Modern morphometry: new perspectives in physical anthropology.

PubMed

Mantini, Simone; Ripani, Maurizio

2009-06-01

In the past one hundred years physical anthropology has recourse to more and more efficient methods, which provide several new information regarding, human evolution and biology. Apart from the molecular approach, the introduction of new computed assisted techniques gave rise to a new concept of morphometry. Computed tomography and 3D-imaging, allowed providing anatomical description of the external and inner structures exceeding the problems encountered with the traditional morphometric methods. Furthermore, the support of geometric morphometrics, allowed creating geometric models to investigate morphological variation in terms of evolution, ontogeny and variability. The integration of these new tools gave rise to the virtual anthropology and to a new image of the anthropologist in which anatomical, biological, mathematical statistical and data processing information are fused in a multidisciplinary approach.

Generating Chondromimetic Mesenchymal Stem Cell Spheroids by Regulating Media Composition and Surface Coating.

PubMed

Sridharan, BanuPriya; Laflin, Amy D; Detamore, Michael S

2018-04-01

Spheroids of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in cartilage tissue engineering have been shown to enhance regenerative potential owing to their 3D structure. In this study, we explored the possibility of priming spheroids under different media to replace the use of inductive surface coatings for chondrogenic differentiation. Rat bone marrow-derived MSCs were organized into cell spheroids by the hanging drop technique and subsequently cultured on hyaluronic acid (HA) coated or non-coated well plates under different cell media conditions. Endpoint analysis included cell viability, DNA and Glycosaminoglycan (GAG) and collagen content, gene expression and immunohistochemistry. For chondrogenic applications, MSC spheroids derived on non-coated surfaces outperformed the spheroids derived from HA-coated surfaces in matrix synthesis and collagen II gene expression. Spheroids on non-coated surfaces gave rise to the highest collagen and GAG when primed with medium containing insulin-like growth factor (IGF) for 1 week during spheroid formation. Spheroids that were grown in chondroinductive raw material-inclusive media such as aggrecan or chondroitin sulfate exhibited the highest Collagen II gene expression in the non-coated surface at 1 week. Media priming by growth factors and raw materials might be a more predictive influencer of chondrogenesis compared to inductive-surfaces. Such tailored bioactivity of the stem cell spheroids in the stage of the spheroid formation may give rise to a platform technology that may eventually produce spheroids capable of chondrogenesis achieved by mere media manipulation, skipping the need for additional culture on a modified surface, that paves the way for cost-effective technologies.

Pedagogy Corner: The Architect's Puzzle

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lovitt, Charles

2017-01-01

Some years back, the author found the following problem in a spatial puzzle book: how many ways can you put four blocks together, face to face (with no vertical rotation symmetry)? He gave each student just four blocks and they collectively tried combinations to eventually agree on the answer of 15. He used to think it was a halfway decent task,…

Evolution of Religious Beliefs

ScienceCinema

None

2018-05-11

Humans may be distinguished from all other animals in having beliefs about the causal interaction of physical objects. Causal beliefs are a developmental primitive in human children; animals, by contrast, have very few causal beliefs. The origin of human causal beliefs comes from the evolutionary advantage it gave in relation to complex tool making and use. Causal beliefs gave rise religion and mystical thinking as our ancestors wanted to know the causes of events that affected their lives.

Evolution of Religious Beliefs

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

None

Humans may be distinguished from all other animals in having beliefs about the causal interaction of physical objects. Causal beliefs are a developmental primitive in human children; animals, by contrast, have very few causal beliefs. The origin of human causal beliefs comes from the evolutionary advantage it gave in relation to complex tool making and use. Causal beliefs gave rise religion and mystical thinking as our ancestors wanted to know the causes of events that affected their lives.

The Evolution of the Earliest Cells.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schopf, J. William

1978-01-01

Describes the unicellular microorganisms of three billion years ago. Explains how these primitive cells gave rise to biochemical systems and the present oxygen-rich atmosphere. Numerous diagrams, charts, and illustrations. (MA)

Recent Religious Accommodations: Have We Gone Too Far Too Fast?

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-12

de corps, eventually colorful fighting uniforms gave way to drab colors as weapons improved in precision and camouflaging with the environment...and the Army provides gear for soldiers use. In garrisons, soldiers wear their uniforms unless the commander allows for the wear of civilian clothes ...provides an appeal process .39 Commanders, often in conjunction with their command or post chaplain, routinely address requests for religious

Marshes to mudflats—Effects of sea-level rise on tidal marshes along a latitudinal gradient in the Pacific Northwest

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thorne, Karen M.; Dugger, Bruce D.; Buffington, Kevin J.; Freeman, Chase M.; Janousek, Christopher N.; Powelson, Katherine W.; Gutenspergen, Glenn R.; Takekawa, John Y.

2015-11-17

In the Pacific Northwest, coastal wetlands support a wealth of ecosystem services including habitat provision for wildlife and fisheries and flood protection. The tidal marshes, mudflats, and shallow bays of coastal estuaries link marine, freshwater, and terrestrial habitats, and provide economic and recreational benefits to local communities. Climate change effects such as sea-level rise are altering these habitats, but we know little about how these areas will change over the next 50–100 years. Our study examined the effects of sea-level rise on nine tidal marshes in Washington and Oregon between 2012 and 2015, with the goal of providing scientific data to support future coastal planning and conservation. We compiled physical and biological data, including coastal topography, tidal inundation, vegetation structure, as well as recent and historical sediment accretion rates, to assess and model how sea-level rise may alter these ecosystems in the future. Multiple factors, including initial elevation, marsh productivity, sediment availability, and rates of sea-level rise, affected marsh persistence. Under a low sea-level rise scenario, all marshes remained vegetated with little change in the present configuration of communities of marsh plants or gradually increased proportions of middle-, high-, or transition-elevation zones of marsh vegetation. However, at most sites, mid sea-level rise projections led to loss of habitat of middle and high marshes and a gain of low marshes. Under a high sea-level rise scenario, marshes at most sites eventually converted to intertidal mudflats. Two sites (Grays Harbor and Willapa) seemed to have the most resilience to a high rate of rise in sea-level, persisting as low marsh until at least 2110. Our main model finding is that most tidal marsh study sites are resilient to sea-level rise over the next 50–70 years, but that sea-level rise will eventually outpace marsh accretion and drown most habitats of high and middle marshes by 2110.

45 CFR 35.8 - Release.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... constitute a complete release of any claim against the United States and against any employee of the Government whose act or omission gave rise to the claim, by reason of the same subject matter. ...

32 CFR 751.3 - Authority.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... the United States § 751.3 Authority. The Personnel Claims Act provides the authority for maximum... paid unless it is presented in writing within 2 years of the incident that gave rise to the claim. [72...

5 CFR 5.1 - Civil Service regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Service Act and the Veterans' Preference Act, as reenacted in title 5, United States Code, the Civil... which gave rise to it. Like variations shall be granted whenever like conditions exist. All such...

Fluorescence light microscopy of pulmonary surfactant at the air-water interface of an air bubble of adjustable size.

PubMed Central

Knebel, D; Sieber, M; Reichelt, R; Galla, H-J; Amrein, M

2002-01-01

The structural dynamics of pulmonary surfactant was studied by epifluorescence light microscopy at the air-water interface of a bubble as a model close to nature for an alveolus. Small unilamellar vesicles of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine, dipalmitoylphosphatidylglycerol, a small amount of a fluorescent dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine-analog, and surfactant-associated protein C were injected into the buffer solution. They aggregated to large clusters in the presence of Ca(2+) and adsorbed from these units to the interface. This gave rise to an interfacial film that eventually became fully condensed with dark, polygonal domains in a fluorescent matrix. When now the bubble size was increased or decreased, respectively, the film expanded or contracted. Upon expansion of the bubble, the dark areas became larger to the debit of the bright matrix and reversed upon contraction. We were able to observe single domains during the whole process. The film remained condensed, even when the interface was increased to twice its original size. From comparison with scanning force microscopy directly at the air-water interface, the fluorescent areas proved to be lipid bilayers associated with the (dark) monolayer. In the lung, such multilayer phase acts as a reservoir that guarantees a full molecular coverage of the alveolar interface during the breathing cycle and provides mechanical stability to the film. PMID:12080141

Functional and evolution characterization of SWEET sugar transporters in Ananas comosus.

PubMed

Guo, Chengying; Li, Huayang; Xia, Xinyao; Liu, Xiuyuan; Yang, Long

2018-02-05

Sugars will eventually be exported transporters (SWEETs) are a group of recently identified sugar transporters in plants that play important roles in diverse physiological processes. However, currently, limited information about this gene family is available in pineapple (Ananas comosus). The availability of the recently released pineapple genome sequence provides the opportunity to identify SWEET genes in a Bromeliaceae family member at the genome level. In this study, 39 pineapple SWEET genes were identified in two pineapple cultivars (18 AnfSWEET and 21 AnmSWEET) and further phylogenetically classified into five clades. A phylogenetic analysis revealed distinct evolutionary paths for the SWEET genes of the two pineapple cultivars. The MD2 cultivar might have experienced a different expansion than the F153 cultivar because two additional duplications exist, which separately gave rise to clades III and IV. A gene exon/intron structure analysis showed that the pineapple SWEET genes contained highly conserved exon/intron numbers. An analysis of public RNA-seq data and expression profiling showed that SWEET genes may be involved in fruit development and ripening processes. AnmSWEET5 and AnmSWEET11 were highly expressed in the early stages of pineapple fruit development and then decreased. The study increases the understanding of the roles of SWEET genes in pineapple. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Isolation and characterization of Candida albicans morphological mutants derepressed for the formation of filamentous hypha-type structures

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

Gil, C.; Pomes, R.; Nombela, C.

1990-05-01

Several Candida albicans morphological mutants were obtained by a procedure based on a combined treatment with nitrous acid plus UV irradiation and a double-enrichment step to increase the proportion of mutants growing as long filamentous structures. Altered cell morphogenesis in these mutants correlated with an altered colonial phenotype. Two of these mutants, C. albicans NEL102 and NEL103, were selected and characterized. Mutant blastoconidia initiated budding but eventually gave rise to filamentous hypha-type formations. These filaments were long and septate, and they branched very regularly at positions near septa. Calcofluor white (which is known to bind chitin-rich areas) stained septa, branchingmore » zones, and filament tips very intensely, as observed under the fluorescence microscope. Wild-type hybrids were obtained by fusing protoplasts of strain NEL102 with B14, another morphological mutant previously described as being permanently pseudomycelial, indicating that genetic determinants responsible for the two altered phenotypes are different. The mutants characterized in this work seemed to sequentially express the morphogenic characteristics of C. albicans, from blastoconidia to hyphae, in the absence of any inducer. Further characterization of these strains could be relevant to gain understanding of the genetic control of dimorphism in this species.« less

Phallic narcissism, anal sadism, and oral discord: the case of Yukio Mishima, Part I.

PubMed

Piven, J

2001-12-01

Thus far I have explored Mishima's traumatic childhood and the experiences leading him toward misogyny, phallic narcissism, and the drive to murder his own weakness and sexual vulnerability. Mishima suffered the extraordinary trauma of being separated from his parents and sequestered to the sickroom of a psychotic grandmother for the first twelve years of his life. Intense rage over abandonment and impingement engendered a disgust for femininity and the need to escape feminine messiness through homosexual pursuits. Mishima's entrenched feelings of shame and weakness gave rise to phallic narcissistic tendencies, as he idealized powerful men and eventually strove to become a powerful and beautiful male. In pursuing this erotic masculine image Mishima continued to fantasize about murdering his weak and shameful self-image, and commingled this sadistic impulse with fantasies of sexual merger with murdered love objects. Finally Mishima was the murderer erotically eradicating his sexual vulnerability as both subject and object. His suicide was a repetition of this erotic sadistic fantasy. In a further article I will continue the discussion by examining Mishima's fantasies of murdering beautiful and abandoning love objects. I will also address the complex nature of his ritual suicide as fantasy of rebirth, sexual merger, the murder of toxic introjects, and escape from death, decay, and regression to helpless infancy.

Chance findings about early holocene tidal marshes of Grays Harbor, Washington, in relation to rapidly rising seas and great subduction earthquakes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Phipps, James B.; Hemphill-Haley, Eileen; Atwater, Brian F.

2015-06-18

The puzzles posed by these findings include: (1) How did the marshes manage to endure centuries of relative sea-level rise that likely approached 1 cm/yr on average? (2) Did the marshes also endure subsidence that accompanied great thrust earthquakes on the Cascadia Subduction Zone? (3) Was their eventual drowning triggered by a Cascadia earthquake of unusually large size, or can the drowning be explained by sea-level rise that included a jump from drainage of glacial Lake Agassiz?

Coastal Impact Underestimated From Rapid Sea Level Rise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anderson, John; Milliken, Kristy; Wallace, Davin; Rodriguez, Antonio; Simms, Alexander

2010-06-01

A primary effect of global warming is accelerated sea level rise, which will eventually drown low-lying coastal areas, including some of the world's most populated cities. Predictions from the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) suggest that sea level may rise by as much as 0.6 meter by 2100 [Solomon et al., 2007]. However, uncertainty remains about how projected melting of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets will contribute to sea level rise. Further, considerable variability is introduced to these calculations due to coastal subsidence, especially along the northern Gulf of Mexico (see http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/sltrends/sltrends.shtml).

10 CFR 1014.10 - Action on approved claims.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... against the United States and against any employee of the Government whose act or omission gave rise to... 2677 of title 28, United States Code, that acceptance shall be final and conclusive on the claimant...

14 CFR 1261.312 - Action on approved claims.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... constitute a complete release of any claim against the United States and against any employee of the Government whose act or omission gave rise to the claim, by reason of the same subject matter. ...

29 CFR 15.41 - Allowable claims.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... omission which gave rise to the claim took place at the center to which the student involved was assigned..., finds the claim to be a proper charge against the United States resulting from an act or omission of a...

32 CFR 750.10 - Claims: Settlement and release.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... claim against the United States by reason of the same subject manner. Claimant's acceptance of an... employee of the Government whose act or omission gave rise to the claim. [57 FR 4722, Feb. 7, 1992, as...

44 CFR 11.19 - Action on approved claim.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... States and against any employee of the Government whose act or omission gave rise to the claim, by reason... made under section 2672 or 2677 of title 28, United States Code, is final and conclusive on the...

32 CFR 750.10 - Claims: Settlement and release.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... claim against the United States by reason of the same subject manner. Claimant's acceptance of an... employee of the Government whose act or omission gave rise to the claim. [57 FR 4722, Feb. 7, 1992, as...

44 CFR 11.19 - Action on approved claim.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... States and against any employee of the Government whose act or omission gave rise to the claim, by reason... made under section 2672 or 2677 of title 28, United States Code, is final and conclusive on the...

The Most Daring Act of the Age: Principles for Naval Irregular Warfare

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-01-01

bottling up the small Tripolitan force. The corsairs eventually gave up waiting for Philadelphia to leave, dismantled their ships, and discharged their crews...10 Meanwhile, Dale dispersed his three other ships across the Mediterranean, where they conducted convoys and cruised singly for corsairs . In the end...expedition was part of a con- ventional operation and was directly supported by regular naval forces. The Tripolitan corsairs refused squadron-level

Beating the Islamic State: Selecting a New Strategy for Iraq and Syria

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-01-01

noncommercial use only. Unauthorized posting of this publication online is prohibited. Permission is given to duplicate this document for personal use only...These conditions fed the rise of the diffuse Sunni insurgency, a de facto sectarian civil war, and the eventual rise of IS. Nationalist groups led...and elevated his stature to de facto leader of the otherwise fractured Sunni Arab Iraqi insurgent movement. From 2004 through 2006 Zarqawi implemented

Revisiting Ramakrishnan's approach to relatively. [Velocity addition theorem uniqueness

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

Nandi, K.K.; Shankara, T.S.

The conditions under which the velocity addition theorem (VAT) is formulated by Ramakrishnan gave rise to doubts about the uniqueness of the theorem. These conditions are rediscussed with reference to their algebraic and experimental implications. 9 references.

10 CFR 708.12 - What information must an employee include in a complaint?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... disclosure, participation, or refusal that you believe gave rise to the retaliation; (b) A statement that you are not currently pursuing a remedy under State or other applicable law, as described in § 708.15 of...

18 CFR 367.103 - Accounts 409.1, 409.2, and 409.3, Income taxes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... accounts must include the amounts of local, state and Federal income taxes on income properly accruable... based on the income which gave rise to the tax. (c) Taxes assumed by the service company on interest...

10 CFR 708.12 - What information must an employee include in a complaint?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... disclosure, participation, or refusal that you believe gave rise to the retaliation; (b) A statement that you are not currently pursuing a remedy under State or other applicable law, as described in § 708.15 of...

Critical Thinking: Frameworks and Models for Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fahim, Mansoor; Eslamdoost, Samaneh

2014-01-01

Developing critical thinking since the educational revolution gave rise to flourishing movements toward embedding critical thinking (CT henceforth) stimulating classroom activities in educational settings. Nevertheless the process faced with complications such as teachability potentiality, lack of practical frameworks concerning actualization of…

29 CFR 4219.32 - Interest on overdue, defaulted and overpaid withdrawal liability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

..., as reported by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System in Statistical Release H.15... default, the date of the missed payment that gave rise to the delinquency or the default. (e) Date paid...

20 CFR 429.108 - What happens if I accept an award, compromise, or settlement under this subpart?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... constitutes a complete release of any claim against the United States and against any employee of the Government whose act or omission gave rise to the claim, by reason of the same subject matter. ...

20 CFR 429.108 - What happens if I accept an award, compromise, or settlement under this subpart?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... constitutes a complete release of any claim against the United States and against any employee of the Government whose act or omission gave rise to the claim, by reason of the same subject matter. ...

12 CFR 250.221 - Issuance and sale of short-term debt obligations by bank holding companies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... money market conditions but would presumably be at rates somewhat above those permitted by Regulation Q... (17 CFR 231.4412). The reasons for such exemption, taken together with the abuses that gave rise to...

12 CFR 250.221 - Issuance and sale of short-term debt obligations by bank holding companies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... money market conditions but would presumably be at rates somewhat above those permitted by Regulation Q... (17 CFR 231.4412). The reasons for such exemption, taken together with the abuses that gave rise to...

12 CFR 250.221 - Issuance and sale of short-term debt obligations by bank holding companies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... money market conditions but would presumably be at rates somewhat above those permitted by Regulation Q... (17 CFR 231.4412). The reasons for such exemption, taken together with the abuses that gave rise to...

12 CFR 250.221 - Issuance and sale of short-term debt obligations by bank holding companies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... money market conditions but would presumably be at rates somewhat above those permitted by Regulation Q... (17 CFR 231.4412). The reasons for such exemption, taken together with the abuses that gave rise to...

Unforeseen Americas: the making of New World societies in anthropological perspective.

PubMed Central

Wolf, E R

1996-01-01

The European discovery and settlement of the Americas revealed unforeseen dimensions and gave rise to unpremeditated ways of coping with the resulting problems. This paper traces out the enduring social and cultural implications of this foundational encounter. PMID:11607641

A National Strategy is Needed to Prevent the Coming Water War: The Mississippi River Watershed Shows Us Why

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-03-01

200 words ) The Mississippi River watershed is currently managed as six separate basins including the Missouri, Illinois, Ohio, Arkansas, and...that Congress set in 1896 when they gave the USACE authorization to maintain a 9 foot deep by 250 foot wide channel from Cairo to the mouth of the...Sea-level rise will impact the watershed. As the sea-level rises over time, it puts pressure on the outflow of the watershed at the mouth of the

Coiling Phagocytosis of Trypanosomatids and Fungal Cells

PubMed Central

Rittig, M. G.; Schröppel, K.; Seack, K.-H.; Sander, U.; N’Diaye, E.-N.; Maridonneau-Parini, I.; Solbach, W.; Bogdan, C.

1998-01-01

Coiling phagocytosis has previously been studied only with the bacteria Legionella pneumophila and Borrelia burgdorferi, and the results were inconsistent. To learn more about this unconventional phagocytic mechanism, the uptake of various eukaryotic microorganisms by human monocytes, murine macrophages, and murine dendritic cells was investigated in vitro by video and electron microscopy. Unconventional phagocytosis of Leishmania spp. promastigotes, Trypanosoma cruzi trypomastigotes, Candida albicans hyphae, and zymosan particles from Saccharomyces cerevisiae differed in (i) morphology (rotating unilateral pseudopods with the trypanosomatids, overlapping bilateral pseudopods with the fungi), (ii) frequency (high with Leishmania; occasional with the fungi; rare with T. cruzi), (iii) duration (rapid with zymosan; moderate with the trypanosomatids; slow with C. albicans), (iv) localization along the promastigotes (flagellum of Leishmania major and L. aethiopica; flagellum or posterior pole of L. donovani), and (v) dependence on complement (strong with L. major and L. donovani; moderate with the fungi; none with L. aethiopica). All of these various types of unconventional phagocytosis gave rise to similar pseudopod stacks which eventually transformed to a regular phagosome. Further video microscopic studies with L. major provided evidence for a cytosolic localization, synchronized replication, and exocytic release of the parasites, extending traditional concepts about leishmanial infection of host cells. It is concluded that coiling phagocytosis comprises phenotypically similar consequences of various disturbances in conventional phagocytosis rather than representing a single separate mechanism. PMID:9712785

Chaetocin induces endoplasmic reticulum stress response and leads to death receptor 5-dependent apoptosis in human non-small cell lung cancer cells.

PubMed

Liu, Xianfang; Guo, Sen; Liu, Xiangguo; Su, Ling

2015-11-01

Epigenetic abnormalities are associated with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) initiation and progression. Epigenetic drugs are being studied and in clinical trials. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the apoptosis by the epigenetic agents remains unclear. SUV39H1 is an important methyl-transferase for lysine 9 on histone H3 and usually related to gene transcriptional suppression, and chaetocin acts as the inhibitor of SUV39H1. We demonstrated here that chaetocin effectively suppressed the growth of multiple lung cancer cells through inducing apoptosis in a death receptor 5 (DR5)-dependent manner. Chaetocin treatment activated endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress which gave rise to the up-regulation of ATF3 and CHOP. Furthermore, ATF3 and CHOP contributed to the induction of DR5 and subsequent apoptosis. When SUV39H1 was silenced with siRNA, the expression of ATF3, CHOP and DR5 was elevated. Thereafter, knockdown of SUV39H1 induced apoptosis in NSCLC cells. In summary, chaetocin pharmacologically inhibits the activity of SUV39H1 which provokes ER stress and results in up-regulation of ATF3 and CHOP, leading to DR5-dependent apoptosis eventually. These findings provide a novel interpretation on the anti-neoplastic activity of epigenetic drugs as a new therapeutic approach in NSCLC.

Polycyanurate Networks with Enhanced Segmental Flexibility and Outstanding Thermochemical Stability (Pre-Print)

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

anhydrous MgSO4, the solvent was rotary evaporated leaving a pale yellow oil that eventually solidified under vacuum . Recrystallization of the...colorless oil . Reduced pressure (0.1 torr) distillation gave the title compound in analytically pure form. The yield was 3.87 g (41 %). 1H NMR (300 MHz...in Supporting Information Section S5). The Tg values were similar after 24 hours of cure at 210 °C under a nitrogen atmosphere with no added

STRESS CRACKING BEHAVIOR OF HDPE GEOMEMBRANES AND ITS PREVENTION

EPA Science Inventory

Geomembranes made from high density polyethylene (HOPE) have a high percent crystallinity and are therefore of concern with regard to stress cracking. A review of the literature plus our field exhuming of various sites-of-opportunity gave rise to twenty-five (25) situations wh...

Political Science and the Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dwivedi, O. P.

1986-01-01

Briefly reviews the environmental conditions which gave rise to the development of environmental politics and later to the subdiscipline of political ecology. Defines the intellectual boundaries of political ecology and the goals it seeks to attain. Concludes that the increasingly global economy and widespread ecological problems guarantee an…

Hematopoietic Stem Cells Are the Major Source of Multilineage Hematopoiesis in Adult Animals.

PubMed

Sawai, Catherine M; Babovic, Sonja; Upadhaya, Samik; Knapp, David J H F; Lavin, Yonit; Lau, Colleen M; Goloborodko, Anton; Feng, Jue; Fujisaki, Joji; Ding, Lei; Mirny, Leonid A; Merad, Miriam; Eaves, Connie J; Reizis, Boris

2016-09-20

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) sustain long-term reconstitution of hematopoiesis in transplantation recipients, yet their role in the endogenous steady-state hematopoiesis remains unclear. In particular, recent studies suggested that HSCs provide a relatively minor contribution to immune cell development in adults. We directed transgene expression in a fraction of HSCs that maintained reconstituting activity during serial transplantations. Inducible genetic labeling showed that transgene-expressing HSCs gave rise to other phenotypic HSCs, confirming their top position in the differentiation hierarchy. The labeled HSCs rapidly contributed to committed progenitors of all lineages and to mature myeloid cells and lymphocytes, but not to B-1a cells or tissue macrophages. Importantly, labeled HSCs gave rise to more than two-thirds of all myeloid cells and platelets in adult mice, and this contribution could be accelerated by an induced interferon response. Thus, classically defined HSCs maintain immune cell development in the steady state and during systemic cytokine responses. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The human T-lymphotropic virus type I tax gene can cooperate with the ras oncogene to induce neoplastic transformation of cells.

PubMed

Pozzatti, R; Vogel, J; Jay, G

1990-01-01

Epidemiologic studies have linked infection by the human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) with the development of adult T-cell leukemia. The low penetrance of the virus and the long latency for disease manifestation are factors that obscure the role of HTLV-I infection in oncogenesis. We have used an in vitro transformation assay system to determine directly whether the HTLV-I tax gene has transformation potential. Transfection of the tax gene alone into early-passage rat embryo fibroblasts did not induce morphological alterations. However, cotransfection of tax with the selectable marker plasmid pRSVneo gave rise to G418-resistant colonies that could be established as immortalized cell lines. Cotransfection of tax with the ras oncogene into rat embryo fibroblasts gave rise to foci of transformed cells that were highly tumorigenic in nude mice. These data represent a direct demonstration of the oncogenic potential of the tax gene in nonlymphoid cells and establish HTLV-I as a transforming virus.

Effect of high sedimentation rates on surface sediment dynamics and mangrove growth in the Porong River, Indonesia.

PubMed

Sidik, Frida; Neil, David; Lovelock, Catherine E

2016-06-15

Large quantities of mud from the LUSI (Lumpur Sidoarjo) volcano in northeastern Java have been channeled to the sea causing high rates of sediment delivery to the mouth of the Porong River, which has a cover of natural and planted mangroves. This study investigated how the high rates of sediment delivery affected vertical accretion, surface elevation change and the growth of Avicennia sp., the dominant mangrove species in the region. During our observations in 2010-2011 (4-5years after the initial volcanic eruption), very high rates of sedimentation in the forests at the mouth of the river gave rise to high vertical accretion of over 10cmy(-1). The high sedimentation rates not only resulted in reduced growth of Avicennia sp. mangrove trees at the two study sites at the Porong River mouth, but also gave rise to high soil surface elevation gains. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biological indicators for low temperature steam and formaldehyde sterilization: investigation of the effect of change in temperature and formaldehyde concentration on spores of Bacillus stearothermophilus NCIMB 8224.

PubMed

Wright, A M; Hoxey, E V; Soper, C J; Davies, D J

1996-03-01

Five strains of Bacillus stearothermophilus have been studied to identify a spore strain to be used as a biological indicator organism for low temperature steam and formaldehyde sterilization. Three strains gave poor reproducibility of batch size and growth index and were discarded. The other two strains gave good reproducibility with a high growth index and gave rise to linear survivor curves when exposed to 5% aqueous formaldehyde. However, only NCIMB 8224 sporulates on a simpler medium and as it was the most resistant to formaldehyde, it was further studied. Tests were carried out in a modified miniclave and factors studied included temperature of the steam and formaldehyde concentration. All studies confirmed the suitability of this strain as a biological indicator organism.

New Spaces for Researching Postgraduate Education Research in South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pillay, Daisy; Karlsson, Jenni

2013-01-01

Universities in South Africa during apartheid reflected the racialised politics of the period. This gave rise to divisive descriptors such as "historically white/black"; "English/Afrikaans-speaking" institutions and "Bantustan'' universities. These descriptors signal a hierarchy of social status and state funding. We start…

The Effects of Message Framing on Response to Environmental Communications.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Joel J.

1995-01-01

Explores how the framing of environmental communication influences attitudes and environmentally responsible behaviors. Finds that communication that discussed losses (rather than gains) to the current (rather than future) generation gave rise to the most positive responses and the highest levels of intent to participate in…

Large-eddy simulation study of oil/gas plumes in stratified fluid with cross current

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Di; Xiao, Shuolin; Chen, Bicheng; Chamecki, Marcelo; Meneveau, Charles

2017-11-01

Dynamics of the oil/gas plume from a subsea blowout are strongly affected by the seawater stratification and cross current. The buoyant plume entrains ambient seawater and lifts it up to higher elevations. During the rising process, the continuously increasing density difference between the entrained and ambient seawater caused by the stable stratification eventually results in a detrainment of the entrained seawater and small oil droplets at a height of maximum rise (peel height), forming a downward plume outside the rising inner plume. The presence of a cross current breaks the plume's axisymmetry and causes the outer plume to fall along the downstream side of the inner plume. The detrained seawater and oil eventually fall to a neutral buoyancy level (trap height), and disperse horizontally to form an intrusion layer. In this study, the complex plume dynamics is investigated using large-eddy simulation (LES). Various laboratory and field scale cases are simulated to explore the effect of cross current and stratification on the plume dynamics. Based on the LES data, various turbulence statistics of the plume are systematically quantified, leading to some useful insights for modeling the mean plume dynamics using integral plume models. This research is made possible by a RFP-V Grant from The Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative.

Linguistic Markers and Emotional Intensity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Argaman, Osnat

2010-01-01

The purpose of this experiment is to explore possible relationships between the intensity of emotions and the lexical modalities for expressing those emotions. In this experiment, 60 Hebrew-speaking subjects were asked to watch four short films that aroused emotion. Two of the films gave rise to different degrees of happiness, and two produced…

Introduction to Therapeutic Counseling. Third Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kottler, Jeffrey A.; Brown, Robert W.

A personal need to create a student-centered introduction to therapeutic counseling gave rise to this text. Emphasized throughout the text is the belief that counselor education and training should be integrative and pragmatic. Chapters are organized into four main parts: (1) The Professional Counselor; (2) Counseling Antecedents and Approaches;…

The Changing Shape of Corporate Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baucus, David; Baucus, Melissa

2005-01-01

About seven years ago, technological innovation gave rise to the e-learning industry and the growth of corporate universities. Early in the evolution of the industry, corporate universities represented a reasonable deployment of learning technologies. They enabled companies to deliver the right content to target markets (e.g., employees, partners,…

Creating Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cline, Kimberly R.

2015-01-01

Long Island University's (LIU) honors programs were founded during a decade that gave rise to honors programs nationally. The LIU Post Honors Program was one of the first in 1963 after the University of Michigan LSA Honors Program in 1957 and the Echols Scholars Program at the University of Virginia in 1960; the LIU Brooklyn University Honors…

31 CFR 103.76 - Enforcement of summons.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Attorney General or delegate of the Attorney General (including any United States Attorney or Assistant United States Attorney, as appropriate), who may bring an action to compel compliance with the summons in any court of the United States within the jurisdiction of which the investigation which gave rise to...

22 CFR 304.12 - Action on approved claim.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... an award, compromise, or settlement made under section 2672 or 2677 of title 28, United States Code... any claim against the United States and against any officer or employee of the Government whose act or omission gave rise to the claim, by reason of the same subject matter. ...

31 CFR 1010.916 - Enforcement of summons.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... States Attorney or Assistant United States Attorney, as appropriate), who may bring an action to compel compliance with the summons in any court of the United States within the jurisdiction of which the investigation which gave rise to the summons being or has been carried on, the jurisdiction in which the person...

A Collaborative Model for Ubiquitous Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barbosa, Jorge; Barbosa, Debora; Rabello, Solon

2016-01-01

Use of mobile devices and widespread adoption of wireless networks have enabled the emergence of Ubiquitous Computing. Application of this technology to improving education strategies gave rise to Ubiquitous e-Learning, also known as Ubiquitous Learning. There are several approaches to organizing ubiquitous learning environments, but most of them…

Computational Thinking: A Digital Age Skill for Everyone

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barr, David; Harrison, John; Conery, Leslie

2011-01-01

In a seminal article published in 2006, Jeanette Wing described computational thinking (CT) as a way of "solving problems, designing systems, and understanding human behavior by drawing on the concepts fundamental to computer science." Wing's article gave rise to an often controversial discussion and debate among computer scientists,…

Luther and the Foundations of Literacy, Secular Schooling and Educational Administration.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luke, Carmen

1989-01-01

Outlines antecedents and consequences of typography and Sixteenth Century Protestant educational reform to show how curricular innovation led to a bureaucratic discourse of social control. Argues that compulsory schooling for mass literacy gave rise to the institutionalization of childhood, and to state-controlled techniques of normalization and…

Colliding Scopes: Seeing Academic Library Leadership through a Lens of Complexity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baird, Lynn N.

2010-01-01

Academic libraries routinely negotiate layers of change as embedded organizations in higher education institutions. Facing competing demands with limited resources gave rise to the question: how do academic library deans effectively lead their organizations in times of change? A Delphi Method study was conducted to identify successful leadership…

[A case of legionnaire's disease in Germany (author's transl)].

PubMed

Missalek, W; Helmecke, G

1979-12-07

Severe bronchopneumonia in a 66-year-old patient failed to respond to sensitivity-tested antibiotics, with only erythromycin providing improvement. The indirect immunofluorescence test for legionnaire's disease gave a highly significant titre rise (eightfold). Legionnaire's disease should be considered in the differential diagnosis of treatment-resistant bronchopneumonia.

2016 AERA Presidential Address: Public Scholarship--Education Research for a Diverse Democracy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oakes, Jeannie

2018-01-01

AERA's centennial provides an opportunity to reinvigorate the aspirations that gave rise to our research community in the United States: hope and determination that research can strengthen public education, society's most democratic institution. The first AERAers sought to produce scientific knowledge to improve large, increasingly diverse urban…

Unusual scintigraphic appearances of a mobile accessory lobe of the liver. [/sup 67/Ga; /sup 99m/Tc-sulfur colloid; /sup 99m/Tc-dihydrothioctic acid

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

Bingham, J.B.; Maisey, M.N.

1978-11-01

Accessory hepatic lobules are an uncommon occurrence. In a gallium scan, a highly mobile, asymptomatic liver lobule gave rise to diagnostic confusion. It was resolved by the use of multiple radiopharmaceuticals.

12 CFR 308.131 - Temporary cease-and-desist order.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... practice which gave rise, whether in whole or in part, to the incomplete or inaccurate state of the books... Section 308.131 Banks and Banking FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION PROCEDURE AND RULES OF PRACTICE RULES OF PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE Rules and Procedures Applicable to Proceedings Relating to Cease-and...

The Rise of the Super Experiment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stamper, John C.; Lomas, Derek; Ching, Dixie; Ritter, Steve; Koedinger, Kenneth R.; Steinhart, Jonathan

2012-01-01

Traditional experimental paradigms have focused on executing experiments in a lab setting and eventually moving successful findings to larger experiments in the field. However, data from field experiments can also be used to inform new lab experiments. Now, with the advent of large student populations using internet-based learning software, online…

29 CFR 15.41 - Allowable claims.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... persons or property arising out of an act or omission of a student enrolled in the Job Corps may be... omission which gave rise to the claim took place at the center to which the student involved was assigned, or (ii) If the student involved was not within the geographical limits of his hometown and was within...

Curriculum and the American Rural School.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feldmann, Doug

This book begins by tracing the history of curriculum development and the subjugation of rural school districts to curriculum decisions made from afar and tailored to urban needs. Local and teacher interpretation of the formal curriculum gave rise to the enacted curriculum, or that which was actually taught in classrooms. But for rural schools,…

Why PQ?

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

Peccei, R. D.

2010-08-30

I discuss how the solution of the U(1){sub A} problem of QCD through the existence of the {theta}-vacuum gave rise to the strong CP problem. After examining various suggested solutions to this problem, I conclude that the only viable solution still is one that involves the existence of a spontaneously broken chiral symmetry: U(1){sub PQ}.

A Proposed Blueprint Model towards the Evaluation of Educational System in Iran

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mehrafsha, S. Jahangir

2011-01-01

The pursuit of quality gave rise to the concept of Iran Universities as learning organizations. Iran Universities must have the capacity to learn if they are to survive the demands and requirements of the emerging times. This includes liberating traditional methodologies that are anchored on positivism and seemingly dependent on technical…

Teaching Customer-Centric Operations Management--Evidence from an Experiential Learning-Oriented Mass Customisation Class

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Medini, Khaled

2018-01-01

The increase of individualised customer demands and tough competition in the manufacturing sector gave rise to more customer-centric operations management such as products and services (mass) customisation. Mass customisation (MC), which inherits the "economy of scale" from mass production (MP), aims to meet specific customer demands…

24 CFR 17.12 - Action on approved claim.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... section 2672 or 2677 of Title 28, United States Code, is final and conclusive on the claimant, his agent... presented, and constitutes a complete release of any claim against the United States and against any officer or employee of the Government whose act or omission gave rise to the claim, by reason of the same...

24 CFR 17.12 - Action on approved claim.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... section 2672 or 2677 of Title 28, United States Code, is final and conclusive on the claimant, his agent... presented, and constitutes a complete release of any claim against the United States and against any officer or employee of the Government whose act or omission gave rise to the claim, by reason of the same...

31 CFR 3.7 - Action on approved claims.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... of section 2672 or 2677 of title 28, United States Code, shall be final and conclusive on the... claim has been presented, and shall constitute a complete release of any claim against the United States and against any employee of the Government whose act or omission gave rise to the claim, by reason of...

Negro Education and the Dilemmas of Race and Class.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, H. Viscount, Jr.

Although education frequently serves as a means of advance for underprivileged Americans, few Philadelphia blacks were able to take full advantage of this opportunity during the 1930s. These interwar years gave rise to a variety of economic issues that forced Negro teachers and public school administrators to choose between educational advantages…

The Importance of Biology Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nurse, Paul

2016-01-01

Understanding how science is done increases trust in science as it can be seen to be built on reliable data, rational argument and repeated testing. If science is taught as just an assemblage of facts without dealing with the process which gave rise to those facts, then why should pupils trust science more than fables or pseudoscience? Everyone…

Navigating the Media Environment: How Youth Claim a Place through Zines.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chu, Julie

1997-01-01

Examines what "zines," small handmade amateur publications, mean to the youths who produce and consume them. The historical context that gave rise to zines, their production, and how the process of producing a zine serves as an oppositional and potentially radical practice for young people by challenging the material constraints for…

Hedging the Commons: Google Books, Libraries, and Open Access to Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bottando, Evelyn

2012-01-01

This dissertation analyzes the legal, social, technological, and cultural environment that gave rise to Google's library partnership program in order to propose an institutional corrective to Google's project to digitize cultural heritage. Interview research done with those actively involved with Google's project revealed the need for a history of…

Assessment of Infant Cry: Acoustic Cry Analysis and Parental Perception

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LaGasse, Linda L.; Neal, A. Rebecca; Lester, Barry M.

2005-01-01

Infant crying signals distress to potential caretakers who can alleviate the aversive conditions that gave rise to the cry. The cry signal results from coordination among several brain regions that control respiration and vocal cord vibration from which the cry sounds are produced. Previous work has shown a relationship between acoustic…

BIOSTIMULATION CAN SOMETIMES ENHANCE ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANUP - An Editorial Viewpoint on Bioremediation

EPA Science Inventory

The Exxon Valdex oil spill, which led to the enactment of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, gave rise to the largest bioremediation field trial ever attempted. A research sutdy was conducted by EPA in 1989 and 1990 to develop data to support the recommendation to go forward w...

The Liverpool Connection: Transatlantic Newspapers in the 1840s.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwarzlose, Richard A.

The introduction of steam-powered ocean navigation in 1838 made possible the faster delivery of foreign news to United States newspaper offices and also gave rise to a new journalism genre--the transatlantic newspaper. Published on one side of the Atlantic and shipped by steamer for consumption on the other side, transatlantic newspapers compiled…

Preliminary Experiences with the Companion Program -- The Student Helper. Development of the Companion Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schneider, Lawrence J.; Boylin, E. Robert

The development, enactment, evaluation and implications of the Companion Program at Southern Illinois University is discussed. The limited effectiveness of the campus counseling service due to spatio-temporal boundaries and, consequently, the growing need for the use of supervised non-professionals to extend effectiveness gave rise to the…

Innovative and collaborative industrial mathematics in Europe

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

This paper presents a brief review of how industrial mathematics, inspired by the Oxford Study Group activity, organized itself in Europe, gave rise to the European Consortium for Mathematics in Industry, the series of European Study Groups with Industry, and to new modes of productive contacts between industry and applied mathematicians in academia. PMID:28588414

Phantom feet on digital radionuclide images and other scary computer tales

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

Freitas, J.E.; Dworkin, H.J.; Dees, S.M.

1989-09-01

Malfunction of a computer-assisted digital gamma camera is reported. Despite what appeared to be adequate acceptance testing, an error in the system gave rise to switching of images and identification text. A suggestion is made for using a hot marker, which would avoid the potential error of misinterpretation of patient images.

Innovative and collaborative industrial mathematics in Europe.

PubMed

Hjorth, Poul G

2017-05-01

This paper presents a brief review of how industrial mathematics, inspired by the Oxford Study Group activity, organized itself in Europe, gave rise to the European Consortium for Mathematics in Industry, the series of European Study Groups with Industry, and to new modes of productive contacts between industry and applied mathematicians in academia.

Casemix reimbursement: a Singapore Children's Hospital perspective.

PubMed

Yoong, S L

2001-07-01

Casemix reimbursement was introduced to Singapore in October 1999 using the Australian National Diagnosis Related Groups Version 3.1 (AN-DRGs 3.1). The possible impact of this classification system on a Singapore Children's Hospital is discussed. Data on paediatric patients in KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH) were drawn from the inhouse Datamart warehouse system, and reviewed with regards to volume of patients, length of stay and charges. Several high cost categories were selected for a more in-depth review and discussed. The classification system and reimbursement method did not take into account the higher cost of treating children, thus penalising the Children's Hospital. The wide variety of cases treated also gave rise to difficulty in obtaining appropriate reimbursement. The lack of severity of illness measures was a drawback in the Diagnosis Related Group (DRG) for ventilated patients. The lack of outcome measures gave rise to potentially inequitable reimbursement in some high cost neonatal DRGs. While Casemix is an improvement over previous methods of providing Government funding in Singapore, particular aspects need to be reviewed, and reimbursement criteria refined to ensure equitable funding to Children's Hospital.

Unfertilized ovary: a novel explant for coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) somatic embryogenesis.

PubMed

Perera, Prasanthi I P; Hocher, Valerie; Verdeil, Jean Luc; Doulbeau, Sylvie; Yakandawala, Deepthi M D; Weerakoon, L Kaushalya

2007-01-01

Unfertilized ovaries isolated from immature female flowers of coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) were tested as a source of explants for callogenesis and somatic embryogenesis. The correct developmental stage of ovary explants and suitable in vitro culture conditions for consistent callus production were identified. The concentration of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and activated charcoal was found to be critical for callogenesis. When cultured in a medium containing 100 microM 2,4-D and 0.1% activated charcoal, ovary explants gave rise to 41% callusing. Embryogenic calli were sub-cultured into somatic embryogenesis induction medium containing 5 microM abscisic acid, followed by plant regeneration medium (with 5 microM 6-benzylaminopurine). Many of the somatic embryos formed were complete with shoot and root poles and upon germination they gave rise to normal shoots. However, some abnormal developments were also observed. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that all the calli tested were diploid. Through histological studies, it was possible to study the sequence of the events that take place during somatic embryogenesis including orientation, polarization and elongation of the embryos.

THE ANTIBODY-FORMATION BY POLYSACCHARIDS.

PubMed

Nishimura, S

1929-09-30

1. By complement fixation tests, it has been clearly demonstrated that the sera of rabbits immunized with inulin, soluble starch and dextrine contain specific antibodies. 2. All these immune sera gave a negative precipitation reaction. 3. The kind of dextrine which has a construction very near to starch has an antigenic property, but those in a state of further decomposition do not give rise to antibodies. 4. All the three kinds of polysaccharids have power to produce antibodies without any vehicle. Dextrine is the only one of the three that gives rise to immune bodies more readily when pig serum is added to it. 5. Regarded as antigens, inulin stood first and soluble starch and dextrine next in order. 6. All three kinds of polysaccharids that were employed gave a negative protein color reaction. All of them, however, contained nitrogen. It has been proved that the large portion of the nitrogen contained in the soluble starch is derived from its protein contents. 7. It is suggested that in the production of immune bodies by these three kinds of polysaccharids, proteins might play the part of the vehicle. This is, however, still to be determined.

AmphiPax3/7, an amphioxus paired box gene: insights into chordate myogenesis, neurogenesis, and the possible evolutionary precursor of definitive vertebrate neural crest.

PubMed

Holland, L Z; Schubert, M; Kozmik, Z; Holland, N D

1999-01-01

Amphioxus probably has only a single gene (AmphiPax3/7) in the Pax3/7 subfamily. Like its vertebrate homologs (Pax3 and Pax7), amphioxus AmphiPax3/7 is probably involved in specifying the axial musculature and muscularized notochord. During nervous system development, AmphiPax3/7 is first expressed in bilateral anteroposterior stripes along the edges of the neural plate. This early neural expression may be comparable to the transcription of Pax3 and Pax7 in some of the anterior neural crest cells of vertebrates. Previous studies by others and ourselves have demonstrated that several genes homologous to genetic markers for vertebrate neural crest are expressed along the neural plate-epidermis boundary in embryos of tunicates and amphioxus. Taken together, the early neural expression patterns of AmphiPax3/7 and other neural crest markers of amphioxus and tunicates suggest that cell populations that eventually gave rise to definitive vertebrate neural crest may have been present in ancestral invertebrate chordates. During later neurogenesis in amphioxus, AmphiPax3/7, like its vertebrate homologs, is expressed dorsally and dorsolaterally in the neural tube and may be involved in dorsoventral patterning. However, unlike its vertebrate homologs, AmphiPax3/7 is expressed only at the anterior end of the central nervous system instead of along much of the neuraxis; this amphioxus pattern may represent the loss of a primitive chordate character.

Treatment of air pollution control residues with iron rich waste sulfuric acid: does it work for antimony (Sb)?

PubMed

Okkenhaug, Gudny; Breedveld, Gijs D; Kirkeng, Terje; Lægreid, Marit; Mæhlum, Trond; Mulder, Jan

2013-03-15

Antimony (Sb) in air pollution control (APC) residues from municipal solid waste incineration has gained increased focus due to strict Sb leaching limits set by the EU landfill directive. Here we study the chemical speciation and solubility of Sb at the APC treatment facility NOAH Langøya (Norway), where iron (Fe)-rich sulfuric acid (∼3.6M, 2.3% Fe(II)), a waste product from the industrial extraction of ilmenite, is used for neutralization. Antimony in water extracts of untreated APC residues occurred exclusively as pentavalent antimonate, even at low pH and Eh values. The Sb solubility increased substantially at pH<10, possibly due to the dissolution of ettringite (at alkaline pH) or calcium (Ca)-antimonate. Treated APC residues, stored anoxically in the laboratory, simulating the conditions at the NOAH Langøya landfill, gave rise to decreasing concentrations of Sb in porewater, occurring exclusively as Sb(V). Concentrations of Sb decreased from 87-918μgL(-1) (day 3) to 18-69μgL(-1) (day 600). We hypothesize that an initial sorption of Sb to Fe(II)-Fe(III) hydroxides (green rust) and eventually precipitation of Ca- and Fe-antimonates (tripuhyite; FeSbO4) occurred. We conclude that Fe-rich, sulfuric acid waste is efficient to immobilize Sb in APC residues from waste incineration. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Evolution of Process Safety: Current Status and Future Direction.

PubMed

Mannan, M Sam; Reyes-Valdes, Olga; Jain, Prerna; Tamim, Nafiz; Ahammad, Monir

2016-06-07

The advent of the industrial revolution in the nineteenth century increased the volume and variety of manufactured goods and enriched the quality of life for society as a whole. However, industrialization was also accompanied by new manufacturing and complex processes that brought about the use of hazardous chemicals and difficult-to-control operating conditions. Moreover, human-process-equipment interaction plus on-the-job learning resulted in further undesirable outcomes and associated consequences. These problems gave rise to many catastrophic process safety incidents that resulted in thousands of fatalities and injuries, losses of property, and environmental damages. These events led eventually to the necessity for a gradual development of a new multidisciplinary field, referred to as process safety. From its inception in the early 1970s to the current state of the art, process safety has come to represent a wide array of issues, including safety culture, process safety management systems, process safety engineering, loss prevention, risk assessment, risk management, and inherently safer technology. Governments and academic/research organizations have kept pace with regulatory programs and research initiatives, respectively. Understanding how major incidents impact regulations and contribute to industrial and academic technology development provides a firm foundation to address new challenges, and to continue applying science and engineering to develop and implement programs to keep hazardous materials within containment. Here the most significant incidents in terms of their impact on regulations and the overall development of the field of process safety are described.

Modulation of low-latitude west wind on abnormal track and intensity of tropical cyclone Nargis (2008) in the Bay of Bengal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Wei-Wei; Wang, Chunzai; Wang, Dongxiao; Yang, Lei; Deng, Yi

2012-03-01

Tropical cyclone (TC) Nargis (2008) made landfall in Myanmar on 02 May 2008, bringing a storm surge, major flooding, and resulting in a significant death toll. TC Nargis (2008) displayed abnormal features, including rare eastward motion in its late stage, rapid intensification before landing. Using reanalysis data and a numerical model, we investigated how a low-latitude westerly wind modulated TC Nargis' (2008) track and provided favorable atmospheric conditions for its rapid intensification. More importantly, we found a possible counterbalance effect of flows from the two hemispheres on the TC track in the Bay of Bengal. Our analysis indicates that a strong westerly wind burst across the Bay of Bengal, resulting in TC Nargis' (2008) eastward movement after its recurvature. This sudden enhancement of westerly wind was mainly due to the rapidly intensified mid-level cross-equatorial flow. Our results show that a high-pressure system in the Southern Hemisphere induced this strong, mid-level, cross-equatorial flow. During the rapid intensification period of TC Nargis (2008), this strong and broad westerly wind also transported a large amount of water vapor to TC Nargis (2008). Sufficient water vapor gave rise to continuously high and increased mid-level relative humidity, which was favorable to TC Nargis' (2008) intensification. Condensation of water vapor increased the energy supply, which eventuated the intensification of TC Nargis (2008) to a category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson scale.

A multimodal approach in the diagnosis of patients with hematopoietic disorders.

PubMed

Mark, H F; Gray, Y; Mark, Y; Khorsand, J; Sikov, W

1999-02-01

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a group of relatively ill-defined hematopoietic disorders in which both qualitative and quantitative defects of the hematopoietic cells cause bone marrow dysfunction. With an incidence estimated to be approximately 1 per 100,000 persons per year, MDS mainly affects the elderly. Myelodysplastic syndromes share many features with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia; in fact, a proportion of patients with MDS eventually develop acute myeloid leukemia. To illustrate a multimodal approach in the diagnosis of patients with hematopoietic disorders, we describe a 66-year-old patient with a question of myelodysplastic syndrome, leukemia, and two translocations involving chromosome 10:t(5;10) and t(7;10). These structural rearrangements effectively gave rise to monosomy for part of the long arm of chromosome 5 and for the long arm of chromosome 7. Findings of del(5q) and del(7) in MDS have been reported in the literature. The results of chromosome morphometry, which was conducted to compare the lengths of all relevant chromosome segments, are consistent with the hypothesized chromosomal abnormalities. The investigational technique of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), using both painting and alpha-satellite probes, was used as an adjunct to conventional cytogenetics to further delineate the nature of the chromosome abnormalities observed in the GTG-banded studies. Confirmatory studies utilizing the new technique of spectral karyotyping (SKY) were also carried out. Thus, the multimodal approach of hematopathology, GTG-banding, chromosome morphometry, FISH, and SKY can be very useful for delineating complex cytogenetic cases.

The hidden life of truffles

Treesearch

James M. Trappe; Andrew W. Claridge

2010-01-01

Truffles, like mushrooms, are the fruit of fungi. These fleshy organs are temporary reproductive structures that produce spores, which eventually germinate and give rise to new offspring. What sets truffles apart from mushrooms is that their spore-laden fruit forms below ground rather than above. Technically, true truffles are those fungi that belong to the Ascomycota...

Fertile Soil for Charters

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robelen, Erik W.

2008-01-01

Mayor Cory A. Booker, a rising star in the Democratic Party nationally, has high hopes for the role education in general, and charters in particular, can play in efforts to revitalize this long-struggling city. He says that, eventually, he would like to see one-fourth of Newark's public school students attend high-performing charter schools. The…

The Rise of American Urbanized Suburban High Schools: Teachers' Perceptions of Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Artiles, Dagoberto

2013-01-01

In the United States a high school diploma offers a pathway to the growing professional occupations creating the American middle class. The continuous influx of minority families into suburban school districts eventually urbanized districts. As a result, multiple districts struggle in the process of educating a shifted population. Studies have…

Revisiting salt marsh resilience to sea level rise: Are ponds responsible for permanent land loss?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mariotti, G.

