KSC-2012-3267

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-05-10

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Assembly of the prototype lander for NASA’s Regolith and Environment Science and Oxygen and Lunar Volatile Extraction, or RESOLVE, project is complete in a test facility behind the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. RESOLVE consists of a rover and drill provided by the Canadian Space Agency to support a NASA payload that is designed to prospect for water, ice and other lunar resources. RESOLVE also will demonstrate how future explorers can take advantage of resources at potential landing sites by manufacturing oxygen from soil. NASA will be conducting field tests in July outside of Hilo, Hawaii, with equipment and concept vehicles that demonstrate how explorers might prospect for resources and make their own oxygen for survival while on other planetary bodies. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/analogs/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky

KSC-2012-3262

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-05-10

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The prototype lander for NASA’s Regolith and Environment Science and Oxygen and Lunar Volatile Extraction, or RESOLVE, project is unpacked in a test facility behind the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The ramps provide RESOLVE’s rover an avenue to mount or dismount the lander. RESOLVE consists of a rover and drill provided by the Canadian Space Agency to support a NASA payload that is designed to prospect for water, ice and other lunar resources. RESOLVE also will demonstrate how future explorers can take advantage of resources at potential landing sites by manufacturing oxygen from soil. NASA will be conducting field tests in July outside of Hilo, Hawaii, with equipment and concept vehicles that demonstrate how explorers might prospect for resources and make their own oxygen for survival while on other planetary bodies. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/analogs/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky

KSC-2012-3317

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-06-12

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA In Situ Resource Utilization Project Manager William Larson, back to camera, discusses the design and operation of the prototype rover Artemis Jr. for NASA’s Regolith and Environment Science and Oxygen and Lunar Volatile Extraction, or RESOLVE, project with media representatives during a rover demonstration in a field beside the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The rover and its drill are provided by the Canadian Space Agency and work in concert with NASA science instruments to prospect for water, ice and other lunar resources. RESOLVE also will demonstrate how future explorers can take advantage of resources at potential landing sites by manufacturing oxygen from soil. NASA will conduct field tests in July outside of Hilo, Hawaii, with equipment and concept vehicles that demonstrate how explorers might prospect for resources and make their own oxygen for survival while on other planetary bodies. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/analogs/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

KSC-2012-3316

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-06-12

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA In Situ Resource Utilization Project Manager William Larson, back to rover, discusses the design and operation of the prototype rover Artemis Jr. for NASA’s Regolith and Environment Science and Oxygen and Lunar Volatile Extraction, or RESOLVE, project with media representatives during a rover demonstration in a field beside the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The rover and its drill are provided by the Canadian Space Agency and work in concert with NASA science instruments to prospect for water, ice and other lunar resources. RESOLVE also will demonstrate how future explorers can take advantage of resources at potential landing sites by manufacturing oxygen from soil. NASA will conduct field tests in July outside of Hilo, Hawaii, with equipment and concept vehicles that demonstrate how explorers might prospect for resources and make their own oxygen for survival while on other planetary bodies. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/analogs/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

KSC-2012-3313

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-06-12

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Media representatives discuss the design and operation of the prototype rover Artemis Jr. for NASA’s Regolith and Environment Science and Oxygen and Lunar Volatile Extraction, or RESOLVE, project with NASA In Situ Resource Utilization Project Manager William Larson, facing the rover, in a field beside the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The rover and its drill are provided by the Canadian Space Agency and work in concert with NASA science instruments to prospect for water, ice and other lunar resources. RESOLVE also will demonstrate how future explorers can take advantage of resources at potential landing sites by manufacturing oxygen from soil. NASA will conduct field tests in July outside of Hilo, Hawaii, with equipment and concept vehicles that demonstrate how explorers might prospect for resources and make their own oxygen for survival while on other planetary bodies. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/analogs/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

KSC-2012-3319

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-06-12

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA In Situ Resource Utilization Project Manager William Larson discusses the design and operation of the prototype rover Artemis Jr. for NASA’s Regolith and Environment Science and Oxygen and Lunar Volatile Extraction, or RESOLVE, project with media representatives during a rover demonstration for media representatives in a field beside the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The rover and its drill are provided by the Canadian Space Agency and work in concert with NASA science instruments to prospect for water, ice and other lunar resources. RESOLVE also will demonstrate how future explorers can take advantage of resources at potential landing sites by manufacturing oxygen from soil. NASA will conduct field tests in July outside of Hilo, Hawaii, with equipment and concept vehicles that demonstrate how explorers might prospect for resources and make their own oxygen for survival while on other planetary bodies. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/analogs/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

Lunar Resource Utilization: Development of a Reactor for Volatile Extraction from Regolith

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kleinhenz, Julie E.; Sacksteder, Kurt R.; Nayagam, Vedha

2007-01-01

The extraction and processing of planetary resources into useful products, known as In- Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU), will have a profound impact on the future of planetary exploration. One such effort is the RESOLVE (Regolith and Environment Science, Oxygen and Lunar Volatiles Extraction) Project, which aims to extract and quantify these resources. As part of the first Engineering Breadboard Unit, the Regolith Volatiles Characterization (RVC) reactor was designed and built at the NASA Glenn Research Center. By heating and agitating the lunar regolith, loosely bound volatiles, such as hydrogen and water, are released and stored in the reactor for later analysis and collection. Intended for operation on a robotic rover, the reactor features a lightweight, compact design, easy loading and unloading of the regolith, and uniform heating of the regolith by means of vibrofluidization. The reactor performance was demonstrated using regolith simulant, JSC1, with favorable results.

Resonance Parameter Adjustment Based on Integral Experiments

DOE PAGES

Sobes, Vladimir; Leal, Luiz; Arbanas, Goran; ...

2016-06-02

Our project seeks to allow coupling of differential and integral data evaluation in a continuous-energy framework and to use the generalized linear least-squares (GLLS) methodology in the TSURFER module of the SCALE code package to update the parameters of a resolved resonance region evaluation. We recognize that the GLLS methodology in TSURFER is identical to the mathematical description of a Bayesian update in SAMMY, the SAMINT code was created to use the mathematical machinery of SAMMY to update resolved resonance parameters based on integral data. Traditionally, SAMMY used differential experimental data to adjust nuclear data parameters. Integral experimental data, suchmore » as in the International Criticality Safety Benchmark Experiments Project, remain a tool for validation of completed nuclear data evaluations. SAMINT extracts information from integral benchmarks to aid the nuclear data evaluation process. Later, integral data can be used to resolve any remaining ambiguity between differential data sets, highlight troublesome energy regions, determine key nuclear data parameters for integral benchmark calculations, and improve the nuclear data covariance matrix evaluation. Moreover, SAMINT is not intended to bias nuclear data toward specific integral experiments but should be used to supplement the evaluation of differential experimental data. Using GLLS ensures proper weight is given to the differential data.« less

KSC-2012-3263

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-05-10

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The prototype lander for NASA’s Regolith and Environment Science and Oxygen and Lunar Volatile Extraction, or RESOLVE, project is prepared for further assembly in a test facility behind the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The ramps provide RESOLVE’s rover an avenue to mount or dismount the lander. RESOLVE consists of a rover and drill provided by the Canadian Space Agency to support a NASA payload that is designed to prospect for water, ice and other lunar resources. RESOLVE also will demonstrate how future explorers can take advantage of resources at potential landing sites by manufacturing oxygen from soil. NASA will be conducting field tests in July outside of Hilo, Hawaii, with equipment and concept vehicles that demonstrate how explorers might prospect for resources and make their own oxygen for survival while on other planetary bodies. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/analogs/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky

RESOLVE: Regolith and Environment Science and Oxygen and Lunar Volatile Extraction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Quinn, Jacqueline; Baird, Scott; Colaprete, Anthony; Larson, William; Sanders, Gerald; Picard, Martin

2011-01-01

Regolith & Environment Science and Oxygen & Lunar Volatile Extraction (RESOLVE) is an internationally developed payload that is intended to prospect for resources on other planetary bodies. RESOLVE is a miniature drilling and chemistry plant packaged onto a medium-sized rover to collect and analyze soil for volatile components such as water or hydrogen that could be used in human exploration efforts.

Inversion of gravity and bathymetry in oceanic regions for long-wavelength variations in upper mantle temperature and composition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Solomon, Sean C.; Jordan, Thomas H.

1993-01-01

Long-wavelength variations in geoid height, bathymetry, and SS-S travel times are all relatable to lateral variations in the characteristic temperature and bulk composition of the upper mantle. The temperature and composition are in turn relatable to mantle convection and the degree of melt extraction from the upper mantle residuum. Thus the combined inversion of the geoid or gravity field, residual bathymetry, and seismic velocity information offers the promise of resolving fundamental aspects of the pattern of mantle dynamics. The use of differential body wave travel times as a measure of seismic velocity information, in particular, permits resolution of lateral variations at scales not resolvable by conventional global or regional-scale seismic tomography with long-period surface waves. These intermediate scale lengths, well resolved in global gravity field models, are crucial for understanding the details of any chemical or physical layering in the mantle and of the characteristics of so-called 'small-scale' convection beneath oceanic lithosphere. In 1991 a three-year project to the NASA Geophysics Program was proposed to carry out a systematic inversion of long-wavelength geoid anomalies, residual bathymetric anomalies, and differential SS-S travel time delays for the lateral variation in characteristic temperature and bulk composition of the oceanic upper mantle. The project was funded as a three-year award, beginning on 1 Jan. 1992.

Impact of uneven sample morphology on mass resolving power in linear MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry: A comprehensive theoretical investigation.

PubMed

Cai, Yi-Hong; Wang, Yi-Sheng

2018-04-01

This work discusses the correlation between the mass resolving power of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass analyzers and extraction condition with an uneven sample morphology. Previous theoretical calculations show that the optimum extraction condition for flat samples involves an ideal ion source design and extraction delay. A general expression of spectral feature takes into account ion initial velocity, and extraction delay is derived in the current study. The new expression extends the comprehensive calculation to uneven sample surfaces and above 90% Maxell-Boltzmann initial velocity distribution of ions to account for imperfect ionization condition. Calculation shows that the impact of uneven sample surface or initial spatial spread of ions is negligible when the extraction delay is away from the ideal value. When the extraction delay approaches the optimum value, the flight-time topology shows a characteristic curve shape, and the time-domain mass spectral feature broadens with an increase in initial spatial spread of ions. For protonated 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid, the mass resolving power obtained from a sample of 3-μm surface roughness is approximately 3.3 times lower than that of flat samples. For ions of m/z 3000 coexpanded with 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid, the mass resolving power in the 3-μm surface roughness case only reduces roughly 7%. Comprehensive calculations also show that the mass resolving power of lighter ions is more sensitive to the accuracy of the extraction delay than heavier ions. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Time-resolved imaging of the MALDI linear-TOF ion cloud: direct visualization and exploitation of ion optical phenomena using a position- and time-sensitive detector.

PubMed

Ellis, Shane R; Soltwisch, Jens; Heeren, Ron M A

2014-05-01

In this study, we describe the implementation of a position- and time-sensitive detection system (Timepix detector) to directly visualize the spatial distributions of the matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization ion cloud in a linear-time-of-flight (MALDI linear-ToF) as it is projected onto the detector surface. These time-resolved images allow direct visualization of m/z-dependent ion focusing effects that occur within the ion source of the instrument. The influence of key parameters, namely extraction voltage (E(V)), pulsed-ion extraction (PIE) delay, and even the matrix-dependent initial ion velocity was investigated and were found to alter the focusing properties of the ion-optical system. Under certain conditions where the spatial focal plane coincides with the detector plane, so-called x-y space focusing could be observed (i.e., the focusing of the ion cloud to a small, well-defined spot on the detector). Such conditions allow for the stigmatic ion imaging of intact proteins for the first time on a commercial linear ToF-MS system. In combination with the ion-optical magnification of the system (~100×), a spatial resolving power of 11–16 μm with a pixel size of 550 nm was recorded within a laser spot diameter of ~125 μm. This study demonstrates both the diagnostic and analytical advantages offered by the Timepix detector in ToF-MS.

An effective placental cotyledons proteins extraction method for 2D gel electrophoresis.

PubMed

Tan, Niu J; Daim, Leona D J; Jamil, Amilia A M; Mohtarrudin, Norhafizah; Thilakavathy, Karuppiah

2017-03-01

Effective protein extraction is essential especially in producing a well-resolved proteome on 2D gels. A well-resolved placental cotyledon proteome, with good reproducibility, have allowed researchers to study the proteins underlying the physiology and pathophysiology of pregnancy. The aim of this study is to determine the best protein extraction protocol for the extraction of protein from placental cotyledons tissues for a two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2D-GE). Based on widely used protein extraction strategies, 12 different extraction methodologies were carefully selected, which included one chemical extraction, two mechanical extraction coupled protein precipitations, and nine chemical extraction coupled protein precipitations. Extracted proteins were resolved in a one-dimensional gel electrophoresis and 2D-GE; then, it was compared with set criteria: extraction efficacy, protein resolution, reproducibility, and recovery efficiency. Our results revealed that a better profile was obtained by chemical extraction in comparison to mechanical extraction. We further compared chemical extraction coupled protein precipitation methodologies, where the DNase/lithium chloride-dense sucrose homogenization coupled dichloromethane-methanol precipitation (DNase/LiCl-DSH-D/MPE) method showed good protein extraction efficiency. This, however, was carried out with the best protein resolution and proteome reproducibility on 2D-gels. DNase/LiCl-DSH-D/MPE was efficient in the extraction of proteins from placental cotyledons tissues. In addition, this methodology could hypothetically allow the protein extraction of any tissue that contains highly abundant lipid and glycogen. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

KSC-2012-3318

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-06-12

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The solar array on the prototype rover Artemis Jr. for NASA’s Regolith and Environment Science and Oxygen and Lunar Volatile Extraction, or RESOLVE, project soaks up the sunlight during a rover demonstration for media representatives in a field beside the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The rover and its drill are provided by the Canadian Space Agency and work in concert with NASA science instruments to prospect for water, ice and other lunar resources. RESOLVE also will demonstrate how future explorers can take advantage of resources at potential landing sites by manufacturing oxygen from soil. NASA will conduct field tests in July outside of Hilo, Hawaii, with equipment and concept vehicles that demonstrate how explorers might prospect for resources and make their own oxygen for survival while on other planetary bodies. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/analogs/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

KSC-2012-3321

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-06-12

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A demonstration of the prototype rover Artemis Jr. for NASA’s Regolith and Environment Science and Oxygen and Lunar Volatile Extraction, or RESOLVE, project is conducted in a field beside the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The rover and its drill are provided by the Canadian Space Agency and work in concert with NASA science instruments to prospect for water, ice and other lunar resources. RESOLVE also will demonstrate how future explorers can take advantage of resources at potential landing sites by manufacturing oxygen from soil. NASA will conduct field tests in July outside of Hilo, Hawaii, with equipment and concept vehicles that demonstrate how explorers might prospect for resources and make their own oxygen for survival while on other planetary bodies. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/analogs/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

KSC-2012-3320

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-06-12

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A demonstration of the prototype rover Artemis Jr. for NASA’s Regolith and Environment Science and Oxygen and Lunar Volatile Extraction, or RESOLVE, project is conducted in a field beside the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The rover and its drill are provided by the Canadian Space Agency and work in concert with NASA science instruments to prospect for water, ice and other lunar resources. RESOLVE also will demonstrate how future explorers can take advantage of resources at potential landing sites by manufacturing oxygen from soil. NASA will conduct field tests in July outside of Hilo, Hawaii, with equipment and concept vehicles that demonstrate how explorers might prospect for resources and make their own oxygen for survival while on other planetary bodies. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/analogs/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

KSC-2012-3315

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-06-12

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A demonstration of the prototype rover Artemis Jr. for NASA’s Regolith and Environment Science and Oxygen and Lunar Volatile Extraction, or RESOLVE, project is conducted in a field beside the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The rover and its drill are provided by the Canadian Space Agency and work in concert with NASA science instruments to prospect for water, ice and other lunar resources. RESOLVE also will demonstrate how future explorers can take advantage of resources at potential landing sites by manufacturing oxygen from soil. NASA will conduct field tests in July outside of Hilo, Hawaii, with equipment and concept vehicles that demonstrate how explorers might prospect for resources and make their own oxygen for survival while on other planetary bodies. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/analogs/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

KSC-2012-3322

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-06-12

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A demonstration of the prototype rover Artemis Jr. for NASA’s Regolith and Environment Science and Oxygen and Lunar Volatile Extraction, or RESOLVE, project is conducted in a field beside the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The rover and its drill are provided by the Canadian Space Agency and work in concert with NASA science instruments to prospect for water, ice and other lunar resources. RESOLVE also will demonstrate how future explorers can take advantage of resources at potential landing sites by manufacturing oxygen from soil. NASA will conduct field tests in July outside of Hilo, Hawaii, with equipment and concept vehicles that demonstrate how explorers might prospect for resources and make their own oxygen for survival while on other planetary bodies. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/analogs/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

KSC-2012-3286

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-06-11

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The NASA payload is installed on the prototype rover Artemis Jr. for NASA’s Regolith and Environment Science and Oxygen and Lunar Volatile Extraction, or RESOLVE, project in a test facility behind the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The cylindrical structure at left is the drill. The drill and rover were provided to NASA by the Canadian Space Agency. The NASA payload is designed to prospect for water, ice and other lunar resources. RESOLVE also will demonstrate how future explorers can take advantage of resources at potential landing sites by manufacturing oxygen from soil. NASA will conduct field tests in July outside of Hilo, Hawaii, with equipment and concept vehicles that demonstrate how explorers might prospect for resources and make their own oxygen for survival while on other planetary bodies. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/analogs/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Cory Huston

KSC-2012-3288

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-06-11

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The NASA payload is installed on the prototype rover Artemis Jr. for NASA’s Regolith and Environment Science and Oxygen and Lunar Volatile Extraction, or RESOLVE, project in a test facility behind the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The cylindrical structure at left is the drill. The drill and rover were provided to NASA by the Canadian Space Agency. The NASA payload is designed to prospect for water, ice and other lunar resources. RESOLVE also will demonstrate how future explorers can take advantage of resources at potential landing sites by manufacturing oxygen from soil. NASA will conduct field tests in July outside of Hilo, Hawaii, with equipment and concept vehicles that demonstrate how explorers might prospect for resources and make their own oxygen for survival while on other planetary bodies. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/analogs/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Cory Huston

Three-dimensional localization of nanoscale battery reactions using soft X-ray tomography.

PubMed

Yu, Young-Sang; Farmand, Maryam; Kim, Chunjoong; Liu, Yijin; Grey, Clare P; Strobridge, Fiona C; Tyliszczak, Tolek; Celestre, Rich; Denes, Peter; Joseph, John; Krishnan, Harinarayan; Maia, Filipe R N C; Kilcoyne, A L David; Marchesini, Stefano; Leite, Talita Perciano Costa; Warwick, Tony; Padmore, Howard; Cabana, Jordi; Shapiro, David A

2018-03-02

Battery function is determined by the efficiency and reversibility of the electrochemical phase transformations at solid electrodes. The microscopic tools available to study the chemical states of matter with the required spatial resolution and chemical specificity are intrinsically limited when studying complex architectures by their reliance on two-dimensional projections of thick material. Here, we report the development of soft X-ray ptychographic tomography, which resolves chemical states in three dimensions at 11 nm spatial resolution. We study an ensemble of nano-plates of lithium iron phosphate extracted from a battery electrode at 50% state of charge. Using a set of nanoscale tomograms, we quantify the electrochemical state and resolve phase boundaries throughout the volume of individual nanoparticles. These observations reveal multiple reaction points, intra-particle heterogeneity, and size effects that highlight the importance of multi-dimensional analytical tools in providing novel insight to the design of the next generation of high-performance devices.

Molar axis estimation from computed tomography images.

PubMed

Dongxia Zhang; Yangzhou Gan; Zeyang Xia; Xinwen Zhou; Shoubin Liu; Jing Xiong; Guanglin Li

2016-08-01

Estimation of tooth axis is needed for some clinical dental treatment. Existing methods require to segment the tooth volume from Computed Tomography (CT) images, and then estimate the axis from the tooth volume. However, they may fail during estimating molar axis due to that the tooth segmentation from CT images is challenging and current segmentation methods may get poor segmentation results especially for these molars with angle which will result in the failure of axis estimation. To resolve this problem, this paper proposes a new method for molar axis estimation from CT images. The key innovation point is that: instead of estimating the 3D axis of each molar from the segmented volume, the method estimates the 3D axis from two projection images. The method includes three steps. (1) The 3D images of each molar are projected to two 2D image planes. (2) The molar contour are segmented and the contour's 2D axis are extracted in each 2D projection image. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and a modified symmetry axis detection algorithm are employed to extract the 2D axis from the segmented molar contour. (3) A 3D molar axis is obtained by combining the two 2D axes. Experimental results verified that the proposed method was effective to estimate the axis of molar from CT images.

Time-resolved computed tomography of the liver: retrospective, multi-phase image reconstruction derived from volumetric perfusion imaging.

PubMed

Fischer, Michael A; Leidner, Bertil; Kartalis, Nikolaos; Svensson, Anders; Aspelin, Peter; Albiin, Nils; Brismar, Torkel B

2014-01-01

To assess feasibility and image quality (IQ) of a new post-processing algorithm for retrospective extraction of an optimised multi-phase CT (time-resolved CT) of the liver from volumetric perfusion imaging. Sixteen patients underwent clinically indicated perfusion CT using 4D spiral mode of dual-source 128-slice CT. Three image sets were reconstructed: motion-corrected and noise-reduced (MCNR) images derived from 4D raw data; maximum and average intensity projections (time MIP/AVG) of the arterial/portal/portal-venous phases and all phases (total MIP/ AVG) derived from retrospective fusion of dedicated MCNR split series. Two readers assessed the IQ, detection rate and evaluation time; one reader assessed image noise and lesion-to-liver contrast. Time-resolved CT was feasible in all patients. Each post-processing step yielded a significant reduction of image noise and evaluation time, maintaining lesion-to-liver contrast. Time MIPs/AVGs showed the highest overall IQ without relevant motion artefacts and best depiction of arterial and portal/portal-venous phases respectively. Time MIPs demonstrated a significantly higher detection rate for arterialised liver lesions than total MIPs/AVGs and the raw data series. Time-resolved CT allows data from volumetric perfusion imaging to be condensed into an optimised multi-phase liver CT, yielding a superior IQ and higher detection rate for arterialised liver lesions than the raw data series. • Four-dimensional computed tomography is limited by motion artefacts and poor image quality. • Time-resolved-CT facilitates 4D-CT data visualisation, segmentation and analysis by condensing raw data. • Time-resolved CT demonstrates better image quality than raw data images. • Time-resolved CT improves detection of arterialised liver lesions in cirrhotic patients.

Addition Chains: A reSolve Lesson

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turner, Paul; Thornton, Steve

2017-01-01

This article draws on some ideas explored during and after a writing workshop to develop classroom resources for the reSolve: Mathematics by Inquiry (www.resolve.edu.au) project. The project develops classroom and professional learning resources that will promote a spirit of inquiry in school mathematics from Foundation to year ten. The…

RESOLVE - Starting Point for Partnerships in Lunar and Mars Resource Characterization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sanders, Gerald B.; Rosenbaum, Bernard; Simon, Thomas; Larson, William E.; Luecke, Dale; Captain, Jainine; Sacksteder, Kurt; Johnson, Kenneth R.; Boucher, Dale; Taylor, Jeffrey

2007-01-01

The mystery and controversy surrounding the possibility of finding water/ice at the lunar poles of the Moon based on the interpretation of neutron spectrometer data from Lunar Prospector and radar data from Clementine raises questions that both Science and the Human Exploration proponents want answered. From the Science perspective, the determination of lunar volatiles and in particular the increased hydrogen concentration detected at the lunar poles was identified as an important objectives for lunar exploration and understanding the history of the Moon, Sun, and the solar system. From the Human Exploration perspective, the potential for large concentrations of accessible water opens up possibilities for utilizing in-situ resources, known as In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU), to implement a sustained and affordable human exploration program of the Moon and beyond through production of propellants, fuel cell reagents, and life support consumables for lunar surface operations and mobility, and Earth-Moon transportation. Both the Science and Human Exploration proponents agree that a mission to the lunar poles to obtain ground truth data is the only means to conclusively answer the questions of whether water/ice exists, how much, what form, and where did it come from. In 2005, NASA initiated the Regolith and Environment Science & Oxygen and Lunar Volatiles Extraction (RESOLVE) project, and is currently developing hardware under the NASA Exploration Technology Development Program (ETDP). The purpose of the project was to begin developing technologies and operations that would answer the fundamental science questions, such as What resources are available on the Moon, where are they, what form, and where did they come from? as well as critical engineering questions, such as How will we mine these resources, what chemical extraction processes are the most practical and efficient, and what are the engineering challenges to be faced in this environment? .

Knowledge Extraction from Atomically Resolved Images.

PubMed

Vlcek, Lukas; Maksov, Artem; Pan, Minghu; Vasudevan, Rama K; Kalinin, Sergei V

2017-10-24

Tremendous strides in experimental capabilities of scanning transmission electron microscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) over the past 30 years made atomically resolved imaging routine. However, consistent integration and use of atomically resolved data with generative models is unavailable, so information on local thermodynamics and other microscopic driving forces encoded in the observed atomic configurations remains hidden. Here, we present a framework based on statistical distance minimization to consistently utilize the information available from atomic configurations obtained from an atomically resolved image and extract meaningful physical interaction parameters. We illustrate the applicability of the framework on an STM image of a FeSe x Te 1-x superconductor, with the segregation of the chalcogen atoms investigated using a nonideal interacting solid solution model. This universal method makes full use of the microscopic degrees of freedom sampled in an atomically resolved image and can be extended via Bayesian inference toward unbiased model selection with uncertainty quantification.

An inexpensive technique for the time resolved laser induced plasma spectroscopy

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

Ahmed, Rizwan, E-mail: rizwan.ahmed@ncp.edu.pk; Ahmed, Nasar; Iqbal, J.

We present an efficient and inexpensive method for calculating the time resolved emission spectrum from the time integrated spectrum by monitoring the time evolution of neutral and singly ionized species in the laser produced plasma. To validate our assertion of extracting time resolved information from the time integrated spectrum, the time evolution data of the Cu II line at 481.29 nm and the molecular bands of AlO in the wavelength region (450–550 nm) have been studied. The plasma parameters were also estimated from the time resolved and time integrated spectra. A comparison of the results clearly reveals that the time resolved informationmore » about the plasma parameters can be extracted from the spectra registered with a time integrated spectrograph. Our proposed method will make the laser induced plasma spectroscopy robust and a low cost technique which is attractive for industry and environmental monitoring.« less

RESOLVE (Regolith & Environmental Science Oxygen & Lunar Volatile Extraction) Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parker, Ray; Coan, Mary; Captain, Janine; Cryderman, Kate; Quinn, Jacqueline

2015-01-01

The RESOLVE Project is a lunar prospecting mission whose primary goal is to characterize water and other volatiles in lunar regolith. The Lunar Advanced Volatiles Analysis (LAVA) subsystem is comprised of a fluid subsystem that transports flow to the gas chromatograph - mass spectrometer (GC-MS) instruments that characterize volatiles and the Water Droplet Demonstration (WDD) that will capture and display water condensation in the gas stream. The LAVA Engineering Test Unit (ETU) is undergoing risk reduction testing this summer and fall within a vacuum chamber to understand and characterize component and integrated system performance. Testing of line heaters, printed circuit heaters, pressure transducers, temperature sensors, regulators, and valves in atmospheric and vacuum environments was done. Test procedures were developed to guide experimental tests and test reports to analyze and draw conclusions from the data. In addition, knowledge and experience was gained with preparing a vacuum chamber with fluid and electrical connections. Further testing will include integrated testing of the fluid subsystem with the gas supply system, near-infrared spectrometer for the Surge Tank (NIRST), WDD, Sample Delivery System, and GC-MS in the vacuum chamber. Since LAVA is a scientific subsystem, the near infrared spectrometer and GC-MS instruments will be tested during the ETU testing phase.

Spatially resolved spectroscopy analysis of the XMM-Newton large program on SN1006

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Jiang-Tao; Decourchelle, Anne; Miceli, Marco; Vink, Jacco; Bocchino, Fabrizio

2016-04-01

We perform analysis of the XMM-Newton large program on SN1006 based on our newly developed methods of spatially resolved spectroscopy analysis. We extract spectra from low and high resolution meshes. The former (3596 meshes) is used to roughly decompose the thermal and non-thermal components and characterize the spatial distributions of different parameters, such as temperature, abundances of different elements, ionization age, and electron density of the thermal component, as well as photon index and cutoff frequency of the non-thermal component. On the other hand, the low resolution meshes (583 meshes) focus on the interior region dominated by the thermal emission and have enough counts to well characterize the Si lines. We fit the spectra from the low resolution meshes with different models, in order to decompose the multiple plasma components at different thermal and ionization states and compare their spatial distributions. In this poster, we will present the initial results of this project.

Three-dimensional localization of nanoscale battery reactions using soft X-ray tomography

DOE PAGES

Yu, Young-Sang; Farmand, Maryam; Kim, Chunjoong; ...

2018-03-02

Battery function is determined by the efficiency and reversibility of the electrochemical phase transformations at solid electrodes. The microscopic tools available to study the chemical states of matter with the required spatial resolution and chemical specificity are intrinsically limited when studying complex architectures by their reliance on two-dimensional projections of thick material. Here in this paper, we report the development of soft X-ray ptychographic tomography, which resolves chemical states in three dimensions at 11 nm spatial resolution. We study an ensemble of nano-plates of lithium iron phosphate extracted from a battery electrode at 50% state of charge. Using a setmore » of nanoscale tomograms, we quantify the electrochemical state and resolve phase boundaries throughout the volume of individual nanoparticles. These observations reveal multiple reaction points, intra-particle heterogeneity, and size effects that highlight the importance of multi-dimensional analytical tools in providing novel insight to the design of the next generation of high-performance devices.« less

Three-dimensional localization of nanoscale battery reactions using soft X-ray tomography

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

Yu, Young-Sang; Farmand, Maryam; Kim, Chunjoong

Battery function is determined by the efficiency and reversibility of the electrochemical phase transformations at solid electrodes. The microscopic tools available to study the chemical states of matter with the required spatial resolution and chemical specificity are intrinsically limited when studying complex architectures by their reliance on two-dimensional projections of thick material. Here in this paper, we report the development of soft X-ray ptychographic tomography, which resolves chemical states in three dimensions at 11 nm spatial resolution. We study an ensemble of nano-plates of lithium iron phosphate extracted from a battery electrode at 50% state of charge. Using a setmore » of nanoscale tomograms, we quantify the electrochemical state and resolve phase boundaries throughout the volume of individual nanoparticles. These observations reveal multiple reaction points, intra-particle heterogeneity, and size effects that highlight the importance of multi-dimensional analytical tools in providing novel insight to the design of the next generation of high-performance devices.« less

KSC-2012-3287

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-06-11

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The NASA payload is installed on the prototype rover Artemis Jr. for NASA’s Regolith and Environment Science and Oxygen and Lunar Volatile Extraction, or RESOLVE, project in a test facility behind the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The cylindrical structure at right is the drill the tabletop surface at left is the rover’s solar array. The drill and rover were provided to NASA by the Canadian Space Agency. The NASA payload is designed to prospect for water, ice and other lunar resources. RESOLVE also will demonstrate how future explorers can take advantage of resources at potential landing sites by manufacturing oxygen from soil. NASA will conduct field tests in July outside of Hilo, Hawaii, with equipment and concept vehicles that demonstrate how explorers might prospect for resources and make their own oxygen for survival while on other planetary bodies. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/analogs/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Cory Huston

KSC-2012-3285

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-06-11

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The NASA payload is installed on the prototype rover Artemis Jr. for NASA’s Regolith and Environment Science and Oxygen and Lunar Volatile Extraction, or RESOLVE, project in a test facility behind the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The cylindrical structure at left is the drill the tabletop surface at right is the rover’s solar array. The drill and rover were provided to NASA by the Canadian Space Agency. The NASA payload is designed to prospect for water, ice and other lunar resources. RESOLVE also will demonstrate how future explorers can take advantage of resources at potential landing sites by manufacturing oxygen from soil. NASA will conduct field tests in July outside of Hilo, Hawaii, with equipment and concept vehicles that demonstrate how explorers might prospect for resources and make their own oxygen for survival while on other planetary bodies. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/analogs/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Cory Huston

Changing currents: a strategy for understanding and predicting the changing ocean circulation.

PubMed

Bryden, Harry L; Robinson, Carol; Griffiths, Gwyn

2012-12-13

Within the context of UK marine science, we project a strategy for ocean circulation research over the next 20 years. We recommend a focus on three types of research: (i) sustained observations of the varying and evolving ocean circulation, (ii) careful analysis and interpretation of the observed climate changes for comparison with climate model projections, and (iii) the design and execution of focused field experiments to understand ocean processes that are not resolved in coupled climate models so as to be able to embed these processes realistically in the models. Within UK-sustained observations, we emphasize smart, cost-effective design of the observational network to extract maximum information from limited field resources. We encourage the incorporation of new sensors and new energy sources within the operational environment of UK-sustained observational programmes to bridge the gap that normally separates laboratory prototype from operational instrument. For interpreting the climate-change records obtained through a variety of national and international sustained observational programmes, creative and dedicated UK scientists should lead efforts to extract the meaningful signals and patterns of climate change and to interpret them so as to project future changes. For the process studies, individual scientists will need to work together in team environments to combine observational and process modelling results into effective improvements in the coupled climate models that will lead to more accurate climate predictions.

Unmixing the Materials and Mechanics Contributions in Non-resolved Object Signatures

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-09-01

abundances from hyperspectral or multi-spectral time - resolved signatures. A Fourier analysis of temporal variation of material abundance provides...factorization technique to extract the temporal variation of material abundances from hyperspectral or multi-spectral time - resolved signatures. A Fourier...approximately one hundred wavelengths in the visible spectrum. The frame rate for the instrument was not large enough to collect time resolved data. However

Survey of Dust Issues for Lunar Seals and the RESOLVE Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Proctor, Margaret P.; Dempsey, Paula

2006-01-01

Lunar dust poses a technical challenge for sealing applications on the moon. A survey of seals used in Apollo lunar missions is presented as well as lunar soil characteristics and a description of the lunar environment. Seal requirements and technical challenges for the volatiles characterization oven and hydrogen reduction reaction chamber of the RESOLVE project are discussed. The purpose of the RESOLVE project is to find water or ice in lunar soil and demonstrate the ability to produce water, and hence oxygen and hydrogen, from lunar regolith for life support and propellants.

Near Real-Time Prospecting for Lunar Volatiles: Demonstrating RESOLVE Science in the Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elphic, R. C.; Colaprete, A.; Heldmann, J. L.; Mattes, G.; Ennico, K.; Sanders, G. B.; Quinn, J.; Fritzler, E.; Marinova, M.; Roush, T. L.; Stoker, C.; Larson, W.; Picard, M.; McMurray, R.; Morse, S.

2012-12-01

The Regolith and Environment Science and Oxygen & Lunar Volatile Extraction (RESOLVE) project aims to demonstrate the utility of "in situ resource utilization". In situ resource utilization (ISRU) is a way to rebalance the economics of spaceflight by reducing or eliminating materials that must be brought up from Earth and placed on the surface of the Moon for human use. RESOLVE is developing a rover-borne payload that (1) can locate near subsurface volatiles, (2) excavate and analyze samples of the volatile-bearing regolith, and (3) demonstrate the form, extractability and usefulness of the materials. Such investigations are important not only for ISRU but are also critically important for understanding the scientific nature of these intriguing lunar polar volatile deposits. Temperature models and orbital data suggest near surface volatile concentrations may exist at briefly lit lunar polar locations outside persistently shadowed regions. A lunar rover could be remotely operated at some of these locations for the 4-7 days of expected sunlight at relatively low cost. In July 2012 the RESOLVE project conducted a full-scale field demonstration. In particular, the ability to perform the real-time measurement analysis necessary to search for volatiles and the ability to combine the various measurement techniques to meet the mission measurement and science goals. With help from the Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Systems (PISCES), a lunar rover prototype (provided by the Canadian Space Agency) was equipped with prospecting instruments (neutron spectrometer and near-infrared spectrometer), subsurface access and sampling tools, including both an auger and coring drill (provided by CSA) and subsurface sample analysis instrumentation, including a sample oven system, the Oxygen and Volatile Extraction Node (OVEN), and Gas Chromatograph / Mass Spectrometer system, the Lunar Advanced Volatile Analysis (LAVA) system. Given the relatively short time period this lunar mission is being designed to, prospecting needs to occur in near real-time. The two prospecting instruments are the neutron and NIR spectrometers. In the field demo a small radioactive source was provided the neutron flux. The NIR spectrometer, which includes its own light source, looks at surface reflectance for signatures of bound H2O/OH and general mineralogy. Once a "hot spot" was found by the prospecting instruments, the drill could either auger or core. The auger drill worked to a depth of 50 cm and is monitored with a drill camera and the NIR spectrometer. As cuttings are brought up the NIR spectra is monitored. If a particular location is considered of high-interest then the decision to core could be made. The coring drill (a push-tube) allowed a 1-meter sample to be acquired processed by the OVEN/LAVA sys-tem. This presentation will provide details as how these instruments worked together and how and if the planned measurements and science was obtained.

Near Real Time Prospecting for Lunar Volatiles: Demonstrating RESOLVE Science in the Field

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Elphic, Richard; Colaprete, Anthony; Heldmann, Jennifer; Mattes, Gregory W.; Ennico, Kimberly; Sanders, Gerald; Quinn, Jacqueline; Tegnerud, Erin Leigh; Marinova, Margarita; Larson, William E.;

Lunar Water Resource Demonstration (LWRD)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Muscatello, Anthony C.

2009-01-01

Lunar Water Resource Demonstration (LWRD) is part of RESOLVE (Regolith and Environment Science & Oxygen and Lunar Volatile Extraction). RESOLVE is an ISRU ground demonstration: (1) A rover to explore a permanently shadowed crater at the south or north pole of the Moon (2) Drill core samples down to 1 meter (3) Heat the core samples to 150C (4) Analyze gases and capture water and/or hydrogen evolved (5) Use hydrogen reduction to extract oxygen from regolith

Formulation of state projected centroid molecular dynamics: Microcanonical ensemble and connection to the Wigner distribution.

PubMed

Orr, Lindsay; Hernández de la Peña, Lisandro; Roy, Pierre-Nicholas

2017-06-07

A derivation of quantum statistical mechanics based on the concept of a Feynman path centroid is presented for the case of generalized density operators using the projected density operator formalism of Blinov and Roy [J. Chem. Phys. 115, 7822-7831 (2001)]. The resulting centroid densities, centroid symbols, and centroid correlation functions are formulated and analyzed in the context of the canonical equilibrium picture of Jang and Voth [J. Chem. Phys. 111, 2357-2370 (1999)]. The case where the density operator projects onto a particular energy eigenstate of the system is discussed, and it is shown that one can extract microcanonical dynamical information from double Kubo transformed correlation functions. It is also shown that the proposed projection operator approach can be used to formally connect the centroid and Wigner phase-space distributions in the zero reciprocal temperature β limit. A Centroid Molecular Dynamics (CMD) approximation to the state-projected exact quantum dynamics is proposed and proven to be exact in the harmonic limit. The state projected CMD method is also tested numerically for a quartic oscillator and a double-well potential and found to be more accurate than canonical CMD. In the case of a ground state projection, this method can resolve tunnelling splittings of the double well problem in the higher barrier regime where canonical CMD fails. Finally, the state-projected CMD framework is cast in a path integral form.

Formulation of state projected centroid molecular dynamics: Microcanonical ensemble and connection to the Wigner distribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orr, Lindsay; Hernández de la Peña, Lisandro; Roy, Pierre-Nicholas

2017-06-01

A derivation of quantum statistical mechanics based on the concept of a Feynman path centroid is presented for the case of generalized density operators using the projected density operator formalism of Blinov and Roy [J. Chem. Phys. 115, 7822-7831 (2001)]. The resulting centroid densities, centroid symbols, and centroid correlation functions are formulated and analyzed in the context of the canonical equilibrium picture of Jang and Voth [J. Chem. Phys. 111, 2357-2370 (1999)]. The case where the density operator projects onto a particular energy eigenstate of the system is discussed, and it is shown that one can extract microcanonical dynamical information from double Kubo transformed correlation functions. It is also shown that the proposed projection operator approach can be used to formally connect the centroid and Wigner phase-space distributions in the zero reciprocal temperature β limit. A Centroid Molecular Dynamics (CMD) approximation to the state-projected exact quantum dynamics is proposed and proven to be exact in the harmonic limit. The state projected CMD method is also tested numerically for a quartic oscillator and a double-well potential and found to be more accurate than canonical CMD. In the case of a ground state projection, this method can resolve tunnelling splittings of the double well problem in the higher barrier regime where canonical CMD fails. Finally, the state-projected CMD framework is cast in a path integral form.

A comparative ToF-SIMS and GC—MS analysis of phototrophic communities collected from an alkaline silica-depositing hot spring

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

Siljestrom, S.; Parenteau, M. N.; Jahnke, L. L.

One of few techniques that is able to spatially resolve chemical data, including organic molecules, to morphological features in modern and ancient geological samples, is time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS). The ability to connect chemical data to morphology is key for interpreting the biogenicity of preserved remains in ancient samples. However, due to the lack of reference data for geologically relevant samples and the ease with which samples can be contaminated, ToF-SIMS data may be difficult to interpret. In this project, we aimed to build a ToF-SIMS spectral database by performing parallel ToF-SIMS and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysesmore » of extant photosynthetic microbial communities collected from an alkaline silica-depositing hot spring in Yellowstone National Park, USA. We built the library by analyzing samples of increasing complexity: pure lipid standards commonly found in thermophilic phototrophs, solvent extracts of specific lipid fractions, total lipid extracts, pure cultures of dominant phototrophic community members, and unsilicified phototrophic streamer communities. The results showed that important lipids and pigments originating from phototrophs were detected by ToF-SIMS (e.g., wax esters, monogalactosyldiacylglycerol, digalactosyldiacylglycerol, sufloquinovosyldiaglycerol, alkanes, etc.) in the streamer lipid extracts. Many of the lipids were also detected in situ in the unsilicified streamer, and could even be spatially resolved to individual cells within the streamer community. Together with the ToF-SIMS database, this mapping ability will be used to further explore other microbial mats and their fossilized counterparts in the geological record. This is likely to expand the geochemical understanding of these types of samples.« less

A comparative ToF-SIMS and GC—MS analysis of phototrophic communities collected from an alkaline silica-depositing hot spring

DOE PAGES

Siljestrom, S.; Parenteau, M. N.; Jahnke, L. L.; ...

