sensitive and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis. The potential effect of incorporating the patient's leucocytes into the PRGF formulation (F3+leu) was also studied. Blood samples were obtained from five healthy volunteers and used to prepare each type of PRGF (F1, F3 and F3+leu). Various biological assays were performed to compare the characteristics of the different formulations, including measurement of the concentration of platelets and leucocytes, and assays of coagulation. The microbiological activity of PRGF-Endoret against both staphylococcal strains was performed by counting the number of the surviving bacterial colonies after incubation at 0, 4 and 8 h with the different formulations. The three PRGF-Endoret formulations evaluated were enriched in platelets by 1.10, 2.57 and 1.89 times, respectively, and the leucocyte concentration in the F3+leu sample was increased by 3.9 times. We found that all formulations had a strong bacteriostatic effect, especially in the first 4 h after application. All formulations had an antibacterial effect at 4 h for three of the four strains, with the exception of methicillin-sensitive S. epidermidis. No differences in the bacterial inhibitory effect were found between the formulations. This is the first time different formulations of this product have been evaluated, and the results suggest that PRGF-Endoret could be used in the fight against postoperative and wound infections. © The Author(s). CED © 2012 British Association of Dermatologists.