2016-12-01

Ponds are un-vegetated rounded depressions commonly present on marsh platforms. The role of ponds on the long-term morphological evolution of tidal marshes is unclear - at times ponds expand but eventually recover the marsh platform, at other times ponds never recover and lead to permanent marsh loss. Existing field observations indicate that episodic disturbances of the marsh vegetation cause the formation of small (1-10 m) isolated ponds, even if the vegetated platform keeps pace with Relative Sea Level Rise (RSLR), and that isolated ponds tend to deepen and enlarge until they eventually connect to the channel network. Here I implement a simple model to study the vertical and planform evolution of a single connected pond. A newly connected pond recovers if its bed lies above the limit for marsh plant growth, or if the inorganic deposition rate is larger than the RSLR rate. A pond that cannot accrete faster than RSLR will deepen and enlarge, eventually entering a runaway erosion by wave edge retreat. A large tidal range, a large sediment supply, and a low rate of RSLR favor pond recovery. The model suggests that inorganic sediment deposition alone controls pond recovery, even in marshes where organic matter dominates accretion of the vegetated platform. As such, halting permanent marsh loss by pond collapse requires to increase inorganic sediment deposition. Because pond collapse is possible even if the vegetated platform keeps pace with RSLR, I conclude that marsh resilience to RSLR is less than previously quantified.

An Introduction to the Reform Strategy Which Stresses the Development of Urban School Capacities for Problem Solving.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Stephen

An urban school reform strategy which stresses the development of local capacities for problem solving is described in this paper. The context which gave rise to this conceptualization of reform is analyzed and some difficulties with the conceptualization are discussed. Difficulties include ambiguities about the boundaries of "local,"…

Evolution of allowable stresses in shear for lumber

Treesearch

Robert L. Ethington; William L. Galligan; Henry M. Montrey; Alan D. Freas

1979-01-01

This paper surveys research leading to allowable shear stress parallel to grain for lumber. In early flexure tests of lumber, some pieces failed in shear. The estimated shear stress at time of failure was generally lower than shear strength measured on small, clear, straight-grained specimens. This and other engineering observations gave rise to adjustments that...

Coccidian parasites of fish encompass profound phylogenetic diversity and gave rise to each of the major parasitic groups in terrestrial vertebrates

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Coccidian paraasites are ubiquitous single-celled protists that cause enteric disease in all manner of vertebrate hosts. These include infections of wildlife, livestock, and people, resulting in a variety of disease outcomes. The diversity and relationships among these diverse parasites is best kn...

Testing the Usability of Interactive Visualizations for Complex Problem-Solving: Findings Related to Improving Interfaces and Help.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mirel, Barbara

2001-01-01

Conducts a scenario-based usability test with 10 data analysts using visual querying (visually analyzing data with interactive graphics). Details a range of difficulties found in visual selection that, at times, gave rise to inaccurate selections, invalid conclusions, and misguided decisions. Argues that support for visual selection must be built…

Phytophthora ramorum experience and approach in the Netherlands

Treesearch

M.H.C.G. Steeghs; J. De Gruyter

2006-01-01

Phytophthora ramorum was found for the first time in the Netherlands in 1993. In 2001 a risk analysis was done. The results initiated a program to investigate the spread in the Netherlands and to develop measures to prevent further spread. The measures outside the nurseries gave rise to intensive discussions with the managers and owners of these...

10 CFR 14.57 - Suit against United States exclusive remedy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Suit against United States exclusive remedy. 14.57 Section... Employee Drivers § 14.57 Suit against United States exclusive remedy. The remedy against the United States... of the same subject matter against the employee or his or her estate whose act or omission gave rise...

10 CFR 14.57 - Suit against United States exclusive remedy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Suit against United States exclusive remedy. 14.57 Section... Employee Drivers § 14.57 Suit against United States exclusive remedy. The remedy against the United States... of the same subject matter against the employee or his or her estate whose act or omission gave rise...

On Pliability and Progress: Challenging Current Conceptions of Eighteenth-Century French Educational Thought

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gilead, Tal

2009-01-01

Examining the educational writings of three of the eighteenth-century's most innovative thinkers, the Abbe de Saint-Pierre, Morelly and Helvetius, this article challenges the currently accepted view that it was a belief in human pliability which gave rise to the contemporary groundbreaking faith in the power of education to improve society. The…

Hostile Times: Desi College Students Cope with Hate

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Isler, Hilal Nakiboglu

2006-01-01

The attacks of terror carried out on September 11, 2001 gave rise to waves of hate-fueled violence across the country. It has been argued that the attacks and the subsequent, current context of war have resulted in a heightened sense of American intolerance. They have led to discernable shifts in how certain minorities are perceived and treated in…

Report of the Senate Select Committee on Community Junior Colleges.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Missouri State General Assembly, Jefferson City. Senate.

The inability of Missouri community college districts--which serve 54% of the state's population but cover only 17% of the state's area--to enlarge their property tax support base, pass capital bond issues, or to increase operational levies gave rise to a legislative study of four major issues: existing laws covering community colleges; the…

Applications of the Dot Probe Task in Attentional Bias Research in Eating Disorders: A Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Starzomska, Malgorzata

2017-01-01

Recent years have seen an increasing interest in the cognitive approach to eating disorders, which postulates that patients selectively attend to information associated with eating, body shape, and body weight. The unreliability of self-report measures in eating disorders due to strong denial of illness gave rise to experimental studies inspired…

The First World War, Sex Education, and the American Social Hygiene Association's Campaign against Venereal Disease.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Imber, Michael

1984-01-01

Prior to the First World War, the public's attitude toward sex education was apathetic. With venereal disease posing a threat to America's "military efficiency" during the war, however, military programs in sex education were instituted that then gave rise to similar programs in secondary schools in the 1920s. (JBM)

Writing Democracy: Notes on a Federal Writers' Project for the 21st Century

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carter, Shannon; Mutnick, Deborah

2012-01-01

A general overview of the Writing Democracy project, including its origin story and key objectives. Draws parallels between the historical context that gave rise to the New Deal's Federal Writers' Project and today, examining the potential for a reprise of FWP in community literacy and public rhetoric and introducing articles collected in this…

Basic School Law. "What Every School Board Member Should Know" Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martinez, Robert P.; And Others

Designed to tell the school board member what New Jersey school law requires and permits, this second edition of "Basic School Law" avoids exploring the complex legal issues that gave rise to the regulations discussed. Dropping the first edition's chapter on labor law, this edition adds material on the sunshine laws regarding the conduct…

The evolutionary history of vertebrate cranial placodes II. Evolution of ectodermal patterning.

PubMed

Schlosser, Gerhard; Patthey, Cedric; Shimeld, Sebastian M

2014-05-01

Cranial placodes are evolutionary innovations of vertebrates. However, they most likely evolved by redeployment, rewiring and diversification of preexisting cell types and patterning mechanisms. In the second part of this review we compare vertebrates with other animal groups to elucidate the evolutionary history of ectodermal patterning. We show that several transcription factors have ancient bilaterian roles in dorsoventral and anteroposterior regionalisation of the ectoderm. Evidence from amphioxus suggests that ancestral chordates then concentrated neurosecretory cells in the anteriormost non-neural ectoderm. This anterior proto-placodal domain subsequently gave rise to the oral siphon primordia in tunicates (with neurosecretory cells being lost) and anterior (adenohypophyseal, olfactory, and lens) placodes of vertebrates. Likewise, tunicate atrial siphon primordia and posterior (otic, lateral line, and epibranchial) placodes of vertebrates probably evolved from a posterior proto-placodal region in the tunicate-vertebrate ancestor. Since both siphon primordia in tunicates give rise to sparse populations of sensory cells, both proto-placodal domains probably also gave rise to some sensory receptors in the tunicate-vertebrate ancestor. However, proper cranial placodes, which give rise to high density arrays of specialised sensory receptors and neurons, evolved from these domains only in the vertebrate lineage. We propose that this may have involved rewiring of the regulatory network upstream and downstream of Six1/2 and Six4/5 transcription factors and their Eya family cofactors. These proteins, which play ancient roles in neuronal differentiation were first recruited to the dorsal non-neural ectoderm in the tunicate-vertebrate ancestor but subsequently probably acquired new target genes in the vertebrate lineage, allowing them to adopt new functions in regulating proliferation and patterning of neuronal progenitors. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Mismeasure of Monkeys: Education Policy Research and the Evolution of Social Capital

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gearin, B.

2017-01-01

This conceptual history traces the rise of "social capital" from the theories of James Coleman and Pierre Bourdieu to its eventual adoption in fields such as primatology and evolutionary psychology. It argues that the earliest theories of social capital were formulated in response to a growing perception that education was an economic…

Stepping into America: An Educator's Journey to the Intersection of Special Education and the Arts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cruz, Jesl Xena Rae

2009-01-01

The author came to America to learn more, not just about special education, but about the importance of nurturing one's love for the quest of discoveries that constantly lead to other revelations, which eventually give rise to more inquiry questions that bring about reflections generated interpersonally or intrapersonally. In this article, the…

[At the boundaries of self-determination: ethical and juridical dimensions of involuntary abortion and sterilization].

PubMed

Eschauzier, J C; Tuinier, S; van der Heijden, F M M A; Heesmans, C; Schudel, W J

2007-01-01

A young woman, diagnosed with schizophrenia, was admitted to a psychiatric clinic with an acute relapse of her illness. Two months later, while still at the clinic, she was found to be pregnant. Due to her illness she was not considered competent to decide whether to have an abortion. Treatment was complicated by the chronic nature of her illness, a total lack of family and social support and mild mental retardation. Eventually she gave birth to a healthy baby and then was sterilized with the consent of her guardian. Ethical and juridical aspects are discussed here.

A Modified Synthesis of the Insect Repellent DEET

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knoess, Peter H.; Neeland, Edward G.

1998-10-01

In the preparation of the insect repellent DEET, lab procedures prepare the intermediate m-toluoyl chloride by heating m-toluic acid with thionyl chloride for times ranging from 15 to 45 minutes. The acid chloride is then worked up under Schotten-Baumann conditions to yield DEET. In our students' hands, these procedures gave a darkly colored product which was contaminated with an anhydride by-product. We have shown that the m-toluoyl chloride can be prepared at room temperature in 8 minutes and that the eventual DEET product is obtained in excellent yield without the dark coloration or anhydride by-product.

Differential receptive field organizations give rise to nearly identical neural correlations across three parallel sensory maps in weakly electric fish

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Understanding how neural populations encode sensory information thereby leading to perception and behavior (i.e., the neural code) remains an important problem in neuroscience. When investigating the neural code, one must take into account the fact that neural activities are not independent but are actually correlated with one another. Such correlations are seen ubiquitously and have a strong impact on neural coding. Here we investigated how differences in the antagonistic center-surround receptive field (RF) organization across three parallel sensory maps influence correlations between the activities of electrosensory pyramidal neurons. Using a model based on known anatomical differences in receptive field center size and overlap, we initially predicted large differences in correlated activity across the maps. However, in vivo electrophysiological recordings showed that, contrary to modeling predictions, electrosensory pyramidal neurons across all three segments displayed nearly identical correlations. To explain this surprising result, we incorporated the effects of RF surround in our model. By systematically varying both the RF surround gain and size relative to that of the RF center, we found that multiple RF structures gave rise to similar levels of correlation. In particular, incorporating known physiological differences in RF structure between the three maps in our model gave rise to similar levels of correlation. Our results show that RF center overlap alone does not determine correlations which has important implications for understanding how RF structure influences correlated neural activity. PMID:28863136

Emergence, development and diversification of the TGF-beta signalling pathway within the animal kingdom.

PubMed

Huminiecki, Lukasz; Goldovsky, Leon; Freilich, Shiri; Moustakas, Aristidis; Ouzounis, Christos; Heldin, Carl-Henrik

2009-02-03

The question of how genomic processes, such as gene duplication, give rise to co-ordinated organismal properties, such as emergence of new body plans, organs and lifestyles, is of importance in developmental and evolutionary biology. Herein, we focus on the diversification of the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) pathway -- one of the fundamental and versatile metazoan signal transduction engines. After an investigation of 33 genomes, we show that the emergence of the TGF-beta pathway coincided with appearance of the first known animal species. The primordial pathway repertoire consisted of four Smads and four receptors, similar to those observed in the extant genome of the early diverging tablet animal (Trichoplax adhaerens). We subsequently retrace duplications in ancestral genomes on the lineage leading to humans, as well as lineage-specific duplications, such as those which gave rise to novel Smads and receptors in teleost fishes. We conclude that the diversification of the TGF-beta pathway can be parsimoniously explained according to the 2R model, with additional rounds of duplications in teleost fishes. Finally, we investigate duplications followed by accelerated evolution which gave rise to an atypical TGF-beta pathway in free-living bacterial feeding nematodes of the genus Rhabditis. Our results challenge the view of well-conserved developmental pathways. The TGF-beta signal transduction engine has expanded through gene duplication, continually adopting new functions, as animals grew in anatomical complexity, colonized new environments, and developed an active immune system.

Development of the Joint Committee Standards for Evaluations of Educational Programs, Projects, and Materials.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Diamond, Esther E.

The growing demand for program evaluation in the 1970s gave rise to a need for a comprehensive, carefully developed, objective set of guiding principles for the evaluation process, from initial planning to final report. The Joint Committee on Standards for Education Evaluation was established to meet this need. This broad-based group, representing…

General Systems Theory, Systems Analysis, and Regional Planning: An Introductory Bibliography. Exchange Bibliography No. 164.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Hugh E.

This bibliography suggests a number of introductory readings that will enable regional and urban planners to understand the systems approach. The main focus of the research study that gave rise to this review of the literature was on establishing ways in which decisionmakers in regional planning could be helped in making their choices. The…

Insights into phylogeny, sex function and age of Fragaria based on whole chloroplast genome sequencing

Treesearch

Wambui Njunguna; Aaron Liston; Richard Cronn; Tia-Lynn Ashman; Nahla Bassil

2013-01-01

The cultivated strawberry is one of the youngest domesticated plants, developed in France in the 1700s from chance hybridization between two western hemisphere octoploid species. However, little is known about the evolution of the species that gave rise to this important fruit crop. Phylogenetic analysis of chloroplast genome sequences of 21 Fragaria...

Recent Developments in the Rhetorical Study of Film and Television.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benson, Tom

Rhetorical studies of film and television arose more or less independently at a number of universities during the 1960s and 1970s. At Cornell University (New York), the accident of a combined speech and drama department gave rise to the study of the rhetoric of film. At the same time, other theorists were approaching film rhetoric from literature.…

Is It Worth It? An Examination of How Teaching Assistants Experience and Perceive Their Foundation Degree Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morris, Theresa Mary

2010-01-01

This paper explores the experiences of teaching assistants studying for a Foundation degree programme and the perceived impacts such a programme has on their job role and self-esteem. A review of the related literature gave rise to three research questions that were addressed via focus groups with teaching assistants employed across four different…

Genetic analysis of emerald ash borer (Agrilus Planipennis Fairmaire) to determine point of origin in North American infestations

Treesearch

Jim Smith; Bob Haack; Leah Bauer

2004-01-01

The objective of this project is to estimate the geographic origin of emerald ash borer (EAB) populations in Asia that gave rise to EAB in North America. Knowledge of EAB genetics will be useful in understanding the invasion dynamics of the beetle, and to help identify geographic localities of potential biocontrol agents.

A Non-Muslim Teaching Islam: Pedagogical and Ethical Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berkson, Mark

2005-01-01

This paper is a reflection on the two most significant challenges that I have faced teaching the introductory course in Islam. The first is the challenge of teaching Islam after September 11, 2001, the events of which gave rise to such pedagogical questions as how much and in what ways the course syllabus should change, and in particular how we…

"Communicating Quietly: Supporting Personal Growth with Meditation and Listening in Schools"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leoni, Julie

2006-01-01

This article argues that meditation and therapeutic listening have a place in school. The article starts by summarising the findings of PhD research into exclusion which gave rise to this argument and then goes on to explain exactly what is meant by the words: "meditation" and "therapeutic listening". In defining the words, details of how the…

Schools as Sites of Socio-Economic Inclusion: Improving the Fabric of Indian Society

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rani, Bhavana

2016-01-01

This article examines the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act (RTE, 2009) in India, including its origin, the system of schools to which it gave rise, and its importance against the backdrop of the larger Indian society. This article further assesses the progress made in the implementation of the RTE, the roadblocks, and the…

Lessons from the Reading Brain for Reading Development and Dyslexia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolf, Maryanne; Ullman-Shade, Catherine; Gottwald, Stephanie

2016-01-01

This essay is about the improbable emergence of written language six millennia ago that gave rise to the even more improbable, highly sophisticated reading brain of the twenty-first century. How it emerged and what it comprises--both in its most basic iteration in the very young reader and in its most elaborated iteration in the expert reader--is…

Map-based analysis of the tenacious glume gene Tg-B1 of wild emmer and its role in wheat domestication

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The domestication of wheat was instrumental in spawning the civilization of humankind, and it occurred through genetic mutations that gave rise to types with non-fragile rachises, soft glumes, and free-threshing seed. The Tg-D1 gene on chromosome 2D of Aegilops tauschii, the D-genome progenitor of ...

Colonization of islands in the Mona Passage by endemic dwarf geckoes (genus Sphaerodactylus) reconstructed with mitochondrial phylogeny

PubMed Central

Díaz-Lameiro, Alondra M; Oleksyk, Taras K; Bird-Picó, Fernando J; Martínez-Cruzado, Juan Carlos

2013-01-01

Little is known about the natural history of the Sphaerodactylus species endemic to the three islands located in the Mona Passage separating the Greater Antillean islands of Hispaniola and Puerto Rico. In this study, parts of two mitochondrial genes, 16S rRNA and 12S rRNA, were sequenced to determine the relationships between the sphaerodactylids that live in the Mona Passage and other Caribbean species from the same genus. While the main goal was to identify the biogeographical origin of these species, we also identified a genetically distinct type of dwarf gecko that warrants future evaluation as a possible new species. According to the reconstructed phylogenies, we propose a stepwise model of colonization wherein S. nicholsi from southwestern Puerto Rico or a very close ancestor gave rise through a founder event to Sphaerodactylus monensis on Mona Island. In a similar fashion, S. monensis or a very close ancestor on Mona Island gave rise to S. levinsi on Desecheo Island. This study also suggests that the most recent common ancestor between the species from the islands in the Mona Passage and Puerto Rico existed approximately 3 MYA. PMID:24340189

Chemical intervention in bacterial lignin degradation pathways: Development of selective inhibitors for intradiol and extradiol catechol dioxygenases.

PubMed

Sainsbury, Paul D; Mineyeva, Yelena; Mycroft, Zoe; Bugg, Timothy D H

2015-06-01

Bacterial lignin degradation could be used to generate aromatic chemicals from the renewable resource lignin, provided that the breakdown pathways can be manipulated. In this study, selective inhibitors of enzymatic steps in bacterial degradation pathways were developed and tested for their effects upon lignin degradation. Screening of a collection of hydroxamic acid metallo-oxygenase inhibitors against two catechol dioxygenase enzymes, protocatechuate 3,4-dioxygenase (3,4-PCD) and 2,3-dihydroxyphenylpropionate 1,2-dioxygenase (MhpB), resulted in the identification of selective inhibitors D13 for 3,4-PCD (IC50 15μM) and D3 for MhpB (IC50 110μM). Application of D13 to Rhodococcus jostii RHA1 in minimal media containing ferulic acid led to the appearance of metabolic precursor protocatechuic acid at low concentration. Application of 1mM disulfiram, an inhibitor of mammalian aldehyde dehydrogenase, to R. jostii RHA1, gave rise to 4-carboxymuconolactone on the β-ketoadipate pathway, whereas in Pseudomonas fluorescens Pf-5 disulfiram treatment gave rise to a metabolite found to be glycine betaine aldehyde. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Distinct capacity for differentiation to inner ear cell types by progenitor cells of the cochlea and vestibular organs

PubMed Central

McLean, Will J.; McLean, Dalton T.; Eatock, Ruth Anne

2016-01-01

Disorders of hearing and balance are most commonly associated with damage to cochlear and vestibular hair cells or neurons. Although these cells are not capable of spontaneous regeneration, progenitor cells in the hearing and balance organs of the neonatal mammalian inner ear have the capacity to generate new hair cells after damage. To investigate whether these cells are restricted in their differentiation capacity, we assessed the phenotypes of differentiated progenitor cells isolated from three compartments of the mouse inner ear – the vestibular and cochlear sensory epithelia and the spiral ganglion – by measuring electrophysiological properties and gene expression. Lgr5+ progenitor cells from the sensory epithelia gave rise to hair cell-like cells, but not neurons or glial cells. Newly created hair cell-like cells had hair bundle proteins, synaptic proteins and membrane proteins characteristic of the compartment of origin. PLP1+ glial cells from the spiral ganglion were identified as neural progenitors, which gave rise to neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes, but not hair cells. Thus, distinct progenitor populations from the neonatal inner ear differentiate to cell types associated with their organ of origin. PMID:27789624

The time-course of the cross-modal semantic modulation of visual picture processing by naturalistic sounds and spoken words.

PubMed

Chen, Yi-Chuan; Spence, Charles

2013-01-01

The time-course of cross-modal semantic interactions between pictures and either naturalistic sounds or spoken words was compared. Participants performed a speeded picture categorization task while hearing a task-irrelevant auditory stimulus presented at various stimulus onset asynchronies (SOAs) with respect to the visual picture. Both naturalistic sounds and spoken words gave rise to cross-modal semantic congruency effects (i.e., facilitation by semantically congruent sounds and inhibition by semantically incongruent sounds, as compared to a baseline noise condition) when the onset of the sound led that of the picture by 240 ms or more. Both naturalistic sounds and spoken words also gave rise to inhibition irrespective of their semantic congruency when presented within 106 ms of the onset of the picture. The peak of this cross-modal inhibitory effect occurred earlier for spoken words than for naturalistic sounds. These results therefore demonstrate that the semantic priming of visual picture categorization by auditory stimuli only occurs when the onset of the sound precedes that of the visual stimulus. The different time-courses observed for naturalistic sounds and spoken words likely reflect the different processing pathways to access the relevant semantic representations.

THE ANTIBODY-FORMATION BY POLYSACCHARIDS

PubMed Central

Nishimura, Shoji

1929-01-01

1. By complement fixation tests, it has been clearly demonstrated that the sera of rabbits immunized with inulin, soluble starch and dextrine contain specific antibodies. 2. All these immune sera gave a negative precipitation reaction. 3. The kind of dextrine which has a construction very near to starch has an antigenic property, but those in a state of further decomposition do not give rise to antibodies. 4. All the three kinds of polysaccharids have power to produce antibodies without any vehicle. Dextrine is the only one of the three that gives rise to immune bodies more readily when pig serum is added to it. 5. Regarded as antigens, inulin stood first and soluble starch and dextrine next in order. 6. All three kinds of polysaccharids that were employed gave a negative protein color reaction. All of them, however, contained nitrogen. It has been proved that the large portion of the nitrogen contained in the soluble starch is derived from its protein contents. 7. It is suggested that in the production of immune bodies by these three kinds of polysaccharids, proteins might play the part of the vehicle. This is, however, still to be determined. PMID:19869634

The Effect of Earning an Associate Degree on Community College Transfer Students' Performance and Success at Four-Year Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Xueli; Chuang, Yating; McCready, Bo

2017-01-01

Background/Context: As the cost of postsecondary education continues to rise, more students begin their postsecondary careers at a community college with the ultimate goal of upward transfer. However, there is limited evidence regarding how earning an associate degree prior to transfer shape transfer students' eventual success at baccalaureate…

Reduced hematopoietic stem cell frequency predicts outcome in acute myeloid leukemia.

PubMed

Wang, Wenwen; Stiehl, Thomas; Raffel, Simon; Hoang, Van T; Hoffmann, Isabel; Poisa-Beiro, Laura; Saeed, Borhan R; Blume, Rachel; Manta, Linda; Eckstein, Volker; Bochtler, Tilmann; Wuchter, Patrick; Essers, Marieke; Jauch, Anna; Trumpp, Andreas; Marciniak-Czochra, Anna; Ho, Anthony D; Lutz, Christoph

2017-09-01

In patients with acute myeloid leukemia and low percentages of aldehyde-dehydrogenase-positive cells, non-leukemic hematopoietic stem cells can be separated from leukemic cells. By relating hematopoietic stem cell frequencies to outcome we detected poor overall- and disease-free survival of patients with low hematopoietic stem cell frequencies. Serial analysis of matched diagnostic and follow-up samples further demonstrated that hematopoietic stem cells increased after chemotherapy in patients who achieved durable remissions. However, in patients who eventually relapsed, hematopoietic stem cell numbers decreased dramatically at the time of molecular relapse demonstrating that hematopoietic stem cell levels represent an indirect marker of minimal residual disease, which heralds leukemic relapse. Upon transplantation in immune-deficient mice cases with low percentages of hematopoietic stem cells of our cohort gave rise to leukemic or no engraftment, whereas cases with normal hematopoietic stem cell levels mostly resulted in multi-lineage engraftment. Based on our experimental data, we propose that leukemic stem cells have increased niche affinity in cases with low percentages of hematopoietic stem cells. To validate this hypothesis, we developed new mathematical models describing the dynamics of healthy and leukemic cells under different regulatory scenarios. These models suggest that the mechanism leading to decreases in hematopoietic stem cell frequencies before leukemic relapse must be based on expansion of leukemic stem cells with high niche affinity and the ability to dislodge hematopoietic stem cells. Thus, our data suggest that decreasing numbers of hematopoietic stem cells indicate leukemic stem cell persistence and the emergence of leukemic relapse. Copyright© 2017 Ferrata Storti Foundation.

Evidence of Late Pliocene-Early Pleistocene marine environments in the deep subsurface of the Lihue Basin, Kauai, Hawaii

USGS Publications Warehouse

Izuka, S.K.; Resig, J.M.

2008-01-01

Cuttings recovered from two deep exploratory wells in the Lihue Basin, Kauai, Hawaii, include fossiliferous marine deposits that offer an uncommon opportunity to study paleoenvironments from the deep subsurface in Hawaii and interpret the paleogeography and geologic history of Kauai. These deposits indicate that two marine incursions gave rise to protected shallow-water, low-energy embayments in the southern part of the Lihue Basin in the late Pliocene-early Pleistocene. During the first marine incursion, the embayment was initially zoned, with a variable-salinity environment nearshore and a normal-marine reef environment offshore. The offshore reef environment eventually evolved to a nearshore, variable-salinity environment as the outer part of the embayment shallowed. During the second marine incursion, the embayment had normal-marine to hypersaline conditions, which constitute a significant departure from the variable-salinity environment present during the first marine incursion. Large streams draining the southern Lihue Basin are a likely source of the freshwater that caused the salinity fluctuations evident in the fossils from the first marine incursion. Subsequent volcanic eruptions produced lava flows that buried the embayment and probably diverted much of the stream flow in the southern Lihue Basin northward, to its present point of discharge north of Kalepa Ridge. As a result, the embayment that formed during the second marine incursion received less freshwater, and a normal-marine to hypersaline environment developed. The shallow-water marine deposits, currently buried between 86 m and 185 m below present sea level, have implications for regional tectonics and global eustasy. Copyright ?? 2008, SEPM (Society for Sedimentary Geology).

DOK, a cell line established from human dysplastic oral mucosa, shows a partially transformed non-malignant phenotype.

PubMed

Chang, S E; Foster, S; Betts, D; Marnock, W E

1992-12-02

There are many reports of cell lines being established from human oral squamous-cell carcinomas but apparently none of cell lines from dysplastic or "pre-malignant" oral mucosa. We describe here the isolation and characterization of a cell line, DOK (dysplastic oral keratinocyte), from a piece of dorsal tongue showing epithelial dysplasia. The tissue was obtained from a 57-year-old man who was a heavy smoker prior to the appearance of a white patch on his tongue. Eleven years later a squamous-cell carcinoma developed at the site and was excised. Subsequently the remaining dysplasia was removed, and it was from a piece of this that the primary cell cultures which eventually gave rise to DOK were initiated. The DOK line has been single-cell cloned and is apparently immortal. It grows in the absence of 3T3 feeder cells, is anchorage-dependent for growth and is non-tumorigenic in nude mice. The keratin profile of the cells shows a striking similarity to that of the original tongue dysplasia. The karyotype of DOK is aneuploid and complex. By PCR and oligonucleotide hybridization on dot blots, codons 12, 13 and 61 of Ha-ras, Ki-ras and N-ras in DNA extracted from DOK cells were shown to be normal. Immunohistochemistry showed no abnormal, i.e., elevated expression of the onco-suppressor protein p53. Because of its origin and partially transformed phenotype, DOK presents an opportunity to study whether specific carcinogens associated with tobacco and areca nut can cause malignant transformation of oral keratinocytes in vitro.

Plasma Discharge Initiation of Explosives in Rock Blasting Application: A Case Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jae-Ou, Chae; Young-Jun, Jeong; V, M. Shmelev; A, A. Denicaev; V, M. Poutchkov; V, Ravi

2006-07-01

A plasma discharge initiation system for the explosive volumetric combustion charge was designed, investigated and developed for practical application. Laboratory scale experiments were carried out before conducting the large scale field tests. The resultant explosions gave rise to less noise, insignificant seismic vibrations and good specific explosive consumption for rock blasting. Importantly, the technique was found to be safe and environmentally friendly.

A Participatory Process of Developing a Recommendation for the Government about the Education of Children from Birth to Three Years: The Case of Portugal

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vasconcelos, Teresa

2013-01-01

This article describes how the Portuguese National Council for Education initiated a participatory process that gave rise to the development of a "public statement", "The Education for Children from Zero to Six Years". This statement and its 11 recommendations were directed towards the Ministry of Education and called for a…

University Government in Nazi Germany: The Example of Hamburg. Yale Higher Education Program Working Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Giles, Geoffrey J.

Many apologies have been made for the part the German universities played in the Third Reich. The general stigma of having failed the people as intellectual leaders clung to the German academics for a long time. Their contention of helplessness before the forces of National Socialism gave rise to fears of similar weakness in the future. Although…

The Sky This Week, 2016 February 23 - March 1 - Naval Oceanography Portal

Science.gov Websites

section Advanced Search... Sections Home Time Earth Orientation Astronomy Meteorology Oceanography Ice You Time. Luna rises with Jupiter on the evening of the 23rd, then passes the bright star Spica in the wee goes back to the time of Ptolemy, but it was the Roman emperor Julius Caesar who first gave us our

Rhetoric or Reality? Ethnic Monitoring in the "Threshold Assessment" of Teachers in England and Wales

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Menter, Ian; Hextall, Ian; Mahony, Pat

2003-01-01

Following the 1998 Green Paper on teachers' work, the UK government introduced Threshold Assessment of teachers in England and Wales in 2000. Teachers who met the Threshold standards were rewarded with a pay rise and access to an upper pay spine. At the time ministers gave assurances that equal opportunities would be taken very seriously in the…

"In These Towns, Mexicans Are Classified as Negroes": The Politics of Unofficial Segregation in the Kansas Public Schools, 1915-1935

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donato, Rubén; Hanson, Jarrod

2017-01-01

This article examines the emergence of Mexican American school segregation from 1915 to 1935 in Kansas, the state that gave rise to "Brown v. Board of Education" in 1954. Even though Mexicans were not referenced in Kansas's school segregation laws, they were seen and treated as a racially distinct group. White parents and civic…

Conservation strategies and vegetation characterization in the Columbia Bottomlands, an under-recognized southern floodplain forest formation

Treesearch

D. J. Rosen; D. De Steven; M. L. Lange

2008-01-01

The Columbia Bottomlands, a Southern floodplain forest formation on the upper Texas coast, historically covered over 283,000 ha but has since been reduced to 25% of its former extent. The importance of this regional ecosystem as critical stopover and staging habitat for Nearctic-Neotropical migratory landbirds gave rise to the Columbia Bottomlands Conservation Plan, an...

GP140/CDCPI in the Development of Prostate Cancer Metastasis

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-01

author(s) and should not be construed as an official Department of the Army position, policy or decision unless so designated by other documentation...extracellular proteolysis. Unfortunately, experiments designed to determine whether or not phosphorylation of Gp140 significantly changes linear...surface-negative population gave rise to the fibroblas- tic and elongated ( spindle ) subline S-DU145 and to the small, epithelioid, and refractile (round

Strange Encounters on the Road to Lifelong Learning: The European Economic Community Meets Permanent Education in 1973

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hake, Barry J.

2017-01-01

This paper examines policy formation on education in the European Economic Community during the early 1970s surrounding the 1973 report For a "Community Policy on Education", known as the Janne Report. It examines Community policy-making processes that gave rise to the Janne Report. The text of the Janne Report is analysed with regard to…

Ethical and legal challenges of vaccines and vaccination: Reflections.

PubMed

Jesani, Amar; Johari, Veena

2017-01-01

Vaccines and vaccination have emerged as key medical scientific tools for prevention of certain diseases. Documentation of the history of vaccination shows that the initial popular resistance to universal vaccination was based on false assumptions and eventually gave way to acceptance of vaccines and trust in their ability to save lives. The successes of the global eradication of smallpox, and now of polio, have only strengthened the premier position occupied by vaccines in disease prevention. However, the success of vaccines and public trust in their ability to eradicate disease are now under challenge, as increasing numbers of people refuse vaccination, questioning the effectiveness of vaccines and the need to vaccinate.

The direction of evolution: the rise of cooperative organization.

PubMed

Stewart, John E

2014-09-01

Two great trends are evident in the evolution of life on Earth: towards increasing diversification and towards increasing integration. Diversification has spread living processes across the planet, progressively increasing the range of environments and free energy sources exploited by life. Integration has proceeded through a stepwise process in which living entities at one level are integrated into cooperative groups that become larger-scale entities at the next level, and so on, producing cooperative organizations of increasing scale (for example, cooperative groups of simple cells gave rise to the more complex eukaryote cells, groups of these gave rise to multi-cellular organisms, and cooperative groups of these organisms produced animal societies). The trend towards increasing integration has continued during human evolution with the progressive increase in the scale of human groups and societies. The trends towards increasing diversification and integration are both driven by selection. An understanding of the trajectory and causal drivers of the trends suggests that they are likely to culminate in the emergence of a global entity. This entity would emerge from the integration of the living processes, matter, energy and technology of the planet into a global cooperative organization. Such an integration of the results of previous diversifications would enable the global entity to exploit the widest possible range of resources across the varied circumstances of the planet. This paper demonstrates that it's case for directionality meets the tests and criticisms that have proven fatal to previous claims for directionality in evolution. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Investigation of a 2-step agglomeration process performed in a rotary processor using polyethylene glycol solutions as the primary binder liquid.

PubMed

Kristensen, Jakob

2006-10-27

The purpose of this research was to investigate the use of polyethylene glycol (PEG) solutions as the primary binder liquid in a 2-step agglomeration process performed in a rotary processor and characterize the resulting granules and their tableting characteristics. This was done by granulation of binary mixtures of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and either lactose, calcium phosphate, acetaminophen, or theophylline, in a 1:3 ratio, using a 50% (wt/wt) aqueous solution of PEG and water as the binder liquid. Formulations containing lactose were agglomerated using 5 different amounts of the PEG binder solution, giving rise to a PEG content in the range of 6% to 43% (wt/wt). The process outcome was characterized according to adhesion, yield, and water requirement, and the prepared granules were characterized according to size, size distribution, and flow properties as well as tableting properties. The agglomeration of all mixtures resulted in high yields of free-flowing agglomerates and gave rise to good reproducibility of the investigated agglomerate characteristics. The process allowed for the incorporation of 42.5% (wt/wt) PEG, which is higher than the percentage of PEG reported for other equipment. Tablets of sufficient strength could be prepared with all investigated excipients using 20% wt/wt PEG; higher PEG contents gave rise to adhesion and prolonged disintegration. In conclusion, agglomeration in a torque-controlled rotary processor using solutions of PEG as the primary binder liquid was found to be a robust process, suitable for the incorporation of high contents of PEG and/or drug compounds.

Don't Worry, Be Scrappy: Good, Cheap Tech for Schools, Cloud Computing and More

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hastings, Jeffrey

2009-01-01

When asked to weigh in on what might be the next best thing in educational technology, the author scanned the horizon for the next gizmo or software advance that would eventually grow legs, rise up, and utterly transform the library profession. But what he saw was more about evolution than revolution. Sure, Windows Vista will become Windows 7, USB…

On the causes of compositional order in the Ni sub c Pt sub (1-c) alloys

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

Gyorffy, B.L.; Pinski, F.J.; Ginatempo, B.

1991-01-01

We review, briefly, the arguments which gave rise to the current controversy concerning the origin of compositional order in Ni{sub c}Pt{sub 1-c} alloys. We note that strain fluctuations play an important role in determining the state of compositional order in this system and outline a theoretical framework that takes account of them. 29 refs., 4 figs.

Use of the FAR Guide to Present a Pedagogical Analogical Model of Gel Electrophoresis in Year 10 Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, James

2013-01-01

This paper is a qualitative, practice based study describing the use of the Focus-Action-Reflection (FAR) Guide (Harrison & Treagust, 2000) to address the shortcomings of a pedagogical analogical model in Year 10 Science. The aim of this paper is to present my experience of the FAR Guide in relation to an analogical model that gave rise to…

The Forgotten Slayings: Memory, History, and Institutional Response to the Jackson State University Shootings of 1970

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGee, Melandie; Platt, R. Eric

2015-01-01

One of the most well-known and infamous student protests was the Kent State University shootings of 1970. The aftermath of the Kent State tragedy gave rise to protests and riots on hundreds of college and university campuses across the nation. In the American South, only ten days after the Kent Sate tragedy, a very similar incident occurred on the…

Openness and Globalization in Higher Education: The Age of the Internet, Terrorism, and Opportunity. Research & Occasional Paper Series: CSHE.7.06

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vest, Charles M.

2006-01-01

Charles Vest gave the second of three Clark Kerr Lectures on the Role of Higher Education in Society on April 21, 2005 on the Santa Barbara campus. The Age of the Internet presents remarkable opportunities for higher education and research in the United States and throughout the world. The rise of a "meta-university" of globally shared…

A functional analysis of mentalistic terms in human observers

PubMed Central

Leigland, Sam

1989-01-01

This paper, and the following paper by M.J. Dougher (1989), were originally given as part of a symposium presented at the 1984 meeting of the Association for Behavior Analysis (R. Schnaitter, Chair). The symposium included two other papers on the same theme by Diane Spooner and Diane Mercier, and the discussant was Willard Day. The concept of the symposium was to use the following paper (Leigland) as a basis for a demonstration of what has been termed the “Reno methodology,” a method for the interpretation of verbal behavior developed by Willard Day and his students at the University of Nevada, Reno. Essentially, the project may be described in the following way: the controlled environment-behavior interactions of a pigeon in an operant chamber gave rise to explanatory verbal behavior on the part of observing human subjects, and the controlling relations with respect to the latter gave rise to the verbal behavior contained in Leigland's report. The controlling relations to be discriminated with respect to Leigland's verbal behavior were then the subject of Dougher's analysis in the report that follows. Dougher's report, then, uses Leigland's report as a source of verbal behavior to be interpreted, using the practices developed by the Reno group as a method. PMID:22477580

Fine structure of spermatogenesis in polyopisthocotylid monogeneans (Protomicrocotyle ivoriensis, Gastrocotyle sp.).

PubMed

Schmahl, G; Obiekezie, A

1991-01-01

The development of spermatozoa in the polyopisthocotylean fish-gill flukes Protomicrocotyle ivoriensis and Gastrocotyle sp. was investigated by light and transmission electron microscopy. In both species the spermatogonia were undifferentiated cells, the cytoplasm of which contained numerous free ribosomes, and successive mitoses gave rise to primary spermatocytes, which are clearly identified by the presence of synaptonemal complexes in their nuclei. As compared with that of the spermatogonia, the cytoplasm of the primary spermatocytes contained an increased number of ribosomes. Golgi complexes were frequently seen in the spermatocytes of P. ivoriensis but not in Gastrocotyle sp. In P. ivoriensis the secondary spermatocytes were separated by interspaces between the irregularly shaped cell surfaces. In both species a syncytial mass of spermatids developed, which gave rise to 64 spermatozoa. Cross sections of the mature spermatozoa of both species revealed the presence of numerous submembranous microtubules and two axonemes showing a pattern of 9 doublet peripheral microtubules plus a central one. In contrast to microtubules plus a central one. In contrast to P. ivoriensis, in Gastrocotyle sp. the axonemes originated from different places at the axis of the spermatozoon. With respect to the other results obtained, the spermiogenesis and the fine structure of spermatozoa of both species studied were similar to previous findings in other polyopisthocotyleans.

Where Have All the Midwives Gone?

PubMed Central

Brodsky, Phyllis L.

2008-01-01

In past centuries, only women attended women in childbirth. Birthing women were in control, choosing who should attend them and where and how to give birth. Men were usually excluded unless they were needed for their strength and their tools if labor was obstructed. Eventually, with the medicalization of childbirth, male physicians became involved, introducing new techniques that interfered with the normal birth process and competed with midwives. By the 19th century, midwives struggled to hold onto their profession and advance through education. Midwives survived in Europe, but in America, they were eventually usurped in the early 20th century when birth began taking place in hospitals and as medical science and technology advanced. Midwives eventually rose again as educated nurse-midwives. Technology and obstetric interventions in normal childbirth continue, in spite of lack of evidence of their efficacy. Midwives are again in jeopardy because of rising malpractice insurance costs, women's trust in technology, and, most recently, renewed efforts by physicians to once again prevent midwives from practicing autonomously and outside the hospital environment in the United States. PMID:19436438

Nuisance Flooding and Relative Sea-Level Rise: the Importance of Present-Day Land Motion.

PubMed

Karegar, Makan A; Dixon, Timothy H; Malservisi, Rocco; Kusche, Jürgen; Engelhart, Simon E

2017-09-11

Sea-level rise is beginning to cause increased inundation of many low-lying coastal areas. While most of Earth's coastal areas are at risk, areas that will be affected first are characterized by several additional factors. These include regional oceanographic and meteorological effects and/or land subsidence that cause relative sea level to rise faster than the global average. For catastrophic coastal flooding, when wind-driven storm surge inundates large areas, the relative contribution of sea-level rise to the frequency of these events is difficult to evaluate. For small scale "nuisance flooding," often associated with high tides, recent increases in frequency are more clearly linked to sea-level rise and global warming. While both types of flooding are likely to increase in the future, only nuisance flooding is an early indicator of areas that will eventually experience increased catastrophic flooding and land loss. Here we assess the frequency and location of nuisance flooding along the eastern seaboard of North America. We show that vertical land motion induced by recent anthropogenic activity and glacial isostatic adjustment are contributing factors for increased nuisance flooding. Our results have implications for flood susceptibility, forecasting and mitigation, including management of groundwater extraction from coastal aquifers.

Performance intensification of Prague wastewater treatment plant.

PubMed

Novák, L; Havrlíková, D

2004-01-01

Prague wastewater treatment plant was intensified during 1994--1997 by construction of new regeneration tank and four new secondary settling tanks. Nevertheless, more stringent effluent limits and operational problems gave rise to necessity for further intensification and optimisation of plant performance. This paper describes principal operational problems of the plant and shows solutions and achieved results that have lead to plant performance stabilisation. The following items are discussed: low nitrification capacity, nitrification bioaugmentation, activated sludge bulking, insufficient sludge disposal capacity, chemical precipitation of raw wastewater, simultaneous precipitation, sludge chlorination, installation of denitrification zones, sludge rising in secondary settling tanks due to denitrification, dosage of cationic polymeric organic flocculant to secondary settling tanks, thermophilic operation of digestors, surplus activated sludge pre-thickening, mathematical modelling.

The Biggest Stick: The Employment of Artillery Units in Counterinsurgency

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-10

Army xi MRLA Malayan Races Liberation Army NP National Police NVA North Vietnamese Army OCO Office of Civil Operations OIF Operation Iraqi...France‘s colonial military operations gave rise to the theories of Lyatuey and Gallieni, who were somewhat isolated in Africa and Asia and did not develop...intervention units in theater. 72Lieutenant Colonel David Galula (1919-1967) was a French military leader and theorist. Raised in French North

The new productivity challenge.

PubMed

Drucker, P F

1991-01-01

"The single greatest challenge facing managers in the developed countries of the world is to raise the productivity of knowledge and service workers," writes Peter F. Drucker in "The New Productivity Challenge." Productivity, says Drucker, ultimately defeated Karl Marx; it gave common laborers the chance to earn the wages of skilled workers. Now five distinct steps will raise the productivity of knowledge and service workers--and not only stimulate new economic growth but also defuse rising social tensions.

Engineering Ferroic and Multiferroic Materials for Active Cooling Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-02-11

large strain gradients (>105 m-1) – nearly 5-6 orders of magnitude larger than what can be achieved in bulk-versions of materials. These large strain...larger than what can be achieved in bulk-versions of materials. These large strain gradients gave rise to unexpected crystal and domain structure...parameters that are more favorable for generating a compressively strained variety of the Zr-rich phases. In this case, akin to what has been

Continuity and Change in Cosmological Ideas in Spain Between the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries: The Impact of Celestial Novelties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Navarro Brotóns, Víctor

The star which became visible in 1572 in the constellation of Cassiopeia (identified by twentieth-century astronomers as a Type I supernova), and the works and polemics to which it gave rise, marked an important stage in the abandonment of Aristotelian and medieval cosmology and their replacement by the idea of the infinite - or indefinite - universe of modern physics and astronomy.

The Worst of Times? A Tale of Two Higher Education Institutions in France: Their Merger and Its Impact on Staff Working Lives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evans, Linda

2017-01-01

This paper presents the preliminary findings of a case study of the merger of two higher education institutions in France. The paper's main focus is not the politics that gave rise to the institutional merger, nor the rights or wrongs of the decision, nor the merger process itself; rather, it is the extent to and the ways in which these features…

Recent PCB accidents in Finland.

PubMed Central

Elo, O; Vuojolahti, P; Janhunen, H; Rantanen, J

1985-01-01

Twenty-eight polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) accidents were recorded during a 1-year period in Finland. They comprised leaks, fires or explosions of capacitors. Some of the explosions and fires gave rise to high concentrations of PCBs in air and of PCBs and tetrachlorodibenzofurans (TCDFs), including 2,3,7,8-TCDF, on surfaces. One large explosion is described in detail, and biomedical data and findings of this case are compared with those of smaller accidents in Finland. PMID:3928359

Controversy a Policy Change in the Curriculum in Indonesia in Terms of the Point of View of Indonesian Language Subject

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nugraheni, Aninditya Sri

2015-01-01

The termination of the implementation of the curriculum 2013 by the ministry of culture primary and secondary education, continue to reap controversy. On the one hand the dismissal of the curriculum 2013 to a certain school will only gave rise to the application of a double. But on the other hand the turn and the termination of a curriculum not…

Military Innovation in the Rise and Fall of Great Powers: Lessons for America

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-01

must institute forcing mechanisms to integrate the elements of national power toward this stated goal. Several of the forcing mechanisms proposed...about my thesis topic. CAPT Porter immediately took an interest in my ideas and gave me food for thought and book recommendations that shaped the...fighting mechanism . The inventive and martial nature of the Assyrian Empire allowed its people to develop, relatively quickly, the first concept of

Chlorine-induced assembly of a cationic coordination cage with a μ5-carbonato-bridged Mn(II)24 core.

PubMed

Xiong, Ke-Cai; Jiang, Fei-Long; Gai, Yan-Li; Yuan, Da-Qiang; Han, Dong; Ma, Jie; Zhang, Shu-Quan; Hong, Mao-Chun

2012-04-27

Chlorine caged in! The chlorine-induced assembly of six shuttlecock-like tetranuclear Mn(II) building blocks generated in situ based on p-tert-butylthiacalix[4]arene and facial anions gave rise to a novel truncated distorted octahedral cationic coordination cage with a μ(5)-carbonato-bridged Mn(II)(24) core. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

The predictive value of 2-year posttreatment biopsy after prostate cancer radiotherapy for eventual biochemical outcome

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

Vance, Waseet; Tucker, Susan L.; Crevoisier, Renaud de

2007-03-01

Purpose: To determine the value of a 2-year post-radiotherapy (RT) prostate biopsy for predicting eventual biochemical failure in patients who were treated for localized prostate cancer. Methods and Materials: This study comprised 164 patients who underwent a planned 2-year post-RT prostate biopsy. The independent prognostic value of the biopsy results for forecasting eventual biochemical outcome and overall survival was tested with other factors (the Gleason score, 1992 American Joint Committee on Cancer tumor stage, pretreatment prostate-specific antigen level, risk group, and RT dose) in a multivariate analysis. The current nadir + 2 (CN + 2) definition of biochemical failure wasmore » used. Patients with rising prostate-specific antigen (PSA) or suspicious digital rectal examination before the biopsy were excluded. Results: The biopsy results were normal in 78 patients, scant atypical and malignant cells in 30, carcinoma with treatment effect in 43, and carcinoma without treatment effect in 13. Using the CN + 2 definition, we found a significant association between biopsy results and eventual biochemical failure. We also found that the biopsy status provides predictive information independent of the PSA status at the time of biopsy. Conclusion: A 2-year post-RT prostate biopsy may be useful for forecasting CN + 2 biochemical failure. Posttreatment prostate biopsy may be useful for identifying patients for aggressive salvage therapy.« less

Pain from distension of the pelvic colon by inflating a balloon in the irritable colon syndrome.

PubMed

Ritchie, J

1973-02-01

The effects of inflating a balloon introduced through a sigmoidoscope to 35 cm in the pelvic colon have been observed and compared in 67 patients with the irritable colon syndrome and in 16 normal and constipated subjects acting as controls. Inflation to 60 ml caused pain in 6% of the controls at a mean diameter of 3.8 cm and in 55% of patients with the irritable colon syndrome (diameter 3.4 cm). An estimate of gut wall tension at this volume of inflation showed it to be normal in patients with the irritable colon syndrome; the incidence of pain in relation to wall tension was increased nearly tenfold in the irritable colon group. Inflation of the balloon to different volumes was normally painless to a maximum acceptable diameter which remained constant for each study under constant conditions; continued inflation eventually gave rise to pain without increasing the diameter. The pain was felt in the hypogastrium in 40%, in one or both iliac fossae in 31%, and in the rectum in 21%; the other 8% felt pain in the back or elsewhere and there were no significant differences between clinical groups. Exceptionally, in 6% of the controls, and in 52% of patients with the irritable colon syndrome, pain occurred at balloon diameters that could still be increased by 10% or more with further inflation. This was probably the outcome of a low threshold for visceral pain in the section of bowel in contact with the balloon. Colonic hyperalgesia of this kind, possibly a random occurrence, may be an important contributory factor in the aetiology of the irritable colon syndrome.

Self-disinfecting plastics for intravenous catheters and prosthetic inserts.

PubMed Central

Kingston, D.; Seal, D. V.; Hill, I. D.

1986-01-01

A disinfectant (2,4,4'-trichloro-2'-hydroxydiphenyl ether: Irgasan, Ciba-Geigy) was incorporated into plastic washers fabricated from ethylvinyl acetate (EVA), polyethylene, polypropylene or TPX. Plastics containing 0.2 and 2% Irgasan gave zones of inhibition on nutrient and blood agar plates seeded with micro-organisms (Staphylococcus aureus, Staph. epidermidis, Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis or Candida albicans) even after thorough washing. Exceptionally, C. albicans was inhibited only by 2% Irgasan, and EVA gave good inhibition only against the staphylococci. Similar washers of each plastic were implanted subcutaneously into the flanks of rabbits; before insertion each was washed, had thread woven into it and was surrounded by a plasma clot containing 2 X 10(8) Staph. aureus. All the plastics without Irgasan gave rise to abscesses, none of the plastics impregnated with 2% Irgasan did, though from 2 out of 12 sites small numbers of Staph. aureus were isolated at post mortem. Using either clinical or bacteriological criteria, the results were highly significant (P less than 0.00001 and P less than 0.001 respectively), demonstrating the effectiveness of this technique in preventing plastic-associated infection. Images Fig. 2 Fig. 2(Contd.) PMID:3517154

Melanie Klein and Repression: an examination of some unpublished Notes of 1934.

PubMed

Hinshelwood, R D

2006-01-01

Fifteen pages of unpublished Notes were found in the Melanie Klein Archives dating from early 1934, a crucial moment in Klein's development. She was at this time, 1934, moving away from child analysis, whilst also rethinking and revising her allegiance to Karl Abraham's theory of the phases of libidinal development. These Notes, entitled "Early Repression Mechanism," show Klein struggling to develop what became her characteristic theories of the depressive position and the paranoid-schizoid position. Although these Notes are precursors of the paper Klein gave later to the IPA Congress in 1934, they also show the origins of the emphasis she and her followers eventually gave to "splitting" rather than repression. The Notes give us an insight into the way that she worked clinically at the time. We see Klein's confidence develop as she diverged from the classical theories and technique. Her ideas were based on close attention to the detail of her clinical material, rather than attacking theoretical problems directly. The Notes show her method of struggling to her own conclusions, and they offer us a chance to grasp the roots of the subsequent controversy over Kleinian thought.

Comparative Anthropometry of the Foot

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-12-01

restrained the feet and gave rise to all kinds of difficulties, usually as a result of poor design and improper fit. The whims of fashion also played a...ranges of variation in the feet are required for the effective design and sizing of footwear. This information on the range of variation in the sizes and...included at least some foot measurements. Because of the limited data on civilian feet, designers and human engineers rely heavily on the milita data

Analyses of Fatigue Crack Growth and Closure Near Threshold Conditions for Large-Crack Behavior

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Newman, J. C., Jr.