2017-04-03

One of few techniques that is able to spatially resolve chemical data, including organic molecules, to morphological features in modern and ancient geological samples, is time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS). The ability to connect chemical data to morphology is key for interpreting the biogenicity of preserved remains in ancient samples. However, due to the lack of reference data for geologically relevant samples and the ease with which samples can be contaminated, ToF-SIMS data may be difficult to interpret. In this project, we aimed to build a ToF-SIMS spectral database by performing parallel ToF-SIMS and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysesmore » of extant photosynthetic microbial communities collected from an alkaline silica-depositing hot spring in Yellowstone National Park, USA. We built the library by analyzing samples of increasing complexity: pure lipid standards commonly found in thermophilic phototrophs, solvent extracts of specific lipid fractions, total lipid extracts, pure cultures of dominant phototrophic community members, and unsilicified phototrophic streamer communities. The results showed that important lipids and pigments originating from phototrophs were detected by ToF-SIMS (e.g., wax esters, monogalactosyldiacylglycerol, digalactosyldiacylglycerol, sufloquinovosyldiaglycerol, alkanes, etc.) in the streamer lipid extracts. Many of the lipids were also detected in situ in the unsilicified streamer, and could even be spatially resolved to individual cells within the streamer community. Together with the ToF-SIMS database, this mapping ability will be used to further explore other microbial mats and their fossilized counterparts in the geological record. This is likely to expand the geochemical understanding of these types of samples.« less

A comparative ToF-SIMS and GC–MS analysis of phototrophic communities collected from an alkaline silica-depositing hot spring

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

Siljeström, S.; Parenteau, M. N.; Jahnke, L. L.

One of few techniques that is able to spatially resolve chemical data, including organic molecules, to morphological features in modern and ancient geological samples, is time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS). The ability to connect chemical data to morphology is key for interpreting the biogenicity of preserved remains in ancient samples. However, due to the lack of reference data for geologically relevant samples and the ease with which samples can be contaminated, ToF-SIMS data may be difficult to interpret. In this project, we aimed to build a ToF-SIMS spectral database by performing parallel ToF-SIMS and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysesmore » of extant photosynthetic microbial communities collected from an alkaline silica-depositing hot spring in Yellowstone National Park, USA. We built the library by analyzing samples of increasing complexity: pure lipid standards commonly found in thermophilic phototrophs, solvent extracts of specific lipid fractions, total lipid extracts, pure cultures of dominant phototrophic community members, and unsilicified phototrophic streamer communities. The results showed that important lipids and pigments originating from phototrophs were detected by ToF-SIMS (e.g., wax esters, monogalactosyldiacylglycerol, digalactosyldiacylglycerol, sufloquinovosyldiaglycerol, alkanes, etc.) in the streamer lipid extracts. Many of the lipids were also detected in situ in the unsilicified streamer, and could even be spatially resolved to individual cells within the streamer community. Together with the ToF-SIMS database, this mapping ability will be used to further explore other microbial mats and their fossilized counterparts in the geological record. This is likely to expand the geochemical understanding of these types of samples.« less

Continuous Flow Liquid Microjunction Surface Sampling Probe Connected On-line with HPLC/MS for Spatially Resolved Analysis of Small Molecules and Proteins

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

Van Berkel, Gary J; Kertesz, Vilmos

RATIONALE: A continuous flow liquid microjunction surface sampling probe extracts soluble material from surfaces for direct ionization and detection by MS. Demonstrated here is the on-line coupling of such a probe with HPLC/MS enabling extraction, separation and detection of small molecules and proteins from surfaces in a spatially resolved (~0.5 mm diameter spots) manner. Methods: A continuous flow liquid microjunction surface sampling probe was connected to a 6-port, 2-position valve for extract collection and injection to an HPLC column. A QTRAP 5500 hybrid triple quadrupole linear ion trap equipped with a Turbo V ion source operated in positive ESI modemore » was used for all experiments. System operation was tested with extraction, separation and detection of propranolol and associated metabolites from drug dosed tissues and proteins from dried sheep blood spots on paper. Results: Confirmed in the tissue were the parent drug and two different hydroxypropranolol glucuronides. The mass spectrometric response for these compounds from different locations in the liver showed an increase with increasing extraction time (5, 20 and 40 s extractions). For on-line separation and detection/identification of extracted proteins from dried sheep blood spots, two major protein peaks dominated the chromatogram and could be correlated with the expected masses for the hemoglobin and chains. Conclusions: Spatially resolved sampling, separation, and detection of small molecules and proteins from surfaces can be accomplished using a continuous flow liquid microjunction surface sampling probe coupled on-line with HPLC/MS detection.« less

Spatially Resolved Mid-IR Spectra from Meteorites; Linking Composition, Crystallographic Orientation and Spectra on the Micro-Scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stephen, N. R.

2016-08-01

IR spectroscopy is used to infer composition of extraterrestrial bodies, comparing bulk spectra to databases of separate mineral phases. We extract spatially resolved meteorite-specific spectra from achondrites with respect to zonation and orientation.

Content Analysis of Student Essays after Attending a Problem-Based Learning Course: Facilitating the Development of Critical Thinking and Communication Skills in Japanese Nursing Students.

PubMed

Itatani, Tomoya; Nagata, Kyoko; Yanagihara, Kiyoko; Tabuchi, Noriko

2017-08-22

The importance of active learning has continued to increase in Japan. The authors conducted classes for first-year students who entered the nursing program using the problem-based learning method which is a kind of active learning. Students discussed social topics in classes. The purposes of this study were to analyze the post-class essay, describe logical and critical thinking after attended a Problem-Based Learning (PBL) course. The authors used Mayring's methodology for qualitative content analysis and text mining. In the description about the skills required to resolve social issues, seven categories were extracted: (recognition of diverse social issues), (attitudes about resolving social issues), (discerning the root cause), (multi-lateral information processing skills), (making a path to resolve issues), (processivity in dealing with issues), and (reflecting). In the description about communication, five categories were extracted: (simple statement), (robust theories), (respecting the opponent), (communication skills), and (attractive presentations). As the result of text mining, the words extracted more than 100 times included "issue," "society," "resolve," "myself," "ability," "opinion," and "information." Education using PBL could be an effective means of improving skills that students described, and communication in general. Some students felt difficulty of communication resulting from characteristics of Japanese.

Depth-resolved incoherent and coherent wide-field high-content imaging (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

So, Peter T.

2016-03-01

Recent advances in depth-resolved wide-field imaging technique has enabled many high throughput applications in biology and medicine. Depth resolved imaging of incoherent signals can be readily accomplished with structured light illumination or nonlinear temporal focusing. The integration of these high throughput systems with novel spectroscopic resolving elements further enable high-content information extraction. We will introduce a novel near common-path interferometer and demonstrate its uses in toxicology and cancer biology applications. The extension of incoherent depth-resolved wide-field imaging to coherent modality is non-trivial. Here, we will cover recent advances in wide-field 3D resolved mapping of refractive index, absorbance, and vibronic components in biological specimens.

LAVA subsystem integration and testing for the Resolve payload of the Resource Prospector mission: mass spectrometers and gas chromatography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stewart, Elaine M.; Coan, Mary R.; Captain, Janine; Santiago-Bond, Josephine

2016-09-01

In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) is a key NASA initiative to exploit resources at the site of planetary exploration for mission-critical consumables, propellants, and other supplies. The Resource Prospector mission, part of ISRU, is scheduled to launch in 2020 and will include a rover and lander hosting the Regolith and Environment Science and Oxygen and Lunar Volatile Extraction (RESOLVE) payload for extracting and analyzing lunar resources, particularly low molecular weight volatiles for fuel, air, and water. RESOLVE contains the Lunar Advanced Volatile Analysis (LAVA) subsystem with a Gas Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS). RESOLVE subsystems, including the RP15 rover and LAVA, are in NASA's Engineering Test Unit (ETU) phase to assure that all vital components of the payload are space-flight rated and will perform as expected during the mission. Integration and testing of LAVA mass spectrometry verified reproducibility and accuracy of the candidate MS for detecting nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide. The RP15 testing comprised volatile analysis of water-doped simulant regolith to enhance integration of the RESOLVE payload with the rover. Multiple tests show the efficacy of the GC to detect 2% and 5% water-doped samples.

PRECOG: a tool for automated extraction and visualization of fitness components in microbial growth phenomics.

PubMed

Fernandez-Ricaud, Luciano; Kourtchenko, Olga; Zackrisson, Martin; Warringer, Jonas; Blomberg, Anders

2016-06-23

Phenomics is a field in functional genomics that records variation in organismal phenotypes in the genetic, epigenetic or environmental context at a massive scale. For microbes, the key phenotype is the growth in population size because it contains information that is directly linked to fitness. Due to technical innovations and extensive automation our capacity to record complex and dynamic microbial growth data is rapidly outpacing our capacity to dissect and visualize this data and extract the fitness components it contains, hampering progress in all fields of microbiology. To automate visualization, analysis and exploration of complex and highly resolved microbial growth data as well as standardized extraction of the fitness components it contains, we developed the software PRECOG (PREsentation and Characterization Of Growth-data). PRECOG allows the user to quality control, interact with and evaluate microbial growth data with ease, speed and accuracy, also in cases of non-standard growth dynamics. Quality indices filter high- from low-quality growth experiments, reducing false positives. The pre-processing filters in PRECOG are computationally inexpensive and yet functionally comparable to more complex neural network procedures. We provide examples where data calibration, project design and feature extraction methodologies have a clear impact on the estimated growth traits, emphasising the need for proper standardization in data analysis. PRECOG is a tool that streamlines growth data pre-processing, phenotypic trait extraction, visualization, distribution and the creation of vast and informative phenomics databases.

A combined physicochemical-biological method of NaCl extraction from the irrigation solution in the BTLSS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trifonov, Sergey V.; Tikhomirov, Alexander A.; Ushakova, Sofya; Tikhomirova, Natalia

2016-07-01

The use of processed human wastes as a source of minerals for plants in closed biotechnical life support systems (BTLSS) leads to high salt levels in the irrigation solution, as urine contains high concentrations of NaCl. It is important to develop a process that would effectively decrease NaCl concentration in the irrigation solution and return this salt to the crew's diet. The salt-tolerant plants (Salicornia europea) used to reduce NaCl concentration in the irrigation solution require higher salt concentrations than those of the solution, and this problem cannot be resolved by concentrating the solution. At the same time, NaCl extracted from mineralized wastes by physicochemical methods is not pure enough to be included in the crew's diet. This study describes an original physicochemical method of NaCl extraction from the solution, which is intended to be used in combination with the biological method of NaCl extraction by using saltwort plants. The physicochemical method produces solutions with high NaCl concentrations, and saltwort plants serve as a biological filter in the final phase, to produce table salt. The study reports the order in which physicochemical and biological methods of NaCl extraction from the irrigation solution should be used to enable rapid and effective inclusion of NaCl into the cycling of the BTLSS with humans. This study was carried out in the IBP SB RAS and supported by the grant of the Russian Science Foundation (Project No. 14-14-00599).

Pilot-scale studies of soil vapor extraction and bioventing for remediation of a gasoline spill at Cameron Station, Alexandria, Virginia

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

Harrison, W.; Joss, C.J.; Martino, L.E.

Approximately 10,000 gal of spilled gasoline and unknown amounts Of trichloroethylene and benzene were discovered at the US Army`s Cameron Station facility. Because the base is to be closed and turned over to the city of Alexandria in 1995, the Army sought the most rapid and cost-effective means of spill remediation. At the request of the Baltimore District of the US Army Corps of Engineers, Argonne conducted a pilot-scale study to determine the feasibility of vapor extraction and bioventing for resolving remediation problems and to critique a private firm`s vapor-extraction design. Argonne staff, working with academic and private-sector participants, designedmore » and implemented a new systems approach to sampling, analysis and risk assessment. The US Geological Survey`s AIRFLOW model was adapted for the study to simulate the performance of possible remediation designs. A commercial vapor-extraction machine was used to remove nearly 500 gal of gasoline from Argonne-installed horizontal wells. By incorporating numerous design comments from the Argonne project team, field personnel improved the system`s performance. Argonne staff also determined that bioventing stimulated indigenous bacteria to bioremediate the gasoline spin. The Corps of Engineers will use Argonne`s pilot-study approach to evaluate remediation systems at field operation sites in several states.« less

Comparative Analysis of the Volatile Components of Agrimonia eupatoria from Leaves and Roots by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry and Multivariate Curve Resolution

PubMed Central

Feng, Xiao-Liang; He, Yun-biao; Liang, Yi-Zeng; Wang, Yu-Lin; Huang, Lan-Fang; Xie, Jian-Wei

2013-01-01

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and multivariate curve resolution were applied to the differential analysis of the volatile components in Agrimonia eupatoria specimens from different plant parts. After extracted with water distillation method, the volatile components in Agrimonia eupatoria from leaves and roots were detected by GC-MS. Then the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the volatile components in the main root of Agrimonia eupatoria was completed with the help of subwindow factor analysis resolving two-dimensional original data into mass spectra and chromatograms. 68 of 87 separated constituents in the total ion chromatogram of the volatile components were identified and quantified, accounting for about 87.03% of the total content. Then, the common peaks in leaf were extracted with orthogonal projection resolution method. Among the components determined, there were 52 components coexisting in the studied samples although the relative content of each component showed difference to some extent. The results showed a fair consistency in their GC-MS fingerprint. It was the first time to apply orthogonal projection method to compare different plant parts of Agrimonia eupatoria, and it reduced the burden of qualitative analysis as well as the subjectivity. The obtained results proved the combined approach powerful for the analysis of complex Agrimonia eupatoria samples. The developed method can be used to further study and quality control of Agrimonia eupatoria. PMID:24286016

Comparative Analysis of the Volatile Components of Agrimonia eupatoria from Leaves and Roots by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry and Multivariate Curve Resolution.

PubMed

Feng, Xiao-Liang; He, Yun-Biao; Liang, Yi-Zeng; Wang, Yu-Lin; Huang, Lan-Fang; Xie, Jian-Wei

2013-01-01

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and multivariate curve resolution were applied to the differential analysis of the volatile components in Agrimonia eupatoria specimens from different plant parts. After extracted with water distillation method, the volatile components in Agrimonia eupatoria from leaves and roots were detected by GC-MS. Then the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the volatile components in the main root of Agrimonia eupatoria was completed with the help of subwindow factor analysis resolving two-dimensional original data into mass spectra and chromatograms. 68 of 87 separated constituents in the total ion chromatogram of the volatile components were identified and quantified, accounting for about 87.03% of the total content. Then, the common peaks in leaf were extracted with orthogonal projection resolution method. Among the components determined, there were 52 components coexisting in the studied samples although the relative content of each component showed difference to some extent. The results showed a fair consistency in their GC-MS fingerprint. It was the first time to apply orthogonal projection method to compare different plant parts of Agrimonia eupatoria, and it reduced the burden of qualitative analysis as well as the subjectivity. The obtained results proved the combined approach powerful for the analysis of complex Agrimonia eupatoria samples. The developed method can be used to further study and quality control of Agrimonia eupatoria.

Content Analysis of Student Essays after Attending a Problem-Based Learning Course: Facilitating the Development of Critical Thinking and Communication Skills in Japanese Nursing Students

PubMed Central

Itatani, Tomoya; Nagata, Kyoko; Yanagihara, Kiyoko; Tabuchi, Noriko

2017-01-01

The importance of active learning has continued to increase in Japan. The authors conducted classes for first-year students who entered the nursing program using the problem-based learning method which is a kind of active learning. Students discussed social topics in classes. The purposes of this study were to analyze the post-class essay, describe logical and critical thinking after attended a Problem-Based Learning (PBL) course. The authors used Mayring’s methodology for qualitative content analysis and text mining. In the description about the skills required to resolve social issues, seven categories were extracted: (recognition of diverse social issues), (attitudes about resolving social issues), (discerning the root cause), (multi-lateral information processing skills), (making a path to resolve issues), (processivity in dealing with issues), and (reflecting). In the description about communication, five categories were extracted: (simple statement), (robust theories), (respecting the opponent), (communication skills), and (attractive presentations). As the result of text mining, the words extracted more than 100 times included “issue,” “society,” “resolve,” “myself,” “ability,” “opinion,” and “information.” Education using PBL could be an effective means of improving skills that students described, and communication in general. Some students felt difficulty of communication resulting from characteristics of Japanese. PMID:28829362

Insight into the time-resolved extraction of aroma compounds during espresso coffee preparation: online monitoring by PTR-ToF-MS.

PubMed

Sánchez-López, José A; Zimmermann, Ralf; Yeretzian, Chahan

2014-12-02

Using proton-transfer-reaction time-of-flight mass-spectrometry (PTR-ToF-MS), we investigated the extraction dynamic of 95 ion traces in real time (time resolution = 1 s) during espresso coffee preparation. Fifty-two of these ions were tentatively identified. This was achieved by online sampling of the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in close vicinity to the coffee flow, at the exit of the extraction hose of the espresso machine (single serve capsules). Ten replicates of six different single serve coffee types were extracted to a final weight between 20-120 g, according to the recommended cup size of the respective coffee capsule (Ristretto, Espresso, and Lungo), and analyzed. The results revealed considerable differences in the extraction kinetics between compounds, which led to a fast evolution of the volatile profiles in the extract flow and consequently to an evolution of the final aroma balance in the cup. Besides exploring the time-resolved extraction dynamics of VOCs, the dynamic data also allowed the coffees types (capsules) to be distinguished from one another. Both hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA) showed full separation between the coffees types. The methodology developed provides a fast and simple means of studying the extraction dynamics of VOCs and differentiating between different coffee types.

Frequency-resolved optical gating with the use of second-harmonic generation

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

DeLong, K.W.; Trebino, R.; Hunter, J.

1994-11-01

We discuss the use of second-harmonic generation (SHG) as the nonlinearity in the technique of frequency-resolved optical gating (FROG) for measuring the full intensity and phase evolution of an arbitrary ultrashort pulse. FROG that uses a third-order nonlinearity in the polarization-gate geometry has proved extremely successful, and the algorithm required for extraction of the intensity and the phase from the experimental data is quite robust. However, for pulse intensities less than [similar to] 1 MW, third-order nonlinearities generate insufficient signal strength, and therefore SHG FROG appears necessary. We discuss the theoretical, algorithmic, and experimental considerations of SHG FROG in detail.more » SHG FROG has an ambiguity in the direction of time, and its traces are somewhat unintuitive. Also, previously published algorithms are generally ineffective at extracting the intensity and the phase of an arbitrary laser pulse from the SHG FROG trace. We present an improved pulse-retrieval algorithm, based on the method of generalized projections, that is far superior to the previously published algorithms, although it is still not so robust as the polarization-gate algorithm. We discuss experimental sources of error such as pump depletion and group-velocity mismatch. We also present several experimental examples of pulses measured with SHG FROG and show that the derived intensities and phases are in agreement with more conventional diagnostic techniques, and we demonstrate the high-dynamic-range capability of SHG FROG. We conclude that, despite the above drawbacks, SHG FROG should be useful in measuring low-energy pulses.« less

Computing generalized Langevin equations and generalized Fokker-Planck equations.

PubMed

Darve, Eric; Solomon, Jose; Kia, Amirali

2009-07-07

The Mori-Zwanzig formalism is an effective tool to derive differential equations describing the evolution of a small number of resolved variables. In this paper we present its application to the derivation of generalized Langevin equations and generalized non-Markovian Fokker-Planck equations. We show how long time scales rates and metastable basins can be extracted from these equations. Numerical algorithms are proposed to discretize these equations. An important aspect is the numerical solution of the orthogonal dynamics equation which is a partial differential equation in a high dimensional space. We propose efficient numerical methods to solve this orthogonal dynamics equation. In addition, we present a projection formalism of the Mori-Zwanzig type that is applicable to discrete maps. Numerical applications are presented from the field of Hamiltonian systems.

Continuous-flow liquid microjunction surface sampling probe connected on-line with high-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry for spatially resolved analysis of small molecules and proteins.

PubMed

Van Berkel, Gary J; Kertesz, Vilmos

2013-06-30

A continuous-flow liquid microjunction surface sampling probe extracts soluble material from surfaces for direct ionization and detection by mass spectrometry. Demonstrated here is the on-line coupling of such a probe with high-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS) enabling extraction, separation and detection of small molecules and proteins from surfaces in a spatially resolved (~0.5 mm diameter spots) manner. A continuous-flow liquid microjunction surface sampling probe was connected to a six-port, two-position valve for extract collection and injection to an HPLC column. A QTRAP® 5500 hybrid triple quadrupole linear ion trap equipped with a Turbo V™ ion source operated in positive electrospray ionization (ESI) mode was used for all experiments. The system operation was tested with the extraction, separation and detection of propranolol and associated metabolites from drug dosed tissues, caffeine from a coffee bean, cocaine from paper currency, and proteins from dried sheep blood spots on paper. Confirmed in the tissue were the parent drug and two different hydroxypropranolol glucuronides. The mass spectrometric response for these compounds from different locations in the liver showed an increase with increasing extraction time (5, 20 and 40 s). For on-line separation and detection/identification of extracted proteins from dried sheep blood spots, two major protein peaks dominated the chromatogram and could be correlated with the expected masses for the hemoglobin α and β chains. Spatially resolved sampling, separation, and detection of small molecules and proteins from surfaces can be accomplished using a continuous-flow liquid microjunction surface sampling probe coupled on-line with HPLC/MS detection. Published in 2013. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION REPORT, PCB DETECTION TECHNOLOGY, HYBRIZYME DELFIA TM ASSAY

EPA Science Inventory

The DELFIA PCB Assay is a solid-phase time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay based on the sequential addition of sample extract and europium-labeled PCB tracer to a monoclonal antibody reagent specific for PCBs. In this assay, the antibody reagent and sample extract are added to a strip...

Extracting Optical Fiber Background from Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Spectra Based on Bi-Objective Optimization Modeling.

PubMed

Huang, Jie; Shi, Tielin; Tang, Zirong; Zhu, Wei; Liao, Guanglan; Li, Xiaoping; Gong, Bo; Zhou, Tengyuan

2017-08-01

We propose a bi-objective optimization model for extracting optical fiber background from the measured surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) spectrum of the target sample in the application of fiber optic SERS. The model is built using curve fitting to resolve the SERS spectrum into several individual bands, and simultaneously matching some resolved bands with the measured background spectrum. The Pearson correlation coefficient is selected as the similarity index and its maximum value is pursued during the spectral matching process. An algorithm is proposed, programmed, and demonstrated successfully in extracting optical fiber background or fluorescence background from the measured SERS spectra of rhodamine 6G (R6G) and crystal violet (CV). The proposed model not only can be applied to remove optical fiber background or fluorescence background for SERS spectra, but also can be transferred to conventional Raman spectra recorded using fiber optic instrumentation.

Using time-frequency analysis to determine time-resolved detonation velocity with microwave interferometry.

PubMed

Kittell, David E; Mares, Jesus O; Son, Steven F

2015-04-01

Two time-frequency analysis methods based on the short-time Fourier transform (STFT) and continuous wavelet transform (CWT) were used to determine time-resolved detonation velocities with microwave interferometry (MI). The results were directly compared to well-established analysis techniques consisting of a peak-picking routine as well as a phase unwrapping method (i.e., quadrature analysis). The comparison is conducted on experimental data consisting of transient detonation phenomena observed in triaminotrinitrobenzene and ammonium nitrate-urea explosives, representing high and low quality MI signals, respectively. Time-frequency analysis proved much more capable of extracting useful and highly resolved velocity information from low quality signals than the phase unwrapping and peak-picking methods. Additionally, control of the time-frequency methods is mainly constrained to a single parameter which allows for a highly unbiased analysis method to extract velocity information. In contrast, the phase unwrapping technique introduces user based variability while the peak-picking technique does not achieve a highly resolved velocity result. Both STFT and CWT methods are proposed as improved additions to the analysis methods applied to MI detonation experiments, and may be useful in similar applications.

De-biasing the dynamic mode decomposition for applied Koopman spectral analysis of noisy datasets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hemati, Maziar S.; Rowley, Clarence W.; Deem, Eric A.; Cattafesta, Louis N.

2017-08-01

The dynamic mode decomposition (DMD)—a popular method for performing data-driven Koopman spectral analysis—has gained increased popularity for extracting dynamically meaningful spatiotemporal descriptions of fluid flows from snapshot measurements. Often times, DMD descriptions can be used for predictive purposes as well, which enables informed decision-making based on DMD model forecasts. Despite its widespread use and utility, DMD can fail to yield accurate dynamical descriptions when the measured snapshot data are imprecise due to, e.g., sensor noise. Here, we express DMD as a two-stage algorithm in order to isolate a source of systematic error. We show that DMD's first stage, a subspace projection step, systematically introduces bias errors by processing snapshots asymmetrically. To remove this systematic error, we propose utilizing an augmented snapshot matrix in a subspace projection step, as in problems of total least-squares, in order to account for the error present in all snapshots. The resulting unbiased and noise-aware total DMD (TDMD) formulation reduces to standard DMD in the absence of snapshot errors, while the two-stage perspective generalizes the de-biasing framework to other related methods as well. TDMD's performance is demonstrated in numerical and experimental fluids examples. In particular, in the analysis of time-resolved particle image velocimetry data for a separated flow, TDMD outperforms standard DMD by providing dynamical interpretations that are consistent with alternative analysis techniques. Further, TDMD extracts modes that reveal detailed spatial structures missed by standard DMD.

An Innovative Project in Educational Technology: The Panama-Venezuela Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rojas, Alicia Mabel

1980-01-01

Describes a project which is being implemented in the field of educational technology in Panama and Venezuela. The project emphasizes inservice training of a cadre of professionals who will direct efforts to identify and resolve significant problems in education. (Author/CHC)

Determination of ion mobility collision cross sections for unresolved isomeric mixtures using tandem mass spectrometry and chemometric deconvolution.

PubMed

Harper, Brett; Neumann, Elizabeth K; Stow, Sarah M; May, Jody C; McLean, John A; Solouki, Touradj

2016-10-05

Ion mobility (IM) is an important analytical technique for determining ion collision cross section (CCS) values in the gas-phase and gaining insight into molecular structures and conformations. However, limited instrument resolving powers for IM may restrict adequate characterization of conformationally similar ions, such as structural isomers, and reduce the accuracy of IM-based CCS calculations. Recently, we introduced an automated technique for extracting "pure" IM and collision-induced dissociation (CID) mass spectra of IM overlapping species using chemometric deconvolution of post-IM/CID mass spectrometry (MS) data [J. Am. Soc. Mass Spectrom., 2014, 25, 1810-1819]. Here we extend those capabilities to demonstrate how extracted IM profiles can be used to calculate accurate CCS values of peptide isomer ions which are not fully resolved by IM. We show that CCS values obtained from deconvoluted IM spectra match with CCS values measured from the individually analyzed corresponding peptides on uniform field IM instrumentation. We introduce an approach that utilizes experimentally determined IM arrival time (AT) "shift factors" to compensate for ion acceleration variations during post-IM/CID and significantly improve the accuracy of the calculated CCS values. Also, we discuss details of this IM deconvolution approach and compare empirical CCS values from traveling wave (TW)IM-MS and drift tube (DT)IM-MS with theoretically calculated CCS values using the projected superposition approximation (PSA). For example, experimentally measured deconvoluted TWIM-MS mean CCS values for doubly-protonated RYGGFM, RMFGYG, MFRYGG, and FRMYGG peptide isomers were 288.8 Å(2), 295.1 Å(2), 296.8 Å(2), and 300.1 Å(2); all four of these CCS values were within 1.5% of independently measured DTIM-MS values. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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

Reedlunn, Benjamin

Room D was an in-situ, isothermal, underground experiment conducted at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant between 1984 and 1991. The room was carefully instrumented to measure the horizontal and vertical closure immediately upon excavation and for several years thereafter. Early finite element simulations of salt creep around Room D under-predicted the vertical closure by 4.5×, causing investigators to explore a series of changes to the way Room D was modeled. Discrepancies between simulations and measurements were resolved through a series of adjustments to model parameters, which were openly acknowledged in published reports. Interest in Room D has been rekindled recentlymore » by the U.S./German Joint Project III and Project WEIMOS, which seek to improve the predictions of rock salt constitutive models. Joint Project participants calibrate their models solely against laboratory tests, and benchmark the models against underground experiments, such as room D. This report describes updating legacy Room D simulations to today’s computational standards by rectifying several numerical issues. Subsequently, the constitutive model used in previous modeling is recalibrated two different ways against a suite of new laboratory creep experiments on salt extracted from the repository horizon of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. Simulations with the new, laboratory-based, calibrations under-predict Room D vertical closure by 3.1×. A list of potential improvements is discussed.« less

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

Reedlunn, Benjamin

Room D was an in-situ, isothermal, underground experiment conducted at theWaste Isolation Pilot Plant between 1984 and 1991. The room was carefully instrumented to measure the horizontal and vertical closure immediately upon excavation and for several years thereafter. Early finite element simulations of salt creep around Room D under predicted the vertical closure by 4.5×, causing investigators to explore a series of changes to the way Room D was modeled. Discrepancies between simulations and measurements were resolved through a series of adjustments to model parameters, which were openly acknowledged in published reports. Interest in Room D has been rekindled recentlymore » by the U.S./German Joint Project III and Project WEIMOS, which seek to improve the predictions of rock salt constitutive models. Joint Project participants calibrate their models solely against laboratory tests, and benchmark the models against underground experiments, such as room D. This report describes updating legacy Room D simulations to today’s computational standards by rectifying several numerical issues. Subsequently, the constitutive model used in previous modeling is recalibrated two different ways against a suite of new laboratory creep experiments on salt extracted from the repository horizon of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. Simulations with the new, laboratory-based, calibrations under predict Room D vertical closure by 3.1×. A list of potential improvements is discussed.« less

Evaluation of different protein extraction methods for banana (Musa spp.) root proteome analysis by two-dimensional electrophoresis.

PubMed

Vaganan, M Mayil; Sarumathi, S; Nandakumar, A; Ravi, I; Mustaffa, M M

2015-02-01

Four protocols viz., the trichloroacetic acid-acetone (TCA), phenol-ammonium acetate (PAA), phenol/SDS-ammonium acetate (PSA) and trisbase-acetone (TBA) were evaluated with modifications for protein extraction from banana (Grand Naine) roots, considered as recalcitrant tissues for proteomic analysis. The two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) separated proteins were compared based on protein yield, number of resolved proteins, sum of spot quantity, average spot intensity and proteins resolved in 4-7 pI range. The PAA protocol yielded more proteins (0.89 mg/g of tissues) and protein spots (584) in 2-DE gel than TCA and other protocols. Also, the PAA protocol was superior in terms of sum of total spot quantity and average spot intensity than TCA and other protocols, suggesting phenol as extractant and ammonium acetate as precipitant of proteins were the most suitable for banana rooteomics analysis by 2-DE. In addition, 1:3 ratios of root tissue to extraction buffer and overnight protein precipitation were most efficient to obtain maximum protein yield.

Structured Light Based 3d Scanning for Specular Surface by the Combination of Gray Code and Phase Shifting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yujia; Yilmaz, Alper

2016-06-01

Surface reconstruction using coded structured light is considered one of the most reliable techniques for high-quality 3D scanning. With a calibrated projector-camera stereo system, a light pattern is projected onto the scene and imaged by the camera. Correspondences between projected and recovered patterns are computed in the decoding process, which is used to generate 3D point cloud of the surface. However, the indirect illumination effects on the surface, such as subsurface scattering and interreflections, will raise the difficulties in reconstruction. In this paper, we apply maximum min-SW gray code to reduce the indirect illumination effects of the specular surface. We also analysis the errors when comparing the maximum min-SW gray code and the conventional gray code, which justifies that the maximum min-SW gray code has significant superiority to reduce the indirect illumination effects. To achieve sub-pixel accuracy, we project high frequency sinusoidal patterns onto the scene simultaneously. But for specular surface, the high frequency patterns are susceptible to decoding errors. Incorrect decoding of high frequency patterns will result in a loss of depth resolution. Our method to resolve this problem is combining the low frequency maximum min-SW gray code and the high frequency phase shifting code, which achieves dense 3D reconstruction for specular surface. Our contributions include: (i) A complete setup of the structured light based 3D scanning system; (ii) A novel combination technique of the maximum min-SW gray code and phase shifting code. First, phase shifting decoding with sub-pixel accuracy. Then, the maximum min-SW gray code is used to resolve the ambiguity resolution. According to the experimental results and data analysis, our structured light based 3D scanning system enables high quality dense reconstruction of scenes with a small number of images. Qualitative and quantitative comparisons are performed to extract the advantages of our new combined coding method.

Selection, Development and Results for The RESOLVE Regolith Volatiles Characterization Analytical System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lueck, Dale E.; Captain, Janine E.; Gibson, Tracy L.; Peterson, Barbara V.; Berger, Cristina M.; Levine, Lanfang

2008-01-01

The RESOLVE project requires an analytical system to identify and quantitate the volatiles released from a lunar drill core sample as it is crushed and heated to 150 C. The expected gases and their range of concentrations were used to assess Gas Chromatography (GC) and Mass Spectrometry (MS), along with specific analyzers for use on this potential lunar lander. The ability of these systems to accurately quantitate water and hydrogen in an unknown matrix led to the selection of a small MEMS commercial process GC for use in this project. The modification, development and testing of this instrument for the specific needs of the project is covered.

Coherent Wave Measurement Buoy Arrays to Support Wave Energy Extraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spada, F.; Chang, G.; Jones, C.; Janssen, T. T.; Barney, P.; Roberts, J.

2016-02-01

Wave energy is the most abundant form of hydrokinetic energy in the United States and wave energy converters (WECs) are being developed to extract the maximum possible power from the prevailing wave climate. However, maximum wave energy capture is currently limited by the narrow banded frequency response of WECs as well as extended protective shutdown requirements during periods of large waves. These limitations must be overcome in order to maximize energy extraction, thus significantly decreasing the cost of wave energy and making it a viable energy source. Techno-economic studies of several WEC devices have shown significant potential to improve wave energy capture efficiency through operational control strategies that incorporate real-time information about local surface wave motions. Integral Consulting Inc., with ARPA-E support, is partnering with Sandia National Laboratories and Spoondrift LLC to develop a coherent array of wave-measuring devices to relay and enable the prediction of wave-resolved surface dynamics at a WEC location ahead of real time. This capability will provide necessary information to optimize power production of WECs through control strategies, thereby allowing for a single WEC design to perform more effectively across a wide range of wave environments. The information, data, or work presented herein was funded in part by the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), U.S. Department of Energy, under Award Number DE-AR0000514.

Component-resolved evaluation of the content of major allergens in therapeutic extracts for specific immunotherapy of honeybee venom allergy

PubMed Central

Blank, Simon; Etzold, Stefanie; Darsow, Ulf; Schiener, Maximilian; Eberlein, Bernadette; Russkamp, Dennis; Wolf, Sara; Graessel, Anke; Biedermann, Tilo; Ollert, Markus; Schmidt-Weber, Carsten B.

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Allergen-specific immunotherapy is the only curative treatment of honeybee venom (HBV) allergy, which is able to protect against further anaphylactic sting reactions. Recent analyses on a molecular level have demonstrated that HBV represents a complex allergen source that contains more relevant major allergens than formerly anticipated. Moreover, allergic patients show very diverse sensitization profiles with the different allergens. HBV-specific immunotherapy is conducted with HBV extracts which are derived from pure venom. The allergen content of these therapeutic extracts might differ due to natural variations of the source material or different down-stream processing strategies of the manufacturers. Since variations of the allergen content of therapeutic HBV extracts might be associated with therapeutic failure, we adressed the component-resolved allergen composition of different therapeutic grade HBV extracts which are approved for immunotherapy in numerous countries. The extracts were analyzed for their content of the major allergens Api m 1, Api m 2, Api m 3, Api m 5 and Api m 10. Using allergen-specific antibodies we were able to demonstrate the underrepresentation of relevant major allergens such as Api m 3, Api m 5 and Api m 10 in particular therapeutic extracts. Taken together, standardization of therapeutic extracts by determination of the total allergenic potency might imply the intrinsic pitfall of losing information about particular major allergens. Moreover, the variable allergen composition of different therapeutic HBV extracts might have an impact on therapy outcome and the clinical management of HBV-allergic patients with specific IgE to particular allergens. PMID:28494206

Change of ocean circulation in the East Asian Marginal Seas under different climate conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Min, Hong Sik; Kim, Cheol-Ho; Kim, Young Ho

2010-05-01

Global climate models do not properly resolve an ocean environment in the East Asian Marginal Seas (EAMS), which is mainly due to a poor representation of the topography in continental shelf region and a coarse spatial resolution. To examine a possible change of ocean environment under global warming in the EAMS, therefore we used North Pacific Regional Ocean Model. The regional model was forced by atmospheric conditions extracted from the simulation results of the global climate models for the 21st century projected by the IPCC SRES A1B scenario as well as the 20th century. The North Pacific Regional Ocean model simulated a detailed pattern of temperature change in the EAMS showing locally different rising or falling trend under the future climate condition, while the global climate models simulated a simple pattern like an overall increase. Changes of circulation pattern in the EAMS such as an intrusion of warm water into the Yellow Sea as well as the Kuroshio were also well resolved. Annual variations in volume transports through the Taiwan Strait and the Korea Strait under the future condition were simulated to be different from those under present condition. Relative ratio of volume transport through the Soya Strait to the Tsugaru Strait also responded to the climate condition.

Shell stability and conditions analyzed using a new method of extracting shell areal density maps from spectrally resolved images of direct-drive inertial confinement fusion implosions

DOE PAGES

Johns, H. M.; Mancini, R. C.; Nagayama, T.; ...

2016-01-25

In warm target direct-drive inertial confinement fusion implosion experiments performed at the OMEGA laser facility, plastic micro-balloons doped with a titanium tracer layer in the shell and filled with deuterium gas were imploded using a low-adiabat shaped laser pulse. Continuum radiation emitted in the core is transmitted through the tracer layer and the resulting spectrum recorded with a gated multi-monochromatic x-ray imager (MMI). Titanium K-shell line absorption spectra observed in the data are due to transitions in L-shell titanium ions driven by the backlighting continuum. The MMI data consist of an array of spectrally resolved images of the implosion. Thesemore » 2-D space-resolved titanium spectral features constrain the plasma conditions and areal density of the titanium doped region of the shell. The MMI data were processed to obtain narrow-band images and space resolved spectra of titanium spectral features. Shell areal density maps, ρL(x,y), extracted using a new method using both narrow-band images and space resolved spectra are confirmed to be consistent within uncertainties. We report plasma conditions in the titanium-doped region of electron temperature (Te) = 400 ± 28 eV, electron number density (N e) = 8.5 × 10 24 ± 2.5 × 10 24 cm –3, and average areal density = 86 ± 7 mg/cm 2. Fourier analysis of areal density maps reveals shell modulations caused by hydrodynamic instability growth near the fuel-shell interface in the deceleration phase. We observe significant structure in modes l = 2–9, dominated by l = 2. We extract a target breakup fraction of 7.1 ± 1.5% from our Fourier analysis. Furthermore, a new method for estimating mix width is evaluated against existing literature and our target breakup fraction. We estimate a mix width of 10.5 ±1 μm.« less

Applying smart growth principles and strategies to resolving land use conflicts around airports.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-09-01

This report presents the findings and conclusions from a research project to explore how the principles and : strategies of smart growth can be applied to resolving land use conflicts around airports. The study entailed a : literature review, intervi...

Criteria of Effectiveness for Network Delivery of Citizens Information through Libraries. Extracted Report-Assessment Model.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Ching-chih; Hernon, Peter

This publication, extracted from a full study report, summarizes the development and utilization of an assessment model for the effectiveness of library and non-library network delivery of consumer information. Consumer information is defined as that needed by the general public to resolve problems within the family or household. The network…

Asymmetric valley-resolved beam splitting and incident modes in slanted graphene junctions

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

Hsieh, S. H.; Chu, C. S.

2016-01-18

Electron injection into a graphene sheet through a slanted armchair graphene nanoribbon (AGNR) is investigated. An incident mode, or subband, in the AGNR is valley-unpolarized. Our attention is on the valley-resolved nature of the injected electron beams and its connection to the incident mode. It is known for a normal injection that an incident mode will split symmetrically into two valley-resolved beams of equal intensity. We show, in contrast, that slanted injections result in asymmetric valley-resolved beam splitting. The most asymmetric beam splitting cases, when one of the valley-resolved beams has basically disappeared, are found and the condition derived. Thismore » is shown not due to trigonal warping because it holds even in the low incident energy regime, as long as collimation allows. These most asymmetric beam splitting cases occur at energies within an energy interval near and include the subband edge of an incident mode. The physical picture is best illustrated by a projection of the slanted AGNR subband states onto that of the 2D graphene sheet. It follows that the disappearing of a valley-resolved beam coincides with the situation that the group velocities of the projected states in the corresponding valley are in backward directions.« less

RESOLVE Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parker, Ray; Coan, Mary; Cryderman, Kate; Captain, Janine

2013-01-01

The RESOLVE project is a lunar prospecting mission whose primary goal is to characterize water and other volatiles in lunar regolith. The Lunar Advanced Volatiles Analysis (LAVA) subsystem is comprised of a fluid subsystem that transports flow to the gas chromatograph - mass spectrometer (GC-MS) instruments that characterize volatiles and the Water Droplet Demonstration (WDD) that will capture and display water condensation in the gas stream. The LAVA Engineering Test Unit (ETU) is undergoing risk reduction testing this summer and fall within a vacuum chamber to understand and characterize component and integrated system performance. Testing of line heaters, printed circuit heaters, pressure transducers, temperature sensors, regulators, and valves in atmospheric and vacuum environments was done. Test procedures were developed to guide experimental tests and test reports to analyze and draw conclusions from the data. In addition, knowledge and experience was gained with preparing a vacuum chamber with fluid and electrical connections. Further testing will include integrated testing of the fluid subsystem with the gas supply system, near-infrared spectrometer, WDD, Sample Delivery System, and GC-MS in the vacuum chamber. This testing will provide hands-on exposure to a flight forward spaceflight subsystem, the processes associated with testing equipment in a vacuum chamber, and experience working in a laboratory setting. Examples of specific analysis conducted include: pneumatic analysis to calculate the WDD's efficiency at extracting water vapor from the gas stream to form condensation; thermal analysis of the conduction and radiation along a line connecting two thermal masses; and proportional-integral-derivative (PID) heater control analysis. Since LAVA is a scientific subsystem, the near-infrared spectrometer and GC-MS instruments will be tested during the ETU testing phase.