1999-01-01

A plasticity-induced crack-closure model was used to study fatigue crack growth and closure in thin 2024-T3 aluminum alloy under constant-R and constant-K(sub max) threshold testing procedures. Two methods of calculating crack-opening stresses were compared. One method was based on a contact-K analyses and the other on crack-opening-displacement (COD) analyses. These methods gave nearly identical results under constant-amplitude loading, but under threshold simulations the contact-K analyses gave lower opening stresses than the contact COD method. Crack-growth predictions tend to support the use of contact-K analyses. Crack-growth simulations showed that remote closure can cause a rapid rise in opening stresses in the near threshold regime for low-constraint and high applied stress levels. Under low applied stress levels and high constraint, a rise in opening stresses was not observed near threshold conditions. But crack-tip-opening displacement (CTOD) were of the order of measured oxide thicknesses in the 2024 alloy under constant-R simulations. In contrast, under constant-K(sub max) testing the CTOD near threshold conditions were an order-of-magnitude larger than measured oxide thicknesses. Residual-plastic deformations under both constant-R and constant-K(sub max) threshold simulations were several times larger than the expected oxide thicknesses. Thus, residual-plastic deformations, in addition to oxide and roughness, play an integral part in threshold development.

Genomic V exons from whole genome shotgun data in reptiles.

PubMed

Olivieri, D N; von Haeften, B; Sánchez-Espinel, C; Faro, J; Gambón-Deza, F

2014-08-01

Reptiles and mammals diverged over 300 million years ago, creating two parallel evolutionary lineages amongst terrestrial vertebrates. In reptiles, two main evolutionary lines emerged: one gave rise to Squamata, while the other gave rise to Testudines, Crocodylia, and Aves. In this study, we determined the genomic variable (V) exons from whole genome shotgun sequencing (WGS) data in reptiles corresponding to the three main immunoglobulin (IG) loci and the four main T cell receptor (TR) loci. We show that Squamata lack the TRG and TRD genes, and snakes lack the IGKV genes. In representative species of Testudines and Crocodylia, the seven major IG and TR loci are maintained. As in mammals, genes of the IG loci can be grouped into well-defined IMGT clans through a multi-species phylogenetic analysis. We show that the reptilian IGHV and IGLV genes are distributed amongst the established mammalian clans, while their IGKV genes are found within a single clan, nearly exclusive from the mammalian sequences. The reptilian and mammalian TRAV genes cluster into six common evolutionary clades (since IMGT clans have not been defined for TR). In contrast, the reptilian TRBV genes cluster into three clades, which have few mammalian members. In this locus, the V exon sequences from mammals appear to have undergone different evolutionary diversification processes that occurred outside these shared reptilian clans. These sequences can be obtained in a freely available public repository (http://vgenerepertoire.org).

Size of the top jet drop produced by bubble bursting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berny, Alexis; Deike, Luc; Popinet, Stéphane; Seon, Thomas

2017-11-01

When a bubble is located on a liquid-air interface, it eventually bursts. First, the bubble cap shatters and produces film drops. Then, the cavity collapses, a tiny liquid jet rises and, depending on bubble radius and liquid parameters, it can eventually break-up and release the so-called jet drops. We perform numerical simulations, using the free software basilisk, to determine and discuss the regime of existence and the size of the first liquid jet droplets. We first validate the numerical scheme by comparing our results with recent experimental data. We then extend our numerical study to a wider range of control parameters in order to enrich our knowledge of the jet drops production. Finally, we show and interpret our results using a scaling law approach and basic physical arguments. This allows us to untangle the intricate roles of viscosity, gravity, and surface tension in the end pinching of the bubble bursting jet.

Bubbling behavior of a fluidized bed of fine particles caused by vibration-induced air inflow.

PubMed

Matsusaka, Shuji; Kobayakawa, Murino; Mizutani, Megumi; Imran, Mohd; Yasuda, Masatoshi

2013-01-01

We demonstrate that a vibration-induced air inflow can cause vigorous bubbling in a bed of fine particles and report the mechanism by which this phenomenon occurs. When convective flow occurs in a powder bed as a result of vibrations, the upper powder layer with a high void ratio moves downward and is compressed. This process forces the air in the powder layer out, which leads to the formation of bubbles that rise and eventually burst at the top surface of the powder bed. A negative pressure is created below the rising bubbles. A narrow opening at the bottom allows the outside air to flow into the powder bed, which produces a vigorously bubbling fluidized bed that does not require the use of an external air supply system.

The Existence of Violence in Nonviolent Protest Groups.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-01-01

ROGER J. H , Col, USAF Chief, Structures & Dynamics Division If your address has changed, if you wish to be removed from our mailing list, or if the...books on the subject were reviewed and the Journals of Dissent and Social Change index compiled by John Liberty for the California State University...and Eastern Europe, but the early 80’s gave rise to social protests once more in the United States. "During the six-month period of March-September

On-line diagnosis of defaults on squirrel cage motors using FEM

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

Bentounsi, A.; Nicolas, A.

1998-09-01

In industry, the predictive maintenance has become a strategic concept. Economic interest of on-line diagnosis of faults in electric machines gave rise to various researches in that field. This paper proposes a local approach to tackle the problem of breaking bars and end-rings of squirrel cage in induction machines based mainly on the signature of the local variables, such as the normal flux density. This allows a finer analysis, by use of a finite element based simulation.

Beta-decay measurements of neutron-rich thallium, lead, and bismuth by means of resonant laser ionisation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Franchoo, S.; de Witte, H.; Andreyev, A. N.; Cederka¨Ll, J.; Dean, S.; de Smet, A.; Eeckhaudt, S.; Fedorov, D. V.; Fedosseev, V. N.; G´Rska, M.; Huber, G.; Huyse, M.; Janas, Z.; Ko¨Ster, U.; Kurcewicz, W.; Kurpeta, J.; Mayer, P.; Płchocki, A.; van de Vel, K.; van Duppen, P.; Weissman, L.; Isolde Collaboration

2004-04-01

Neutron-rich thallium, lead, and bismuth isotopes were investigated at the ISOLDE facility. After mass separation and resonant laser ionisation of the produced activity, new spectroscopic data were obtained for 215,218Bi and 215Pb. An attempt to reach heavy thallium had to be abandoned because of a strong francium component in the beam that gave rise to a neutron background through (α,n) reactions on the aluminium walls of the experimental chamber.

Hybridization and Polyploidization of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Strains by Transformation-Associated Cell Fusion

PubMed Central

Takagi, Atsuko; Harashima, Satoshi; Oshima, Yasuji

1985-01-01

Hybrid or polyploid clones of Saccharomyces cerevisiae produced by protoplast fusion were easily isolated by selecting transformants with the plasmid phenotype because the transformation was directly associated with cell fusion. When haploid cells were used as the original strain, the transformants were mostly diploids with a significant fraction of polyploids (triploids or tetraploids). Repeated transformation after curing the plasmid gave rise to clones with higher ploidy, but the frequency of cell fusion was severely reduced as ploidy increased. Images PMID:16346702

In the eye of the beholder: Helmholtzian perception and the origins of Freud's 1900 theory of transference.

PubMed

Makari, G J

1994-01-01

Freud's 1900 theory of transference was indebted to the convergence of philosophy and physiology found in nineteenth-century theories of visual perception. The author maps out the post-Kantian philosophical and German physiological currents that gave rise to Hermann von Helmholtz's influential work on perception, and proposes that Freud's 1900 theory of transference was a creative synthesis of novel notions like unconscious wishing and psychic defense with a Helmholtzian model of visual illusion.

One and three doses of propranolol a day in hypertension.

PubMed

van den Brink, G; Boer, P; van Asten, P; Dorhout Mees, E J; Geyskes, G G

1980-01-01

In 26 patients with essential hypertension who were on continuous chlorthalidone therapy, 1 and 3 daily doses of propranolol were compared in a crossover study. Plasma propranolol levels and heart rates had larger daily fluctuations on single-dose therapy than on 3 times daily; plasma renin activity was more constant. There was no significant difference in blood pressures. Once-daily propranolol dosage was well tolerated and possibly gave less rise to the troublesome side effect of vivid dreaming.

Restor(y)ing Teacher Education: A Critical Bifocal Case Study of the Impact of the Teacher Performance Assessment (EDTPA) in New York State on a Teacher Preparation Program in English Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKibbin, Kerry Marie

2016-01-01

In this critical bifocal case study, the author examines how the Obama administration's Race to the Top education reform agenda was enacted into policy that gave rise to the Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA), which was in turn embodied by a single MA English education teacher preparation program in New York State. Drawing on Weis and Fine's…

STOCK Mechanics:. a General Theory and Method of Energy Conservation with Applications on Djia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tuncay, Çağlar

A new method, based on the original theory of conservation of sum of kinetic and potential energy defined for prices is proposed and applied on the Dow Jones Industrials Average (DJIA). The general trends averaged over months or years gave a roughly conserved total energy, with three different potential energies, i.e., positive definite quadratic, negative definite quadratic and linear potential energy for exponential rises (and falls), sinusoidal oscillations and parabolic trajectories, respectively. Corresponding expressions for force (impact) are also given.

Why the Iraqi Resistance to the Coalition Invasion Was so Weak

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-01-01

climate of fear Saddam engen - dered gave rise to a “culture of lying,” whereby senior military officers routinely misled Saddam about the readiness...trusted subordinates, ‘Ali Hasan Al Majid ( Chemical Ali) indicated that he knew of no instance when anyone had brought bad news to Saddam.27...sites where chemical or biological agents were said to have been dumped or destroyed, and continued to flatten the Al Samoud-2 missiles that the UN had

Why the Iraqi Resistance to the Coalition Invasion Was So Weak

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-01-01

telling him truths that they believed he did not want to hear. The climate of fear Saddam engen - dered gave rise to a “culture of lying,” whereby...objection to his decisions.”26 One of Saddam’s cousins and most trusted subordinates, ‘Ali Hasan Al Majid ( Chemical Ali) indicated that he knew of...destruction of WMD, invited UN inspec- tors to conduct tests at sites where chemical or biological agents were said to have been dumped or destroyed

The Origins of Ethnolinguistic Diversity

PubMed Central

Michalopoulos, Stelios

2013-01-01

This study explores the determinants of ethnolinguistic diversity within as well as across countries shedding light on its geographic origins. The empirical analysis conducted across countries, virtual countries and pairs of contiguous regions establishes that geographic variability, captured by variation in regional land quality and elevation, is a fundamental determinant of contemporary linguistic diversity. The findings are consistent with the proposed hypothesis that differences in land endowments gave rise to location-specific human capital, leading to the formation of localized ethnicities. PMID:25258434

People’s War on the East Sea: Is Vietnam’s Theory of War Still Applicable

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-05-25

wording in the document concerning islands gave rise to competing claims for salient low tide features that are not present during high tide.148...People’s War on the East Sea: Is Vietnam’s Theory of War Still Applicable? A Monograph by MAJ Chad D. Corbin US Army School of Advanced... School of Advanced Military Studies. 10. SPONSOR/MONITOR’S ACRONYM(S) 11. SPONSOR/MONITOR’S REPORT NUMBER(S) 12. DISTRIBUTION / AVAILABILITY

Studies of Silicon-Refractory Metal Interfaces: Photoemission Study of Interface Formation and Compound Nucleation.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-10-29

Photoelectron energy analysis was done with Si s states 10--14 eV below E,. For CoSi2 and NiSi2, a commercial double-pass electron energy analyzer . The...Collaborative studies with theorists gave rise to modeling ,f interfaces and calculation of electronic energy states for ordered silicides. (i, ,I... analyzed by a double-pass cylindrical mirror energy A. There is no evidence of Cr outdiffusion into the Au analyzer , and the overall resolution

Gastric tumorigenesis by a single dose of 4-(hydroxymethyl)benzenediazonium ion of Agaricus bisporus.

PubMed Central

Toth, B.; Nagel, D.; Ross, A.

1982-01-01

4-(Hydroxymethyl-benzenediazonium tetrafluoroborate was administered as a single intragastric instillation at 400 micrograms/g to Swiss albino mice. The treatment gave rise to glandular stomach tumours in incidences of 30% in females and 32% in males. Histopathologically, the tumours were classified as polypoid adenomas and adenocarcinomas. This diazonium ion is an ingredient of the cultivated mushroom of commerce, Agaricus bisporus. The implications are self-evident. Images Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Fig. 3 Fig. 4 Fig. 5 Fig. 6 PMID:6889885

Women in science in Ghana: The Ghana science clinics for girls

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andam, Aba Bentil; Amponsah, Paulina; Nsiah-Akoto, Irene; Anderson, Christina Oduma; Ababio, Baaba Andam; Asenso, Yaa Akomah; Nyarko, Savanna

2015-12-01

The Ghana Science Clinics for Girls, started in 1987, gave rise to a paradigm shift in the inclusion of girls in science education. One generation later, we review the impact. Our study indicates that progress has been made in the effort to mainstream women into science studies and careers, mainly as a result of the changes that took place through this intervention strategy. The retention rate for girls in science from primary to university has risen considerably and performance is higher.

Ergonomic and organizational analysis of an association of collectors of recyclable waste.

PubMed

Maria, R; Chagas, T; Silva, V

2012-01-01

The managerial difficulties encountered by an Association of Recyclable Materials Collectors to organize and ensure the perpetuation of his work gave rise to this research. In order to overcome the difficulties encountered with regard to accounting, organizational and ergonomic work, we used a methodology capable of providing a greater interaction between researchers and collectors, facilitating the exchange of knowledge and the perpetuation of the techniques used. Improvements were seen in relation to screening, storage and organization of work.

Looking Towards Curiosity's Canyon Path: a 4 km Sequence of Gully, Debris Deposits, and Fan/Deltas Which are Bordered by a Sloping Bedform-Capped Plain and Crossed by Lake Shorelines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dietrich, W. E.; Palucis, M. C.; Parker, T.; Rubin, D.; dePablo, M. A.; Oehler, D. Z.; Bridges, N. T.

2014-01-01

The Curiosity Rover is headed towards layered outcrops that appear to be rich in phyllosilicates and sulphates with the expectation of an eventual ascent up Mt. Sharp. One likely will take the rover up a well-defined canyon. Inspection of CTX and HiRISE imagery and topography (5 m contour intervals) reveal a rich geomorphic sequence that may be encountered during the journey.

The Untold Story of Mexico’s Rise and Eventual Monopoly of the Methamphetamine Trade

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-06-01

and 73 MT of cannabis . SIDCO also reported the destruction of 1,247 cocaine base labs; 129 cocaine HCl labs and 3 heroin labs; the capture of...cold medications that contain limited amounts of ephedrine, these industrial-style methamphetamine Super- Labs have a large supply of the precursor...and other members of the first response team. Many of these chemicals are known to damage vital body organs or to cause cancer and other adverse

Modification of the actions of some neuroactive drugs by growth hormone

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

Tang, L.C.; Cotzias, G.C.

The flat serum growth hormone (GH) patterns of untreated parkinsonian patients develop diurnal rises during treatment with levodopa. This chronic exposure to excesses of GH might lead to the eventual emergence of the ''on-off'' phenomenon, which would indicate a need for animal experiments. Pretreatment of mice with GH increased (1) cerebral dopa and dopamine concentrations in levodopa-treated mice, (2) cerebral accumulation of injected tritiated apomorphine and tritiated thymidine, and (3) behavioral responses to levodopa, L-m-tyrosine, apomorphine hydrochloride, and oxotremorine. (auth)

The transport and metabolism of the uridine mononucleotides by rat jejunum in vitro.

PubMed Central

Bronk, J R; Hastewell, J G

1989-01-01

1. Both uridine 3'-monophosphate (3'-UMP) and uridine 5'-monophosphate (5'-UMP) when perfused through the lumen of isolated rat jejunum gave rise to uracil as the only transported pyrimidine appearing in the serosal medium; neither the nucleotide nor the nucleoside could be detected in the serosal fluid. 2. There was a low level of the nucleoside, uridine, in the luminal fluid after the nucleotide had passed through the jejunal segment. Luminal nucleoside appearance was more marked from the 3' form of the nucleotide. 3. The hydrolysis of the nucleotides to the nucleoside form occurred via a brush-border membrane enzyme, which had the same maximal velocity (Vmax) for the two nucleotides (699 +/- 35 and 747 +/- 10 nmol min-1 (mg protein)-1 for 3'-UMP and 5'-UMP, respectively) but a different Michaelis constant (Km) so that 3'-UMP (Km = 58 +/- 3 microM) hydrolysis is favoured over 5'-UMP hydrolysis (Km = 108 +/- microM) at lower concentrations. 4. At 0.05 mM, luminal 3'-UMP gave rise to a higher rate of serosal uracil appearance than luminal 5'-UMP, but at higher luminal concentrations (0.1-0.2 mM) the rate of serosal uracil appearance was the same from both nucleotides. 5. The transmural transport of uracil from the uridine mononucleotides is discussed with reference to the metabolism and compartmentalization of the small intestine responsible for the appearance of the free pyrimidine in the serosal fluid. PMID:2778724

The contribution of mammary infections by coagulase-negative staphylococci to the herd bulk milk somatic cell count.

PubMed

Rainard, P; Ducelliez, M; Poutrel, B

1990-01-01

Quarter foremilk samples were taken at 2-3 weekly intervals for several years in an experimental herd comprising about 45 cows. The samples were submitted to bacteriological analysis and somatic cell counting. The most prevalent quarter infections from 1982 to 1988 were by coagulase-negative staphylococci (15-20% of all the quarters sampled). Most of these (75.6%) persisted until drying-off. Dry cow therapy eliminated 86.5% of these infections. Comparison of udder quarters within cows, involving 775 samples from pairs of non-infected quarters and quarters infected by coagulase-negative staphylococci, yielded geometric means of somatic cell counts of 210,000 and 420,000 cells/ml, respectively. The correlation (r = 0.87) between the herd bulk milk somatic cell count (SCC) and its estimation from the quarter milk somatic cell count performed on the same day allowed us to evaluate the contribution of the different categories of quarters, according to their infection status, to the herd bulk milk SCC. Quarters infected by a major pathogen (8.5% of samples) gave rise to 46.6% of the total number of cells, while quarters infected by coagulase-negative staphylococci (17.8% of samples) gave rise to 18.1%. Although coagulase-negative staphylococci represented only a secondary source of somatic cells as compared to major pathogens, they were not a negligible source considering the threshold of 300,000 somatic cells advocated for herd milk of good quality.

Bubbling behavior of a fluidized bed of fine particles caused by vibration-induced air inflow

PubMed Central

Matsusaka, Shuji; Kobayakawa, Murino; Mizutani, Megumi; Imran, Mohd; Yasuda, Masatoshi

2013-01-01

We demonstrate that a vibration-induced air inflow can cause vigorous bubbling in a bed of fine particles and report the mechanism by which this phenomenon occurs. When convective flow occurs in a powder bed as a result of vibrations, the upper powder layer with a high void ratio moves downward and is compressed. This process forces the air in the powder layer out, which leads to the formation of bubbles that rise and eventually burst at the top surface of the powder bed. A negative pressure is created below the rising bubbles. A narrow opening at the bottom allows the outside air to flow into the powder bed, which produces a vigorously bubbling fluidized bed that does not require the use of an external air supply system. PMID:23378921

Compression-ignition engine performance with undoped and doped fuel oils and alcohol mixtures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, Charles S; Foster, Hampton H

1939-01-01

Several fuel oils, doped fuel oils, and mixtures of alcohol and fuel oil were tested in a high-speed, single-cylinder, compression-ignition engine to determine power output, fuel consumption, and ignition and combustion characteristics. Fuel oils or doped fuel oils of high octane number had shorter ignition lags, lower rates of pressure rise, and gave smoother engine operation than fuel oils or doped fuel oils of low octane number. Higher engine rotative speeds and boost pressures resulted in smoother engine operation and permitted the use of fuel oils of relatively low octane number. Although the addition of a dope to a fuel oil decreased the ignition lag and the rate of pressure rise, the ensuing rate of combustion was somewhat slower than for the undoped fuel oil so that the effectiveness of combustion was practically unchanged. Alcohol used as an auxiliary fuel, either as a mixture or by separate injection, increased the rates of pressure rise and induced roughness. In general, the power output decreased as the proportion of alcohol increased and, below maximum power, varied with the heating value of the total fuel charge.

Mourning, dreaming, and the discovery of the oedipus complex.

PubMed

Mahon, Eugene J

2013-10-01

The author argues that the structure of mourning and the structure of the Oedipus complex are triadic, the latter being obvious and easy to conceptualize, while the former is quite subtle. When it is the father who is mourned, the son must repeatedly invoke the dead object so that libidinal cathexis can be reinvested in living objects. Such was the situation in which Freud found himself in 1896 when his father died--the triadic nature of the Oedipus complex ironically not yet discovered by him. In the author's belief, Freud's mourning and his attendant rich dream life occurring between 1896 and 1897 gave him access to the unconscious raw material that would eventually help him conceptualize the triadic structure at the instinctual core of the Oedipus complex. © 2013 The Psychoanalytic Quarterly, Inc.

Using History to Teach Invention and Design: The Case of the Telephone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gorman, Michael E.; Robinson, J. Kirby

This paper shows how a historical case, the invention of the telephone, can be used to teach invention and design in a way that combines engineering, social sciences, and humanities. The historical problem of transmitting speech was turned into an active learning module, in which students sought to improve patents obtained by early telephone inventors like Alexander Graham Bell and Elisha Gray, using equipment similar to what was available at the time. The result was a collaborative learning environment in which students from a wide range of majors worked in teams, eventually producing a patent application. As part of the project, they were allowed to search historical materials like the Bell notebooks, which were made available on line. This experience gave them a better understanding of the invention and design process.

Greenland ice-sheet contribution to sea-level rise buffered by meltwater storage in firn.

PubMed

Harper, J; Humphrey, N; Pfeffer, W T; Brown, J; Fettweis, X

2012-11-08

Surface melt on the Greenland ice sheet has shown increasing trends in areal extent and duration since the beginning of the satellite era. Records for melt were broken in 2005, 2007, 2010 and 2012. Much of the increased surface melt is occurring in the percolation zone, a region of the accumulation area that is perennially covered by snow and firn (partly compacted snow). The fate of melt water in the percolation zone is poorly constrained: some may travel away from its point of origin and eventually influence the ice sheet's flow dynamics and mass balance and the global sea level, whereas some may simply infiltrate into cold snow or firn and refreeze with none of these effects. Here we quantify the existing water storage capacity of the percolation zone of the Greenland ice sheet and show the potential for hundreds of gigatonnes of meltwater storage. We collected in situ observations of firn structure and meltwater retention along a roughly 85-kilometre-long transect of the melting accumulation area. Our data show that repeated infiltration events in which melt water penetrates deeply (more than 10 metres) eventually fill all pore space with water. As future surface melt intensifies under Arctic warming, a fraction of melt water that would otherwise contribute to sea-level rise will fill existing pore space of the percolation zone. We estimate the lower and upper bounds of this storage sink to be 322 ± 44 gigatonnes and  1,289(+388)(-252) gigatonnes, respectively. Furthermore, we find that decades are required to fill this pore space under a range of plausible future climate conditions. Hence, routing of surface melt water into filling the pore space of the firn column will delay expansion of the area contributing to sea-level rise, although once the pore space is filled it cannot quickly be regenerated.

Balancing on the Pivot: How China’s Rise and Offshore Balancing Affect Japan and India’s Roles as Balancers in the 21st Century

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-06-01

dictated by strategic needs—the need to safeguard British preponderance over the Mediterranean routes; to preserve the Ottoman Empire as a barrier...not only gain the city, but also acquire access to the Mediterranean Sea. France, Britain, and Austria wanted to maintain the neutrality of the...Minister of Foreign Affairs, Seiji Maehara, gave a foreign policy speech to the 177th Session of the Diet in which he promoted his four pillars of

History of the Great Patriotic War of the Soviet Union, 1941-1945. Volume 6. Results of the Great Patriotic War,

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-10-06

Under %he peculiar conditions of Second World War this Leninist prediction/forecast completely justified. The process of the nonuniform development of...and resourcefulness were required heroines Ye. G. Mazanik, N. V. Troyan and M. B. Osipovoy in order to select into the very lair of deputy Hitler in...the front, in the rear, in the lair of enemy - to give entire their energy to the work of victory were that decisive force which gave rise to the mass

The design of an enzyme: a chronology on the controversy.

PubMed

Buc, Henri

2013-05-13

After the publication of the Monod-Wyman-Changeux model, a controversy arose between Jacques Monod, Francis Crick and Jeffries Wyman about the comparison of the regulatory performances of an oligomer undergoing a concerted transition between two states and a monomer having the same composition and subjected to a similar conformational equilibrium. The controversy took place between September 1965 and March 1966. It gave rise to several unpublished notes. Numerous misunderstandings between the participants were not fully dissipated as the controversy abruptly ended. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synthesis and structure-activity relationship of piperidine-derived non-urea soluble epoxide hydrolase inhibitors

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

Pecic, Stevan; Pakhomova, Svetlana; Newcomer, Marcia E.

2013-09-27

A series of potent amide non-urea inhibitors of soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) is disclosed. The inhibition of soluble epoxide hydrolase leads to elevated levels of epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs), and thus inhibitors of sEH represent one of a novel approach to the development of vasodilatory and anti-inflammatory drugs. Structure–activities studies guided optimization of a lead compound, identified through high-throughput screening, gave rise to sub-nanomolar inhibitors of human sEH with stability in human liver microsomal assay suitable for preclinical development.

The Erdős-Hajnal problem of hypergraph colouring, its generalizations, and related problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raigorodskii, Andrei M.; Shabanov, Dmitrii A.

2011-10-01

Extremal problems concerned with hypergraph colouring first arose in connection with classical investigations in the 1920-30s which gave rise to Ramsey theory. Since then, this area has assumed a central position in extremal combinatorics. This survey is devoted to one well-known problem of hypergraph colouring, the Erdős-Hajnal problem, initially posed in 1961. It opened a line of research in hypergraph theory whose methods and results are widely used in various domains of discrete mathematics. Bibliography: 109 titles.

Dr Amos G Babcock - fact or fiction?

PubMed

Smith, Douglas

2014-11-01

The War of 1812-14 between the United States of America and Great Britain gave rise to several journals relating the sufferings of prisoners of war confined in prison ships and gaols in England. One of these is A Journal of a Young Man from Massachusetts, said to have been written by Dr Amos G Babcock, an American ship's surgeon, and first published in 1816. This article sets out arguments for and against the truth of this assertion. © The Author(s) 2013 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

[The use of monosodium glutamate in the combined therapy of patients with atrophic gastritis].

PubMed

Kochetkov, A M; Shlygin, G K; Loranskaia, T I; Vasilevskaia, L S; Kondrashev, S Iu

1992-01-01

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) taken per os has been found to stimulate gastric secretion provoked by pentagastrin. MSG gave rise to a marked elevation of endogenic gastrin levels both in experimental animals and atrophic gastritis patients. Thirty-six patients with secretory gastric insufficiency received MSG as an additive to their food during combined therapy of their disease. The preparation proved to be well-tolerated, good stimulant of gastric secretion, efficient in digestion improvement. MSG is recommended as an adjuvant in combined therapy of atrophic gastritis.

[Culicoides nubeculosus, an experimental vector of a new trypanosome from psittaciforms: Trypanosoma barkeri n. sp].

PubMed

Miltgen, F; Landau, I

1982-01-01

Two out of four Psittacula roseata from Thaïland harboured a trypanosome: T. bakeri n. sp. Laboratory reared Culicoides nubeculosus were fed on one of them. The trypanosomes developed well in this arthropod and metatrypomastigotes were observed five days after the blood meal. The inoculation of crushed Culicoides into one of the trypanosome-free Psittacula gave rise to a parasitaemia after a prepatent period of eleven days. This provides more evidence that Culicoides can act as vectors of avian trypanosomes.

Palaeointensity determinations and rock magnetic properties on basalts from Shatsky Rise: new evidence for a Mesozoic dipole low

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carvallo, C.; Camps, P.; Ooga, M.; Fanjat, G.; Sager, W. W.

2013-03-01

IODP Expedition 324 cored igneous rocks from Shatsky Rise, an oceanic plateau in the northwest Pacific Ocean that formed mainly during late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous times. We selected 60 samples from 3 different holes for Thellier-Thellier palaeointensity determinations. Induced and remanent magnetization curves measured at low- and high-temperature suggest a diverse and complex magnetic mineralogy, with large variations in Ti content and oxidation state. Hysteresis and FORC measurements show that most samples contain single-domain magnetic grains. After carrying out the palaeointensity determinations, only 9 samples satisfied all reliability criteria. These gave palaeointensity values between 16.5 and 21.5 μT, which correspond to average VDM values of (4.9 ± 0.2) × 1022 Am2 for an estimated age of 140-142 Ma. This value is lower than that for the recent field, which agrees with the hypothesis of a Mesozoic Dipole Low.

Intrinsic regenerative potential of murine cochlear supporting cells.

PubMed

Sinkkonen, Saku T; Chai, Renjie; Jan, Taha A; Hartman, Byron H; Laske, Roman D; Gahlen, Felix; Sinkkonen, Wera; Cheng, Alan G; Oshima, Kazuo; Heller, Stefan

2011-01-01

The lack of cochlear regenerative potential is the main cause for the permanence of hearing loss. Albeit quiescent in vivo, dissociated non-sensory cells from the neonatal cochlea proliferate and show ability to generate hair cell-like cells in vitro. Only a few non-sensory cell-derived colonies, however, give rise to hair cell-like cells, suggesting that sensory progenitor cells are a subpopulation of proliferating non-sensory cells. Here we purify from the neonatal mouse cochlea four different non-sensory cell populations by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). All four populations displayed proliferative potential, but only lesser epithelial ridge and supporting cells robustly gave rise to hair cell marker-positive cells. These results suggest that cochlear supporting cells and cells of the lesser epithelial ridge show robust potential to de-differentiate into prosensory cells that proliferate and undergo differentiation in similar fashion to native prosensory cells of the developing inner ear.

Nesfatin-1 - More than a food intake regulatory peptide.

PubMed

Stengel, Andreas

2015-10-01

Nesfatin-1 was discovered a decade ago and despite the fact that it represents just one of a multitude of food intake-inhibiting factors it received increasing attention. This led to a detailed characterization of NUCB2/nesfatin-1's physiological property to reduce food intake and also gave rise to an involvement in the long term regulation of body weight, especially under conditions of obesity. In addition, studies indicated the involvement of NUCB2/nesfatin-1 in other homeostatic functions as well: glucose homeostasis, water intake, gastrointestinal functions, temperature regulation, cardiovascular functions, puberty onset and sleep. These pleiotropic actions underline the physiological relevance of this peptide. Recently, the involvement of NUCB2/nesfatin-1 in psychiatric disorders such as anxiety has been investigated giving rise to the speculation that NUCB2/nesfatin-1 represents a peptidergic link between eating and anxiety/depression disorders. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Prostate specific antigen velocity as a measure of the natural history of prostate cancer: defining a 'rapid riser' subset.

PubMed

Nam, R K; Klotz, L H; Jewett, M A; Danjoux, C; Trachtenberg, J

1998-01-01

To study the rate of change in prostate specific antigen (PSA velocity) in patients with prostate cancer initially managed by 'watchful waiting'. Serial PSA levels were determined in 141 patients with prostate cancer confirmed by biopsy, who were initially managed expectantly and enrolled between May 1990 and December 1995. Sixty-seven patients eventually underwent surgery (mean age 59 years) because they chose it (the decision for surgery was not based on PSA velocity). A cohort of 74 patients remained on 'watchful waiting' (mean age 69 years). Linear regression and logarithmic transformations were used to segregate those patients who showed a rapid rise, defined as a > 50% rise in PSA per year (or a doubling time of < 2 years) and designated 'rapid risers'. An initial analysis based on a minimum of two PSA values showed that 31% were rapid risers. Only 15% of patients with more than three serial PSA determinations over > or = 6 months showed a rapid rise in PSA level. There was no advantage of log-linear analysis over linear regression models. Three serial PSA determinations over > or = 6 months in patients with clinically localized prostate cancer identifies a subset (15%) of patients with a rapidly rising PSA level. Shorter PSA surveillance with fewer PSA values may falsely identify patients with rapid rises in PSA level. However, further follow-up is required to determine if a rapid rise in PSA level identifies a subset of patients with an aggressive biological phenotype who are either still curable or who have already progressed to incurability through metastatic disease.

The prehistory of biology preprints: A forgotten experiment from the 1960s.

PubMed

Cobb, Matthew

2017-11-01

In 1961, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) began to circulate biological preprints in a forgotten experiment called the Information Exchange Groups (IEGs). This system eventually attracted over 3,600 participants and saw the production of over 2,500 different documents, but by 1967, it was effectively shut down following the refusal of journals to accept articles that had been circulated as preprints. This article charts the rise and fall of the IEGs and explores the parallels with the 1990s and the biomedical preprint movement of today.

Similarities between the Actions of Ethylene and Cyanide in Initiating the Climacteric and Ripening of Avocados 1

PubMed Central

Solomos, Theophanes; Laties, George G.

1974-01-01

A continuous exposure of intact avocados (Persea americana) to 400 μl/l of cyanide results in a rapid increase in the rate of respiration, followed by a rise in ethylene production, and eventual ripening. The pattern of changes in the glycolytic intermediates glucose 6-phosphate, fructose diphosphate, 3-phosphoglyceric acid, and phosphoenolpyruvate during the rapid rise in respiration in both ethylene and cyanide-treated fruits is similar to that found in fruits made anaerobic where a 2.3- to 3-fold increase in the rate of glycolysis is observed. It is suggested that both during the climacteric and in response to cyanide, glycolysis is enhanced. It is proposed that cyanide implements the diversion of electrons to the cyanide-resistant electron path through structural alterations which are independent of the simultaneous inhibition of cytochrome oxidase. PMID:16658918

Phylogeography and Genetic Variation of Triatoma dimidiata, the Main Chagas Disease Vector in Central America, and Its Position within the Genus Triatoma

PubMed Central

Bargues, María Dolores; Klisiowicz, Debora R.; Gonzalez-Candelas, Fernando; Ramsey, Janine M.; Monroy, Carlota; Ponce, Carlos; Salazar-Schettino, Paz María; Panzera, Francisco; Abad-Franch, Fernando; Sousa, Octavio E.; Schofield, Christopher J.; Dujardin, Jean Pierre; Guhl, Felipe; Mas-Coma, Santiago

2008-01-01

Background Among Chagas disease triatomine vectors, the largest genus, Triatoma, includes species of high public health interest. Triatoma dimidiata, the main vector throughout Central America and up to Ecuador, presents extensive phenotypic, genotypic, and behavioral diversity in sylvatic, peridomestic and domestic habitats, and non-domiciliated populations acting as reinfestation sources. DNA sequence analyses, phylogenetic reconstruction methods, and genetic variation approaches are combined to investigate the haplotype profiling, genetic polymorphism, phylogeography, and evolutionary trends of T. dimidiata and its closest relatives within Triatoma. This is the largest interpopulational analysis performed on a triatomine species so far. Methodology and Findings Triatomines from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Cuba, Colombia, Ecuador, and Brazil were used. Triatoma dimidiata populations follow different evolutionary divergences in which geographical isolation appears to have had an important influence. A southern Mexican–northern Guatemalan ancestral form gave rise to two main clades. One clade remained confined to the Yucatan peninsula and northern parts of Chiapas State, Guatemala, and Honduras, with extant descendants deserving specific status. Within the second clade, extant subspecies diversity was shaped by adaptive radiation derived from Guatemalan ancestral populations. Central American populations correspond to subspecies T. d. dimidiata. A southern spread into Panama and Colombia gave the T. d. capitata forms, and a northwestern spread rising from Guatemala into Mexico gave the T. d. maculipennis forms. Triatoma hegneri appears as a subspecific insular form. Conclusions The comparison with very numerous Triatoma species allows us to reach highly supported conclusions not only about T. dimidiata, but also on different, important Triatoma species groupings and their evolution. The very large intraspecific genetic variability found in T. dimidiata sensu lato has never been detected in a triatomine species before. The distinction between the five different taxa furnishes a new frame for future analyses of the different vector transmission capacities and epidemiological characteristics of Chagas disease. Results indicate that T. dimidiata will offer problems for control, although dwelling insecticide spraying might be successful against introduced populations in Ecuador. PMID:18461141

The phylogenomic roots of modern biochemistry: origins of proteins, cofactors and protein biosynthesis.

PubMed

Caetano-Anollés, Gustavo; Kim, Kyung Mo; Caetano-Anollés, Derek

2012-02-01

The complexity of modern biochemistry developed gradually on early Earth as new molecules and structures populated the emerging cellular systems. Here, we generate a historical account of the gradual discovery of primordial proteins, cofactors, and molecular functions using phylogenomic information in the sequence of 420 genomes. We focus on structural and functional annotations of the 54 most ancient protein domains. We show how primordial functions are linked to folded structures and how their interaction with cofactors expanded the functional repertoire. We also reveal protocell membranes played a crucial role in early protein evolution and show translation started with RNA and thioester cofactor-mediated aminoacylation. Our findings allow elaboration of an evolutionary model of early biochemistry that is firmly grounded in phylogenomic information and biochemical, biophysical, and structural knowledge. The model describes how primordial α-helical bundles stabilized membranes, how these were decorated by layered arrangements of β-sheets and α-helices, and how these arrangements became globular. Ancient forms of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase (aaRS) catalytic domains and ancient non-ribosomal protein synthetase (NRPS) modules gave rise to primordial protein synthesis and the ability to generate a code for specificity in their active sites. These structures diversified producing cofactor-binding molecular switches and barrel structures. Accretion of domains and molecules gave rise to modern aaRSs, NRPS, and ribosomal ensembles, first organized around novel emerging cofactors (tRNA and carrier proteins) and then more complex cofactor structures (rRNA). The model explains how the generation of protein structures acted as scaffold for nucleic acids and resulted in crystallization of modern translation.

CD133+ cells derived from skeletal muscles of Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients have a compromised myogenic and muscle regenerative capability.

PubMed

Meng, Jinhong; Muntoni, Francesco; Morgan, Jennifer

2018-05-12

Cell-mediated gene therapy is a possible means to treat muscular dystrophies like Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Autologous patient stem cells can be genetically-corrected and transplanted back into the patient, without causing immunorejection problems. Regenerated muscle fibres derived from these cells will express the missing dystrophin protein, thus improving muscle function. CD133+ cells derived from normal human skeletal muscle contribute to regenerated muscle fibres and form muscle stem cells after their intra-muscular transplantation into an immunodeficient mouse model. But it is not known whether CD133+ cells derived from DMD patient muscles have compromised muscle regenerative function. To test this, we compared CD133+ cells derived from DMD and normal human muscles. DMD CD133+ cells had a reduced capacity to undergo myogenic differentiation in vitro compared with CD133+ cells derived from normal muscle. In contrast to CD133+ cells derived from normal human muscle, those derived from DMD muscle formed no satellite cells and gave rise to significantly fewer muscle fibres of donor origin, after their intra-muscular transplantation into an immunodeficient, non-dystrophic, mouse muscle. DMD CD133+ cells gave rise to more clones of smaller size and more clones that were less myogenic than did CD133+ cells derived from normal muscle. The heterogeneity of the progeny of CD133+ cells, combined with the reduced proliferation and myogenicity of DMD compared to normal CD133+ cells, may explain the reduced regenerative capacity of DMD CD133+ cells. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Symmetry of initial cell divisions among primitive hematopoietic progenitors is independent of ontogenic age and regulatory molecules.

PubMed

Huang, S; Law, P; Francis, K; Palsson, B O; Ho, A D

1999-10-15

We have developed a time-lapse camera system to follow the replication history and the fate of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) at a single-cell level. Combined with single-cell culture, we correlated the early replication behavior with colony development after 14 days. The membrane dye PKH26 was used to monitor cell division. In addition to multiple, synchronous, and symmetric divisions, single-sorted CD34(+)/CD38(-) cells derived from fetal liver (FLV) also gave rise to a daughter cell that remained quiescent for up to 8 days, whereas the other daughter cell proliferated exponentially. Upon separation and replating as single cells onto medium containing a cytokine cocktail, 60.6% +/- 9.8% of the initially quiescent cells (PKH26 bright) gave rise again to colonies and 15.8% +/- 7.8% to blast colonies that could be replated. We have then determined the effects of various regulatory molecules on symmetry of initial cell divisions. After single-cell sorting, the CD34(+)/CD38(-) cells derived from FLV were exposed to flt3-ligand, thrombopoietin, stem cell factor (SCF), or medium containing a cytokine cocktail (with SCF, interleukin-3, interleukin-6, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, and erythropoietin). Whereas mitotic rate, colony efficiency, and asymmetric divisions could be altered using various regulatory molecules, the asymmetric division index, defined as the number of asymmetric divisions versus the number of dividing cells, was not altered significantly. This observation suggests that, although lineage commitment and cell proliferation can be skewed by extrinsic signaling, symmetry of early divisions is probably under the control of intrinsic factors.

Cross talk between increased intracellular zinc (Zn2+) and accumulation of reactive oxygen species in chemical ischemia.

PubMed

Slepchenko, Kira G; Lu, Qiping; Li, Yang V

2017-10-01

Both zinc (Zn 2+ ) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been shown to accumulate during hypoxic-ischemic stress and play important roles in pathological processes. To understand the cross talk between the two of them, here we studied Zn 2+ and ROS accumulation by employing fluorescent probes in HeLa cells to further the understanding of the cause and effect relationship of these two important cellular signaling systems during chemical-ischemia, stimulated by oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD). We observed two Zn 2+ rises that were divided into four phases in the course of 30 min of OGD. The first Zn 2+ rise was a transient, which was followed by a latent phase during which Zn 2+ levels recovered; however, levels remained above a basal level in most cells. The final phase was the second Zn 2+ rise, which reached a sustained plateau called Zn 2+ overload. Zn 2+ rises were not observed when Zn 2+ was removed by TPEN (a Zn 2+ chelator) or thapsigargin (depleting Zn 2+ from intracellular stores) treatment, indicating that Zn 2+ was from intracellular storage. Damaging mitochondria with FCCP significantly reduced the second Zn 2+ rise, indicating that the mitochondrial Zn 2+ accumulation contributes to Zn 2+ overload. We also detected two OGD-induced ROS rises. Two Zn 2+ rises preceded two ROS rises. Removal of Zn 2+ reduced or delayed OGD- and FCCP-induced ROS generation, indicating that Zn 2+ contributes to mitochondrial ROS generation. There was a Zn 2+ -induced increase in the functional component of NADPH oxidase, p47 phox , thus suggesting that NADPH oxidase may mediate Zn 2+ -induced ROS accumulation. We suggest a new mechanism of cross talk between Zn 2+ and mitochondrial ROS through positive feedback processes that eventually causes excessive free Zn 2+ and ROS accumulations during the course of ischemic stress. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

Competence of failed endocrine progenitors to give rise to acinar but not ductal cells is restricted to early pancreas development.

PubMed

Beucher, Anthony; Martín, Mercè; Spenle, Caroline; Poulet, Martine; Collin, Caitlin; Gradwohl, Gérard

2012-01-15

During mouse pancreas development, the transient expression of Neurogenin3 (Neurog3) in uncommitted pancreas progenitors is required to determine endocrine destiny. However it has been reported that Neurog3-expressing cells can eventually adopt acinar or ductal fates and that Neurog3 levels were important to secure the islet destiny. It is not known whether the competence of Neurog3-induced cells to give rise to non-endocrine lineages is an intrinsic property of these progenitors or depends on pancreas developmental stage. Using temporal genetic labeling approaches we examined the dynamic of endocrine progenitor differentiation and explored the plasticity of Neurog3-induced cells throughout development. We found that Neurog3(+) progenitors develop into hormone-expressing cells in a fast process taking less then 10h. Furthermore, fate-mapping studies in heterozygote (Neurog3(CreERT/+)) and Neurog3-deficient (Neurog3(CreERT/CreERT)) embryos revealed that Neurog3-induced cells have different potential over time. At the early bud stage, failed endocrine progenitors can adopt acinar or ductal fate, whereas later in the branching pancreas they do not contribute to the acinar lineage but Neurog3-deficient cells eventually differentiate into duct cells. Thus these results provide evidence that the plasticity of Neurog3-induced cells becomes restricted during development. Furthermore these data suggest that during the secondary transition, endocrine progenitor cells arise from bipotent precursors already committed to the duct/endocrine lineages and not from domain of cells having distinct potentialities. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Competence of failed endocrine progenitors to give rise to acinar but not ductal cells is restricted to early pancreas development

PubMed Central

Beucher, Anthony; Martín, Mercè; Spenle, Caroline; Poulet, Martine; Collin, Caitlin; Gradwohl, Gérard

2011-01-01

SUMMARY During mouse pancreas development, the transient expression of Neurogenin3 (Neurog3) in uncommitted pancreas progenitors is required to determine endocrine destiny. However it has been reported that Neurog3-expressing cells can eventually adopt acinar or ductal fates and that Neurog3 levels were important to secure the islet destiny. It is not known whether the competence of Neurog3-induced cells to give rise to non-endocrine lineages is an intrinsic property of these progenitors or depends on pancreas developmental stage. Using temporal genetic labeling approaches we examined the dynamic of endocrine progenitor differentiation and explored the plasticity of Neurog3-induced cells throughout development. We found that Neurog3+ progenitors develop into hormone-expressing cells in a fast process taking less then 10h. Furthermore, fate-mapping studies in heterozygote (Neurog3CreERT/+) and Neurog3-deficient (Neurog3CreERT/CreERT) embryos revealed that Neurog3-induced cells have different potential over time. At the early bud stage, failed endocrine progenitors can adopt acinar or ductal fate, whereas later in the branching pancreas they do not contribute to the acinar lineage but Neurog3-deficient cells eventually differentiate into duct cells. Thus these results provide evidence that the plasticity of Neurog3-induced cells becomes restricted during development. Furthermore these data suggest that during the secondary transition endocrine progenitor cells arise from single bipotent progenitor already committed to the duct/endocrine lineages and not from domain of cells having both potentialities. PMID:22056785

Synthesis and biological evaluation of guanylhydrazone coactivator binding inhibitors for the estrogen receptor.

PubMed

LaFrate, Andrew L; Gunther, Jillian R; Carlson, Kathryn E; Katzenellenbogen, John A

2008-12-01

Most patients with hormone-responsive breast cancer eventually develop resistance to traditional antiestrogens such as tamoxifen, and this has become a major obstacle in their treatment. We prepared and characterized the activity of a series of 16 guanylhydrazone small molecules that are designed to block estrogen receptor (ER) activity through a non-traditional mechanism, by directly interfering with coactivator binding to agonist-liganded ER. The inhibitory activity of these compounds was determined in cell-based transcription assays using ER-responsive reporter gene and mammalian two-hybrid assays. Several of the compounds gave IC(50) values in the low micromolar range. Two secondary assays were used to confirm that these compounds were acting through the proposed non-traditional mode of estrogen inhibitory action and not as conventional antagonists at the ligand binding site.

Vibration-free stirling cryocooler for high definition microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riabzev, S. V.; Veprik, A. M.; Vilenchik, H. S.; Pundak, N.; Castiel, E.

2009-12-01

The normal operation of high definition Scanning Electronic and Helium Ion microscope tools often relies on maintaining particular components at cryogenic temperatures. This has traditionally been accomplished by using liquid coolants such as liquid Nitrogen. This inherently limits the useful temperature range to above 77 K, produces various operational hazards and typically involves elevated ownership costs, inconvenient logistics and maintenance. Mechanical coolers, over-performing the above traditional method and capable of delivering required (even below 77 K) cooling to the above cooled components, have been well-known elsewhere for many years, but their typical drawbacks, such as high purchasing cost, cooler size, low reliability and high power consumption have so far prevented their wide-spreading. Additional critical drawback is inevitable degradation of imagery performance originated from the wideband vibration export as typical for the operation of the mechanical cooler incorporating numerous movable components. Recent advances in the development of reliable, compact, reasonably priced and dynamically quiet linear cryogenic coolers gave rise to so-called "dry cooling" technologies aimed at eventually replacing the traditional use of outdated liquid Nitrogen cooling facilities. Although much improved these newer cryogenic coolers still produce relatively high vibration export which makes them incompatible with modern high definition microscopy tools. This has motivated further research activity towards developing a vibration free closed-cycle mechanical cryocooler. The authors have successfully adapted the standard low vibration Stirling cryogenic refrigerator (Ricor model K535-LV) delivering 5 W@40 K heat lift for use in vibration-sensitive high definition microscopy. This has been achieved by using passive mechanical counterbalancing of the main portion of the low frequency vibration export in combination with an active feed-forward multi-axes suppression of the residual wideband vibration, thermo-conductive vibration isolation struts and soft vibration mounts. The attainable performance of the resulting vibration free linear Stirling cryocooler (Ricor model K535-ULV) is evaluated through a full-scale experimentation.

Characterization of Glomerella Strains Recovered from Anthracnose Lesions on Common Bean Plants in Brazil

PubMed Central

Barcelos, Quélen L.; Pinto, Joyce M. A.; Vaillancourt, Lisa J.; Souza, Elaine A.

2014-01-01

Anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum lindemuthianum is an important disease of common bean, resulting in major economic losses worldwide. Genetic diversity of the C. lindemuthianum population contributes to its ability to adapt rapidly to new sources of host resistance. The origin of this diversity is unknown, but sexual recombination, via the Glomerella teleomorph, is one possibility. This study tested the hypothesis that Glomerella strains that are frequently recovered from bean anthracnose lesions represent the teleomorph of C. lindemuthianum. A large collection of Glomerella isolates could be separated into two groups based on phylogenetic analysis, morphology, and pathogenicity to beans. Both groups were unrelated to C. lindemuthianum. One group clustered with the C. gloeosporioides species complex and produced mild symptoms on bean tissues. The other group, which belonged to a clade that included the cucurbit anthracnose pathogen C. magna, caused no symptoms. Individual ascospores recovered from Glomerella perithecia gave rise to either fertile (perithecial) or infertile (conidial) colonies. Some pairings of perithecial and conidial strains resulted in induced homothallism in the conidial partner, while others led to apparent heterothallic matings. Pairings involving two perithecial, or two conidial, colonies produced neither outcome. Conidia efficiently formed conidial anastomosis tubes (CATs), but ascospores never formed CATs. The Glomerella strains formed appressoria and hyphae on the plant surface, but did not penetrate or form infection structures within the tissues. Their behavior was similar whether the beans were susceptible or resistant to anthracnose. These same Glomerella strains produced thick intracellular hyphae, and eventually acervuli, if host cell death was induced. When Glomerella was co-inoculated with C. lindemuthianum, it readily invaded anthracnose lesions. Thus, the hypothesis was not supported: Glomerella strains from anthracnose lesions do not represent the teleomorphic phase of C. lindemuthianum, and instead appear to be bean epiphytes that opportunistically invade and sporulate in the lesions. PMID:24633173

Characterization of Glomerella strains recovered from anthracnose lesions on common bean plants in Brazil.

PubMed

Barcelos, Quélen L; Pinto, Joyce M A; Vaillancourt, Lisa J; Souza, Elaine A

2014-01-01

Anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum lindemuthianum is an important disease of common bean, resulting in major economic losses worldwide. Genetic diversity of the C. lindemuthianum population contributes to its ability to adapt rapidly to new sources of host resistance. The origin of this diversity is unknown, but sexual recombination, via the Glomerella teleomorph, is one possibility. This study tested the hypothesis that Glomerella strains that are frequently recovered from bean anthracnose lesions represent the teleomorph of C. lindemuthianum. A large collection of Glomerella isolates could be separated into two groups based on phylogenetic analysis, morphology, and pathogenicity to beans. Both groups were unrelated to C. lindemuthianum. One group clustered with the C. gloeosporioides species complex and produced mild symptoms on bean tissues. The other group, which belonged to a clade that included the cucurbit anthracnose pathogen C. magna, caused no symptoms. Individual ascospores recovered from Glomerella perithecia gave rise to either fertile (perithecial) or infertile (conidial) colonies. Some pairings of perithecial and conidial strains resulted in induced homothallism in the conidial partner, while others led to apparent heterothallic matings. Pairings involving two perithecial, or two conidial, colonies produced neither outcome. Conidia efficiently formed conidial anastomosis tubes (CATs), but ascospores never formed CATs. The Glomerella strains formed appressoria and hyphae on the plant surface, but did not penetrate or form infection structures within the tissues. Their behavior was similar whether the beans were susceptible or resistant to anthracnose. These same Glomerella strains produced thick intracellular hyphae, and eventually acervuli, if host cell death was induced. When Glomerella was co-inoculated with C. lindemuthianum, it readily invaded anthracnose lesions. Thus, the hypothesis was not supported: Glomerella strains from anthracnose lesions do not represent the teleomorphic phase of C. lindemuthianum, and instead appear to be bean epiphytes that opportunistically invade and sporulate in the lesions.

Chronic infection and the origin of adaptive immune system.