Nanoscale Characterization of Carrier Dynamic and Surface Passivation in InGaN/GaN Multiple Quantum Wells on GaN Nanorods.

PubMed

Chen, Weijian; Wen, Xiaoming; Latzel, Michael; Heilmann, Martin; Yang, Jianfeng; Dai, Xi; Huang, Shujuan; Shrestha, Santosh; Patterson, Robert; Christiansen, Silke; Conibeer, Gavin

2016-11-23

Using advanced two-photon excitation confocal microscopy, associated with time-resolved spectroscopy, we characterize InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells on nanorod heterostructures and demonstrate the passivation effect of a KOH treatment. High-quality InGaN/GaN nanorods were fabricated using nanosphere lithography as a candidate material for light-emitting diode devices. The depth- and time-resolved characterization at the nanoscale provides detailed carrier dynamic analysis helpful for understanding the optical properties. The nanoscale spatially resolved images of InGaN quantum well and defects were acquired simultaneously. We demonstrate that nanorod etching improves light extraction efficiency, and a proper KOH treatment has been found to reduce the surface defects efficiently and enhance the luminescence. The optical characterization techniques provide depth-resolved and time-resolved carrier dynamics with nanoscale spatially resolved mapping, which is crucial for a comprehensive and thorough understanding of nanostructured materials and provides novel insight into the improvement of materials fabrication and applications.

ProFound: Source Extraction and Application to Modern Survey Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robotham, A. S. G.

2018-04-01

ProFound detects sources in noisy images, generates segmentation maps identifying the pixels belonging to each source, and measures statistics like flux, size, and ellipticity. These inputs are key requirements of ProFit (ascl:1612.004), our galaxy profiling package; these two packages used in unison semi-automatically profile large samples of galaxies. The key novel feature introduced in ProFound is that all photometry is executed on dilated segmentation maps that fully contain the identifiable flux, rather than using more traditional circular or ellipse-based photometry. Also, to be less sensitive to pathological segmentation issues, the de-blending is made across saddle points in flux. ProFound offers good initial parameter estimation for ProFit, and also segmentation maps that follow the sometimes complex geometry of resolved sources, whilst capturing nearly all of the flux. A number of bulge-disc decomposition projects are already making use of the ProFound and ProFit pipeline.

The Coso geothermal area: A laboratory for advanced MEQ studies for geothermal monitoring

USGS Publications Warehouse

Julian, B.R.; Foulger, G.R.; Richards-Dinger, K.

2004-01-01

The permanent 16-station network of three-component digital seismometers at the Coso geothermal area, California, supplemented by 14 temporary instruments deployed in connection with the DOE Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) Project, provides high-quality microearthquake (MEQ) recordings that are well suited to monitoring a producing geothermal area. We are currently using these data to investigate structure and active processes within the geothermal reservoir by applying three advanced methods: a) high-precision MEQ hypocenter location; b) time-dependent tomography; c) complete (moment tensor) MEQ source mechanism determination. Preliminary results to date resolve seismogenic structures in the producing field more clearly than is possible with conventional earthquake-location techniques. A shallow part of the producing field shows clear changes in the ratio of the seismic wave speeds, Vp/V s, between 1996 and 2002, which are probably related to physical changes in the reservoir caused by fluid extraction.

Advanced receptor models for exploiting highly time-resolved data acquired in the EPA supersite preject

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ke, Haohao

Receptor models have been widely used in air quality studies to identify pollution sources and estimate their contributions. A common problem for most current receptor models is insufficient consideration of realistic constraints such as can be obtained from emission inventories, chemical composition profiles of the sources, and the physics of plume dispersion. In addition, poor resolving of collinear sources was often found. With the high quality time-, composition-, and size-resolved measurements during the EPA Supersite project, efforts towards resolving nearby industrial sources were made by combinative use of Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) and the Pseudo-Deterministic Receptor Model (PDRM). The PMF modeling of Baltimore data in September 2001 revealed coal-fired and oil-fired power plants (CFPP and OFPP, respectively) with significant cross contamination, as indicated by the high Se/Ni ratio in the OFPP profile. Nevertheless, the PMF results provided a good estimate of background and the PMF-constrained emission rates well seeded the trajectory-driven PDRM modeling. Using NOx as the tracer gas for chi/Q tuning, ultimately resolved emissions from individual stacks exhibited acceptable tracer ratios and the emission rates of metals generally agreed with the TRI estimates. This approach was later applied to two metal pollution episodes in St. Louis during in November 2001 and March 2002 and met a similar success. As NOx measurements were unavailable at those metal-production facilities, highly-specific tracer metals (i.e., Cd, Zn, and Cu) for the corresponding units were used to tune chi/Qs and their contributions were well resolved with the PMF-seeded PDRM. Opportunistically a PM2.5 excursion during a windless morning in November 2002 allowed the extraction of an in-situ profile of vehicular emissions in Baltimore. The profiles obtained by direct peak observation, windless model linear regression (WMA), PMF, and UNMIX were comparable and the WMA profile showed the best predictions for non-traffic tracers. Besides, an approach to evaluate vehicular emission factors was developed by receptor measurements under windless conditions. Using SVOC tracers, seasonal variations of traffic and other sources including coal burning, heating, biomass burning, and vegetation were investigated by PMF and in particular the November traffic profile was consistent with the WMA profile obtained earlier.

Toward Seamless Weather-Climate Prediction with a Global Cloud Resolving Model

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-01-14

distribution is unlimited. TOWARD SEAMLESS WEATHER- CLIMATE PREDICTION WITH A GLOBAL CLOUD RESOLVING MODEL PI: Tim Li IPRC/SOEST, University of Hawaii at...Project Final Report 3. DATES COVERED (From - To) 1 May 2012 - 30 September 2015 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE TOWARD SEAMLESS WEATHER- CLIMATE PREDICTION WITH...A GLOBAL CLOUD RESOLVING MODEL 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER N000141210450 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER ONR Marine Meteorology Program 6

An Improved Method for the Extraction and Thin-Layer Chromatography of Chlorophyll A and B from Spinach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quach, Hao T.; Steeper, Robert L.; Griffin, William G.

2004-01-01

A simple and fast method, which resolves chlorophyll a and b from spinach leaves on analytical plates while minimizing the appearance of chlorophyll degradation products is shown. An improved mobile phase for the Thin-layer chromatographic analysis of spinach extract that allows for the complete resolution of the common plant pigments found in…

Time-resolved ion velocity distribution in a cylindrical Hall thruster: heterodyne-based experiment and modeling.

PubMed

Diallo, A; Keller, S; Shi, Y; Raitses, Y; Mazouffre, S

2015-03-01

Time-resolved variations of the ion velocity distribution function (IVDF) are measured in the cylindrical Hall thruster using a novel heterodyne method based on the laser-induced fluorescence technique. This method consists in inducing modulations of the discharge plasma at frequencies that enable the coupling to the breathing mode. Using a harmonic decomposition of the IVDF, one can extract each harmonic component of the IVDF from which the time-resolved IVDF is reconstructed. In addition, simulations have been performed assuming a sloshing of the IVDF during the modulation that show agreement between the simulated and measured first order perturbation of the IVDF.

Projective Identification in Common Couple Dances.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Middelberg, Carol V.

2001-01-01

Integrates the object relations concept of projective identification and the systemic concept of marital dances to develop a more powerful model for working with more difficult and distressed couples. Suggests how object relations techniques can be used to interrupt projective identifications and resolve conflict on intrapsychic level so the…

Star Clusters within FIRE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perez, Adrianna; Moreno, Jorge; Naiman, Jill; Ramirez-Ruiz, Enrico; Hopkins, Philip F.

2017-01-01

In this work, we analyze the environments surrounding star clusters of simulated merging galaxies. Our framework employs Feedback In Realistic Environments (FIRE) model (Hopkins et al., 2014). The FIRE project is a high resolution cosmological simulation that resolves star forming regions and incorporates stellar feedback in a physically realistic way. The project focuses on analyzing the properties of the star clusters formed in merging galaxies. The locations of these star clusters are identified with astrodendro.py, a publicly available dendrogram algorithm. Once star cluster properties are extracted, they will be used to create a sub-grid (smaller than the resolution scale of FIRE) of gas confinement in these clusters. Then, we can examine how the star clusters interact with these available gas reservoirs (either by accreting this mass or blowing it out via feedback), which will determine many properties of the cluster (star formation history, compact object accretion, etc). These simulations will further our understanding of star formation within stellar clusters during galaxy evolution. In the future, we aim to enhance sub-grid prescriptions for feedback specific to processes within star clusters; such as, interaction with stellar winds and gas accretion onto black holes and neutron stars.

Layer speciation and electronic structure investigation of freestanding hexagonal boron nitride nanosheets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

WangEqual Contribution To This Work., Jian; Wang, Zhiqiang; Cho, Hyunjin; Kim, Myung Jong; Sham, T. K.; Sun, Xuhui

2015-01-01

Chemical imaging, thickness mapping, layer speciation and polarization dependence have been performed on single and multilayered (up to three layers and trilayered nanosheets overlapping to form 6 and 9 layers) hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) nanosheets by scanning transmission X-ray microscopy. Spatially-resolved XANES directly from freestanding regions of different layers has been extracted and compared with sample normal and 30° tilted configurations. Notably a double feature σ* excitonic state and a stable high energy σ* state were observed at the boron site in addition to the intense π* excitonic state. The boron projected σ* DOS, especially the first σ* exciton, is sensitive to surface modification, particularly in the single layered hBN nanosheet which shows more significant detectable contaminants and defects such as tri-coordinated boron/nitrogen oxide. The nitrogen site has shown very weak or no excitonic character. The distinct excitonic effect on boron and nitrogen was interpreted to the partly ionic state of hBN. Bulk XANES of hBN nanosheets was also measured to confirm the spectro-microscopic STXM result. Finally, the unoccupied electronic structures of hBN and graphene were compared.Chemical imaging, thickness mapping, layer speciation and polarization dependence have been performed on single and multilayered (up to three layers and trilayered nanosheets overlapping to form 6 and 9 layers) hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) nanosheets by scanning transmission X-ray microscopy. Spatially-resolved XANES directly from freestanding regions of different layers has been extracted and compared with sample normal and 30° tilted configurations. Notably a double feature σ* excitonic state and a stable high energy σ* state were observed at the boron site in addition to the intense π* excitonic state. The boron projected σ* DOS, especially the first σ* exciton, is sensitive to surface modification, particularly in the single layered hBN nanosheet which shows more significant detectable contaminants and defects such as tri-coordinated boron/nitrogen oxide. The nitrogen site has shown very weak or no excitonic character. The distinct excitonic effect on boron and nitrogen was interpreted to the partly ionic state of hBN. Bulk XANES of hBN nanosheets was also measured to confirm the spectro-microscopic STXM result. Finally, the unoccupied electronic structures of hBN and graphene were compared. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c4nr04445b

Challenges for automatically extracting molecular interactions from full-text articles.

PubMed

McIntosh, Tara; Curran, James R

2009-09-24

The increasing availability of full-text biomedical articles will allow more biomedical knowledge to be extracted automatically with greater reliability. However, most Information Retrieval (IR) and Extraction (IE) tools currently process only abstracts. The lack of corpora has limited the development of tools that are capable of exploiting the knowledge in full-text articles. As a result, there has been little investigation into the advantages of full-text document structure, and the challenges developers will face in processing full-text articles. We manually annotated passages from full-text articles that describe interactions summarised in a Molecular Interaction Map (MIM). Our corpus tracks the process of identifying facts to form the MIM summaries and captures any factual dependencies that must be resolved to extract the fact completely. For example, a fact in the results section may require a synonym defined in the introduction. The passages are also annotated with negated and coreference expressions that must be resolved.We describe the guidelines for identifying relevant passages and possible dependencies. The corpus includes 2162 sentences from 78 full-text articles. Our corpus analysis demonstrates the necessity of full-text processing; identifies the article sections where interactions are most commonly stated; and quantifies the proportion of interaction statements requiring coherent dependencies. Further, it allows us to report on the relative importance of identifying synonyms and resolving negated expressions. We also experiment with an oracle sentence retrieval system using the corpus as a gold-standard evaluation set. We introduce the MIM corpus, a unique resource that maps interaction facts in a MIM to annotated passages within full-text articles. It is an invaluable case study providing guidance to developers of biomedical IR and IE systems, and can be used as a gold-standard evaluation set for full-text IR tasks.

Settlement Yields Protection for Deerfield River from Highway Project Runoff

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Both parties involved in a road and bridge construction project in Deerfield, Mass. have agreed to pay a total penalty of $21,600 to resolve claims by EPA that they violated their construction permit...

Depth-resolved ballistic imaging in a low-depth-of-field optical Kerr gated imaging system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Yipeng; Tan, Wenjiang; Si, Jinhai; Ren, YuHu; Xu, Shichao; Tong, Junyi; Hou, Xun

2016-09-01

We demonstrate depth-resolved imaging in a ballistic imaging system, in which a heterodyned femtosecond optical Kerr gate is introduced to extract useful imaging photons for detecting an object hidden in turbid media and a compound lens is proposed to ensure both the depth-resolved imaging capability and the long working distance. Two objects of about 15-μm widths hidden in a polystyrene-sphere suspension have been successfully imaged with approximately 600-μm depth resolution. Modulation-transfer-function curves with the object in and away from the object plane have also been measured to confirm the depth-resolved imaging capability of the low-depth-of-field (low-DOF) ballistic imaging system. This imaging approach shows potential for application in research of the internal structure of highly scattering fuel spray.

Depth-resolved ballistic imaging in a low-depth-of-field optical Kerr gated imaging system

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

Zheng, Yipeng; Tan, Wenjiang, E-mail: tanwenjiang@mail.xjtu.edu.cn; Si, Jinhai

2016-09-07

We demonstrate depth-resolved imaging in a ballistic imaging system, in which a heterodyned femtosecond optical Kerr gate is introduced to extract useful imaging photons for detecting an object hidden in turbid media and a compound lens is proposed to ensure both the depth-resolved imaging capability and the long working distance. Two objects of about 15-μm widths hidden in a polystyrene-sphere suspension have been successfully imaged with approximately 600-μm depth resolution. Modulation-transfer-function curves with the object in and away from the object plane have also been measured to confirm the depth-resolved imaging capability of the low-depth-of-field (low-DOF) ballistic imaging system. Thismore » imaging approach shows potential for application in research of the internal structure of highly scattering fuel spray.« less

Text extraction method for historical Tibetan document images based on block projections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duan, Li-juan; Zhang, Xi-qun; Ma, Long-long; Wu, Jian

2017-11-01

Text extraction is an important initial step in digitizing the historical documents. In this paper, we present a text extraction method for historical Tibetan document images based on block projections. The task of text extraction is considered as text area detection and location problem. The images are divided equally into blocks and the blocks are filtered by the information of the categories of connected components and corner point density. By analyzing the filtered blocks' projections, the approximate text areas can be located, and the text regions are extracted. Experiments on the dataset of historical Tibetan documents demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Yes, I Can: Action Projects To Resolve Equity Issues in Educational Computing. A Project of ECCO, the Educational Computer Consortium of Ohio.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fredman, Alice, Ed.

This book presents reports on selected "local action" projects that were developed as part of the Equity in Technology Project, which was inaugurated in 1985 by the Educational Computer Consortium of Ohio (ECCO). The book is organized into three sections, one for each of the populations targeted by the project. An introduction by Alice Fredman…

Allergy to kiwi: is component-resolved diagnosis in routine clinical practice really impossible?

PubMed

Asero, R

2012-04-01

Kiwi allergy is frequent and can be the result of sensitization to a number of allergens showing different physicochemical characteristics. Component-resolved diagnosis of kiwi allergy is still unavailable in routine clinical practice. To investigate whether component resolved-diagnosis of kiwi allergy can be, at least in part, carried out by a proper combination of routinely available diagnostic tools. 63 adults with plant food allergy were studied 36 were kiwi-allergic while 27 were kiwi-tolerant and served as controls. Patients and controls underwent SPT with commercial peach and kiwi extracts, and with aprofilin-enriched date palm pollen extract (all by ALK-Abellò), and the measurement of IgE to birch, kiwi, and natural rubber latex. The in-vitro test showed poor sensitivity and specificity, as it scored positive in about 50% of patients and controls irrespective of clinical allergy to kiwi. The kiwi SPT showed overall poor sensitivity; however, it scored negative in all subjects with pollen food-allergy syndrome, was weakly positive in some lipid transfer protein-hypersensitive/kiwi tolerant subjects and in one latex-sensitized subject, and strongly positive in all subjects with primary kiwi sensitization. SPT with this commercial kiwi extract sensitively and specifically detects patients reacting to specific kiwi allergens. This can be useful to detect patients that are at risk of potentially severe reactions, particularly in case of co-sensitization to labile allergens, while we wait that the whole spectrum of kiwi allergens becomes available for routine in-vitro testing.

An enhanced droplet-based liquid microjunction surface sampling system coupled with HPLC-ESI-MS/MS for spatially resolved analysis

DOE PAGES

Van Berkel, Gary J.; Weiskittel, Taylor M.; Kertesz, Vilmos

2014-11-07

Droplet-based liquid microjunction surface sampling coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-electrospray ionization (ESI)-tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) for spatially resolved analysis provides the possibility of effective analysis of complex matrix samples and can provide a greater degree of chemical information from a single spot sample than is typically possible with a direct analysis of an extract. Described here is the setup and enhanced capabilities of a discrete droplet liquid microjunction surface sampling system employing a commercially available CTC PAL autosampler. The system enhancements include incorporation of a laser distance sensor enabling unattended analysis of samples and sample locations of dramatically disparatemore » height as well as reliably dispensing just 0.5 μL of extraction solvent to make the liquid junction to the surface, wherein the extraction spot size was confined to an area about 0.7 mm in diameter; software modifications improving the spatial resolution of sampling spot selection from 1.0 to 0.1 mm; use of an open bed tray system to accommodate samples as large as whole-body rat thin tissue sections; and custom sample/solvent holders that shorten sampling time to approximately 1 min per sample. Lastly, the merit of these new features was demonstrated by spatially resolved sampling, HPLC separation, and mass spectral detection of pharmaceuticals and metabolites from whole-body rat thin tissue sections and razor blade (“crude”) cut mouse tissue.« less

Lunar Advanced Volatile Analysis Subsystem: Pressure Transducer Trade Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kang, Edward Shinuk

2017-01-01

In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) is a key factor in paving the way for the future of human space exploration. The ability to harvest resources on foreign astronomical objects to produce consumables and propellant offers potential reduction in mission cost and risk. Through previous missions, the existence of water ice at the poles of the moon has been identified, however the feasibility of water extraction for resources remains unanswered. The Resource Prospector (RP) mission is currently in development to provide ground truth, and will enable us to characterize the distribution of water at one of the lunar poles. Regolith & Environment Science and Oxygen & Lunar Volatile Extraction (RESOLVE) is the primary payload on RP that will be used in conjunction with a rover. RESOLVE contains multiple instruments for systematically identifying the presence of water. The main process involves the use of two systems within RESOLVE: the Oxygen Volatile Extraction Node (OVEN) and Lunar Advanced Volatile Analysis (LAVA). Within the LAVA subsystem, there are multiple calculations that depend on accurate pressure readings. One of the most important instances where pressure transducers (PT) are used is for calculating the number of moles in a gas transfer from the OVEN subsystem. As a critical component of the main process, a mixture of custom and commercial off the shelf (COTS) PTs are currently being tested in the expected operating environment to eventually down select an option for integrated testing in the LAVA engineering test unit (ETU).

An enhanced droplet-based liquid microjunction surface sampling system coupled with HPLC-ESI-MS/MS for spatially resolved analysis

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

Van Berkel, Gary J.; Weiskittel, Taylor M.; Kertesz, Vilmos

Droplet-based liquid microjunction surface sampling coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-electrospray ionization (ESI)-tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) for spatially resolved analysis provides the possibility of effective analysis of complex matrix samples and can provide a greater degree of chemical information from a single spot sample than is typically possible with a direct analysis of an extract. Described here is the setup and enhanced capabilities of a discrete droplet liquid microjunction surface sampling system employing a commercially available CTC PAL autosampler. The system enhancements include incorporation of a laser distance sensor enabling unattended analysis of samples and sample locations of dramatically disparatemore » height as well as reliably dispensing just 0.5 μL of extraction solvent to make the liquid junction to the surface, wherein the extraction spot size was confined to an area about 0.7 mm in diameter; software modifications improving the spatial resolution of sampling spot selection from 1.0 to 0.1 mm; use of an open bed tray system to accommodate samples as large as whole-body rat thin tissue sections; and custom sample/solvent holders that shorten sampling time to approximately 1 min per sample. Lastly, the merit of these new features was demonstrated by spatially resolved sampling, HPLC separation, and mass spectral detection of pharmaceuticals and metabolites from whole-body rat thin tissue sections and razor blade (“crude”) cut mouse tissue.« less

The Use of Microform to Support the Amherst Local History Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lombardo, Daniel

1987-01-01

Describes a local history project designed for ninth-grade students, in which students use primary historical sources to research local history, and the resulting conflict between access to rare documents versus preservation of those materials. The major microfilming project that was undertaken to resolve this conflict is outlined. (CLB)

48 CFR 52.222-33 - Notice of Requirement for Project Labor Agreement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

...) Definitions. “Labor organization” and “project labor agreement,” as used in this provision, are defined in the... offeror shall negotiate a project labor agreement with one or more labor organizations for the term of the... disruptions; (4) Set forth effective, prompt, and mutually binding procedures for resolving labor disputes...

48 CFR 52.222-33 - Notice of Requirement for Project Labor Agreement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

...) Definitions. “Labor organization” and “project labor agreement,” as used in this provision, are defined in the... offeror shall negotiate a project labor agreement with one or more labor organizations for the term of the... disruptions; (4) Set forth effective, prompt, and mutually binding procedures for resolving labor disputes...

Terminal-group oxidation of retinol by mouse epidermis. Inhibition in vitro and in vivo.

PubMed Central

Connor, M J; Smit, M H

1987-01-01

Locally applied retinol is metabolized to retinoic acid in mouse epidermis in vivo. To characterize the oxidation system we investigated the ability of soluble extracts of hairless-mouse epidermis to convert retinol and retinal into retinoic acid. The extracts oxidized retinol to retinoic acid in two steps catalysed by two NAD+-dependent enzymes that were resolved on h.p.l.c. The first enzyme catalyses the reversible oxidation of retinol to retinal and is an alcohol dehydrogenase isoenzyme. The second enzyme oxidizes retinal to retinoic acid. Retinol oxidation by epidermal extracts was inhibited by the alcohol dehydrogenase inhibitor 4-methylpyrazole and by the polyene citral. The toxicity and relatively low potency at inhibiting the epidermal alcohol dehydrogenase isoenzyme curtailed the use of 4-methylpyrazole in vivo. However, citral significantly inhibited retinoic acid formation from retinol in the epidermis in vivo. The ability to inhibit the oxidation of retinol to retinoic acid in mouse epidermis provides a potential method to resolve the roles of retinol and retinoic acid in epithelial function. PMID:3663136

Proceedings of the DOE Chemical Energy Storage and Hydrogen Energy Systems Contracts Review

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kelley, J. H.

1978-01-01

The background and objectives of thirty-nine hydrogen-related tasks were discussed, the status of the studies or technical effort is shown, and state projected solutions for resolving the identified problems are projected.

Spectrally resolved white light interferometry to measure material dispersion over a wide spectral band in a single acquisition.

PubMed

Arosa, Yago; Lago, Elena López; Varela, Luis Miguel; de la Fuente, Raúl

2016-07-25

In this paper we apply spectrally resolved white light interferometry to measure refractive and group index over a wide spectral band from 400 to 1000 nm. The output of a Michelson interferometer is spectrally decomposed by a homemade prism spectrometer with a high resolution camera. The group index is determined directly from the phase extracted from the spectral interferogram while the refractive index is estimated once its value at a given wavelength is known.

Pharmacological study and fractionation of Paspalum scrobiculatum extract.

PubMed

BHIDE, N K

1962-02-01

The dried ethanol extract of the husk of the grain of Paspalum scrobiculatum produced tranquillization and tremors in various species of animals. It potentiated the effect of hexobarbitone in mice, produced hypothermia in mice and rats and enhanced leptazol toxicity in rats. Amphetamine group-toxicity in mice increased after injecting the extract or an emulsion containing a similar quantity of olive oil. Vomiting in pigeons and decrease of morphine rage in cats were noted. Diminution of carotid occlusion reflex and hypotension were observed in anaesthetized dogs. Tremors and sleep were experienced by a human volunteer after taking the extract orally. Stability of the extract under different conditions was studied in dogs. Fractions of the extract, resolved by solvent separation and column chromatography, were tested in dogs for tranquillization and tremors.

Field Scale Testing of RESOLVE at 2010 ISRU Analog Test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Captain, Janine E.; Quinn, J. W.; Moss, T. J.; Weis, K. H.

2010-01-01

When mankind returns to the moon, there will be one aspect of the architecture that will totally change how we explore the solar system. For the first time in space exploration, we will take the initial steps towards breaking our reliance on Earth-supplied consumables by extracting resources from planetary bodies. Our first efforts in this area, known as In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU), will be directed at extracting some of the abundant oxygen found in the lunar regolith. But the "holy grail" of lunar ISRU will be finding an exploitable source of lunar hydrogen. If we can find a source of hydrogen that can be reasonably extracted from the regolith, it would provide a foundation for true independence from Earth consumables. With in-situ hydrogen and oxygen (and/or water) we can produce many of the major consumables needed to travel to and operate on a sustainable lunar outpost. We would have water to drink, oxygen to breath, and rocket propellants and fuel cell reagents to enable extended access and operations across the moon. NASA initiated development of an experiment package named RESOLVE (Regolith & Environment Science and Oxygen & Lunar Volatile Extraction) that could be flown to the rim or into a permanently shadowed crater to answer the questions surrounding elevated hydrogen at the lunar poles.

Kinetic Modeling of Radiative Turbulence in Relativistic Astrophysical Plasmas: Particle Acceleration and High-Energy Flares

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wise, John

In the near future, next-generation telescopes, covering most of the electromagnetic spectrum, will provide a view into the very earliest stages of galaxy formation. To accurately interpret these future observations, accurate and high-resolution simulations of the first stars and galaxies are vital. This proposal is centered on the formation of the first galaxies in the Universe and their observational signatures in preparation for these future observatories. This proposal has two overall goals: 1. To simulate the formation and evolution of a statistically significant sample of galaxies during the first billion years of the Universe, including all relevant astrophysics while resolving individual molecular clouds, in various cosmological environments. These simulations will utilize a sophisticated physical model of star and black hole formation and feedback, including radiation transport and magnetic fields, which will lead to the most realistic and resolved predictions for the early universe; 2. To predict the observational features of the first galaxies throughout the electromagnetic spectrum, allowing for optimal extraction of galaxy and dark matter halo properties from their photometry, imaging, and spectra; The proposed research plan addresses a timely and relevant issue to theoretically prepare for the interpretation of future observations of the first galaxies in the Universe. A suite of adaptive mesh refinement simulations will be used to follow the formation and evolution of thousands of galaxies observable with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) that will be launched during the second year of this project. The simulations will have also tracked the formation and death of over 100,000 massive metal-free stars. Currently, there is a gap of two orders of magnitude in stellar mass between the smallest observed z > 6 galaxy and the largest simulated galaxy from "first principles", capturing its entire star formation history. This project will eliminate this gap between simulations and observations of the first galaxies, providing predictions for next-generation observations coming online throughout the next decade. The proposed activities present the graduate students involved in the project with opportunities to gain expertise in numerical algorithms, high performance computing, and software engineering. With this experience, the students will be in a powerful position to face the challenging job market. The computational tools produced by this project will be made freely available and incorporated into their respective frameworks to preserve their sustainability.

Regolith and Environment Science and Oxygen and Lunar Volatile Extraction (RESOLVE): Lunar Advanced Volatile Analysis (LAVA) Integration and Testing - Evaluation of Lee Valve

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bower, Hannah; Cryderman, Kate; Captain, Janine

2016-01-01

The Resource Prospector (RP) mission with the Regolith and Environment Science and Oxygen and Lunar Volatile Extraction (RESOLVE) payload will prospect for water within the lunar regolith and provide a proof of concept for In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) techniques, which could be used on future lunar and Martian missions. One system within the RESOLVE payload is the Lunar Advanced Volatiles Analysis (LAVA) subsystem, which consists of a Fluid Sub System (FSS) that transports volatiles to the Gas Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS) instrument. In order for the FSS to transport precise and accurate amounts of volatiles to the GC-MS instrumentation, high performance valves are used within the system. The focus of this investigation is to evaluate the redesigned Lee valve. Further work is needed to continue to evaluate the Lee valve. Initial data shows that the valve could meet our requirements however further work is required to raise the TRL to an acceptable level to be included in the flight design of the system. At this time the risk is too high to change our baseline design to include these non-latching Lee solenoid valves.

Rapid Global Fitting of Large Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy Datasets

PubMed Central

Warren, Sean C.; Margineanu, Anca; Alibhai, Dominic; Kelly, Douglas J.; Talbot, Clifford; Alexandrov, Yuriy; Munro, Ian; Katan, Matilda

2013-01-01

Fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) is widely applied to obtain quantitative information from fluorescence signals, particularly using Förster Resonant Energy Transfer (FRET) measurements to map, for example, protein-protein interactions. Extracting FRET efficiencies or population fractions typically entails fitting data to complex fluorescence decay models but such experiments are frequently photon constrained, particularly for live cell or in vivo imaging, and this leads to unacceptable errors when analysing data on a pixel-wise basis. Lifetimes and population fractions may, however, be more robustly extracted using global analysis to simultaneously fit the fluorescence decay data of all pixels in an image or dataset to a multi-exponential model under the assumption that the lifetime components are invariant across the image (dataset). This approach is often considered to be prohibitively slow and/or computationally expensive but we present here a computationally efficient global analysis algorithm for the analysis of time-correlated single photon counting (TCSPC) or time-gated FLIM data based on variable projection. It makes efficient use of both computer processor and memory resources, requiring less than a minute to analyse time series and multiwell plate datasets with hundreds of FLIM images on standard personal computers. This lifetime analysis takes account of repetitive excitation, including fluorescence photons excited by earlier pulses contributing to the fit, and is able to accommodate time-varying backgrounds and instrument response functions. We demonstrate that this global approach allows us to readily fit time-resolved fluorescence data to complex models including a four-exponential model of a FRET system, for which the FRET efficiencies of the two species of a bi-exponential donor are linked, and polarisation-resolved lifetime data, where a fluorescence intensity and bi-exponential anisotropy decay model is applied to the analysis of live cell homo-FRET data. A software package implementing this algorithm, FLIMfit, is available under an open source licence through the Open Microscopy Environment. PMID:23940626

Sewer Project Remedies ‘Third World’ Conditions

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

An EPA-funded project to process sewage from homes on a West Virginia hillside has resolved what a county health department report described as “Third World” conditions caused by failing or non-existent on-site systems to manage human waste.

Breaking Ground: Carving New Forms for Resolving Conflict. Project Seed.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brennan, Judith; Lynch, Stephen

One of eight papers from Project Seed, this paper describes a conflict resolution program co-facilitated by a special educator and a guidance counselor and designed to help young students who have conflicts with authority figures in school and elsewhere, as well as those students with low self-esteem and poor social skills. The project described…

Reconstruction for limited-projection fluorescence molecular tomography based on projected restarted conjugate gradient normal residual.

PubMed

Cao, Xu; Zhang, Bin; Liu, Fei; Wang, Xin; Bai, Jing

2011-12-01

Limited-projection fluorescence molecular tomography (FMT) can greatly reduce the acquisition time, which is suitable for resolving fast biology processes in vivo but suffers from severe ill-posedness because of the reconstruction using only limited projections. To overcome the severe ill-posedness, we report a reconstruction method based on the projected restarted conjugate gradient normal residual. The reconstruction results of two phantom experiments demonstrate that the proposed method is feasible for limited-projection FMT. © 2011 Optical Society of America

Social network extraction based on Web: 1. Related superficial methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khairuddin Matyuso Nasution, Mahyuddin

2018-01-01

Often the nature of something affects methods to resolve the related issues about it. Likewise, methods to extract social networks from the Web, but involve the structured data types differently. This paper reveals several methods of social network extraction from the same sources that is Web: the basic superficial method, the underlying superficial method, the description superficial method, and the related superficial methods. In complexity we derive the inequalities between methods and so are their computations. In this case, we find that different results from the same tools make the difference from the more complex to the simpler: Extraction of social network by involving co-occurrence is more complex than using occurrences.

Interferometric Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (iNIRS) for determination of optical and dynamical properties of turbid media

PubMed Central

Borycki, Dawid; Kholiqov, Oybek; Chong, Shau Poh; Srinivasan, Vivek J.

2016-01-01

We introduce and implement interferometric near-infrared spectroscopy (iNIRS), which simultaneously extracts optical and dynamical properties of turbid media through analysis of a spectral interference fringe pattern. The spectral interference fringe pattern is measured using a Mach-Zehnder interferometer with a frequency-swept narrow linewidth laser. Fourier analysis of the detected signal is used to determine time-of-flight (TOF)-resolved intensity, which is then analyzed over time to yield TOF-resolved intensity autocorrelations. This approach enables quantification of optical properties, which is not possible in conventional, continuous-wave near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Furthermore, iNIRS quantifies scatterer motion based on TOF-resolved autocorrelations, which is a feature inaccessible by well-established diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS) techniques. We prove this by determining TOF-resolved intensity and temporal autocorrelations for light transmitted through diffusive fluid phantoms with optical thicknesses of up to 55 reduced mean free paths (approximately 120 scattering events). The TOF-resolved intensity is used to determine optical properties with time-resolved diffusion theory, while the TOF-resolved intensity autocorrelations are used to determine dynamics with diffusing wave spectroscopy. iNIRS advances the capabilities of diffuse optical methods and is suitable for in vivo tissue characterization. Moreover, iNIRS combines NIRS and DCS capabilities into a single modality. PMID:26832264

A Turn-Projected State-Based Conflict Resolution Algorithm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Butler, Ricky W.; Lewis, Timothy A.

2013-01-01

State-based conflict detection and resolution (CD&R) algorithms detect conflicts and resolve them on the basis on current state information without the use of additional intent information from aircraft flight plans. Therefore, the prediction of the trajectory of aircraft is based solely upon the position and velocity vectors of the traffic aircraft. Most CD&R algorithms project the traffic state using only the current state vectors. However, the past state vectors can be used to make a better prediction of the future trajectory of the traffic aircraft. This paper explores the idea of using past state vectors to detect traffic turns and resolve conflicts caused by these turns using a non-linear projection of the traffic state. A new algorithm based on this idea is presented and validated using a fast-time simulator developed for this study.

Effects of Ultrasound on Extraction of Saponin from Ginseng

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Hui; Ohdaira, Etsuzo; Ide, Masao

1994-05-01

We performed a study of the effects of ultrasound on the extraction of saponin from Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer. In this study, the extraction of saponin was examined as functions of irradiation time (0.5 to 6 h) and acoustic pressure (0 to 90 kPa). It has been observed that the yields of both total extract and saponin are larger with ultrasonic irradiation than those without ultrasonic irradiation; the increase in yield of total extract is approximately 15 wt%, and that of saponin is approximately 30 wt% at an acoustic pressure 67 kPa. In addition, the yield increases with the acoustic pressure. It is also demonstrated that saponin was not resolved in the acoustic intensity range of this experiment. The enhancement in liquid-solid extraction caused by ultrasound can be attributed to the phenomenon of cavitation.

QAIT: a quality assurance issue tracking tool to facilitate the improvement of clinical data quality.

PubMed

Zhang, Yonghong; Sun, Weihong; Gutchell, Emily M; Kvecher, Leonid; Kohr, Joni; Bekhash, Anthony; Shriver, Craig D; Liebman, Michael N; Mural, Richard J; Hu, Hai

2013-01-01

In clinical and translational research as well as clinical trial projects, clinical data collection is prone to errors such as missing data, and misinterpretation or inconsistency of the data. A good quality assurance (QA) program can resolve many such errors though this requires efficient communications between the QA staff and data collectors. Managing such communications is critical to resolving QA problems but imposes a major challenge for a project involving multiple clinical and data processing sites. We have developed a QA issue tracking (QAIT) system to support clinical data QA in the Clinical Breast Care Project (CBCP). This web-based application provides centralized management of QA issues with role-based access privileges. It has greatly facilitated the QA process and enhanced the overall quality of the CBCP clinical data. As a stand-alone system, QAIT can supplement any other clinical data management systems and can be adapted to support other projects. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Localised burst reconstruction from space-time PODs in a turbulent channel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia-Gutierrez, Adrian; Jimenez, Javier

2017-11-01

The traditional proper orthogonal decomposition of the turbulent velocity fluctuations in a channel is extended to time under the assumption that the attractor is statistically stationary and can be treated as periodic for long-enough times. The objective is to extract space- and time-localised eddies that optimally represent the kinetic energy (and two-event correlation) of the flow. Using time-resolved data of a small-box simulation at Reτ = 1880 , minimal for y / h 0.25 , PODs are computed from the two-point spectral-density tensor Φ(kx ,kz , y ,y' , ω) . They are Fourier components in x, z and time, and depend on y and on the temporal frequency ω, or, equivalently, on the convection velocity c = ω /kx . Although the latter depends on y, a spatially and temporally localised `burst' can be synthesised by adding a range of PODs with specific phases. The results are localised bursts that are amplified and tilted, in a time-periodic version of Orr-like behaviour. Funded by the ERC COTURB project.

Non-iterative characterization of few-cycle laser pulses using flat-top gates.

PubMed

Selm, Romedi; Krauss, Günther; Leitenstorfer, Alfred; Zumbusch, Andreas

2012-03-12

We demonstrate a method for broadband laser pulse characterization based on a spectrally resolved cross-correlation with a narrowband flat-top gate pulse. Excellent phase-matching by collinear excitation in a microscope focus is exploited by degenerate four-wave mixing in a microscope slide. Direct group delay extraction of an octave spanning spectrum which is generated in a highly nonlinear fiber allows for spectral phase retrieval. The validity of the technique is supported by the comparison with an independent second-harmonic fringe-resolved autocorrelation measurement for an 11 fs laser pulse.

The Geoland2 BioPar burned area product

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tansey, K.; Bradley, A.; Smets, B.; van Best, C.; Lacaze, R.

2012-04-01

The European Commission Geoland2 project intends to constitute a major step forward to the implementation of the GMES Land Monitoring Core Service (LMCS). The Bio-geophysical Parameters (BioPar) Core Monitoring Service aims at setting-up pre-operational infrastructures for providing regional, European, and global bio-geophysical variables, both in near real time and off-line mode, for describing the vegetation state, the radiation budget at the surface, and the water cycle. The burned area product is part of the BioPar portfolio. The burned area product further builds on the experience of the Global Burned Area (GBA2000) and L3JRC projects. In the GBA2000 project, several algorithms were developed for different geographical regions of the world, and applied to a 1-year time series (the year 2000) of SPOT-VEGETATION data. In the L3JRC project, a single algorithm was improved and applied to a 7-year global dataset of SPOT-VEGETATION data. Since the conception of the Geoland2 project, work has been undertaken to improve the L3JRC algorithm, mainly based on user comments and feedback. Furthermore, the Geoland2 burned area product specification has been developed to meet the requirements of the Core Information Service, specifically LandCarbon and Natural Resource Monitoring in Africa (Narma). The Geoland2 burned area product has the following improvements over the L3JRC product: • It resolves issues with users extracting statistics and burned area estimates for time periods considered to be outside the main seasons for burning. Specifically, this deals with issues in northern latitude winters. • The number of pre-processing steps has been shortened, reducing processing time. • An improved land-water mask has been used. This resolves a problem around the coastlines of land masses which were frequently being detected as being burned. • A season metric calculation is performed over a 1x1 degree grid. For each grid cell, a date is logged against the start of the fire season, peak of the fire season and then the end of the fire season. Once a fire season has been confirmed as being finished, the region effectively resets itself, which means that the land surface can burn again when the next fire season starts. This automated season reset feature enables multiple fire seasons to be analysed. • Provides easy to interpret seasonality tables every 10 days (the reporting period for the product). It is intended that the product will be validated using CEOS-approved protocols and data sets currently being developed through the European Space Agency Fire-CCI project. In this paper, initial results being produced operationally and will be presented along with examples highlighting the performance of the seasonality metric.

Laser Rayleigh and Raman Diagnostics for Small Hydrogen/oxygen Rockets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Degroot, Wilhelmus A.; Zupanc, Frank J.