PubMed

Usharauli, David

2010-08-01

It has been speculated that the rise of the adaptive immune system in jawed vertebrates some 400 million years ago gave them a superior protection to detect and defend against pathogens that became more elusive and/or virulent to the host that had only innate immune system. First, this line of thought implies that adaptive immune system was a new, more sophisticated layer of host defense that operated independently of the innate immune system. Second, the natural consequence of this scenario would be that pathogens would have exercised so strong an evolutionary pressure that eventually no host could have afforded not to have an adaptive immune system. Neither of these arguments is supported by the facts. First, new experimental evidence has firmly established that operation of adaptive immune system is critically dependent on the ability of the innate immune system to detect invader-pathogens and second, the absolute majority of animal kingdom survives just fine with only an innate immune system. Thus, these data raise the dilemma: If innate immune system was sufficient to detect and protect against pathogens, why then did adaptive immune system develop in the first place? In contrast to the innate immune system, the adaptive immune system has one important advantage, precision. By precision I mean the ability of the defense system to detect and remove the target, for example, infected cells, without causing unwanted bystander damage of surrounding tissue. While the target precision per se is not important for short-term immune response, it becomes a critical factor when the immune response is long-lasting, as during chronic infection. In this paper I would like to propose new, "toxic index" hypothesis where I argue that the need to reduce the collateral damage to the tissue during chronic infection(s) was the evolutionary pressure that led to the development of the adaptive immune system. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An In Vitro Expansion System for Generation of Human iPS Cell-Derived Hepatic Progenitor-Like Cells Exhibiting a Bipotent Differentiation Potential

PubMed Central

Yanagida, Ayaka; Ito, Keiichi; Chikada, Hiromi; Nakauchi, Hiromitsu; Kamiya, Akihide

2013-01-01

Hepatoblasts, hepatic stem/progenitor cells in liver development, have a high proliferative potential and the ability to differentiate into both hepatocytes and cholangiocytes. In regenerative medicine and drug screening for the treatment of severe liver diseases, human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell-derived mature functional hepatocytes are considered to be a potentially good cell source. However, induction of proliferation of these cells is difficult ex vivo. To circumvent this problem, we generated hepatic progenitor-like cells from human iPS cells using serial cytokine treatments in vitro. Highly proliferative hepatic progenitor-like cells were purified by fluorescence-activated cell sorting using antibodies against CD13 and CD133 that are known cell surface markers of hepatic stem/progenitor cells in fetal and adult mouse livers. When the purified CD13highCD133+ cells were cultured at a low density with feeder cells in the presence of suitable growth factors and signaling inhibitors (ALK inhibitor A-83-01 and ROCK inhibitor Y-27632), individual cells gave rise to relatively large colonies. These colonies consisted of two types of cells expressing hepatocytic marker genes (hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α and α-fetoprotein) and a cholangiocytic marker gene (cytokeratin 7), and continued to proliferate over long periods of time. In a spheroid formation assay, these cells were found to express genes required for mature liver function, such as cytochrome P450 enzymes, and secrete albumin. When these cells were cultured in a suitable extracellular matrix gel, they eventually formed a cholangiocytic cyst-like structure with epithelial polarity, suggesting that human iPS cell-derived hepatic progenitor-like cells have a bipotent differentiation ability. Collectively these data indicate that this novel procedure using an in vitro expansion system is useful for not only liver regeneration but also for the determination of molecular mechanisms that regulate liver development. PMID:23935837

An in vitro expansion system for generation of human iPS cell-derived hepatic progenitor-like cells exhibiting a bipotent differentiation potential.

PubMed

Yanagida, Ayaka; Ito, Keiichi; Chikada, Hiromi; Nakauchi, Hiromitsu; Kamiya, Akihide

2013-01-01

Hepatoblasts, hepatic stem/progenitor cells in liver development, have a high proliferative potential and the ability to differentiate into both hepatocytes and cholangiocytes. In regenerative medicine and drug screening for the treatment of severe liver diseases, human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell-derived mature functional hepatocytes are considered to be a potentially good cell source. However, induction of proliferation of these cells is difficult ex vivo. To circumvent this problem, we generated hepatic progenitor-like cells from human iPS cells using serial cytokine treatments in vitro. Highly proliferative hepatic progenitor-like cells were purified by fluorescence-activated cell sorting using antibodies against CD13 and CD133 that are known cell surface markers of hepatic stem/progenitor cells in fetal and adult mouse livers. When the purified CD13(high)CD133(+) cells were cultured at a low density with feeder cells in the presence of suitable growth factors and signaling inhibitors (ALK inhibitor A-83-01 and ROCK inhibitor Y-27632), individual cells gave rise to relatively large colonies. These colonies consisted of two types of cells expressing hepatocytic marker genes (hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α and α-fetoprotein) and a cholangiocytic marker gene (cytokeratin 7), and continued to proliferate over long periods of time. In a spheroid formation assay, these cells were found to express genes required for mature liver function, such as cytochrome P450 enzymes, and secrete albumin. When these cells were cultured in a suitable extracellular matrix gel, they eventually formed a cholangiocytic cyst-like structure with epithelial polarity, suggesting that human iPS cell-derived hepatic progenitor-like cells have a bipotent differentiation ability. Collectively these data indicate that this novel procedure using an in vitro expansion system is useful for not only liver regeneration but also for the determination of molecular mechanisms that regulate liver development.

Sintering behavior of spin-coated FePt and FePtAu nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kang, Shishou; Jia, Zhiyong; Zoto, I.; Reed, D.; Nikles, David E.; Harrell, J. W.; Thompson, Gregory; Mankey, Gary; Krishnamurthy, Vemuru V.; Porcar, L.

2006-04-01

FePt and [FePt]95Au5 nanoparticles with an average size of about 4 nm were chemically synthesized and spin coated onto silicon substrates. Samples were subsequently thermally annealed at temperatures ranging from 250 to 500 °C for 30 min. Three-dimensional structural characterization was carried out with small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) and small-angle x-ray diffraction (SAXRD) measurements. For both FePt and [FePt]95Au5 particles before annealing, SANS measurements gave an in-plane coherence length parameter a=7.3 nm, while SAXRD measurements gave a perpendicular coherence length parameter c=12.0 nm. The ratio of c/a is about 1.64, indicating the as-made particle array has a hexagonal close-packed superstructure. For both FePt and FePtAu nanoparticles, the diffraction peaks shifted to higher angles and broadened with increasing annealing temperature. This effect corresponds to a shrinking of the nanoparticle array, followed by agglomeration and sintering of the nanoparticles, resulting in the eventual loss of positional order with increasing annealing temperature. The effect is more pronounced for FePtAu than for FePt. Dynamic coercivity measurements show that the FePtAu nanoparticles have both higher intrinsic coercivity and higher switching volume at the same annealing temperature. These results are consistent with previous studies that show that additive Au both lowers the chemical ordering temperature and promotes sintering.

Temporal constraints on future accumulation-area loss of a major Arctic ice cap due to climate change (Vestfonna, Svalbard)

PubMed Central

Möller, Marco; Schneider, Christoph

2015-01-01

Arctic glaciers and ice caps are major contributors to past, present and future sea-level fluctuations. Continued global warming may eventually lead to the equilibrium line altitudes of these ice masses rising above their highest points, triggering unstoppable downwasting. This may feed future sea-level rise considerably. We here present projections for the timing of equilibrium-line loss at the major Arctic ice cap Vestfonna, Svalbard. The projections are based on spatially distributed climatic mass balance modelling driven by the outputs of multiple climate models from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) forced by the Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) 2.6, 4.5, 6.0 and 8.5. Results indicate strongly decreasing climatic mass balances over the 21st century for all RCPs considered. Glacier-wide mass-balance rates will drop down to −4 m a−1 w.e. (water equivalent) at a maximum. The date at which the equilibrium line rises above the summit of Vestfonna (630 m above sea level) is calculated to range between 2040 and 2150, depending on scenario. PMID:25628045

[Medical history impressions of Karl Marx 1983].

PubMed

Kaiser, W

1983-12-15

Excerpts of his London era first published on the occasion of the Karl Marx testimonials of 1983 gave rise to extend the memory of the fundamental achievements of Karl Marx to medico-historical aspects. In this case Karl Marx paid special attention to the working and living conditions of the working class and an analysis of his adequate statements and records shows multifarious details which give a research basis also for the history of medicine. Marx and Engels had friendly contacts with several physicians who shared the opinions of the two classics: their way of life is shown in the most important points.

Management of starvation in a Role 1 setting.

PubMed

Jeffery, S M T; Freshwater, D A

2012-01-01

Historical reports from war and natural disasters first identified the dangers of reintroducing food after a period of starvation or malnutrition. The development of advanced nutritional support for hospitalised patients gave rise to the concept of refeeding syndrome, further highlighting the problems and leading to the development of guidelines and protocols for managing malnutrition. In this paper we present a case of starvation in the maritime setting and review the pathophysiology of starvation and refeeding. We discuss the problems associated with managing acute starvation in a Role 1 setting without access to higher medical care, and present guidance for its management.

Continuous distribution of emission states from single CdSe/ZnS quantum dots.

PubMed

Zhang, Kai; Chang, Hauyee; Fu, Aihua; Alivisatos, A Paul; Yang, Haw

2006-04-01

The photoluminescence dynamics of colloidal CdSe/ZnS/streptavidin quantum dots were studied using time-resolved single-molecule spectroscopy. Statistical tests of the photon-counting data suggested that the simple "on/off" discrete state model is inconsistent with experimental results. Instead, a continuous emission state distribution model was found to be more appropriate. Autocorrelation analysis of lifetime and intensity fluctuations showed a nonlinear correlation between them. These results were consistent with the model that charged quantum dots were also emissive, and that time-dependent charge migration gave rise to the observed photoluminescence dynamics.

Press coverage of the new psychology by the New York Times during the progressive era.

PubMed

Dennis, Paul M

2011-05-01

Press coverage of psychology by the New York Times was examined for the Progressive Era. Following a period in which psychology was associated with spiritualism, psychoanalysis, and the Emmanuel movement, the Times gave editorial preference to reports about psychology's applications. Reaching an audience that was both affluent and influential, the topics emphasized by the Times included the lie detector, psychological applications in the work place, mental tests, and child psychology. These areas reflected issues of social concern to Progressives, publicized the rise of the psychologist as expert, and aided psychology in its challenge to common sense.

Agile rediscovering values: Similarities to continuous improvement strategies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Díaz de Mera, P.; Arenas, J. M.; González, C.

2012-04-01

Research in the late 80's on technological companies that develop products of high value innovation, with sufficient speed and flexibility to adapt quickly to changing market conditions, gave rise to the new set of methodologies known as Agile Management Approach. In the current changing economic scenario, we considered very interesting to study the similarities of these Agile Methodologies with other practices whose effectiveness has been amply demonstrated in both the West and Japan. Strategies such as Kaizen, Lean, World Class Manufacturing, Concurrent Engineering, etc, would be analyzed to check the values they have in common with the Agile Approach.

Convergent evolution of gene networks by single-gene duplications in higher eukaryotes.

PubMed

Amoutzias, Gregory D; Robertson, David L; Oliver, Stephen G; Bornberg-Bauer, Erich

2004-03-01

By combining phylogenetic, proteomic and structural information, we have elucidated the evolutionary driving forces for the gene-regulatory interaction networks of basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors. We infer that recurrent events of single-gene duplication and domain rearrangement repeatedly gave rise to distinct networks with almost identical hub-based topologies, and multiple activators and repressors. We thus provide the first empirical evidence for scale-free protein networks emerging through single-gene duplications, the dominant importance of molecular modularity in the bottom-up construction of complex biological entities, and the convergent evolution of networks.

Ablation characteristics of carbon-doped glycerol irradiated by a 1064 nm nanosecond pulse laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jing, QI; Siqi, ZHANG; Tian, LIANG; Ke, XIAO; Weichong, TANG; Zhiyuan, ZHENG

2018-03-01

The ablation characteristics of carbon-doped glycerol were investigated in laser plasma propulsion using a pulse laser with 10 ns pulse width and 1064 nm wavelength. The results showed that with the incident laser intensity increasing, the target momentum decreased. Results still indicated that the strong plasma shielded the consumption loss and resulted in a low coupling coefficient. Furthermore, the carbon-doping gave rise to variations in the laser focal position and laser intensity, which in turn reduced the glycerol splashing. Based on the glycerol viscosity and the carbon doping, a high specific impulse is anticipated.

Detection of Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium by Using a Rapid, Array-Based Immunosensor

PubMed Central

Taitt, Chris Rowe; Shubin, Yura S.; Angel, Roselina; Ligler, Frances S.

2004-01-01

The multianalyte array biosensor (MAAB) is a rapid analysis instrument capable of detecting multiple analytes simultaneously. Rapid (15-min), single-analyte sandwich immunoassays were developed for the detection of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, with a detection limit of 8 × 104 CFU/ml; the limit of detection was improved 10-fold by lengthening the assay protocol to 1 h. S. enterica serovar Typhimurium was also detected in the following spiked foodstuffs, with minimal sample preparation: sausage, cantaloupe, whole liquid egg, alfalfa sprouts, and chicken carcass rinse. Cross-reactivity tests were performed with Escherichia coli and Campylobacter jejuni. To determine whether the MAAB has potential as a screening tool for the diagnosis of asymptomatic Salmonella infection of poultry, chicken excretal samples from a private, noncommercial farm and from university poultry facilities were tested. While the private farm excreta gave rise to signals significantly above the buffer blanks, none of the university samples tested positive for S. enterica serovar Typhimurium without spiking; dose-response curves of spiked excretal samples from university-raised poultry gave limits of detection of 8 × 103 CFU/g. PMID:14711637

Numerical studies of nonspherical carbon combustion models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mueller, E.; Arnett, W. D.

1982-10-01

First results of axisymmetric numerical studies of the final evolution of degenerate C + O cores are reported. The two-dimensional convective flow is treated without a phenomenological theory of convection. The computations show that, in the beginning, the nuclear burning propagates slowly outward from the center of the star in a spherical combustion front. Small-scale eddies form, giving rise to bumps in the front. The bumps grow into blobs and eventually into fingers, which steadily elongate relative to the rest of the combustion front. This behavior is not well described by either the detonation or deflagration models, being more complex than either.

Germ layers, the neural crest and emergent organization in development and evolution.

PubMed

Hall, Brian K

2018-04-10

Discovered in chick embryos by Wilhelm His in 1868 and named the neural crest by Arthur Milnes Marshall in 1879, the neural crest cells that arise from the neural folds have since been shown to differentiate into almost two dozen vertebrate cell types and to have played major roles in the evolution of such vertebrate features as bone, jaws, teeth, visceral (pharyngeal) arches, and sense organs. I discuss the discovery that ectodermal neural crest gave rise to mesenchyme and the controversy generated by that finding; the germ layer theory maintained that only mesoderm could give rise to mesenchyme. A second topic of discussion is germ layers (including the neural crest) as emergent levels of organization in animal development and evolution that facilitated major developmental and evolutionary change. The third topic is gene networks, gene co-option, and the evolution of gene-signaling pathways as key to developmental and evolutionary transitions associated with the origin and evolution of the neural crest and neural crest cells. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Absorbable screws through the greater trochanter do not disturb physeal growth: rabbit experiments.

PubMed

Gil-Albarova, J; Fini, M; Gil-Albarova, R; Melgosa, M; Aldini-Nicolo, N; Giardino, R; Seral, F

1998-06-01

We studied the effect of implantation of self-reinforced polyglycolic acid (SR-PGA) screws through the greater trochanter in rabbits. 15 rabbits aged 10 weeks had an SR-PGA screw inserted through the left trochanter physis. A similar drilling was made through the right greater trochanter without screw implantation. The animals were assigned to 3 groups of 5, and were killed after 1, 2 or 3 months. Radiographs of both femurs were obtained monthly and the articulo-trochanteric distance and the neck-shaft angle were measured. After killing the animals, a histological study was performed. The drilling on the right trochanter generated a bony bridge in all the animals. The SR-PGA screws did not give rise to an epiphysiodesis. The progressive peripheral degradation of the implants gave rise to the formation of only modest bridges, which were smaller in size than those observed in the control trochanter. Our findings suggest that absorbable PGA screws implanted through a growth plate cause only minor bone formation and no epiphyseodesis.

Positive Feedback Keeps Duration of Mitosis Temporally Insulated from Upstream Cell-Cycle Events.

PubMed

Araujo, Ana Rita; Gelens, Lendert; Sheriff, Rahuman S M; Santos, Silvia D M

2016-10-20

Cell division is characterized by a sequence of events by which a cell gives rise to two daughter cells. Quantitative measurements of cell-cycle dynamics in single cells showed that despite variability in G1-, S-, and G2 phases, duration of mitosis is short and remarkably constant. Surprisingly, there is no correlation between cell-cycle length and mitotic duration, suggesting that mitosis is temporally insulated from variability in earlier cell-cycle phases. By combining live cell imaging and computational modeling, we showed that positive feedback is the molecular mechanism underlying the temporal insulation of mitosis. Perturbing positive feedback gave rise to a sluggish, variable entry and progression through mitosis and uncoupled duration of mitosis from variability in cell cycle length. We show that positive feedback is important to keep mitosis short, constant, and temporally insulated and anticipate it might be a commonly used regulatory strategy to create modularity in other biological systems. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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

Kelly, P.L.

This paper reports that last year's conflict in the Persian Gulf reminded the world of the crucial role energy plays in our civilization and placed the issue of energy back near the center of the political stage. Saddam Hussein's callous destruction of much of Kuwait's oil producing capacity highlighted the dependence of the industrial and developing world on a secure supply of oil and gas. This even gave momentum to policymakers in every nation of the world with significant hydrocarbon potential-except the U.S.-to encourage investment, provide incentives for exploration and development, and in so doing, increase the security of theirmore » own supply of oil and natural gas. As the curtain rises on 1992, the U.S. Congress continues to allow misconceptions, rather than fact, to drive energy policy and Outer Continental Shelf (OCSA) leasing decisions. As a result, domestic production will decline further in 1992, jobs and revenue will be lost, imports will rise, and the nation's energy future will be uncertain, because it relies more than ever on Middle Eastern production.« less

Coccidian parasites of fish encompass profound phylogenetic diversity and gave rise to each of the major parasitic groups in terrestrial vertebrates.

PubMed

Rosenthal, Benjamin M; Dunams-Morel, Detiger; Ostoros, Gyorgyi; Molnár, Kálmán

2016-06-01

Fish are the oldest and most diverse group of vertebrates; it therefore stands to reason that fish may have been the original hosts for many types of extant vertebrate parasites. Here, we sought to determine whether coccidian parasites of fish are especially diverse. We therefore sampled such parasites from thirty-nine species of fish and tested phylogenetic hypotheses concerning their relationships, using 18S rDNA. We found compelling phylogenetic support for distinctions among at least four lineages of piscine parasites presently ascribed to the genus Goussia. Some, but not all parasites attributed to Eimeria were confirmed as such. Major taxonomic revisions are likely justified for these parasites of fish, which appear to have given rise to each of the major lineages of coccidian parasites that subsequently proliferated in terrestrial vertebrates, including those such as Toxoplasma gondii that form tissue cysts in intermediate hosts. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Pyrosequencing-Derived Bacterial, Archaeal, and Fungal Diversity of Spacecraft Hardware Destined for Mars

PubMed Central

Vaishampayan, Parag; Nilsson, Henrik R.; Torok, Tamas; Venkateswaran, Kasthuri

2012-01-01

Spacecraft hardware and assembly cleanroom surfaces (233 m2 in total) were sampled, total genomic DNA was extracted, hypervariable regions of the 16S rRNA gene (bacteria and archaea) and ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region (fungi) were subjected to 454 tag-encoded pyrosequencing PCR amplification, and 203,852 resulting high-quality sequences were analyzed. Bioinformatic analyses revealed correlations between operational taxonomic unit (OTU) abundance and certain sample characteristics, such as source (cleanroom floor, ground support equipment [GSE], or spacecraft hardware), cleaning regimen applied, and location about the facility or spacecraft. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) cleanroom floor and GSE surfaces gave rise to a larger number of diverse bacterial communities (619 OTU; 20 m2) than colocated spacecraft hardware (187 OTU; 162 m2). In contrast to the results of bacterial pyrosequencing, where at least some sequences were generated from each of the 31 sample sets examined, only 13 and 18 of these sample sets gave rise to archaeal and fungal sequences, respectively. As was the case for bacteria, the abundance of fungal OTU in the GSE surface samples dramatically diminished (9× less) once cleaning protocols had been applied. The presence of OTU representative of actinobacteria, deinococci, acidobacteria, firmicutes, and proteobacteria on spacecraft surfaces suggests that certain bacterial lineages persist even following rigorous quality control and cleaning practices. The majority of bacterial OTU observed as being recurrent belonged to actinobacteria and alphaproteobacteria, supporting the hypothesis that the measures of cleanliness exerted in spacecraft assembly cleanrooms (SAC) inadvertently select for the organisms which are the most fit to survive long journeys in space. PMID:22729532

Mitochondrial DNA and Y chromosome diversity and the peopling of the Americas: evolutionary and demographic evidence.

PubMed

Schurr, Theodore G; Sherry, Stephen T

2004-01-01

A number of important insights into the peopling of the New World have been gained through molecular genetic studies of Siberian and Native American populations. While there is no complete agreement on the interpretation of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and Y chromosome (NRY) data from these groups, several generalizations can be made. To begin with, the primary migration of ancestral Asians expanded from south-central Siberia into the New World and gave rise to ancestral Amerindians. The initial migration seems to have occurred between 20,000-15,000 calendar years before present (cal BP), i.e., before the emergence of Clovis lithic sites (13,350-12,895 cal BP) in North America. Because an interior route through northern North America was unavailable for human passage until 12,550 cal BP, after the last glacial maximum (LGM), these ancestral groups must have used a coastal route to reach South America by 14,675 cal BP, the date of the Monte Verde site in southern Chile. The initial migration appears to have brought mtDNA haplogroups A-D and NRY haplogroups P-M45a and Q-242/Q-M3 to the New World, with these genetic lineages becoming widespread in the Americas. A second expansion that perhaps coincided with the opening of the ice-free corridor probably brought mtDNA haplogroup X and NRY haplogroups P-M45b, C-M130, and R1a1-M17 to North and Central America. Finally, populations that formerly inhabited Beringia expanded into northern North America after the LGM, and gave rise to Eskimo-Aleuts and Na-Dené Indians. Copyright 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

The human brain representation of odor identification.

PubMed

Kjelvik, Grete; Evensmoen, Hallvard R; Brezova, Veronika; Håberg, Asta K

2012-07-01

Odor identification (OI) tests are increasingly used clinically as biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia. The aim of this study was to directly compare the neuronal correlates to identified odors vs. nonidentified odors. Seventeen females with normal olfactory function underwent a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) experiment with postscanning assessment of spontaneous uncued OI. An event-related analysis was performed to compare within-subject activity to spontaneously identified vs. nonidentified odors at the whole brain level, and in anatomic and functional regions of interest (ROIs) in the medial temporal lobe (MTL). Parameter estimate values and blood oxygenated level-dependent (BOLD) signal curves for correctly identified and nonidentified odors were derived from functional ROIs in hippocampus, entorhinal, piriform, and orbitofrontal cortices. Number of activated voxels and max parameter estimate values were obtained from anatomic ROIs in the hippocampus and the entorhinal cortex. At the whole brain level the correct OI gave rise to increased activity in the left entorhinal cortex and secondary olfactory structures, including the orbitofrontal cortex. Increased activation was also observed in fusiform, primary visual, and auditory cortices, inferior frontal plus inferior temporal gyri. The anatomic MTL ROI analysis showed increased activation in the left entorhinal cortex, right hippocampus, and posterior parahippocampal gyri in correct OI. In the entorhinal cortex and hippocampus the BOLD signal increased specifically in response to identified odors and decreased for nonidentified odors. In orbitofrontal and piriform cortices both identified and nonidentified odors gave rise to an increased BOLD signal, but the response to identified odors was significantly greater than that for nonidentified odors. These results support a specific role for entorhinal cortex and hippocampus in OI, whereas piriform and orbitofrontal cortices are active in both smelling and OI. Moreover, episodic as well as semantic memory systems appeared to support OI.

The hydrothermal evolution of the Kawerau geothermal system, New Zealand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milicich, S. D.; Chambefort, I.; Wilson, C. J. N.; Charlier, B. L. A.; Tepley, F. J.

2018-03-01

Hydrothermal alteration zoning and processes provide insights into the evolution of heat source(s) and fluid compositions associated with geothermal systems. Traditional petrological techniques, combined with hydrothermal alteration studies, stable isotope analyses and geochronology can resolve the nature of the fluids involved in hydrothermal processes and their changes through time. We report here new findings along with previous unpublished works on alteration patterns, fluid inclusion measurements and stable isotope data to provide insights into the thermal and chemical evolution of the Kawerau geothermal system, New Zealand. These data indicate the presence of two hydrothermal events that can be coupled with chronological data. The earlier period of hydrothermal activity was initiated at 400 ka, with the heat driving the hydrothermal system inferred to be from the magmatic system that gave rise to rhyolite lavas and sills of the Caxton Formation. Isotopic data fingerprint fluids attributed to this event as meteoric, indicating that the magma primarily served as a heat source driving fluid circulation, and was not releasing magmatic fluids in sufficient quantity to affect the rock mineralogy and thus inferred fluid compositions. The modern Kawerau system was initiated at 16 ka with hydrothermal eruptions linked to shallow intrusion of magma at the onset of activity that gave rise to the Putauaki andesite cone. Likely associated with this later event was a pulse of magmatic CO2, resulting in large-scale deposition of hydrothermal calcite enriched in 18O. Meteoric water-dominated fluids subsequently overwhelmed the magmatic fluids associated with this 18O-rich signature, and both the fluid inclusion microthermometry and stable isotope data reflect a change to the present-day fluid chemistry of low salinity, meteoric-dominated waters.

Acceleration of Sea Level Rise Over Malaysian Seas from Satellite Altimeter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamid, A. I. A.; Din, A. H. M.; Khalid, N. F.; Omar, K. M.

2016-09-01

Sea level rise becomes our concern nowadays as a result of variously contribution of climate change that cause by the anthropogenic effects. Global sea levels have been rising through the past century and are projected to rise at an accelerated rate throughout the 21st century. Due to this change, sea level is now constantly rising and eventually will threaten many low-lying and unprotected coastal areas in many ways. This paper is proposing a significant effort to quantify the sea level trend over Malaysian seas based on the combination of multi-mission satellite altimeters over a period of 23 years. Eight altimeter missions are used to derive the absolute sea level from Radar Altimeter Database System (RADS). Data verification is then carried out to verify the satellite derived sea level rise data with tidal data. Eight selected tide gauge stations from Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak are chosen for this data verification. The pattern and correlation of both measurements of sea level anomalies (SLA) are evaluated over the same period in each area in order to produce comparable results. Afterwards, the time series of the sea level trend is quantified using robust fit regression analysis. The findings clearly show that the absolute sea level trend is rising and varying over the Malaysian seas with the rate of sea level varies and gradually increase from east to west of Malaysia. Highly confident and correlation level of the 23 years measurement data with an astonishing root mean square difference permits the absolute sea level trend of the Malaysian seas has raised at the rate 3.14 ± 0.12 mm yr-1 to 4.81 ± 0.15 mm yr-1 for the chosen sub-areas, with an overall mean of 4.09 ± 0.12 mm yr-1. This study hopefully offers a beneficial sea level information to be applied in a wide range of related environmental and climatology issue such as flood and global warming.

Relating Fresh Concrete Viscosity Measurements from Different Rheometers

PubMed Central

Ferraris, Chiara F.; Martys, Nicos S.

2003-01-01

Concrete rheological properties need to be properly measured and predicted in order to characterize the workability of fresh concrete, including special concretes such as self-consolidating concrete (SCC). It was shown by a round-robin test held in 2000 [1,2] that different rheometer designs gave different values of viscosity for the same concrete. While empirical correlation between different rheometers was possible, for a procedure that is supposed to “scientifically” improve on the empirical slump tests, this situation is unsatisfactory. To remedy this situation, a new interpretation of the data was developed. In this paper, it is shown that all instruments tested could be directly and quantitatively compared in terms of relative plastic viscosity instead of the plastic viscosity alone. This should eventually allow the measurements from various rheometer designs to be directly calibrated against known standards of plastic viscosity, putting concrete rheometry and concrete workability on a sounder materials science basis. PMID:27413607

Can Quantum-Mechanical Description of Physical Reality Be Considered Correct?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brassard, Gilles; Méthot, André Allan

2010-04-01

In an earlier paper written in loving memory of Asher Peres, we gave a critical analysis of the celebrated 1935 paper in which Einstein, Podolsky and Rosen (EPR) challenged the completeness of quantum mechanics. There, we had pointed out logical shortcomings in the EPR paper. Now, we raise additional questions concerning their suggested program to find a theory that would “provide a complete description of the physical reality”. In particular, we investigate the extent to which the EPR argumentation could have lead to the more dramatic conclusion that quantum mechanics is in fact incorrect. With this in mind, we propose a speculation, made necessary by a logical shortcoming in the EPR paper caused by the lack of a necessary condition for “elements of reality”, and surmise that an eventually complete theory would either be inconsistent with quantum mechanics, or would at least violate Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle.

The role of mental disorder in attacks on European politicians 1990-2004.

PubMed

James, D V; Mullen, P E; Meloy, J R; Pathé, M T; Farnham, F R; Preston, L; Darnley, B

2007-11-01

The only systematic studies of attacks on public figures come from the USA. These studies de-emphasize the role of mental illness and suggest threats are of no predictive value. This study re-examines these questions through a study of attacks on European politicians. All non-terrorist attacks on elected politicians in Western Europe between 1990 and 2004 were analysed. Twenty-four attacks were identified, including five involving fatalities, and eight serious injuries. Ten attackers were psychotic, four drunk, nine politically motivated and one unclassifiable. Eleven attackers evidenced warning behaviours. The mentally disordered, most of whom gave warnings, were responsible for most of the fatal and seriously injurious attacks. A greater awareness of the link between delusional fixations on public figures and subsequent attacks could aid prevention. Equally importantly, recognition would encourage earlier intervention in people who, irrespective of whether they eventually attack, have delusional preoccupations which ruin their lives.

Vegetation history since the last glacial maximum in the Ozark highlands (USA): A new record from Cupola Pond, Missouri

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, Rachel A.; Williams, John W.; Jackson, Stephen T.

2017-08-01

The timing and drivers of vegetation dynamics and formation of no-analog plant communities during the last deglaciation in the unglaciated southeastern US are poorly understood. We present a multi-proxy record spanning the past 19,800 years from Cupola Pond in the Ozarks Mountains, consisting of replicate high-resolution pollen records, 25 AMS radiocarbon dates, and macrofossil, charcoal, and coprophilous spore analyses. Full-glacial Pinus and Picea forests gave way to no-analog vegetation after 17,400 yr BP, followed by development of Quercus-dominated Holocene forests, with late Holocene rises in Pinus and Nyssa. Vegetation transitions, replicated in different cores, are closely linked to hemispheric climate events. Rising Quercus abundances coincide with increasing Northern Hemisphere temperatures and CO2 at 17,500 yr BP, declining Pinus and Picea at 14,500 yr BP are near the Bølling-Allerød onset, and rapid decline of Fraxinus and rise of Ostrya/Carpinus occur 12,700 yr BP during the Younger Dryas. The Cupola no-analog vegetation record is unusual for its early initiation (17,000 yr BP) and for its three vegetation zones, representing distinct rises of Fraxinus and Ostrya/Carpinus. Sporormiella was absent and sedimentary charcoal abundances were low throughout, suggesting that fire and megaherbivores were not locally important agents of disturbance and turnover. The Cupola record thus highlights the complexity of the late-glacial no-analog communities and suggests direct climatic regulation of their formation and disassembly.

Dietary guar gum effects on postprandial blood glucose, insulin and hydroxyproline in humans.

PubMed

Torsdottir, I; Alpsten, M; Andersson, H; Einarsson, S

1989-12-01

Meals (425 kcal) containing various doses of guar gum (0, 2.5, 7.5 or 12.5 g) were ingested by nine healthy male subjects after a 12-h fast. The rise in blood glucose was higher after the control meal without guar gum than after the guar gum-containing meals, which all gave a similar rise in glucose. In contrast, increased doses of guar gum led to a greater reduction in the postprandial rise in insulin. The postprandial increase in serum hydroxyproline, an amino acid added to all meals, was decreased in a similar manner by all of the guar gum doses. Gastric emptying was measured after the control meal without guar gum and the meal containing 12.5 g of guar gum by monitoring 51Cr, which was added to the meals. Guar gum was found to reduce the variation between individuals, as well as the initial rate of gastric emptying, which correlated with changes in both serum hydroxyproline (rs = 0.93, P less than 0.01) and blood glucose (rs = 0.83, P less than 0.01). The effectiveness of guar gum in reducing postprandial response was lost after heating and homogenization for canning. A threshold in the reduction in rise of glucose or hydroxyproline was reached with the lowest dose (2.5 g) of viscous guar gum; larger doses had no additional effects. The reduced absorption seems to be an effect of a slower gastric emptying rate.

Rapid response of tidal channel networks to sea-level variations (Venice Lagoon, Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rizzetto, Federica; Tosi, Luigi

2012-07-01

The aim of the present paper is to examine the effects of long- and short-term sea-level fluctuations (i.e. relative sea-level rise and tides) on the geomorphologic evolution of modern tidal channels through the joint interpretation of channel modifications, the 1938-2010 yearly time series of relative sea-level rise, and the variations of strength and frequency of high tides which occurred in the same period. We analyzed a salt marsh area not particularly modified by human interventions, located in the northern Venice Lagoon, Italy. The availability of a long historical record of high-resolution aerial photographs provided us the opportunity to reconstruct in detail the evolution of the drainage patterns from 1938 to the present. Results from our analyses gave us information about the degree of control of long- and short-term sea-level fluctuations on planimetric development of tidal channels and provided demonstration of the rapid response of the drainage network to these oscillations. We found that both relative sea-level rise and high tide frequency greatly influenced salt marsh margin shift and meander evolution of tidal channels in the long term, but short-term sinuosity changes of creeks were often also closely related to tide variations. Channels nearer the marsh margin were more exposed to the action of the increasing tides.

Decreased Sperm Motility Retarded ICSI Fertilization Rate in Severe Oligozoospermia but Good-Quality Embryo Transfer Had Achieved the Prospective Clinical Outcomes.

PubMed

Zheng, Jufeng; Lu, Yongning; Qu, Xianqin; Wang, Peng; Zhao, Luiwen; Gao, Minzhi; Shi, Huijuan; Jin, Xingliang

Spermatozoa motility is the critical parameter to affect the treatment outcomes during assisted reproductive technologies (ART), but its reproductive capability remains a little informed in condition of severe male factor infertility. This retrospective cohort study aimed to evaluate the effects of reduced sperm motility on the embryological and clinical outcomes in intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatment of severe oligozoospermia. 966 cycles (812 couples) of severe oligozoospermia diagnosed by spermatozoa count ≤ 5 × 106/mL and motile spermatozoa ≤ 2 × 106/mL were divided into four groups in according to the number of motile spermatozoa in one ejaculate on the day of oocyte retrieval (Group B-E). The control (Group A) was 188 cycles of moderate oligozoospermia with spermatozoa count > 5 × 106/mL and motile spermatozoa > 2 × 106/mL. All female partners were younger than 35 years of age. Logistic regression analyzed embryological outcomes (the rates of fertilization, cleavage and good-quality embryo) and clinical outcomes (the rates of pregnancy, implantation, early miscarriage and live birth). Quality of embryo transfer (ET) was divided into three classes as continuous factor to test the effects of embryo quality on clinical outcomes. The reduction in the number of motile sperm in four groups of severe oligozoospermia gave rise to comparable inability of the fertilization (p < 0.001) and a decreased rate of good-quality embryo at Day 3 (p < 0.001) by compared to the control. The cleavage rate of the derived zygotes was similar to the control. ET classes significantly affected the clinical outcomes (p < 0.001). Class I ET gave rise to similar rates of clinical outcomes between five groups, but Class II and Class III ET retarded the rates of pregnancy, implantation and live birth and this particularly occurred in Group C, D and E. The rate of early miscarriage was not comparably different between groups. Overall rates in all groups were 41.26% clinical pregnancy, 25.74% implantation and 36.32% live birth, which gave live birth to 252 girls and 252 boys. The reduction of motile spermatozoa in severe oligozoospermia decreased the rates of fertilization and good-quality embryo. Obtaining and transfer of good-quality embryos was the good prognostic to achieve prospective clinical outcomes regardless of the severity of oligozoospermia.

Structurally compliant rocket engine combustion chamber: Experimental and analytical validation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jankovsky, Robert S.; Arya, Vinod K.; Kazaroff, John M.; Halford, Gary R.

1994-01-01

A new, structurally compliant rocket engine combustion chamber design has been validated through analysis and experiment. Subscale, tubular channel chambers have been cyclically tested and analytically evaluated. Cyclic lives were determined to have a potential for 1000 percent increase over those of rectangular channel designs, the current state of the art. Greater structural compliance in the circumferential direction gave rise to lower thermal strains during hot firing, resulting in lower thermal strain ratcheting and longer predicted fatigue lives. Thermal, structural, and durability analyses of the combustion chamber design, involving cyclic temperatures, strains, and low-cycle fatigue lives, have corroborated the experimental observations.

A Two Population Model for the Stock Market Problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skiadas, Christos H.

The development of the last year disaster in the Stock Markets all over the world gave rise to reconsidering the previous models used. It is clear that, even in an organized international or national context, large fluctuations and sudden losses may occur. This paper explores a two populations' model. The populations are conflicting into the same environment (a Stock Market) by following the main rules present, that is mutual interaction between adopters, potential adopters, word-of-mouth communication and of course by taking into consideration the innovation diffusion process. The proposed model has special futures expressed by third order terms providing characteristic stationary points.

Synthesis of Norbornane Bisether Antibiotics via Silver-mediated Alkylation

PubMed Central

Hickey, Shane M.; Ashton, Trent D.; White, Jonathan M.; Li, Jian; Nation, Roger L.; Yu, Heidi Y.; Elliott, Alysha G.; Butler, Mark S.; Huang, Johnny X.; Cooper, Matthew A.

2015-01-01

A small series of norbornane bisether diguanidines have been synthesized and evaluated as antibacterial agents. The key transformation—bisalkylation of norbornane diol 6—was not successful using Williamson methodology but has been accomplished using Ag2O mediated alkylation. Further functionalization to incorporate two guanidinium groups gave rise to a series of structurally rigid cationic amphiphiles; several of which (16d, 16g and 16h) exhibited antibiotic activity. For example, compound 16d was active against a broad range of bacteria including Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MIC = 8 µg/mL), Escherichia coli (MIC = 8 µg/mL) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MIC = 8 µg/mL). PMID:26251697

[On controversies around the Oedipus Complex].

PubMed

Drwiega, Marek

2002-01-01

In the article the author would like to draw the readers' attention to one of the central issues of psychoanalysis, i.e. Oedipus complex. In the development of the psychoanalysis the classical conception of Oedipus complex presented by Freud gave rise to a severe criticism both on the part of some psychoanalysts, especially women such as e.g. Melanie Klein, and on the part of ethnographers such as B. Malinowski. In the paper the author presents the main controversies concerning this interesting discussion. The fact of the matter is that the Oedipus complex is a hotly debated subject, not only from the cultural point of view but also within the psychoanalytical movement.

Surface wettability enhancement of silicone hydrogel lenses by processing with polar plastic molds.

PubMed

Lai, Y C; Friends, G D

1997-06-05

In the quest for hydrogel contact lenses with improved extended wear capability, the use of siloxane moieties in the lens materials was investigated. However, the introduction of hydrophobic siloxane groups gave rise to wettability and lipidlike deposit problems. It was found that when polysiloxane-based compositions for hydrogels were processed with polar plastic molds, such as those fabricated from an acrylonitrile-based polymer, the hydrogel lenses fabricated were wettable, with minimized lipidlike deposits. These findings were supported by the wettability of silicone hydrogel films, silicon, and nitrogen element contents near lens surfaces, as well as the results from clinical assessment of silicone hydrogel lenses.

Marketing health education: advertising margarine and visualising health in Britain from 1964-c.2000.

PubMed

Hand, Jane

2017-01-01

During the post-war period, margarine was re-conceptualised as a value-added product with distinct health benefits. This article contextualises the advertising of margarine as a healthy food, focusing on Unilever's Flora brand as an important case study in legitimising the emergent role of disease prevention as a marketing tool. It uses the methodology of visual culture to examine how advertising employed chronic disease prevention as a selling tool. This article assesses how the post-war environment gave rise to new ways of visually advertising food, and how these promoted innovative visualisations of food, the body and their interactions with health.

The oxidation of carbon monoxide using tin oxide based catalysts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sampson, Christopher F.; Jorgensen, Norman

1990-01-01

The preparation conditions for precious metal/tin oxide catalysts were optimized for maximum carbon monoxide/oxygen recombination efficiency. This was achieved by controlling the tin digestion, the peptization to form the sol, the calcination process and the method of adding the precious metals. Extensive studies of the tin oxide structure were carried out over the temperature range 20 to 500 C in air or hydrogen environments using Raman scattering and X ray diffraction. Adsorbed species on tin oxide, generated in an environment containing carbon monoxide, gave rise to a Raman band at about 1600 cm(exp -1) which was assigned to carbonaceous groups, possible carbonate.

A singular case of cavernous internal carotid artery aneurysm in patient with cavernous sinus syndrome and bacterial meningitis.

PubMed

Sacchetti, Federico; Stagni, Silvia; Spinardi, Luca; Raumer, Luigi; Dentale, Nicola; Cirillo, Luigi

2016-09-01

We report the uncommon case of an acute cavernous sinus syndrome in a patient who was consequently discovered to have both a cavernous internal carotid artery aneurysm and bacterial meningitis. Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Which of the two, the aneurysm or the meningitis, gave rise to the patient's symptoms? We briefly reviewed the literature of similar cases and tried to analyze the possible pathophysiological relationship between these findings. Moreover, this case highlights the importance of a multidisciplinary management of these patients to better decide between a medical and a surgical and/or endovascular treatment.

New Pharmacology Studies on the ISS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wotring, Virginia E.; Pour, S.

2015-01-01

It is known that medications degrade over time and that extreme storage conditions will hasten their degradation. This is the basis of the HRP Risk of Ineffective or Toxic Medications Due to Long Term Storage. Gaps include questions about the effects of the spaceflight environment and about the potential for safe use of medications beyond their expiration dates. There are also open questions regarding effects of the spaceflight environment on human physiology and subsequent changes in how medications act on the body; these unanswered questions gave rise to the HRP Concern of Clinically Relevant Unpredicted Effects of Medication. Studies designed to address this Risk and Concern are described below.

Effect of various alanine analogues on the L-alanine-adding enzyme from Escherichia coli.

PubMed

Liger, D; Blanot, D; van Heijenoort, J

1991-05-01

An extract from Escherichia coli containing the L-alanine-adding enzyme with a high specific activity was prepared. Several compounds structurally related to L-alanine were tested as inhibitors of this activity. Intact amino and carboxyl groups were necessary for an interaction with the enzyme. Certain halogenated (haloalanines) or unsaturated (L-vinylglycine, L-propargylglycine, 3-cyano-L-alanine) amino acids were good inhibitors. Radioactive glycine, serine and 1-aminoethylphosphonic acid were tested as substrates. Whereas glycine or L-serine gave rise to the formation of the corresponding nucleotide product, no synthesis of UDP-N-acetylmuramyl-L-1-aminoethylphosphonic acid could be detected.

Mind and Language Architecture

PubMed Central

Logan, Robert K

2010-01-01

A distinction is made between the brain and the mind. The architecture of the mind and language is then described within a neo-dualistic framework. A model for the origin of language based on emergence theory is presented. The complexity of hominid existence due to tool making, the control of fire and the social cooperation that fire required gave rise to a new level of order in mental activity and triggered the simultaneous emergence of language and conceptual thought. The mind is shown to have emerged as a bifurcation of the brain with the emergence of language. The role of language in the evolution of human culture is also described. PMID:20922045

Enhanced bimolecular exchange reaction through programmed coordination of a five-coordinate oxovanadium complex for efficient redox mediation in dye-sensitized solar cells.

PubMed

Oyaizu, Kenichi; Hayo, Noriko; Sasada, Yoshito; Kato, Fumiaki; Nishide, Hiroyuki

2013-12-07

Electrochemical reversibility and fast bimolecular exchange reaction found for VO(salen) gave rise to a highly efficient redox mediation to enhance the photocurrent of a dye-sensitized solar cell, leading to an excellent photovoltaic performance with a conversion efficiency of 5.4%. A heterogeneous electron-transfer rate constant at an electrode (k0) and a second-order rate constant for an electron self-exchange reaction (k(ex)) were proposed as key parameters that dominate the charge transport property, which afforded a novel design concept for the mediators based on their kinetic aspects.

Trepanation and Roman medicine: a comparison of osteoarchaeological remains, material culture and written texts.

PubMed

Tullo, E

2010-06-01

Evidence for prehistoric trepanation is limited to preserved osteoarchaeological material, namely human skulls, and the occasional discovery of surgical instruments. However, the Roman empire gave rise to an abundant and diverse range of source types, including skeletal remains, material culture and detailed medical texts, each of which harbours the potential to contribute to our understanding of trepanation during this historical period. This paper highlights the advantages and inherent biases of each of these source types, and proposes that the simultaneous analysis and integration of different types of historical evidence is essential for the study of trepanation as a surgical procedure.

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

Kfir, Ofer, E-mail: ofertx@technion.ac.il, E-mail: oren@si.technion.ac.il; Bordo, Eliyahu; Ilan Haham, Gil

The recent demonstration of bright circularly polarized high-order harmonics of a bi-circular pump field gave rise to new opportunities in ultrafast chiral science. In previous works, the required nontrivial bi-circular pump field was produced using a relatively complicated and sensitive Mach-Zehnder-like interferometer. We propose a compact and stable in-line apparatus for converting a quasi-monochromatic linearly polarized ultrashort driving laser field into a bi-circular field and employ it for generation of helically polarized high-harmonics. Furthermore, utilizing the apparatus for a spectroscopic spin-mixing measurement, we identify the photon spins of the bi-circular weak component field that are annihilated during the high harmonicsmore » process.« less

Insightful hallucination: psychopathology or paranormal phenomenon?

PubMed

Gadit, Amin A Muhammad

2011-03-15

This report describes a 26-year-old man who was so emotionally attached to his mother that the mere thought of separating from her caused immense anxiety. The death of his mother after a brief illness resulted in prolonged bereavement. However, the patient started seeing and talking to his mother after her death, which led to huge improvement in his mood and social functioning. His wife brought him in for consultation but no obvious psychopathology was detected. This gave rise to the dilemma of whether to consider this a real psychopathology and treat it, or to disregard this reported hallucination. No active treatment is being given to this patient at the moment.

Minor Structural Change to Tertiary Sulfonamide RORc Ligands Led to Opposite Mechanisms of Action

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

A minor structural change to tertiary sulfonamide RORc ligands led to distinct mechanisms of action. Co-crystal structures of two compounds revealed mechanistically consistent protein conformational changes. Optimized phenylsulfonamides were identified as RORc agonists while benzylsulfonamides exhibited potent inverse agonist activity. Compounds behaving as agonists in our biochemical assay also gave rise to an increased production of IL-17 in human PBMCs whereas inverse agonists led to significant suppression of IL-17 under the same assay conditions. The most potent inverse agonist compound showed >180-fold selectivity over the ROR isoforms as well as all other nuclear receptors that were profiled. PMID:25815138

UHV-TEM/TED observation of Ag islands grown on Si( 1 1 1 ) 3× 3-Ag surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oshima, Yoshifumi; Nakade, Hiroyuki; Shigeki, Sinya; Hirayama, Hiroyuki; Takayanagi, Kunio

2001-11-01

Growths of Ag islands on Si(1 1 1)3×3-Ag surface at room temperature were observed by UHV transmission electron microscopy and diffraction. The Ag islands grown after six monolayer deposition had neither (1 0 0) nor (1 1 0) orientation, but had two complex epitaxial orientations dominantly. One was striped islands which gave rise to a diffraction pattern commensurate with the 3×3 lattice of the Si(1 1 1) surface. The other was the coagulated islands whose diffraction pattern indicated the Ag(1 -3 4) sheet grown parallel to the Si(1 1 1) surface.

Neuronal and network computation in the brain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Babloyantz, A.

1999-03-01

The concepts and methods of non-linear dynamics have been a powerful tool for studying some gamow aspects of brain dynamics. In this paper we show how, from time series analysis of electroencepholograms in sick and healthy subjects, chaotic nature of brain activity could be unveiled. This finding gave rise to the concept of spatiotemporal cortical chaotic networks which in turn was the foundation for a simple brain-like device which is able to become attentive, perform pattern recognition and motion detection. A new method of time series analysis is also proposed which demonstrates for the first time the existence of neuronal code in interspike intervals of coclear cells.

EFFECTS OF FEATHER CRYSTALS IN THE MACROSTRUCTURE ON EARING BEHAVIOR AND ELOXAL STRUCTURE OF SHEETS OF PURE ALUMINUM (in German)

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

Zieger, H.

1961-10-01

The as-cast structure of d.c.-cast aluminum ingots sometimes shows feather-like crystals. The influence of this type of crystals on the earing behavior and on the surface markings after anodizing was investigated on Al 99.5- sheets of 2 mm thickness. Feather-like crystals gave rise to more irregular and higher earings in all cases. Hot and afterwards cold rolled sheets showed markings on the anodized surface, which were intensified by feather-like crystals in the ingot. Extruding prior to hot rolling suppressed these markings completely, but did not affect the earing behavior. (auth)

[The medical, social and institutional challenges resulting from poliomyelitis: comprehensive rehabilitation in Argentina in the mid-twentieth century].

PubMed

Alvarez, Adriana

2015-01-01

Poliomyelitis on an epidemic scale gave rise to several challenges, one of which was the rehabilitation from the after-effects on many of the people who suffered from the disease. Paralysis and the ways it transformed the concept of physical rehabilitation (where the objective was only to restore the mobility of the affected muscles) and comprehensive rehabilitation that included social, educational and professional aspects in Argentina in the mid-twentieth century are the themes addressed in this article. It uses the methodology of institutional history that interacts in an ongoing manner with the history of health and disease.

Identification of extra neutral gauge bosons at the LHC using b and t quarks.

PubMed

Godfrey, Stephen; Martin, Travis A W

2008-10-10

New neutral gauge bosons (Z' 's) are predicted by many models of physics beyond the standard electroweak theory. It is possible that a Z' will be discovered by the Large Hadron Collider program. The next step would be to measure its properties to identify the underlying theory that gave rise to the Z'. Heavy quarks have the unique property that they can be identified in the final states. In this Letter we demonstrate that measuring Z' decays to b- and t-quark final states can act as an effective means of discriminating between models with extra gauge bosons.

Thermal stratification hinders gyrotactic micro-organism rising in free-surface turbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lovecchio, Salvatore; Zonta, Francesco; Marchioli, Cristian; Soldati, Alfredo

2017-05-01

Thermal stratification in water bodies influences the exchange of heat, momentum, and chemical species across the air-water interface by modifying the sub-surface turbulence characteristics. Turbulence modifications may in turn prevent small motile algae (phytoplankton, in particular) from reaching the heated surface. We examine how different regimes of stable thermal stratification affect the motion of these microscopic organisms (modelled as gyrotactic self-propelling cells) in a free-surface turbulent channel flow. This archetypal setup mimics an environmentally plausible situation that can be found in lakes and oceans. Results from direct numerical simulations of turbulence coupled with Lagrangian tracking reveal that rising of bottom-heavy self-propelling cells depends strongly on the strength of stratification, especially near the thermocline where high temperature and velocity gradients occur: Here hydrodynamic shear may disrupt directional cell motility and hamper near-surface accumulation. For all gyrotactic re-orientation times considered in this study (spanning two orders of magnitude), we observe a reduction of the cell rising speed and temporary confinement under the thermocline: If re-orientation is fast, cells eventually trespass the thermocline within the simulated time span; if re-orientation is slow, confinement lasts much longer because cells align in the streamwise direction and their vertical swimming is practically annihilated.

Fate of Water Pumped from Underground and Contributions to Sea Level Rise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wada, Yoshihide; Lo, Min-Hui; Yeh, Pat J.-F.; Reager, John T.; Famiglietti, James S.; Wu, Ren-Jie; Tseng, Yu-Heng

2016-01-01

The contributions from terrestrial water sources to sea-level rise, other than ice caps and glaciers, are highly uncertain and heavily debated1-5. Recent assessments indicate that groundwater depletion (GWD) may become the most important positive terrestrial contribution6-10 over the next 50 years, probably equal in magnitude to the current contributions from glaciers and ice caps6. However, the existing estimates assume that nearly 100% of groundwater extracted eventually ends up in the oceans. Owing to limited knowledge of the pathways and mechanisms governing the ultimate fate of pumped groundwater, the relative fraction of global GWD that contributes to sea-level rise remains unknown. Here, using a coupled climate-hydrological model11,12 simulation, we show that only 80% of GWDends up in the ocean. An increase in runo to the ocean accounts for roughly two-thirds, whereas the remainder results from the enhanced net flux of precipitation minus evaporation over the ocean, due to increased atmospheric vapour transport from the land to the ocean. The contribution of GWD to global sea-level rise amounted to 0.02 (+/- 0.004)mm yr(sup-1) in 1900 and increased to 0.27 (+/- 0.04)mm yr(sup-1) in 2000. This indicates that existing studies have substantially overestimated the contribution of GWD to global sea-level rise by a cumulative amount of at least 10 mm during the twentieth century and early twenty-first century. With other terrestrial water contributions included, we estimate the net terrestrial water contribution during the period 1993-2010 to be +0.12 +/-0.04)mm yr(sup-1), suggesting that the net terrestrialwater contribution reported in the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report report is probably overestimated by a factor of three.