1993-01-01

Localized velocity, temperature, and species concentration measurements in rocket flow fields are needed to evaluate predictive computational fluid dynamics (CFD) codes and identify causes of poor rocket performance. Velocity, temperature, and total number density information have been successfully extracted from spectrally resolved Rayleigh scattering in the plume of small hydrogen/oxygen rockets. Light from a narrow band laser is scattered from the moving molecules with a Doppler shifted frequency. Two components of the velocity can be extracted by observing the scattered light from two directions. Thermal broadening of the scattered light provides a measure of the temperature, while the integrated scattering intensity is proportional to the number density. Spontaneous Raman scattering has been used to measure temperature and species concentration in similar plumes. Light from a dye laser is scattered by molecules in the rocket plume. Raman spectra scattered from major species are resolved by observing the inelastically scattered light with linear array mounted to a spectrometer. Temperature and oxygen concentrations have been extracted by fitting a model function to the measured Raman spectrum. Results of measurements on small rockets mounted inside a high altitude chamber using both diagnostic techniques are reported.

Operando observations of solid-state electrochemical reactions in Li-ion batteries by spatially resolved TEM EELS and electron holography.

PubMed

Yamamoto, Kazuo; Iriyama, Yasutoshi; Hirayama, Tsukasa

2017-02-08

All-solid-state Li-ion batteries having incombustible solid electrolytes are promising energy storage devices because they have significant advantages in terms of safety, lifetime and energy density. Electrochemical reactions, namely, Li-ion insertion/extraction reactions, commonly occur around the nanometer-scale interfaces between the electrodes and solid electrolytes. Thus, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is an appropriate technique to directly observe such reactions, providing important information for understanding the fundamental solid-state electrochemistry and improving battery performance. In this review, we introduce two types of TEM techniques for operando observations of battery reactions, spatially resolved electron energy-loss spectroscopy in a TEM mode for direct detection of the Li concentration profiles and electron holography for observing the electric potential changes due to Li-ion insertion/extraction reactions. We visually show how Li-ion insertion/extractions affect the crystal structures, electronic structures, and local electric potential during the charge-discharge processes in these batteries. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Japanese Society of Microscopy. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

75 FR 21503 - Transferring Certain Enforcement Hotline Matters to the Dispute Resolution Service

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-26

.... Currently, the Commission's regulations require that natural gas pipeline companies provide contact... project under the Natural Gas Act. In practice, the Enforcement Hotline also attempts to resolve disputes between individuals and natural gas pipeline companies on all certificated construction projects under the...

76 FR 35861 - Safety Culture at the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-20

... high. This unhealthy tension has rendered the WTP project's formal processes to resolve safety issues... Board's investigative record demonstrates that both DOE and contractor project management behaviors... allegations raised by Dr. Tamosaitis, a contractor employee removed from his position at WTP, a construction...

Hydrodynamic stability and Ti-tracer distribution in low-adiabat OMEGA direct-drive implosions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joshi, Tirtha R.

We discuss the hydrodynamic stability of low-adiabat OMEGA direct-drive implosions based on results obtained from simultaneous emission and absorption spectroscopy of a titanium tracer added to the target. The targets were deuterium filled, warm plastic shells of varying thicknesses and filling gas pressures with a submicron Ti-doped tracer layer initially located on the inner surface of the shell. The spectral features from the titanium tracer are observed during the deceleration and stagnation phases of the implosion, and recorded with a time integrated spectrometer (XRS1), streaked crystal spectrometer (SSCA) and three gated, multi-monochromatic X-ray imager (MMI) instruments fielded along quasi-orthogonal lines-of-sight. The time-integrated, streaked and gated data show simultaneous emission and absorption spectral features associated with titanium K-shell line transitions but only the MMI data provides spatially resolved information. The arrays of gated spectrally resolved images recorded with MMI were processed to obtain spatially resolved spectra characteristic of annular contour regions on the image. A multi-zone spectroscopic analysis of the annular spatially resolved spectra permits the extraction of plasma conditions in the core as well as the spatial distribution of tracer atoms. In turn, the titanium atom distribution provides direct evidence of tracer penetration into the core and thus of the hydrodynamic stability of the shell. The observations, timing and analysis indicate that during fuel burning the titanium atoms have migrated deep into the core and thus shell material mixing is likely to impact the rate of nuclear fusion reactions, i.e. burning rate, and the neutron yield of the implosion. We have found that the Ti atom number density decreases towards the center in early deceleration phase, but later in time the trend is just opposite, i.e., it increases towards the center of the implosion core. This is in part a consequence of the convergent effect of spherical geometry. The spatial profiles of Ti areal densities in the implosion core are extracted from space-resolved spectra and also evaluated using 1D spherical scaling. The trends are similar to the Ti number density spatial profiles. The areal densities extracted from data and 1D spherical scaling are very comparable in the outer spherical zones of the implosion core but significantly deviate in the innermost zone. We have observed that approximately 85% of the Ti atoms migrate into the hot core, while 15% of the atoms are still on the shell-fuel interface and contributing to the absorption. In addition, a method to extract the hot spot size based on the formation of the absorption feature in a sequence of annular spectra will be discussed. Results and trends are discussed as a function of target shell thickness and filling pressure, and laser pulse shape.

1,4-Dioxane Remediation by Extreme Soil Vapor Extraction (XSVE). Screening-Level Feasibility Assessment and Design Tool in Support of 1,4-Dioxane Remediation by Extreme Soil Vapor Extraction (XSVE) ESTCP Project ER 201326

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-10-01

USER GUIDE 1,4-Dioxane Remediation by Extreme Soil Vapor Extraction (XSVE) Screening-Level Feasibility Assessment and Design Tool in...Support of 1,4-Dioxane Remediation by Extreme Soil Vapor Extraction (XSVE) ESTCP Project ER-201326 OCTOBER 2017 Rob Hinchee Integrated Science...Technology, Inc. 1509 Coastal Highway Panacea, FL 32346 8/8/2013 - 8/8/2018 10-2017 1,4-Dioxane Remediation by Extreme Soil Vapor Extraction (XSVE) Screening

Comparing Mid-Century Climate Change Projections at Convective Resolving Scales (2-km) for Life Zones Within Puerto Rico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bowden, J.; Wootten, A.; Terando, A. J.; Boyles, R.; Misra, V.; Bhardwaj, A.

2016-12-01

Puerto Rico is home to over 3.5 million people and numerous endemic plant and animal species that may be at risk as a result of anthropogenic climate change. This study downscales three CMIP5 Global Circulation Models (GCMs) to a 2-km horizontal resolution using different regional climate models (RCMs) to resolve the island's climate. Here we compare projected climate change from a single GCM, CCSM4, from two RCMs centered on the mid-century, 2041-2060, for a high greenhouse gas emission scenario, RCP8.5. We will discuss similarities and differences in ecologically relevant climate variables, which were selected based on dialogue with experts who have knowledge about potential biological impacts of climate change for current life zones within Puerto Rico. Notable differences appear between the RCMs and include regions with critical ecosystems, such as the El Yunque National Forest in northeast Puerto Rico. This study helps to highlight RCMs structural uncertainty at convective resolving scales.

Time-Resolved and Spectroscopic Three-Dimensional Optical Breast Tomography

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-01

polarization sensitive imaging 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT 18. NUMBER OF PAGES 19a. NAME OF RESPONSIBLE PERSON R. R...project; • Development of a near-infrared center of intensity time gated imaging approach; and • Polarization sensitive imaging. We provide an...spectroscopic imaging arrangement, and a multi-source illumination and multi- detector signal acquisition arrangement. 5 5.1.1. Time-resolved transillumination

Health Reports

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-11-01

Food and Drug Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone: FDA Approval Should Be Withheld Administration Until the Mastitis Issue Is Resolved (Report, Aug. 6...Care: Demonstration Project Concerning Future Structure of Veterans’ Health Program (Testimony, Aug. 11, 1992, GA(Yr-HRD-92-53). Recombinant Bovine ...Growth Hormone: FDA Approval Should Be Withheld Until the Mastitis Issue Is Resolved (Report, Aug. 6, 1992, GAO/PEMD-92-26). Page 10 GAD/RRD-98-38 Health

New beam line for time-of-flight medium energy ion scattering with large area position sensitive detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Linnarsson, M. K.; Hallén, A.; Åström, J.; Primetzhofer, D.; Legendre, S.; Possnert, G.

2012-09-01

A new beam line for medium energy ion mass scattering (MEIS) has been designed and set up at the Ångström laboratory, Uppsala University, Sweden. This MEIS system is based on a time-of-flight (ToF) concept and the electronics for beam chopping relies on a 4 MHz function generator. Repetition rates can be varied between 1 MHz and 63 kHz and pulse widths below 1 ns are typically obtained by including beam bunching. A 6-axis goniometer is used at the target station. Scattering angle and energy of backscattered ions are extracted from a time-resolved and position-sensitive detector. Examples of the performance are given for three kinds of probing ions, 1H+, 4He+, and 11B+. Depth resolution is in the nanometer range and 1 and 2 nm thick Pt layers can easily be resolved. Mass resolution between nearby isotopes can be obtained as illustrated by Ga isotopes in GaAs. Taking advantage of the large size detector, a direct imaging (blocking pattern) of crystal channels are shown for hexagonal, 4H-SiC. The ToF-MEIS system described in this paper is intended for use in semiconductor and thin film areas. For example, depth profiling in the sub nanometer range for device development of contacts and dielectric interfaces. In addition to applied projects, fundamental studies of stopping cross sections in this medium energy range will also be conducted.

The PyCASSO database: spatially resolved stellar population properties for CALIFA galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Amorim, A. L.; García-Benito, R.; Cid Fernandes, R.; Cortijo-Ferrero, C.; González Delgado, R. M.; Lacerda, E. A. D.; López Fernández, R.; Pérez, E.; Vale Asari, N.

2017-11-01

The Calar Alto Legacy Integral Field Area (CALIFA) survey, a pioneer in integral field spectroscopy legacy projects, has fostered many studies exploring the information encoded on the spatially resolved data on gaseous and stellar features in the optical range of galaxies. We describe a value-added catalogue of stellar population properties for CALIFA galaxies analysed with the spectral synthesis code starlight and processed with the pycasso platform. Our public database (http://pycasso.ufsc.br/, mirror at http://pycasso.iaa.es/) comprises 445 galaxies from the CALIFA Data Release 3 with COMBO data. The catalogue provides maps for the stellar mass surface density, mean stellar ages and metallicities, stellar dust attenuation, star formation rates, and kinematics. Example applications both for individual galaxies and for statistical studies are presented to illustrate the power of this data set. We revisit and update a few of our own results on mass density radial profiles and on the local mass-metallicity relation. We also show how to employ the catalogue for new investigations, and show a pseudo Schmidt-Kennicutt relation entirely made with information extracted from the stellar continuum. Combinations to other databases are also illustrated. Among other results, we find a very good agreement between star formation rate surface densities derived from the stellar continuum and the H α emission. This public catalogue joins the scientific community's effort towards transparency and reproducibility, and will be useful for researchers focusing on (or complementing their studies with) stellar properties of CALIFA galaxies.

Fiber-fed time-resolved photoluminescence for reduced process feedback time on thin-film photovoltaics

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

Repins, I. L.; Egaas, B.; Mansfield, L. M.

2015-01-15

Fiber-fed time-resolved photoluminescence is demonstrated as a tool for immediate process feedback after deposition of the absorber layer for CuIn{sub x}Ga{sub 1-x}Se{sub 2} and Cu{sub 2}ZnSnSe{sub 4} photovoltaic devices. The technique uses a simplified configuration compared to typical laboratory time-resolved photoluminescence in the delivery of the exciting beam, signal collection, and electronic components. Correlation of instrument output with completed device efficiency is demonstrated over a large sample set. The extraction of the instrument figure of merit, depending on both the initial luminescence intensity and its time decay, is explained and justified. Limitations in the prediction of device efficiency by thismore » method, including surface effect, are demonstrated and discussed.« less

A Longitudinal Study of Student Attitudes toward Computers: Resolving an Attitude Decay Paradox.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKinnon, David H.; Nolan, C. J. Patrick; Sinclair, Kenneth E.

2000-01-01

Describes results of an integrated curriculum project in New Zealand that generated paradoxical results regarding student motivation and attitudes toward computer use during junior high school, where attitudes became less positive. Examines implications for the design and implementation of curriculum projects involving student use of computer…

Unusual treatment of bimaxillary dentoalveolar protrusion via miniscrews and molar extraction

PubMed Central

Al-Fraidi, Ahmad; Afify, Ahmed R.

2012-01-01

This case report describes the treatment of a Saudi female patient, aged 13 years 8 months at the start of treatment, with a Class I bimaxillary dentoalveolar protrusion and extracted maxillary first molars. Miniscrews were placed bilaterally in the interdental space between both the upper and the lower posterior teeth. The treatment plan consisted of extraction of both lower first permanent molars, distalization of upper and lower premolars using miniscrews followed by en masse retraction of the upper and lower six anterior teeth. The active treatment period was 2 years 8 months. Arch retention was done using upper wrap-around retainer and lower fixed 3-3 retainer. The use of miniscrews helped to resolve the bimaxillary protrusion regardless of extraction pattern used. PMID:24987626

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

Guo, Wei, E-mail: wguo2@ncsu.edu; Kirste, Ronny; Bryan, Zachary

Enhanced light extraction efficiency was demonstrated on nanostructure patterned GaN and AlGaN/AlN Multiple-Quantum-Well (MQW) structures using mass production techniques including natural lithography and interference lithography with feature size as small as 100 nm. Periodic nanostructures showed higher light extraction efficiency and modified emission profile compared to non-periodic structures based on integral reflection and angular-resolved transmission measurement. Light extraction mechanism of macroscopic and microscopic nanopatterning is discussed, and the advantage of using periodic nanostructure patterning is provided. An enhanced photoluminescence emission intensity was observed on nanostructure patterned AlGaN/AlN MQW compared to as-grown structure, demonstrating a large-scale and mass-producible pathway to higher lightmore » extraction efficiency in deep-ultra-violet light-emitting diodes.« less

Application of the medical data warehousing architecture EPIDWARE to epidemiological follow-up: data extraction and transformation.

PubMed

Kerkri, E; Quantin, C; Yetongnon, K; Allaert, F A; Dusserre, L

1999-01-01

In this paper, we present an application of EPIDWARE, medical data warehousing architecture, to our epidemiological follow-up project. The aim of this project is to extract and regroup information from various information systems for epidemiological studies. We give a description of the requirements of the epidemiological follow-up project such as anonymity of medical data information and data file linkage procedure. We introduce the concept of Data Warehousing Architecture. The particularities of data extraction and transformation are presented and discussed.

One-Step and Two-Step Facility Acquisition for Military Construction: Project Selection and Implementation Procedures

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-08-01

the guidance in this report. 1-4. Scope This guidance covers selection of projects suitable for a One-Step or Two-Step approach, development of design...conducted, focus on resolving proposal deficiencies; prices are not "negotiated" in the common use of the term. A Request for Proposal (RFP) states project ...carefully examines experience and past performance in the design of similar projects and building types. Quality of

Real Diffusion-Weighted MRI Enabling True Signal Averaging and Increased Diffusion Contrast

PubMed Central

Eichner, Cornelius; Cauley, Stephen F; Cohen-Adad, Julien; Möller, Harald E; Turner, Robert; Setsompop, Kawin; Wald, Lawrence L

2015-01-01

This project aims to characterize the impact of underlying noise distributions on diffusion-weighted imaging. The noise floor is a well-known problem for traditional magnitude-based diffusion-weighted MRI (dMRI) data, leading to biased diffusion model fits and inaccurate signal averaging. Here, we introduce a total-variation-based algorithm to eliminate shot-to-shot phase variations of complex-valued diffusion data with the intention to extract real-valued dMRI datasets. The obtained real-valued diffusion data are no longer superimposed by a noise floor but instead by a zero-mean Gaussian noise distribution, yielding dMRI data without signal bias. We acquired high-resolution dMRI data with strong diffusion weighting and, thus, low signal-to-noise ratio. Both the extracted real-valued and traditional magnitude data were compared regarding signal averaging, diffusion model fitting and accuracy in resolving crossing fibers. Our results clearly indicate that real-valued diffusion data enables idealized conditions for signal averaging. Furthermore, the proposed method enables unbiased use of widely employed linear least squares estimators for model fitting and demonstrates an increased sensitivity to detect secondary fiber directions with reduced angular error. The use of phase-corrected, real-valued data for dMRI will therefore help to clear the way for more detailed and accurate studies of white matter microstructure and structural connectivity on a fine scale. PMID:26241680

Combining Experiments and Simulations of Extraction Kinetics and Thermodynamics in Advanced Separation Processes for Used Nuclear Fuel

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

Nilsson, Mikael

This 3-year project was a collaboration between University of California Irvine (UC Irvine), Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) and with an international collaborator at ForschungZentrum Jülich (FZJ). The project was led from UC Irvine under the direction of Profs. Mikael Nilsson and Hung Nguyen. The leads at PNNL, INL, ANL and FZJ were Dr. Liem Dang, Dr. Peter Zalupski, Dr. Nathaniel Hoyt and Dr. Giuseppe Modolo, respectively. Involved in this project at UC Irvine were three full time PhD graduate students, Tro Babikian, Ted Yoo, and Quynh Vo, and one MS student,more » Alba Font Bosch. The overall objective of this project was to study how the kinetics and thermodynamics of metal ion extraction can be described by molecular dynamic (MD) simulations and how the simulations can be validated by experimental data. Furthermore, the project includes the applied separation by testing the extraction systems in a single stage annular centrifugal contactor and coupling the experimental data with computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations. Specific objectives of the proposed research were: Study and establish a rigorous connection between MD simulations based on polarizable force fields and extraction thermodynamic and kinetic data. Compare and validate CFD simulations of extraction processes for An/Ln separation using different sizes (and types) of annular centrifugal contactors. Provide a theoretical/simulation and experimental base for scale-up of batch-wise extraction to continuous contactors. We approached objective 1 and 2 in parallel. For objective 1 we started by studying a well established extraction system with a relatively simple extraction mechanism, namely tributyl phosphate. What we found was that well optimized simulations can inform experiments and new information on TBP behavior was presented in this project, as well be discussed below. The second objective proved a larger challenge and most of the efforts were devoted to experimental studies.« less

CONTINUOUS CHELATION-EXTRACTION PROCESS FOR THE SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION OF METALS

DOEpatents

Thomas, J.R.; Hicks, T.E.; Rubin, B.; Crandall, H.W.

1959-12-01

A continuous process is presented for separating metal values and groups of metal values from each other. A complex mixture. e.g., neutron-irradiated uranium, can be resolved into component parts. In the present process the values are dissolved in an acidic solution and adjusted to the proper oxidation state. Thenceforth the solution is contacted with an extractant phase comprising a fluorinated beta -diketone in an organic solvent under centain pH conditions whereupon plutonium and zirconium are extracted. Plutonium is extracted from the foregoing extract with reducing aqueous solutions or under specified acidic conditions and can be recovered from the aqueous solution. Zirconium is then removed with an oxalic acid aqueous phase. The uranium is recovered from the residual original solution using hexone and hexone-diketone extractants leaving residual fission products in the original solution. The uranium is extracted from the hexone solution with dilute nitric acid. Improved separations and purifications are achieved using recycled scrub solutions and the "self-salting" effect of uranyl ions.

SEA ODC - An Implementation of Web Portal and B2B Services for Managing of Oceanographic Data Sets Collected in South-East Adriatic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jovicic, A.; Castelli, A.; Kljajic, Z.

2012-04-01

As a result of efforts to standardize oceanographic data sets collected since year 2002 in the area of south-east Adriatic, relational data model suitable for storage of meta-data and in situ measurements was designed and implemented. Using combination of customized tools developed for extraction of meta-data and data records from CTD files as well as standard office applications, data were extracted, transformed, processed and unified by attributes and units of measurement. To make those data available for wider scientific community, we have developed web portal able to be used for data retrieval based on various filters (spatial, temporal, by project and/or by sampling instrument). Selected data model proves to be also very efficient for generating of data-exchange formats required by various projects and initiatives (e.g. SeaDataNet) so extended by particular dictionaries it can allow fast implementation of integration services. As a part of Ecoport 8 project, newly available type of data was recently introduced. Real-time data provided by permanent sensors need to be automatically collected and stored into database. Visualization of such data was also required as well as exchange with project data center. To fulfill those requirements, additional data scheme and appropriate B2B services were developed. Additional care was taken about data transfer security as database was not hosted at the same place as workstation used for remote access to sensor equipment. Third section of portal is "Tide Tables", interactive, graphical application that visualize tide predictions for ports of Bar and Kotor, allowing also correction by atmospheric pressure. Developed in Java, based on well known Mike Foreman's Fortran 77 code it can be used as stand-alone product without Internet connection. Last section of portal is Google Earth file containing position of stations as well as some spatial features that can be useful during planning of future oceanographic cruises in this area (e.g. explosives dumping grounds, administrative lines and depth contours). Technically speaking, present level of implementation can provide fast response to any future requirement. However, some administrative issues need to be resolved. Multilateral (or bilateral) data-exchange policies need to be signed by all interested parties before all data can become fully available to wider scientific community.

Characterization and imaging of nanostructured materials using tabletop extreme ultraviolet light sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karl, Robert; Knobloch, Joshua; Frazer, Travis; Tanksalvala, Michael; Porter, Christina; Bevis, Charles; Chao, Weilun; Abad Mayor, Begoña.; Adams, Daniel; Mancini, Giulia F.; Hernandez-Charpak, Jorge N.; Kapteyn, Henry; Murnane, Margaret

2018-03-01

Using a tabletop coherent extreme ultraviolet source, we extend current nanoscale metrology capabilities with applications spanning from new models of nanoscale transport and materials, to nanoscale device fabrication. We measure the ultrafast dynamics of acoustic waves in materials; by analyzing the material's response, we can extract elastic properties of films as thin as 11nm. We extend this capability to a spatially resolved imaging modality by using coherent diffractive imaging to image the acoustic waves in nanostructures as they propagate. This will allow for spatially resolved characterization of the elastic properties of non-isotropic materials.

A framework for extracting and representing project knowledge contexts using topic models and dynamic knowledge maps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Jin; Li, Zheng; Li, Shuliang; Zhang, Yanyan

2015-07-01

There is still a lack of effective paradigms and tools for analysing and discovering the contents and relationships of project knowledge contexts in the field of project management. In this paper, a new framework for extracting and representing project knowledge contexts using topic models and dynamic knowledge maps under big data environments is proposed and developed. The conceptual paradigm, theoretical underpinning, extended topic model, and illustration examples of the ontology model for project knowledge maps are presented, with further research work envisaged.

Solid-phase nano-extraction and laser-excited time-resolved Shpol'skii spectroscopy for the analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in drinking water samples.

PubMed

Wang, Huiyong; Yu, Shenjiang; Campiglia, Andres D

2009-02-15

A unique method for screening polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in drinking water samples is reported. Water samples (500 microl) are mixed and centrifuged with 950 microl of a commercial solution of 20 nm gold nanoparticles for pollutants extraction. The precipitate is treated with 2 microl of 1-pentanethiol and 48 microl of n-octane, and the supernatant is then analyzed via laser-excited time-resolved Shpol'skii spectroscopy. Fifteen priority pollutants are directly determined at liquid helium temperature (4.2 K) with the aid of a cryogenic fiber-optic probe. Unambiguous pollutant determination is carried out via spectral and lifetime analysis. Limits of detection are at the parts-per-trillion level. Analytical recoveries are similar to those obtained via high-performance liquid chromatography. The simplicity of the experimental procedure, use of microliters of organic solvent, short analysis time, selectivity, and excellent analytical figures of merit demonstrate the advantages of this environmentally friendly approach for routine analysis of numerous samples.

Extracting scientific articles from a large digital archive: BioStor and the Biodiversity Heritage Library.

PubMed

Page, Roderic D M

2011-05-23

The Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL) is a large digital archive of legacy biological literature, comprising over 31 million pages scanned from books, monographs, and journals. During the digitisation process basic metadata about the scanned items is recorded, but not article-level metadata. Given that the article is the standard unit of citation, this makes it difficult to locate cited literature in BHL. Adding the ability to easily find articles in BHL would greatly enhance the value of the archive. A service was developed to locate articles in BHL based on matching article metadata to BHL metadata using approximate string matching, regular expressions, and string alignment. This article locating service is exposed as a standard OpenURL resolver on the BioStor web site http://biostor.org/openurl/. This resolver can be used on the web, or called by bibliographic tools that support OpenURL. BioStor provides tools for extracting, annotating, and visualising articles from the Biodiversity Heritage Library. BioStor is available from http://biostor.org/.

Ion Composition in Titan's Exosphere from the Cassini Plasma Spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woodson, A.; Smith, H. T.; Johnson, R. E.

2013-12-01

A primary goal of the Cassini mission has been to characterize the complex interaction between Saturn's magnetosphere and Titan's ionosphere. To this end, the Cassini spacecraft carries two instruments-the Ion and Neutral Mass Spectrometer (INMS) and the Cassini Plasma Spectrometer (CAPS)-capable of energy- and mass-analysis. The Ion Mass Spectrometer (IMS), one of three instruments composing CAPS, is designed to characterize diffuse plasmas throughout the magnetosphere while the INMS is optimized for measurements within Titan's upper atmosphere. As such, mass-resolved ion compositions confirming a variety of hydrocarbons and nitriles have been extracted from INMS data for numerous Titan encounters. Similar analysis of IMS data, however, has largely been resolution-limited to the identification of 'light' and 'heavy' ion groups in the wake. Herein we present a technique for extracting Dalton-resolved ion compositions from IMS spectra acquired below ~5 Titan radii. The method is then applied to data from the T40 encounter and the resulting relative abundances compared with those derived from the INMS data for the same encounter.

Pay As You Go: A Better Way of Funding School Construction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carey, Kelley D.

2000-01-01

Pay-as-you-go funding (via local option sales taxes or earmarked property taxes) is superior to floating expensive bond issues to resolve school construction crises. Districts can plan projects more thoughtfully, focus on project priorities, avoid arbitrage problems and high insurance costs, and address socioeconomic considerations more equitably.…

Detailed Vascular Anatomy of the Human Retina by Projection-Resolved Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campbell, J. P.; Zhang, M.; Hwang, T. S.; Bailey, S. T.; Wilson, D. J.; Jia, Y.; Huang, D.

2017-02-01

Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) is a noninvasive method of 3D imaging of the retinal and choroidal circulations. However, vascular depth discrimination is limited by superficial vessels projecting flow signal artifact onto deeper layers. The projection-resolved (PR) OCTA algorithm improves depth resolution by removing projection artifact while retaining in-situ flow signal from real blood vessels in deeper layers. This novel technology allowed us to study the normal retinal vasculature in vivo with better depth resolution than previously possible. Our investigation in normal human volunteers revealed the presence of 2 to 4 distinct vascular plexuses in the retina, depending on location relative to the optic disc and fovea. The vascular pattern in these retinal plexuses and interconnecting layers are consistent with previous histologic studies. Based on these data, we propose an improved system of nomenclature and segmentation boundaries for detailed 3-dimensional retinal vascular anatomy by OCTA. This could serve as a basis for future investigation of both normal retinal anatomy, as well as vascular malformations, nonperfusion, and neovascularization.

The application of Fresnel zone plate based projection in optofluidic microscopy.

PubMed

Wu, Jigang; Cui, Xiquan; Lee, Lap Man; Yang, Changhuei

2008-09-29

Optofluidic microscopy (OFM) is a novel technique for low-cost, high-resolution on-chip microscopy imaging. In this paper we report the use of the Fresnel zone plate (FZP) based projection in OFM as a cost-effective and compact means for projecting the transmission through an OFM's aperture array onto a sensor grid. We demonstrate this approach by employing a FZP (diameter = 255 microm, focal length = 800 microm) that has been patterned onto a glass slide to project the transmission from an array of apertures (diameter = 1 microm, separation = 10 microm) onto a CMOS sensor. We are able to resolve the contributions from 44 apertures on the sensor under the illumination from a HeNe laser (wavelength = 633 nm). The imaging quality of the FZP determines the effective field-of-view (related to the number of resolvable transmissions from apertures) but not the image resolution of such an OFM system--a key distinction from conventional microscope systems. We demonstrate the capability of the integrated system by flowing the protist Euglena gracilis across the aperture array microfluidically and performing OFM imaging of the samples.

Investigation and Characterization of Defects in Epitaxial Films for Ultraviolet Light Emitting Devices Using FUV Time-Resolved Photoluminescence, Time-Resolved Cathodoluminescence, and Spatio-Time-Resolved Cathodoluminescence Excited Using Femtosecond Laser Pulses

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-05-22

mole fraction AlxGa1-xN alloys, and GaN were studied in this project. For this purpose, we quantified the radiative lifetimes (R) and nonradiative ...61556;R) and nonradiative lifetimes (NR) for the near-band-edge (NBE) emission by measuring the luminescence lifetimes () and...that is a fraction of radiative rate over the sum of radiative and nonradiative rates; i. e. int=(1+R/NR)-1. To improve int of practical devices

Highly time-resolved imaging of combustion and pyrolysis product concentrations in solid fuel combustion: NO formation in a burning cigarette.

PubMed

Zimmermann, Ralf; Hertz-Schünemann, Romy; Ehlert, Sven; Liu, Chuan; McAdam, Kevin; Baker, Richard; Streibel, Thorsten

2015-02-03

The highly dynamic, heterogeneous combustion process within a burning cigarette was investigated by a miniaturized extractive sampling probe (microprobe) coupled to photoionization mass spectrometry using soft laser single photon ionization (SPI) for online real-time detection of molecular ions of combustion and pyrolysis products. Research cigarettes smoked by a smoking machine are used as a reproducible model system for solid-state biomass combustion, which up to now is not addressable by current combustion-diagnostic tools. By combining repetitively recorded online measurement sequences from different sampling locations in an imaging approach, highly time- and space-resolved quantitative distribution maps of, e.g., nitrogen monoxide, benzene, and oxygen concentrations were obtained at a near microscopic level. The obtained quantitative distribution maps represent a time-resolved, movie-like imaging of the respective compound's formation and destruction zones in the various combustion and pyrolysis regions of a cigarette during puffing. Furthermore, spatially resolved kinetic data were ascertainable. The here demonstrated methodology can also be applied to various heterogenic combustion/pyrolysis or reaction model systems, such as fossil- or biomass-fuel pellet combustion or to a positional resolved analysis of heterogenic catalytic reactions.

A simultaneous multi-slice selective J-resolved experiment for fully resolved scalar coupling information

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, Qing; Lin, Liangjie; Chen, Jinyong; Lin, Yanqin; Barker, Peter B.; Chen, Zhong

2017-09-01

Proton-proton scalar coupling plays an important role in molecular structure elucidation. Many methods have been proposed for revealing scalar coupling networks involving chosen protons. However, determining all JHH values within a fully coupled network remains as a tedious process. Here, we propose a method termed as simultaneous multi-slice selective J-resolved spectroscopy (SMS-SEJRES) for simultaneously measuring JHH values out of all coupling networks in a sample within one experiment. In this work, gradient-encoded selective refocusing, PSYCHE decoupling and echo planar spectroscopic imaging (EPSI) detection module are adopted, resulting in different selective J-edited spectra extracted from different spatial positions. The proposed pulse sequence can facilitate the analysis of molecular structures. Therefore, it will interest scientists who would like to efficiently address the structural analysis of molecules.

Development of a Cloud Resolving Model for Heterogeneous Supercomputers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sreepathi, S.; Norman, M. R.; Pal, A.; Hannah, W.; Ponder, C.

2017-12-01

A cloud resolving climate model is needed to reduce major systematic errors in climate simulations due to structural uncertainty in numerical treatments of convection - such as convective storm systems. This research describes the porting effort to enable SAM (System for Atmosphere Modeling) cloud resolving model on heterogeneous supercomputers using GPUs (Graphical Processing Units). We have isolated a standalone configuration of SAM that is targeted to be integrated into the DOE ACME (Accelerated Climate Modeling for Energy) Earth System model. We have identified key computational kernels from the model and offloaded them to a GPU using the OpenACC programming model. Furthermore, we are investigating various optimization strategies intended to enhance GPU utilization including loop fusion/fission, coalesced data access and loop refactoring to a higher abstraction level. We will present early performance results, lessons learned as well as optimization strategies. The computational platform used in this study is the Summitdev system, an early testbed that is one generation removed from Summit, the next leadership class supercomputer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The system contains 54 nodes wherein each node has 2 IBM POWER8 CPUs and 4 NVIDIA Tesla P100 GPUs. This work is part of a larger project, ACME-MMF component of the U.S. Department of Energy(DOE) Exascale Computing Project. The ACME-MMF approach addresses structural uncertainty in cloud processes by replacing traditional parameterizations with cloud resolving "superparameterization" within each grid cell of global climate model. Super-parameterization dramatically increases arithmetic intensity, making the MMF approach an ideal strategy to achieve good performance on emerging exascale computing architectures. The goal of the project is to integrate superparameterization into ACME, and explore its full potential to scientifically and computationally advance climate simulation and prediction.

Atmospheric Rivers in VR-CESM: Historical Comparison and Future Projections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McClenny, E. E.; Ullrich, P. A.

2016-12-01

Atmospheric rivers (ARs) are responsible for most of the horizontal vapor transport from the tropics, and bring upwards of half the annual precipitation to midlatitude west coasts. The difference between a drought year and a wet year can come down to 1-2 ARs. Such few events transform an otherwise arid region into one which supports remarkable biodiversity, productive agriculture, and booming human populations. It follows that such a sensitive hydroclimate feature would demand priority in evaluating end-of-century climate runs, and indeed, the AR subfield has grown significantly over the last decade. However, results tend to vary wildly from study to study, raising questions about how to best approach ARs in models. The disparity may result from any number of issues, including the ability for a model to properly resolve a precipitating AR, to the formulation and application of an AR detection algorithm. ARs pose a unique problem in global climate models (GCMs) computationally and physically, because the GCM horizontal grid must be fine enough to resolve coastal mountain range topography and force orographic precipitation. Thus far, most end-of-century projections on ARs have been performed on models whose grids are too coarse to resolve mountain ranges, causing authors to draw conclusions on AR intensity from water vapor content or transport alone. The use of localized grid refinement in the Variable Resolution version of NCAR's Community Earth System Model (VR-CESM) has succeeded in resolving AR landfall. This study applies an integrated water vapor AR detection algorithm to historical and future projections from VR-CESM, with historical ARs validated against NASA's Modern Era Retrospective-Analysis for Research and Applications. Results on end-of-century precipitating AR frequency, intensity, and landfall location will be discussed.

Deep Learning of Atomically Resolved Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy Images: Chemical Identification and Tracking Local Transformations

DOE PAGES

Ziatdinov, Maxim; Dyck, Ondrej; Maksov, Artem; ...

2017-12-07

Recent advances in scanning transmission electron and scanning probe microscopies have opened unprecedented opportunities in probing the materials structural parameters and various functional properties in real space with an angstrom-level precision. This progress has been accompanied by exponential increase in the size and quality of datasets produced by microscopic and spectroscopic experimental techniques. These developments necessitate adequate methods for extracting relevant physical and chemical information from the large datasets, for which a priori information on the structures of various atomic configurations and lattice defects is limited or absent. Here we demonstrate an application of deep neural networks to extracting informationmore » from atomically resolved images including location of the atomic species and type of defects. We develop a “weakly-supervised” approach that uses information on the coordinates of all atomic species in the image, extracted via a deep neural network, to identify a rich variety of defects that are not part of an initial training set. We further apply our approach to interpret complex atomic and defect transformation, including switching between different coordination of silicon dopants in graphene as a function of time, formation of peculiar silicon dimer with mixed 3-fold and 4-fold coordination, and the motion of molecular “rotor”. In conclusion, this deep learning based approach resembles logic of a human operator, but can be scaled leading to significant shift in the way of extracting and analyzing information from raw experimental data.« less

Deep Learning of Atomically Resolved Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy Images: Chemical Identification and Tracking Local Transformations

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

Ziatdinov, Maxim; Dyck, Ondrej; Maksov, Artem

Recent advances in scanning transmission electron and scanning probe microscopies have opened unprecedented opportunities in probing the materials structural parameters and various functional properties in real space with an angstrom-level precision. This progress has been accompanied by exponential increase in the size and quality of datasets produced by microscopic and spectroscopic experimental techniques. These developments necessitate adequate methods for extracting relevant physical and chemical information from the large datasets, for which a priori information on the structures of various atomic configurations and lattice defects is limited or absent. Here we demonstrate an application of deep neural networks to extracting informationmore » from atomically resolved images including location of the atomic species and type of defects. We develop a “weakly-supervised” approach that uses information on the coordinates of all atomic species in the image, extracted via a deep neural network, to identify a rich variety of defects that are not part of an initial training set. We further apply our approach to interpret complex atomic and defect transformation, including switching between different coordination of silicon dopants in graphene as a function of time, formation of peculiar silicon dimer with mixed 3-fold and 4-fold coordination, and the motion of molecular “rotor”. In conclusion, this deep learning based approach resembles logic of a human operator, but can be scaled leading to significant shift in the way of extracting and analyzing information from raw experimental data.« less

Highly efficient enantioselective liquid–liquid extraction of 1,2-amino-alcohols using SPINOL based phosphoric acid hosts† †Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Experimental data regarding the synthesis the hosts as well as procedures and raw data and for ELLE experiments. See DOI: 10.1039/c7sc02783d Click here for additional data file.

PubMed Central

Pinxterhuis, Erik B.; Gualtierotti, Jean-Baptiste; Heeres, Hero J.

2017-01-01

Access to enantiopure compounds on large scale in an environmentally friendly and cost-efficient manner remains one of the greatest challenges in chemistry. Resolution of racemates using enantioselective liquid–liquid extraction has great potential to meet that challenge. However, a relatively feeble understanding of the chemical principles and physical properties behind this technique has hampered the development of hosts possessing sufficient resolving power for their application to large scale processes. Herein we present, employing the previously untested SPINOL based phosphoric acids host family, an in depths study of the parameters affecting the efficiency of the resolution of amino-alcohols in the optic of further understanding the core principles behind ELLE. We have systematically investigated the dependencies of the enantioselection by parameters such as the choice of solvent, the temperature, as well as the pH and bring to light many previously unsuspected and highly intriguing interactions. Furthermore, utilizing these new insights to our advantage, we developed novel, highly efficient, extraction and resolving protocols which provide remarkable levels of enantioselectivity. It was shown that the extraction is catalytic in host by demonstrating transport in a U-tube and finally it was demonstrated how the solvent dependency could be exploited in an unprecedented triphasic resolution system. PMID:28989671

Deep Learning of Atomically Resolved Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy Images: Chemical Identification and Tracking Local Transformations.

PubMed

Ziatdinov, Maxim; Dyck, Ondrej; Maksov, Artem; Li, Xufan; Sang, Xiahan; Xiao, Kai; Unocic, Raymond R; Vasudevan, Rama; Jesse, Stephen; Kalinin, Sergei V

2017-12-26

Recent advances in scanning transmission electron and scanning probe microscopies have opened exciting opportunities in probing the materials structural parameters and various functional properties in real space with angstrom-level precision. This progress has been accompanied by an exponential increase in the size and quality of data sets produced by microscopic and spectroscopic experimental techniques. These developments necessitate adequate methods for extracting relevant physical and chemical information from the large data sets, for which a priori information on the structures of various atomic configurations and lattice defects is limited or absent. Here we demonstrate an application of deep neural networks to extract information from atomically resolved images including location of the atomic species and type of defects. We develop a "weakly supervised" approach that uses information on the coordinates of all atomic species in the image, extracted via a deep neural network, to identify a rich variety of defects that are not part of an initial training set. We further apply our approach to interpret complex atomic and defect transformation, including switching between different coordination of silicon dopants in graphene as a function of time, formation of peculiar silicon dimer with mixed 3-fold and 4-fold coordination, and the motion of molecular "rotor". This deep learning-based approach resembles logic of a human operator, but can be scaled leading to significant shift in the way of extracting and analyzing information from raw experimental data.

Approximation of traveling wave solutions in wall-bounded flows using resolvent modes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McKeon, Beverley; Graham, Michael; Moarref, Rashad; Park, Jae Sung; Sharma, Ati; Willis, Ashley

2014-11-01

Significant recent attention has been devoted to computing and understanding exact traveling wave solutions of the Navier-Stokes equations. These solutions can be interpreted as the state-space skeleton of turbulence and are attractive benchmarks for studying low-order models of wall turbulence. Here, we project such solutions onto the velocity response (or resolvent) modes supplied by the gain-based resolvent analysis outlined by McKeon & Sharma (JFM, 2010). We demonstrate that in both pipe (Pringle et al., Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A, 2009) and channel (Waleffe, JFM, 2001) flows, the solutions can be well-described by a small number of resolvent modes. Analysis of the nonlinear forcing modes sustaining these solutions reveals the importance of small amplitude forcing, consistent with the large amplifications admitted by the resolvent operator. We investigate the use of resolvent modes as computationally cheap ``seeds'' for the identification of further traveling wave solutions. The support of AFOSR under Grants FA9550-09-1-0701, FA9550-12-1-0469, FA9550-11-1-0094 and FA9550-14-1-0042 (program managers Rengasamy Ponnappan, Doug Smith and Gregg Abate) is gratefully acknowledged.

Investigation of contrast-enhanced subtracted breast CT images with MAP-EM based on projection-based weighting imaging.

PubMed

Zhou, Zhengdong; Guan, Shaolin; Xin, Runchao; Li, Jianbo

2018-06-01

Contrast-enhanced subtracted breast computer tomography (CESBCT) images acquired using energy-resolved photon counting detector can be helpful to enhance the visibility of breast tumors. In such technology, one challenge is the limited number of photons in each energy bin, thereby possibly leading to high noise in separate images from each energy bin, the projection-based weighted image, and the subtracted image. In conventional low-dose CT imaging, iterative image reconstruction provides a superior signal-to-noise compared with the filtered back projection (FBP) algorithm. In this paper, maximum a posteriori expectation maximization (MAP-EM) based on projection-based weighting imaging for reconstruction of CESBCT images acquired using an energy-resolving photon counting detector is proposed, and its performance was investigated in terms of contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR). The simulation study shows that MAP-EM based on projection-based weighting imaging can improve the CNR in CESBCT images by 117.7%-121.2% compared with FBP based on projection-based weighting imaging method. When compared with the energy-integrating imaging that uses the MAP-EM algorithm, projection-based weighting imaging that uses the MAP-EM algorithm can improve the CNR of CESBCT images by 10.5%-13.3%. In conclusion, MAP-EM based on projection-based weighting imaging shows significant improvement the CNR of the CESBCT image compared with FBP based on projection-based weighting imaging, and MAP-EM based on projection-based weighting imaging outperforms MAP-EM based on energy-integrating imaging for CESBCT imaging.