Fate of water pumped from underground and contributions to sea-level rise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wada, Yoshihide; Lo, Min-Hui; Yeh, Pat J.-F.; Reager, John T.; Famiglietti, James S.; Wu, Ren-Jie; Tseng, Yu-Heng

2016-08-01

The contributions from terrestrial water sources to sea-level rise, other than ice caps and glaciers, are highly uncertain and heavily debated. Recent assessments indicate that groundwater depletion (GWD) may become the most important positive terrestrial contribution over the next 50 years, probably equal in magnitude to the current contributions from glaciers and ice caps. However, the existing estimates assume that nearly 100% of groundwater extracted eventually ends up in the oceans. Owing to limited knowledge of the pathways and mechanisms governing the ultimate fate of pumped groundwater, the relative fraction of global GWD that contributes to sea-level rise remains unknown. Here, using a coupled climate-hydrological model simulation, we show that only 80% of GWD ends up in the ocean. An increase in runoff to the ocean accounts for roughly two-thirds, whereas the remainder results from the enhanced net flux of precipitation minus evaporation over the ocean, due to increased atmospheric vapour transport from the land to the ocean. The contribution of GWD to global sea-level rise amounted to 0.02 (+/-0.004) mm yr-1 in 1900 and increased to 0.27 (+/-0.04) mm yr-1 in 2000. This indicates that existing studies have substantially overestimated the contribution of GWD to global sea-level rise by a cumulative amount of at least 10 mm during the twentieth century and early twenty-first century. With other terrestrial water contributions included, we estimate the net terrestrial water contribution during the period 1993-2010 to be +0.12 (+/-0.04) mm yr-1, suggesting that the net terrestrial water contribution reported in the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report report is probably overestimated by a factor of three.

Influence of the Onion Creek salt diapir on the late Cenozoic history of Fisher Valley, southeastern Utah.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Colman, Steven M.

1983-01-01

Apparently, several pulses of salt flowed into the diapir between about 2-3 and 0.25Myr ago, and the diapir may still be active. The rising salt diapir impeded the flow of ancestral Fisher Creek, causing deposition of more than 125m of basin-fill sediments, and eventually diverted the creek down Cottonwood graben to the Dolores River about 0.25Myr ago. Onion Creek has eroded headward from the Colorado River, through both the diapir and the basin-fill sediments, and is about to capture Fisher Creek, restoring the original drainage course. -from Author

[A sudden rise in INR due to combination of Tribulus terrestris, Avena sativa, and Panax ginseng (Clavis Panax)].

PubMed

Turfan, Murat; Tasal, Abdurrahman; Ergun, Fatih; Ergelen, Mehmet

2012-04-01

Warfarin sodium is an antithrombin agent used in patients with prosthetic valve and atrial fibrillation. However, there are many factors that can change the effectiveness of the drug. Today, herbal mixtures promoted through targeted print and visual media can lead to sudden activity changes in patients using warfarin. In this case report we will present two cases with a sudden rise in INR due to using combination of Tribulus terrestris, Avena sativa and Panax ginseng (Panax Clavis). Two patients who used warfarin due to a history of aortic valve replacement (case 1) and atrial fibrillation (case 2) were admitted to the hospital due very high levels of INR detected during routine follow-up. Both patients had used an herbal medicine called ''Panax'' during the last month. The patients gave no indication regarding a change in diet or the use of another agent that might interact with warfarin. In cases where active bleeding could not be determinated, we terminated the use of the drug and re-evaluated dosage of warfarin before finally discharging the patient.

El Habano and the world it has shaped: Cuba, Connecticut, and Indonesia.

PubMed

Stubbs, Jean

2010-01-01

In the half century since the 1959 Cuban Revolution, El Habano remains the premium cigar the world over; but both before and since 1959, the seed, agricultural and industrial know-how, and human capital have been transplanted to replicate that cigar in a process accentuated by upheavals and out-migration. The focus here is on a little-known facet of the interconnected island and offshore Havana cigar history, linking Cuba with Connecticut and Indonesia: from when tobacco was taken from the Americas to Indonesia and gave rise to the famed Sumatra cigar wrapper leaf; through the rise and demise of its sister shade wrapper in Connecticut, with Cuban and Sumatra seed, ultimately overshadowed by Indonesia; and the resulting challenges facing Cuba today. The article highlights the role of Dutch, U.S., British, and Swedish capital to explain why in 2009 the two major global cigar corporations, British Imperial Tobacco and Swedish Match, were lobbying Washington, respectively, for and against the embargo on Cuba. As the antismoking, antitobacco lobby gains ground internationally, the intriguing final question is whether the future lies with El Habano or smokeless Swedish snus.

MLL-ENL cooperates with SCF to transform primary avian multipotent cells.

PubMed

Schulte, Cathleen E; von Lindern, Marieke; Steinlein, Peter; Beug, Hartmut; Wiedemann, Leanne M

2002-08-15

The MLL gene is targeted by chromosomal translocations, which give rise to heterologous MLL fusion proteins and are associated with distinct types of acute lymphoid and myeloid leukaemia. To determine how MLL fusion proteins alter the proliferation and/or differentiation of primary haematopoietic progenitors, we introduced the MLL-AF9 and MLL-ENL fusion proteins into primary chicken bone marrow cells. Both fusion proteins caused the sustained outgrowth of immature haematopoietic cells, which was strictly dependent on stem cell factor (SCF). The renewing cells have a long in vitro lifespan exceeding the Hayflick limit of avian cells. Analysis of clonal cultures identified the renewing cells as immature, multipotent progenitors, expressing erythroid, myeloid, lymphoid and stem cell surface markers. Employing a two-step commitment/differentiation protocol involving the controlled withdrawal of SCF, the MLL-ENL-transformed progenitors could be induced to terminal erythroid or myeloid differentiation. Finally, in cooperation with the weakly leukaemogenic receptor tyrosine kinase v-Sea, the MLL-ENL fusion protein gave rise to multilineage leukaemia in chicks, suggesting that other activated, receptor tyrosine kinases can substitute for ligand-activated c-Kit in vivo.

The osteogenic capacity of biomimetic hierarchical micropore/nanorod-patterned Sr-HA coatings with different interrod spacings.

PubMed

Zhou, Jianhong; Li, Bo; Han, Yong; Zhao, Lingzhou

2016-07-01

Advanced titanium based bone implant with fast established, rigid and stable osseointegration is stringently needed in clinic. Here the hierarchical micropore/nanorod-patterned strontium doped hydroxyapatite (Ca9Sr1(PO4)6(OH)2, Sr1-HA) coatings (MNRs) with different interrod spacings varying from about 300 to 33nm were developed. MNRs showed dramatically differential biological performance closely related to the interrod spacing. Compared to micropore/nanogranule-patterned Sr1-HA coating (MNG), MNRs with an interrod spacing of larger than 137nm resulted in inhibited in vitro mesenchymal stem cell functions and in vivo osseointegration, while those of smaller than 96nm gave rise to dramatically enhanced the biological effect, especially those of mean 67nm displayed the best effect. The differential biological effect of MNRs was related to their modulation on the focal adhesion mediated mechanotransduction. These results suggest that MNRs with a mean interrod spacing of 67nm may give rise to an advanced implant of improved clinical performance. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

On the psychology of the recognition heuristic: retrieval primacy as a key determinant of its use.

PubMed

Pachur, Thorsten; Hertwig, Ralph

2006-09-01

The recognition heuristic is a prime example of a boundedly rational mind tool that rests on an evolved capacity, recognition, and exploits environmental structures. When originally proposed, it was conjectured that no other probabilistic cue reverses the recognition-based inference (D. G. Goldstein & G. Gigerenzer, 2002). More recent studies challenged this view and gave rise to the argument that recognition enters inferences just like any other probabilistic cue. By linking research on the heuristic with research on recognition memory, the authors argue that the retrieval of recognition information is not tantamount to the retrieval of other probabilistic cues. Specifically, the retrieval of subjective recognition precedes that of an objective probabilistic cue and occurs at little to no cognitive cost. This retrieval primacy gives rise to 2 predictions, both of which have been empirically supported: Inferences in line with the recognition heuristic (a) are made faster than inferences inconsistent with it and (b) are more prevalent under time pressure. Suspension of the heuristic, in contrast, requires additional time, and direct knowledge of the criterion variable, if available, can trigger such suspension. Copyright 2006 APA

Functional analysis of human foamy virus accessory reading frames.

PubMed Central

Baunach, G; Maurer, B; Hahn, H; Kranz, M; Rethwilm, A

1993-01-01

Foamy viruses belong to the retroviruses which possess a complex genome structure. The human foamy virus (HFV) isolate bears three open reading frames (the so-called bel genes) in the 3' region of the genome which have been reported to give rise to possibly six different proteins via alternative splicing (W. Muranyi and R. M. Flügel, J. Virol. 65:727-735, 1991). In order to analyze the requirements of these proteins for HFV replication in vitro, we constructed a set of single and combinatory bel gene mutants of an infectious molecular clone of HFV. The mutant which lacked the transacting activator, bel-1, was found to be replication incompetent. All other mutants replicated equally well and gave rise to comparable titers of infectious cell-free virus. When HFV proviruses were put under the control of a heterologous promoter (simian virus 40), none of the accessory gene products was found to be required for expression of structural (gag) proteins. There was no evidence for a posttranscriptional regulatory protein that is present in other complex retroviruses. Images PMID:8394455

Bioinspired Zwitterionic Surface Coatings with Robust Photostability and Fouling Resistance.

PubMed

Huang, Chun-Jen; Chu, Sz-Hau; Wang, Lin-Chuan; Li, Chien-Hung; Lee, T Randall

2015-10-28

Great care has been paid to the biointerface between a bulk material and the biological environment, which plays a key role in the optimized performance of medical devices. In this work, we report a new superhydrophilic adsorbate, called L-cysteine betaine (Cys-b), having branched zwitterionic groups that give rise to surfaces and nanoparticles with enhanced chemical stability, biofouling resistance, and inertness to environmental changes. Cys-b was synthesized from the amphoteric sulfur-containing amino acid, L-cysteine (Cys), by quaternization of its amino group. Gold surfaces modified with Cys-b exhibited prominent repellence against the nonspecific adsorption of proteins, bacteria, and fibroblast cells. In addition, Cys-b existed in zwitterionic form over a wide pH range (i.e., pH 3.4 to 10.8), and showed excellent suppression in photoinduced oxidation on gold substrates. Furthermore, the modification of hollow Ag@Au nanoshells with Cys-b gave rise to nanoparticles with excellent colloidal stability and resistance to coordinative interaction with Cu(2+). Taken together, the unique features of Cys-b offer a new nanoscale coating for use in a wide spectrum of applications.

La Croissance des depenses publiques d'education en Allemagne: 1829?1989

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diebolt, Claude

1996-09-01

The downturn in the economic situation in the early 1970s gave rise to new work on long-term "Kondratieff" cycles. Given the atypical fluctuation in some variables (prices, production, etc.), previous theories appeared to have exhausted their ability to explain events. To explain the original features of the structural crisis that was developing, it has become necessary to put forward and test new hypotheses. The results of work carried out by the research group on Quantitative History and Long-Term Theories at the University of Montpellier I meet this requirement. They introduce a relationship between expenditure on human development (wages, education, health, etc.) and that devoted to material growth.

SPECIAL ISSUE ON OPTICAL PROCESSING OF INFORMATION: Multistability in an acousto-optical system with a frequency feedback

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balakshiĭ, V. I.; Kazar'yan, A. Y.; Lee, A. A.

1995-10-01

An investigation was made of an acousto-optical system with hybrid feedback used to control the frequency of ultrasonic waves excited in an acousto-optical cell. An amplitude transparency, placed in front of a photodetector, ensured a nonlinear dependence of the intensity of the diffracted radiation reaching the detector on the ultrasound frequency. Conditions were found under which this nonlinearity gave rise to multistable states differing in respect of the amplitude, frequency, and direction of propagation of the diffracted beam. An analysis was made of various uses of such a system as an optical channel switch and in stabilisation of the direction of propagation of a light beam.

Problem gambling and help seeking among Chinese international students: narratives of place identity transformation.

PubMed

Li, Wendy Wen; Tse, Samson

2015-03-01

This article uses examples of problem gambling and help seeking among Chinese international students in New Zealand to demonstrate place identity transformation. Two-wave narrative interviews were conducted with 15 Chinese international students. Place identity among participants is shown to be a process that features the transformation of participants' identity. While the casinos in which the Chinese international students gambled gave rise to negative place identities, positive place identities facilitated the participants to change their problematic gambling. Through the investigation of place identity transformation, this article promotes a strength-based, non-labelling approach to intervention for people who are concerned about their gambling behaviours. © The Author(s) 2015.

From micelle supramolecular assemblies in selective solvents to isoporous membranes.

PubMed

Nunes, Suzana P; Karunakaran, Madhavan; Pradeep, Neelakanda; Behzad, Ali Reza; Hooghan, Bobby; Sougrat, Rachid; He, Haoze; Peinemann, Klaus-Viktor

2011-08-16

The supramolecular assembly of PS-b-P4VP copolymer micelles induced by selective solvent mixtures was used to manufacture isoporous membranes. Micelle order in solution was confirmed by cryo-scanning electron microscopy in casting solutions, leading to ordered pore morphology. When dioxane, a solvent that interacts poorly with the micelle corona, was added to the solution, polymer-polymer segment contact was preferential, increasing the intermicelle contact. Immersion in water gave rise to asymmetric porous membranes with exceptional pore uniformity and high porosity. The introduction of a small number of carbon nanotubes to the casting solution improved the membrane stability and the reversibility of the gate response in the presence of different pH values.

From new genetics to everyday knowledge: Ideas about how genetic diseases are transmitted in two large Brazilian families

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santos, Silvana; Bizzo, Nelio

2005-07-01

This study focuses on everyday or lay understandings of inheritance. In the northeastern Brazil, 100 individuals were interviewed in order to describe how they explain the origin of genetic disorders affecting their relatives for several generations. There were involved 60 individuals from a large consanguineous family with many members affected with a neurodegenerative disorder, SPOAN syndrome (spastic paraplegia, optic atrophy and neuropathy), and 40 individuals of another family living with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). The results indicate that families here studied have built narratives to explain the origin of genetic diseases, saying that an ancestor infected with syphilis gave rise to disorders and birthmarks transmitted to descendents.

Kinds of Astronomy-5

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ennico, Kimberly; DeVincenzi, D. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Astronomers study light and basically, almost everything we know about the universe has been figured out through the study of light gathered by telescopes on the earth, in the earth's atmosphere, and in space. This light comes in many different colors, the sum of which comprises what is commonly I known as the electromagnetic (EM) spectrum. Unfortunately, the earth's atmosphere blocks almost all of wavelengths in the EM spectrum. Only the visible (400-700 mn) and radio (approx. 1-150 m) "windows" are accessible from the ground, and thus have the longest observational "history." These early restrictions on the observational astronomer also gave rise to classifying "kinds" of astronomy based on their respective EM portion, such as the term "radio astronomy."

Intramolecular vibrational redistribution of CH 2I 2 dissolved in supercritical Xe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sekiguchi, K.; Shimojima, A.; Kajimoto, O.

2003-03-01

Intramolecular vibrational energy redistribution (IVR) of CH 2I 2 in supercritical Xe has been studied. The first overtone of the C-H stretching mode was excited with a near infrared laser pulse and the transient UV absorption near 390 nm was monitored. Signals showed a rise and decay profile, which gave the IVR and VET (intermolecular vibrational energy transfer) rates, respectively. Solvent density dependence of each rate was obtained by tuning the pressure at a constant temperature. The IVR rate in supercritical Xe increased with increasing solvent density and asymptotically reached a limiting value. This result suggests that the IVR process of CH 2I 2 in condensed phase is a solvent-assisted process.

Insightful hallucination: psychopathology or paranormal phenomenon?

PubMed Central

Muhammad Gadit, Amin A

2011-01-01

This report describes a 26-year-old man who was so emotionally attached to his mother that the mere thought of separating from her caused immense anxiety. The death of his mother after a brief illness resulted in prolonged bereavement. However, the patient started seeing and talking to his mother after her death, which led to huge improvement in his mood and social functioning. His wife brought him in for consultation but no obvious psychopathology was detected. This gave rise to the dilemma of whether to consider this a real psychopathology and treat it, or to disregard this reported hallucination. No active treatment is being given to this patient at the moment. PMID:22698904

Guanidinoacetate methyltransferase deficiency: the first inborn error of creatine metabolism in man.

PubMed Central

Stöckler, S.; Isbrandt, D.; Hanefeld, F.; Schmidt, B.; von Figura, K.

1996-01-01

In two children with an accumulation of guanidinoacetate in brain and a deficiency of creatine in blood, a severe deficiency of guanidinoacetate methyltransferase (GAMT) activity was detected in the liver. Two mutant GAMT alleles were identified that carried a single base substitution within a 5' splice site or a 13-nt insertion and gave rise to four mutant transcripts. Three of the transcripts encode truncated polypeptides that lack a residue known to be critical for catalytic activity of GAMT. Deficiency of GAMT is the first inborn error of creatine metabolism. It causes a severe developmental delay and extrapyramidal symptoms in early infancy and is treatable by oral substitution with creatine. Images Figure 2 PMID:8651275

Polintons: a hotbed of eukaryotic virus, transposon and plasmid evolution

PubMed Central

Krupovic, Mart; Koonin, Eugene V.

2018-01-01

Polintons (also known as Mavericks) are large DNA transposons that are widespread in the genomes of eukaryotes. We have recently shown that Polintons encode virus capsid proteins, which suggests that these transposons might form virions, at least under some conditions. In this Opinion article, we delineate the evolutionary relationships among bacterial tectiviruses, Polintons, adenoviruses, virophages, large and giant DNA viruses of eukaryotes of the proposed order ‘Megavirales’, and linear mitochondrial and cytoplasmic plasmids. We hypothesize that Polintons were the first group of eukaryotic double-stranded DNA viruses to evolve from bacteriophages and that they gave rise to most large DNA viruses of eukaryotes and various other selfish genetic elements. PMID:25534808

Creating a business model from the traditional to global fashion: the regional Vianesa costume as inspiration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Broega, A. C.; Gonçalves, E.; Ribeiro, R.

2017-10-01

The great challenge of this century is the creation of new models of fashion business with sustainable principles. Therefore, it is intend to present in this paper the process that gave rise to a set of differentiated designs for fashion accessories. This paper presents the relationship of a set of concepts more or less interconnected, which brings together sustainability principles of social and cultural, besides the environmental dimension, exploring the cultural and intangible heritage of the Vianesa Costume. The Vianesa Costume reflects the culture of a people and has a high potential for innovation, from both technical and aesthetic point of view, in the sense of a more contemporary reading.

Making sense of modernity's maladies: health and disease in the Industrial Revolution.

PubMed

Brown, Michael

2006-09-01

The industrialization and urbanization of Britain during the 19th century gave the medical profession something to think about. In particular, were the radical changes taking place in society responsible for the sudden rise in endemic and epidemic disease? This article (part of the Science in the Industrial Revolution series) examines the reactions of two key figures in the history of British public health, James Philips Kay and Thomas Southwood Smith, to this question. Their outlooks typify the tendency of Victorian medical practitioners to construct economies of health that saw disease as a consequence of the violation of natural laws and cycles rather than as a product of industrial modernity.

Design of ortho-Substituted Donor-Acceptor Molecules as Highly Efficient Green Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescent Emitters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cha, Jae-Ryung; Gong, Myoung-Seon; Lee, Tak Jae; Ha, Tae Hoon; Lee, Chil Won

2018-04-01

The ortho-substituted donor-acceptor molecules 2-(4,6-diphenyl-1, 3, 5-triazin-2-yl)- N,Ndiphenylaniline (DPA- o-Trz) and 2-(4,6-diphenyl-1, 3, 5-triazine-2-yl)- N,N-di- p-tolylaniline (MPA- o-Trz) were designed, synthesized, and found to exhibit green fluorescence characteristics. Notably, the singlet-triplet energy gap was less than 0.1 eV, indicating that reverse intersystem crossing gave rise to thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF). The organic light-emitting device performance of MPA- o-Trz showed a high external quantum efficiency of 16.3% and good color stability from 0.1 cd/m2 to 5000 cd/m2.

Evolution of the rhodospirillaceae and mitochondria - A view based on sequence data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dayhoff, M. O.; Schwartz, R. M.

1981-01-01

New sequence data from several protein families and from 5S ribosomal RNA confirm and elaborate a previously proposed description of the phylogenetic connections between a variety of bacteria and the eukaryotes. Probably, the first organisms were nonphotosynthetic anaerobic prokaryotes, which were followed soon by photosynthetic anaerobes. From this photosynthetic stock, the aerobic line to Pseudomonadacae, Rhodospirillaceae, and blue-greens arose. The eukaryotes derived genetic material from the symbioses of at least three separate bacterial lines. Ancestors of Rhodopseudomonas globiformis gave rise to the eukaryote mitochondria, probably through at least three separate symbioses, one early on the flagellate line, one on the ciliate line, and one on the stem to the multicellular forms.

Marketing health education: advertising margarine and visualising health in Britain from 1964–c.2000

PubMed Central

Hand, Jane

2017-01-01

Abstract During the post-war period, margarine was re-conceptualised as a value-added product with distinct health benefits. This article contextualises the advertising of margarine as a healthy food, focusing on Unilever’s Flora brand as an important case study in legitimising the emergent role of disease prevention as a marketing tool. It uses the methodology of visual culture to examine how advertising employed chronic disease prevention as a selling tool. This article assesses how the post-war environment gave rise to new ways of visually advertising food, and how these promoted innovative visualisations of food, the body and their interactions with health. PMID:29348778

Infectious Bronchitis Virus Variants: Molecular Analysis and Pathogenicity Investigation

PubMed Central

Lin, Shu-Yi

2017-01-01

Infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) variants constantly emerge and pose economic threats to poultry farms worldwide. Numerous studies on the molecular and pathogenic characterization of IBV variants have been performed between 2007 and 2017, which we have reviewed herein. We noted that viral genetic mutations and recombination events commonly gave rise to distinct IBV genotypes, serotypes and pathotypes. In addition to characterizing the S1 genes, full viral genomic sequencing, comprehensive antigenicity, and pathogenicity studies on emerging variants have advanced our understanding of IBV infections, which is valuable for developing countermeasures against IBV field outbreaks. This review of IBV variants provides practical value for understanding their phylogenetic relationships and epidemiology from both regional and worldwide viewpoints. PMID:28937583

Topex/Poseidon: A United States/France mission. Oceanography from space: The oceans and climate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

The TOPEX/POSEIDON space mission, sponsored by NASA and France's space agency, the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES), will give new observations of the Earth from space to gain a quantitative understanding of the role of ocean currents in climate change. Rising atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide and other 'greenhouse gases' produced as a result of human activities could generate a global warming, followed by an associated rise in sea level. The satellite will use radar altimetry to measure sea-surface height and will be tracked by three independent systems to yield accurate topographic maps over the dimensions of entire ocean basins. The satellite data, together with the Tropical Ocean and Global Atmosphere (TOGA) program and the World Ocean Circulation Experiment (WOCE) measurements, will be analyzed by an international scientific team. By merging the satellite observations with TOGA and WOCE findings, the scientists will establish the extensive data base needed for the quantitative description and computer modeling of ocean circulation. The ocean models will eventually be coupled with atmospheric models to lay the foundation for predictions of global climate change.

X-ray irradiation activates K+ channels via H2O2 signaling.

PubMed

Gibhardt, Christine S; Roth, Bastian; Schroeder, Indra; Fuck, Sebastian; Becker, Patrick; Jakob, Burkhard; Fournier, Claudia; Moroni, Anna; Thiel, Gerhard

2015-09-09

Ionizing radiation is a universal tool in tumor therapy but may also cause secondary cancers or cell invasiveness. These negative side effects could be causally related to the human-intermediate-conductance Ca2+-activated-K+-channel (hIK), which is activated by X-ray irradiation and affects cell proliferation and migration. To analyze the signaling cascade downstream of ionizing radiation we use genetically encoded reporters for H2O2 (HyPer) and for the dominant redox-buffer glutathione (Grx1-roGFP2) to monitor with high spatial and temporal resolution, radiation-triggered excursions of H2O2 in A549 and HEK293 cells. The data show that challenging cells with ≥1 Gy X-rays or with UV-A laser micro-irradiation causes a rapid rise of H2O2 in the nucleus and in the cytosol. This rise, which is determined by the rate of H2O2 production and glutathione-buffering, is sufficient for triggering a signaling cascade that involves an elevation of cytosolic Ca2+ and eventually an activation of hIK channels.

X-ray irradiation activates K+ channels via H2O2 signaling

PubMed Central

Gibhardt, Christine S.; Roth, Bastian; Schroeder, Indra; Fuck, Sebastian; Becker, Patrick; Jakob, Burkhard; Fournier, Claudia; Moroni, Anna; Thiel, Gerhard

2015-01-01

Ionizing radiation is a universal tool in tumor therapy but may also cause secondary cancers or cell invasiveness. These negative side effects could be causally related to the human-intermediate-conductance Ca2+-activated-K+-channel (hIK), which is activated by X-ray irradiation and affects cell proliferation and migration. To analyze the signaling cascade downstream of ionizing radiation we use genetically encoded reporters for H2O2 (HyPer) and for the dominant redox-buffer glutathione (Grx1-roGFP2) to monitor with high spatial and temporal resolution, radiation-triggered excursions of H2O2 in A549 and HEK293 cells. The data show that challenging cells with ≥1 Gy X-rays or with UV-A laser micro-irradiation causes a rapid rise of H2O2 in the nucleus and in the cytosol. This rise, which is determined by the rate of H2O2 production and glutathione-buffering, is sufficient for triggering a signaling cascade that involves an elevation of cytosolic Ca2+ and eventually an activation of hIK channels. PMID:26350345

Constructing and dismantling frameworks of disease etiology: the rise and fall of sewer gas in America, 1870-1910.

PubMed Central

An, Perry G.

2004-01-01

For roughly forty years, from 1870 to 1910, Americans recognized and feared gases emanating from sewers, believing that they were responsible for causing an array of diseases. Fears of sewer gas arose from deeper anxieties toward contact with decomposing organic matter and the vapors emitted from such refuse. These anxieties were exacerbated by the construction of sewers across the country during the mid-to-late-nineteenth century, which concentrated waste emanations and connected homes to one another. The result was the birth of sewer gas and the attribution of sickness and death to it, as well as the development of a host of plumbing devices and, especially, bathroom fixtures, to combat sewer gas. The rise of the germ theory, laboratory science, and belief in disease specificity, however, transformed the threat of sewer gas, eventually replacing it (and the larger fear of miasmas) with the threat of germs. The germ theory framework, by 1910, proved more suitable than the sewer gas framework in explaining disease causation; it is this suitability that often shapes the relationship between science and society. PMID:15829149

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

Palmer, K.

If the price of electricity falls, consumption may well rise. Will air quality suffer as a result? That`s a distinct possibility, says Karen Palmer, a fellow at Resources for the Future in Washington, D.C. In the short run, companies may rely on dirtier, cheaper, coal-fired plants to respond to increased demand, Palmer says. Eventually, though, older plants will have to be retired, and they may be replaced with more efficient, natural-gas-fired units, or even renewable solar or wind-driven plants. {open_quotes}However, absent a rapid rise in the rate of growth of electricity demand, hastened introduction of new gas-fired or renewables facilitiesmore » is unlikely,{close_quotes} Palmer says. In the meantime, voluntary and mandatory caps on emissions will not necessarily be abandoned. For example, 37 Eastern states have banded together to cap emissions of nitrogen oxides and establish an emissions-trading program. {open_quotes}In short, regulations will continue to prompt a reduction in air-pollution levels regardless of the competitive pressures experienced by utilities in this new environment,{close_quotes} Palmer says.« less

Fever--an update.

PubMed

Becker, John H; Wu, Stephanie C

2010-01-01

Fever is an active yet nonspecific response of the body to infections and other insults that cause immune cells to release cytokines, resulting in a brain prostanoid-mediated rise in body temperature. The causes, types, clinical management, and postoperative consequences of fever are reviewed in this article. Physicians use fever as a clinical sign for diagnoses and prognoses, but "fevers of unknown origin" continue to be problematic. Fevers that arise 1 or 2 days after surgery are usually due to stress and trauma, but later postoperative fevers often have more serious causes and consequences, such as wound infection. Fever is commonly encountered by podiatric physicians and surgeons, and certain procedures with the lower extremity are more likely to eventuate in fever.

Elevated alpha-fetoprotein: differential diagnosis - hepatocellular carcinoma and other disorders.

PubMed

Wong, Robert J; Ahmed, Aijaz; Gish, Robert G

2015-05-01

The incidence of cirrhosis-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is rising. Curative surgical options are available; outcomes are acceptable with early diagnosis. Lens culinaris agglutinin-reactive fraction of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP-L3) and des-gamma-carboxy prothrombin (DCP) are HCC risk markers. A high or increasing serum biomarker level can be predictive of the eventual development of HCC, large tumor size, advanced stage, extrahepatic metastases, portal vein thrombosis, and postoperative HCC recurrence. Based on FDA guidelines for HCC risk assessment, clinicians can consider using either the combination of AFP-L3 with DCP, or the combination of AFP-L3 with AFP and DCP. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Getting over "the problem of other minds": communication in context.

PubMed

Costall, Alan; Leudar, Ivan

2007-05-01

Theories of communication often assume that communication has a single, essential form or telos, the culmination of a one-track developmental process where precursors eventually give rise to the real thing. At one time, this essence of communication was identified with linguistic competence, whereas now it is largely defined in terms of "Theory of Mind." But the fundamental problem with "Theory of Mind" is the very problem it pretends to solve: "the problem of other minds."That problem, as formulated, is insoluble, even with the aid of theory or innate modules. In this article, we reject the superficial depth psychology of "Theory of Mind" in favour of a breadth psychology based on context.

Natural history of chronic hepatitis B virus infection.

PubMed

Busch, Katrin; Thimme, Robert

2015-02-01

Hepatitis B virus infection represents a major global health problem. Currently, there are more than 240 million chronically infected people worldwide. The development of chronic hepatitis B virus-mediated liver disease may lead to liver fibrosis, cirrhosis and eventually hepatocellular carcinoma. Recently, the discovery of the viral entry receptor sodium taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide has facilitated new approaches for a better understanding of viral physiopathology. Hopefully, these novel insights may give rise to the development of more effective antiviral therapy concepts during the next years. In this review, we will discuss the natural history of hepatitis B virus infection including the viral biology, the clinical course of infection and the role of the immune response.

Deformation-induced changes in hydraulic head during ground-water withdrawal

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hsieh, Paul A.

1996-01-01

Ground-water withdrawal from a confined or semiconfined aquifer causes three-dimensional deformation in the pumped aquifer and in adjacent layers (overlying and underlying aquifers and aquitards). In response to the deformation, hydraulic head in the adjacent layers could rise or fall almost immediately after the start of pumping. This deformation-induced effect suggest that an adjacent layer undergoes horizontal compression and vertical extension when pumping begins. Hydraulic head initially drops in a region near the well and close to the pumped aquifer, but rises outside this region. Magnitude of head change varies from a few centimeters to more than 10 centimeters. Factors that influence the development of deformation-induced effects includes matrix rigidity (shear modulus), the arrangement of aquifer and aquitards, their thicknesses, and proximity to land surface. Induced rise in hydraulic head is prominent in an aquitard that extends from land surface to a shallow pumped aquifer. Induced drop in hydraulic head is likely observed close to the well in an aquifer that is separated from the pumped aquifer by a relatively thin aquitard. Induced effects might last for hours in an aquifer, but could persist for many days in an aquitard. Induced effects are eventually dissipated by fluid flow from regions of higher head to regions of lower head, and by propagation of drawdown from the pumped aquifer into adjacent layers.

Transient effects of sudden changes of heat load in a naturally ventilated room

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caulfield, C. P.; Bower, D. J.; Fitzgerald, S.; Woods, A. W.

2006-11-01

Using reduced numerical models and small-scale laboratory experiments, we investigate the transient effects of changing isolated heat loads discontinuously within a large, ventilated space. We consider the emptying filling box (with high and low openings) driven by a single isolated source of buoyancy. The original steady state consists of a buoyant layer, whose depth (for the simplest case of a point source plume) is determined by the geometric properties of the room alone. When the buoyancy flux of the source is increased, a new layer `fills' the room from the top with a more buoyant layer. The original layer disappears due to entrainment by the rising plume. The behaviour is qualitatively different when the source buoyancy flux is decreased. In this case, the rising plume fluid is now relatively dense, and so it inevitably collapses back to `intrude' below the original layer. In this case, the original layer disappears due to both draining through the upper opening, and penetrative entrainment by the dense plume. We compare the predictions of three numerical models using different penetrative entrainment parametrizations to a sequence of laboratory experiments. This entrainment reduces the density of the intruding layer, and so the rising plume eventually stalls, and no longer reaches the (draining) original layer. We demonstrate that it is necessary to consider the transient effects of penetrative entrainment when the reduction in source buoyancy flux is sufficiently small.

Geodynamic processes and deformation in orogenic belts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dennis, John G.; Jacoby, Wolfgang R.

1980-03-01

The development of geosynclines and orogenic belts is related to lithosphere convergence. Initial sediment accumulation implying subsidence, and volcanic activity implying extension and rise of geotherms, are in most cases followed by folding and thrusting suggesting compression and by uplift. In terms of recent analogs, sediment accumulation and crustal extension are characteristic of back-arc spreading; subsequent compression would indicate continent—continent collision; and rise of geotherms most likely requires localized thermal flow (convection) in the asthenosphere. These events are here shown to agree with Andrews and Sleep's (1974) numerical model of asthenosphere flow at converging plate margins. Orthogeosynclinal subsidence appears to be a consequence of subcrustal ablation and lithosphere extension and thinning in active marginal basins. Arc and Andean type magmatism mark the reappearance of ablated and transported, relatively low-density subcrustal material. Collision slows and eventually stops the local convection cell, resulting in local heat accumulation and hence high- T, low- P metamorphism and granitization while marginal basin (orthogeosynclinal) deposits are being compressed into Alpine style orogenic structures. Moreover, closing of the marginal basin leads to subsidiary subduction, which in turn may be responsible for some Alpine style structures. Oceanic trench deposits may become incorporated in orogenic zones, as high- P, low- T metamorphic belts (thalassogeosynclines). Dynamic uplift is a fundamental characteristic of orogeny. Most rising and sinking in orogenic zones can be linked to those asthenosphere processes which are a consequence of Andrews-Sleep convection.

Does wildfire cause cascading effects on aquatic C cycling? A study of soil, well and lake DOC composition and bio/photolability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olefeldt, D.; Turetsky, M. R.; Devito, K. J.; Blodau, C.

2012-12-01

In May 2011 a wildfire broke out north of Utikuma Lake in central Alberta, Canada, which eventually burned an area of ~880 km2. Wildfire alters soil properties, potentially altering the chemical composition of terrestrial DOC that reaches downstream aquatic environments. In order to study the potential effects of wildfire on lake carbon cycling, we sampled and incubated DOC from soil samples (n=52), wells (n=35) and lakes (n=32) from within and outside the recent fire perimeter. We incubated the DOC samples under both dark and UV conditions to assess both bio- and photolability, and followed DOC composition throughout the incubations by measuring DOC absorbing and fluorescing properties. A strong effect of wildfire was found among DOC samples leached from surface peatland and upland soils - with fire yielding increased DOC aromaticity associated with decreased biodegradability but also increased photolability. Parallel factor analysis of fluorescence matrices revealed distinct regions that were associated with DOC leached from charred soils, potentially linked to their lower biodegradability. Dark and UV conditions gave rise to very different trajectories of changes to DOC composition throughout incubations, with preferential losses of non-aromatic DOC under dark conditions and aromatic DOC under UV conditions. The DOC composition index that was found to best predict both DOC bio- and photolability was specific UV absorbance, which is also a very simple and quick index to measure. For lakes, we found that the primary influences on DOC composition and bio-/photolability was linked to lake size and hydrogeological setting (whether located on a lacustrine clay plain or in a moraine/outwash region) that controls groundwater influence and the hydrological connectivity to adjacent peatlands. Further analysis of well and lake water incubations will be used to detect whether wildfire can be detected to have a subtle secondary effect on DOC composition and lability or if the potential for cascading effects on lake C cycling due to altered soil DOC sources remain unrealized in the study region.

Challenging cultural constraints: a personal testimony.

PubMed

Clayton, L

1995-02-01

DISHA is one of the oldest Oxfam project partners in Uttar Pradesh, India. DISHA works with rural women and rope-makers; it encourages village-level women's organizations to fight against obstacles to women's empowerment and to institute income-producing activities; and it provides legal, educational, and health care services. In this article, a Muslim woman tells the story of her involvement with DISHA and how that involvement gave her the courage to reject the restrictions of purdah and of the wearing of the bourkha. This woman was married at age 13. She suffered ill treatment at the house of her in-laws and returned to her father's home with her 3 daughters. Her husband eventually joined her at her father's house. She was approached by a coordinator of DISHA and asked to apply for a job. She was offered the job, which she accepted. When she started going into the villages, she felt that the restrictive dress of the bourkha interfered with her ability to work. With the permission of her father and her husband, she set aside the bourkha. She had to endure criticism and censure for this action, but eventually people have been won over to her position as they have seen the positive results of her work on behalf of society. After having 5 daughters, she finally had a son. Now she is determined that her daughters will never wear the bourkha, even if they must remain single as a result of this resolve. She feels that DISHA has given her the power to overcome oppression in her own life, in the life of her family, and in society.

Biosynthesis of l-Ascorbic Acid and Conversion of Carbons 1 and 2 of l-Ascorbic Acid to Oxalic Acid Occurs within Individual Calcium Oxalate Crystal Idioblasts1

PubMed Central

Kostman, Todd A.; Tarlyn, Nathan M.; Loewus, Frank A.; Franceschi, Vincent R.

2001-01-01

l-Ascorbic acid (AsA) and its metabolic precursors give rise to oxalic acid (OxA) found in calcium oxalate crystals in specialized crystal idioblast cells in plants; however, it is not known if AsA and OxA are synthesized within the crystal idioblast cell or transported in from surrounding mesophyll cells. Isolated developing crystal idioblasts from Pistia stratiotes were used to study the pathway of OxA biosynthesis and to determine if idioblasts contain the entire path and are essentially independent in OxA synthesis. Idioblasts were supplied with various 14C-labeled compounds and examined by micro-autoradiography for incorporation of 14C into calcium oxalate crystals. [14C]OxA gave heavy labeling of crystals, indicating the isolated idioblasts are functional in crystal formation. Incubation with [1-14C]AsA also gave heavy labeling of crystals, whereas [6-14C]AsA gave no labeling. Labeled precursors of AsA (l-[1-14C]galactose; d-[1-14C]mannose) also resulted in crystal labeling, as did the ascorbic acid analog, d-[1-14C]erythorbic acid. Intensity of labeling of isolated idioblasts followed the pattern OxA > AsA (erythorbic acid) > l-galactose > d-mannose. Our results demonstrate that P. stratiotes crystal idioblasts synthesize the OxA used for crystal formation, the OxA is derived from the number 1 and 2 carbons of AsA, and the proposed pathway of ascorbic acid synthesis via d-mannose and l-galactose is operational in individual P. stratiotes crystal idioblasts. These results are discussed with respect to fine control of calcium oxalate precipitation and the concept of crystal idioblasts as independent physiological compartments. PMID:11161021

Role and Involvement of Life End Information Forum Physicians in Euthanasia and Other End-of-Life Care Decisions in Flanders, Belgium

PubMed Central

Van Wesemael, Yanna; Cohen, Joachim; Onwuteaka-Philipsen, Bregje D; Bilsen, Johan; Distelmans, Wim; Deliens, Luc

2009-01-01

Objective To describe role and involvement of Life End Information Forum (LEIF) physicians in end-of-life care decisions and euthanasia in Flanders. Study Design All 132 LEIF physicians in Belgium received a questionnaire inquiring about their activities in the past year, and their end-of-life care training and experience. Principal Findings Response rate was 75 percent. Most respondents followed substantive training in end-of-life care. In 1 year, LEIF physicians were contacted 612 times for consultations in end-of-life decisions, of which 355 concerned euthanasia requests eventually resulting in 221 euthanasia cases. LEIF physicians also gave information about various end-of-life issues (including palliative care) to patients and colleagues. Conclusions LEIF physicians provide a forum for information and advice for physicians and patients. A similar health service providing support to physicians for all end-of-life decisions could also be beneficial for countries without a euthanasia law. PMID:19780854

Impact of amylases on biopolymer dynamics during storage of straight-dough wheat bread.

PubMed

Bosmans, Geertrui M; Lagrain, Bert; Fierens, Ellen; Delcour, Jan A

2013-07-03

When Bacillus stearothermophilus α-amylase (BStA), Pseudomonas saccharophila α-amylase (PSA), or Bacillus subtilis α-amylase (BSuA) was added to a bread recipe to impact bread firming, amylose crystal formation was facilitated, leading to lower initial crumb resilience. Bread loaves that best retained their quality were those obtained when BStA was used. The enzyme hindered formation of an extended starch network, resulting in less water immobilization and smaller changes in crumb firmness and resilience. BSuA led to extensive degradation of the starch network during bread storage with release of immobilized water, eventually resulting in partial structure collapse and poor crumb resilience. The most important effect of PSA was an increased bread volume, resulting in smaller changes in crumb firmness and resilience. A negative linear relation was found between NMR proton mobilities of water and biopolymers in the crumb and crumb firmness. The slope of that relation gave an indication of the strength of the starch network.

Misalignment of disposable pulse oximeter probes results in false saturation readings that influence anesthetic management.

PubMed

Guan, Zhonghui; Baker, Keith; Sandberg, Warren S

2009-11-01

We report a small case series in which misaligned disposable pulse oximeter sensors gave falsely low saturation readings. In each instance, the sensor performed well during preinduction oxygen administration and the early part of the case, most notably by producing a plethysmographic trace rated as high quality by the oximeter software. The reported pulse oximeter oxygen saturation eventually decreased to concerning levels in each instance, but the anesthesiologists, relying on the reported high-quality signal, initially sought other causes for apparent hypoxia. They undertook maneuvers and diagnostic procedures later deemed unnecessary. When the malpositioned sensors were discovered and repositioned, the apparent hypoxia was quickly relieved in each case. We then undertook a survey of disposable oximeter sensors as patients entered the recovery room, and discovered malposition of more than 1 cm in approximately 20% of all sensors, without apparent consequence. We conclude that the technology is quite robust, but that the diagnosis of apparent hypoxia should include a quick check of oximeter position early on.

Viability qPCR, a new tool for Legionella risk management.

PubMed

Lizana, X; López, A; Benito, S; Agustí, G; Ríos, M; Piqué, N; Marqués, A M; Codony, F

2017-11-01

Viability quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (v-qPCR) is a recent analytical approach for only detecting live microorganisms by DNA amplification-based methods This approach is based on the use of a reagent that irreversibly fixes dead cells DNA. In this study, we evaluate the utility of v-qPCR versus culture method for Legionellosis risk management. The present study was performed using 116 real samples. Water samples were simultaneously analysed by culture, v-qPCR and qPCR methods. Results were compared by means of a non-parametric test. In 11.6% of samples using both methods (culture method and v-qPCR) results were positive, in 50.0% of samples both methods gave rise to negative results. As expected, equivalence between methods was not observed in all cases, as in 32.1% of samples positive results were obtained by v-qPCR and all of them gave rise to negative results by culture. Only in 6.3% of samples, with very low Legionella levels, was culture positive and v-qPCR negative. In 3.5% of samples, overgrowth of other bacteria did not allow performing the culture. When comparing both methods, significant differences between culture and v-qPCR were in the samples belonging to the cooling towers-evaporative condensers group. The v-qPCR method detected greater presence and obtained higher concentrations of Legionella spp. (p<0.001). Otherwise, no significant differences between methods were found in the rest of the groups. The v-qPCR method can be used as a quick tool to evaluate Legionellosis risk, especially in cooling towers-evaporative condensers, where this technique can detect higher levels than culture. The combined interpretation of PCR results along with the ratio of live cells is proposed as a tool for understanding the sample context and estimating the Legionellosis risk potential according to 4 levels of hierarchy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Effect of grinding intensity and pelleting of the diet on indoor particulate matter concentrations and growth performance of weanling pigs.

PubMed

Ulens, T; Demeyer, P; Ampe, B; Van Langenhove, H; Millet, S

2015-02-01

This study evaluated the effect of feed form and grinding intensity of the pig diet and the interaction between both on the particulate matter (PM) concentrations inside a pig nursery and the growth performances of weanling pigs. Four diets were compared: finely ground meal, coarsely ground meal, finely ground pellets, and coarsely ground pellets. Four weaning rounds with 144 pigs per weaning round, divided over 4 identical compartments, were monitored. Within each weaning round, each compartment was randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatments. A hammer mill with a screen of 1.5 or 6 mm was used to grind the ingredients of the finely ground and coarsely ground feeds, respectively. Indoor concentrations of the following PM fractions were measured: PM that passes through a size-selective inlet with a 50 % efficiency cutoff at 10 (PM10) , 2.5 (PM2.5), or 1 (PM1) μm aerodynamic diameter, respectively (USEPA, 2004). Feeding pelleted diets instead of meal diets gave rise to higher PM10 (P < 0.001), PM2.5 (P < 0.001), and PM1 (P < 0.001) concentrations. Grinding intensity had an effect only on PM10 (P < 0.05) concentrations. No interaction between feed form and grinding intensity was found for any of the PM fractions. Interactions (P < 0.05) between feed form and grinding intensity on ADFI and ADG were found. Grinding intensity had an effect only on the meal diets with higher ADFI for the coarsely ground meal. Pigs fed the finely ground meal had a lower (P < 0.001) ADG than the other 3 diets. Feed efficiency was influenced only by the feed form (P < 0.001) and not by the grinding intensity. Pelleting the feed gave rise to a higher G:F. In conclusion, a contradiction between environmental concerns and performance results was found. Feeding pelleted diets to the piglets improved growth performance but also increased indoor PM concentrations.

[From apprenticeship to Nobel Prize: Henri Moissan's fabulous destiny].

PubMed

Lafont, O

2008-01-01

Born in Paris on September 28, 1852, son of an eastern railways' employee and of a dressmaker, Henri Moissan's secondary schooling in Meaux did not allow him to get access to the sesame diploma "baccalauréat" (GCE). In 1869, he did obtain a special certificate of secondary schooling so that he could become an apprentice in watch making. That could have been the end of the story, but dreadful event for France appeared to have beneficial effects for Moissan. Under the threat of the Prussian army, Moissan's family took refuge near Paris. This gave the young Henri the opportunity to register as a student for the second-class pharmacy diploma, which did not need, at the time, the GCE. Moissan became then a trainee in pharmacy in 1871. Meanwhile, he followed the special schooling of "Ecole de chimie" founded by E. Frémy, and then joined the laboratory of Dehérain at the Museum, where he worked in plant physiology. He finally obtained the famous "baccalauréat" (GCE) and could register as a student in first-class pharmacy. He became a pharmacist as well as a doctor in sciences. In 1883, Moissan was named professor at the school of pharmacy in Paris. In 1886, he isolated fluorine by electrolysis of fluorhydric acid, in the presence of potassium fluoride, at a low temperature. He then studied diamond synthesis and gave a start to high temperature chemistry, designing his famous furnace. These findings and many others allowed Moissan to rise to membership in many learned academies around the world. Crowning achievement, Moissan won the Nobel Prize in 1906. A man of culture, collector of autographs and paintings, he died in 1907. Nothing of that would have been possible if there had not been a second-class pharmacist diploma. The history of Henri Moissan is one of a rise from apprenticeship to the Nobel Prize.

Garnet clinopyroxenite layers from the mantle sequences of the Northern Apennine ophiolites (Italy): Evidence for recycling of crustal material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Montanini, A.; Tribuzio, R.; Thirlwall, M.

2012-10-01

This study aims to define the origin of garnet clinopyroxenite layers from the mantle sequences of the External Ligurian ophiolites. These mantle sequences retain a subcontinental origin and were exposed at a Jurassic ocean-continent transition. The garnet clinopyroxenites are mafic rocks with Mg# values of 66-71. Their chondrite-normalised REE patterns are characterised by severe LREE depletion (CeN/SmN=0.1-0.2) and nearly flat (Type-A pyroxenites) to moderately enriched HREE (Type-B pyroxenites). In addition, Type-A pyroxenites display a small positive Eu anomaly. The whole-rock REE variations are paralleled by the garnet REE compositions. We attribute the major and trace element characteristics of the garnet clinopyroxenites to recycling of gabbroic protoliths that underwent partial melting under eclogite facies conditions. The garnet clinopyroxenites may represent variably evolved garnet+clinopyroxene cumulates formed by eclogite-derived melts. In an alternative hypothesis, Type-A and -B pyroxenites are residual rocks after eclogite melting and cumulates derived from the eclogite melts, respectively. The high pressure fractionation event that gave rise to the garnet clinopyroxenites is considered of Triassic age on the basis of Sm-Nd and Lu-Hf isotope correlations. The Nd-Hf isotopic compositions of the garnet clinopyroxenites in the Triassic (ɛNd=+4.7 to +7.6, ɛHf=+4.4 to +12.8) lie below the mantle array, in agreement with recycled ancient MOR-type material. The oxygen isotopic composition of garnet and clinopyroxene from the garnet clinopyroxenites (δ18O=+4.9‰ to +5.2‰) may be reconciled with subduction-related recycling of the lowermost oceanic crust, or delamination and foundering of underplated gabbros from the continental lithosphere. The potential involvement of the garnet clinopyroxenites in the melting processes that gave rise to the MOR-type oceanic crust in the Jurassic would account for the moderate Nd isotope variability and the garnet geochemical signature of the ophiolitic basalts.

Retinal and anterior eye compartments derive from a common progenitor pool in the avian optic cup

PubMed Central

Venters, Sara J.; Cuenca, Paulina D.

2011-01-01

Purpose The optic cup is created through invagination of the optic vesicle. The morphogenetic rearrangement creates a double-layered cup, with a hinge (the Optic Cup Lip) where the epithelium bends back upon itself. Shortly after the optic cup forms, it is thought to be sub-divided into separate lineages: i) pigmented epithelium in the outer layer; ii) presumptive iris and ciliary body at the most anterior aspect of the inner layer; and iii) presumptive neural retina in the remainder of the inner layer. We test the native developmental potential of the anterior cup to determine if it normally contributes to the retina. Methods Vital dye and green fluorescent protein (GFP) expressing replication-incompetent retroviral vectors were used to label cells in the nascent optic cup and follow their direct progeny throughout development. Label was applied to either the optic cup lip (n=40), or to the domain just posterior to the lip (n=20). Retroviral labeling is a permanent lineage marker and enabled the analysis of advanced stages of development. Results Labeling within the optic cup gave rise to labeled progeny in the posterior optic cup that differentiated as neural retina (20 of 20). In contrast, labeling cells in the optic cup lip gave rise to progeny of labeled cells arrayed in a linear progression, from the lip into the neural retina (36 of 40). Label was retained in cells at the optic cup lip, regardless of age at examination. In older embryos, labeled progeny delaminated from the optic cup lip to differentiate as muscle of the pupillary margin. Conclusions The data show that the cells at the optic cup lip are a common progenitor population for pigmented epithelium, anterior eye tissues (ciliary body, iris, and pupillary muscle) and retinal neurons. The findings are supportive of an interpretation where the optic cup lip is a specialized niche containing a multipotent progenitor population. PMID:22219630

Methylation of nuclear proteins by dimethylnitrosamine and by methionine in the rat in vivo

PubMed Central

Turberville, C.; Craddock, V. M.

1971-01-01

1. The incorporation of methyl groups into histones from dimethylnitrosamine and from methionine was studied by injection of the labelled compounds, isolation of rat liver and kidney histones, and analysis of hydrolysates by column chromatography. 2. Labelled methionine gave rise to labelled ∈-N-methyl-lysine, di-∈-N-methyl-lysine and an amino acid presumed to be ω-N-methyl-arginine. 3. Administration of labelled dimethylnitrosamine gave rise to labelled S-methylcysteine, 1-methylhistidine, 3-methylhistidine and ∈-N-methyl-lysine derived from the alkylating metabolite of dimethylnitrosamine. In addition, labelled formaldehyde released by metabolism of dimethylnitrosamine leads to the formation of labelled S-adenosylmethionine, and hence to labelling of ∈-N-methyl-lysine, di-∈-N-methyl-lysine and ω-N-methylarginine by enzymic methylation. 4. The formation of ∈-N-methyl-lysine by alkylation of liver histones was confirmed by using doubly labelled dimethylnitrosamine to discriminate between direct chemical alkylation and enzymic methylation via S-adenosylmethionine. These experiments also suggested the possibility that methionine residues in the histones were alkylated to give methylmethionine sulphonium residues. 5. The extent of alkylation of liver histones was maximal at about 5h after dosing and declined between 5 and 24h. The methylated amino acids resulting from direct chemical alkylation were preferentially lost: this is ascribed to necrosis of the more highly alkylated cells. 6. Liver histones were about four times as alkylated as kidney histones; the extent of alkylation of liver histones was similar to that of liver total nuclear proteins. 7. Methyl methanesulphonate (120mg/kg) alkylated liver histones to a greater extent than did dimethylnitrosamine. Diethylnitrosamine also alkylated liver histones. 8. The results are discussed with regard to the possible effects of alkylation on histone function, and the possible role of histone alkylation in carcinogenesis by the three compounds. PMID:5131729

Magma Interactions in Rhyolite Reservoirs Caused by Injection of New Rhyolitic Liquid: Results From Analogue Modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Girard, G.; Stix, J.

2006-12-01

Recharge of magma chambers by new inputs of magma is often identified as a trigger for eruptions. However, most studies to date have been carried out on mafic to intermediate composition melts replenishing mafic to silicic reservoirs, often with large compositional differences. Here we focus on rhyolites at large silicic centers such as Yellowstone where no differentiated material other than rhyolite is erupted. We investigate the behavior of rhyolite magma intruding reservoirs of similar composition and temperature, by using analogue experiments with water/corn syrup solutions as analogue magma. The density and viscosity of these solutions range from 1130 to 1320 kg m-3 and 0.008 to 8 Pa s, respectively. The fate of the injected liquid is mainly controlled by the density difference between the injected and resident liquids. Intruding material denser than resident liquid is not able to rise into the reservoir, instead building a flat basal layer or a cone above the discharge point. No further interaction such as mixing occurs. Buoyant injected material rises vertically to the top of the reservoir, also with little interaction involving resident liquid during its ascent. The injected fluid eventually spreads at the top of the reservoir, followed by mixing with the resident phase through the entire reservoir. Variables such as injection rate and viscosity mostly influence the timing and duration of this sequence of events, without changing the final result. The presence of a basal crystal mush, modeled by adding Elvacite plastic grains of 0.15 mm diameter with a density of 1160 kg m-3, does not influence the behavior of a slightly buoyant injection; the injected fluid creates its own path through the mush, eventually rising to the top of the liquid upper part of the reservoir. At the beginning of the injection, however, the intruding liquid must establish a path through the mush. At this stage, the intruding fluid violently entrains substantial numbers of particles which travel through the liquid upper part of the reservoir together with the intruding plume. The particles then travel laterally a short distance and settle towards the mush. These experiments show that injected melt may not be easily distinguished from resident melt due to their similar compositions and mixing processes. However, the remobilization of a basal mush by intruding magma has key implications with regard to crystals in upper layers of magma reservoirs. If the crystals are erupted before settling, they will bear the imprint of strong pressure and temperature changes they have undergone during entrainment by the rising replenishing magma. These entrainment processes may be manifested by dissolution and/or overgrowth features, while the higher pressure at which the crystals first formed will be reflected by a core composition typical of deeper environments.

Fibrous Protein Structures: Hierarchy, History and Heroes.

PubMed

Squire, John M; Parry, David A D

2017-01-01

During the 1930s and 1940s the technique of X-ray diffraction was applied widely by William Astbury and his colleagues to a number of naturally-occurring fibrous materials. On the basis of the diffraction patterns obtained, he observed that the structure of each of the fibres was dominated by one of a small number of different types of molecular conformation. One group of fibres, known as the k-m-e-f group of proteins (keratin - myosin - epidermin - fibrinogen), gave rise to diffraction characteristics that became known as the α-pattern. Others, such as those from a number of silks, gave rise to a different pattern - the β-pattern, while connective tissues yielded a third unique set of diffraction characteristics. At the time of Astbury's work, the structures of these materials were unknown, though the spacings of the main X-ray reflections gave an idea of the axial repeats and the lateral packing distances. In a breakthrough in the early 1950s, the basic structures of all of these fibrous proteins were determined. It was found that the long protein chains, composed of strings of amino acids, could be folded up in a systematic manner to generate a limited number of structures that were consistent with the X-ray data. The most important of these were known as the α-helix, the β-sheet, and the collagen triple helix. These studies provided information about the basic building blocks of all proteins, both fibrous and globular. They did not, however, provide detailed information about how these molecules packed together in three-dimensions to generate the fibres found in vivo. A number of possible packing arrangements were subsequently deduced from the X-ray diffraction and other data, but it is only in the last few years, through the continued improvements of electron microscopy, that the packing details within some fibrous proteins can now be seen directly. Here we outline briefly some of the milestones in fibrous protein structure determination, the role of the amino acid sequences and how new techniques, including electron microscopy, are helping to define fibrous protein structures in three-dimensions. We also introduce the idea that, from the known sequence characteristics of different fibrous proteins, new molecules can be designed and synthesized, thereby generating new biological materials with specific structural properties. Some of these, for example, are planned for use in drug delivery systems. Along the way we also introduce the various Chapters of the book, where individual fibrous proteins are discussed in detail.

The structural and functional characteristics of tectospinal neurons in the golden hamster.

PubMed

Rhoades, R W; Mooney, R D; Klein, B G; Jacquin, M F; Szczepanik, A M; Chiaia, N L

1987-01-15

Intracellular recording and horseradish peroxidase (HRP) injection techniques were used to delineate the structural and functional characteristics of the superior collicular cells in the hamster, which could be antidromically activated from the first cervical segment of the spinal cord. Thirty-one such neurons were characterized, filled with HRP, and recovered. Complete physiological data were obtained from another 21 tectospinal cells for which anatomical data were sufficient only to define the laminar location of the cell body from which recordings were made. Of the total sample of 52 cells, 7.7% had their somata in the stratum griseum intermediale (SGI), 50% were in the stratum album intermedium (SAI), 36.5% were in the stratum griseum profundum (SGP), and 5.8% were in the stratum album profundum (SAP). The tectospinal cells were fairly uniform morphologically. They had large (27.7 +/- 5.5 microns diameter) cell bodies, which gave rise to an average of 6.7 +/- 1.2 primary dendrites. These were generally smooth and extended up to 500 microns away from the cell body. In many cases, they ascended out of the deep laminae into the stratum opticum (SO) and/or stratum griseum superficiale (SGS). The axons of TS cells averaged 3.4 +/- 0.8 microns in diameter, and they generally coursed radially to the SAP where they curved around the periaqueductal gray and entered the predorsal bundle. These axons often gave rise to collaterals that arborized in the deep laminae of the ipsilateral superior colliculus and subjacent reticular formation. The tectospinal cells were also fairly uniform physiologically. Their average conduction latency was 2.0 +/- 2.3 ms, and this variable had a strong negative correlation (-.81) with axon diameter for the recovered cells. Most (63.5%) of the TS cells were exclusively somatosensory and gave rapidly adapting responses to deflection of vibrissae and/or guard hairs; 7.7% were bimodal (visual-somatosensory); 11.5% had complex (Rhoades et al., '83) somatosensory receptive fields; 1.9% were discharged only by a noxious pinch, and 15.4% were unresponsive. A common feature of all bimodal tectospinal neurons was dendrites that extended at least as far dorsally as the SO. Whereas there were no other clear-cut correlations between the structural and functional characteristics of these tectal neurons, we did note that all of the cells with complex somatosensory receptive fields received inhibitory input from axons that either originated from, or passed through, the contralateral superior colliculus.

Anti-tobacco control industry strategies in Turkey.

PubMed

Keklik, Seda; Gultekin-Karakas, Derya

2018-02-26

Transnational tobacco companies (TTCs) penetrated the Turkish cigarette market due to trade and investment liberalization in the post-1980 period and eventually secured full control. Despite tobacco control policies put in place in reaction to accelerating consumption, TTCs reinforced their market power through a variety of strategies. This paper explores industry strategies that counteract tobacco control policies in Turkey. The study employs both qualitative and quantitative analyses to explore industry strategies in Turkey. Besides the content analyses of industry and market reports, descriptive analyses were conducted for the sub-periods of 1999-2015. The analyses focus on the market strategies of product innovation, advertisement-promotion, cost management and pricing. Rising sales of low tar, ultra-low tar, slim, super-slim and flavoured cigarettes indicate that product innovation served to sustain consumption. Besides, the tobacco industry, using its strong distribution channels, the Internet, and CSR projects, were found to have promoted smoking indirectly. The industry also rationalized manufacturing facilities and reduced the cost of tobacco, making Turkey a cigarette-manufacturing base. Tobacco manufacturers, moreover, offered cigarettes in different price segments and adjusted net prices both up and down according to price categories and market conditions. In response to the successful effect of shifts in price margins, the market share of mid-priced cigarettes expanded while those within the economy category maintained the highest market share. As a result of pricing strategies, net sales revenues increased. Aside from official cigarette sales, the upward trends in the registered and unregistered sales of cigarette substitutes indicate that the demand-side tobacco control efforts remain inadequate. The Turkish case reveals that the resilience of the tobacco industry vis-à-vis mainstream tobacco control efforts necessitates a new policy perspective. Rising market concentration by TTCs and the global nature of industry strategies require that the highly profitable manufacturing and trade of tobacco products should be discouraged on a basis of international collaboration. To reduce and eventually eradicate tobacco consumption, supply-side tobacco control measures are needed along with demand-side policies.

GLI1+ progenitor cells in the adrenal capsule of the adult mouse give rise to heterotopic gonadal-like tissue.

PubMed

Dörner, Julia; Martinez Rodriguez, Verena; Ziegler, Ricarda; Röhrig, Theresa; Cochran, Rebecca S; Götz, Ronni M; Levin, Mark D; Pihlajoki, Marjut; Heikinheimo, Markku; Wilson, David B

2017-02-05

As certain strains of mice age, hyperplastic lesions resembling gonadal tissue accumulate beneath the adrenal capsule. Gonadectomy (GDX) accelerates this heterotopic differentiation, resulting in the formation of wedge-shaped adrenocortical neoplasms that produce sex steroids. Stem/progenitor cells that reside in the adrenal capsule and retain properties of the adrenogonadal primordium are thought to be the source of this heterotopic tissue. Here, we demonstrate that GLI1 + progenitors in the adrenal capsule give rise to gonadal-like cells that accumulate in the subcapsular region. A tamoxifen-inducible Cre driver (Gli1-creER T2 ) and two reporters (R26R-lacZ, R26R-confetti) were used to track the fate of GLI1 + cells in the adrenal glands of B6D2F2 mice, a strain that develops both GDX-induced adrenocortical neoplasms and age-dependent subcapsular cell hyperplasia. In gonadectomized B6D2F2 mice GLI1 + progenitors contributed to long-lived adrenal capsule cells and to adrenocortical neoplasms that expressed Gata4 and Foxl2, two prototypical gonadal markers. Pdgfra, a gene expressed in adrenocortical stromal cells, was upregulated in the GDX-induced neoplasms. In aged non-gonadectomized B6D2F2 mice GLI1 + progenitors gave rise to patches of subcapsular cell hyperplasia. Treatment with GANT61, a small-molecule GLI antagonist, attenuated the upregulation of gonadal-like markers (Gata4, Amhr2, Foxl2) in response to GDX. These findings support the premise that GLI1 + progenitor cells in the adrenal capsule of the adult mouse give rise to heterotopic tissue. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Vegetation history since the last glacial maximum in the Ozark highlands (USA): A new record from Cupola Pond, Missouri

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jones, Rachel A.; Williams, John W.; Jackson, Stephen T.

2017-01-01

The timing and drivers of vegetation dynamics and formation of no-analog plant communities during the last deglaciation in the unglaciated southeastern US are poorly understood. We present a multi-proxy record spanning the past 19,800 years from Cupola Pond in the Ozarks Mountains, consisting of replicate high-resolution pollen records, 25 AMS radiocarbon dates, and macrofossil, charcoal, and coprophilous spore analyses. Full-glacial Pinus and Picea forests gave way to no-analog vegetation after 17,400 yr BP, followed by development of Quercus-dominated Holocene forests, with late Holocene rises in Pinus and Nyssa. Vegetation transitions, replicated in different cores, are closely linked to hemispheric climate events. Rising Quercus abundances coincide with increasing Northern Hemisphere temperatures and CO2 at 17,500 yr BP, declining Pinus and Picea at 14,500 yr BP are near the Bølling-Allerød onset, and rapid decline of Fraxinus and rise of Ostrya/Carpinus occur 12,700 yr BP during the Younger Dryas. The Cupola no-analog vegetation record is unusual for its early initiation (17,000 yr BP) and for its three vegetation zones, representing distinct rises of Fraxinus and Ostrya/Carpinus. Sporormiella was absent and sedimentary charcoal abundances were low throughout, suggesting that fire and megaherbivores were not locally important agents of disturbance and turnover. The Cupola record thus highlights the complexity of the late-glacial no-analog communities and suggests direct climatic regulation of their formation and disassembly.

Influence of dosage, consciousness, and nifedipine on the acute pressor response to intraperitoneally administered cadmium. [Rats

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

Hall, C.E.; Hungerford, S.

1982-05-01

The acute pressor effect of intraperitoneally administered cadmium was explored over the dose range 0.015-2 mg/kg in both pentobarbital-anesthetized and conscious rats. The former first respondent at 0.031 mg/kg, and successive doublings of that dosage increased the highest pressures attained in a stepwise fashion until a dosage of 0.25 mg/kg, the maximally effective quantity, was reached. Arterial pressure did not rise in conscious rats until a dose of 1 mg/kg, which gave the maximum response within the range examined. Heart-rate changes with Cd were slight, and rarely significant at a given dosage, but pentobarbital invariably caused tachycardia. Anesthetized rats thusmore » gave a graded response, while conscious animals reacted in an all-or-none fashion. The increased pressor responsiveness of rats under pentobarbital can not be ascribed to its cardiac parasympatholytic effects, since sensitivity was not conferred upon conscious rats when pretreated with atropine at a dose producing even greater tachycardia than that caused by pentobarbital. Nifedipine, which blocks calcium entry into smooth muscle cells, prevented the pressor response to cadmium when given as pretreatment and terminated an ongoing response when give intercurrently. Possible mechanisms to account for the observed behavior are considered.« less

A fractal growth model: Exploring the connection pattern of hubs in complex networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Dongyan; Wang, Xingyuan; Huang, Penghe

2017-04-01

Fractal is ubiquitous in many real-world networks. Previous researches showed that the strong disassortativity between the hub-nodes on all length scales was the key principle that gave rise to the fractal architecture of networks. Although fractal property emerged in some models, there were few researches about the fractal growth model and quantitative analyses about the strength of the disassortativity for fractal model. In this paper, we proposed a novel inverse renormalization method, named Box-based Preferential Attachment (BPA), to build the fractal growth models in which the Preferential Attachment was performed at box level. The proposed models provided a new framework that demonstrated small-world-fractal transition. Also, we firstly demonstrated the statistical characteristic of connection patterns of the hubs in fractal networks. The experimental results showed that, given proper growing scale and added edges, the proposed models could clearly show pure small-world or pure fractal or both of them. It also showed that the hub connection ratio showed normal distribution in many real-world networks. At last, the comparisons of connection pattern between the proposed models and the biological and technical networks were performed. The results gave useful reference for exploring the growth principle and for modeling the connection patterns for real-world networks.

Optimization of electrothermal atomization parameters for simultaneous multielement atomic absorption spectrometry

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harnly, J.M.; Kane, J.S.

1984-01-01

The effect of the acid matrix, the measurement mode (height or area), the atomizer surface (unpyrolyzed and pyrolyzed graphite), the atomization mode (from the wall or from a platform), and the atomization temperature on the simultaneous electrothermal atomization of Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, V, and Zn was examined. The 5% HNO3 matrix gave rise to severe irreproducibility using a pyrolyzed tube unless the tube was properly "prepared". The 5% HCl matrix did not exhibit this problem, and no problems were observed with either matrix using an unpyrolized tube or a pyrolyzed platform. The 5% HCl matrix gave better sensitivities with a pyrolyzed tube but the two matrices were comparable for atomization from a platform. If Mo and V are to be analyzed with the other seven elements, a high atomization temperature (2700??C or greater) is necessary regardless of the matrix, the measurement mode, the atomization mode, or the atomizer surface. Simultaneous detection limits (peak height with pyrolyzed tube atomization) were comparable to those of conventional atomic absorption spectrometry using electrothermal atomization above 280 nm. Accuracies and precisions of ??10-15% were found in the 10 to 120 ng mL-1 range for the analysis of NBS acidified water standards.

Use of E-beam radiation to eliminate Listeria monocytogenes from surface mould cheese.

PubMed

Velasco, Raquel; Ordóñez, Juan A; Cambero, M Isabel; Cabeza, M Concepción

2015-03-01

Camembert and Brie soft cheese varieties were subjected to E-beam irradiation as a sanitation treatment. The effects of treatments on microbiota and selected physicochemical properties were also studied. The absorbed doses required to meet the food safety objective (FSO) according to EU and USDA criteria for Listeria monocytogenes were 1.27 and 2.59 kGy, respectively. The bacterial load, mainly lactic acid bacteria, was reduced by the treatment but injured cells were recovered during storage at 14°C. The radiation treatment gave rise to negligible changes in the pH and water activity at doses required to achieve microbial safety. Copyright© by the Spanish Society for Microbiology and Institute for Catalan Studies.

Tinea Incognita following the Use of an Antipsoriatic Gel

PubMed Central

Starace, Michela; Alessandrini, Aurora; Piraccini, Bianca Maria

2016-01-01

Tinea incognita is a dermatophyte infection of the skin whose clinical presentation has been modified by the misuse of steroids or, as has been described recently, calcineurin inhibitors. We report a case of pustular psoriasis treated with an antipsoriatic cream, composed of topical steroids and a vitamin D3 derivative, which gave rise to a tinea incognita. Our case underlines that clinical features of fungal infection can be modified by the increasing use of self-prescribed topical therapies, usually applied to treat incorrectly ‘self-diagnosed’ diseases. Moreover, we suggest that a mycological examination should be performed in every atypical presentation of skin lesion, and to rule out tinea pedis, in any disease of the feet that requires topical application of steroids. PMID:27171394

[Investigations of psychic/spiritual phenomena in the nineteenth century: somnambulism and spiritualism, 1811-1860].

PubMed

Pimentel, Marcelo Gulão; Alberto, Klaus Chaves; Moreira-Almeida, Alexander

2016-01-01

In the early nineteenth century, investigations into the nature of psychic/spiritual phenomena, like trances and the supposed acquisition of information unattainable using normal sensory channels, prompted much debate in the scientific arena. This article discusses the main explanations offered by the researchers of psychic phenomena reported between 1811 and 1860, concentrating on the two main movements in the period: magnetic somnambulism and modern spiritualism. While the investigations of these phenomena gave rise to multiple theories, they did not yield any consensus. However, they did have implications for the understanding of the mind and its disorders, especially in the areas of the unconscious and dissociation, constituting an important part of the history of psychology and psychiatry.

Clinical Application of Esophageal High-resolution Manometry in the Diagnosis of Esophageal Motility Disorders.

PubMed

van Hoeij, Froukje B; Bredenoord, Albert J

2016-01-31

Esophageal high-resolution manometry (HRM) is replacing conventional manometry in the clinical evaluation of patients with esophageal symptoms, especially dysphagia. The introduction of HRM gave rise to new objective metrics and recognizable patterns of esophageal motor function, requiring a new classification scheme: the Chicago classification. HRM measurements are more detailed and more easily performed compared to conventional manometry. The visual presentation of acquired data improved the analysis and interpretation of esophageal motor function. This led to a more sensitive, accurate, and objective analysis of esophageal motility. In this review we discuss how HRM changed the way we define and categorize esophageal motility disorders. Moreover, we discuss the clinical applications of HRM for each esophageal motility disorder separately.

Clinical Application of Esophageal High-resolution Manometry in the Diagnosis of Esophageal Motility Disorders

PubMed Central

van Hoeij, Froukje B; Bredenoord, Albert J

2016-01-01

Esophageal high-resolution manometry (HRM) is replacing conventional manometry in the clinical evaluation of patients with esophageal symptoms, especially dysphagia. The introduction of HRM gave rise to new objective metrics and recognizable patterns of esophageal motor function, requiring a new classification scheme: the Chicago classification. HRM measurements are more detailed and more easily performed compared to conventional manometry. The visual presentation of acquired data improved the analysis and interpretation of esophageal motor function. This led to a more sensitive, accurate, and objective analysis of esophageal motility. In this review we discuss how HRM changed the way we define and categorize esophageal motility disorders. Moreover, we discuss the clinical applications of HRM for each esophageal motility disorder separately. PMID:26631942

ApcMin, A Mutation in the Murine Apc Gene, Predisposes to Mammary Carcinomas and Focal Alveolar Hyperplasias

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moser, Amy Rapaich; Mattes, Ellen M.; Dove, William F.; Lindstrom, Mary J.; Haag, Jill D.; Gould, Michael N.

1993-10-01

ApcMin (Min, multiple intestinal neoplasia) is a point mutation in the murine homolog of the APC gene. Min/+ mice develop multiple intestinal adenomas, as do humans carrying germ-line mutations in APC. Female mice carrying Min are also prone to develop mammary tumors. Min/+ mammary glands are more sensitive to chemical carcinogenesis than are +/+ mammary glands. Transplantation of mammary cells from Min/+ or +/+ donors into +/+ hosts demonstrates that the propensity to develop mammary tumors is intrinsic to the Min/+ mammary cells. Long-term grafts of Min/+ mammary glands also gave rise to focal alveolar hyperplasias, indicating that the presence of the Min mutation also has a role in the development of these lesions.

Knowledge management in health: a systematic literature review.

PubMed

Rocha, Elyrose Sousa Brito; Nagliate, Patricia; Furlan, Claudia Elisangela Bis; Rocha, Kerson; Trevizan, Maria Auxiliadora; Mendes, Isabel Amélia Costa

2012-01-01

Knowledge has been used as a resource for intelligent and effective action planning in organizations. Interest in research on knowledge management processes has intensified in different areas. A systematic literature review was accomplished, based on the question: what are the contributions of Brazilian and international journal publications on knowledge management in health? The sample totaled 32 items that complied with the inclusion criteria. The results showed that 78% of journals that published on the theme are international, 77% of researchers work in higher education and 65% have a Ph.D. The texts gave rise to five thematic categories, mainly: development of knowledge management systems in health (37.5%), discussion of knowledge management application in health (28.1%) and nurses' function in knowledge management (18.7%).

PyEphem: Astronomical Ephemeris for Python

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rhodes, Brandon Craig

2011-12-01

PyEphem provides scientific-grade astronomical computations for the Python programming language. Given a date and location on the Earth’s surface, it can compute the positions of the Sun and Moon, of the planets and their moons, and of any asteroids, comets, or earth satellites whose orbital elements the user can provide. Additional functions are provided to compute the angular separation between two objects in the sky, to determine the constellation in which an object lies, and to find the times at which an object rises, transits, and sets on a particular day. The numerical routines that lie behind PyEphem are those from the wonderful XEphem astronomy application, whose author, Elwood Downey, generously gave permission for us to use them as the basis for PyEphem.

[Prevention rather than cure: the emergence and first stage of the Centros de Higiene Infantil in Mexico City, 1922-1932].

PubMed

Alanís, Mercedes

2015-01-01

This article deals with the main features of the emergence and first ten years of the Centros de Higiene Infantil, facilities run by the Departamento de Salubridad Pública from 1922 on in Mexico City with the goal of providing care for mothers from pregnancy onwards and children from birth to two years of age. It reviews the actions that gave rise to this project and how it became established. It analyzes the structure of these centers, the characteristics of the mothers and children seen there and the functions performed by doctors and nurses, stressing the notion of preventing childhood illnesses, and ends with a first assessment of the effects and limitations of these centers.

The Universe is a Strange Place

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilczek, Frank

2006-01-01

Our understanding of ordinary matter is remarkably accurate and complete, but it is based on principles that are very strange and unfamiliar. As I'll explain, we've come to understand matter to be a Music of the Void, in a remarkably literal sense. Just as we physicists finalized that wonderful understanding, towards the end of the twentieth century, astronomers gave us back our humility, by informing us that ordinary matter - what we, and chemists and biologists, and astronomers themselves, have been studying all these centuries constitutes only about 5% of the mass of the universe as a whole. I'll describe some of our promising attempts to rise to this challenge by improving, rather than merely complicating, our description of the world.

The Universe is a Strange Place

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilczek, Frank

Our understanding of ordinary matter is remarkably accurate and complete, but it is based on principles that are very strange and unfamiliar. As I'll explain, we've come to understand matter to be a Music of the Void, in a remarkably literal sense. Just as we physicists finalized that wonderful understanding, towards the end of the twentieth century, astronomers gave us back our humility, by informing us that ordinary matter - what we, and chemists and biologists, and astronomers themselves, have been studying all these centuries constitutes only about 5% of the mass of the universe as a whole. I'll describe some of our promising attempts to rise to this challenge by improving, rather than merely complicating, our description of the world.

Variability in Intrahousehold Transmission of Ebola Virus, and Estimation of the Household Secondary Attack Rate.

PubMed

Glynn, Judith R; Bower, Hilary; Johnson, Sembia; Turay, Cecilia; Sesay, Daniel; Mansaray, Saidu H; Kamara, Osman; Kamara, Alie Joshua; Bangura, Mohammed S; Checchi, Francesco

2018-01-04

Transmission between family members accounts for most Ebola virus transmission, but little is known about determinants of intrahousehold spread. From detailed exposure histories, intrahousehold transmission chains were created for 94 households of Ebola survivors in Sierra Leone: 109 (co-)primary cases gave rise to 317 subsequent cases (0-100% of those exposed). Larger households were more likely to have subsequent cases, and the proportion of household members affected depended on individual and household-level factors. More transmissions occurred from older than from younger cases, and from those with more severe disease. The estimated household secondary attack rate was 18%. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

Impact melting of frozen oceans on the early Earth: implications for the origin of life

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bada, J. L.; Bigham, C.; Miller, S. L.

1994-01-01

Without sufficient greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, the early Earth would have become a permanently frozen planet because the young Sun was less luminous than it is today. Several resolutions to this faint young Sun-frozen Earth paradox have been proposed, with an atmosphere rich in CO2 being the one generally favored. However, these models assume that there were no mechanisms for melting a once frozen ocean. Here we show that bolide impacts between about 3.6 and 4.0 billion years ago could have episodically melted an ice-covered early ocean. Thaw-freeze cycles associated with bolide impacts could have been important for the initiation of abiotic reactions that gave rise to the first living organisms.

Evolutionary Paths to Corrupt Societies of Artificial Agents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nasrallah, Walid

Virtual corrupt societies can be defined as groups of interacting computer-generated agents who predominantly choose behavior that gives short term personal gain at the expense of a higher aggregate cost to others. This paper focuses on corrupt societies that, unlike published models in which cooperation must evolve in order for the society to continue to survive, do not naturally die out as the corrupt class siphons off the resources. For example, a very computationally simple strategy of avoiding confrontation can allow a majority of "unethical" individuals to survive off the efforts of an "ethical" but productive minority. Analogies are drawn to actual human societies in which similar conditions gave rise to behavior traditionally defined as economic or political corruption.

Long-Term Effects of Irrigation with Waste Water on Soil AM Fungi Diversity and Microbial Activities: The Implications for Agro-Ecosystem Resilience

PubMed Central

del Mar Alguacil, Maria; Torrecillas, Emma; Torres, Pilar; García-Orenes, Fuensanta; Roldán, Antonio

2012-01-01

The effects of irrigation with treated urban wastewater (WW) on the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) diversity and soil microbial activities were assayed on a long-term basis in a semiarid orange-tree orchard. After 43 years, the soil irrigated with fresh water (FW) had higher AMF diversity than soils irrigated with WW. Microbial activities were significantly higher in the soils irrigated with WW than in those irrigated with FW. Therefore, as no negative effects were observed on crop vitality and productivity, it seems that the ecosystem resilience gave rise to the selection of AMF species better able to thrive in soils with higher microbial activity and, thus, to higher soil fertility. PMID:23094075

Partial anomalous left pulmonary artery: report of two cases and review of literature.

PubMed

Sen, Supratim; Winlaw, David S; Sholler, Gary F

2015-06-01

We describe two cases of anomalous origin of the left lower-lobe pulmonary artery from the right pulmonary artery. The primary diagnosis was mitral atresia, hypoplastic left ventricle, aortic arch hypoplasia in the first child, and tetralogy of Fallot in the second. In both cases, the pulmonary trunk gave rise to a left pulmonary artery in the normal position. In addition, a second branch of the left pulmonary artery arose from the right pulmonary artery, and passed posterior and inferior to the left main or upper-lobe bronchus to supply the left lower lobe. In this review, we compare our findings with previously reported examples of this extremely rare cardiac malformation, and discuss possible embryological explanations for the lesion.

Permafrost on Mars: distribution, formation, and geological role

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nummedal, D.

1984-01-01

The morphology of channels, valleys, chaotic and fretted terrains and many smaller features on Mars is consistent with the hypothesis that localized deterioration of thick layers of ice-rich permafrost was a dominant geologic process on the Martian surface. Such ground ice deterioration gave rise to large-scale mass movement, including sliding, slumping and sediment gravity flowage, perhaps also catastropic floods. In contrast to Earth, such mass movement processes on Mars lack effective competition from erosion by surface runoff. Therefore, Martian features due to mass movement grew to reach immense size without being greatly modified by secondary erosional processes. The Viking Mission to Mars in 1976 provided adequate measurements of the relevant physical parameters to constrain models for Martian permafrost.

Impact melting of frozen oceans on the early Earth: Implications for the origin of life

PubMed Central

Bada, J. L.; Bigham, C.; Miller, S. L.

1994-01-01

Without sufficient greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, the early Earth would have become a permanently frozen planet because the young Sun was less luminous than it is today. Several resolutions to this faint young Sun-frozen Earth paradox have been proposed, with an atmosphere rich in CO2 being the one generally favored. However, these models assume that there were no mechanisms for melting a once frozen ocean. Here we show that bolide impacts between about 3.6 and 4.0 billion years ago could have episodically melted an ice-covered early ocean. Thaw-freeze cycles associated with bolide impacts could have been important for the initiation of abiotic reactions that gave rise to the first living organisms. PMID:11539550

Expression of the cloned ColE1 kil gene in normal and Kilr Escherichia coli.

PubMed Central

Altieri, M; Suit, J L; Fan, M L; Luria, S E

1986-01-01

The kil gene of the ColE1 plasmid was cloned under control of the lac promoter. Its expression under this promoter gave rise to the same pattern of bacterial cell damage and lethality as that which accompanies induction of the kil gene in the colicin operon by mitomycin C. This confirms that cell damage after induction is solely due to expression of kil and is independent of the cea or imm gene products. Escherichia coli derivatives resistant to the lethal effects of kil gene expression under either the normal or the lac promoter were isolated and found to fall into several classes, some of which were altered in sensitivity to agents that affect the bacterial envelope. PMID:2946661

Prediction and Observation of Electron Instabilities and Phase Space Holes Concentrated in the Lunar Plasma Wake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hutchinson, Ian H.; Malaspina, David M.

2018-05-01

Recent theory and numerical simulation predicts that the wake of the solar wind flow past the Moon should be the site of electrostatic instabilities that give rise to electron holes. These play an important role in the eventual merging of the wake with the background solar wind. Analysis of measurements from the ARTEMIS satellites, orbiting the Moon at distances from 1.2 to 11 RM, detects holes highly concentrated in the wake, in agreement with prediction. The theory also predicts that the hole flux density observed should be hollow, peaking away from the wake axis. Observation statistics qualitatively confirm this hollowness, lending extra supporting evidence for the identification of their generation mechanism.

Quasifixed points from scalar sequestering and the little hierarchy problem in supersymmetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, Stephen P.

2018-02-01

In supersymmetric models with scalar sequestering, superconformal strong dynamics in the hidden sector suppresses the low-energy couplings of mass dimension 2, compared to the squares of the dimension-1 parameters. Taking into account restrictions on the anomalous dimensions in superconformal theories, I point out that the interplay between the hidden and visible sector renormalizations gives rise to quasifixed point running for the supersymmetric Standard Model squared mass parameters, rather than driving them to 0. The extent to which this dynamics can ameliorate the little hierarchy problem in supersymmetry is studied. Models of this type in which the gaugino masses do not unify are arguably more natural, and are certainly more likely to be accessible, eventually, to the Large Hadron Collider.

The globalization of tobacco use: 21 challenges for the 21st century.

PubMed

Glynn, Thomas; Seffrin, John R; Brawley, Otis W; Grey, Nathan; Ross, Hana

2010-01-01

The globalization of tobacco began more than 500 years ago, but the public health response to the death, disease, and economic disruption that it has caused is fewer than 50 years old. In this report, the authors briefly trace the history of tobacco use and commerce as it moved from the Americas in the late 15th century and then eastward. They then discuss the wide range of issues that must be addressed, and the equally wide range of expertise that is needed if the global health community is to be successful in reducing, and eventually eliminating, the rising tide of tobacco use, particularly in the low- and middle-income nations that are the target of the multinational tobacco industry.

TNF-induced necroptosis requires the plasma membrane localization of the MLKL protein | Center for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

The cell signaling protein tumor necrosis factor (TNF), produced by white blood cells, promotes inflammation and immunity processes such as fever and is involved in tumorigenesis and apoptosis (programmed cell death). However, dysregulation of TNF can also lead to another form of programmed cell death called necroptosis, which is characterized by a rise in intracellular Ca2+, generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), intracellular acidity, depletion of ATP, and, eventually, plasma membrane rupture. TNF-induced necroptosis has been associated with a wide variety of diseases including neurodegenerative diseases, major depression, rheumatoid arthritis, and cancer. Whereas the signaling mechanisms underlying TNF-induced apoptosis have largely been determined, the events precipitating in TNF-initiated necroptosis are still unknown.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: update and new developments

PubMed Central

Pratt, Ashley J; Getzoff, Elizabeth D; Perry, J Jefferson P

2012-01-01

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most common form of motor neuron disease. It is typically characterized by adult-onset degeneration of the upper and lower motor neurons, and is usually fatal within a few years of onset. A subset of ALS patients has an inherited form of the disease, and a few of the known mutant genes identified in familial cases have also been found in sporadic forms of ALS. Precisely how the diverse ALS-linked gene products dictate the course of the disease, resulting in compromised voluntary muscular ability, is not entirely known. This review addresses the major advances that are being made in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms giving rise to the disease, which may eventually translate into new treatment options. PMID:23019386

Calcium ascorbate as a potential partial substitute for NaCl in dry fermented sausages: effect on colour, texture and hygienic quality at different concentrations.

PubMed

Gimeno, O; Astiasarán, I; Bello, J

2001-01-01

A control product (2.6% NaCl) and different treatments with reduced levels of salt (1, 2.3% NaCl; 2, 2.0% NaCl; 3, 1.7% NaCl; 4, 1.4% NaCl) and increased amounts of calcium ascorbate with an equivalent ionic strength to that of the control were assayed. The percentages of reduction of sodium content in relation to the control were 15, 24, 37 and 45% and the supply of calcium was 26, 33, 42 and 50% of the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDAs established by NRC, US) for treatments 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. Partial substitution of NaCl by calcium ascorbate caused higher acidification related with the higher lactic acid bacteria development and probably with the presence of calcium. The instrumental measurement of colour gave rise to some significant differences especially with the highest amount of calcium ascorbate (treatment 4), giving rise to significant higher a* and b* values and lower L* values in relation to the control. Treatments 2, 3 and 4 lead to products with lower hardness and gumminess values than the control. No problems related to the hygienic quality were observed.

The flooding of the San Matías Gulf: The Northern Patagonia sea-level curve

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isla, Federico Ignacio

2013-12-01

Northern Patagonia is characterised by tectonic depressions below present sea level. Some of them are today flooded by the sea; others remain emerged although they are at altitudes of - 50 m (Bajo del Gualicho), - 35 m (Salinas Grandes) and - 7 m (Salina La Piedra). San Matías Gulf also was such an emerged depression below contemporary mean sea level during the Late Pleistocene. It flooded between 11,500 and 11,000 years ago, when the sea level surpassed the sill of the gulf (today 50 m below mean sea level) during postglacial sea-level rise. In those days, shrublands extended on the slopes of the tectonic depression. In-situ pieces of woods dredged from the bottom of the gulf at depths of 70 m gave a conventional age of 11,310 ± 150 years BP. We used the wood, together with dated shells from the continental shelf, and shells and organic matter dated from the San Blas, Negro and Chubut coastal plains to construct a sea-level curve. Sea level rise surpassed the present level somewhat before 6000 years BP, reaching a maximum stand of + 6 m. It has since gently diminished towards present sea level.

Structural and magnetic properties of FexNi100-x alloys synthesized using Al as a reducing metal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Srakaew, N.; Jantaratana, P.; Nipakul, P.; Sirisathitkul, C.

2017-08-01

Iron-nickel (Fe-Ni) alloys comprising nine different compositions were rapidly synthesized from the redox reaction using aluminum foils as the reducing metal. Compared with conventional chemical syntheses, this simple approach is relatively safe and allows control over the alloy morphology and magnetic behavior as a function of the alloy composition with minimal oxidation. For alloys having low (10%-30%) Fe content the single face-centered cubic (FCC) FeNi3 phase was formed with nanorods aligned in the (1 1 1) crystalline direction on the cluster surface. This highly anisotropic morphology gradually disappeared as the Fe content was raised to 40%-70% with the alloy structure possessing a mixture of FCC FeNi3 and body-centered cubic (BCC) Fe7Ni3. The FCC phase was entirely replaced by the BCC structure upon further increase the Fe content to 80%-90%. The substitution of Ni by Fe in the crystals and the dominance of the BCC phase over the FCC structure gave rise to enhanced magnetization. By contrast, the coercive field decreased as a function of increasing Fe because of the reduction in shape anisotropy and the rise of saturation magnetization.

The origin of mesoderm in phoronids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Freeman, Gary; Martindale, Mark Q.

2002-01-01

Descriptive studies of phoronid development have concluded that the mesoderm of these animals originates from the endoderm during gastrulation. This interpretation has been tested by labeling one blastomere of 4- through 16-cell embryos and examining the position and germ layers occupied by the labeled clones of cells in the larva. No 2 injections gave rise to identical clones of cells, suggesting that the cleavage program does not generate cells of unique identity and that cell fates are established at later developmental time points. In many cases, a relatively large sector composed of ectodermal cells was labeled. When these labeled cells were adjacent to the mouth or anus of the larva, muscle and mesenchyme cells originated from the labeled clones. Under these circumstances, nerve cells also originated from these labeled sectors. These labeling studies also showed that endodermal cells can give rise to mesodermal and neural cells. These results suggest that nerve and muscle cells are induced to form at ectodermal-endodermal boundaries from both germ layers. These marking experiments also confirmed the observation that nerve cells originate both from the apical organ and the trunk region and show for the first time that the intestine originates by ingression of posterior ectoderm.

The rise in narghile (shisha, hookah) waterpipe tobacco smoking: A qualitative study of perceptions of smokers and non smokers

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The prevalence of waterpipe tobacco smoking (WTS) in the Middle East region and worldwide is increasing. There is evidence to indicate both short term and long term health effects of WTS, resulting in the issuance of an advisory note by the World Health Organization. Methods This research aimed at gaining an in-depth understanding of the factors contributing to the rise in WTS in Lebanon. Qualitative focus groups (25) and in-depth interviews (9) were conducted with adults in Lebanon in 2007. Participants were recruited to represent diversity in smoking status, gender, age groups and urban/rural residence. The interviews and focus groups were thematically analyzed, and recurrent themes noted and summarized. Results The main themes identified were availability, affordability, innovation, influence of media, lack of a policy framework, and the sensory characteristics evoked from WTS. Men and women, smokers and non-smokers, and younger and older participants differed in their emphases on the above themes. These themes, though specific to waterpipe, are similar to themes manipulated by the cigarette industry, and eventually controlled through tobacco control policies. Conclusions Understanding reasons behind the rise in waterpipe tobacco use is important if appropriate prevention, cessation, and policy interventions are to be formulated. Strict adherence to the FCTC is warranted, with careful and vigilant attention that all tobacco products are covered by laws in both high as well as middle to lower income countries. PMID:21569577

Seismic Forecasting of Eruptions at Dormant StratoVolcanoes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, R. A.

2015-12-01

Seismic monitoring data provide important constraints on tracking magmatic ascent and eruption. Based on direct experience with over 25 and review of over 10 additional eruption sequences at 24 volcanoes, we have identified 4 phases of precursory seismicity. 1) Deep (>20 km) low frequency (DLF) earthquakes occur near the base of the crust as magma rises toward crustal reservoirs. This seismicity is the most difficult to observe, owing to generally small magnitudes (M<2.5) the significant depth. 2) Distal volcano-tectonic (DVT) earthquakes occur on tectonic faults from a 2 to 30+ km distance laterally from (not beneath) the eventual eruption site as magma intrudes into and rises out of upper crustal reservoirs to depths of 2-3 km. A survey of 111 eruptions of 83 previously dormant volcanoes, (including all eruptions of VEI >4 since 1955) shows they were all preceded by significant DVT seismicity, usually felt. This DVT seismicity is easily observed owing to magnitudes generally reaching M>3.5. The cumulative DVT energy correlates to the intruding magma volume. 3) Low frequency (LF) earthquakes, LF tremor and contained explosions occur as magma interacts with the shallow hydrothermal system (<2 km depth), while the distal seismicity dies off.4) Shortly after this, repetitive self-similar proximal seismicity may occur and may dominate the seismic records as magma rises to the surface. We present some examples of this seismic progression to demonstrate that data from a single short-period vertical station are often sufficient to forecast eruption onsets.

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

Tang, S; Ho, M; Chen, C

Purpose: The use of log files to perform patient specific quality assurance for both protons and IMRT has been established. Here, we extend that approach to a proprietary log file format and compare our results to measurements in phantom. Our goal was to generate a system that would permit gross errors to be found within 3 fractions until direct measurements. This approach could eventually replace direct measurements. Methods: Spot scanning protons pass through multi-wire ionization chambers which provide information about the charge, location, and size of each delivered spot. We have generated a program that calculates the dose in phantommore » from these log files and compares the measurements with the plan. The program has 3 different spot shape models: single Gaussian, double Gaussian and the ASTROID model. The program was benchmarked across different treatment sites for 23 patients and 74 fields. Results: The dose calculated from the log files were compared to those generate by the treatment planning system (Raystation). While the dual Gaussian model often gave better agreement, overall, the ASTROID model gave the most consistent results. Using a 5%–3 mm gamma with a 90% passing criteria and excluding doses below 20% of prescription all patient samples passed. However, the degree of agreement of the log file approach was slightly worse than that of the chamber array measurement approach. Operationally, this implies that if the beam passes the log file model, it should pass direct measurement. Conclusion: We have established and benchmarked a model for log file QA in an IBA proteus plus system. The choice of optimal spot model for a given class of patients may be affected by factors such as site, field size, and range shifter and will be investigated further.« less

Anomalous compression behavior of ˜12 nm nanocrystalline TiO2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Qiming; Li, Shourui; Peng, Fang; Lei, Li; Hu, Qiwei; Wang, Pei; Nan, Xiaolong; Liu, Jing; Zhu, Wenjun; He, Duanwei

2017-06-01

When the grain size decreases, there inevitably exists a critical size (dc) where the contribution of surface atoms to the physical properties is competitive with that of the interior atoms, giving rise to a wide variety of new phenomena. The behavior of granular materials near dc is particularly interesting because of the crossover, a continuous transition from one type of mechanism to another. In situ high-pressure x-ray diffraction experiments showed that the compression curve of nanocrystalline anatase TiO2 with grain size near dc reached a platform after about 5%-6% of deformation under hydrostatic compression. Eventually, the unit cell volume of anatase expanded at ˜14-16 GPa. We propose that the anomalous compression behavior is attributed to the formation and thickening of the stiff high density amorphous shell under high pressure, giving rise to a great arching effect at the grain boundary at the nanolevel. This process results in a remarkable difference in stress between inside and outside of the shell, generating the illusions of the hardening and the negative compressibility. This study offers a new insight into the mechanical properties of nanomaterials under extreme conditions.

CO2 Jets and Wind Patterns on Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hatcher, Chase; Aye, K.-Michael; Portyankina, Ganna

2017-10-01

In Martian winters, the poles get covered by a layer of transparent CO2 ice. In spring, sunlight causes substrate under the ice to heat up which sublimates CO2 under the ice. The accumulating gas eventually causes the ice above it to rupture and the CO2 and substrate mixture spews out like a geyser and settles back down on the surface. The shape, size, and alignment of the deposits on the surface as viewed by the HiRISE camera are related to physical processes like sublimation, weather, and wind on Mars. The jet deposits are identified by citizen scientists on a website called Planet Four. Users are shown sections of HiRISE images and asked to mark different surface features with different tools. The markings are averaged, filtered, and sorted to ensure that the data accurately represents the images. By analyzing trends in the change of different characteristics of these surface features over time, we conclude that different regions on Mars have different sublimation processes and different wind patterns. We also conclude that wind and weather patterns generally repeat from year to year, and that sediment deposits affect local weather as well.

Some macroeconomic aspects of global population aging.

PubMed

Lee, Ronald; Mason, Andrew

2010-01-01

Across the demographic transition, declining mortality followed by declining fertility produces decades of rising support ratios as child dependency falls. These improving support ratios raise per capita consumption, other things equal, but eventually deteriorate as the population ages. Population aging and the forces leading to it can produce not only frightening declines in support ratios but also very substantial increases in productivity and per capita income by raising investment in physical and human capital. Longer life, lower fertility, and population aging all raise the demand for wealth needed to provide for old-age consumption. This leads to increased capital per worker even as aggregate saving rates fall. However, capital per worker may not rise if the increased demand for wealth is satisfied by increased familial or public pension transfers to the elderly. Thus, institutions and policies matter for the consequences of population aging. The accumulation of human capital also varies across the transition. Lower fertility and mortality are associated with higher human capital investment per child, also raising labor productivity. Together, the positive changes due to human and physical capital accumulation will likely outweigh the problems of declining support ratios. We draw on estimates and analyses from the National Transfer Accounts project to illustrate and quantify these points.

Online Citizen Science with Clickworkers & MRO HiRISE E/PO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gulick, V. C.; Deardorff, G.; Kanefsky, B.; HiRISE Science Team

2010-12-01

The High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment’s E/PO has fielded several online citizen science projects. Our efforts are guided by HiRISE E/PO’s philosophy of providing innovative opportunities for students and the public to participate in the scientific discovery process. HiRISE Clickworkers, a follow-on to the original Clickworkers crater identification and size diameter marking website, provides an opportunity for the public to identify & mark over a dozen landform feature types in HiRISE images, including dunes, gullies, patterned ground, wind streaks, boulders, craters, layering, volcanoes, etc. In HiRISE Clickworkers, the contributor views several sample images showing variations of different landforms, and simply marks all the landform types they could spot while looking at a small portion of a HiRISE image. Contributors then submit their work & once validated by comparison to the output of other participants, results are then added to geologic feature databases. Scientists & others will eventually be able to query these databases for locations of particular geologic features in the HiRISE images. Participants can also mark other features that they find intriguing for the HiRISE camera to target. The original Clickworkers website pilot study ran from November 2000 until September 2001 (Kanefsky et al., 2001, LPSC XXXII). It was among the first online Citizen Science efforts for planetary science. In its pilot study, we endeavored to answer two questions: 1) Was the public willing & able to help science, & 2) Can the public produce scientifically useful results? Since its inception over 3,500,000 craters have been identified, & over 350,000 of these craters have been classified. Over 2 million of these craters were marked on Viking Orbiter image mosaics, nearly 800,000 craters were marked on Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) images. Note that these are not counts of distinct craters. For example, each crater in the Viking orbiter images was counted by about 50 contributors. In HiRISE Clickworkers, over a dozen different geologic features have been identified on over 57,000 image tiles. A key objective of Clickworkers has been to break up work into manageable chunks so that people can contribute a few minutes at a time and their work all adds up. Our HiRISE Student Image Challenges (http://quest.nasa.gov), another online citizen science project, provide educators and students a virtual science team experience. Registered participants are given access to HiWeb, the HiRISE team’s image suggestion facility to submit their image suggestions. Once the images are returned, students browse, pan and zoom through their acquired images online and at full resolution before they are released to the public (http://marsoweb.nas.nasa.gov/HiRISE/quest/). Students fill out a report form summarizing the key results of their image analysis and with the help of a HiRISE team member write a caption for their image. The image is posted on the HiRISE image release website along with the caption, with credit to the suggesting class and school. HiWish, HiRISE’s public image suggestion website (see McEwen et al., this mtg.), provides a simpler interface for the public at large to submit HiRISE images. HiWish also provides a list of recently submitted image requests.

Increasing Public Access to Scientific Research through Stakeholder Involvement: Ecological Effects of Sea Level Rise in the Northern Gulf of Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hagen, S. C.; Stephens, S. H.; DeLorme, D. E.; Ruple, D.; Graham, L.

2013-12-01

Sea level rise (SLR) has the potential to have a myriad of deleterious effects on coastal ecology and human infrastructure. Stakeholders, including managers of coastal resources, must be aware of potential consequences of SLR and adjust their plans accordingly to protect and preserve the resources under their care. Members of the public, particularly those who live or work in coastal areas, should also be informed about the results of scientific research on the effects of SLR. However, research results are frequently published in venues or formats to which resource managers and the broader public have limited access. It is imperative for scientists to move beyond traditional publication venues in order to more effectively disseminate the results of their research (Dennison, W. 2007, Estu. Coast. Shelf Sci. 77, 185). One potentially effective way to advance public access to research is to incorporate stakeholder involvement into the research project process in order to target study objectives and tailor communication products toward stakeholder needs (Lemos, M. & Morehouse, B. 2005, Glob. Env. Chg. 15, 57). However, it is important to manage communication and clarify participant expectations during this type of research (Gawith, M. et al. 2009, Glob. Env. Chg. 19, 113). This presentation describes the process being undertaken by an ongoing 5-year multi-disciplinary NOAA-funded project, Ecological Effects of Sea Level Rise in the Northern Gulf of Mexico (EESLR-NGOM), to improve accessibility and utility of scientific research results through stakeholder engagement. The EESLR-NGOM project is assessing the ecological risks from SLR along the Mississippi, Alabama and Florida Panhandle coasts, coastal habitats, and floodplains. It has incorporated stakeholder involvement throughout the research process so as to better target and tailor the emerging research products to meet resource managers' needs, as well as to facilitate eventual public dissemination of results. An important component of the EESLR-NGOM project is annual stakeholder committee workshops that engage regional coastal resource managers. These workshops are designed to identify managers' concerns about the scientific project objectives, solicit input on the content and format of the emerging research products, identify gaps in products and target audiences, and connect this project to other ongoing SLR research and extension efforts. We describe how this innovative project process has functioned to shape scientific objectives, the eventual SLR impact decision support tools, and other products that will help managers and the public use the project's results most effectively.

[The parasite-host specificity of the itch mite Sarcoptes scabiei (Acariformes: Sarcoptidae) in man and animals (a review of the literature)].

PubMed

Sokolova, T V; Lange, A B

1992-01-01

The primary parasitic relations between the itch mite Sarcoptes scabiei (L.) and man are confirmed indirectly by the presence in the family Sarcoptidae of close genera, members of which parasitize primates. Judging from the composition of domestic and wild animals-hosts, the source of their infection with S. scabiei was man that gave rise to numerous forms of mites specific to individual species of hosts or their related groups belonging to different taxonomic ranks. Three types of host relations and, accordingly, forms of sarcoptosis are suggested at the infection from an alien host: pseudosarcoptosis, temporary self-curable and typical lingering sarcoptosis. The ways of reinfection, invasiveness of stages of the mite and clinical picture for each form of the disease are analyzed.

Novel Cage-Like Hexanuclear Nickel(II) Silsesquioxane. Synthesis, Structure, and Catalytic Activity in Oxidations with Peroxides.

PubMed

Bilyachenko, Alexey N; Yalymov, Alexey I; Shul'pina, Lidia S; Mandelli, Dalmo; Korlyukov, Alexander A; Vologzhanina, Anna V; Es'kova, Marina A; Shubina, Elena S; Levitsky, Mikhail M; Shul'pin, Georgiy B

2016-05-19

New hexanuclear nickel(II) silsesquioxane [(PhSiO1.5)12(NiO)₆(NaCl)] (1) was synthesized as its dioxane-benzonitrile-water complex (PhSiO1,5)12(NiO)₆(NaCl)(C₄H₈O₂)13(PhCN)₂(H₂O)₂ and studied by X-ray and topological analysis. The compound exhibits cylinder-like type of molecular architecture and represents very rare case of polyhedral complexation of metallasilsesquioxane with benzonitrile. Complex 1 exhibited catalytic activity in activation of such small molecules as light alkanes and alcohols. Namely, oxidation of alcohols with tert-butylhydroperoxide and alkanes with meta-chloroperoxybenzoic acid. The oxidation of methylcyclohexane gave rise to the isomeric ketones and unusual distribution of alcohol isomers.

Diphosphine is an intermediate in the photolysis of phosphine to phosphorus and hydrogen. [Jupiter atmospheric chemistry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ferris, J. P.; Benson, R.

1980-01-01

The photolysis of phosphine to red phosphorus (P4) and hydrogen is investigated in light of the potential significance of the reaction in the atmospheric chemistry of Jupiter. It is reported that the photolysis of PH3 at room temperature by a 206.2-nm light source gave rise to a product identified by its UV and IR spectra and gas chromatographic retention time as P2H4, the yield of which is found to increase to a maximum and then decrease to 20% of the maximum value with illumination time. A mechanism for phosphine photolysis including diphosphine formation as an intermediate step is proposed, and it is concluded that P2H4 is a likely constituent of the atmospheres of the Jovian planets.

Anthracobunids from the Middle Eocene of India and Pakistan Are Stem Perissodactyls

PubMed Central

Cooper, Lisa Noelle; Seiffert, Erik R.; Clementz, Mark; Madar, Sandra I.; Bajpai, Sunil; Hussain, S. Taseer; Thewissen, J. G. M.