Sample-space-based feature extraction and class preserving projection for gene expression data.

PubMed

Wang, Wenjun

2013-01-01

In order to overcome the problems of high computational complexity and serious matrix singularity for feature extraction using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Fisher's Linear Discrinimant Analysis (LDA) in high-dimensional data, sample-space-based feature extraction is presented, which transforms the computation procedure of feature extraction from gene space to sample space by representing the optimal transformation vector with the weighted sum of samples. The technique is used in the implementation of PCA, LDA, Class Preserving Projection (CPP) which is a new method for discriminant feature extraction proposed, and the experimental results on gene expression data demonstrate the effectiveness of the method.

The feature extraction of "cat-eye" targets based on bi-spectrum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Tinghua; Fan, Guihua; Sun, Huayan

2016-10-01

In order to resolve the difficult problem of detection and identification of optical targets in complex background or in long-distance transmission, this paper mainly study the range profiles of "cat-eye" targets using bi-spectrum. For the problems of laser echo signal attenuation serious and low Signal-Noise Ratio (SNR), the multi-pulse laser signal echo signal detection algorithm which is based on high-order cumulant, filter processing and the accumulation of multi-pulse is proposed. This could improve the detection range effectively. In order to extract the stable characteristics of the one-dimensional range profile coming from the cat-eye targets, a method is proposed which extracts the bi-spectrum feature, and uses the singular value decomposition to simplify the calculation. Then, by extracting data samples of different distance, type and incidence angle, verify the stability of the eigenvector and effectiveness extracted by bi-spectrum.

Report of an Urban Education Reform Experiment: Problems and Promise. Part I Project Development. Supplement to Final Report of the 5th Cycle Teacher Corps Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Monroe, George E.

The Fifth Cycle Teacher Corps Project was undertaken by the University of Illinois at Chicago Circle to a) fulfill a stated mission of a university especially created to help resolve urban problems, b) find effective ways to help an inner-city community utilize its own resources, and c) conduct research on the effective uses of evaluation in…

An angle-resolved, wavelength-dispersive x-ray fluorescence spectrometer for depth profile analysis of ion-implanted semiconductors using synchrotron radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmitt, W.; Hormes, J.; Kuetgens, U.; Gries, W. H.

1992-01-01

An apparatus for angle-resolved, wavelength-dispersive x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy with synchrotron radiation has been built and tested at the beam line BN2 of the Bonn electron stretcher and accelerator (ELSA). The apparatus is to be used for nondestructive depth profile analysis of ion-implanted semiconductors as part of the multinational Versailles Project of Advanced Materials and Standards (VAMAS) project on ion-implanted reference materials. In particular, the centroid depths of depth profiles of various implants is to be determined by use of the angle-resolved signal ratio technique. First results of measurements on implants of phosphorus (100 keV, 1016 cm-2) and sulfur (200 keV, 1014 cm-2) in silicon wafers using ``white'' synchrotron radiation are presented and suggest that it should be generally possible to measure the centroid depth of an implant at dose densities as low as 1014 cm-2. Some of the apparative and technical requirements are discussed which are peculiar to the use of synchrotron radiation in general and to the use of nonmonochromatized radiation in particular.

Evaluation of the Sequential Spot Sampler (S3) for time-resolved measurement of PM2.5 sulfate and nitrate through lab and field measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hecobian, A.; Evanoski-Cole, A.; Eiguren-Fernandez, A.; Sullivan, A. P.; Lewis, G. S.; Hering, S. V.; Collett, J. L., Jr.

2016-02-01

The Sequential Spot Sampler (S3), a newly developed instrument to collect aerosols for time-resolved chemical composition measurements, was evaluated in the laboratory and field for the measurement of particulate sulfate and nitrate. The S3 uses a multi-temperature condensation growth tube to grow individual aerosols to droplets which are then deposited as a ˜ 1 mm diameter dry spot at the end of the growth tube in a 100 µL well of a multi-well plate. The well plate advances automatically to provide a sequence of time-resolved samples. The collected aerosols are subsequently analyzed in the laboratory. The sample is concentrated during the collection process, and the laboratory extraction and analysis steps can be automated. The well plate, as received from the field, is placed onto a needle-based autosampler that adds liquid for sample extraction and injects sample extract from each well onto an ion chromatograph for analysis. Laboratory evaluation for sulfate and nitrate ions showed that poly ether ether ketone (PEEK) used as well plate material does not contribute any artifacts; a 60 min extraction procedure leads to the recovery of sulfate and nitrate from the dry spots at above 95 % extraction efficiency; and samples stored frozen and analyzed up to 23 months later show less than a 10 % change in sulfate and nitrate concentrations. The limit of detection was 0.5 µg m-3 for sulfate and 0.2 µg m-3 for nitrate for a 1 h sampling period. In a month-long field study conducted in southern California, two S3s were deployed alongside a URG denuder-filter-pack and a Particle-Into-Liquid Sampler combined with an Ion Chromatograph (PILS-IC). Collocated S3 sampler concentrations compared by linear regression show good agreement, with r2 = 0.99 and slope = 0.99 (±0.004) µg m-3 for sulfate and r2 = 0.99 and slope = 1.0 (±0.006) µg m-3 for nitrate. When compared to the URG denuder-filter-pack and the PILS-IC, the S3 sulfate and nitrate concentrations yielded correlations above 0.84 for the square of the correlation coefficient and regression slopes close to 1.

Affinity-reversed-phase liquid chromatography assay to quantitate recombinant antibodies and antibody fragments in fermentation broth.

PubMed

Battersby, J E; Snedecor, B; Chen, C; Champion, K M; Riddle, L; Vanderlaan, M

2001-08-24

An automated dual-column liquid chromatography assay comprised of affinity and reversed-phase separations that quantifies the majority of antibody-related protein species found in crude cell extracts of recombinant origin is described. Although potentially applicable to any antibody preparation, we here use samples of anti-CD18 (Fab'2LZ) and a full-length antibody, anti-tissue factor (anti-TF), from various stages throughout a biopharmaceutical production process to describe the assay details. The targeted proteins were captured on an affinity column containing an anti-light-chain (kappa) Fab antibody (AME5) immobilized on controlled pore glass. The affinity column was placed in-line with a reversed-phase column and the captured components were transferred by elution with dilute acid and subsequently resolved by eluting the reversed-phase column with a shallow acetonitrile gradient. Characterization of the resolved components showed that most antibody fragment preparations contained a light-chain fragment, free light chain, light-chain dimer and multiple forms of Fab'. Analysis of full-length antibody preparations also resolved these fragments as well as a completely assembled form. Co-eluting with the full-length antibody were high-molecular-mass variants that were missing one or both light chains. Resolved components were quantified by comparison with peak areas of similarly treated standards. By comparing the two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis patterns of an Escherichia coli blank run, a production run and the material affinity captured (AME5) from a production run, it was determined that the AME5 antibody captured isoforms of light chain, light chain covalently attached to heavy chain, and truncated light chain isoforms. These forms comprise the bulk of the soluble product-related fragments found in E. coli cell extracts of recombinantly produced antibody fragments.

Identification of antimutagenic properties of anthocyanins and other polyphenols from rose (Rosa centifolia) petals and tea.

PubMed

Kumar, Sanjeev; Gautam, Satyendra; Sharma, Arun

2013-06-01

Petals from different rose (Rosa centifolia) cultivars ("passion," "pink noblesse," and "sphinx") were assessed for antimutagenicity using Escherichia coli RNA polymerase B (rpoB)-based Rif (S) →Rif (R) (rifampicin sensitive to resistant) forward mutation assay against ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS)-induced mutagenesis. The aqueous extracts of rose petals from different cultivars exhibited a wide variation in their antimutagenicity. Among these, cv. "passion" was found to display maximum antimutagenicity. Upon further fractionation, the anthocyanin extract of cv. "passion" displayed significantly higher antimutagenicity than its phenolic extract. During thin-layer chromatography (TLC) analysis, the anthocyanin extract got resolved into 3 spots: yellow (Rf : 0.14), blue (Rf : 0.30), and pink (Rf : 0.49). Among these spots, the blue one displayed significantly higher antimutagenicity than the other 2. Upon high-performance liquid chromatography analysis, this blue spot further got resolved into 2 peaks (Rt : 2.7 and 3.8 min). The 2nd peak (Rt : 3.8 min) displaying high antimutagenicity was identified by ESI-IT-MS/MS analysis as peonidin 3-glucoside, whereas less antimutagenic peak 1 (Rt : 2.7) was identified as cyanidin 3, 5-diglucoside. The other TLC bands were also characterized by ESI-IT-MS/MS analysis. The least antimutagenic pink band (Rf : 0.49) was identified as malvidin 3-acetylglucoside-4-vinylcatechol, whereas non-antimutagenic yellow band (Rf : 0.14) was identified as luteolinidin anthocyanin derivative. Interestingly, the anthocyanin extracted from rose tea of cv. "passion" exhibited a similar antimutagenicity as that of the raw rose petal indicating the thermal stability of the contributing bioactive(s). The findings thus indicated the health protective property of differently colored rose cultivars and the nature of their active bioingredients. © 2013 Institute of Food Technologists®

Lateral stability and control derivatives of a jet fighter airplane extracted from flight test data by utilizing maximum likelihood estimation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parrish, R. V.; Steinmetz, G. G.

1972-01-01

A method of parameter extraction for stability and control derivatives of aircraft from flight test data, implementing maximum likelihood estimation, has been developed and successfully applied to actual lateral flight test data from a modern sophisticated jet fighter. This application demonstrates the important role played by the analyst in combining engineering judgment and estimator statistics to yield meaningful results. During the analysis, the problems of uniqueness of the extracted set of parameters and of longitudinal coupling effects were encountered and resolved. The results for all flight runs are presented in tabular form and as time history comparisons between the estimated states and the actual flight test data.

HPLC based activity profiling for 5-lipoxygenase inhibitory activity in Isatis tinctoria leaf extracts.

PubMed

Oberthür, C; Jäggi, R; Hamburger, M

2005-06-01

In the pursuit of the anti-inflammatory constituents in lipophilic woad extracts, the 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) inhibitory activity was investigated by HPLC-based activity profiling. In a low-resolution profiling, two time windows with peaks of activity were found. The first coincided with tryptanthrin, a known dual inhibitor of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and 5-LOX, whereas the major inhibitory fraction was towards the end of the HPLC run. The active fractions were profiled in a peak-resolved manner, and the compounds analyzed by LC-MS, GC and TLC. The activity in the lipophilic fractions of the Isatis extract could be linked to an unsaturated fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid.

Benefits and Costs of Brine Extraction for Increasing Injection Efficiency In geologic CO2 Sequestration

DOE PAGES

Davidson, Casie L.; Watson, David J.; Dooley, James J.; ...

2014-12-31

Pressure increases attendant with CO2 injection into the subsurface drive many of the risk factors associated with commercial-scale CCS projects, impacting project costs and liabilities in a number of ways. The area of elevated pressure defines the area that must be characterized and monitored; pressure drives fluid flow out of the storage reservoir along higher-permeability pathways that might exist through the caprock into overlying aquifers or hydrocarbon reservoirs; and pressure drives geomechanical changes that could potentially impact subsurface infrastructure or the integrity of the storage system itself. Pressure also limits injectivity, which can increase capital costs associated with installing additionalmore » wells to meet a given target injection rate. The ability to mitigate pressure increases in storage reservoirs could have significant value to a CCS project, but these benefits are offset by the costs of the pressure mitigation technique itself. Of particular interest for CO2 storage operators is the lifetime cost of implementing brine extraction at a CCS project site, and the relative value of benefits derived from the extraction process. This is expected to vary from site to site and from one implementation scenario to the next. Indeed, quantifying benefits against costs could allow operators to optimize their return on project investment by calculating the most effective scenario for pressure mitigation. This work builds on research recently submitted for publication by the authors examining the costs and benefits of brine extraction across operational scenarios to evaluate the effects of fluid extraction on injection rate to assess the cost effectiveness of several options for reducing the number of injection wells required. Modeling suggests that extracting at 90% of the volumetric equivalent of injection rate resulted in a 1.8% improvement in rate over a non-extraction base case; a four-fold increase in extraction rate results in a 7.6% increase in injection rate over the no-extraction base case. However, the practical impacts on capital costs suggest that this strategy is fiscally ineffective when evaluated solely on this metric, with extraction reducing injection well needs by only one per 56 (1x case) or one per 13 (4x case).« less

Benefits and Costs of Brine Extraction for Increasing Injection Efficiency In geologic CO2 Sequestration

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

Davidson, Casie L.; Watson, David J.; Dooley, James J.

Pressure increases attendant with CO2 injection into the subsurface drive many of the risk factors associated with commercial-scale CCS projects, impacting project costs and liabilities in a number of ways. The area of elevated pressure defines the area that must be characterized and monitored; pressure drives fluid flow out of the storage reservoir along higher-permeability pathways that might exist through the caprock into overlying aquifers or hydrocarbon reservoirs; and pressure drives geomechanical changes that could potentially impact subsurface infrastructure or the integrity of the storage system itself. Pressure also limits injectivity, which can increase capital costs associated with installing additionalmore » wells to meet a given target injection rate. The ability to mitigate pressure increases in storage reservoirs could have significant value to a CCS project, but these benefits are offset by the costs of the pressure mitigation technique itself. Of particular interest for CO2 storage operators is the lifetime cost of implementing brine extraction at a CCS project site, and the relative value of benefits derived from the extraction process. This is expected to vary from site to site and from one implementation scenario to the next. Indeed, quantifying benefits against costs could allow operators to optimize their return on project investment by calculating the most effective scenario for pressure mitigation. This work builds on research recently submitted for publication by the authors examining the costs and benefits of brine extraction across operational scenarios to evaluate the effects of fluid extraction on injection rate to assess the cost effectiveness of several options for reducing the number of injection wells required. Modeling suggests that extracting at 90% of the volumetric equivalent of injection rate resulted in a 1.8% improvement in rate over a non-extraction base case; a four-fold increase in extraction rate results in a 7.6% increase in injection rate over the no-extraction base case. However, the practical impacts on capital costs suggest that this strategy is fiscally ineffective when evaluated solely on this metric, with extraction reducing injection well needs by only one per 56 (1x case) or one per 13 (4x case).« less

Evaluating the Social Validity of Project "TEAM": A Problem-Solving Intervention to Teach Transition Age Youth with Developmental Disabilities to Resolve Environmental Barriers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kramer, Jessica M.; Hwang, I-Ting; Helfrich, Christine A.; Samuel, Preethy S.; Carrellas, Ann

2018-01-01

Project "TEAM" teaches transition-age youth with developmental disabilities (DD) to identify physical and social environmental barriers and supports, generate solutions to barriers, and request modifications to increase participation. Establishing the social validity of this environment focused intervention with youth and their parents…

Time Resolved Microfluorescence In Biomedical Diagnosis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schneckenburger, Herbert

1985-12-01

A measuring system combining subnanosecond laser-induced fluorescence with microscopic signal detection was installed and used for diverse projects in the biomedical and environmental fields. These projects range from tumor diagnosis and enzymatic analysis to measurements of the activity of methanogenic bacteria, which affect biogas production and waste water cleaning. The advantages of this method and its practical applicability are discussed.

Dropout! An Evaluation of A Pilot Dropout Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dye, Robert P.; And Others

This report evaluated a project designed to identify, locate, and assist high school dropouts in Oahu, Hawaii. The study group consisted of 105 males and 145 females. Former dropouts were used as outreach aides to: (1) contact potential dropouts in the schools, and (2) to assist the student in resolving his difficulty. The study revealed that most…

Where Are We Now? An Update to the Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Philadelphia Youth Network, 2007

2007-01-01

In October 2006, a collaborative of cross-sector leaders launched Project U-Turn, a citywide campaign to bring much-needed attention to Philadelphia's dropout crisis and to build the collective will to resolve it. In addition to increasing public awareness of the issue in a variety of ways, Project U-Turn's work has resulted in significant…

Hardware-In-The-Loop Power Extraction Using Different Real-Time Platforms (Postprint)

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-11-01

each real - time operating system . However, discrepancies in test results obtained from the NI system can be resolved. This paper briefly details...same model in native Simulink. These results show that each real - time operating system can be configured to accurately run transient Simulink models

ACCELERATED SOLVENT EXTRACTION COMBINED WITH ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

A research project was initiated to address a recurring problem of elevated detection limits above required risk-based concentrations for the determination of semivolatile organic compounds in high moisture content solid samples. This project was initiated, in cooperation with the EPA Region 1 Laboratory, under the Regional Methods Program administered through the ORD Office of Science Policy. The aim of the project was to develop an approach for the rapid removal of water in high moisture content solids (e.g., wetland sediments) in preparation for analysis via Method 8270. Alternative methods for water removal have been investigated to enhance compound solid concentrations and improve extraction efficiency, with the use of pressure filtration providing a high-throughput alternative for removal of the majority of free water in sediments and sludges. In order to eliminate problems with phase separation during extraction of solids using Accelerated Solvent Extraction, a variation of a water-isopropanol extraction method developed at the USGS National Water Quality Laboratory in Denver, CO is being employed. The concentrations of target compounds in water-isopropanol extraction fluids are subsequently analyzed using an automated Solid Phase Extraction (SPE)-GC/MS method developed in our laboratory. The coupled approaches for dewatering, extraction, and target compound identification-quantitation provide a useful alternative to enhance sample throughput for Me

Chloroformate derivatization for tracing the fate of Amino acids in cells and tissues by multiple stable isotope resolved metabolomics (mSIRM).

PubMed

Yang, Ye; Fan, Teresa W-M; Lane, Andrew N; Higashi, Richard M

2017-07-11

Amino acids have crucial roles in central metabolism, both anabolic and catabolic. To elucidate these roles, steady-state concentrations of amino acids alone are insufficient, as each amino acid participates in multiple pathways and functions in a complex network, which can also be compartmentalized. Stable Isotope-Resolved Metabolomics (SIRM) is an approach that uses atom-resolved tracking of metabolites through biochemical transformations in cells, tissues, or whole organisms. Using different elemental stable isotopes to label multiple metabolite precursors makes it possible to resolve simultaneously the utilization of these precursors in a single experiment. Conversely, a single precursor labeled with two (or more) different elemental isotopes can trace the allocation of e.g. C and N atoms through the network. Such dual-label experiments however challenge the resolution of conventional mass spectrometers, which must distinguish the neutron mass differences among different elemental isotopes. This requires ultrahigh resolution Fourier transform mass spectrometry (UHR-FTMS). When combined with direct infusion nano-electrospray ion source (nano-ESI), UHR-FTMS can provide rapid, global, and quantitative analysis of all possible mass isotopologues of metabolites. Unfortunately, very low mass polar metabolites such as amino acids can be difficult to analyze by current models of UHR-FTMS, plus the high salt content present in typical cell or tissue polar extracts may cause unacceptable ion suppression for sources such as nano-ESI. Here we describe a modified method of ethyl chloroformate (ECF) derivatization of amino acids to enable rapid quantitative analysis of stable isotope labeled amino acids using nano-ESI UHR-FTMS. This method showed excellent linearity with quantifiable limits in the low nanomolar range represented in microgram quantities of biological specimens, which results in extracts with total analyte abundances in the low to sub-femtomole range. We have applied this method to profile amino acids and their labeling patterns in 13 C and 2 H doubly labeled PC9 cell extracts, cancerous and non-cancerous tissue extracts from a lung cancer patient and their protein hydrolysates as well as plasma extracts from mice fed with a liquid diet containing 13 C 6 -glucose (Glc). The multi-element isotopologue distributions provided key insights into amino acid metabolism and intracellular pools in human lung cancer tissues in high detail. The 13 C labeling of Asp and Glu revealed de novo synthesis of these amino acids from 13 C 6 -Glc via the Krebs cycle, specifically the elevated level of 13 C 3 -labeled Asp and Glu in cancerous versus non-cancerous lung tissues was consistent with enhanced pyruvate carboxylation. In addition, tracking the fate of double tracers, ( 13 C 6 -Glc +  2 H 2 -Gly or 13 C 6 -Glc +  2 H 3 -Ser) in PC9 cells clearly resolved pools of Ser and Gly synthesized de novo from 13 C 6 -Glc ( 13 C 3 -Ser and 13 C 2 -Gly) versus Ser and Gly derived from external sources ( 2 H 3 -Ser, 2 H 2 -Gly). Moreover the complex 2 H labeling patterns of the latter were results of Ser and Gly exchange through active Ser-Gly one-carbon metabolic pathway in PC9 cells. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Examination of Rotating Spoke Instability in a Cross-Field Discharge

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-07-08

leader), L. Balika, J. Vaudolon EMAU R. Schneider, K. Matyash PPPL Y. Raitses, A. Diallo, Y. Shi Distribution A: Approved for public...the spoke. The project was originally divided into three successive phases, namely: Phase 1: Time-averaged LIF study on the CHT at PPPL Phase 2...Time-resolved LIF study on the CHT at ICARE Phase 3: Time-resolved LIF study on a 2 kW HT at PPPL (Optional) Distribution A: Approved for public

Three-dimensional online surface reconstruction of augmented fluorescence lifetime maps using photometric stereo (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Unger, Jakob; Lagarto, Joao; Phipps, Jennifer; Ma, Dinglong; Bec, Julien; Sorger, Jonathan; Farwell, Gregory; Bold, Richard; Marcu, Laura

2017-02-01

Multi-Spectral Time-Resolved Fluorescence Spectroscopy (ms-TRFS) can provide label-free real-time feedback on tissue composition and pathology during surgical procedures by resolving the fluorescence decay dynamics of the tissue. Recently, an ms-TRFS system has been developed in our group, allowing for either point-spectroscopy fluorescence lifetime measurements or dynamic raster tissue scanning by merging a 450 nm aiming beam with the pulsed fluorescence excitation light in a single fiber collection. In order to facilitate an augmented real-time display of fluorescence decay parameters, the lifetime values are back projected to the white light video. The goal of this study is to develop a 3D real-time surface reconstruction aiming for a comprehensive visualization of the decay parameters and providing an enhanced navigation for the surgeon. Using a stereo camera setup, we use a combination of image feature matching and aiming beam stereo segmentation to establish a 3D surface model of the decay parameters. After camera calibration, texture-related features are extracted for both camera images and matched providing a rough estimation of the surface. During the raster scanning, the rough estimation is successively refined in real-time by tracking the aiming beam positions using an advanced segmentation algorithm. The method is evaluated for excised breast tissue specimens showing a high precision and running in real-time with approximately 20 frames per second. The proposed method shows promising potential for intraoperative navigation, i.e. tumor margin assessment. Furthermore, it provides the basis for registering the fluorescence lifetime maps to the tissue surface adapting it to possible tissue deformations.

Digital x-ray tomosynthesis with interpolated projection data for thin slab objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ha, S.; Yun, J.; Kim, H. K.

2017-11-01

In relation with a thin slab-object inspection, we propose a digital tomosynthesis reconstruction with fewer numbers of measured projections in combinations with additional virtual projections, which are produced by interpolating the measured projections. Hence we can reconstruct tomographic images with less few-view artifacts. The projection interpolation assumes that variations in cone-beam ray path-lengths through an object are negligible and the object is rigid. The interpolation is performed in the projection-space domain. Pixel values in the interpolated projection are the weighted sum of pixel values of the measured projections considering their projection angles. The experimental simulation shows that the proposed method can enhance the contrast-to-noise performance in reconstructed images while sacrificing the spatial resolving power.

Collaborative Project: Improving the Representation of Coastal and Estuarine Processes in Earth System Models

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

Bryan, Frank; Dennis, John; MacCready, Parker

This project aimed to improve long term global climate simulations by resolving and enhancing the representation of the processes involved in the cycling of freshwater through estuaries and coastal regions. This was a collaborative multi-institution project consisting of physical oceanographers, climate model developers, and computational scientists. It specifically targeted the DOE objectives of advancing simulation and predictive capability of climate models through improvements in resolution and physical process representation.

Final Report Collaborative Project: Improving the Representation of Coastal and Estuarine Processes in Earth System Models

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

Bryan, Frank; Dennis, John; MacCready, Parker

This project aimed to improve long term global climate simulations by resolving and enhancing the representation of the processes involved in the cycling of freshwater through estuaries and coastal regions. This was a collaborative multi-institution project consisting of physical oceanographers, climate model developers, and computational scientists. It specifically targeted the DOE objectives of advancing simulation and predictive capability of climate models through improvements in resolution and physical process representation.

The NASA Experience

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ramos, Alberto

2011-01-01

Projects assigned to: (1) Testing, fixing, and procuring enclosure systems and components for Kennedy Ground Controls Systems at launch pad B. (2) Organizational spreadsheets for all subsystems involved in the project. (Procurement, parts lists, drawings, purchase requests, etc) (3) Resolve is a project devoted to the lunar rover that will sample lunar soil in an effort to remove the moister and separate the metal from the oxygen to produce drinkable water. I helped with the humidity environmental generator for the experiment (moister detector).

A Framework to Learn Physics from Atomically Resolved Images

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

Vlcek, L.; Maksov, A.; Pan, M.

Here, we present a generalized framework for physics extraction, i.e., knowledge, from atomically resolved images, and show its utility by applying it to a model system of segregation of chalcogen atoms in an FeSe 0.45Te 0.55 superconductor system. We emphasize that the framework can be used for any imaging data for which a generative physical model exists. Consider that a generative physical model can produce a very large number of configurations, not all of which are observable. By applying a microscope function to a sub-set of this generated data, we form a simulated dataset on which statistics can be computed.

Graphics Processing Units (GPU) and the Goddard Earth Observing System atmospheric model (GEOS-5): Implementation and Potential Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Putnam, William M.

2011-01-01

Earth system models like the Goddard Earth Observing System model (GEOS-5) have been pushing the limits of large clusters of multi-core microprocessors, producing breath-taking fidelity in resolving cloud systems at a global scale. GPU computing presents an opportunity for improving the efficiency of these leading edge models. A GPU implementation of GEOS-5 will facilitate the use of cloud-system resolving resolutions in data assimilation and weather prediction, at resolutions near 3.5 km, improving our ability to extract detailed information from high-resolution satellite observations and ultimately produce better weather and climate predictions

Transcriptome sequences resolve deep relationships of the grape family.

PubMed

Wen, Jun; Xiong, Zhiqiang; Nie, Ze-Long; Mao, Likai; Zhu, Yabing; Kan, Xian-Zhao; Ickert-Bond, Stefanie M; Gerrath, Jean; Zimmer, Elizabeth A; Fang, Xiao-Dong

2013-01-01

Previous phylogenetic studies of the grape family (Vitaceae) yielded poorly resolved deep relationships, thus impeding our understanding of the evolution of the family. Next-generation sequencing now offers access to protein coding sequences very easily, quickly and cost-effectively. To improve upon earlier work, we extracted 417 orthologous single-copy nuclear genes from the transcriptomes of 15 species of the Vitaceae, covering its phylogenetic diversity. The resulting transcriptome phylogeny provides robust support for the deep relationships, showing the phylogenetic utility of transcriptome data for plants over a time scale at least since the mid-Cretaceous. The pros and cons of transcriptome data for phylogenetic inference in plants are also evaluated.

Real-time absorption and scattering characterization of slab-shaped turbid samples obtained by a combination of angular and spatially resolved measurements.

PubMed

Dam, Jan S; Yavari, Nazila; Sørensen, Søren; Andersson-Engels, Stefan

2005-07-10

We present a fast and accurate method for real-time determination of the absorption coefficient, the scattering coefficient, and the anisotropy factor of thin turbid samples by using simple continuous-wave noncoherent light sources. The three optical properties are extracted from recordings of angularly resolved transmittance in addition to spatially resolved diffuse reflectance and transmittance. The applied multivariate calibration and prediction techniques are based on multiple polynomial regression in combination with a Newton--Raphson algorithm. The numerical test results based on Monte Carlo simulations showed mean prediction errors of approximately 0.5% for all three optical properties within ranges typical for biological media. Preliminary experimental results are also presented yielding errors of approximately 5%. Thus the presented methods show a substantial potential for simultaneous absorption and scattering characterization of turbid media.

42 CFR 50.606 - Remedies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... resolved. (c) In any case in which the HHS determines that a PHS-funded project of clinical research whose... the conflicting interest in each public presentation of the results of the research. ...

Automated extraction of single H atoms with STM: tip state dependency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Møller, Morten; Jarvis, Samuel P.; Guérinet, Laurent; Sharp, Peter; Woolley, Richard; Rahe, Philipp; Moriarty, Philip

2017-02-01

The atomistic structure of the tip apex plays a crucial role in performing reliable atomic-scale surface and adsorbate manipulation using scanning probe techniques. We have developed an automated extraction routine for controlled removal of single hydrogen atoms from the H:Si(100) surface. The set of atomic extraction protocols detect a variety of desorption events during scanning tunneling microscope (STM)-induced modification of the hydrogen-passivated surface. The influence of the tip state on the probability for hydrogen removal was examined by comparing the desorption efficiency for various classifications of STM topographs (rows, dimers, atoms, etc). We find that dimer-row-resolving tip apices extract hydrogen atoms most readily and reliably (and with least spurious desorption), while tip states which provide atomic resolution counter-intuitively have a lower probability for single H atom removal.

Systematic literature review of methodologies and data sources of existing economic models across the full spectrum of Alzheimer's disease and dementia from apparently healthy through disease progression to end of life care: a systematic review protocol.

PubMed

Karagiannidou, Maria; Wittenberg, Raphael; Landeiro, Filipa Isabel Trigo; Park, A-La; Fry, Andra; Knapp, Martin; Gray, Alastair M; Tockhorn-Heidenreich, Antje; Castro Sanchez, Amparo Yovanna; Ghinai, Isaac; Handels, Ron; Lecomte, Pascal; Wolstenholme, Jane

2018-06-08

Dementia is one of the greatest health challenges the world will face in the coming decades, as it is one of the principal causes of disability and dependency among older people. Economic modelling is used widely across many health conditions to inform decisions on health and social care policy and practice. The aim of this literature review is to systematically identify, review and critically evaluate existing health economics models in dementia. We included the full spectrum of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), from preclinical stages through to severe dementia and end of life. This review forms part of the Real world Outcomes across the Alzheimer's Disease spectrum for better care: multimodal data Access Platform (ROADMAP) project. Electronic searches were conducted in Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online, Excerpta Medica dataBASE, Economic Literature Database, NHS Economic Evaluation Database, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cost-Effectiveness Analysis Registry, Research Papers in Economics, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness, Science Citation Index, Turning Research Into Practice and Open Grey for studies published between January 2000 and the end of June 2017. Two reviewers will independently assess each study against predefined eligibility criteria. A third reviewer will resolve any disagreement. Data will be extracted using a predefined data extraction form following best practice. Study quality will be assessed using the Phillips checklist for decision analytic modelling. A narrative synthesis will be used. The results will be made available in a scientific peer-reviewed journal paper, will be presented at relevant conferences and will also be made available through the ROADMAP project. CRD42017073874. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Systematic literature review of methodologies and data sources of existing economic models across the full spectrum of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia from apparently healthy through disease progression to end of life care: a systematic review protocol

PubMed Central

Karagiannidou, Maria; Wittenberg, Raphael; Landeiro, Filipa Isabel Trigo; Park, A-La; Fry, Andra; Knapp, Martin; Tockhorn-Heidenreich, Antje; Castro Sanchez, Amparo Yovanna; Ghinai, Isaac; Handels, Ron; Lecomte, Pascal; Wolstenholme, Jane

2018-01-01

Introduction Dementia is one of the greatest health challenges the world will face in the coming decades, as it is one of the principal causes of disability and dependency among older people. Economic modelling is used widely across many health conditions to inform decisions on health and social care policy and practice. The aim of this literature review is to systematically identify, review and critically evaluate existing health economics models in dementia. We included the full spectrum of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), from preclinical stages through to severe dementia and end of life. This review forms part of the Real world Outcomes across the Alzheimer’s Disease spectrum for better care: multimodal data Access Platform (ROADMAP) project. Methods and analysis Electronic searches were conducted in Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online, Excerpta Medica dataBASE, Economic Literature Database, NHS Economic Evaluation Database, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cost-Effectiveness Analysis Registry, Research Papers in Economics, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness, Science Citation Index, Turning Research Into Practice and Open Grey for studies published between January 2000 and the end of June 2017. Two reviewers will independently assess each study against predefined eligibility criteria. A third reviewer will resolve any disagreement. Data will be extracted using a predefined data extraction form following best practice. Study quality will be assessed using the Phillips checklist for decision analytic modelling. A narrative synthesis will be used. Ethics and dissemination The results will be made available in a scientific peer-reviewed journal paper, will be presented at relevant conferences and will also be made available through the ROADMAP project. PROSPERO registration number CRD42017073874. PMID:29884696

Time-Resolved Intrafraction Target Translations and Rotations During Stereotactic Liver Radiation Therapy: Implications for Marker-based Localization Accuracy

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

Bertholet, Jenny, E-mail: jennbe@rm.dk; Worm, Esben S.; Fledelius, Walther

Purpose: Image guided liver stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) often relies on implanted fiducial markers. The target localization accuracy decreases with increased marker-target distance. This may occur partly because of liver rotations. The aim of this study was to examine time-resolved translations and rotations of liver marker constellations and investigate if time-resolved intrafraction rotational corrections can improve localization accuracy in liver SBRT. Methods and Materials: Twenty-nine patients with 3 implanted markers received SBRT in 3 to 6 fractions. The time-resolved trajectory of each marker was estimated from the projections of 1 to 3 daily cone beam computed tomography scans andmore » used to calculate the translation and rotation of the marker constellation. In all cone beam computed tomography projections, the time-resolved position of each marker was predicted from the position of another surrogate marker by assuming that the marker underwent either (1) the same translation as the surrogate marker; or (2) the same translation as the surrogate marker corrected by the rotation of the marker constellation. The localization accuracy was quantified as the root-mean-square error (RMSE) between the estimated and the actual marker position. For comparison, the RMSE was also calculated when the marker's position was estimated as its mean position for all the projections. Results: The mean translational and rotational range (2nd-98th percentile) was 2.0 mm/3.9° (right-left), 9.2 mm/2.9° (superior-inferior), 4.0 mm/4.0° (anterior-posterior), and 10.5 mm (3-dimensional). Rotational corrections decreased the mean 3-dimensional RMSE from 0.86 mm to 0.54 mm (P<.001) and halved the RMSE increase per millimeter increase in marker distance. Conclusions: Intrafraction rotations during liver SBRT reduce the accuracy of marker-guided target localization. Rotational correction can improve the localization accuracy with a factor of approximately 2 for large marker-target distances.« less

Characterizing the Resolved M6 Dwarf Twin LP 318-218AB

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moreno Hilario, Elizabeth; Burgasser, Adam J.; Bardalez Gagliuffi, Daniella; Tamiya, Tomoki

2017-01-01

The lowest-mass stars and brown dwarfs are among the most common objects in the Milky Way Galaxy, but theories of their formation and evolution remain poorly constrained. Binary systems are important for understanding the formation of these objects and for making direct orbit and mass measurements to validate evolutionary theories. We report the discovery of LP 318-218, a high proper motion late M dwarf, as a near equal-brightness binary system with a separation of 0.72 arcseconds. Resolved near-infrared spectroscopy confirms the components as nearly identical M6 twins. We using our resolved photometry and spectroscopy to estimate the distance, projected separation and tangential velocity of the system, and confirm common proper motion. We also perform atmosphere model fits to the resolved spectra to assess their physical properties. We place LP 318-218 in context with other widely-separated late M dwarf binaries.

Time-Resolved Microfluorescence In Biomedical Diagnosis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schneckenburger, Herbert

1985-02-01

A measuring system combining subnanosecond laser-induced fluorescence with microscopic signal detection was installed and used for diverse projects in the biomedical and environmental field. These projects are ranging from tumor diagnosis and enzymatic analysis to measurements of the activity of methanogenic bacteria which effect biogas production and waste water cleaning. The advantages of this method and its practical applicability are discussed.

Wide field OCT based microangiography in living human eye (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Qinqin; Chen, Chieh-Li; Chu, Zhongdi; Zhang, Anqi; An, Lin; Durbin, Mary; Sharma, Utkarsh; Rosenfeld, Philip J.; Wang, Ruikang K.

2016-03-01

To investigate the application of optical microangiography (OMAG) in living human eye. Patients with different macular diseases were recruited, including diabetic retinopathy (DR), geographic atrophy (GA), retinitis pigmentosa (RP), and venous occlusion, et al. Wide field OCT angiography images can be generated by montage scanning protocol based on the tracking system. OMAG algorithm based on complex differentiation was used to extract the blood flow and removed the bulk motion by 2D cross-correlation method. The 3D angiography was segmented into 3 layers in the retina and 2 layers in the choroid. The en-face maximum projection was used to obtain 2-dimensional angiograms of different layers coded with different colors. Flow and structure images were combined for cross-sectional view. En face OMAG images of different macular diseases showed a great agreement with FA. Meanwhile, OMAG gave more distinct vascular network visions that were less affected by hemorrhage and leakage. The MAs were observed in both superficial and middle retinal layers based on OMAG angiograms in different layers of DR patients. The contour line of FAZ was extracted as well, which can be quantitative the retinal diseases. For GA patient, the damage of RPE layer enhanced the penetration of light and enabled the acquisition of choriocapillaries and choroidal vessels. The wide field OMAG angiogram enabled the capability of capturing the entire geographic atrophy. OMAG provides depth-resolved information and detailed vascular images of DR and GA patients, providing a better visualization of vascular network compared to FA.

The Spatial Distribution of Resolved Young Stars in Blue Compact Dwarf Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murphy, K.; Crone, M. M.

2002-12-01

We present the first results from a survey of the distribution of resolved young stars in Blue Compact Dwarf Galaxies. In order to identify the dominant physical processes driving star formation in these puzzling galaxies, we use a multi-scale cluster-finding algorithm to quantify the characteristic scales and properties of star-forming regions, from sizes smaller than 10 pc up to the size of each entire galaxy. This project was partially funded by the Lubin Chair at Skidmore College.

Time Resolved Phonon Spectroscopy, Version 1.0

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

Goett, Johnny; Zhu, Brian

TRPS code was developed for the project "Time Resolved Phonon Spectroscopy". Routines contained in this piece of software were specially created to model phonon generation and tracking within materials that interact with ionizing radiation, particularly applicable to the modeling of cryogenic radiation detectors for dark matter and neutrino research. These routines were created to link seamlessly with the open source Geant4 framework for the modeling of radiation transport in matter, with the explicit intent of open sourcing them for eventual integration into that code base.

Component spectra extraction from terahertz measurements of unknown mixtures.

PubMed

Li, Xian; Hou, D B; Huang, P J; Cai, J H; Zhang, G X

2015-10-20

The aim of this work is to extract component spectra from unknown mixtures in the terahertz region. To that end, a method, hard modeling factor analysis (HMFA), was applied to resolve terahertz spectral matrices collected from the unknown mixtures. This method does not require any expertise of the user and allows the consideration of nonlinear effects such as peak variations or peak shifts. It describes the spectra using a peak-based nonlinear mathematic model and builds the component spectra automatically by recombination of the resolved peaks through correlation analysis. Meanwhile, modifications on the method were made to take the features of terahertz spectra into account and to deal with the artificial baseline problem that troubles the extraction process of some terahertz spectra. In order to validate the proposed method, simulated wideband terahertz spectra of binary and ternary systems and experimental terahertz absorption spectra of amino acids mixtures were tested. In each test, not only the number of pure components could be correctly predicted but also the identified pure spectra had a good similarity with the true spectra. Moreover, the proposed method associated the molecular motions with the component extraction, making the identification process more physically meaningful and interpretable compared to other methods. The results indicate that the HMFA method with the modifications can be a practical tool for identifying component terahertz spectra in completely unknown mixtures. This work reports the solution to this kind of problem in the terahertz region for the first time, to the best of the authors' knowledge, and represents a significant advance toward exploring physical or chemical mechanisms of unknown complex systems by terahertz spectroscopy.

Bee moth (Galleria mellonella) allergic reactions are caused by several thermolabile antigens.

PubMed

Villalta, D; Martelli, P; Mistrello, G; Roncarolo, D; Zanoni, D

2004-09-01

Exposure and contact with bee moth (Galleria mellonella) larvae (Gm) can cause an allergic reaction both in anglers and breeders. We described the case of an amateur fisherman who experienced an allergic reaction using Gm but not using heat-treated Gm (h-Gm) (mummies). The aim of this study was to demonstrate by immunoblotting and radioallergosorbent test (RAST)-inhibition experiments the loss of allergenic epitopes in h-Gm extracts. Galleria mellonella larvae and h-Gm were homogenized and extracted at 10% (w/v) in 0.5 M phosphate-buffered saline, pH 7.4 containing 0.5% NaN(3) for 16 h at 4 degrees C. Gm and h-Gm extracts were electrophoresed in a 10% polyacrylamide precast Nupage Bis-Tris gel at 180 mA for 1 h and the resolved proteins stained with 0.1% Coomassie brilliant blue and the molecular weight calculated. For the immunoblotting detection of allergenic components the resolved extracts were transferred onto a nitrocellulose membrane and incubated with the patient's serum. Bound specific-IgE was detected by peroxidase-conjugated anti-human IgE. RAST inhibition experiments were performed according to the Ceska method. The protein profile of Gm and h-Gm extracts resulted markedly different in number, intensity and the position of bands, indicating that heat-treatment modifies the chemical-physical characteristics of the protein contents. The Gm extract showed a strong-coloured band at 73 kDa and more than 20 components ranging from 12 to 133 kDa; h-Gm showed two main band at 77 and 38 kDa and about 15 faint bands between 20 and 133 kDa apparently without any correspondence to the bands present in the Gm extract. Immunoblotting with the patient's serum demonstrated several bands of reactivity with the Gm extract ranging from 20 to 100 kDa and no recognizable bands, but only a diffuse smear with h-Gm. When used in a RAST inhibition experiment the h-Gm extract demonstrated an inability to compete with the Gm one for the binding to patient's IgE serum. The h-Gm seems to lose the allergenic epitopes and has two advantages for anglers: to avoid new possible sensitizations as well as allergic symptoms in sensitized people, without interfering with their skills and satisfaction in their fishing performance.

ACCELERATED SOLVENT EXTRACTION COMBINED WITH AUTOMATED SOLID PHASE EXTRACTION-GC/MS FOR ANALYSIS OF SEMIVOLATILE COMPOUNDS IN HIGH MOISTURE CONTENT SOLID SAMPLES

EPA Science Inventory

A research project was initiated to address a recurring problem of elevated detection limits above required risk-based concentrations for the determination of semivolatile organic compounds in high moisture content solid samples. This project was initiated, in cooperation with t...

Cathodoluminescence | Materials Science | NREL

Science.gov Websites

image, the time to acquire the entire spectrum series is about five minutes. When the acquisition is ) processes the spectrum series to reconstruct images of the photon emission (energy resolved) or to extract : Mapping of the photon energy and full-width-half maximum of selected transitions ASCII output Quantitative

Two new isobenzofuranone derivatives from the fruiting bodies of Hericium erinaceus.

PubMed

Li, Jing; Wang, Xu-Li; Li, Guang; Xu, Ping-Sheng; Xu, Kang-Ping; Tan, Gui-Shan

2017-11-01

Two new isobenzofuranone derivatives erinaceolactones G and H (1 and 2) were isolated from the ethanolic extract of fruiting bodies of Hericium erinaceus. Their structures were characterized on the basis of spectroscopic evidences. Compound 2 was suggested to be racemic by specific rotation, which was resolved by chiral HPLC into enantiomers.

Extracting the temperature of hot carriers in time- and angle-resolved photoemission.

PubMed

Ulstrup, Søren; Johannsen, Jens Christian; Grioni, Marco; Hofmann, Philip

2014-01-01

The interaction of light with a material's electronic system creates an out-of-equilibrium (non-thermal) distribution of optically excited electrons. Non-equilibrium dynamics relaxes this distribution on an ultrafast timescale to a hot Fermi-Dirac distribution with a well-defined temperature. The advent of time- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (TR-ARPES) experiments has made it possible to track the decay of the temperature of the excited hot electrons in selected states in the Brillouin zone, and to reveal their cooling in unprecedented detail in a variety of emerging materials. It is, however, not a straightforward task to determine the temperature with high accuracy. This is mainly attributable to an a priori unknown position of the Fermi level and the fact that the shape of the Fermi edge can be severely perturbed when the state in question is crossing the Fermi energy. Here, we introduce a method that circumvents these difficulties and accurately extracts both the temperature and the position of the Fermi level for a hot carrier distribution by tracking the occupation statistics of the carriers measured in a TR-ARPES experiment.

Extracting scientific articles from a large digital archive: BioStor and the Biodiversity Heritage Library

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL) is a large digital archive of legacy biological literature, comprising over 31 million pages scanned from books, monographs, and journals. During the digitisation process basic metadata about the scanned items is recorded, but not article-level metadata. Given that the article is the standard unit of citation, this makes it difficult to locate cited literature in BHL. Adding the ability to easily find articles in BHL would greatly enhance the value of the archive. Description A service was developed to locate articles in BHL based on matching article metadata to BHL metadata using approximate string matching, regular expressions, and string alignment. This article locating service is exposed as a standard OpenURL resolver on the BioStor web site http://biostor.org/openurl/. This resolver can be used on the web, or called by bibliographic tools that support OpenURL. Conclusions BioStor provides tools for extracting, annotating, and visualising articles from the Biodiversity Heritage Library. BioStor is available from http://biostor.org/. PMID:21605356

Effective factor of virtual team: Resolving communication breakdown in IBS construction project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pozin, Mohd Affendi Ahmad; Nawi, Mohd. Nasrun Mohd.

2016-08-01

Currently, rapid development of information technology has provided new opportunities to organisation toward increasing the effectiveness of collaboration and teamwork management. Thus the virtual team approach has been implemented in numerous of field. However, there is limited study of virtual team in construction project management. Currently IBS project is still based on traditional construction process which is isolation team working environment. Therefore this approach has been declared as a main barrier to ensure cooperative working relation in term of communication and information in between project stakeholders. Thus, this paper through literature review is attempted to present a discussion of the virtual team approach toward IBS project in developing effective team communication during construction project.

Laser ion source for multi-nucleon transfer reaction products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hirayama, Y.; Watanabe, Y. X.; Imai, N.; Ishiyama, H.; Jeong, S. C.; Miyatake, H.; Oyaizu, M.; Kimura, S.; Mukai, M.; Kim, Y. H.; Sonoda, T.; Wada, M.; Huyse, M.; Kudryavtsev, Yu.; Van Duppen, P.

2015-06-01

We have developed a laser ion source for the target-like fragments (TLFs) produced in multi-nucleon transfer (MNT) reactions. The operation principle of the source is based on the in-gas laser ionization and spectroscopy (IGLIS) approach. In the source TLFs are thermalized and neutralized in high pressure and high purity argon gas, and are extracted after being selectively re-ionized in a multi-step laser resonance ionization process. The laser ion source has been implemented at the KEK Isotope Separation System (KISS) for β-decay spectroscopy of neutron-rich isotopes with N = 126 of nuclear astrophysical interest. The simulations of gas flow and ion-beam optics have been performed to optimize the gas cell for efficient thermalization and fast transporting the TLFs, and the mass-separator for efficient transport with high mass-resolving power, respectively. To confirm the performances expected at the design stage, off-line experiments have been performed by using 56Fe atoms evaporated from a filament in the gas cell. The gas-transport time of 230 ms in the argon cell and the measured KISS mass-resolving power of 900 are consistent with the designed values. The high purity of the gas-cell system, which is extremely important for efficient and highly-selective production of laser ions, was achieved and confirmed from the mass distribution of the extracted ions. After the off-line tests, on-line experiments were conducted by directly injecting energetic 56Fe beam into the gas cell. After thermalization of the injected 56Fe beam, laser-produced singly-charged 56Fe+ ions were extracted. The extraction efficiency and selectivity of the gas cell in the presence of plasma induced by 56Fe beam injection as well as the time profile of the extracted ions were investigated; extraction efficiency of 0.25%, a beam purity of >99% and an extraction time of 270 ms. It has been confirmed that the performance of the KISS laser ion source is satisfactory to start the measurements of lifetimes of the β-decayed nuclei with N = 126 .

Identifying local structural states in atomic imaging by computer vision

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

Laanait, Nouamane; Ziatdinov, Maxim; He, Qian

The availability of atomically resolved imaging modalities enables an unprecedented view into the local structural states of materials, which manifest themselves by deviations from the fundamental assumptions of periodicity and symmetry. Consequently, approaches that aim to extract these local structural states from atomic imaging data with minimal assumptions regarding the average crystallographic configuration of a material are indispensable to advances in structural and chemical investigations of materials. Here, we present an approach to identify and classify local structural states that is rooted in computer vision. This approach introduces a definition of a structural state that is composed of both localmore » and non-local information extracted from atomically resolved images, and is wholly untethered from the familiar concepts of symmetry and periodicity. Instead, this approach relies on computer vision techniques such as feature detection, and concepts such as scale-invariance. We present the fundamental aspects of local structural state extraction and classification by application to simulated scanning transmission electron microscopy images, and analyze the robustness of this approach in the presence of common instrumental factors such as noise, limited spatial resolution, and weak contrast. Finally, we apply this computer vision-based approach for the unsupervised detection and classification of local structural states in an experimental electron micrograph of a complex oxides interface, and a scanning tunneling micrograph of a defect engineered multilayer graphene surface.« less

Identifying local structural states in atomic imaging by computer vision

DOE PAGES

Laanait, Nouamane; Ziatdinov, Maxim; He, Qian; ...

2016-11-02

The availability of atomically resolved imaging modalities enables an unprecedented view into the local structural states of materials, which manifest themselves by deviations from the fundamental assumptions of periodicity and symmetry. Consequently, approaches that aim to extract these local structural states from atomic imaging data with minimal assumptions regarding the average crystallographic configuration of a material are indispensable to advances in structural and chemical investigations of materials. Here, we present an approach to identify and classify local structural states that is rooted in computer vision. This approach introduces a definition of a structural state that is composed of both localmore » and non-local information extracted from atomically resolved images, and is wholly untethered from the familiar concepts of symmetry and periodicity. Instead, this approach relies on computer vision techniques such as feature detection, and concepts such as scale-invariance. We present the fundamental aspects of local structural state extraction and classification by application to simulated scanning transmission electron microscopy images, and analyze the robustness of this approach in the presence of common instrumental factors such as noise, limited spatial resolution, and weak contrast. Finally, we apply this computer vision-based approach for the unsupervised detection and classification of local structural states in an experimental electron micrograph of a complex oxides interface, and a scanning tunneling micrograph of a defect engineered multilayer graphene surface.« less

Recent Projects in the KSC Applied Physics Lab

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Starr, Stanley

2013-01-01

Topics include: Shuttle heritage; ISRU /RESOLVE: a) Payload for Lunar Lander/Rover on Polar Areas of Moon. b) Avionics/Software. New Technologies for Exploration: a) Radiation Shielding work. b) Cooperative Tractor Beams.

Measurement of wood/plant cell or composite material attributes with computer assisted tomography

DOEpatents

West, Darrell C.; Paulus, Michael J.; Tuskan, Gerald A.; Wimmer, Rupert

2004-06-08

A method for obtaining wood-cell attributes from cellulose containing samples includes the steps of radiating a cellulose containing sample with a beam of radiation. Radiation attenuation information is collected from radiation which passes through the sample. The source is rotated relative to the sample and the radiation and collecting steps repeated. A projected image of the sample is formed from the collected radiation attenuation information, the projected image including resolvable features of the cellulose containing sample. Cell wall thickness, cell diameter (length) and cell vacoule diameter can be determined. A system for obtaining physical measures from cellulose containing samples includes a radiation source, a radiation detector, and structure for rotating the source relative to said sample. The system forms an image of the sample from the radiation attenuation information, the image including resolvable features of the sample.

Head and neck vascular malformations: time-resolved MR projection angiography.

PubMed

Ziyeh, S; Schumacher, M; Strecker, R; Rössler, J; Hochmuth, A; Klisch, J

2003-10-01

Extracranial vascular anomalies can be divided into haemangiomas and vascular malformations. The latter can be subdivided on the basis of the predominant type of vascular channels. Separation of high- and low-flow vascular malformations is of clinical importance. We report preliminary observations on time-resolved magnetic resonance projection angiography (MRPA) of vascular malformations of the head and neck. We examined eight patients with vascular anomalies of the head and neck. On MRPA the time between the early arterial phase and enhancement of the malformation could be used to distinguish high- and low-flow lesions. High-flow arteriovenous malformations showed early, intense enhancement. Venous malformations were either not visible on MRPA or showed late enhancement of veins. One patient was examined after embolisation of an arteriovenous fistula of the mandible. Normal MRPA was taken to indicate absence of a residual lesion.

[A spatial adaptive algorithm for endmember extraction on multispectral remote sensing image].

PubMed

Zhu, Chang-Ming; Luo, Jian-Cheng; Shen, Zhan-Feng; Li, Jun-Li; Hu, Xiao-Dong

2011-10-01

Due to the problem that the convex cone analysis (CCA) method can only extract limited endmember in multispectral imagery, this paper proposed a new endmember extraction method by spatial adaptive spectral feature analysis in multispectral remote sensing image based on spatial clustering and imagery slice. Firstly, in order to remove spatial and spectral redundancies, the principal component analysis (PCA) algorithm was used for lowering the dimensions of the multispectral data. Secondly, iterative self-organizing data analysis technology algorithm (ISODATA) was used for image cluster through the similarity of the pixel spectral. And then, through clustering post process and litter clusters combination, we divided the whole image data into several blocks (tiles). Lastly, according to the complexity of image blocks' landscape and the feature of the scatter diagrams analysis, the authors can determine the number of endmembers. Then using hourglass algorithm extracts endmembers. Through the endmember extraction experiment on TM multispectral imagery, the experiment result showed that the method can extract endmember spectra form multispectral imagery effectively. What's more, the method resolved the problem of the amount of endmember limitation and improved accuracy of the endmember extraction. The method has provided a new way for multispectral image endmember extraction.

Rare Earth Extraction from NdFeB Magnet Using a Closed-Loop Acid Process.

PubMed

Kitagawa, Jiro; Uemura, Ryohei

2017-08-14

There is considerable interest in extraction of rare earth elements from NdFeB magnets to enable recycling of these elements. In practical extraction methods using wet processes, the acid waste solution discharge is a problem that must be resolved to reduce the environmental impact of the process. Here, we present an encouraging demonstration of rare earth element extraction from a NdFeB magnet using a closed-loop hydrochloric acid (HCl)-based process. The extraction method is based on corrosion of the magnet in a pretreatment stage and a subsequent ionic liquid technique for Fe extraction from the HCl solution. The rare earth elements are then precipitated using oxalic acid. Triple extraction has been conducted and the recovery ratio of the rare earth elements from the solution is approximately 50% for each extraction process, as compared to almost 100% recovery when using a one-shot extraction process without the ionic liquid but with sufficient oxalic acid. Despite its reduced extraction efficiency, the proposed method with its small number of procedures at almost room temperature is still highly advantageous in terms of both cost and environmental friendliness. This study represents an initial step towards realization of a closed-loop acid process for recycling of rare earth elements.

RESOLVE Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parker, Ray O.

2012-01-01

The RESOLVE project is a lunar prospecting mission whose primary goal is to characterize water and other volatiles in lunar regolith. The Lunar Advanced Volatiles Analysis (LAVA) subsystem is comprised of a fluid subsystem that transports flow to the gas chromatograph- mass spectrometer (GC-MS) instruments that characterize volatiles and the Water Droplet Demonstration (WDD) that will capture and display water condensation in the gas stream. The LAVA Engineering Test Unit (ETU) is undergoing risk reduction testing this summer and fall within a vacuum chamber to understand and characterize C!Jmponent and integrated system performance. Ray will be assisting with component testing of line heaters, printed circuit heaters, pressure transducers, temperature sensors, regulators, and valves in atmospheric and vacuum environments. He will be developing procedures to guide these tests and test reports to analyze and draw conclusions from the data. In addition, he will gain experience with preparing a vacuum chamber with fluid and electrical connections. Further testing will include integrated testing of the fluid subsystem with the gas supply system, near-infrared spectrometer, WDD, Sample Delivery System, and GC-MS in the vacuum chamber. This testing will provide hands-on exposure to a flight forward spaceflight subsystem, the processes associated with testing equipment in a vacuum chamber, and experience working in a laboratory setting. Examples of specific analysis Ray will conduct include: pneumatic analysis to calculate the WOO's efficiency at extracting water vapor from the gas stream to form condensation; thermal analysis of the conduction and radiation along a line connecting two thermal masses; and proportional-integral-derivative (PID) heater control analysis. In this Research and Technology environment, Ray will be asked to problem solve real-time as issues arise. Since LAVA is a scientific subsystem, Ray will be utilizing his chemical engineering background to operate the near-infrared spectrometer and GC-MS instruments during ETU testing. Ray will be working with Modified Commercial off the Shelf (MCOTS) instruments and characterizing their analytical behavior for optimization. Ray will be offered the opportunity to suggest testing modifications or configuration changes at any time to improve the experimental effectiveness. He will gain many skills needed for working in a technical team setting requiring flexibility and critical thinking.

Uniform resolution of compact identifiers for biomedical data

PubMed Central

Wimalaratne, Sarala M.; Juty, Nick; Kunze, John; Janée, Greg; McMurry, Julie A.; Beard, Niall; Jimenez, Rafael; Grethe, Jeffrey S.; Hermjakob, Henning; Martone, Maryann E.; Clark, Tim

2018-01-01

Most biomedical data repositories issue locally-unique accessions numbers, but do not provide globally unique, machine-resolvable, persistent identifiers for their datasets, as required by publishers wishing to implement data citation in accordance with widely accepted principles. Local accessions may however be prefixed with a namespace identifier, providing global uniqueness. Such “compact identifiers” have been widely used in biomedical informatics to support global resource identification with local identifier assignment. We report here on our project to provide robust support for machine-resolvable, persistent compact identifiers in biomedical data citation, by harmonizing the Identifiers.org and N2T.net (Name-To-Thing) meta-resolvers and extending their capabilities. Identifiers.org services hosted at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory - European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), and N2T.net services hosted at the California Digital Library (CDL), can now resolve any given identifier from over 600 source databases to its original source on the Web, using a common registry of prefix-based redirection rules. We believe these services will be of significant help to publishers and others implementing persistent, machine-resolvable citation of research data. PMID:29737976

Dynamically-downscaled temperature and precipitation changes over Saskatchewan using the PRECIS model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Xiong; Huang, Guohe; Wang, Xiuquan; Cheng, Guanhui

2018-02-01

In this study, dynamically-downscaled temperature and precipitation changes over Saskatchewan are developed through the Providing Regional Climates for Impacts Studies (PRECIS) model. It can resolve detailed features within GCM grids such as topography, clouds, and land use in Saskatchewan. The PRECIS model is employed to carry out ensemble simulations for projections of temperature and precipitation changes over Saskatchewan. Temperature and precipitation variables at 14 weather stations for the baseline period are first extracted from each model run. Ranges of simulated temperature and precipitation variables are then obtained through combination of maximum and minimum values calculated from the five ensemble runs. The performance of PRECIS ensemble simulations can be evaluated through checking if observations of current temperature at each weather station are within the simulated range. Future climate projections are analyzed over three time slices (i.e., the 2030s, 2050s, and 2080s) to help understand the plausible changes in temperature and precipitation over Saskatchewan in response to global warming. The evaluation results show that the PRECIS ensemble simulations perform very well in terms of capturing the spatial patterns of temperature and precipitation variables. The results of future climate projections over three time slices indicate that there will be an obvious warming trend from the 2030s, to the 2050s, and the 2080s over Saskatchewan. The projected changes of mean temperature over the whole Saskatchewan area is [0, 2] °C in the 2030s at 10th percentile, [2, 5.5] °C in the 2050s at 50th percentile, and [3, 10] °C in the 2090s at 90th percentile. There are no significant changes in the spatial patterns of the projected total precipitation from the 2030s to the end of this century. The minimum change of the projected total precipitation over the whole Province of Saskatchewan is most likely to be -1.3% in the 2030s, and -0.2% in the 2050s, while the minimum value would be -2.1% to the end of this century at 50th percentile.

Beyond "objective" and "projective": a logical system for classifying psychological tests: comment on Meyer and Kurtz (2006).

PubMed

Wagner, Edwin E

2008-07-01

I present a formal system that accounts for the misleading distinction between tests formerly termed objective and projective, duly noted by Meyer and Kurtz (2006). Three principles of Response Rightness, Response Latitude and Stimulus Ambiguity are shown to govern, in combination, the formal operating characteristics of tests, producing inevitable overlap between "objective" and "projective" tests and creating at least three "types" of tests historically regarded as being projective in nature. The system resolves many past issues regarding test classification and can be generalized to include all psychological tests.

Automated Extraction and Classification of Cancer Stage Mentions fromUnstructured Text Fields in a Central Cancer Registry

PubMed Central

AAlAbdulsalam, Abdulrahman K.; Garvin, Jennifer H.; Redd, Andrew; Carter, Marjorie E.; Sweeny, Carol; Meystre, Stephane M.

2018-01-01

Cancer stage is one of the most important prognostic parameters in most cancer subtypes. The American Joint Com-mittee on Cancer (AJCC) specifies criteria for staging each cancer type based on tumor characteristics (T), lymph node involvement (N), and tumor metastasis (M) known as TNM staging system. Information related to cancer stage is typically recorded in clinical narrative text notes and other informal means of communication in the Electronic Health Record (EHR). As a result, human chart-abstractors (known as certified tumor registrars) have to search through volu-minous amounts of text to extract accurate stage information and resolve discordance between different data sources. This study proposes novel applications of natural language processing and machine learning to automatically extract and classify TNM stage mentions from records at the Utah Cancer Registry. Our results indicate that TNM stages can be extracted and classified automatically with high accuracy (extraction sensitivity: 95.5%–98.4% and classification sensitivity: 83.5%–87%). PMID:29888032

Automated Extraction and Classification of Cancer Stage Mentions fromUnstructured Text Fields in a Central Cancer Registry.

PubMed

AAlAbdulsalam, Abdulrahman K; Garvin, Jennifer H; Redd, Andrew; Carter, Marjorie E; Sweeny, Carol; Meystre, Stephane M

2018-01-01

Cancer stage is one of the most important prognostic parameters in most cancer subtypes. The American Joint Com-mittee on Cancer (AJCC) specifies criteria for staging each cancer type based on tumor characteristics (T), lymph node involvement (N), and tumor metastasis (M) known as TNM staging system. Information related to cancer stage is typically recorded in clinical narrative text notes and other informal means of communication in the Electronic Health Record (EHR). As a result, human chart-abstractors (known as certified tumor registrars) have to search through volu-minous amounts of text to extract accurate stage information and resolve discordance between different data sources. This study proposes novel applications of natural language processing and machine learning to automatically extract and classify TNM stage mentions from records at the Utah Cancer Registry. Our results indicate that TNM stages can be extracted and classified automatically with high accuracy (extraction sensitivity: 95.5%-98.4% and classification sensitivity: 83.5%-87%).

Advanced Dynamically Adaptive Algorithms for Stochastic Simulations on Extreme Scales

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

Xiu, Dongbin

2017-03-03

The focus of the project is the development of mathematical methods and high-performance computational tools for stochastic simulations, with a particular emphasis on computations on extreme scales. The core of the project revolves around the design of highly efficient and scalable numerical algorithms that can adaptively and accurately, in high dimensional spaces, resolve stochastic problems with limited smoothness, even containing discontinuities.

Arterial catheter complications and management problems: observations from AACN's Thunder Project.

PubMed

1993-09-01

Arterial cannulation, while common in critical care, is a procedure with attendant risks of complications. Anecdotal data from the American Association of Critical Care Nurses' Thunder Project provided evidence that catheters, insertion sites, and monitoring systems continue to be sources of complications. The problems have not changed since arterial cannulation began. Line management issues cannot be resolved until low-maintenance systems are developed.

Project C-018H, 242-A Evaporator/PUREX Plant Process Condensate Treatment Facility, functional design criteria. Revision 3

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

Sullivan, N.

1995-05-02

This document provides the Functional Design Criteria (FDC) for Project C-018H, the 242-A Evaporator and Plutonium-Uranium Extraction (PUREX) Plant Condensate Treatment Facility (Also referred to as the 200 Area Effluent Treatment Facility [ETF]). The project will provide the facilities to treat and dispose of the 242-A Evaporator process condensate (PC), the Plutonium-Uranium Extraction (PUREX) Plant process condensate (PDD), and the PUREX Plant ammonia scrubber distillate (ASD).

Titration-based screening for evaluation of natural product extracts: identification of an aspulvinone family of luciferase inhibitors

PubMed Central

Cruz, Patricia G.; Auld, Douglas S.; Schultz, Pamela J.; Lovell, Scott; Battaile, Kevin P.; MacArthur, Ryan; Shen, Min; Tamayo-Castillo, Giselle; Inglese, James; Sherman, David H.

2011-01-01

The chemical diversity of nature has tremendous potential for discovery of new molecular probes and medicinal agents. However, sensitivity of HTS assays to interfering components of crude extracts derived from plants, macro- and microorganisms has curtailed their use in lead discovery efforts. Here we describe a process for leveraging the concentration-response curves (CRCs) obtained from quantitative HTS to improve the initial selection of “actives” from a library of partially fractionated natural product extracts derived from marine actinomycetes and fungi. By using pharmacological activity, the first-pass CRC paradigm aims to improve the probability that labor-intensive subsequent steps of re-culturing, extraction and bioassay-guided isolation of active component(s) target the most promising strains and growth conditions. We illustrate how this process identified a family of fungal metabolites as potent inhibitors of firefly luciferase, subsequently resolved in molecular detail by x-ray crystallography. PMID:22118678

Titration-based screening for evaluation of natural product extracts: identification of an aspulvinone family of luciferase inhibitors

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

Cruz, P.G.; Auld, D.S.; Schultz, P.J.

2011-11-28

The chemical diversity of nature has tremendous potential for the discovery of molecular probes and medicinal agents. However, sensitivity of HTS assays to interfering components of crude extracts derived from plants, and macro- and microorganisms has curtailed their use in lead discovery. Here, we describe a process for leveraging the concentration-response curves obtained from quantitative HTS to improve the initial selection of actives from a library of partially fractionated natural product extracts derived from marine actinomycetes and fungi. By using pharmacological activity, the first-pass CRC paradigm improves the probability that labor-intensive subsequent steps of reculturing, extraction, and bioassay-guided isolation ofmore » active component(s) target the most promising strains and growth conditions. We illustrate how this process identified a family of fungal metabolites as potent inhibitors of firefly luciferase, subsequently resolved in molecular detail by X-ray crystallography.« less

Lunar Water Resource Demonstration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Muscatello, Anthony C.

2008-01-01

In cooperation with the Canadian Space Agency, the Northern Centre for Advanced Technology, Inc., the Carnegie-Mellon University, JPL, and NEPTEC, NASA has undertaken the In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) project called RESOLVE. This project is a ground demonstration of a system that would be sent to explore permanently shadowed polar lunar craters, drill into the regolith, determine what volatiles are present, and quantify them in addition to recovering oxygen by hydrogen reduction. The Lunar Prospector has determined these craters contain enhanced hydrogen concentrations averaging about 0.1%. If the hydrogen is in the form of water, the water concentration would be around 1%, which would translate into billions of tons of water on the Moon, a tremendous resource. The Lunar Water Resource Demonstration (LWRD) is a part of RESOLVE designed to capture lunar water and hydrogen and quantify them as a backup to gas chromatography analysis. This presentation will briefly review the design of LWRD and some of the results of testing the subsystem. RESOLVE is to be integrated with the Scarab rover from CMIJ and the whole system demonstrated on Mauna Kea on Hawaii in November 2008. The implications of lunar water for Mars exploration are two-fold: 1) RESOLVE and LWRD could be used in a similar fashion on Mars to locate and quantify water resources, and 2) electrolysis of lunar water could provide large amounts of liquid oxygen in LEO, leading to lower costs for travel to Mars, in addition to being very useful at lunar outposts.

Adverse Effects of Grape Seed Extract Supplement: A Clinical Case and Long-Term Follow-Up.

PubMed

Berry, Andrew C; Nakshabendi, Rahman; Abidali, Hussein; Atchaneeyasakul, Kunakorn; Dholaria, Kevin; Johnson, Cassandra; Kishore, Varsha A; Baltz, Aaron C

2016-01-01

Grape seed extract (GSE) supplement use is becoming more popular today for its potential chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic role. We report a 49-year-old male who presented with recurrent nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and acute weakness following GSE use. A thorough medical workup ensued and no causes were identified clinically, procedurally, or with imaging. Symptoms resolved after GSE discontinuation and the patient remained symptom-free 5 years later. This case illustrates the paucity of documented detailed clinical cases and lack of controlled trials detailing a thorough and reproducible adverse effect profile of GSE supplement.

Extracting joint weak values with local, single-particle measurements.

PubMed

Resch, K J; Steinberg, A M

2004-04-02

Weak measurement is a new technique which allows one to describe the evolution of postselected quantum systems. It appears to be useful for resolving a variety of thorny quantum paradoxes, particularly when used to study properties of pairs of particles. Unfortunately, such nonlocal or joint observables often prove difficult to measure directly in practice (for instance, in optics-a common testing ground for this technique-strong photon-photon interactions would be needed to implement an appropriate von Neumann interaction). Here we derive a general, experimentally feasible, method for extracting these joint weak values from correlations between single-particle observables.

Integrating Semantic Information in Metadata Descriptions for a Geoscience-wide Resource Inventory.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaslavsky, I.; Richard, S. M.; Gupta, A.; Valentine, D.; Whitenack, T.; Ozyurt, I. B.; Grethe, J. S.; Schachne, A.

2016-12-01

Integrating semantic information into legacy metadata catalogs is a challenging issue and so far has been mostly done on a limited scale. We present experience of CINERGI (Community Inventory of Earthcube Resources for Geoscience Interoperability), an NSF Earthcube Building Block project, in creating a large cross-disciplinary catalog of geoscience information resources to enable cross-domain discovery. The project developed a pipeline for automatically augmenting resource metadata, in particular generating keywords that describe metadata documents harvested from multiple geoscience information repositories or contributed by geoscientists through various channels including surveys and domain resource inventories. The pipeline examines available metadata descriptions using text parsing, vocabulary management and semantic annotation and graph navigation services of GeoSciGraph. GeoSciGraph, in turn, relies on a large cross-domain ontology of geoscience terms, which bridges several independently developed ontologies or taxonomies including SWEET, ENVO, YAGO, GeoSciML, GCMD, SWO, and CHEBI. The ontology content enables automatic extraction of keywords reflecting science domains, equipment used, geospatial features, measured properties, methods, processes, etc. We specifically focus on issues of cross-domain geoscience ontology creation, resolving several types of semantic conflicts among component ontologies or vocabularies, and constructing and managing facets for improved data discovery and navigation. The ontology and keyword generation rules are iteratively improved as pipeline results are presented to data managers for selective manual curation via a CINERGI Annotator user interface. We present lessons learned from applying CINERGI metadata augmentation pipeline to a number of federal agency and academic data registries, in the context of several use cases that require data discovery and integration across multiple earth science data catalogs of varying quality and completeness. The inventory is accessible at http://cinergi.sdsc.edu, and the CINERGI project web page is http://earthcube.org/group/cinergi

Time-Resolved Molecular Characterization of Limonene/Ozone Aerosol using High-Resolution Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry

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

Bateman, Adam P.; Nizkorodov, Serguei; Laskin, Julia

2009-09-09

Molecular composition of limonene/O3 secondary organic aerosol (SOA) was investigated using high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HR-ESI-MS) as a function of reaction time. SOA was generated by ozonation of D-limonene in a reaction chamber and sampled at different time intervals using a cascade impactor. The SOA samples were extracted into acetonitrile and analyzed using a HR-ESI-MS instrument with a resolving power of 100,000 (m/Δm). The resulting mass spectra provided detailed information about the extent of oxidation inferred from the O:C ratios, double bond equivalency (DBE) factors, and aromaticity indexes (AI) in hundreds of identified individual SOA species.

Direct detection of time-resolved Rabi oscillations in a single quantum dot via resonance fluorescence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schaibley, J. R.; Burgers, A. P.; McCracken, G. A.; Steel, D. G.; Bracker, A. S.; Gammon, D.; Sham, L. J.

2013-03-01

Optical Rabi oscillations are coherent population oscillations of a two-level system coupled by an electric dipole transition when driven by a strong nearly resonant optical field. In quantum dot structures, these measurements have typically been performed as a function of the total pulse area ∫Ω0(t)dt where the pulse area varies as a function of Rabi frequency. Here, we report direct detection of the time-resolved coherent transient response of the resonance fluorescence to measure the time evolution of the optical Rabi oscillations in a single charged InAs quantum dot. We extract a decoherence rate consistent with the limit from the excited state lifetime.

Optical spectroscopy for quantitative sensing in human pancreatic tissues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilson, Robert H.; Chandra, Malavika; Lloyd, William; Chen, Leng-Chun; Scheiman, James; Simeone, Diane; McKenna, Barbara; Mycek, Mary-Ann

2011-07-01

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma has a five-year survival rate of only 6%, largely because current diagnostic methods cannot reliably detect the disease in its early stages. Reflectance and fluorescence spectroscopies have the potential to provide quantitative, minimally-invasive means of distinguishing pancreatic adenocarcinoma from normal pancreatic tissue and chronic pancreatitis. The first collection of wavelength-resolved reflectance and fluorescence spectra and time-resolved fluorescence decay curves from human pancreatic tissues was acquired with clinically-compatible instrumentation. Mathematical models of reflectance and fluorescence extracted parameters related to tissue morphology and biochemistry that were statistically significant for distinguishing between pancreatic tissue types. These results suggest that optical spectroscopy has the potential to detect pancreatic disease in a clinical setting.

Transcriptome Sequences Resolve Deep Relationships of the Grape Family

PubMed Central

Wen, Jun; Xiong, Zhiqiang; Nie, Ze-Long; Mao, Likai; Zhu, Yabing; Kan, Xian-Zhao; Ickert-Bond, Stefanie M.; Gerrath, Jean; Zimmer, Elizabeth A.; Fang, Xiao-Dong

2013-01-01

Previous phylogenetic studies of the grape family (Vitaceae) yielded poorly resolved deep relationships, thus impeding our understanding of the evolution of the family. Next-generation sequencing now offers access to protein coding sequences very easily, quickly and cost-effectively. To improve upon earlier work, we extracted 417 orthologous single-copy nuclear genes from the transcriptomes of 15 species of the Vitaceae, covering its phylogenetic diversity. The resulting transcriptome phylogeny provides robust support for the deep relationships, showing the phylogenetic utility of transcriptome data for plants over a time scale at least since the mid-Cretaceous. The pros and cons of transcriptome data for phylogenetic inference in plants are also evaluated. PMID:24069307

Convection-Resolving Climate Change Simulations: Intensification of Heavy Hourly Precipitation Events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ban, N.; Schmidli, J.; Schar, C.

2014-12-01

Reliable climate-change projections of extreme precipitation events are of great interest to decision makers, due to potentially important hydrological impacts such as floods, land slides and debris flows. Low-resolution climate models generally project increases of heavy precipitation events with climate change, but there are large uncertainties related to the limited spatial resolution and the parameterized representation of atmospheric convection. Here we employ a convection-resolving version of the COSMO model across an extended region (1100 km x 1100 km) covering the European Alps to investigate the differences between parameterized and explicit convection in climate-change scenarios. We conduct 10-year long integrations at resolutions of 12 and 2km. Validation using ERA-Interim driven simulations reveals major improvements with the 2km resolution, in particular regarding the diurnal cycle of mean precipitation and the representation of hourly extremes. In addition, 2km simulations replicate the observed super-adiabatic scaling at precipitation stations, i.e. peak hourly events increase faster with temperature than the Clausius-Clapeyron scaling of 7%/K (see Ban et al. 2014). Convection-resolving climate change scenarios are conducted using control (1991-2000) and scenario (2081-2090) simulations driven by a CMIP5 GCM (i.e. the MPI-ESM-LR) under the IPCC RCP8.5 scenario. Comparison between 12 and 2km resolutions with parameterized and explicit convection, respectively, reveals close agreement in terms of mean summer precipitation amounts (decrease by 30%), and regarding slight increases of heavy day-long events (amounting to 15% for 90th-percentile for wet-day precipitation). However, the different resolutions yield large differences regarding extreme hourly precipitation, with the 2km version projecting substantially faster increases of heavy hourly precipitation events (about 30% increases for 90th-percentile hourly events). Ban, N., J. Schmidli and C. Schӓr (2014): Evaluation of the convection-resolving regional climate modeling approach in decade-long simulations. J. Geophys. Res. Atmos.,119, 7889-7907, doi:10.1002/2014JD021478

Automatic prevention of label overlap

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1976-03-01

The project comprised a number of simulation exercises : designed to evaluate methods of either preventing or : resolving the problems likely to be caused by label overlap on : Labelled Plan Displays (LPD). The automatic prevention of : label overlap...

Evaluation of extraction methods for the identification of proteins from date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) seed and flesh.

PubMed

Lee, Hooi Xian; Ahmad, Fisal; Saad, Bahruddin; Ismail, Mohd Nazri

2017-11-26

Date fruits are well known to be very nutritious. Nevertheless, the protein contents of the fruit, particularly the seed and flesh, are still understudied, largely due to their difficult physical characteristics. This study was conducted to compare three different protein extraction methods which were the trichloroacetic acid (TCA)-acetone (TCA-A), phenol (Phe), and TCA-acetone-phenol (TCA-A-Phe), and to perform proteomic analysis on date palm seed and flesh. Phe extraction method showed the highest protein yields for both seed (8.26 mg/g) and flesh (1.57 mg/g). Through sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, Phe, and TCA-A-Phe extraction methods were shown to be efficient in removing interfering compounds and gave well-resolved bands over a wide range of molecular weights. Following liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis, about 50-64% of extracted proteins were identified with known functions including those involved in glycolysis, Krebs cycle, defense, and storage. Phe protein extraction method was proven to be the optimal method for date flesh and seed.

Extraction of basil leaves (ocimum canum) oleoresin with ethyl acetate solvent by using soxhletation method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tambun, R.; Purba, R. R. H.; Ginting, H. K.

2017-09-01

The goal of this research is to produce oleoresin from basil leaves (Ocimum canum) by using soxhletation method and ethyl acetate as solvent. Basil commonly used in culinary as fresh vegetables. Basil contains essential oils and oleoresin that are used as flavouring agent in food, in cosmetic and ingredient in traditional medicine. The extraction method commonly used to obtain oleoresin is maceration. The problem of this method is many solvents necessary and need time to extract the raw material. To resolve the problem and to produce more oleoresin, we use soxhletation method with a combination of extraction time and ratio from the material with a solvent. The analysis consists of yield, density, refractive index, and essential oil content. The best treatment of basil leaves oleoresin extraction is at ratio of material and solvent 1:6 (w / v) for 6 hours extraction time. In this condition, the yield of basil oleoresin is 20.152%, 0.9688 g/cm3 of density, 1.502 of refractive index, 15.77% of essential oil content, and the colour of oleoresin product is dark-green.

Resolving Environmental Effects of Wind Energy

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

Sinclair, Karin C; DeGeorge, Elise M; Copping, Andrea E.

Concerns for potential wildlife impacts resulting from land-based and offshore wind energy have created challenges for wind project development. Research is not always adequately supported, results are neither always readily accessible nor are they satisfactorily disseminated, and so decisions are often made based on the best available information, which may be missing key findings. The potential for high impacts to avian and bat species and marine mammals have been used by wind project opponents to stop, downsize, or severely delay project development. The global nature of the wind industry - combined with the understanding that many affected species cross-national boundaries,more » and in many cases migrate between continents - also points to the need to collaborate on an international level. The International Energy Agency (IEA) Wind Technology Collaborative Programs facilitates coordination on key research issues. IEA Wind Task 34 - WREN: Working Together to Resolve Environmental Effects of Wind Energy-is a collaborative forum to share lessons gained from field research and modeling, including management methods, wildlife monitoring methods, best practices, study results, and successful approaches to mitigating impacts and addressing the cumulative effects of wind energy on wildlife.« less

SU-D-207-01: Markerless Respiratory Motion Tracking with Contrast Enhanced Thoracic Cone Beam CT Projections

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

Chao, M; Yuan, Y; Rosenzweig, K

2015-06-15

Purpose: To develop a novel technique to enhance the image contrast of clinical cone beam CT projections and extract respiratory signals based on anatomical motion using the modified Amsterdam Shroud (AS) method to benefit image guided radiation therapy. Methods: Thoracic cone beam CT projections acquired prior to treatment were preprocessed to increase their contrast for better respiratory signal extraction. Air intensity on raw images was firstly estimated and then applied to correct the projections to generate new attenuation images that were subsequently improved with deeper anatomy feature enhancement through taking logarithm operation, derivative along superior-inferior direction, respectively. All pixels onmore » individual post-processed two dimensional images were horizontally summed to one column and all projections were combined side by side to create an AS image from which patient’s respiratory signal was extracted. The impact of gantry rotation on the breathing signal rendering was also investigated. Ten projection image sets from five lung cancer patients acquired with the Varian Onboard Imager on 21iX Clinac (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA) were employed to assess the proposed technique. Results: Application of the air correction on raw projections showed that more than an order of magnitude of contrast enhancement was achievable. The typical contrast on the raw projections is around 0.02 while that on attenuation images could greater than 0.5. Clear and stable breathing signal can be reliably extracted from the new images while the uncorrected projection sets failed to yield clear signals most of the time. Conclusion: Anatomy feature plays a key role in yielding breathing signal from the projection images using the AS technique. The air correction process facilitated the contrast enhancement significantly and attenuation images thus obtained provides a practical solution to obtaining markerless breathing motion tracking.« less

Time-Resolved Emission Spectroscopy of Field Reversed Configuration Thruster

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-08-31

radiation Collection Optics to 600um fiber Source: Scharer Research Group Source: PEARL 1. Acquire Spectrum 2. Compare to Collisional‐Radiative Model ( CRM ...calibration (deuterium lamp) • Obtain Argon FRC data and use Collisional Radiative Model ( CRM ) to extract plasma properties • Apply knowledge to improve FRC

Minority carrier diffusion length extraction in Cu2ZnSn(Se,S)4 solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gokmen, Tayfun; Gunawan, Oki; Mitzi, David B.

2013-09-01

We report measurement of minority carrier diffusion length (Ld) for high performance Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) solar cells in comparison with analogous Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2 (CIGSSe) devices. Our Ld extraction method involves performing systematic measurements of the internal quantum efficiency combined with separate capacitance-voltage measurement. This method also enables the measurement of the absorption coefficient of the absorber material as a function of wavelength in a finished device. The extracted values of Ld for CZTSSe samples are at least factor of 2 smaller than those for CIGSSe samples. Combined with minority carrier lifetime (τ) data measured by time-resolved photoluminescence, we deduce the minority carrier mobility (μe), which is also relatively low for the CZTSSe samples.