2014-01-01

Anthracobunidae is an Eocene family of large mammals from south Asia that is commonly considered to be part of the radiation that gave rise to elephants (proboscideans) and sea cows (sirenians). We describe a new collection of anthracobunid fossils from Middle Eocene rocks of Indo-Pakistan that more than doubles the number of known anthracobunid fossils and challenges their putative relationships, instead implying that they are stem perissodactyls. Cranial, dental, and postcranial elements allow a revision of species and the recognition of a new anthracobunid genus. Analyses of stable isotopes and long bone geometry together suggest that most anthracobunids fed on land, but spent a considerable amount of time near water. This new evidence expands our understanding of stem perissodactyl diversity and sheds new light on perissodactyl origins. PMID:25295875

Morphogenesis in leaf and single-cell cultures of mature Juniperus oxycedrus.

PubMed

Gomez, M P; Segura, J

1996-08-01

Single cells were mechanically isolated from leaf-derived callus of mature Juniperus oxycedrus L. These cells divided and gave rise to callus when plated on medium containing growth regulators. Best plating efficiency was obtained on a modified Schenk and Hildebrandt medium supplemented with 0.6 micro M 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and 100 mg l(-1) casein hydrolyzate. Although single-cell-derived callus showed poor morphogenic potential, both adventitious shoots and embryogenic tissues differentiated from the callus. We also achieved induction of somatic embryogenesis in leaf explants of mature J. oxycedrus trees cultured in the presence of 6.0 or 10.0 micro M 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid or picloram. Frequency of embryogenic callus ranged from 6 to 18%; however, under the culture conditions tested, isolated embryos failed to develop into plants.

Construction of anxiety and dimensional personality model in college students.

PubMed

Abdel-Khalek, Ahmed M

2013-06-01

A sample of 402 volunteer male (n = 156) and female (n = 246) Kuwaiti undergraduates responded to the Arabic versions of the Kuwait University Anxiety Scale and the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire. The latter questionnaire has four subscales: Psychoticism, Extraversion, Neuroticism, and Lie. Women obtained a higher mean score on Kuwait University Anxiety Scale and Neuroticism than did men, while men had a higher mean score on Psychoticism than did women. Factor analysis of the intercorrelations between the five variables, separately conducted for men and women, gave rise to two orthogonal factors called Anxiety-and-Neuroticism vs Extraversion, and Psychoticism vs Lie. Stepwise regression revealed that Neuroticism was the main predictor of anxiety. It was concluded that persons with high Neuroticism scores may be more vulnerable to anxiety than those with low scores.

Creating Smoke-Free Places Through the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities

PubMed Central

Vernick, Jon S.; Tung, Gregory J.; Cohen, Joanna E.

2013-01-01

In some high-, middle-, and low-income countries, law has been employed to limit individuals’ secondhand smoke exposure. Innovative legal tools are still needed, especially in low- and middle-income countries where smoking prevalence continues to rise. For some persons with severe respiratory conditions, the presence of secondhand smoke is intolerable and prevents their entrance into restaurants and other venues. With its adoption of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in 2006, the United Nations gave countries a new way to promote the rights of disabled individuals and simultaneously address secondhand smoke exposure. We analyze the CRPD’s potential to advance tobacco control goals and offer recommendations for advocates, policymakers, and others seeking to apply this approach. PMID:23678896

Glucose biosensor based on nanocomposite films of CdTe quantum dots and glucose oxidase.

PubMed

Li, Xinyu; Zhou, Yunlong; Zheng, Zhaozhu; Yue, Xiuli; Dai, Zhifei; Liu, Shaoqin; Tang, Zhiyong

2009-06-02

A blood glucose sensor has been developed based on the multilayer films of CdTe semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) and glucose oxidase (GOD) by using the layer-by-layer assembly technique. When the composite films were contacted with glucose solution, the photoluminescence of QDs in the films was quickly quenched because the enzyme-catalyzed reaction product (H2O2) of GOD and glucose gave rise to the formation of surface defects on QDs. The quenching rate was a function of the concentration of glucose. The linear range and sensitivity for glucose determination could be adjusted by controlling the layers of QDs and GOD. The biosensor was used to successfully determine the concentration of blood glucose in real serum samples without sample pretreatment and exhibited satisfactory reproducibility and accuracy.

Seed size variability: from carob to carats

PubMed Central

Turnbull, Lindsay A; Santamaria, Luis; Martorell, Toni; Rallo, Joan; Hector, Andy

2006-01-01

The seeds of various plants were used as weights because their mass reputedly varies so little. Carob (Ceratonia siliqua), which has given its name to the carat, is particularly famous in this regard. But are carob seeds unusually constant in weight and, if not, how did the myth arise? The variability of seeds sampled from a collection of carob trees (CV=23%) was close to the average of 63 species reviewed from the literature (CV=25%). However, in a perception experiment observers could discriminate differences in carob seed weight of around 5% by eye demonstrating the potential for humans to greatly reduce natural variation. Interestingly, the variability of pre-metrication carat weight standards is also around 5% suggesting that human rather than natural selection gave rise to the carob myth. PMID:17148413

Punctuated invasion of water, ice, snow and terrestrial ecozones by segmented worms (Oligochaeta: Enchytraeidae: Mesenchytraeus).

PubMed

Lang, Shirley A; Saglam, Naim; Kawash, Joseph; Shain, Daniel H

2017-10-11

Segmented worms (Annelida) are among the most successful animal inhabitants of extreme environments worldwide. An unusual group of enchytraeid oligochaetes of genus Mesenchytraeus are abundant in the Pacific northwestern region of North America and occupy geographically proximal ecozones ranging from low elevation rainforests and waterways to high altitude glaciers. Along this altitudinal transect, Mesenchytraeus representatives from disparate habitat types were collected and subjected to deep mitochondrial and nuclear phylogenetic analyses. Our data identify significant topological discordance among gene trees, and near equivalent interspecific divergence levels indicative of a rapid radiation event. Collectively, our results identify a Mesenchytraeus 'explosion' coincident with mountain building in the Pacific northwestern region that gave rise to closely related aquatic, ice, snow and terrestrial worms. © 2017 The Author(s).

Fifty years of chemical research at Farmitalia.

PubMed

Arcamone, Federico-Maria

2009-08-10

This review contains a brief description of the chemistry developed in Farmitalia and, after 1978, Farmitalia-Carlo Erba Research Laboratories, during the second half of the last century. It gives an overview of work that represents a significant part of the chemistry carried out in Italy during this period in the field of medicinal and natural product chemistry. This is particularly true when we consider in addition to the work done intramurally in the said laboratories, the work done by academic scientists in the frame of the various extramural collaborations. Only a fraction of the chemical research actually carried out is reported here as time and space dictated a selection. Subjects typically associated with Farmitalia and which gave rise to important scientific or therapeutic outcomes are given preference in this review.

An unusual presentation of ischaemic mitral regurgitation as P2 prolapse.

PubMed

Thompson, David S; Punjabi, Prakash P

2017-11-01

A 54-year-old gentleman presented with pulmonary oedema secondary to anterolateral papillary muscle (PPM) rupture and acute mitral regurgitation subsequent to myocardial ischaemia (MI). Angiography revealed complete occlusion of the first obtuse marginal (OM1) branch of the circumflex coronary artery and a 70% occlusion of the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery. Operatively, unusual anatomy was noted; an accessory head was attached superiorly to the anterior lateral PPM. This gave rise to chordae that were subsequently attached to the posterior second (P2) scallop. Additionally, the P2 scallop was deficient in chordae from the posteromedial PPM, thus, loss of this accessory head led to severe mitral regurgitation. We review the PPM anatomy and pathological context of PPM rupture and ischaemic mitral regurgitation.

Induction of Liver Cell Adenomata in the Rat by a Single Treatment with N-Methyl-N-Nitrosourea given at Various Times after Partial Hepatectomy

PubMed Central

Craddock, V. M.; Frei, J. V.

1974-01-01

A single treatment of adult animals with the potent carcinogen NMU was known to induce tumours in a wide variety of organs, with the notable exception of liver. Administration of NMU after partial hepatectomy gave rise to the first liver cell adenomata ever observed in rats due to this carcinogen. The tumours were induced when NMU was given during the period of increased DNA synthesis but not when given early in the pre-replicative period. Although tumours were induced in other organs, the incidence of these did not correlate with the timing of NMU administration. It is suggested that replication of damaged DNA may be a relevant event in carcinogenesis. ImagesFig.p507-a PMID:4614856

Two-dimensional quantum repeaters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wallnöfer, J.; Zwerger, M.; Muschik, C.; Sangouard, N.; Dür, W.

2016-11-01

The endeavor to develop quantum networks gave rise to a rapidly developing field with far-reaching applications such as secure communication and the realization of distributed computing tasks. This ultimately calls for the creation of flexible multiuser structures that allow for quantum communication between arbitrary pairs of parties in the network and facilitate also multiuser applications. To address this challenge, we propose a two-dimensional quantum repeater architecture to establish long-distance entanglement shared between multiple communication partners in the presence of channel noise and imperfect local control operations. The scheme is based on the creation of self-similar multiqubit entanglement structures at growing scale, where variants of entanglement swapping and multiparty entanglement purification are combined to create high-fidelity entangled states. We show how such networks can be implemented using trapped ions in cavities.

Mosaic nature of the mitochondrial proteome: Implications for the origin and evolution of mitochondria.

PubMed

Gray, Michael W

2015-08-18

Comparative studies of the mitochondrial proteome have identified a conserved core of proteins descended from the α-proteobacterial endosymbiont that gave rise to the mitochondrion and was the source of the mitochondrial genome in contemporary eukaryotes. A surprising result of phylogenetic analyses is the relatively small proportion (10-20%) of the mitochondrial proteome displaying a clear α-proteobacterial ancestry. A large fraction of mitochondrial proteins typically has detectable homologs only in other eukaryotes and is presumed to represent proteins that emerged specifically within eukaryotes. A further significant fraction of the mitochondrial proteome consists of proteins with homologs in prokaryotes, but without a robust phylogenetic signal affiliating them with specific prokaryotic lineages. The presumptive evolutionary source of these proteins is quite different in contending models of mitochondrial origin.

Jansen-MIDAS: A multi-level photomicrograph segmentation software based on isotropic undecimated wavelets.

PubMed

de Siqueira, Alexandre Fioravante; Cabrera, Flávio Camargo; Nakasuga, Wagner Massayuki; Pagamisse, Aylton; Job, Aldo Eloizo

2018-01-01

Image segmentation, the process of separating the elements within a picture, is frequently used for obtaining information from photomicrographs. Segmentation methods should be used with reservations, since incorrect results can mislead when interpreting regions of interest (ROI). This decreases the success rate of extra procedures. Multi-Level Starlet Segmentation (MLSS) and Multi-Level Starlet Optimal Segmentation (MLSOS) were developed to be an alternative for general segmentation tools. These methods gave rise to Jansen-MIDAS, an open-source software. A scientist can use it to obtain several segmentations of hers/his photomicrographs. It is a reliable alternative to process different types of photomicrographs: previous versions of Jansen-MIDAS were used to segment ROI in photomicrographs of two different materials, with an accuracy superior to 89%. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

[Apitherapy--the role of honey in the chronic wound healing process].

PubMed

Majtán, J

2009-08-01

With increasing frequency, modern medicine directs attention to natural products and biological therapy methods and their use in clinical practice. Bee honey as well as other bee products (propolis, royal jelly and venom) have already found use in medicine not only as immune system stimulants but also as chronic wound healing promoters. The major arguments for implementing apitherapy are the low cost in comparison with conventional therapies and the fact that honey has proved effective against resistant hospital pathogens. Besides antimicrobial characteristics associated with no antimicrobial resistance risk, honey has anti-inflammatory effects. Controlled clinical trials have shown honey to be effective in chronic wound healing and gave rise to medihoney. Nevertheless, further study is needed to confirm the efficacy and safety of honey in clinical practice.

Local versus global knowledge in the Barabási-Albert scale-free network model.

PubMed

Gómez-Gardeñes, Jesús; Moreno, Yamir

2004-03-01

The scale-free model of Barabási and Albert (BA) gave rise to a burst of activity in the field of complex networks. In this paper, we revisit one of the main assumptions of the model, the preferential attachment (PA) rule. We study a model in which the PA rule is applied to a neighborhood of newly created nodes and thus no global knowledge of the network is assumed. We numerically show that global properties of the BA model such as the connectivity distribution and the average shortest path length are quite robust when there is some degree of local knowledge. In contrast, other properties such as the clustering coefficient and degree-degree correlations differ and approach the values measured for real-world networks.

Emission of PCDD/F, PCB, and HCB from combustion of firewood and pellets in residential stoves and boilers.

PubMed

Hedman, Björn; Naslund, Morgan; Marklund, Stellan

2006-08-15

To assess potential emissions of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) from residential combustion of biofuels, experiments were performed in which various types of pellets and firewood were combusted in four types of stoves and boilers, with both full and reduced rates of air supply. Intermittent combustion of wood pellets resulted in emissions of 11 ng-(WHO-TEQ)/kg combusted fuel (dry weight). A modern, environmentally certified boiler yielded somewhat lower emissions of PCCD/F and PCB than a wood stove. Both gave <0.1 ng(WHO-TEQ)/m3n (1.3-6.5 ng(WHO-TEQ)/kg) and considerably lower emissions than an old boiler (7.0-13 ng(WHO-TEQ)/kg). No positive effect on emissions could be observed in full air combustion (simulating the use of a heat storage tank) compared to combustion with reduced air. Two of the wood combustion experiments included paper and plastic waste fuels. Chlorine-containing plastic waste gave rise to high emissions: ca. 310 ng(WHO-TEQ)/ kg over the whole combustion cycle. The homologue profiles of PCDD/Fs show characteristic differences between ashes and flue gas from combustions with different levels of air supply. These differences do not, however, seem to have any correlation to the relative amount of toxic congeners.

[The wax and wane of the trend of "man benefits man" in the late Ming Dynasty].

PubMed

Zhen, Xue-Yan

2004-01-01

It was in the period of from Jia Jing to Wan Li Reign that the trend of medication of "man benefits man" appeared with rather great influence in the society. This medication trend experienced a process of rising, zenith, declining, and eventual termination. Among this trend, the refining process of Hong Qian (Red Lead) and Pan Tao Jiu (Mythical Peach Alcohol) was imbued with the ruin of women, arousing debate soon after the trend appeared, with a tit for tat struggle between two medical schools. This research reveals that such medication trend is an adverse current started by fallacious alchemists. Its influence goes beyond the scope of medical field, though its position in the medical province itself is rather low.

Health hazards associated with solid waste disposal.

PubMed

Gaby, W L

1981-01-01

The landfilling and disposal of domestic solid waste should be considered as great or greater a public health hazard as raw sewage. Solid waste is toxic and contains a greater variety of pathogenic microorganisms than does sewage sludge. Of all the procedures for solid waste disposal, landfills have and will continue to give rise to serious public health problems of land and water pollution. Although the general public is opposed to landfilling our inept health officials have offered small communities and cities no choice. Small communities do not have the technical knowledge or the funds to initiate alternative procedures. As the volume of solid waste increases each year the magnitude of the health hazards will eventually force public health agencies to implement correct disposal procedures ultimately resulting in recycling.

Matter-wave dark solitons in boxlike traps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sciacca, M.; Barenghi, C. F.; Parker, N. G.

2017-01-01

Motivated by the experimental development of quasihomogeneous Bose-Einstein condensates confined in boxlike traps, we study numerically the dynamics of dark solitons in such traps at zero temperature. We consider the cases where the side walls of the box potential rise either as a power law or a Gaussian. While the soliton propagates through the homogeneous interior of the box without dissipation, it typically dissipates energy during a reflection from a wall through the emission of sound waves, causing a slight increase in the soliton's speed. We characterize this energy loss as a function of the wall parameters. Moreover, over multiple oscillations and reflections in the boxlike trap, the energy loss and speed increase of the soliton can be significant, although the decay eventually becomes stabilized when the soliton equilibrates with the ambient sound field.

Ethical questions to ponder in the European stem cell patent debate.

PubMed

Curley, Duncan; Sharples, Andrew

2006-01-01

Patents may be refused in Europe on ethical grounds. Whereas in the past this issue has arisen only infrequently, recent developments in human embryonic stem cell research have given rise to conflicting opinions in Europe as to the approach that should be adopted in relation to patents. The United Kingdom Patent Office has adopted a positive policy towards inventions involving human embryonic stem cells, but the European Patent Office has to date refused to grant patent applications involving similar subject-matter. A series of legal questions on the role of ethics in granting European patents is now to be considered for clarification by the European Patent Office. The answers to these questions should eventually resolve the debate on the patenting of human embryonic stem cells throughout Europe.

Intraoral frostbite and Leidenfrost effect.

PubMed

Divya, V C; Saravanakarthikeyan, B

2018-04-21

Current lifestyle trends encouraging the rise in use of liquid nitrogen in food and beverages may eventually increase the episodes of injuries reported as well. Here, we report the first case of intraoral frostbite as a result of direct injury to the tissues due to ingestion of liquid nitrogen. The mechanism of injury to the oral mucosa in the absence of any injury to the gastric mucosa is explained correlating it to the Leidenfrost phenomenon. Awareness and proper regulations for the use of liquid nitrogen are unavailable and must be created in order to avoid any potential mortality. The diagnostician must consider the possibility of a chemical agent such as liquid nitrogen, which is so widely being used in the food and beverage industry, as a possible aetiological factor of oral mucosal injury. © 2018 Australian Dental Association.

We have just begun to create efficient transport aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maglieri, D. J.; Dollyhigh, S. M.

1982-01-01

Factors affecting the cost-effectiveness and economics of the air transportation industry are reviewed. The delivery of more fuel-efficient aircraft and eventual total replacement in the 1990's by fleets of advanced aircraft are seen to offset rising fuel costs. Better airport operations are perceived to eliminate fuel-costly delays due to overcrowded runways, lack of available carriers, and maintenance of aircraft in holding patterns. Noise reduction research will lower the lawsuit costs from noise pollution, and the introduction of advanced turbofans for long, short, and medium range flights, advanced commuter planes, and advanced SSTs offering projected 50% increases in current aircraft efficiencies are seen to be limited only by the airlines' ability to provide purchase financing, rather than by a lack of available new technology.

Private initiatives, public support, and war practices: development of fertilisers in Russia.

PubMed

Elina, Olga Y

2011-03-01

The scarcity of experiments with fertilisers, the poor domestic industry, and high prices for imported products made Russia lag far behind the leading agrarian countries in the research and use of fertilisers. The first experiments on fertilisers were connected mostly with the private estates of Russian nobility. Things began to change slowly by the turn of the twentieth century, when the Ministry of Agriculture launched a policy of agricultural science promotion, including the development of agricultural chemistry. It was the outbreak of World War I that created a powerful stimulus for fertiliser research in Russia. A specific Russian "symbiosis" emerged between military industry and agricultural chemistry. The numerous factories of explosives set up ad hoc produced vast amounts of waste products; modified, they could serve as fertilisers. In 1915, the Public Committee for Support of Fertilisers was organised. Eventually, this committee gave birth to the Institute of Fertilisers, the first institute founded by the Bolshevik government. Thus, the project of "chemicalisation of agriculture," usually described as a revolutionary endeavour, was firmly rooted in World War I.

The Case of James Leininger: An American Case of the Reincarnation Type.

PubMed

Tucker, Jim B

2016-01-01

Numerous cases of young children who report memories of previous lives have been studied over the last 50 years. Though such cases are more easily found in cultures that have a general belief in reincarnation, they occur in the West as well. This article describes the case of James Leininger, an American child who at age two began having intense nightmares of a plane crash. He then described being an American pilot who was killed when his plane was shot down by the Japanese. He gave details that included the name of an American aircraft carrier, the first and last name of a friend who was on the ship with him, and a location and other specifics about the fatal crash. His parents eventually discovered a close correspondence between James׳s statements and the death of a World War II pilot named James Huston. Documentation of James׳s statements that was made before Huston was identified includes a television interview with his parents that never aired but which the author has been able to review. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A case of severe chlorite poisoning successfully treated with early administration of methylene blue, renal replacement therapy, and red blood cell transfusion: case report.

PubMed

Gebhardtova, Andrea; Vavrinec, Peter; Vavrincova-Yaghi, Diana; Seelen, Mark; Dobisova, Anna; Flassikova, Zora; Cikova, Andrea; Henning, Robert H; Yaghi, Aktham

2014-08-01

The case of a 55-year-old man who attempted suicide by ingesting <100 mL of 28% sodium chlorite solution is presented. On arrival in the intensive care unit, the patient appeared cyanotic with lowered consciousness and displayed anuria and chocolate brown serum.Initial laboratory tests revealed 40% of methemoglobin. The formation of methemoglobin was effectively treated with methylene blue (10% after 29 hours).To remove the toxin, and because of the anuric acute renal failure, the patient received renal replacement therapy. Despite these therapeutic measures, the patient developed hemolytic anemia and disseminated intravascular coagulation, which were treated with red blood cell transfusion and intermittent hemodialysis. These interventions led to the improvement of his condition and the patient eventually fully recovered. Patient gave written informed consent.This is the third known case of chlorite poisoning that has been reported. Based upon this case, we suggest the management of sodium chlorite poisoning to comprise the early administration of methylene blue, in addition to renal replacement therapy and transfusion of red blood cells.

A Case of Severe Chlorite Poisoning Successfully Treated With Early Administration of Methylene Blue, Renal Replacement Therapy, and Red Blood Cell Transfusion

PubMed Central

Gebhardtova, Andrea; Vavrinec, Peter; Vavrincova-Yaghi, Diana; Seelen, Mark; Dobisova, Anna; Flassikova, Zora; Cikova, Andrea; Henning, Robert H.; Yaghi, Aktham

2014-01-01

Abstract The case of a 55-year-old man who attempted suicide by ingesting <100 mL of 28% sodium chlorite solution is presented. On arrival in the intensive care unit, the patient appeared cyanotic with lowered consciousness and displayed anuria and chocolate brown serum. Initial laboratory tests revealed 40% of methemoglobin. The formation of methemoglobin was effectively treated with methylene blue (10% after 29 hours). To remove the toxin, and because of the anuric acute renal failure, the patient received renal replacement therapy. Despite these therapeutic measures, the patient developed hemolytic anemia and disseminated intravascular coagulation, which were treated with red blood cell transfusion and intermittent hemodialysis. These interventions led to the improvement of his condition and the patient eventually fully recovered. Patient gave written informed consent. This is the third known case of chlorite poisoning that has been reported. Based upon this case, we suggest the management of sodium chlorite poisoning to comprise the early administration of methylene blue, in addition to renal replacement therapy and transfusion of red blood cells. PMID:25144325

Thyroid nodule as a first manifestation of Hodgkin lymphoma–report of two cases and literature review

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Abstract Lymphomas account for less than 5% of thyroid malignant lesions. Vast majority of them are B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL), while Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is extremely rare. Here we present two cases of HL, at baseline manifesting as a thyroid lesion. First patient, 29-year-old pregnant female, initially suspected for metastatic medullary thyroid cancer, was eventually diagnosed with mixed cellularity type of thyroid HL. Second patient, 22-year-old woman with suspicion of advanced thyroid cancer, was in the end diagnosed with an extra-lymphatic classical HL of the thyroid. In both cases, despite repeated fine-needle aspiration biopsy, cytological examination gave inconclusive or misleading results. On histopathological examination, thyroid tumor cells were positive for CD15 and CD30 antigen, which is typical for Reed-Sternberg cells. In the report authors also discuss difficulties in management as well as potential importance of novel methods such as FISH, PCR and other molecular techniques in diagnostics of thyroid lymphomas. Virtual slides The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/2896947559559648 PMID:23856094

Methyl 3-[3',4'-(methylenedioxy)phenyl]-2-methyl glycidate: an ecstasy precursor seized in Sydney, Australia.

PubMed

Collins, Michael; Heagney, Aaron; Cordaro, Frank; Odgers, David; Tarrant, Gregory; Stewart, Samantha

2007-07-01

Five 44 gallon drums labeled as glycidyl methacrylate were seized by the Australian Customs Service and the Australian Federal Police at Port Botany, Sydney, Australia, in December 2004. Each drum contained a white, semisolid substance that was initially suspected to be 3,4-methylenedioxymethylamphetamine (MDMA). Gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC/MS) analysis demonstrated that the material was neither glycidyl methacrylate nor MDMA. Because intelligence sources employed by federal agents indicated that this material was in some way connected to MDMA production, suspicion fell on the various MDMA precursor chemicals. Using a number of techniques including proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H NMR), carbon nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((13)C NMR), GC/MS, infrared spectroscopy, and total synthesis, the unknown substance was eventually identified as methyl 3-[3',4'(methylenedioxy)phenyl]-2-methyl glycidate. The substance was also subjected to a published hydrolysis and decarboxylation procedure and gave a high yield of the MDMA precursor chemical, 3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl-2-propanone, thereby establishing this material as a "precursor to a precursor."

Assessing the binding of cholinesterase inhibitors by docking and molecular dynamics studies.

PubMed

Ali, M Rejwan; Sadoqi, Mostafa; Møller, Simon G; Boutajangout, Allal; Mezei, Mihaly

2017-09-01

In this report we assessed by docking and molecular dynamics the binding mechanisms of three FDA-approved Alzheimer drugs, inhibitors of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE): donepezil, galantamine and rivastigmine. Dockings by the softwares Autodock-Vina, PatchDock and Plant reproduced the docked conformations of the inhibitor-enzyme complexes within 2Å of RMSD of the X-ray structure. Free-energy scores show strong affinity of the inhibitors for the enzyme binding pocket. Three independent Molecular Dynamics simulation runs indicated general stability of donepezil, galantamine and rivastigmine in their respective enzyme binding pocket (also referred to as gorge) as well as the tendency to form hydrogen bonds with the water molecules. The binding of rivastigmine in the Torpedo California AChE binding pocket is interesting as it eventually undergoes carbamylation and breaks apart according to the X-ray structure of the complex. Similarity search in the ZINC database and targeted docking on the gorge region of the AChE enzyme gave new putative inhibitor molecules with high predicted binding affinity, suitable for potential biophysical and biological assessments. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The endothermic ATP hydrolysis and crossbridge attachment steps drive the increase of force with temperature in isometric and shortening muscle

PubMed Central

Offer, Gerald; Ranatunga, K W

2015-01-01

The isometric tetanic tension of skeletal muscle increases with temperature because attached crossbridge states bearing a relatively low force convert to those bearing a higher force. It was previously proposed that the tension-generating step(s) in the crossbridge cycle was highly endothermic and was therefore itself directly targeted by changes in temperature. However, this did not explain why a rapid rise in temperature (a temperature jump) caused a much slower rate of rise of tension than a rapid length step. This led to suggestions that the step targeted by a temperature rise is not the tension-generating step but is an extra step in the attached pathway of the crossbridge cycle, perhaps located on a parallel pathway. This enigma has been a major obstacle to a full understanding of the operation of the crossbridge cycle. We have now used a previously developed mechano-kinetic model of the crossbridge cycle in frog muscle to simulate the temperature dependence of isometric tension and shortening velocity. We allowed all five steps in the cycle to be temperature-sensitive. Models with different starting combinations of enthalpy changes and activation enthalpies for the five steps were refined by downhill simplex runs and scored by their ability to fit experimental data on the temperature dependence of isometric tension and the relationship between force and shortening velocity in frog muscle. We conclude that the first tension-generating step may be weakly endothermic and that the rise of tension with temperature is largely driven by the preceding two strongly endothermic steps of ATP hydrolysis and attachment of M.ADP.Pi to actin. The refined model gave a reasonable fit to the available experimental data and after a temperature jump the overall rate of tension rise was much slower than after a length step as observed experimentally. The findings aid our understanding of the crossbridge cycle by showing that it may not be necessary to include an additional temperature-sensitive step. PMID:25564737

Cytokine-free directed differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells efficiently produces hemogenic endothelium with lymphoid potential.

PubMed

Galat, Yekaterina; Dambaeva, Svetlana; Elcheva, Irina; Khanolkar, Aaruni; Beaman, Kenneth; Iannaccone, Philip M; Galat, Vasiliy

2017-03-17

The robust generation of human hematopoietic progenitor cells from induced or embryonic pluripotent stem cells would be beneficial for multiple areas of research, including mechanistic studies of hematopoiesis, the development of cellular therapies for autoimmune diseases, induced transplant tolerance, anticancer immunotherapies, disease modeling, and drug/toxicity screening. Over the past years, significant progress has been made in identifying effective protocols for hematopoietic differentiation from pluripotent stem cells and understanding stages of mesodermal, endothelial, and hematopoietic specification. Thus, it has been shown that variations in cytokine and inhibitory molecule treatments in the first few days of hematopoietic differentiation define primitive versus definitive potential of produced hematopoietic progenitor cells. The majority of current feeder-free, defined systems for hematopoietic induction from pluripotent stem cells include prolonged incubations with various cytokines that make the differentiation process complex and time consuming. We established that the application of Wnt agonist CHIR99021 efficiently promotes differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells in the absence of any hematopoietic cytokines to the stage of hemogenic endothelium capable of definitive hematopoiesis. The hemogenic endothelium differentiation was accomplished in an adherent, serum-free culture system by applying CHIR99021. Hemogenic endothelium progenitor cells were isolated on day 5 of differentiation and evaluated for their endothelial, myeloid, and lymphoid potential. Monolayer induction based on GSK3 inhibition, described here, yielded a large number of CD31 + CD34 + hemogenic endothelium cells. When isolated and propagated in adherent conditions, these progenitors gave rise to mature endothelium. When further cocultured with OP9 mouse stromal cells, these progenitors gave rise to various cells of myeloid lineages as well as natural killer lymphoid, T-lymphoid, and B-lymphoid cells. The results of this study substantiate a method that significantly reduces the complexity of current protocols for hematopoietic induction, offers a defined system to study the factors that affect the early stages of hematopoiesis, and provides a new route of lymphoid and myeloid cell derivation from human pluripotent stem cells, thus enhancing their use in translational medicine.

Polarized electronic spectra for the crystals of three compounds, potassium tetrabromoplatinate(II) dihydrate, tetraethylammonium hexabromodiplatinate(II), and tetra-μ-glycine-dimolybdenum (II) sulfate tetrahydrate

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

Peters, Timothy Joseph

1977-06-01

The polarized absorption spectra for K 2PtBr 4 . 2H 2O, (N(C 2H 5) 4) 2PtBr 6, and Mo 2(O 2CCH 2NH 3) 4(SO 4) 2 . 4H 2O have been recorded at 300 and 15/sup 0/K. In K 2PtBr 4 . 2H 2O the bands at 24,000 and 27,000 cm -1 in both a- and b-polarizations appear to be vibronically induced. The energy spacing of the vibrational structure was noted to be somewhat higher at 180 cm -1 than for the analogous structure of K 2PtBr 4. The presence of a Pt 2Br 6 -2 impurity gave rise tomore » red sections, which evidently were due to the electron transfer, Pt(IV)/reverse arrow/Pt(II), occurring in c-polarization. Very weak spin-forbidden bands were observable in all three polarizations below 23,500 cm -1. In the crystal spectra of (N(C 2H 5) 4) 2Pt 2Br 6 the transitions were defined with respect to the three molecular axes of the Pt 2Br 6 -2 ion. Excited states were assigned under the D 2sub h/ point group symmetry of the ion. The delocalization of the d electrons gave rise to strongly enhanced intensities for both spin-forbidden and spin-allowed d/reverse arrow/d transitions. The M/reverse arrow/L charge-transfer transitions occur at lower energies in the case of Pt 2Br 6 -2 than in PtBr 4 -2. These charge transfer transitions were found from the polarizations to originate from the terminal bromides. The crystal spectra of Mo 2(O 2CCH 2NH 3) 4(SO 4) 2 . 4H 2O were recorded through the region 20,000 - 25,000 cm -1. The spectra at 15K revealed the vibrational structure in the two recorded polarizations. The electronic transition observed in these spectra was forbidden under the local symmetry of D 4h.« less

High-energy pp and pp-bar forward elastic scattering and total cross sections

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

Block, M.M.; Cahn, R.N.

1985-04-01

The present status of elastic pp and pp-bar scattering in the high-energy domain is reviewed, with emphasis on the forward and near-forward regions. The experimental techniques for measuring sigma/sub tot/, rho, and B are discussed, emphasizing the importance of the region in which the nuclear and Coulomb scattering interfere. The impact-parameter representation is exploited to give simple didactic demonstrations of important rigorous theorems based on analyticity, and to illuminate the significance of the slope parameter B and the curvature parameter C. Models of elastic scattering are discussed, and a criterion for the onset of ''asymptopia'' is given. A critique ofmore » dispersion relations is presented. Simple analytic functions are used to fit simultaneously the real and imaginary parts of forward scattering amplitudes for both pp and pp-bar, obtained from experimental data for sigma/sub tot/ and rho. It is found that a good fit can be obtained using only five parameters (with a cross section rising as ln/sup 2/s), over the energy range 5 < ..sqrt..s < 62 GeV. The possibilities that (a) the cross section rises only as lns, (b) the cross section rises only locally as ln/sup 2/s, and eventually goes to a constant value, and (c) the cross-section difference between pp and pp-bar does not vanish as s..-->..infinity are examined critically. The nuclear slope parameters B are also fitted in a model-independent fashion. Examination of the fits reveals a new regularity of the pp-bar and the pp systems.« less

Competing roles of air temperature and summer precipitation events on proglacial stream discharges in Chhota Shigri Glacier catchment, Indian Himalaya

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

AL, R.

2016-12-01

It has been widely recognized that western Himalayan region depends heavily on glacier and snow melt for its water needs. This is true especially for the Chenab sub-basin and more generally for other sub-catchments of the mighty Indus catering to the water demands of millions of stake holders who depend on this water resource. However, there are very few studies available to understand high altitude glaciated catchments, the climatic controls over their flow regimes, and their dependency on glacier mass balances, mainly because of poor access. Hence, the proglacial stream discharges from Chhota Shigri Glacier, a representative glacier of western Himalayan region has been analyzed for understanding the impact of rising air temperatures and highly variable summer precipitation events on discharges that are sourced majorly from snow melt and glacier wastage. This study, for the first time attempts to understand the factors influencing the interannual, subseasonal, and the diurnal variability observed in this representative catchment over four ablation seasons (2010-2013), by monitoring solar radiation, air temperature, summer precipitation, albedo and transient snow cover. The proglacial discharge is governed by air temperatures and albedo-enhancing summer precipitation events, which also enhances transient snow cover. While, the positive mass balance years gave rise to lesser proglacial discharges in comparison to negative mass balance years, lesser winter accumulation was compensated by the lower ablation resulting summer snowfall events in some years. While rising summer air temperatures give rise to glacier wastage, the role of melting transient snow cover on stream discharge is highly significant, especially for positive mass balance years. The pronounced interannual variations and the decreased proglacial discharge in comparison to 1980s suggest that Chhota Shigri Glacier is possibly wasting its way to reach equilibrium to the changed climatic conditions of the 21st century; however these findings need to be corroborated with runoff modeling.

Thiamine pyrophosphate requirement for o-succinylbenzoic acid synthesis in Escherichia coli and evidence for an intermediate.

PubMed Central

Meganathan, R; Bentley, R

1983-01-01

Cell-free extracts of various strains of Escherichia coli synthesize the menaquinone biosynthetic intermediate o-succinylbenzoic acid (OSB) when supplied with chorismic acid, 2-ketoglutaric acid, and thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP). To assay for OSB synthesis, 2-[U-14C]ketoglutaric acid was used as substrate, and the synthesized OSB was examined by radiogas chromatography (as the dimethyl ester). [U-14C]Shikimic acid also gave rise to radioactive OSB if the cofactors necessary for enzymatic conversion to chorismic acid were added. Use of 2-[1-14C]ketoglutaric acid does not give rise to labeled OSB. In the absence of TPP during the incubations, OSB synthesis was much reduced; these observations are consistent with the proposed role for the succinic semialdehyde-TPP anion as the reagent adding to chorismic acid. Extracts of cells from menC and menD mutants did not form OSB separately, but did so in combination. There was evidence for formation of a product, X, by extracts of a menC mutant incubated with chorismic acid, TPP, and 2-ketoglutaric acid; X was converted to OSB by extracts of a menD mutant. It appears that the intermediate, X, is formed by one gene product and converted to OSB by the second gene product. PMID:6337125

Biomineralization of endolithic microbes in rocks from the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica: implications for microbial fossil formation and their detection.

PubMed

Wierzchos, Jacek; Sancho, Leopoldo García; Ascaso, Carmen

2005-04-01

In some zones of Antarctica's cold and dry desert, the extinction of cryptoendolithic microorganisms leaves behind inorganic traces of microbial life. In this paper, we examine the transition from live microorganisms, through their decay, to microbial fossils using in situ microscopy (transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy in back-scattered electron mode) and microanalytical (energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy) techniques. Our results demonstrate that, after their death, endolithic microorganisms inhabiting Commonwealth Glacier sandstone from the Antarctica McMurdo Dry Valleys become mineralized. In some cases, epicellular deposition of minerals and/or simply filling up of empty moulds by minerals leads to the formation of cell-shaped structures that may be considered biomarkers. The continuous deposition of allochthonous clay minerals and sulfate-rich salts fills the sandstone pores. This process can give rise to microbial fossils with distinguishable cell wall structures. Often, fossilized cell interiors were of a different chemical composition to the mineralized cell walls. We propose that the microbial fossil formation observed was induced by mineral precipitation resulting from inorganic processes occurring after the death of cryptoendolithic microorganisms. Nevertheless, it must have been the organic template that provoked the diffusion of mineral elements and gave rise to their characteristic distribution pattern inside the fossilized cells.

Prolonged cultivation of hippocampal neural precursor cells shifts their differentiation potential and selects for aneuploid cells.

PubMed

Nguyen, The Duy; Widera, Darius; Greiner, Johannes; Müller, Janine; Martin, Ina; Slotta, Carsten; Hauser, Stefan; Kaltschmidt, Christian; Kaltschmidt, Barbara

2013-12-01

Neural precursor cells (NPCs) are lineage-restricted neural stem cells with limited self-renewal, giving rise to a broad range of neural cell types such as neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes. Despite this developmental potential, the differentiation capacity of NPCs has been controversially discussed concerning the trespassing lineage boundaries, for instance resulting in hematopoietic competence. Assessing their in vitro plasticity, we isolated nestin+/Sox2+, NPCs from the adult murine hippocampus. In vitro-expanded adult NPCs were able to form neurospheres, self-renew, and differentiate into neuronal, astrocytic, and oligodendrocytic cells. Although NPCs cultivated in early passage efficiently gave rise to neuronal cells in a directed differentiation assay, extensively cultivated NPCs revealed reduced potential for ectodermal differentiation. We further observed successful differentiation of long-term cultured NPCs into osteogenic and adipogenic cell types, suggesting that NPCs underwent a fate switch during culture. NPCs cultivated for more than 12 passages were aneuploid (abnormal chromosome numbers such as 70 chromosomes). Furthermore, they showed growth factor-independent proliferation, a hallmark of tumorigenic transformation. In conclusion, our findings substantiate the lineage restriction of NPCs from adult mammalian hippocampus. Prolonged cultivation results, however, in enhanced differentiation potential, which may be attributed to transformation events leading to aneuploid cells.

Protein synthesis and specific dynamic action in crustaceans: effects of temperature.

PubMed

Whiteley, N M; Robertson, R F; Meagor, J; El Haj, A J; Taylor, E W

2001-03-01

Temperature influences the specific dynamic action (SDA), or rise in oxygen uptake rate after feeding, in eurythermal and stenothermal crustaceans by changing the timing and the magnitude of the response. Intra-specific studies on the eurythermal crab, Carcinus maenas, show that a reduction in acclimation temperature is associated with a decrease in SDA magnitude, resulting from an increase in SDA duration but a decrease in peak factorial scope (the factorial rise in peak SDA over prefeeding values). Inter-specific feeding studies on stenothermal polar isopods revealed marked differences in SDA response between the Antarctic species, Glyptonotus antarcticus and the Arctic species, Saduria entomon. Compared to S. entomon held at 4 and 13 degrees C, the SDA response in G. antarcticus held at 1 degrees C was characterised by a lower absolute oxygen uptake rate at peak SDA and an extended SDA duration. At peak SDA, whole animal rates of protein synthesis increased in proportion to the postprandial increase in oxygen uptake rate in the Antarctic and the Arctic species. Rates of oxygen uptake plotted against whole animal rates of protein synthesis gave similar relationships in both isopod species, indicating similar costs of protein synthesis after a meal, despite their differences in SDA response and thermal habitat.

Flash Nanoprecipitation: Particle Structure and Stability

PubMed Central

Pustulka, Kevin M.; Wohl, Adam R.; Lee, Han Seung; Michel, Andrew R.; Han, Jing; Hoye, Thomas R.; McCormick, Alon V.; Panyam, Jayanth; Macosko, Christopher W.

2013-01-01

Flash nanoprecipitation (FNP) is a process that, through rapid mixing, stabilizes an insoluble low molecular weight compound in a nano-sized, polymer-stabilized delivery vehicle. The polymeric components are typically amphiphilic diblock copolymers (BCPs). In order to fully exploit the potential of FNP, factors affecting particle structure, size, and stability must be understood. Here we show that polymer type, hydrophobicity and crystallinity of the small molecule, and small molecule loading levels all affect particle size and stability. Of the four block copolymers (BCP) that we have studied here, poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PEG-b-PLGA) was most suitable for potential drug delivery applications due to its ability to give rise to stable nanoparticles, its biocompatibility, and its degradability. We found little difference in particle size when using PLGA block sizes over the range of 5 to 15kDa. The choice of hydrophobic small molecule was important, as molecules with a calculated water-octanol partition coefficient (clogP) below 6 gave rise to particles that were unstable and underwent rapid Ostwald ripening. Studies probing the internal structure of nanoparticles were also performed. Analysis of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM), and 1H-NMR experiments support a three-layer core-shell-corona nanoparticle structure. PMID:24053447

Thermal anomalies of the transmitter experiment package on the communications technology satellite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alexovich, R. E.; Curren, A. N.

1979-01-01

The causes of four temporary thermal-control-system malfunctions that gave rise to unexpected temperature excursions in the 12-gigahertz, 200-watt transmitter experiment package (TEP) on the Communications Technology Satellite were investigated. The TEP consists of a nominal 200-watt output stage tube (OST), a supporting power-processing system (PPS), and a variable-conductance heat-pipe system (VCHPS). The VCHPS, which uses three heat pipes to conduct heat from the body of the OST to a radiator fin, was designed to maintain the TEP at safe operating temperatures at all operating conditions. On four occasions during 1977, all near the spring and fall equinoxes, the OST body temperature and related temperatures displayed sudden, rapid, and unexpected rises above normal levels while the TEP was operating at essentially constant, normal conditions. The temperature excursions were terminated without TEP damage by reducing the radio frequency (RF) output power of the OST. Between the anomalies and since the fourth, the thermal control system has apparently functioned as designed. The results indicate the most probable cause of the temperature anomalies is depriming of the arteries in the variable-conductance heat pipes. A mode was identified in which the TEP, as presently configured, may operate with stable temperatures and with minimum change in performance level.

Sperm donor recruitment within an NHS fertility service since the removal of anonymity.

PubMed

Tomlinson, Mathew J; Pooley, Karen; Pierce, Angela; Hopkisson, James F

2010-09-01

The marked decline in the number of sperm donors recruited in the UK has been largely attributed to changes in regulations and in particular those related to the removal of anonymity. After a 5-year period of inactivity, the sperm donor bank in Nottingham was provided with limited resources to try and recruit donors who were willing to be identified on the HFEA register. Marketing was sporadic and at first low cost and the enquiry rate only increased significantly when the centre's website became operational and higher cost advertising was used. Over a 4-year period, a total of 151 enquiries gave rise to 14 useable donors at a cost of approximately £5,500 each. Donor sperm was generally of high quality having been density gradient prepared prior to cryopreservation and provided an overall ongoing pregnancy rate of 21.6% and 45.6% by IUI and IVF, respectively. The overall exercise demonstrated that identifiable donors were coming forward but in lower numbers compared to those observed before 2005. At current treatment prices, centres should be aware that recouping the costs of donor recruitment and processing may be difficult and that the cost of both donor sperm and donor insemination are likely to rise significantly.

Structural patterns and tectonic history of the Bauer microplate, Eastern Tropical Pacific

USGS Publications Warehouse

Eakins, B.W.; Lonsdale, P.F.

2003-01-01

The Bauer microplate was an independent slab of oceanic lithosphere that from 17 Ma to 6 Ma grew from 1.4 ?? 105 km2 to 1.2 ?? 106 km2 between the rapidly diverging Pacific and Nazca plates. Growth was by accretion at the lengthening and overlapping axes of the (Bauer-Nazca) Galapagos Rise (GR) and the (Pacific-Bauer) East Pacific Rise (EPR). EPR and GR axial propagation to create and rapidly grow the counter-clockwise spinning microplate occurred in two phases: (1) 17-15Ma, when the EPR axis propagated north and the GR axis propagated south around a narrow (100- to 200-km-wide) core of older lithosphere; and (2) 8-6 Ma, when rapid northward propagation of the EPR axis resumed, overlapping ???400 km of the fast-spreading Pacific-Nazca rise-crest and appending a large (200- to 400-km-wide) area of the west flank of that rise as a 'northern annex' to the microplate. Between 15 and 8 Ma the microplate grew principally by crustal accretion at the crest of its rises. The microplate was captured by the Nazca plate and the Galapagos Rise axis became extinct soon after 6 Ma, when the south end of the Pacific-Bauer EPR axis became aligned with the southern Pacific-Nazca EPR axis and its north end was linked by the Quebrada Transform to the northern Pacific-Nazca EPR axis. Incomplete multibeam bathymetry of the microplate margins, and of both flanks of the Pacific-Bauer and Bauer-Nazca Rises, together with archival magnetic and satellite altimetry data, clarifies the growth and (counter-clockwise) rotation of the microplate, and tests tectonic models derived from studies of the still active, much smaller, Easter and Juan Fernandez microplates. Our interpretations differ from model predictions in that Euler poles were not located on the microplate boundary, propagation in the 15-8 Ma phase of growth was not toward these poles, and microplate rotation rates were small (5??/m.y.) for much of its history, when long, bounding transform faults reduced coupling to Nazca plate motion. Some structures of the Bauer microplate boundary, such as deep rift valleys and a broad zone of thrust-faulted lithosphere, are, however, similar to those observed around the smaller, active microplates. Analysis of how the Bauer microplate was captured when coupling to the Pacific plate was reduced invites speculation on why risecrest microplates eventually lose their independence. ?? Springer 2005.

Changes in copper sulfate crystal habit during cooling crystallization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giulietti, M.; Seckler, M. M.; Derenzo, S.; Valarelli, J. V.

1996-09-01

The morphology of technical grade copper(II) sulfate pentahydrate crystals produced from batch cooling experiments in the temperature range of 70 to 30°C is described and correlated with the process conditions. A slow linear cooling rate (batch time of 90 min) predominantly caused the appearance of well-formed crystals. Exponential cooling (120 min) resulted in the additional formation of agglomerates and twins. The presence of seeds for both cooling modes led to round crystals, agglomerates and twins. Fast linear cooling (15 min) gave rise to a mixture of the former types. Broken crystals and adhering fragments were often found. Growth zoning was pronounced in seeded and linear cooling experiments. Fluid inclusions were always found and were more pronounced for larger particles. The occurrence of twinning, zoning and fluid inclusions was qualitatively explained in terms of fundamental principles.

Current-limited electron beam injection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stenzel, R. L.

1977-01-01

The injection of an electron beam into a weakly collisional, magnetized background plasma was investigated experimentally. The injected beam was energetic and cold, the background plasma was initially isothermal. Beam and plasma dimensions were so large that the system was considered unbounded. The temporal and spatial evolution of the beam-plasma system was dominated by collective effects. High-frequency electrostatic instabilities rapidly thermalized the beam and heated the background electrons. The injected beam current was balanced by a return current consisting of background electrons drifting toward the beam source. The drift between electrons and ions gave rise to an ion acoustic instability which developed into strong three-dimensional turbulence. It was shown that the injected beam current was limited by the return current which is approximately given by the electron saturation current. Non-Maxwellian electron distribution functions were observed.

Rapid detection of IHNV by molecular padlock recognition and surface-associated isothermal amplification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCarthy, Erik L.; Egeler, Teressa J.; Bickerstaff, Lee E.; Pereira da Cunha, Mauricio; Millard, Paul J.

2005-11-01

RNA sequences derived from infectious hematopoeitic necrosis virus (IHNV) could be detected using a combination of surface-associated molecular padlock DNA probes (MPP) and rolling circle amplification (RCA) in microcapillary tubes. DNA oligonucleotides with base sequences identical to RNA obtained from IHNV were recognized by MPP. Circularized MPP were then captured on the inner surface of glass microcapillary tubes by immobilized DNA oligonucleotide primers. Extension of the immobilized primers by isothermal RCA gave rise to DNA concatamers, which were in turn bound by the fluorescent reporter SYBR Green II nucleic acid stain, and measured by microfluorimetry. Surface-associated molecular padlock technology, combined with isothermal RCA, exhibited high selectivity and sensitivity without thermal cycling. This technology is applicable to direct RNA and DNA detection, permitting detection of a variety of viral or bacterial pathogens.

The influence of writing practice on letter recognition in preschool children: a comparison between handwriting and typing.

PubMed

Longcamp, Marieke; Zerbato-Poudou, Marie-Thérèse; Velay, Jean-Luc

2005-05-01

A large body of data supports the view that movement plays a crucial role in letter representation and suggests that handwriting contributes to the visual recognition of letters. If so, changing the motor conditions while children are learning to write by using a method based on typing instead of handwriting should affect their subsequent letter recognition performances. In order to test this hypothesis, we trained two groups of 38 children (aged 3-5 years) to copy letters of the alphabet either by hand or by typing them. After three weeks of learning, we ran two recognition tests, one week apart, to compare the letter recognition performances of the two groups. The results showed that in the older children, the handwriting training gave rise to a better letter recognition than the typing training.

Comment on Gribenski, N. et al., 2016. Complex patterns of glacier advances during the late glacial in the Chagan Uzun Valley, Russian Altai. Quaternary Science Reviews 149, 288-305

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herget, Jürgen; Carling, Paul; Agatova, Anna; Batbaatar, Jigjidsurengiin; Borodavko, Pavel; Gillespie, Alan; Nepop, Roman

2017-07-01

Gribenski et al. (2016) investigated moraines of the Chagan-Uzun valley in the Russian Altai mountains, concluding from 18 cosmic-ray exposure ages that they slightly predated ∼19 ka, within MIS 2. The moraines extended below the highest stand of the Kuray/Chuja palaeolakes that gave rise to outburst floods down Chuja River. Gribenski et al. (2016) suggested that the ages from their lowest dated moraine may be minima due to shielding from cosmic-ray exposure by the lake waters for a few thousand years. They noted that their dating agrees with data from other palaeoglaciers in the region and throughout the Northern Hemisphere, and shows that the regional Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) in the Altai occurred during MIS 2.

Emergency preparedness among people living near US army chemical weapons sites after September 11, 2001.

PubMed

Williams, Bryan L; Magsumbol, Melina S

2007-09-01

We examined trust in the army and perceptions of emergency preparedness among residents living near the Anniston, Ala, and Richmond, Ky, US Army chemical weapons stockpile sites shortly after September 11, 2001. Residents (n = 655) living near the 2 sites who participated in a cross-sectional population were relatively unprepared in the event of a chemical emergency. The events of September 11 gave rise to concerns regarding the security of stored chemical weapons and the sites' vulnerability to terrorist attacks. Although residents expressed trust in the army to manage chemical weapons safely, only a few expressed a desire to actively participate in site decisions. Compliance with procedures during emergencies could be seriously limited, putting residents in these sites at higher levels of risk of exposure to chemical hazards than nonresidents.

Implications of Tumor Heterogeneity for Precision Medicine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeraj, Robert

Medical physics is intimately connected with medicine, and is progressing along a similar path. General trend of medicine, particularly oncology, towards personalized treatment gave rise to precision medicine, which addresses the highly complex nature of disease. However, there are severe obstacles to overcome. For example, cancers evolve in time to become harder targets to treat. Understanding treatment resistance, and its development, often connected with the highly heterogeneous nature of the disease, is another key obstacle. Use of multi-modality imaging techniques such as molecular imaging is one of the solutions that medical physics can offer. Examples from clinical trials utilizing advanced molecular imaging, highlighting intra-tumor and inter-tumor heterogeneity will be presented. New understanding of cancer treatment response dynamics will be outlined. Potential for improved patient treatment designs steaming from these novel insights will be discussed.

Highlights of the DNA cutters: a short history of the restriction enzymes

PubMed Central

Loenen, Wil A. M.; Dryden, David T. F.; Raleigh, Elisabeth A.; Wilson, Geoffrey G.; Murray, Noreen E.

2014-01-01

In the early 1950’s, ‘host-controlled variation in bacterial viruses’ was reported as a non-hereditary phenomenon: one cycle of viral growth on certain bacterial hosts affected the ability of progeny virus to grow on other hosts by either restricting or enlarging their host range. Unlike mutation, this change was reversible, and one cycle of growth in the previous host returned the virus to its original form. These simple observations heralded the discovery of the endonuclease and methyltransferase activities of what are now termed Type I, II, III and IV DNA restriction-modification systems. The Type II restriction enzymes (e.g. EcoRI) gave rise to recombinant DNA technology that has transformed molecular biology and medicine. This review traces the discovery of restriction enzymes and their continuing impact on molecular biology and medicine. PMID:24141096

Highlights of the DNA cutters: a short history of the restriction enzymes.