ES-doc-errata: an issue tracker platform for CMIP6

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ben Nasser, Atef; Levavasseur, Guillaume; Greenslade, Mark; Denvil, Sébastien

2017-04-01

In the context of overseeing the quality of data, and as a result of the inherent complexity of projects such as CMIP5/6, it is a mandatory task to keep track of the status of datasets and the version evolution they sustain in their life-cycle. The ESdoc-errata project aims to keep track of the issues affecting specific versions of datasets/files. It enables users to resolve the history tree of each dataset/file enabling a better choice of the data used in their work based on the data status. The ES-doc-errata project has been designed and built on top of the Parent-IDentifiers handle service that will be deployed in the next iteration of the CMIP project, by ensuring maximum usability of ESGF ecosystem and encapsulated in the ES-doc structure. Consuming PIDs from handle service is guided by a specifically built algorithm that extracts meta-data regarding the issues that may or may not affect the quality of datasets/files and cause newer version to be published replacing older deprecated versions. This algorithm is able to deduce the nature of the flaws to the file granularity, that is of high value to the end-user. This new platform has been designed keeping in mind usability by end-users specialized in the data publishing process or other scientists requiring feedback on reliability of data required for their work. To this end, a specific set of rules and a code of conduct has been defined. A validation process ensures the quality of this newly introduced errata meta-data , an authentication safe-guard was implemented to prevent tampering with the archived data, and a wide variety of tools were put at users disposal to interact safely with the platform including a command-line client and a dedicated front-end.

Massive parallel 3D PIC simulation of negative ion extraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Revel, Adrien; Mochalskyy, Serhiy; Montellano, Ivar Mauricio; Wünderlich, Dirk; Fantz, Ursel; Minea, Tiberiu

2017-09-01

The 3D PIC-MCC code ONIX is dedicated to modeling Negative hydrogen/deuterium Ion (NI) extraction and co-extraction of electrons from radio-frequency driven, low pressure plasma sources. It provides valuable insight on the complex phenomena involved in the extraction process. In previous calculations, a mesh size larger than the Debye length was used, implying numerical electron heating. Important steps have been achieved in terms of computation performance and parallelization efficiency allowing successful massive parallel calculations (4096 cores), imperative to resolve the Debye length. In addition, the numerical algorithms have been improved in terms of grid treatment, i.e., the electric field near the complex geometry boundaries (plasma grid) is calculated more accurately. The revised model preserves the full 3D treatment, but can take advantage of a highly refined mesh. ONIX was used to investigate the role of the mesh size, the re-injection scheme for lost particles (extracted or wall absorbed), and the electron thermalization process on the calculated extracted current and plasma characteristics. It is demonstrated that all numerical schemes give the same NI current distribution for extracted ions. Concerning the electrons, the pair-injection technique is found well-adapted to simulate the sheath in front of the plasma grid.

An approach to estimate spatial distribution of analyte within cells using spectrally-resolved fluorescence microscopy.

PubMed

Sharma, Dharmendar Kumar; Irfanullah, Mir; Basu, Santanu Kumar; Madhu, Sheri; De, Suman; Jadhav, Sameer; Ravikanth, Mangalampalli; Chowdhury, Arindam

2017-01-18

While fluorescence microscopy has become an essential tool amongst chemists and biologists for the detection of various analyte within cellular environments, non-uniform spatial distribution of sensors within cells often restricts extraction of reliable information on relative abundance of analytes in different subcellular regions. As an alternative to existing sensing methodologies such as ratiometric or FRET imaging, where relative proportion of analyte with respect to the sensor can be obtained within cells, we propose a methodology using spectrally-resolved fluorescence microscopy, via which both the relative abundance of sensor as well as their relative proportion with respect to the analyte can be simultaneously extracted for local subcellular regions. This method is exemplified using a BODIPY sensor, capable of detecting mercury ions within cellular environments, characterized by spectral blue-shift and concurrent enhancement of emission intensity. Spectral emission envelopes collected from sub-microscopic regions allowed us to compare the shift in transition energies as well as integrated emission intensities within various intracellular regions. Construction of a 2D scatter plot using spectral shifts and emission intensities, which depend on the relative amount of analyte with respect to sensor and the approximate local amounts of the probe, respectively, enabled qualitative extraction of relative abundance of analyte in various local regions within a single cell as well as amongst different cells. Although the comparisons remain semi-quantitative, this approach involving analysis of multiple spectral parameters opens up an alternative way to extract spatial distribution of analyte in heterogeneous systems. The proposed method would be especially relevant for fluorescent probes that undergo relatively nominal shift in transition energies compared to their emission bandwidths, which often restricts their usage for quantitative ratiometric imaging in cellular media due to strong cross-talk between energetically separated detection channels.

An approach to estimate spatial distribution of analyte within cells using spectrally-resolved fluorescence microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Dharmendar Kumar; Irfanullah, Mir; Basu, Santanu Kumar; Madhu, Sheri; De, Suman; Jadhav, Sameer; Ravikanth, Mangalampalli; Chowdhury, Arindam

2017-03-01

While fluorescence microscopy has become an essential tool amongst chemists and biologists for the detection of various analyte within cellular environments, non-uniform spatial distribution of sensors within cells often restricts extraction of reliable information on relative abundance of analytes in different subcellular regions. As an alternative to existing sensing methodologies such as ratiometric or FRET imaging, where relative proportion of analyte with respect to the sensor can be obtained within cells, we propose a methodology using spectrally-resolved fluorescence microscopy, via which both the relative abundance of sensor as well as their relative proportion with respect to the analyte can be simultaneously extracted for local subcellular regions. This method is exemplified using a BODIPY sensor, capable of detecting mercury ions within cellular environments, characterized by spectral blue-shift and concurrent enhancement of emission intensity. Spectral emission envelopes collected from sub-microscopic regions allowed us to compare the shift in transition energies as well as integrated emission intensities within various intracellular regions. Construction of a 2D scatter plot using spectral shifts and emission intensities, which depend on the relative amount of analyte with respect to sensor and the approximate local amounts of the probe, respectively, enabled qualitative extraction of relative abundance of analyte in various local regions within a single cell as well as amongst different cells. Although the comparisons remain semi-quantitative, this approach involving analysis of multiple spectral parameters opens up an alternative way to extract spatial distribution of analyte in heterogeneous systems. The proposed method would be especially relevant for fluorescent probes that undergo relatively nominal shift in transition energies compared to their emission bandwidths, which often restricts their usage for quantitative ratiometric imaging in cellular media due to strong cross-talk between energetically separated detection channels. Dedicated to Professor Kankan Bhattacharyya.

Transportation & environmental justice : effective practices

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1998-01-01

The goal of this project was to analyze the collection and management of highway safety data by identifying issues and costs, and proposing means of resolving those issues and reducing the costs. Initial emphasis addressed known elements of the highw...

A Highly Resolved Large-Eddy Simulation of a Wind Turbine using an Actuator Line Model with Optimal Body Force Projection

DOE PAGES

Martinez-Tossas, Luis A.; Churchfield, Matthew J.; Meneveau, Charles

2016-10-03

When representing the blade aerodynamics with rotating actuator lines, the computed forces have to be projected back to the CFD flow field as a volumetric body force. That has been done in the past with a geometrically simple uniform three-dimensional Gaussian at each point along the blade. Here, we argue that the body force can be shaped in a way that better predicts the blade local flow field, the blade load distribution, and the formation of the tip/root vortices. In previous work, we have determined the optimal scales of circular and elliptical Gaussian kernels that best reproduce the local flowmore » field in two-dimensions. Lastly, in this work we extend the analysis and applications by considering the full three-dimensional blade to test our hypothesis in a highly resolved Large Eddy Simulation.« less

Chromatographic background drift correction coupled with parallel factor analysis to resolve coelution problems in three-dimensional chromatographic data: quantification of eleven antibiotics in tap water samples by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a diode array detector.

PubMed

Yu, Yong-Jie; Wu, Hai-Long; Fu, Hai-Yan; Zhao, Juan; Li, Yuan-Na; Li, Shu-Fang; Kang, Chao; Yu, Ru-Qin

2013-08-09

Chromatographic background drift correction has been an important field of research in chromatographic analysis. In the present work, orthogonal spectral space projection for background drift correction of three-dimensional chromatographic data was described in detail and combined with parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) to resolve overlapped chromatographic peaks and obtain the second-order advantage. This strategy was verified by simulated chromatographic data and afforded significant improvement in quantitative results. Finally, this strategy was successfully utilized to quantify eleven antibiotics in tap water samples. Compared with the traditional methodology of introducing excessive factors for the PARAFAC model to eliminate the effect of background drift, clear improvement in the quantitative performance of PARAFAC was observed after background drift correction by orthogonal spectral space projection. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Highly Resolved Large-Eddy Simulation of a Wind Turbine using an Actuator Line Model with Optimal Body Force Projection

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

Martinez-Tossas, Luis A.; Churchfield, Matthew J.; Meneveau, Charles

When representing the blade aerodynamics with rotating actuator lines, the computed forces have to be projected back to the CFD flow field as a volumetric body force. That has been done in the past with a geometrically simple uniform three-dimensional Gaussian at each point along the blade. Here, we argue that the body force can be shaped in a way that better predicts the blade local flow field, the blade load distribution, and the formation of the tip/root vortices. In previous work, we have determined the optimal scales of circular and elliptical Gaussian kernels that best reproduce the local flowmore » field in two-dimensions. Lastly, in this work we extend the analysis and applications by considering the full three-dimensional blade to test our hypothesis in a highly resolved Large Eddy Simulation.« less

The Benjamin Franklin High School Urban League Street Academies Program. Evaluation of ESEA Title I Projects in New York City, 1967-68.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guerriero, Michael A.

This New York City school district educational project sought to locate actual dropouts and identify potential dropouts from Benjamin Franklin High School, and to involve them in the Urban Street Academy Program as a means of resolving their school problems and helping them continue their education. The objectives of the Academy were (1)…

Status of Geological Storage of CO2 as Part of Negative Emissions Strategy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benson, S. M.

2014-12-01

Recent analyses show that many GHG stabilization scenarios require technologies that permanently extract CO2 from the atmosphere -so-called "net negative emissions." Among the most promising negative emissions approaches is bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS). The most mature options for CO2 storage are in sedimentary rocks located in thick sedimentary basins. Within those basins, CO2 can be stored either in depleted or depleting hydrocarbon formations or in so-called saline aquifers. In addition to the economic costs of bioenergy with CO2 capture, key to the success of and scale at which BECCS can contribute to negative emissions is the ability to store quantities on the order of 1 Gt per year of CO2. Today, about 65 Mt of CO2 per year are injected underground for the purposes of enhancing oil recovery (CO2-EOR) or for CO2 storage, the vast majority being for CO2-EOR. Achieving 1 Gt per year of negative emissions will require a 15-fold scale up of the current injection operations. This paper will review the conditions necessary for storage at this scale, identify what has been learned from nearly 2 decades of experience with CO2 storage that provides insight into the feasibility of CO2 storage on this scale, and identify critical issues that remain to be resolved to meet these ambitious negative emissions targets. Critical technological issues include but are not limited to: the amount of CO2 storage capacity that is available and where it is located in relation to biomass energy resources; identification of sustainable injection rates and how this depends on the properties of the geological formation; the extent to which water extraction will be required to manage the magnitude of pressure buildup; identification of regions at high risk for induced seismicity that could damage structures and infrastructure; and selection of sites with a adequate seals to permanently contain CO2. Social, economic and political issues are also important: including the support for and confidence in the projects by the local population; scale at which these projects are financially feasible; resolution of issues such as who pays and who benefits from these projects; and development of regulatory frameworks that are at the same time, environmentally protective and not overly burdensome.

Usefulness of component resolved analysis of cat allergy in routine clinical practice.

PubMed

Eder, Katharina; Becker, Sven; San Nicoló, Marion; Berghaus, Alexander; Gröger, Moritz

2016-01-01

Cat allergy is of great importance, and its prevalence is increasing worldwide. Cat allergens and house dust mite allergens represent the major indoor allergens; however, they are ubiquitous. Cat sensitization and allergy are known risk factors for rhinitis, bronchial hyperreactivity and asthma. Thus, the diagnosis of sensitization to cats is important for any allergist. 70 patients with positive skin prick tests for cats were retrospectively compared regarding their skin prick test results, as well as their specific immunoglobulin E antibody profiles with regard to their responses to the native cat extract, rFel d 1, nFel d 2 and rFel d 4. 35 patients were allergic to cats, as determined by positive anamnesis and/or nasal provocation with cat allergens, and 35 patients exhibited clinically non-relevant sensitization, as indicated by negative anamnesis and/or a negative nasal allergen challenge. Native cat extract serology testing detected 100% of patients who were allergic to cats but missed eight patients who showed sensitization in the skin prick test and did not have allergic symptoms. The median values of the skin prick test, as well as those of the specific immunoglobulin E antibodies against the native cat extract, were significantly higher for allergic patients than for patients with clinically non-relevant sensitization. Component based diagnostic testing to rFel d 1 was not as reliable. Sensitization to nFel d 2 and rFel d 4 was seen only in individual patients. Extract based diagnostic methods for identifying cat allergy and sensitization, such as the skin prick test and native cat extract serology, remain crucial in routine clinical practice. In our study, component based diagnostic testing could not replace these methods with regard to the detection of sensitization to cats and differentiation between allergy and sensitization without clinical relevance. However, component resolved allergy diagnostic tools have individual implications, and future studies may facilitate a better understanding of its use and subsequently may improve the clinical management of allergic patients.

GREEN AND SUSTAINABLE REMEDIATION BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-07

adoption. The technologies covered include air sparging, biosparging, soil vapor extraction (SVE), enhanced reductive dechlorination (ERD), in situ...RPM Remedial Project Manager SCR selective catalytic reduction SEE steam enhanced extraction SVE soil vapor extraction TCE trichloroethene...further promote their adoption. The technologies covered include air sparging, biosparging, soil vapor extraction (SVE), enhanced reductive

Consistency between the luminosity function of resolved millisecond pulsars and the galactic center excess

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

Ploeg, Harrison; Gordon, Chris; Crocker, Roland

Fermi Large Area Telescope data reveal an excess of GeV gamma rays from the direction of the Galactic Center and bulge. Several explanations have been proposed for this excess including an unresolved population of millisecond pulsars (MSPs) and self-annihilating dark matter. It has been claimed that a key discriminant for or against the MSP explanation can be extracted from the properties of the luminosity function describing this source population. Specifically, is the luminosity function of the putative MSPs in the Galactic Center consistent with that characterizing the resolved MSPs in the Galactic disk? To investigate this we have used amore » Bayesian Markov Chain Monte Carlo to evaluate the posterior distribution of the parameters of the MSP luminosity function describing both resolved MSPs and the Galactic Center excess. At variance with some other claims, our analysis reveals that, within current uncertainties, both data sets can be well fit with the same luminosity function.« less

Resolution of co-eluting compounds of Cannabis Sativa in comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography/mass spectrometry detection with Multivariate Curve Resolution-Alternating Least Squares.

PubMed

Omar, Jone; Olivares, Maitane; Amigo, José Manuel; Etxebarria, Nestor

2014-04-01

Comprehensive Two Dimensional Gas Chromatography - Mass Spectrometry (GC × GC/qMS) analysis of Cannabis sativa extracts shows a high complexity due to the large variety of terpenes and cannabinoids and to the fact that the complete resolution of the peaks is not straightforwardly achieved. In order to support the resolution of the co-eluted peaks in the sesquiterpene and the cannabinoid chromatographic region the combination of Multivariate Curve Resolution and Alternating Least Squares algorithms was satisfactorily applied. As a result, four co-eluting areas were totally resolved in the sesquiterpene region and one in the cannabinoid region in different samples of Cannabis sativa. The comparison of the mass spectral profiles obtained for each resolved peak with theoretical mass spectra allowed the identification of some of the co-eluted peaks. Finally, the classification of the studied samples was achieved based on the relative concentrations of the resolved peaks. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The spatial resolving power of earth resources satellites: A review

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Townshend, J. R. G.

1980-01-01

The significance of spatial resolving power on the utility of current and future Earth resources satellites is critically discussed and the relative merits of different approaches in defining and estimating spatial resolution are outlined. It is shown that choice of a particular measure of spatial resolution depends strongly on the particular needs of the user. Several experiments have simulated the capabilities of future satellite systems by degradation of aircraft images. Surprisingly, many of these indicated that improvements in resolution may lead to a reduction in the classification accuracy of land cover types using computer assisted methods. However, where the frequency of boundary pixels is high, the converse relationship is found. Use of imagery dependent upon visual interpretation is likely to benefit more consistently from higher resolutions. Extraction of information from images will depend upon several other factors apart from spatial resolving power: these include characteristics of the terrain being sensed, the image processing methods that are applied as well as certain sensor characteristics.

Strategies from bedside nurse perspectives in conducting evidence-based practice projects to improve care.

PubMed

Shaffer, Susan T; Zarnowsky, Colleen D; Green, Renee C; Lim, Mei-Lin Chen; Holtzer, Brenda M; Ely, Elizabeth A

2013-06-01

This article presents the bedside nurses' perspectives on their experience with conducting an evidence based practice project. This is especially important in the climate of hospitals working to achieve Magnet Recognition. The facilitators and barriers to project design and completion are discussed in detail. Strategies to overcome barriers are presented. Facilitators for bedside nurses include motivation and professional development. Most common barriers were lack of time and limited knowledge about the process. Interventions aimed at research utilization can be successful when mindful of commonly understood barriers to project completion with steps taken to resolve those barriers. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Practical Environmental Education and Local Contribution in the Environmental Science Laboratory Circle in the College of Science and Technology in Nihon University

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taniai, Tetsuyuki; Ito, Ken-Ichi; Sakamaki, Hiroshi

In this paper, we presented a method and knowledge about a practical and project management education and local contribution obtained through the student activities of “Environmental science laboratory circle in the College of Science and technology in Nihon University” from 1991 to 2001. In this circle, four major projects were acted such as research, protection, clean up and enlightenment projects. Due to some problems from inside or outside of this circle, this circle projects have been stopped. The diffusion and popularization of the internet technology will help to resolve some of these problems.

Forest Residues Bundling Project

Treesearch

U.S. Forest Service

2007-01-01

During the summer of 2003, the U.S. Forest Service conducted an evaluation of biomass bundling for forest residue extraction. This CD provides a report of the project results, a video documentary project record, and a collection of images from the project. Additional information is available at:

Lone Star Industries, Inc. (Buzzi), Clean Air Act Settlement

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Buzzi agreed to invest approximately $1 million in pollution control technology that will protect public health and resolve violations of the CAA. The settlement requires that Buzzi spend approximately $1.7 million on an environmental mitigation project

Analysis of projected replacement and costs for potential aquatic barriers maintained by MaineDOT.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-02-01

Recent discussions around State and federal stream crossing regulations have focused on resolving existing barriers : to fish movement created by pipe culverts associated with transportation infrastructure. Approximately 30% of : Maine has been surve...

Gravel roads : maintenance and design manual

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1998-01-01

The goal of this project was to analyze the collection and management of highway safety data by identifying issues and costs, and proposing means of resolving those issues and reducing the costs. Initial emphasis addressed known elements of the highw...

SU-F-J-190: Time Resolved Range Measurement System Using Scintillator and CCD Camera for the Slow Beam Extraction

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

Saotome, N; Furukawa, T; Mizushima, K

2016-06-15

Purpose: To investigate the time structure of the range, we have verified the rang shift due to the betatron tune shift with several synchrotron parameters. Methods: A cylindrical plastic scintillator block and a CCD camera were installed on the black box. Using image processing, the range was determined the 80 percent of distal dose of the depth light distribution. The root mean square error of the range measurement using the scintillator and CCD system is about 0.2 mm. Range measurement was performed at interval of 170 msec. The chromaticity of the synchrotron was changed in the range of plus ormore » minus 1% from reference chromaticity in this study. All of the particle inside the synchrotron ring were extracted with the output beam intensity 1.8×10{sup 8} and 5.0×10{sub 7} particle per sec. Results: The time strictures of the range were changed by changing of the chromaticity. The reproducibility of the measurement was sufficient to observe the time structures of the range. The range shift was depending on the number of the residual particle inside the synchrotron ring. Conclusion: In slow beam extraction for scanned carbon-ion therapy, the range shift is undesirable because it causes the dose uncertainty in the target. We introduced the time-resolved range measurement using scintillator and CCD system. The scintillator and CCD system have enabled to verify the range shift with sufficient spatial resolution and reproducibility.« less

LAVA Subsystem Integration and Testing for the RESOLVE Payload of the Resource Prospector Mission: Mass Spectrometers and Gas Chromatography

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Coan, Mary R.; Stewart, Elaine M.

2015-01-01

The Regolith and Environment Science & Oxygen and Lunar Volatile Extraction (RESOLVE) payload is part of Resource Prospector (RP) along with a rover and a lander that are expected to launch in 2020. RP will identify volatile elements that may be combined and collected to be used for fuel, air, and water in order to enable deeper space exploration. The Resource Prospector mission is a key part of In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU). The demand for this method of utilizing resources at the site of exploration is increasing due to the cost of resupply missions and deep space exploration goals. The RESOLVE payload includes the Lunar Advanced Volatile Analysis (LAVA) subsystem. The main instrument used to identify the volatiles evolved from the lunar regolith is the Gas Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS). LAVA analyzes the volatiles emitted from the Oxygen and Volatile Extraction Node (OVEN) Subsystem. The objective of OVEN is to obtain, weigh, heat and transfer evolved gases to LAVA through the connection between the two subsystems called the LOVEN line. This paper highlights the work completed during a ten week internship that involved the integration, testing, data analysis, and procedure documentation of two candidate mass spectrometers for the LAVA subsystem in order to aid in determining which model to use for flight. Additionally, the examination of data from the integrated Resource Prospector '15 (RP' 15) field test will be presented in order to characterize the amount of water detected from water doped regolith samples.

Time-Resolved Gravimetric Method To Assess Degassing of Roasted Coffee.

PubMed

Smrke, Samo; Wellinger, Marco; Suzuki, Tomonori; Balsiger, Franz; Opitz, Sebastian E W; Yeretzian, Chahan

2018-05-30

During the roasting of coffee, thermally driven chemical reactions lead to the formation of gases, of which a large fraction is carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). Part of these gases is released during roasting while part is retained inside the porous structure of the roasted beans and is steadily released during storage or more abruptly during grinding and extraction. The release of CO 2 during the various phases from roasting to consumption is linked to many important properties and characteristics of coffee. It is an indicator for freshness, plays an important role in shelf life and in packaging, impacts the extraction process, is involved in crema formation, and may affect the sensory profile in the cup. Indeed, and in view of the multiple roles it plays, CO 2 is a much underappreciated and little examined molecule in coffee. Here, we introduce an accurate, quantitative, and time-resolved method to measure the release kinetics of gases from whole beans and ground coffee using a gravimetric approach. Samples were placed in a container with a fitted capillary to allow gases to escape. The time-resolved release of gases was measured via the weight loss of the container filled with coffee. Long-term stability was achieved using a customized design of a semimicro balance, including periodic and automatic zero value measurements and calibration procedures. The novel gravimetric methodology was applied to a range of coffee samples: (i) whole Arabica beans and (ii) ground Arabica and Robusta, roasted to different roast degrees and at different speeds (roast air temperatures). Modeling the degassing rates allowed structural and mechanistic interpretation of the degassing process.

Modeling the Radiance of the Moon for On-orbit Calibration

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stone, T.C.; Kieffer, H.H.; Becker, K.J.; ,

2003-01-01

The RObotic Lunar Observatory (ROLO) project has developed radiometric models of the Moon for disk-integrated irradiance and spatially resolved radiance. Although the brightness of the Moon varies spatially and with complex dependencies upon illumination and viewing geometry, the surface photometric properties are extremely stable, and therefore potentially knowable to high accuracy. The ROLO project has acquired 5+ years of spatially resolved lunar images in 23 VNIR and 9 SWIR filter bands at phase angles up to 90??. These images are calibrated to exoatmospheric radiance using nightly stellar observations in a band-coupled extinction algorithm and a radiometric scale based upon observations of the star Vega. An effort is currently underway to establish an absolute scale with direct traceability to NIST radiometric standards. The ROLO radiance model performs linear fitting of the spatially resolved lunar image data on an individual pixel basis. The results are radiance images directly comparable to spacecraft observations of the Moon. Model-generated radiance images have been produced for the ASTER lunar view conducted on 14 April 2003. The radiance model is still experimental - simplified photometric functions have been used, and initial results show evidence of computational instabilities, particularly at the lunar poles. The ROLO lunar image dataset is unique and extensive and presents opportunities for development of novel approaches to lunar photometric modeling.

Executing CLIPS expert systems in a distributed environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taylor, James; Myers, Leonard

1990-01-01

This paper describes a framework for running cooperating agents in a distributed environment to support the Intelligent Computer Aided Design System (ICADS), a project in progress at the CAD Research Unit of the Design Institute at the California Polytechnic State University. Currently, the systems aids an architectural designer in creating a floor plan that satisfies some general architectural constraints and project specific requirements. At the core of ICADS is the Blackboard Control System. Connected to the blackboard are any number of domain experts called Intelligent Design Tools (IDT). The Blackboard Control System monitors the evolving design as it is being drawn and helps resolve conflicts from the domain experts. The user serves as a partner in this system by manipulating the floor plan in the CAD system and validating recommendations made by the domain experts. The primary components of the Blackboard Control System are two expert systems executed by a modified CLIPS shell. The first is the Message Handler. The second is the Conflict Resolver. The Conflict Resolver synthesizes the suggestions made by the domain experts, which can be either CLIPS expert systems, or compiled C programs. In DEMO1, the current ICADS prototype, the CLIPS domain expert systems are Acoustics, Lighting, Structural, and Thermal; the compiled C domain experts are the CAD system and the User Interface.

Spatially resolved quantitative mapping of thermomechanical properties and phase transition temperatures using scanning probe microscopy

DOEpatents

Jesse, Stephen; Kalinin, Sergei V; Nikiforov, Maxim P

2013-07-09

An approach for the thermomechanical characterization of phase transitions in polymeric materials (polyethyleneterephthalate) by band excitation acoustic force microscopy is developed. This methodology allows the independent measurement of resonance frequency, Q factor, and oscillation amplitude of a tip-surface contact area as a function of tip temperature, from which the thermal evolution of tip-surface spring constant and mechanical dissipation can be extracted. A heating protocol maintained a constant tip-surface contact area and constant contact force, thereby allowing for reproducible measurements and quantitative extraction of material properties including temperature dependence of indentation-based elastic and loss moduli.

Development of a diffraction imaging flow cytometer

PubMed Central

Jacobs, Kenneth M.; Lu, Jun Q.

2013-01-01

Diffraction images record angle-resolved distribution of scattered light from a particle excited by coherent light and can correlate highly with the 3D morphology of a particle. We present a jet-in-fluid design of flow chamber for acquisition of clear diffraction images in a laminar flow. Diffraction images of polystyrene spheres of different diameters were acquired and found to correlate highly with the calculated ones based on the Mie theory. Fast Fourier transform analysis indicated that the measured images can be used to extract sphere diameter values. These results demonstrate the significant potentials of high-throughput diffraction imaging flow cytometry for extracting 3D morphological features of cells. PMID:19794790

Prompt photon measurements with PHENIX's MPC-EX detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campbell, Sarah; PHENIX Collaboration

2013-08-01

The MPC-EX detector is a Si-W preshower extension to the existing Muon Piston Calorimeter (MPC). The MPC-EX consists of eight layers of alternating W absorber and Si mini-pad sensors. Located at forward rapidity, 3.1 < |η| < 3.8, the MPC and MPC-EX will access low-x partons in the Au nucleus in p+Au collisions and high-x partons in the projectile in polarized p+p collisions. With the addition of the MPC-EX, the neutral pion reconstruction energy range extends to the luminosity limit, energies > 80 GeV, a factor of four improvement over current capabilities. Not only will the MPC-EX strengthen PHENIX's existing forward π0 and jet measurements, it will provide sufficient prompt photon and π0 separation to make a prompt photon measurement possible. Prompt photon yields at high pT, pT > 3 GeV/c, can be statistically extracted using the double ratio method. In transversely polarized p+p collisions, the measurement of the prompt photon single spin asymmetry, AN, will resolve the sign discrepancy between the Sivers and twist-3 extractions of AN. In p+Au collisions, the prompt photon RpAu will quantify the level of gluon saturation in the Au nucleus at low-x, x ~ 10-3, with a projected systematic error band a factor of four smaller than EPS09's current allowable range. The MPC-EX detector will expand our understanding of the gluon nuclear parton distribution functions, providing important information about the initial state of heavy ion collisions, and clarify how the valence parton's transverse momentum and spin correlates to the proton spin.

RAPID COMMUNICATION Time-resolved measurements with a vortex flowmeter in a pulsating turbulent flow using wavelet analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laurantzon, F.; Örlü, R.; Segalini, A.; Alfredsson, P. H.

2010-12-01

Vortex flowmeters are commonly employed in technical applications and are obtainable in a variety of commercially available types. However their robustness and accuracy can easily be impaired by environmental conditions, such as inflow disturbances and/or pulsating conditions. Various post-processing techniques of the vortex signal have been used, but all of these methods are so far targeted on obtaining an improved estimate of the time-averaged bulk velocity. Here, on the other hand, we propose, based on wavelet analysis, a straightforward way to utilize the signal from a vortex shedder to extract the time-resolved and thereby the phase-averaged velocity under pulsatile flow conditions. The method was verified with hot-wire and laser Doppler velocimetry measurements.

Controlling the influence of elastic eigenmodes on nanomagnet dynamics through pattern geometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berk, C.; Yahagi, Y.; Dhuey, S.; Cabrini, S.; Schmidt, H.

2017-03-01

The effect of the nanoscale array geometry on the interaction between optically generated surface acoustic waves (SAWs) and nanomagnet dynamics is investigated using Time-Resolved Magneto-Optical Kerr Effect Microscopy (TR-MOKE). It is demonstrated that altering the nanomagnet geometry from a periodic to a randomized aperiodic pattern effectively removes the magneto-elastic effect of SAWs on the magnetization dynamics. The efficiency of this method depends on the extent of any residual spatial correlations and is quantified by spatial Fourier analysis of the two structures. Randomization allows observation and extraction of intrinsic magnetic parameters such as spin wave frequencies and damping to be resolvable using all-optical methods, enabling the conclusion that the fabrication process does not affect the damping.

Inequivalence of single-particle and population lifetimes in a cuprate superconductor

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

Yang, Shuolong; Sobota, J. A.; Leuenberger, D.

2015-06-15

We study optimally doped Bi-2212 (T c=96 K) using femtosecond time- and angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy. Energy-resolved population lifetimes are extracted and compared with single-particle lifetimes measured by equilibrium photoemission. The population lifetimes deviate from the single-particle lifetimes in the low excitation limit by 1–2 orders of magnitude. Fundamental considerations of electron scattering unveil that these two lifetimes are in general distinct, yet for systems with only electron-phonon scattering they should converge in the low-temperature, low-fluence limit. As a result, the qualitative disparity in our data, even in this limit, suggests that scattering channels beyond electron-phonon interactions play a significant rolemore » in the electron dynamics of cuprate superconductors.« less

Spatial variation in carrier dynamics along a single CdSSe nanowire

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blake, Jolie C.; Eldridge, Peter S.; Gundlach, Lars

2014-10-01

Ultrafast charge carrier dynamics along individual CdSxSe1-x nanowires has been measured. The use of an improved ultrafast Kerr-gated microscope allows for spatially resolved luminescence measurements along a single nanowire. Amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) was observed at high excitation fluences. Position dependent variations of ultrafast ASE dynamics were observed. SEM and colorimetric measurements showed that the difference in dynamics can be attributed to variations in non-radiative recombination rates along the wire. The dominant Shockley-Read recombination rate can be extracted from ASE dynamics and can be directly related to charge carrier mobility and defect density. Employing ASE as a probe for defect densities provides a new sub-micron spatially resolved, contactless method for measurements of charge carrier mobility.

Visualizing dispersive features in 2D image via minimum gradient method

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

He, Yu; Wang, Yan; Shen, Zhi -Xun

Here, we developed a minimum gradient based method to track ridge features in a 2D image plot, which is a typical data representation in many momentum resolved spectroscopy experiments. Through both analytic formulation and numerical simulation, we compare this new method with existing DC (distribution curve) based and higher order derivative based analyses. We find that the new method has good noise resilience and enhanced contrast especially for weak intensity features and meanwhile preserves the quantitative local maxima information from the raw image. An algorithm is proposed to extract 1D ridge dispersion from the 2D image plot, whose quantitative applicationmore » to angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy measurements on high temperature superconductors is demonstrated.« less

Visualizing dispersive features in 2D image via minimum gradient method

DOE PAGES

He, Yu; Wang, Yan; Shen, Zhi -Xun

2017-07-24

Here, we developed a minimum gradient based method to track ridge features in a 2D image plot, which is a typical data representation in many momentum resolved spectroscopy experiments. Through both analytic formulation and numerical simulation, we compare this new method with existing DC (distribution curve) based and higher order derivative based analyses. We find that the new method has good noise resilience and enhanced contrast especially for weak intensity features and meanwhile preserves the quantitative local maxima information from the raw image. An algorithm is proposed to extract 1D ridge dispersion from the 2D image plot, whose quantitative applicationmore » to angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy measurements on high temperature superconductors is demonstrated.« less

Analyzing genetic diversity in conifers...isozyme resolution by starch gel electrophoresis

Treesearch

M. Thompson Conkle

1972-01-01

Enzymes in forest tree materials can be resolved by starch gel electrophoresis. A gel slab is prepared in a mold assembled from glass and plastic. Wicks containing an aqueous extract of macerated plant material are inserted in the gel and processed. The gel is sliced, stained, examined, and photographed. Isozyme bands produced by differential migration of enzymes...

[Fiber optic bronchoscopy in extraction of tracheo-bronchial foreign bodies in adults].

PubMed

Donado Uña, J R; de Miguel Poch, E; Casado López, M E; Alfaro Abreu, J J

1998-02-01

The aim of this study was to determine the clinical, radiologic and endoscopic characteristics of adults with tracheobronchial foreign bodies (FB), and to review the role of fiberoptic bronchoscopy in extracting them. We reviewed the case histories and bronchoscopic reports for all patients over 14 years of age with FB treated between 1976 and 1995. Fifty-nine FB were removed from 56 patients; 68% were male and 48% were over 60 years of age. The most common clinical presentations were symptoms of respiratory infection and acute choking. In only in 28% could a risk factor for aspiration be identified. The X-ray was non specific and in 37% of cases the chest film was normal. In 66% FB aspiration was an unexpected endoscopic finding. The FB was removed from the right lung in 81.3%. FB were food items in 71% of cases. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy was useful for removal in 95% of cases, with few and unimportant complications. Two cases were resolved with rigid bronchoscopy and only one patient required surgery. FB aspiration is common and diagnosis is difficult in the adult. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy resolved most aspirations in adults with no important complications. The rigid bronchoscope should be reserved for very specific cases.

Time-Resolved Laser Fluorescence Spectroscopy Study of the Coordination Chemistry of a Hydrophilic CHON [1,2,3-Triazol-4-yl]pyridine Ligand with Cm(III) and Eu(III).

PubMed

Wagner, Christoph; Mossini, Eros; Macerata, Elena; Mariani, Mario; Arduini, Arturo; Casnati, Alessandro; Geist, Andreas; Panak, Petra J

2017-02-20

The complexation of Cm(III) and Eu(III) with the novel i-SANEX complexing agent 2,6-bis[1-(propan-1-ol)-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl]pyridine (PTD) was studied by time-resolved laser fluorescence spectroscopy (TRLFS). The formation of 1:3, 1:2, and 1:1 metal/ligand complexes was identified upon increasing PTD concentration in 10 -3 mol/L HClO 4 and in 0.44 mol/L HNO 3 solutions. For all these complexes, stability constants were determined at different acid concentrations. Though under the extraction conditions proposed for an An/Ln separation process, that is, for 0.08 mol/L PTD in 0.44 mol/L HNO 3 , 1:3 complexes represent the major species, a significant fraction of 1:2 complexes was found. This is caused by ligand protonation, and results in lower Eu(III)/Am(III) separation factors compared to SO 3 -Ph-BTP, until now considered the i-SANEX reference ligand. Focused extraction studies performed at lower proton concentration, where the 1:3 complex is formed exclusively, confirm this assumption.

Simultaneous quantification of nicotine, opioids, cocaine, and metabolites in human fetal postmortem brain by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry

PubMed Central

Shakleya, Diaa M.

2011-01-01

A validated method for simultaneous LCMSMS quantification of nicotine, cocaine, 6-acetylmorphine (6AM), codeine, and metabolites in 100 mg fetal human brain was developed and validated. After homogenization and solid-phase extraction, analytes were resolved on a Hydro-RP analytical column with gradient elution. Empirically determined linearity was from 5–5,000 pg/mg for cocaine and benzoylecgonine (BE), 25–5,000 pg/mg for cotinine, ecgonine methyl ester (EME) and 6AM, 50–5000 pg/mg for trans-3-hydroxycotinine (OH-cotinine) and codeine, and 250–5,000 pg/mg for nicotine. Potential endogenous and exogenous interferences were resolved. Intra- and inter-assay analytical recoveries were ≥92%, intra- and inter-day and total assay imprecision were ≤14% RSD and extraction efficiencies were ≥67.2% with ≤83% matrix effect. Method applicability was demonstrated with a postmortem fetal brain containing 40 pg/mg cotinine, 65 pg/mg OH-cotinine, 13 pg/mg cocaine, 34 pg/mg EME, and 525 pg/mg BE. This validated method is useful for determination of nicotine, opioid, and cocaine biomarkers in brain. PMID:19229524

Angular distributions for the inelastic scattering of NO(X2Π ) with O2(X3Σg-)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brouard, M.; Gordon, S. D. S.; Nichols, B.; Squires, E.; Walpole, V.; Aoiz, F. J.; Stolte, S.

2017-05-01

The inelastic scattering of NO(X2Π ) by O2(X3Σg-) was studied at a mean collision energy of 550 cm-1 using velocity-map ion imaging. The initial quantum state of the NO(X2Π , v = 0, j = 0.5, Ω =0.5 , 𝜖 = -1 , f) molecule was selected using a hexapole electric field, and specific Λ-doublet levels of scattered NO were probed using (1 +1' ) resonantly enhanced multiphoton ionization. A modified "onion-peeling" algorithm was employed to extract angular scattering information from the series of "pancaked," nested Newton spheres arising as a consequence of the rotational excitation of the molecular oxygen collision partner. The extracted differential cross sections for NO(X) f →f and f →e Λ-doublet resolved, spin-orbit conserving transitions, partially resolved in the oxygen co-product rotational quantum state, are reported, along with O2 fragment pair-correlated rotational state population. The inelastic scattering of NO with O2 is shown to share many similarities with the scattering of NO(X) with the rare gases. However, subtle differences in the angular distributions between the two collision partners are observed.

Near-Unity Internal Quantum Efficiency of Luminescent Silicon Nanocrystals with Ligand Passivation.

PubMed

Sangghaleh, Fatemeh; Sychugov, Ilya; Yang, Zhenyu; Veinot, Jonathan G C; Linnros, Jan

2015-07-28

Spectrally resolved photoluminescence (PL) decays were measured for samples of colloidal, ligand-passivated silicon nanocrystals. These samples have PL emission energies with peak positions in the range ∼1.4-1.8 eV and quantum yields of ∼30-70%. Their ensemble PL decays are characterized by a stretched-exponential decay with a dispersion factor of ∼0.8, which changes to an almost monoexponential character at fixed detection energies. The dispersion factors and decay rates for various detection energies were extracted from spectrally resolved curves using a mathematical approach that excluded the effect of homogeneous line width broadening. Since nonradiative recombination would introduce a random lifetime variation, leading to a stretched-exponential decay for an ensemble, we conclude that the observed monoexponential decay in size-selected ensembles signifies negligible nonradiative transitions of a similar strength to the radiative one. This conjecture is further supported as extracted decay rates agree with radiative rates reported in the literature, suggesting 100% internal quantum efficiency over a broad range of emission wavelengths. The apparent differences in the quantum yields can then be explained by a varying fraction of "dark" or blinking nanocrystals.

Multi-sensor image registration based on algebraic projective invariants.

PubMed

Li, Bin; Wang, Wei; Ye, Hao

2013-04-22

A new automatic feature-based registration algorithm is presented for multi-sensor images with projective deformation. Contours are firstly extracted from both reference and sensed images as basic features in the proposed method. Since it is difficult to design a projective-invariant descriptor from the contour information directly, a new feature named Five Sequential Corners (FSC) is constructed based on the corners detected from the extracted contours. By introducing algebraic projective invariants, we design a descriptor for each FSC that is ensured to be robust against projective deformation. Further, no gray scale related information is required in calculating the descriptor, thus it is also robust against the gray scale discrepancy between the multi-sensor image pairs. Experimental results utilizing real image pairs are presented to show the merits of the proposed registration method.

CITGO Petroleum Corporation and PDV Midwest Refining, LLC Settlement

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

CITGO Petroleum Corporation and PDV Midwest Refining, LLC (collectively, CITGO) have agreed to pay a $1,955,000 civil penalty, perform environmental projects totaling more than $2 million, and spend an estimated $42 million in injunctive relief to resolve.

Sensing the baby boomers : tracking older adults' travel behavior using android-based smartphones.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-03-01

This project intends to demonstrate the possibilities for using smartphones to obtain highly : resolved behavioral information for older adults, especially leading edge baby boomers. : Towards this end, we are implementing a pilot study which will he...