PubMed

Loenen, Wil A M; Dryden, David T F; Raleigh, Elisabeth A; Wilson, Geoffrey G; Murray, Noreen E

2014-01-01

In the early 1950's, 'host-controlled variation in bacterial viruses' was reported as a non-hereditary phenomenon: one cycle of viral growth on certain bacterial hosts affected the ability of progeny virus to grow on other hosts by either restricting or enlarging their host range. Unlike mutation, this change was reversible, and one cycle of growth in the previous host returned the virus to its original form. These simple observations heralded the discovery of the endonuclease and methyltransferase activities of what are now termed Type I, II, III and IV DNA restriction-modification systems. The Type II restriction enzymes (e.g. EcoRI) gave rise to recombinant DNA technology that has transformed molecular biology and medicine. This review traces the discovery of restriction enzymes and their continuing impact on molecular biology and medicine.

Resuscitation great. Luigi Galvani and the foundations of electrophysiology.

PubMed

Cajavilca, Christian; Varon, Joseph; Sternbach, George L

2009-02-01

Luigi Galvani became one of the greatest scientists of the 18th century with his research and the development of his theory on animal electricity. His work was appreciated by many scientists. Nevertheless, it gave rise to one of the most passionate scientific debates in history when Alessandro Volta postulated that Galvani had confused intrinsic animal electricity with small currents produced by metals. This debate would result in the creation of electrophysiology, electromagnetism, electrochemistry and the electrical battery. Galvani responded to each of the postulated theories of Volta giving irrefutable proof of the involvement of electricity in the contraction of muscles. However, his work was subsequently abandoned and silenced for many years but his ideas and theories were finally confirmed by the creation of new instruments and the interest of new scientists who helped position Galvani as the father of electrophysiology.

Emergency Preparedness Among People Living Near US Army Chemical Weapons Sites After September 11, 2001

PubMed Central

Williams, Bryan L.; Magsumbol, Melina S.

2007-01-01

We examined trust in the army and perceptions of emergency preparedness among residents living near the Anniston, Ala, and Richmond, Ky, US Army chemical weapons stockpile sites shortly after September 11, 2001. Residents (n = 655) living near the 2 sites who participated in a cross-sectional population were relatively unprepared in the event of a chemical emergency. The events of September 11 gave rise to concerns regarding the security of stored chemical weapons and the sites’ vulnerability to terrorist attacks. Although residents expressed trust in the army to manage chemical weapons safely, only a few expressed a desire to actively participate in site decisions. Compliance with procedures during emergencies could be seriously limited, putting residents in these sites at higher levels of risk of exposure to chemical hazards than nonresidents. PMID:17666684

Amorphous and nanocrystalline luminescent Si and Ge obtained via a solid-state chemical metathesis synthesis route

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McMillan, Paul F.; Gryko, Jan; Bull, Craig; Arledge, Richard; Kenyon, Anthony J.; Cressey, Barbara A.

2005-03-01

A new solid-state metathesis synthesis route was applied to obtain bulk samples of amorphous or microcrystalline Si and Ge. The method involves reaction of Zintl phases such as NaSi or NaGe, with ammonium or metal (e.g., CuCl, CoBr 2) halides. The driving force for the solid-state reaction is provided by the formation of alkali halides and the transition metals or metal silicides, or gaseous ammonia and hydrogen. The semiconductors were purified by washing to remove other solid products. The amorphous semiconductors were obtained in bulk form from reactions carried out at 200-300 °C. Syntheses at higher temperatures gave rise to microcrystalline semiconductors, or to micro-/nanocrystalline particles contained within the amorphous material. Similar crystalline/amorphous composites were obtained after heat treatment of bulk amorphous materials.

The many shades of prion strain adaptation.

PubMed

Baskakov, Ilia V

2014-01-01

In several recent studies transmissible prion disease was induced in animals by inoculation with recombinant prion protein amyloid fibrils produced in vitro. Serial transmission of amyloid fibrils gave rise to a new class of prion strains of synthetic origin. Gradual transformation of disease phenotypes and PrP(Sc) properties was observed during serial transmission of synthetic prions, a process that resembled the phenomenon of prion strain adaptation. The current article discusses the remarkable parallels between phenomena of prion strain adaptation that accompanies cross-species transmission and the evolution of synthetic prions occurring within the same host. Two alternative mechanisms underlying prion strain adaptation and synthetic strain evolution are discussed. The current article highlights the complexity of the prion transmission barrier and strain adaptation and proposes that the phenomenon of prion adaptation is more common than previously thought.

The submarine volcano eruption at the island of El Hierro: physical-chemical perturbation and biological response

PubMed Central

Fraile-Nuez, E.; González-Dávila, M.; Santana-Casiano, J. M.; Arístegui, J.; Alonso-González, I. J.; Hernández-León, S.; Blanco, M. J.; Rodríguez-Santana, A.; Hernández-Guerra, A.; Gelado-Caballero, M. D.; Eugenio, F.; Marcello, J.; de Armas, D.; Domínguez-Yanes, J. F.; Montero, M. F.; Laetsch, D. R.; Vélez-Belchí, P.; Ramos, A.; Ariza, A. V.; Comas-Rodríguez, I.; Benítez-Barrios, V. M.

2012-01-01

On October 10 2011 an underwater eruption gave rise to a novel shallow submarine volcano south of the island of El Hierro, Canary Islands, Spain. During the eruption large quantities of mantle-derived gases, solutes and heat were released into the surrounding waters. In order to monitor the impact of the eruption on the marine ecosystem, periodic multidisciplinary cruises were carried out. Here, we present an initial report of the extreme physical-chemical perturbations caused by this event, comprising thermal changes, water acidification, deoxygenation and metal-enrichment, which resulted in significant alterations to the activity and composition of local plankton communities. Our findings highlight the potential role of this eruptive process as a natural ecosystem-scale experiment for the study of extreme effects of global change stressors on marine environments. PMID:22768379

ON CHANGES OF GLYCOGEN CONTENT IN THE SPLEEN LEUKOCYTES DUE TO IRRADIATION AND ANTIGEN EFFECTS (in Russian)

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

Akopova, V.A.

1961-01-01

An investigation was made on 90 white mice subject to x irradiation, using a dose of 335 r (Series I), to vaccination with a brucellosis vaccine (Series II), and to a combined action of these factors (Series III and IV). When the mice received a total irradiation with a dose of 335 r, the leukocytes in the spleen imprints contained a moderate amount of glycogen varying considerably during a fortnight. The x irradiation of the same dose, followed by the action of the brucellosis vaccine, gave rise to an abrupt drop in the glycogen contert of the leukocytes. Under themore » influence of antigen, followed by x irradiation, a considerable amount of glycogen in the leukocytes and the presence of antibodies in the blood were observed. (auth)« less

The origin and development of plains-type folds during the cretaceous in Central and western Kansas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Merriam, D.F.; Forster, A.

2000-01-01

Kansas is part of the Central Stable Region of North America. Structural movement on this part of the craton has been mainly the result of tectonism in nearby areas. Response to the outside tectonic forces, transmitted through the rigid Precambrian basement, has been vertical adjustment. Differential movement along an indigenous fault/fracture pattern in the basement created displaced blocks over which the later sediments were draped by differential compaction. After initial formation of this structural regimen in late Mississippian-early Pennsylvanian time, continued movement of the basement blocks gave rise to the plains-type folds so prevalent in the U.S. Midcontinent. The incremental movement continues through the late Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Tertiary until today. This paper demonstrates the Cretaceous development of some of these structures in central and western Kansas.

Rapid carrier screening using short tandem repeats in the phenylalanine hydroxylase gene.

PubMed

Shawky, R M; el-Aleem, K A; Rifaat, M M; el-Naggar, R L; Marzouk, G M

2002-01-01

Phenylketonuria (PKU) is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder caused by defects in the phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) system. Our work aimed to screen the PAH locus for the presence of potentially useful short tandem repeats (STR) as markers for carrier detection in PKU families in Egypt, and to determine the level of PAH heterozygosity within the Egyptian population. The system contains at least eight independent alleles in the Egyptian population, transmitted in a Mendelian fashion. Variations in the number of STR in the 16 families studied gave rise to polymorphisms that proved to be suitable markers for PKU carrier detection and prenatal diagnosis. The most frequent allelic fragment size in PKU patients was 246 bp (35.7%), which together with a fragment of 254 bp accounted for 60.7% of the mutant chromosomes.

Formation of a freely suspended membrane via a combination of interfacial reaction and wetting.

PubMed

McNamee, Cathy E; Jaumann, Manfred; Möller, Martin; Ding, Ailin; Hemeltjen, Steffen; Ebert, Susanne; Baumann, Wolfgang; Goedel, Werner A

2005-11-08

Applying poly(ethoxysiloxane) (a liquid non-water-soluble polymer that can be hydrolyzed and cross-linked by diluted acids) to an air/pH 1 water interface gave rise to thin homogeneous solid layers. These layers were strong enough to be transferable to electron microscopy grids with holes of dimensions up to 150 microm and covered the holes as freely suspended membranes. No homogeneous layers were formed at an air/pH 5 water interface. Brewster angle microscopy images show that the poly(ethoxysiloxane) is not spontaneously forming a wetting layer on water. It initially forms lenses, which slowly spread out within several hours. We conclude that the spreading occurs simultaneously with the hydrolysis and cross-linking of the poly(ethoxysiloxane) and that the reaction products finally assist the complete wetting of the water surface.

Low-energy electron irradiation induced top-surface nanocrystallization of amorphous carbon film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Cheng; Fan, Xue; Diao, Dongfeng

2016-10-01

We report a low-energy electron irradiation method to nanocrystallize the top-surface of amorphous carbon film in electron cyclotron resonance plasma system. The nanostructure evolution of the carbon film as a function of electron irradiation density and time was examined by transmission electron microscope (TEM) and Raman spectroscopy. The results showed that the electron irradiation gave rise to the formation of sp2 nanocrystallites in the film top-surface within 4 nm thickness. The formation of sp2 nanocrystallite was ascribed to the inelastic electron scattering in the top-surface of carbon film. The frictional property of low-energy electron irradiated film was measured by a pin-on-disk tribometer. The sp2 nanocrystallized top-surface induced a lower friction coefficient than that of the original pure amorphous film. This method enables a convenient nanocrystallization of amorphous surface.

Development of the annelid axochord: insights into notochord evolution.

PubMed

Lauri, Antonella; Brunet, Thibaut; Handberg-Thorsager, Mette; Fischer, Antje H L; Simakov, Oleg; Steinmetz, Patrick R H; Tomer, Raju; Keller, Philipp J; Arendt, Detlev

2014-09-12

The origin of chordates has been debated for more than a century, with one key issue being the emergence of the notochord. In vertebrates, the notochord develops by convergence and extension of the chordamesoderm, a population of midline cells of unique molecular identity. We identify a population of mesodermal cells in a developing invertebrate, the marine annelid Platynereis dumerilii, that converges and extends toward the midline and expresses a notochord-specific combination of genes. These cells differentiate into a longitudinal muscle, the axochord, that is positioned between central nervous system and axial blood vessel and secretes a strong collagenous extracellular matrix. Ancestral state reconstruction suggests that contractile mesodermal midline cells existed in bilaterian ancestors. We propose that these cells, via vacuolization and stiffening, gave rise to the chordate notochord. Copyright © 2014, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Indicators of exotic biology in the K/T transition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wallis, K.; Ramadurai, S.

1 than particular fungi and gave rise to competitive evolution of the ordinary and alien organisms until resistant species (including mammals) won through or symbiotic relationships with the fungal invaders developed. Why would the invaders have come from the inner Oort cloud just beyond Uranus? The probability of the solar system catching an interstellar comet is low. But also their exotic biology was not highly different, as AIB forms an alpha-helix and peptaibols comprise mainly ordinary (protein) aminoacids. Judging by locational variations in AIB abundance, the invaders were not globally overwhelmingly successful and may have depended on repeated reinvasions over at least 100,000 years. Why do virulent invaders arrive every million years with each fragmenting giant comet? Maybe interplanetary debris prevents the isolation of EK-Comets so that biologies rarely evolve sufficiently divergent over the billion years time-scale.

Focus Groups and Exit Interviews Are Components of Chemistry Department Program Assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dreisbach, Joseph H.; Hogan, Thomas P.; Stamford, Anne Marie; Greggo, John W.

1998-10-01

The Chemistry Department, in conjunction with the Assessment and Institutional Research Office (AIRO) and the Department of Counseling and Human Services developed an assessment plan which incorporates use of focus groups and exit interviews. As part of the five-year departmental review, a number of student focus groups were facilitated to evaluate (a) the freshman and sophomore organic chemistry programs which also service other departments and (b) the upper division lecture and laboratory program for majors. Use of direct conversation in program assessment yields less ambiguous results compared with other methods because responses can be clarified with careful follow up questions. Success of this project gave rise to use of annual exit interviews with graduating seniors from the chemistry department. The approach described can easily be modified to meet the needs of any academic setting.

Effect of tip polarity on Kelvin probe force microscopy images of thin insulator CaF2 films on Si(111)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yurtsever, Ayhan; Sugimoto, Yoshiaki; Fukumoto, Masaki; Abe, Masayuki; Morita, Seizo

2012-08-01

We investigate thin insulating CaF2 films on a Si (111) surface using a combination of noncontact atomic force microscopy (NC-AFM) and Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM). Atomic-scale NC-AFM and KPFM images are obtained in different imaging modes by employing two different tip polarities. The KPFM image contrast and the distance-dependent variation of the local contact potential difference (LCPD) give rise to a tip-polarity-dependent contrast inversion. Ca2+ cations had a higher LCPD contrast than F- anions for a positively terminated tip, while the LCPD provided by a negatively charged tip gave a higher contrast for F- anions. Thus, this result implies that it is essential to determine the tip apex polarity to correctly interpret LCPD signals acquired by KPFM.

Biased and unbiased strategies to identify biologically active small molecules.

PubMed

Abet, Valentina; Mariani, Angelica; Truscott, Fiona R; Britton, Sébastien; Rodriguez, Raphaël

2014-08-15

Small molecules are central players in chemical biology studies. They promote the perturbation of cellular processes underlying diseases and enable the identification of biological targets that can be validated for therapeutic intervention. Small molecules have been shown to accurately tune a single function of pluripotent proteins in a reversible manner with exceptional temporal resolution. The identification of molecular probes and drugs remains a worthy challenge that can be addressed by the use of biased and unbiased strategies. Hypothesis-driven methodologies employs a known biological target to synthesize complementary hits while discovery-driven strategies offer the additional means of identifying previously unanticipated biological targets. This review article provides a general overview of recent synthetic frameworks that gave rise to an impressive arsenal of biologically active small molecules with unprecedented cellular mechanisms. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Spray-painted human fibronectin coating as an effective strategy to enhance graft ligamentization of a polyethylene terephthalate artificial ligament.

PubMed

Li, Hong; Chen, Chen; Ge, Yunsheng; Chen, Shiyi

2014-05-01

To enhance graft ligamentization after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, human fibronectin (FN) was coated on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) ligaments by spray painting. The FN-coated PET ligaments were investigated in vitro using rat mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs). MSCs cultured on FN-coated grafts resulted in similar cell densities and amounts of proliferating cells with control grafts without coating. The FN-coated group not only gave rise to MSC-derived collagen-like tissues but also enhanced the expression of collagen-I gene. Furthermore, rat ACL reconstruction models were used to evaluate the effect of the FN coating in vivo. The FN coating significantly promoted new ligament tissue regeneration into the graft fibers. In conclusion, sprayed FN coating had a positive effect to enhance graft ligamentization of PET artificial ligament.

Disorder in the early universe

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

Green, Daniel, E-mail: drgreen@cita.utoronto.ca

2015-03-01

Little is known about the microscopic physics that gave rise to inflation in our universe. There are many reasons to wonder if the underlying description requires a careful arrangement of ingredients or if inflation was the result of an essentially random process. At a technical level, randomness in the microphysics of inflation is closely related to disorder in solids. We develop the formalism of disorder for inflation and investigate the observational consequences of quenched disorder. We find that a common prediction is the presence of additional noise in the power spectrum or bispectrum. At a phenomenological level, these results canmore » be recast in terms of a modulating field, allowing us to write the quadratic maximum likelihood estimator for this noise. Preliminary constraints on disorder can be derived from existing analyses but significant improvements should be possible with a dedicated treatment.« less

[An etymology of pharmacy in the Western languages].

PubMed

Uchibayashi, Masao

2003-01-01

An etymological and semantic history of the terms of various pharmaceutical retailers in the West in presented. Apothecary is a combination of IE * apo- (separate) and * dhē (to place) which gave rise to the Greek term apothēkē, which originally meant a warehouse for food and wine. Pharmacy is a combination of the Greek term * pharama form IE * bher- (to charm, enchant) and -(a)-ko- resulting in * pharmako- (magic, charm, cure, potion, medicine) and in Latin pharmacie. Chemist's shop is the English version of an American drugstore. Further, such terms as dispensary, officinal and drug are etymologically discussed. Different usages in England and the U.S. of terms like shop and store are summarized. [Note:"IE" with asterisk stands for the Indo-European proto-languages which are the ancestors of most Western tongues.

Interfacial nanodroplets guided construction of hierarchical Au, Au-Pt, and Au-Pd particles as excellent catalysts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Aijing; Xu, Jie; Zhang, Xuehua; Zhang, Bin; Wang, Dayang; Xu, Haolan

2014-05-01

Interfacial nanodroplets were grafted to the surfaces of self-sacrificed template particles in a galvanic reaction system to assist the construction of 3D Au porous structures. The interfacial nanodroplets were formed via direct adsorption of surfactant-free emulsions onto the particle surfaces. The interfacial nanodroplets discretely distributed at the template particle surfaces and served as soft templates to guide the formation of porous Au structures. The self-variation of footprint sizes of interfacial nanodroplets during Au growth gave rise to a hierarchical pore size distribution of the obtained Au porous particles. This strategy could be easily extended to synthesize bimetal porous particles such as Au-Pt and Au-Pd. The obtained porous Au, Au-Pt, and Au-Pd particles showed excellent catalytic activity in catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol.

Differential gene expression in notochord and nerve cord fate segregation in the Ciona intestinalis embryo.

PubMed

Kobayashi, Kenji; Yamada, Lixy; Satou, Yutaka; Satoh, Nori

2013-09-01

During early embryogenesis, embryonic cells gradually restrict their developmental potential and are eventually destined to give rise to one type of cells. Molecular mechanisms underlying developmental fate restriction are one of the major research subjects within developmental biology. In this article, this subject was addressed by combining blastomere isolation with microarray analysis. During the 6th cleavage of the Ciona intestinalis embryo, from the 32-cell to the 64-cell stage, four mother cells divide into daughter cells with two distinct fates, one giving rise to notochord precursor cells and the other to nerve cord precursors. Approximately 2,200 each of notochord and nerve cord precursor cells were isolated, and their mRNA expression profiles were compared by microarray. This analysis identified 106 and 68 genes, respectively, that are differentially expressed in notochord and nerve cord precursor cells. These included not only genes for transcription factors and signaling molecules but also those with generalized functions observed in many types of cells. In addition, whole-mount in situ hybridization showed dynamic spatial expression profiles of these genes during segregation of the two fates: partitioning of transcripts present in the mother cells into either type of daughter cells, and initiation of preferential gene expression in either type of cells. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Mini-filament Eruptions Triggering Confined Solar Flares Observed by ONSET and SDO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Shuhong; Zhang, Jun

2018-06-01

Using the observations from the Optical and Near-infrared Solar Eruption Tracer (ONSET) and the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), we study an M5.7 flare in AR 11476 on 2012 May 10 and a micro-flare in the quiet Sun on 2017 March 23. Before the onset of each flare, there is a reverse S-shaped filament above the polarity inversion line, then the filaments become unstable and begin to rise. The rising filaments gain the upper hand over the tension force of the dome-like overlying loops and thus successfully erupt outward. The footpoints of the reconnecting overlying loops successively brighten and are observed as two flare ribbons, while the newly formed low-lying loops appear as post-flare loops. These eruptions are similar to the classical model of successful filament eruptions associated with coronal mass ejections (CMEs). However, the erupting filaments in this study move along large-scale lines and eventually reach the remote solar surface; i.e., no filament material is ejected into the interplanetary space. Thus, both the flares are confined. These results reveal that some successful filament eruptions can trigger confined flares. Our observations also imply that this kind of filament eruption may be ubiquitous on the Sun, from active regions (ARs) with large flares to the quiet Sun with micro-flares.

Microstructural Evolution and Phase Formation in 2nd-Generation Refractory-Based High Entropy Alloys

PubMed Central

Eshed, Eyal; Larianovsky, Natalya; Kovalevsky, Alexey; Popov, Vladimir; Gorbachev, Igor; Popov, Vladimir; Katz-Demyanetz, Alexander

2018-01-01

Refractory-based high entropy alloys (HEAs) of the 2nd-generation type are new intensively-studied materials with a high potential for structural high-temperature applications. This paper presents investigation results on microstructural evolution and phase formation in as-cast and subsequently heat-treated HEAs at various temperature-time regimes. Microstructural examination was performed by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) combined with the energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) mode of electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) and qualitative X-ray diffraction (XRD). The primary evolutionary trend observed was the tendency of Zr to gradually segregate as the temperature rises, while all the other elements eventually dissolve in the BCC solid solution phase once the onset of Laves phase complex decomposition is reached. The performed thermodynamic modelling was based on the Calculation of Phase Diagrams method (CALPHAD). The BCC A2 solid solution phase is predicted by the model to contain increasing amounts of Cr as the temperature rises, which is in perfect agreement with the actual results obtained by SEM. However, the model was not able to predict the existence of the Zr-rich phase or the tendency of Zr to segregate and form its own solid solution—most likely as a result of the Zr segregation trend not being an equilibrium phenomenon. PMID:29360763

Identification and characterization of secondary neural tube-derived embryonic neural stem cells in vitro.

PubMed

Shaker, Mohammed R; Kim, Joo Yeon; Kim, Hyun; Sun, Woong

2015-05-15

Secondary neurulation is an embryonic progress that gives rise to the secondary neural tube, the precursor of the lower spinal cord region. The secondary neural tube is derived from aggregated Sox2-expressing neural cells at the dorsal region of the tail bud, which eventually forms rosette or tube-like structures to give rise to neural tissues in the tail bud. We addressed whether the embryonic tail contains neural stem cells (NSCs), namely secondary NSCs (sNSCs), with the potential for self-renewal in vitro. Using in vitro neurosphere assays, neurospheres readily formed at the rosette and neural-tube levels, but less frequently at the tail bud tip level. Furthermore, we identified that sNSC-generated neurospheres were significantly smaller in size compared with cortical neurospheres. Interestingly, various cell cycle analyses revealed that this difference was not due to a reduction in the proliferation rate of NSCs, but rather the neuronal commitment of sNSCs, as sNSC-derived neurospheres contain more committed neuronal progenitor cells, even in the presence of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). These results suggest that the higher tendency for sNSCs to spontaneously differentiate into progenitor cells may explain the limited expansion of the secondary neural tube during embryonic development.

Lineage fate of ductular reactions in liver injury and carcinogenesis.

PubMed

Jörs, Simone; Jeliazkova, Petia; Ringelhan, Marc; Thalhammer, Julian; Dürl, Stephanie; Ferrer, Jorge; Sander, Maike; Heikenwalder, Mathias; Schmid, Roland M; Siveke, Jens T; Geisler, Fabian

2015-06-01

Ductular reactions (DRs) are observed in virtually all forms of human liver disease; however, the histogenesis and function of DRs in liver injury are not entirely understood. It is widely believed that DRs contain bipotential liver progenitor cells (LPCs) that serve as an emergency cell pool to regenerate both cholangiocytes and hepatocytes and may eventually give rise to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Here, we used a murine model that allows highly efficient and specific lineage labeling of the biliary compartment to analyze the histogenesis of DRs and their potential contribution to liver regeneration and carcinogenesis. In multiple experimental and genetic liver injury models, biliary cells were the predominant precursors of DRs but lacked substantial capacity to produce new hepatocytes, even when liver injuries were prolonged up to 12 months. Genetic modulation of NOTCH and/or WNT/β-catenin signaling within lineage-tagged DRs impaired DR expansion but failed to redirect DRs from biliary differentiation toward the hepatocyte lineage. Further, lineage-labeled DRs did not produce tumors in genetic and chemical HCC mouse models. In summary, we found no evidence in our system to support mouse biliary-derived DRs as an LPC pool to replenish hepatocytes in a quantitatively relevant way in injury or evidence that DRs give rise to HCCs.

ON THE PROGNOSTIC SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ERYTHROCYTE SEDIMENTATION RATE, THE LEUKOCYTE COUNT, THE HEMOGLOBIN VALUE, AND BODY WEIGHT IN IRRADIATED AND NONIRRADIATED CANCER PATIENTS (in German)

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

Hofmann, D.

1962-06-01

Changes in these parameters were followed in 672 women with genital carcinoma during and after radiotherapy to determine whether any of them could be used to predict the eventual success of the treatment. All of these parameters were found to be of prognostic value in the 394 patients with carcinoma of the uterine cervix of grades I, II, and III. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) was initially elevated in these patients, and in those without recurrence, irradiation caused a prompt and progressive drop in ESR. It continued to rise after radiotherapy in those who later showed tumor recurrence. Similar changes inmore » leukocyte count were seen in this group, the counts falling and staying down after successful treatment or rising when the treatment failed. An inverse relation with respect to the hemoglobin level and body wt was seen, both values progressively increasing in cases later shown to be cured and falling in those which were not. These relations did not hold or were of less prognostic value in patients with carcinomas of the body of the uterus, ovary, or vulva. However, in general, a gradual continual fall in ESR and a rapid fall in leukocyte count were favorable signs following irradiation. (BBB)« less

Formation of integrated structural units using the systematic and integrated method when implementing high-rise construction projects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abramov, Ivan

2018-03-01

Development of design documentation for a future construction project gives rise to a number of issues with the main one being selection of manpower for structural units of the project's overall implementation system. Well planned and competently staffed integrated structural construction units will help achieve a high level of reliability and labor productivity and avoid negative (extraordinary) situations during the construction period eventually ensuring improved project performance. Research priorities include the development of theoretical recommendations for enhancing reliability of a structural unit staffed as an integrated construction crew. The author focuses on identification of destabilizing factors affecting formation of an integrated construction crew; assessment of these destabilizing factors; based on the developed mathematical model, highlighting the impact of these factors on the integration criterion with subsequent identification of an efficiency and reliability criterion for the structural unit in general. The purpose of this article is to develop theoretical recommendations and scientific and methodological provisions of an organizational and technological nature in order to identify a reliability criterion for a structural unit based on manpower integration and productivity criteria. With this purpose in mind, complex scientific tasks have been defined requiring special research, development of corresponding provisions and recommendations based on the system analysis findings presented herein.

Response to a small external force and fluctuations of a passive particle in a one-dimensional diffusive environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huveneers, François

2018-04-01

We investigate the long-time behavior of a passive particle evolving in a one-dimensional diffusive random environment, with diffusion constant D . We consider two cases: (a) The particle is pulled forward by a small external constant force and (b) there is no systematic bias. Theoretical arguments and numerical simulations provide evidence that the particle is eventually trapped by the environment. This is diagnosed in two ways: The asymptotic speed of the particle scales quadratically with the external force as it goes to zero, and the fluctuations scale diffusively in the unbiased environment, up to possible logarithmic corrections in both cases. Moreover, in the large D limit (homogenized regime), we find an important transient region giving rise to other, finite-size scalings, and we describe the crossover to the true asymptotic behavior.

Interplay between intrinsic plasma rotation and magnetic island evolution in disruptive discharges

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

Ronchi, G.; Severo, J. H. F.; Salzedas, F.

The behavior of the intrinsic toroidal rotation of the plasma column during the growth and eventual saturation of m/n = 2/1 magnetic islands, triggered by programmed density rise, has been carefully investigated in disruptive discharges in TCABR. The results show that, as the island starts to grow and rotate at a speed larger than that of the plasma column, the angular frequency of the intrinsic toroidal rotation increases and that of the island decreases, following the expectation of synchronization. As the island saturates at a large size, just before a major disruption, the angular speed of the intrinsic rotation decreasesmore » quite rapidly, even though the island keeps still rotating at a reduced speed. This decrease of the toroidal rotation is quite reproducible and can be considered as an indicative of disruption.« less

The wage of fame: how non-epistemic motives have enabled the phenomenal success of modern science.

PubMed

Franck, Georg

2015-01-01

This paper ventures an economic view of modern science. It points out how science works as a closed economy of attention where researchers invest their own attention in order to get the attention of fellow researchers. Attention thus enters economy in two properties: (1) as a scarce resource energising scientific production and (2) as a means of gratification rewarding the effort of the working scientist. Economising on attention as a scarce resource is another expression of thought economy. The income of expert attention is what gives rise to reputation, renown, prominence and eventually fame. By its being conceived as a closed economy of attention, science shows to be capable of self-organising a tendency towards overall efficiency and thus towards collective rationality. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Transient behavior of a flare-associated solar wind. I - Gas dynamics in a radial open field region

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nagai, F.

1984-01-01

A numerical investigation is conducted into the way in which a solar wind model initially satisfying both steady state and energy balance conditions is disturbed and deformed, under the assumption of heating that correspoonds to the energy release of solar flares of an importance value of approximately 1 which occur in radial open field regions. Flare-associated solar wind transient behavior is modeled for 1-8 solar radii. The coronal temperature around the heat source region rises, and a large thermal conductive flux flows inward to the chromosphere and outward to interplanetary space along field lines. The speed of the front of expanding chromospheric material generated by the impingement of the conduction front on the upper chromosphere exceeds the local sound velocity in a few minutes and eventually exceeds 100 million cm/sec.

Detecting and Teaching Desire: Phallometry, Freund, and Behaviorist Sexology.

PubMed

Ha, Nathan

2015-01-01

During the 1960s and 1970s, Kurt Freund and other researchers developed phallometry to demonstrate the effectiveness of behaviorism in the diagnosis and treatment of male homosexuality and pedophilia. Researchers used phallometers to segment different aspects of male arousal, to discern cryptic hierarchies of eroticism, and to monitor the effectiveness of treatments to change an individual's sexuality. Phallometry ended up challenging the expectations of behaviorist researchers by demonstrating that most men could not change their sexual preferences--no matter how hard they tried or how hard others tried to change them. This knowledge, combined with challenges mounted by gay political activists, eventually motivated Freund and other researchers to revise their ideas of what counted as therapy. Phallometric studies ultimately revealed the limitations of efforts to shape "abnormal" and "normal" masculinity and heralded the rise of biologically determinist theories of sexuality.

Changes in CaCO3 Burial Trump the Biological Pump

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toggweiler, J.; Dunne, J. P.

2008-12-01

The dramatic increases in atmospheric CO2 at the ends of ice ages are usually attributed to a one-two punch coming from the ocean. First, a weakened biological pump vents organically cycled CO2 from the deep ocean via changes in the ventilation of the deep ocean around Antarctica. The initial CO2 increase is then augmented by an enhancement of CaCO3 burial due to a process called CaCO3 compensation (after Broecker, W. S and T.-H. Peng, Global Biogeochem. Cycles, 1, 15-29, 1987). Here, we argue that the importance of the biological pump has been exaggerated. The main effect comes from circulation-induced changes in the burial of CaCO3. As shown in a recent paper by Andreas Schmittner and co-authors (Schmittner, A., E. Brook and J. Ahn, Impact of the ocean's overturning circulation on atmospheric CO2, in Ocean Circulation: Mechanisms and Impacts, Geophys. Monogr. 173, A. Schmittner, J. Chiang, and S. Hemming, eds., pp. 209-246, AGU, 2007) changes in the ventilation of the deep ocean around Antarctica gave rise to 20-30 ppm increases in atmospheric CO2 every 5,000-7,000 years during isotope stages 3 and 4 (30,000 to 70,000 years ago). None of these venting events gave rise to a compensation response. Meanwhile, Jaccard et al. (Science, 308, 1003-1006, 2005) show that all the big CO2 increases during terminations through stage 11 were accompanied by huge increases in CaCO3 burial. This suggests that the enhanced burial of CaCO3 is obligatory rather than compensatory with respect to the dramatic CO2 increases. Broecker and Peng's compensation idea is based on an assumption that the rain of CaCO3 to the sea floor is the same everywhere. More specifically, it assumes that there is no spatial correlation between the production of CaCO3 at the surface and the burial on the sea floor. We find instead that the production and burial of CaCO3 tend to be co-located in regional "hot spots" and that burial in the hot spots balances the input of Ca++ and HCO3- ions in rivers. The hot spots can also move from place to place in response to changes in circulation. The main hot spots today are the eastern Atlantic and southern Indian; the main hot spot during the last glacial was the equatorial Pacific. Renewed deep-water formation in the Atlantic at the end of the last ice age shifted the locus of CaCO3 burial back to the Atlantic and southern Indian and led to a huge drawdown in global alkalinity, which is ongoing today and accounts for most of the deglacial rise in atmospheric CO2.

Automatic Speed Control and Turning ON/OFF for Smart Fan by Temperature and Ultrasonic Sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanchanasatian, Keeratiburt

2018-03-01

When it is hot, using a fan is an inexpensive choice compared to spending more on using an air conditioner especially in some areas where high temperature is naturally normal. Some problems, nonetheless, arisen such as users forget to turn off when being away, some people might get a feeling of annoyance and perhaps frustration when getting up from the seat in order to adjust the speed. These result in a rise of electricity bill from leaving the fan on when it is not in use and it may cause disasters, fire for example, when the motor get heated up. A prototype of smart fan was built in this research using ESP8266 as a microcontroller, DHT22 and HC-SR04 are used to measure temperature for speed control and detect the user for automatic on/off respectively. A group of participants used the prototype and they were interviewed to give some feedbacks, comments, and suggestions from the experiences after using it. The results show that they were satisfied from the automation; it gave the sense of staying in a modern house with an automatic wind blower. It also assisted to reduce energy consumption according to target group. Some users stated that the environment and atmosphere in the room was not too hot because the fan was working in the background. This has shown that the prototype significantly gave the participants a feeling of relaxation and comfortability and also was a part of energy and cost reduction.

Mantle Sources Beneath the SW Indian Ridge - Remelting the African Superplume

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dick, H. J. B.; Zhou, H.

2012-04-01

The SW Indian Ridge runs some 7700 km from the Bouvet to the Rodgriguez Triple Junction, crossing over or near two postulated mantle plumes. The latter are associated with large oceanic rises where the ridge axis shoals dramatically in the vicinity of the mantle hotspot. The Marion Rise, extends 3100 km from the Andrew Bain FZ to near the Rodriguez TJ, with an along axis rise of 5600-m to it crest north of Marion Island. The rise has thin crust inferred on the basis of abundant exposures of mantle peridotites along its length. We suggest that this is the result of its sub-axial mantle source, which is a depleted residue originally emplaced by the African Superplume into the asthenosphere beneath southern Africa during the Karoo volcanic event ~185 Ma. Based on shallow mantle anisotropy, plate reconstructions, and hotspot traces, it now forms the mantle substrate for the SW Indian Ridge due to the breakup of Gondwanaland. The Marion Rise is associated with Marion Island, the present location of the Marion Hotspot, some 256 km south of the modern ridge. This plume is a vestigial remnant of the African Superplume now imbedded in and centered on asthenospheric mantle derived from the Karoo event. Based on the numerous large offset fracture zones, which would dam sub-axial asthenospheric flow along the ridge, the low postulated flux of the Marion plume, its off-axis position, and the thin crust along the ridge it is clear that the present day plume does not support the Marion Rise. Instead, this must be supported isostatically by the underlying mantle residue of the Karoo event. The Bouvet Rise is much shorter than the Marion Rise, extending ~664 km from the Conrad FZ on the American-Antarctic Ridge to the Shaka FZ on the SW Indian Ridge. It has ~3000-m of axial relief, peaking at Speiss Smt at Speiss Ridge: the last spreading segment of the SW Indian Ridge adjacent to the Bouvet TJ. Unlike the Marion plume, Bouvet is ridge-centered, and much of its rise is likely supported by sub-axial flow of hot mantle from the present-day plume. It is also clear from the isotopic composition of the Bouvet Plume that while it may also be a manifestation of the underlying seismic anomaly situated above D" that gave rise to the Marion Plume, this source must be compositionally heterogeneous at a very large scale. Secondary mantle heterogeneities are evident beyond those associated with the Marion and Bouvet Plumes. These likely explain the frequently extreme local isotopic variability of MORB along the SW Indian Ridge, and are likely due to entrainment of cratonic lithosphere from beneath Africa into the asthenosphere (e.g.: Meyzen et al., Nature, 2003). This is supported by major element anomalies in peridotites from adjacent to the 750-km offset Andrew Bain FZ, and by anomalously thick crust situated at Atlantis Bank, the site of an abrupt MORB isotopic anomaly, that suggest anomalously fertile mantle sources inconsistent with the regional basalt and peridotite major element compositional gradients attributed to the Superplume.

Multiple polypeptides immunologically related to beta-poly(L-malate) hydrolase (polymalatase) in the plasmodium of the slime mold Physarum polycephalum.

PubMed

Karl, M; Holler, E

1998-01-15

Plasmodia of Physarum polycephalum contain large amounts of the cell-type-specific polyanion beta-poly(L-malate) and of a corresponding specific hydrolase (polymalatase), both expressed in the plasmodial form of the organism. We have partially purified polymalatase, the preparation consisting of several polypeptides, which could not be separated without destroying the hydrolase activity. Polypeptides of 68 kDa and 97 kDa were identified as polymalatases. Both were glycosylated, the 68-kDa form giving rise to a 54-kDa form when deglycosylated, and the 97-kDa form giving rise to an 88-kDa polypeptide that was indistinguishable from an 88-kDa inactive species also contained in the enzyme preparation. Antisera against each of these proteins were used to detect the intracellular distribution of the proteins. We found that the antisera crossreacted with the three proteins and, furthermore, with a multiplicity of polypeptides ubiquitously distributed over the plasmodium. Results of a two-dimensional non-denaturing in the first dimension and SDS-denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the second dimension suggested that the proteins were derived from a 200-kDa 'precursor' protein by proteolytic fragmentation. Polymalatase activity could be generated from a high molecular-mass precursor. According to several pieces of evidence, the proteolytic nicking occurred within plasmodia. The fragments were sticky and gave rise to preferred sizes of nicked macromolecules. The observed multiplicity varied as a function of the age of the cultures. The cellular distribution and the intracellular pH value were not compatible with an in situ polymalatase activity and suggested other, presently unknown, function(s) such as in the transportation of beta-poly(L-malate) from the nucleus to the culture medium.

Linking the geological record for large igneous provinces and hotspots with tomography-based numerical models of thermal convection in the Earth's mantle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glisovic, P.; Forte, A. M.; Rowley, D. B.; Simmons, N. A.; Grand, S. P.

2013-12-01

Current tomographic imaging of the 3-D structure in Earth's interior reveals several large-scale anomalies of strongly reduced seismic velocity in the deep lower mantle, in particular beneath the Perm region in Western Siberia, the East Pacific Rise, the West Pacific (Caroline Islands), the Southwest Indian Ocean, as well as under Western and Southern Africa. We have carried out mantle dynamic simulations (Glisovic et al., GJI 2012) of the evolution of these large-scale structures that directly incorporate robust constraints provided by joint seismic-geodynamic inversions of mantle density structure with further constraints provided by mineral physics data (Simmons et al., GJI 2009, JGR 2010). These tomography-based convection simulations also incorporate constraints on mantle viscosity inferred by inversion of a suite of convection-related and glacial isostatic adjustment data sets (Mitrovica & Forte, EPSL 2004) and are characterized by Earth-like Rayleigh numbers. The convection simulations provide a detailed insight into the very-long-time evolution of the buoyancy of these lower-mantle anomalies. We find, in particular, that the buoyancy associated with the 'Perm Anomaly' generates a very long-lived hot upwelling or 'superplume' that is connected to the paleomagnetic location of the Siberian Traps (Smirnov & Tarduno, EPSL 2010) and also to location of North Atlantic Igneous Provinces (i.e., the opening of North Atlantic Ocean). These convection simulations (both backwards and forwards in time) also reveal stable and long-lived plume-like upwellings under the East Pacific Rise, as previously identified by Rowley et al. (AGU 2011, Nature - in review), in particular beneath the Easter & Pitcairn hotspots. Finally we also provide detailed reconstructions of the 65 Myr evolution of the 'Reunion plume' that gave rise to the Deccan Traps.

The natural history of molecular functions inferred from an extensive phylogenomic analysis of gene ontology data

PubMed Central

Koç, Ibrahim; Caetano-Anollés, Gustavo

2017-01-01

The origin and natural history of molecular functions hold the key to the emergence of cellular organization and modern biochemistry. Here we use a genomic census of Gene Ontology (GO) terms to reconstruct phylogenies at the three highest (1, 2 and 3) and the lowest (terminal) levels of the hierarchy of molecular functions, which reflect the broadest and the most specific GO definitions, respectively. These phylogenies define evolutionary timelines of functional innovation. We analyzed 249 free-living organisms comprising the three superkingdoms of life, Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya. Phylogenies indicate catalytic, binding and transport functions were the oldest, suggesting a ‘metabolism-first’ origin scenario for biochemistry. Metabolism made use of increasingly complicated organic chemistry. Primordial features of ancient molecular functions and functional recruitments were further distilled by studying the oldest child terms of the oldest level 1 GO definitions. Network analyses showed the existence of an hourglass pattern of enzyme recruitment in the molecular functions of the directed acyclic graph of molecular functions. Older high-level molecular functions were thoroughly recruited at younger lower levels, while very young high-level functions were used throughout the timeline. This pattern repeated in every one of the three mappings, which gave a criss-cross pattern. The timelines and their mappings were remarkable. They revealed the progressive evolutionary development of functional toolkits, starting with the early rise of metabolic activities, followed chronologically by the rise of macromolecular biosynthesis, the establishment of controlled interactions with the environment and self, adaptation to oxygen, and enzyme coordinated regulation, and ending with the rise of structural and cellular complexity. This historical account holds important clues for dissection of the emergence of biomcomplexity and life. PMID:28467492

Carbon choices determine US cities committed to futures below sea level

PubMed Central

Strauss, Benjamin H.; Kulp, Scott; Levermann, Anders

2015-01-01

Anthropogenic carbon emissions lock in long-term sea-level rise that greatly exceeds projections for this century, posing profound challenges for coastal development and cultural legacies. Analysis based on previously published relationships linking emissions to warming and warming to rise indicates that unabated carbon emissions up to the year 2100 would commit an eventual global sea-level rise of 4.3–9.9 m. Based on detailed topographic and population data, local high tide lines, and regional long-term sea-level commitment for different carbon emissions and ice sheet stability scenarios, we compute the current population living on endangered land at municipal, state, and national levels within the United States. For unabated climate change, we find that land that is home to more than 20 million people is implicated and is widely distributed among different states and coasts. The total area includes 1,185–1,825 municipalities where land that is home to more than half of the current population would be affected, among them at least 21 cities exceeding 100,000 residents. Under aggressive carbon cuts, more than half of these municipalities would avoid this commitment if the West Antarctic Ice Sheet remains stable. Similarly, more than half of the US population-weighted area under threat could be spared. We provide lists of implicated cities and state populations for different emissions scenarios and with and without a certain collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. Although past anthropogenic emissions already have caused sea-level commitment that will force coastal cities to adapt, future emissions will determine which areas we can continue to occupy or may have to abandon. PMID:26460051

Carbon choices determine US cities committed to futures below sea level.

PubMed

Strauss, Benjamin H; Kulp, Scott; Levermann, Anders

2015-11-03

Anthropogenic carbon emissions lock in long-term sea-level rise that greatly exceeds projections for this century, posing profound challenges for coastal development and cultural legacies. Analysis based on previously published relationships linking emissions to warming and warming to rise indicates that unabated carbon emissions up to the year 2100 would commit an eventual global sea-level rise of 4.3-9.9 m. Based on detailed topographic and population data, local high tide lines, and regional long-term sea-level commitment for different carbon emissions and ice sheet stability scenarios, we compute the current population living on endangered land at municipal, state, and national levels within the United States. For unabated climate change, we find that land that is home to more than 20 million people is implicated and is widely distributed among different states and coasts. The total area includes 1,185-1,825 municipalities where land that is home to more than half of the current population would be affected, among them at least 21 cities exceeding 100,000 residents. Under aggressive carbon cuts, more than half of these municipalities would avoid this commitment if the West Antarctic Ice Sheet remains stable. Similarly, more than half of the US population-weighted area under threat could be spared. We provide lists of implicated cities and state populations for different emissions scenarios and with and without a certain collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. Although past anthropogenic emissions already have caused sea-level commitment that will force coastal cities to adapt, future emissions will determine which areas we can continue to occupy or may have to abandon.

Nucleation and kinematic rupture of the 2017 Mw 8.2 Chiapas Mexico earthquake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meng, L.; Huang, H.; Xie, Y.; Feng, T.; Dominguez, L. A.; Han, J.; Davis, P. M.

2017-12-01

Integrated geophysical observations from the 2017 Mw 8.2 Oaxaca, Mexico earthquake allow the exploration of one of the largest recorded normal faulting events inside a subducting slab. In this study, we collect seismic data from regional and teleseismic stations, and regional tsunami recordings to better understand the preparation and rupture processes. The mainshock occurred on the steeply dipping plane of a mega-normal fault, confirmed by time reversal analysis of tsunami waves. We utilize a template matching approach to detect possible missing earthquakes within a 2-month period before the Oaxaca mainshock. The seismicity rate (M > 3.7) shows an abrupt increase in the last day within 30 km around the mainshock hypocenter. The largest one is a M 4.6 event with similar normal faulting as the mainshock located at about 18 km updip from the hypocenter. The waveforms of the subsequent foreshocks are not similar, supporting the diversity of their locations or focal mechanisms. The nucleation process can be explained by a cascading process which eventually triggers the mainshock. Back-projection using the USArray network in Alaska reveals that the mainshock rupture propagated northwestward unilaterally at a speed of 3.1 km/s, for about 200 km and terminated near the Tehuantepec Fracture Zone. We also document the tectonic fabric of bending related faulting of the incoming Cocos plate. The mainshock is likely a reactivation of subducted outer rise faults, supported by the similarity of the strike angle between the mainshock and the outer rise faults. The surprisingly large magnitude is consistent with the exceedingly large dimensions of outer rise faulting in this particular segment of the central Mexican trench.

Developing medical device software in compliance with regulations.

PubMed

Zema, M; Rosati, S; Gioia, V; Knaflitz, M; Balestra, G

2015-08-01

In the last decade, the use of information technology (IT) in healthcare has taken a growing role. In fact, the adoption of an increasing number of computer tools has led to several benefits related to the process of patient care and allowed easier access to social and health care resources. At the same time this trend gave rise to new challenges related to the implementation of these new technologies. Software used in healthcare can be classified as medical devices depending on the way they are used and on their functional characteristics. If they are classified as medical devices they must satisfy specific regulations. The aim of this work is to present a software development framework that can allow the production of safe and high quality medical device software and to highlight the correspondence between each software development phase and the appropriate standard and/or regulation.

Expression of Idh1R132H in the Murine Subventricular Zone Stem Cell Niche Recapitulates Features of Early Gliomagenesis.

PubMed

Bardella, Chiara; Al-Dalahmah, Osama; Krell, Daniel; Brazauskas, Pijus; Al-Qahtani, Khalid; Tomkova, Marketa; Adam, Julie; Serres, Sébastien; Lockstone, Helen; Freeman-Mills, Luke; Pfeffer, Inga; Sibson, Nicola; Goldin, Robert; Schuster-Böeckler, Benjamin; Pollard, Patrick J; Soga, Tomoyoshi; McCullagh, James S; Schofield, Christopher J; Mulholland, Paul; Ansorge, Olaf; Kriaucionis, Skirmantas; Ratcliffe, Peter J; Szele, Francis G; Tomlinson, Ian

2016-10-10

Isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 mutations drive human gliomagenesis, probably through neomorphic enzyme activity that produces D-2-hydroxyglutarate. To model this disease, we conditionally expressed Idh1 R132H in the subventricular zone (SVZ) of the adult mouse brain. The mice developed hydrocephalus and grossly dilated lateral ventricles, with accumulation of 2-hydroxyglutarate and reduced α-ketoglutarate. Stem and transit amplifying/progenitor cell populations were expanded, and proliferation increased. Cells expressing SVZ markers infiltrated surrounding brain regions. SVZ cells also gave rise to proliferative subventricular nodules. DNA methylation was globally increased, while hydroxymethylation was decreased. Mutant SVZ cells overexpressed Wnt, cell-cycle and stem cell genes, and shared an expression signature with human gliomas. Idh1 R132H mutation in the major adult neurogenic stem cell niche causes a phenotype resembling gliomagenesis. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

How much does the amphioxus genome represent the ancestor of chordates?

PubMed

Louis, Alexandra; Roest Crollius, Hugues; Robinson-Rechavi, Marc

2012-03-01

One of the main motivations to study amphioxus is its potential for understanding the last common ancestor of chordates, which notably gave rise to the vertebrates. An important feature in this respect is the slow evolutionary rate that seems to have characterized the cephalochordate lineage, making amphioxus an interesting proxy for the chordate ancestor, as well as a key lineage to include in comparative studies. Whereas slow evolution was first noticed at the phenotypic level, it has also been described at the genomic level. Here, we examine whether the amphioxus genome is indeed a good proxy for the genome of the chordate ancestor, with a focus on protein-coding genes. We investigate genome features, such as synteny, gene duplication and gene loss, and contrast the amphioxus genome with those of other deuterostomes that are used in comparative studies, such as Ciona, Oikopleura and urchin.

Asynchronous diversification in a specialized plant-pollinator mutualism.

PubMed

Ramírez, Santiago R; Eltz, Thomas; Fujiwara, Mikiko K; Gerlach, Günter; Goldman-Huertas, Benjamin; Tsutsui, Neil D; Pierce, Naomi E

2011-09-23

Most flowering plants establish mutualistic associations with insect pollinators to facilitate sexual reproduction. However, the evolutionary processes that gave rise to these associations remain poorly understood. We reconstructed the times of divergence, diversification patterns, and interaction networks of a diverse group of specialized orchids and their bee pollinators. In contrast to a scenario of coevolution by race formation, we show that fragrance-producing orchids originated at least three times independently after their fragrance-collecting bee mutualists. Whereas orchid diversification has apparently tracked the diversification of orchids' bee pollinators, bees appear to have depended on the diverse chemical environment of neotropical forests. We corroborated this apparent asymmetrical dependency by simulating co-extinction cascades in real interaction networks that lacked reciprocal specialization. These results suggest that the diversification of insect-pollinated angiosperms may have been facilitated by the exploitation of preexisting sensory biases of insect pollinators.

Interaction of gases with lunar materials. [analysis of lunar samples from Apollo 17 flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holmes, H. F.; Fuller, E. L., Jr.; Gammage, R. B.

1974-01-01

The surface chemistry of Apollo 17 lunar fines samples 74220 (the orange soil) and 74241 (the gray control soil) has been studied by measuring the adsorption of nitrogen, argon, and oxygen (all at 77 K) and also water vapor (at 20 or 22 C). In agreement with results for samples from other missions, both samples had low initial specific surface areas, consisted of nonporous particles, and were attacked by water vapor at high relative pressure to give an increased specific surface area and create a pore system which gave rise to a capillary condensation hysteresis loop in the adsorption isotherms. In contrast to previous samples, both of the Apollo 17 soils were partially hydrophobic in their initial interaction with water vapor (both samples were completely hydrophilic after the reaction with water). The results are consistent with formation at high temperatures without subsequent exposure to significant amounts of water.

A Gondwanan imprint on global diversity and domestication of wine and cider yeast Saccharomyces uvarum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Almeida, Pedro; Gonçalves, Carla; Teixeira, Sara; Libkind, Diego; Bontrager, Martin; Masneuf-Pomarède, Isabelle; Albertin, Warren; Durrens, Pascal; Sherman, David James; Marullo, Philippe; Todd Hittinger, Chris; Gonçalves, Paula; Sampaio, José Paulo

2014-06-01

In addition to Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the cryotolerant yeast species S. uvarum is also used for wine and cider fermentation but nothing is known about its natural history. Here we use a population genomics approach to investigate its global phylogeography and domestication fingerprints using a collection of isolates obtained from fermented beverages and from natural environments on five continents. South American isolates contain more genetic diversity than that found in the Northern Hemisphere. Moreover, coalescence analyses suggest that a Patagonian sub-population gave rise to the Holarctic population through a recent bottleneck. Holarctic strains display multiple introgressions from other Saccharomyces species, those from S. eubayanus being prevalent in European strains associated with human-driven fermentations. These introgressions are absent in the large majority of wild strains and gene ontology analyses indicate that several gene categories relevant for wine fermentation are overrepresented. Such findings constitute a first indication of domestication in S. uvarum.

A fractal approach to dynamic inference and distribution analysis

PubMed Central

van Rooij, Marieke M. J. W.; Nash, Bertha A.; Rajaraman, Srinivasan; Holden, John G.

2013-01-01

Event-distributions inform scientists about the variability and dispersion of repeated measurements. This dispersion can be understood from a complex systems perspective, and quantified in terms of fractal geometry. The key premise is that a distribution's shape reveals information about the governing dynamics of the system that gave rise to the distribution. Two categories of characteristic dynamics are distinguished: additive systems governed by component-dominant dynamics and multiplicative or interdependent systems governed by interaction-dominant dynamics. A logic by which systems governed by interaction-dominant dynamics are expected to yield mixtures of lognormal and inverse power-law samples is discussed. These mixtures are described by a so-called cocktail model of response times derived from human cognitive performances. The overarching goals of this article are twofold: First, to offer readers an introduction to this theoretical perspective and second, to offer an overview of the related statistical methods. PMID:23372552