Surgical Tooth Implants, Combat and Field.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-11-15

project in the development of dental implantology must not be overlooked. The early stages of this project clearly defined that rigid fixation of an...a long-term implant study of a serrated ceramic dental implant designed for fresh extraction sites. The baboon study was successfully completed last...materials. A series of graded dental implants have been produce’ to provide an interference fit in any fresh extraction site. The long-term implant

Spectro-Interferometry Studies of Velocity-Related Phenomena at the Surface of Stars: Pulsation and Rotation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mérand, Antoine; Patru, Fabien; Aufdenberg, Jason

We illustrate here two applications of spectro-interferometry to the study of velocity fields at the surface of stars: pulsation and rotation. Stellar pulsation has been resolved spectroscopically for a long time, and interferometry has resolved stellar diameters variations due to pulsation. Combining the two provides unique insights to the study of Cepheids, in particular regarding the structure of the photosphere or investigating the infamous projection factor which biases distances measured by the Baade-Wesselink method. On the other hand, resolving the surface velocity field of rotating stars offers a unique opportunity to potentially study differential rotation in other cases than for the Sun. We also present the model we have implemented recently, as well as two applications to VLTI/AMBER Data: the pulsation of Cepheids and the rotation of intermediate mass main sequence stars.

RESOLVE: Bridge between early lunar ISRU and science objectives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, G.; Sanders, G.; Larson, W.; Johnson, K.

2007-08-01

THE NEED FOR RESOURCES: When mankind returns to the moon, there will be an aspect of the architecture that will totally change how we explore the solar system. We will take the first steps towards breaking our reliance on Earth supplied consumables by extracting resources from planetary bodies. Our first efforts in this area, known as In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU), will be to extract the abundant oxygen found in the lunar regolith. But the "holy grail" of lunar ISRU will be finding an exploitable source of lunar hydrogen. If we can find a source of extractable hydrogen, it would provide a foundation for true independence from Earth. With in-situ hydrogen (or water) and oxygen we can produce many of the major consumables needed to operate a lunar outpost. We would have water to drink, oxygen to breath, as well as rocket propellants and fuel cell reagents to enable extended access and operations on the moon. These items make up a huge percentage of the mass launched from the Earth. Producing them in-situ would significantly reduce the cost of operating a lunar outpost while increasing payload availability for science. PROSPECTING: The Lunar Prospector found evidence of elevated hydrogen at the lunar poles, and measurements made at these locations from the Clementine mission bistatic radar have been interpreted as correlating to water/ice concentrations. At the South Pole, there is reasonably strong correlation between the elevated areas of hydrogen and permanently shadowed craters. However, there is considerable debate on the form and concentration of this hydrogen since the orbiting satellites had limited resolution and their data can be interpreted in different ways. The varying interpretations are based on differing opinions and theories of lunar environment, evolution, and cometary bombardment within the lunar Science community. The only way to truly answer this question from both a Science and resource availability perspective is to go to the lunar poles and make direct measurements. With this in mind, NASA initiated development of a payload named RESOLVE (Regolith & Environment Science and Oxygen & Lunar Volatile Extraction) that could be flown to the lunar poles and answer the questions surrounding the hydrogen: what's its form? how much is there? how deep or distributed is it? To do this, RESOLVE will use a drill to take a 1-2 meter core sample, crush and heat sample segments of the core in an oven and monitor the amount and type of volatile gases that evolve with a gas chromatograph (GC). RESOLVE will also selectively capture both hydrogen gas and water as a secondary method of quantification. A specialized camera that is coupled with a Raman spectrometer will allow core samples to be microscopically examined while also determining its mineral composition and possible water content before heating. Because RESOLVE is aimed at demonstrating capabilities and techniques that might be later used for ISRU, a multi-use oven is utilized with the ability to produce oxygen using the hydrogen reduction method. SCIENCE BENEFITS: In the process of answering the hydrogen question, the RESOLVE instrument suite will provide data that can address a number of other scientific questions and debate issues, especially the sources of volatiles and reactions that might take place in cold traps. It should be noted that the original instrument suite for RESOLVE was selected to accomplish the largest number of ISRU and science objectives as possible within the limited funding available. Complementary instruments are noted when additional science objectives can be accomplished. Incorporation of these new instruments into RESOLVE and potential partnerships is an area of near-term interest. Sources of Volatiles: The main proposed sources are episodic comet impacts, moreor- less continuous micrometeorite (both comet and asteroidal) impacts, solar wind bombardment, occasional volcanic emissions from the interior, and episodic delivery of interstellar volatiles from cold molecular clouds. These sources leave distinctive signatures, many detectable by RESOLVE. Comet impacts are likely to produce coherent layers of ice (probably reduced to pebbles and boulders by subsequent small impacts, and buried); these would be detected by imaging and Raman spectroscopy, the high water (H2O) signal measured by the GC, and possibly by changes in the drilling rate or torque. More continuous delivery mechanism theories would not produce layers or boulders of ice, but might bond regolith grains together. Continuous sources might be distinguished by H/H2O ratios and the abundances of other volatiles. Hydrogen isotopic composition would provide additional important information because these sources have distinctive D/H ratios, so one enhancement to RESOLVE would be an incorporation of a mass spectrometer with the existing GC. Reactions in the Polar Regolith: Billions of years of micrometeorite bombardment, irradiation by cosmic rays and interstellar Lyman-alpha ultraviolet, and the presence of carbon-, hydrogen-, oxygen-, and nitrogen-bearing volatiles might have led to the production of organic compounds, a process that has been demonstrated experimentally. Heating by micrometeorite impacts might drive reactions involving water to produce phyllosilicates (clay minerals). If abundant enough, these reaction products could be observable by Raman spectroscopy and GC analysis. Thus, the polar cold traps are natural laboratories for the study of processes operating in interstellar space, and the RESOLVE suite of instruments can shed light on those processes.

Validated reversed phase LC method for quantitative analysis of polymethoxyflavones in citrus peel extracts.

PubMed

Wang, Zhenyu; Li, Shiming; Ferguson, Stephen; Goodnow, Robert; Ho, Chi-Tang

2008-01-01

Polymethoxyflavones (PMFs), which exist exclusively in the citrus genus, have biological activities including anti-inflammatory, anticarcinogenic, and antiatherogenic properties. A validated RPLC method was developed for quantitative analysis of six major PMFs, namely nobiletin, tangeretin, sinensetin, 5,6,7,4'-tetramethoxyflavone, 3,5,6,7,3',4'-hexamethoxyflavone, and 3,5,6,7,8,3',4'-heptamethoxyflavone. The polar embedded LC stationary phase was able to fully resolve the six analogues. The developed method was fully validated in terms of linearity, accuracy, precision, sensitivity, and system suitability. The LOD of the method was calculated as 0.15 microg/mL and the recovery rate was between 97.0 and 105.1%. This analytical method was successfully applied to quantify the individual PMFs in four commercially available citrus peel extracts (CPEs). Each extract shows significant difference in the PMF composition and concentration. This method may provide a simple, rapid, and reliable tool to help reveal the correlation between the bioactivity of the PMF extracts and the individual PMF content.

An update on X-ray reflection gratings developed for future missions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miles, Drew

2018-01-01

X-ray reflection gratings are a key technology being studied for future X-ray spectroscopy missions, including the Lynx X-ray mission under consideration for the 2020 Decadal Survey. We present an update on the status of X-ray reflection gratings being developed at Penn State University, including current fabrication techniques and mass-replication processes and the latest diffraction efficiency results and resolving power measurements. Individual off-plane X-ray reflection gratings have exceeded the current Lynx requirements for both effective area and resolving power. Finally, we discuss internal projects that will advance the technology readiness level of these gratings.

Training survey -- educational profile for Hanford HANDI 2000 project

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

Wilson, D.

Fluor Daniel Hanford, Inc. (FDH) is currently adopting streamlined business processes through integrated software solutions. Replacing the legacy software (current/replacement systems, attached) also avoids significant maintenance required to resolve Year 2000 issues. This initiative is being referred to as `HANDI 2000`. The software being implemented in the first phase of this project includes Indus International`s PASSPORT Software, Peoplesoft and Primavera P3 Software. The project, which encompasses all the system replacements that will occur, has been named `HANDI 2000.` The PASSPORT applications being implemented are Inventory Management, Purchasing, Contract Management, Accounts Payable, and MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets).

The BIOSAFEPAPER project for in vitro toxicity assessments: preparation, detailed chemical characterisation and testing of extracts from paper and board samples.

PubMed

Bradley, E L; Honkalampi-Hämäläinen, U; Weber, A; Andersson, M A; Bertaud, F; Castle, L; Dahlman, O; Hakulinen, P; Hoornstra, D; Lhuguenot, J-C; Mäki-Paakkanen, J; Salkinoja-Salonen, M; Speck, D R; Severin, I; Stammati, A; Turco, L; Zucco, F; von Wright, A

2008-07-01

Nineteen food contact papers and boards and one non-food contact board were extracted following test protocols developed within European Union funded project BIOSAFEPAPER. The extraction media were either hot or cold water, 95% ethanol or Tenax, according to the end use of the sample. The extractable dry matter content of the samples varied from 1200 to 11,800 mg/kg (0.8-35.5 mg/dm2). According to GC-MS the main substances extracted into water were pulp-derived natural products such as fatty acids, resin acids, natural wood sterols and alkanols. Substances extracted into ethanol particularly, were diisopropylnaphthalenes, alkanes and phthalic acid esters. The non-food contact board showed the greatest number and highest concentrations of GC-MS detectable compounds. The extracts were subjected to a battery of in vitro toxicity tests measuring both acute and sublethal cytotoxicity and genotoxic effects. None of the water or Tenax extracts was positive in cytotoxicity or genotoxicity assays. The ethanol extract of the non-food contact board gave a positive response in the genotoxicity assays, and all four ethanol extracts gave positive response(s) in the cytotoxicity assays to some extent. These responses could not be pinpointed to any specific compound, although there appeared a correlation between the total amount of extractables and toxicity.

Use of Time-Resolved Fluorescence to Monitor Bioactive Compounds in Plant Based Foodstuffs

PubMed Central

Lemos, M. Adília; Sárniková, Katarína; Bot, Francesca; Anese, Monica; Hungerford, Graham

2015-01-01

The study of compounds that exhibit antioxidant activity has recently received much interest in the food industry because of their potential health benefits. Most of these compounds are plant based, such as polyphenolics and carotenoids, and there is a need to monitor them from the field through processing and into the body. Ideally, a monitoring technique should be non-invasive with the potential for remote capabilities. The application of the phenomenon of fluorescence has proved to be well suited, as many plant associated compounds exhibit fluorescence. The photophysical behaviour of fluorescent molecules is also highly dependent on their microenvironment, making them suitable probes to monitor changes in pH, viscosity and polarity, for example. Time-resolved fluorescence techniques have recently come to the fore, as they offer the ability to obtain more information, coupled with the fact that the fluorescence lifetime is an absolute measure, while steady state just provides relative and average information. In this work, we will present illustrative time-resolved measurements, rather than a comprehensive review, to show the potential of time-resolved fluorescence applied to the study of bioactive substances. The aim is to help assess if any changes occur in their form, going from extraction via storage and cooking to the interaction with serum albumin, a principal blood transport protein. PMID:26132136

Highway safety data : costs, quality, and strategies for improvement, final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1998-01-01

The goal of this project was to analyze the collection and management of highway safety data by identifying issues and costs, and proposing means of resolving those issues and reducing the costs. Initial emphasis addressed known elements of the highw...

Highway Safety Data : costs, quality, and strategies for improvement : research report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1998-01-01

The goal of this project was to analyze the collection and management of highway safety data by identifying issues and costs, and proposing means of resolving those issues and reducing the costs. Initial emphasis addressed known elements of the highw...

Environmental Work: An Indigenous Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LaDuke, Winona

1991-01-01

Discusses the critical importance of values in the conflicts over energy development projects on Native lands. Points out the differences between societies based on consumption versus those based on renewable development and reciprocity, and the difficulties in resolving intercultural conflicts based on value differences. (SV)

45 CFR 95.610 - Submission of advance planning documents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... and implementation; (v) A commitment to conduct/prepare the problem(s) needs assessment, feasibility... statement of the problem/need that the existing capabilities can not resolve, new or changed program..., planning activities/deliverables, State and contractor resource needs, planning project procurement...

45 CFR 95.610 - Submission of advance planning documents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... and implementation; (v) A commitment to conduct/prepare the problem(s) needs assessment, feasibility... statement of the problem/need that the existing capabilities can not resolve, new or changed program..., planning activities/deliverables, State and contractor resource needs, planning project procurement...

45 CFR 95.610 - Submission of advance planning documents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... and implementation; (v) A commitment to conduct/prepare the problem(s) needs assessment, feasibility... statement of the problem/need that the existing capabilities can not resolve, new or changed program..., planning activities/deliverables, State and contractor resource needs, planning project procurement...

Optical efficiency of solar concentrators by a reverse optical path method.

PubMed

Parretta, A; Antonini, A; Milan, E; Stefancich, M; Martinelli, G; Armani, M

2008-09-15

A method for the optical characterization of a solar concentrator, based on the reverse illumination by a Lambertian source and measurement of intensity of light projected on a far screen, has been developed. It is shown that the projected light intensity is simply correlated to the angle-resolved efficiency of a concentrator, conventionally obtained by a direct illumination procedure. The method has been applied by simulating simple reflective nonimaging and Fresnel lens concentrators.

Heber Binary Project. Binary Cycle Geothermal Demonstration Power Plant (RP1900-1)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lacy, R. G.; Nelson, T. T.

1982-12-01

The Heber Binary Project (1) demonstrates the potential of moderate temperature (below 410 F) geothermal energy to produce economic electric power with binary cycle conversion technology; (2) allows the scaling up and evaluation of the performance of binary cycle technology in geothermal service; (3) establishes schedule, cost and equipment performance, reservoir performance, and the environmental acceptability of such plants; and (4) resolves uncertainties associated with the reservoir performance, plant operation, and economics.

Climate downscaling effects on predictive ecological models: a case study for threatened and endangered vertebrates in the southeastern United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bucklin, David N.; Watling, James I.; Speroterra, Carolina; Brandt, Laura A.; Mazzotti, Frank J.; Romañach, Stephanie S.

2013-01-01

High-resolution (downscaled) projections of future climate conditions are critical inputs to a wide variety of ecological and socioeconomic models and are created using numerous different approaches. Here, we conduct a sensitivity analysis of spatial predictions from climate envelope models for threatened and endangered vertebrates in the southeastern United States to determine whether two different downscaling approaches (with and without the use of a regional climate model) affect climate envelope model predictions when all other sources of variation are held constant. We found that prediction maps differed spatially between downscaling approaches and that the variation attributable to downscaling technique was comparable to variation between maps generated using different general circulation models (GCMs). Precipitation variables tended to show greater discrepancies between downscaling techniques than temperature variables, and for one GCM, there was evidence that more poorly resolved precipitation variables contributed relatively more to model uncertainty than more well-resolved variables. Our work suggests that ecological modelers requiring high-resolution climate projections should carefully consider the type of downscaling applied to the climate projections prior to their use in predictive ecological modeling. The uncertainty associated with alternative downscaling methods may rival that of other, more widely appreciated sources of variation, such as the general circulation model or emissions scenario with which future climate projections are created.

Skills Conversion Project: Chapter 18, Mineral Extraction. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Society of Professional Engineers, Washington, DC.

As part of a federal study conducted for the U.S. Department of Labor, the employment potential for displaced aerospace and defense professionals in the area of mineral extraction was examined. Mining and metallurgical engineering, the classical technical disciplines employed in the mineral extraction industry, are supplied from schools…

STUDIES ON MAMMALIAN AND HUMAN PYRUVATE AND ALPHA-KETOGLUTARATE DEHYDROGENATION COMPLEXES.

DTIC Science & Technology

The pig heart pyruvate and alpha - ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complex were isolated in highly purified state as multienzyme units with molecular...weights of approximately 9 million and 2.8 million, respectively. The aims were to resolve the pig heart pyruvate and alpha - ketoglutarate dehydrogenase...complexes was isolated from three sources; (1) pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, (2) alpha - ketoglutarate dehydrogenase, and (3) amber-color extract free

exocartographer: Constraining surface maps orbital parameters of exoplanets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farr, Ben; Farr, Will M.; Cowan, Nicolas B.; Haggard, Hal M.; Robinson, Tyler

2018-05-01

exocartographer solves the exo-cartography inverse problem. This flexible forward-modeling framework, written in Python, retrieves the albedo map and spin geometry of a planet based on time-resolved photometry; it uses a Markov chain Monte Carlo method to extract albedo maps and planet spin and their uncertainties. Gaussian Processes use the data to fit for the characteristic length scale of the map and enforce smooth maps.

Science with Synthetic Stellar Surveys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanderson, Robyn Ellyn

2018-04-01

A new generation of observational projects is poised to revolutionize our understanding of the resolved stellar populations of Milky-Way-like galaxies at an unprecedented level of detail, ushering in an era of precision studies of galaxy formation. In the Milky Way itself, astrometric, spectroscopic and photometric surveys will measure three-dimensional positions and velocities and numerous chemical abundances for stars from the disk to the halo, as well as for many satellite dwarf galaxies. In the Local Group and beyond, HST, JWST and eventually WFIRST will deliver pristine views of resolved stars. The groundbreaking scale and dimensionality of this new view of resolved stellar populations in galaxies challenge us to develop new theoretical tools to robustly compare these surveys to simulated galaxies, in order to take full advantage of our new ability to make detailed predictions for stellar populations within a cosmological context. I will describe a framework for generating realistic synthetic star catalogs and mock surveys from state-of-the-art cosmological-hydrodynamical simulations, and present several early scientific results from, and predictions for, resolved stellar surveys of our Galaxy and its neighbors.

Observing Migration and Burial of Unexploded Ordnance in the Nearshore Environment with Instrumented Surrogates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bruder, B. L.; Cristaudo, D.; Puleo, J. A.

2016-12-01

Prior to 1972, it was legal and common practice to unload unexploded ordnance (UXO) into the ocean. Only 60-100 miles off the US coast alone there are 72 dumping sites where it is estimated 31 million pounds of UXO lie. As recently as 2015, UXO have been found not only in the nearshore environment, but on populated beaches. Thus, understanding the migration and burial of these objects is not only of oceanographic interest, but a matter of public safety. The presented project evaluates the efficacy of instrumented UXO surrogates for observing munition migration and burial. Instrumented surrogates were exposed to near prototype scale wave conditions over a mobile bed at the Littoral Warfare Environment at Aberdeen Test Center, MD. Surrogates were deployed in the swash zone, inner and outer surf zones. Dependent on munition size, surrogates housed multiple suites of self-logging sensors. Sensor suites included different combinations of inertial motion units, ultra-wideband tracking tags, pressure transducers, shock recorders, and photocells. Preliminary results show sensor suites can resolve various types of surrogate movement. Pressure transducers accurately record ambient wave conditions as well as changes in mean depth due to surrogate migration. Inertial motion units resolve munition accelerations for rolling and translational motion. Inertial motion unit data is used to estimate trajectory as well when coupled with mean depth and bathymetric data. Photocells, which measure ambient light, resolve munition burial as well as serve as proxies for surrounding environmental conditions such as suspended sediment and water depth. The presented project will continue to utilize and couple surrogate sensor data to resolve munition movement and burial under different conditions. Knowledge of munition migration helps focus UXO detection and recovery, conserving US military and coastal resources.

Efficient super-resolution image reconstruction applied to surveillance video captured by small unmanned aircraft systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Qiang; Schultz, Richard R.; Chu, Chee-Hung Henry

2008-04-01

The concept surrounding super-resolution image reconstruction is to recover a highly-resolved image from a series of low-resolution images via between-frame subpixel image registration. In this paper, we propose a novel and efficient super-resolution algorithm, and then apply it to the reconstruction of real video data captured by a small Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS). Small UAS aircraft generally have a wingspan of less than four meters, so that these vehicles and their payloads can be buffeted by even light winds, resulting in potentially unstable video. This algorithm is based on a coarse-to-fine strategy, in which a coarsely super-resolved image sequence is first built from the original video data by image registration and bi-cubic interpolation between a fixed reference frame and every additional frame. It is well known that the median filter is robust to outliers. If we calculate pixel-wise medians in the coarsely super-resolved image sequence, we can restore a refined super-resolved image. The primary advantage is that this is a noniterative algorithm, unlike traditional approaches based on highly-computational iterative algorithms. Experimental results show that our coarse-to-fine super-resolution algorithm is not only robust, but also very efficient. In comparison with five well-known super-resolution algorithms, namely the robust super-resolution algorithm, bi-cubic interpolation, projection onto convex sets (POCS), the Papoulis-Gerchberg algorithm, and the iterated back projection algorithm, our proposed algorithm gives both strong efficiency and robustness, as well as good visual performance. This is particularly useful for the application of super-resolution to UAS surveillance video, where real-time processing is highly desired.

Green Remediation Best Management Practices: Soil Vapor Extraction & Air Sparging

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Historically, approximately one-quarter of Superfund source control projects have involved soil vapor extraction (SVE) to remove volatile organic compounds (VOCs) sorbed to soil in the unsaturated (vadose) zone.

Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Combined Sensible/Latent Thermal Energy Storage for High-Temperature Applications.

PubMed

Geissbühler, Lukas; Zavattoni, Simone; Barbato, Maurizio; Zanganeh, Giw; Haselbacher, Andreas; Steinfeld, Aldo

2015-01-01

Combined sensible/latent heat storage allows the heat-transfer fluid outflow temperature during discharging to be stabilized. A lab-scale combined storage consisting of a packed bed of rocks and steel-encapsulated AlSi(12) was investigated experimentally and numerically. Due to the small tank-to-particle diameter ratio of the lab-scale storage, void-fraction variations were not negligible, leading to channeling effects that cannot be resolved in 1D heat-transfer models. The void-fraction variations and channeling effects can be resolved in 2D models of the flow and heat transfer in the storage. The resulting so-called bypass fraction extracted from the 2D model was used in the 1D model and led to good agreement with experimental measurements.

Determination of the spin orbit coupling and crystal field splitting in wurtzite InP by polarization resolved photoluminescence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chauvin, Nicolas; Mavel, Amaury; Jaffal, Ali; Patriarche, Gilles; Gendry, Michel

2018-02-01

Excitation photoluminescence spectroscopy is usually used to extract the crystal field splitting (ΔCR) and spin orbit coupling (ΔSO) parameters of wurtzite (Wz) InP nanowires (NWs). However, the equations expressing the valence band splitting are symmetric with respect to these two parameters, and a choice ΔCR > ΔSO or ΔCR < ΔSO has to be taken into account in order to assign the numerical values. To solve this issue, polarization resolved micro-photoluminescence was performed on vertically aligned and untapered Wz InP NWs grown on silicon. The experimental results combined with a theoretical model and finite difference time domain calculations allow us to conclude that ΔCR > ΔSO in Wz InP.

Connecticut Biodiesel Power Generation Project

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

Grannis, Lee; York, Carla R.

Sabre will continue support of the emissions equipment and VARS issues to ensure all are resolved and the system is functioning as expected. The remote data collection to become more automated. Final project reports for data collection and system performance to be generated. Sabre continued to support the emissions equipment and VARS issues to ensure all are resolved and the system is functioning as expected. The remote data collection became more automated. Final project reports for data collection and system performance were generated and are part of this final report. Some Systems Sensors were replaced due to a lightning strike.more » Sample data charts are shown at the end of the report. During the project, Sabre Engineering provided support to the project team with regarding to troubleshooting technical issues and system integration with the local power utility company. The resulting lessons learned through Sabre’s participation in the project have been valuable to the integrity of the data collected as well as in providing BioPur Light & Power valuable insights into future operations and planning for possible expansion. The system monitoring and data collection system has been operating as designed and continues to provide relevant information to the system operators. The information routinely gathered automatically by the system also contributes to the REN and REC validations which are required to secure credit for these items. During the quarter, the remaining work on the operations and safety manual were completed and released for publication after screen shots were verified. The goal of this effort to provide an accurate set of precautions and procedures for the technology system that can be replicated to other similar system.« less

Keeping Up: Change, Currency and Accuracy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hull, Darrell; Young, Marion

1999-01-01

Describes the curriculum-morphing process used by the Center for Occupational Research and Development (CORD) to develop curriculum materials in laser electro-optics technology (LEOT). Discusses this innovative developmental project as one in which faculty and curriculum developers work together to resolve the problem of static curriculum…

TIME-RESOLVED STUDIES OF THE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN PULSED LASERS AND AEROSOLS. (R826767)

EPA Science Inventory

The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Concl...

NLN: Celebrating Associate Degree Nursing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoddick, Nancy A.

1981-01-01

Introduces a project celebrating the thirtieth anniversary of associate degree nursing (ADN) education. Reviews the efforts and plans of two national associations to identify and resolve recurring ADN issues and recognize the associate degree nurse's contributions. Describes the forums and publications planned to meet these objectives. Includes…

EPA Settlement with UConn Resolves Improper PCB Disposal Activity

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The University of Connecticut has taken steps to ensure its PCB waste is properly disposed of in the future to settle claims by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that it improperly disposed of PCBs during a 2013 renovation project at its Storr

ARPES study of the epitaxially grown topological crystalline insulator SnTe(111)

DOE PAGES

Zhang, Yi; Liu, Zhongkai; Zhou, Bo; ...

2016-10-18

We present that SnTe is a prototypical topological crystalline insulator, in which the gapless surface state is protected by a crystal symmetry. The hallmark of the topological properties in SnTe is the Dirac cones projected to the surfaces with mirror symmetry, stemming from the band inversion near the L points of its bulk Brillouin zone, which can be measured by angle-resolved photoemission. We have obtained the (111) surface of SnTe film by molecular beam epitaxy on BaF 2(111) substrate. Photon-energy-dependence of in situ angle-resolved photoemission, covering multiple Brillouin zones in the direction perpendicular to the (111) surface, demonstrate the projected Dirac cones at themore » $$\\overline{Γ}$$ and $$\\overline{M}$$ points of the surface Brillouin zone. Additionally, we observe a Dirac-cone-like band structure at the Γ point of the bulk Brillouin zone, whose Dirac energy is largely different from those at the $$\\overline{Γ}$$ and $$\\overline{M}$$ points.« less

Super-Resolving Toraldo Pupils for Radio Astronomical Applications: Current Status and Future Prospects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olmi, Luca

2017-11-01

More than half a century ago, in 1952, Giuliano Toraldo di Francia suggested that the resolving power of an optical instrument could be improved using a filter consisting of finite-width concentric coronae of different amplitude and phase transmittance, now known as Toraldo Pupils (TPs). The concept of 'super- resolution' was born, and in the cur- rent literature it is generally associated with various meth- ods for improving the angular resolution of an optical imag- ing system beyond the classical diffraction limit. In the mi- crowave range, the first successful laboratory test of TPs was performed in 2003. These first results suggested that TPs could represent a viable approach to achieve super- resolution in Radio Astronomy. We have therefore started a project devoted to an exhaustive study of TPs and how they could be implemented on a radio telescope. In this work we present a summary of the status of this project, and then we will describe our future plans.

Nanosecond step-scan FT-infrared absorption spectroscopy in photochemistry and catalysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frei, H.

1998-06-01

Time-resolved step-scan FT-IR absorption spectroscopy has been expanded to a resolution of 20 nanosecond. Following a description of the experimental set-up, applications in four research areas are presented. In the first project, we discuss a reversible isomerization, namely the bacteriorhodopsin photocycle. Main results are the discovery of 2 processes with distinct kinetics on the nanosecond time scale not detected by previous spectroscopic techniques, and observation of an instantaneous response of the protein environment to chromophore dynamics within the nanosecond laser pulse duration. In a second project, alkane C-H bond activation by a transition metal complex in room temperature solution is investigated and the first measurement of the formation of a C-H insertion product reported (alkyl hydride). Then, a nanosecond study of a pericyclic reaction, the ring-opening of cyclohexadiene, is discussed. The fourth example describes the first observation of a transient molecule in a zeolite matrix, a triplet excited quinone, by time-resolved infrared spectroscopy.

Tephritid Integrative Taxonomy: Where We Are Now, with a Focus on the Resolution of Three Tropical Fruit Fly Species Complexes.

PubMed

Schutze, Mark K; Virgilio, Massimiliano; Norrbom, Allen; Clarke, Anthony R

2017-01-31

Accurate species delimitation underpins good taxonomy. Formalization of integrative taxonomy in the past decade has provided a framework for using multidisciplinary data to make species delimitation hypotheses more rigorous. We address the current state of integrative taxonomy by using as a case study an international project targeted at resolving three important tephritid species complexes: Bactrocera dorsalis complex, Anastrepha fraterculus complex, and Ceratitis FAR (C. fasciventris, C. anonae, C. rosa) complex. The integrative taxonomic approach has helped deliver significant advances in resolving these complexes: It has been used to identify some taxa as belonging to the same biological species as well as to confirm hidden cryptic diversity under a single taxonomic name. Nevertheless, the general application of integrative taxonomy has not been without issue, revealing challenges that must be considered when undertaking an integrative taxonomy project. Scrutiny of this international case study provides a unique opportunity to document lessons learned for the benefit of not only tephritid taxonomists, but also the wider taxonomic community.

An overview of platelet products (PRP, PRGF, PRF, etc.) in the Iranian studies.

PubMed

Raeissadat, Seyed Ahmad; Babaee, Marzieh; Rayegani, Seyed Mansour; Hashemi, Zahra; Hamidieh, Amir Ali; Mojgani, Parviz; Fouladi Vanda, Hossein

2017-11-01

The aim of the study was to carry out a review of published studies on various platelet products in Iranian studies. Electronic databases were searched for relevant articles. Two review authors independently extracted data via a tested extraction sheet, and disagreements were resolved by a meeting with a third review author. Bone disorders (25%), wound and fistula (16%), dental and gingival disorders (14%) and osteoarthritis (11%) have more relative frequency based on different fields. The necessity of pursuing standard protocols in the preparation of platelet products, stating the precise content of platelets and growth factors, and long-term follow-up of study subjects were the most important points in Iranian studies.

Comparison of forward- and back-projection in vivo EPID dosimetry for VMAT treatment of the prostate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bedford, James L.; Hanson, Ian M.; Hansen, Vibeke N.

2018-01-01

In the forward-projection method of portal dosimetry for volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT), the integrated signal at the electronic portal imaging device (EPID) is predicted at the time of treatment planning, against which the measured integrated image is compared. In the back-projection method, the measured signal at each gantry angle is back-projected through the patient CT scan to give a measure of total dose to the patient. This study aims to investigate the practical agreement between the two types of EPID dosimetry for prostate radiotherapy. The AutoBeam treatment planning system produced VMAT plans together with corresponding predicted portal images, and a total of 46 sets of gantry-resolved portal images were acquired in 13 patients using an iViewGT portal imager. For the forward-projection method, each acquisition of gantry-resolved images was combined into a single integrated image and compared with the predicted image. For the back-projection method, iViewDose was used to calculate the dose distribution in the patient for comparison with the planned dose. A gamma index for 3% and 3 mm was used for both methods. The results were investigated by delivering the same plans to a phantom and repeating some of the deliveries with deliberately introduced errors. The strongest agreement between forward- and back-projection methods is seen in the isocentric intensity/dose difference, with moderate agreement in the mean gamma. The strongest correlation is observed within a given patient, with less correlation between patients, the latter representing the accuracy of prediction of the two methods. The error study shows that each of the two methods has its own distinct sensitivity to errors, but that overall the response is similar. The forward- and back-projection EPID dosimetry methods show moderate agreement in this series of prostate VMAT patients, indicating that both methods can contribute to the verification of dose delivered to the patient.

Cross-border gas-line projects face daunting challenges

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

Khene, D.E.

1997-12-15

Pricing, costs, financing, and politics are chief among the issues that can impede construction of major, cross-border gas-pipeline projects trying to connect plentiful reserves with unsatisfied market demand. Additionally, strained relationships among parties involved in both supply and delivery can further slow or even halt progress on a project. In the cases of the Transmed (Algeria across Tunisia to Italy) and the Maghreb-Europe (Algeria across Morocco to Spain), the close working relationships of all parties involved helped resolve many issues and were key in the projects` eventual completion. Here is an update on these two important pipelines in addition tomore » a synthesis of Sonatrach`s views on some of the major issues raised by the development of cross-border gas-transmission projects.« less

77 FR 62256 - Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Mount Hope Project...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-12

... proposed Mount Hope Molybdenum Mining Project. The proposed project would be located in central Nevada... project proposal is to extract molybdenite from public lands where EML holds mining claims and private... that is environmentally responsible and in compliance with Federal mining laws, the Federal Land Policy...

A systematic review of the risk factors for clinical response to opioids for all-age patients with cancer-related pain and presentation of the paediatric STOP pain study.

PubMed

Lucenteforte, Ersilia; Vagnoli, Laura; Pugi, Alessandra; Crescioli, Giada; Lombardi, Niccolò; Bonaiuti, Roberto; Aricò, Maurizio; Giglio, Sabrina; Messeri, Andrea; Mugelli, Alessandro; Vannacci, Alfredo; Maggini, Valentina

2018-05-18

Inter-patient variability in response to opioids is well known but a comprehensive definition of its pathophysiological mechanism is still lacking and, more importantly, no studies have focused on children. The STOP Pain project aimed to evaluate the risk factors that contribute to clinical response and adverse drug reactions to opioids by means of a systematic review and a clinical investigation on paediatric oncological patients. We conducted a systematic literature search in EMBASE and PubMed up to the 24th of November 2016 following Cochrane Handbook and PRISMA guidelines. Two independent reviewers screened titles and abstracts along with full-text papers; disagreements were resolved by discussion with two other independent reviewers. We used a data extraction form to provide details of the included studies, and conducted quality assessment using the Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies. Young age, lung or gastrointestinal cancer, neuropathic or breakthrough pain and anxiety or sleep disturbance were associated to a worse response to opioid analgesia. No clear association was identified in literature regarding gender, ethnicity, weight, presence of metastases, biochemical or hematological factors. Studies in children were lacking. Between June 2011 and April 2014, the Italian STOP Pain project enrolled 87 paediatric cancer patients under treatment with opioids (morphine, codeine, oxycodone, fentanyl and tramadol). Future studies on cancer pain should be designed with consideration for the highlighted factors to enhance our understanding of opioid non-response and safety. Studies in children are mandatory. CRD42017057740 .

Strategy for the elucidation of elemental compositions of trace analytes based on a mass resolution of 100,000 full width at half maximum.

PubMed

Kaufmann, Anton

2010-07-30

Elemental compositions (ECs) can be elucidated by evaluating the high-resolution mass spectra of unknown or suspected unfragmented analyte ions. Classical approaches utilize the exact mass of the monoisotopic peak (M + 0) and the relative abundance of isotope peaks (M + 1 and M + 2). The availability of high-resolution instruments like the Orbitrap currently permits mass resolutions up to 100,000 full width at half maximum. This not only allows the determination of relative isotopic abundances (RIAs), but also the extraction of other diagnostic information from the spectra, such as fully resolved signals originating from (34)S isotopes and fully or partially resolved signals related to (15)N isotopes (isotopic fine structure). Fully and partially resolved peaks can be evaluated by visual inspection of the measured peak profiles. This approach is shown to be capable of correctly discarding many of the EC candidates which were proposed by commercial EC calculating algorithms. Using this intuitive strategy significantly extends the upper mass range for the successful elucidation of ECs. Copyright 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Diagnosis of vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques by time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy and ultrasound imaging.

PubMed

Jo, J A; Fang, Q; Papaioannou, T; Qiao, J H; Fishbein, M C; Beseth, B; Dorafshar, A H; Reil, T; Baker, D; Freischlag, J; Shung, K K; Sun, L; Marcu, L

2006-01-01

In this study, time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy (TR-LIFS) and ultrasonography were applied to detect vulnerable (high-risk) atherosclerotic plaque. A total of 813 TR-LIFS measurements were taken from carotid plaques of 65 patients, and subsequently analyzed using the Laguerre deconvolution technique. The investigated spots were classified by histopathology as thin, fibrotic, calcified, low-inflamed, inflamed and necrotic lesions. Spectral and time-resolved parameters (normalized intensity values and Laguerre expansion coefficients) were extracted from the TR-LIFS data. Feature selection for classification was performed by either analysis of variance (ANOVA) or principal component analysis (PCA). A stepwise linear discriminant analysis algorithm was developed for detecting inflamed and necrotic lesion, representing the most vulnerable plaques. These vulnerable plaques were detected with high sensitivity (>80%) and specificity (>90%). Ultrasound (US) imaging was obtained in 4 carotid plaques in addition to TR-LIFS examination. Preliminary results indicate that US provides important structural information of the plaques that could be combined with the compositional information obtained by TR-LIFS, to obtain a more accurate diagnosis of vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque.

Real-time optical coherence tomography observation of retinal tissue damage during laser photocoagulation therapy on ex-vivo porcine samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steiner, P.; Považay, B.; Stoller, M.; Morgenthaler, P.; Inniger, D.; Arnold, P.; Sznitman, R.; Meier, Ch.

2015-07-01

Retinal laser photocoagulation represents a widely used treatment for retinal pathologies such as diabetic chorioretinopathy or diabetic edema. For effective treatment, an appropriate choice of the treatment energy dose is crucial to prevent excessive tissue damage caused by over-irradiation of the retina. In this manuscript we investigate simultaneous and time-resolved optical coherence tomography for its applicability to provide feedback to the ophthalmologist about the introduced retinal damage during laser photocoagulation. Time-resolved and volumetric optical coherence tomography data of 96 lesions on ex-vivo porcine samples, set with a 577 nm laser prototype and irradiance of between 300 and 8800 W=cm2 were analyzed. Time-resolved scans were compared to volumetric scans of the lesion and correlated with ophthalmoscopic visibility. Lastly, image parameters extracted from optical coherence tomography Mscans, suitable for lesion classification were identified. Results presented in this work support the hypothesis that simultaneous optical coherence tomography provides valuable information about the extent of retinal tissue damage and may be used to guide retinal laser photocoagulation in the future.

Thermodynamic properties of water solvating biomolecular surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heyden, Matthias

Changes in the potential energy and entropy of water molecules hydrating biomolecular interfaces play a significant role for biomolecular solubility and association. Free energy perturbation and thermodynamic integration methods allow calculations of free energy differences between two states from simulations. However, these methods are computationally demanding and do not provide insights into individual thermodynamic contributions, i.e. changes in the solvent energy or entropy. Here, we employ methods to spatially resolve distributions of hydration water thermodynamic properties in the vicinity of biomolecular surfaces. This allows direct insights into thermodynamic signatures of the hydration of hydrophobic and hydrophilic solvent accessible sites of proteins and small molecules and comparisons to ideal model surfaces. We correlate dynamic properties of hydration water molecules, i.e. translational and rotational mobility, to their thermodynamics. The latter can be used as a guide to extract thermodynamic information from experimental measurements of site-resolved water dynamics. Further, we study energy-entropy compensations of water at different hydration sites of biomolecular surfaces. This work is supported by the Cluster of Excellence RESOLV (EXC 1069) funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.

X-ray induced dimerization of cinnamic acid: Time-resolved inelastic X-ray scattering study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Inkinen, Juho; Niskanen, Johannes; Talka, Tuomas; Sahle, Christoph J.; Müller, Harald; Khriachtchev, Leonid; Hashemi, Javad; Akbari, Ali; Hakala, Mikko; Huotari, Simo

2015-11-01

A classic example of solid-state topochemical reactions is the ultraviolet-light induced photodimerization of α-trans-cinnamic acid (CA). Here, we report the first observation of an X-ray-induced dimerization of CA and monitor it in situ using nonresonant inelastic X-ray scattering spectroscopy (NRIXS). The time-evolution of the carbon core-electron excitation spectra shows the effects of two X-ray induced reactions: dimerization on a short time-scale and disintegration on a long time-scale. We used spectrum simulations of CA and its dimerization product, α-truxillic acid (TA), to gain insight into the dimerization effects. From the time-resolved spectra, we extracted component spectra and time-dependent weights corresponding to CA and TA. The results suggest that the X-ray induced dimerization proceeds homogeneously in contrast to the dimerization induced by ultraviolet light. We also utilized the ability of NRIXS for direct tomography with chemical-bond contrast to image the spatial progress of the reactions in the sample crystal. Our work paves the way for other time-resolved studies on chemical reactions using inelastic X-ray scattering.

X-ray induced dimerization of cinnamic acid: Time-resolved inelastic X-ray scattering study

PubMed Central

Inkinen, Juho; Niskanen, Johannes; Talka, Tuomas; Sahle, Christoph J.; Müller, Harald; Khriachtchev, Leonid; Hashemi, Javad; Akbari, Ali; Hakala, Mikko; Huotari, Simo

2015-01-01

A classic example of solid-state topochemical reactions is the ultraviolet-light induced photodimerization of α-trans-cinnamic acid (CA). Here, we report the first observation of an X-ray-induced dimerization of CA and monitor it in situ using nonresonant inelastic X-ray scattering spectroscopy (NRIXS). The time-evolution of the carbon core-electron excitation spectra shows the effects of two X-ray induced reactions: dimerization on a short time-scale and disintegration on a long time-scale. We used spectrum simulations of CA and its dimerization product, α-truxillic acid (TA), to gain insight into the dimerization effects. From the time-resolved spectra, we extracted component spectra and time-dependent weights corresponding to CA and TA. The results suggest that the X-ray induced dimerization proceeds homogeneously in contrast to the dimerization induced by ultraviolet light. We also utilized the ability of NRIXS for direct tomography with chemical-bond contrast to image the spatial progress of the reactions in the sample crystal. Our work paves the way for other time-resolved studies on chemical reactions using inelastic X-ray scattering. PMID:26568420

Vibrationally-Resolved Kinetic Isotope Effects in the Proton-Transfer Dynamics of Ground-State Tropolone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chew, Kathryn; Vealey, Zachary; Vaccaro, Patrick

2015-06-01

The vibrational and isotopic dependence of the hindered (tunneling-mediated) proton-transfer reaction taking place in the ground electronic state ( X1{A}1) of monodeuterated tropolone (TrOD) has been explored under ambient (bulk-gas) conditions by applying two-color variants of resonant four-wave mixing (RFWM) spectroscopy in conjunction with polarization-resolved detection schemes designed to alleviate spectral complexity and facilitate rovibrational assignments. Full rotation-tunneling analyses of high-resolution spectral profiles acquired for the fundamental and first-overtone bands of a reaction-promoting O-D\\cdotsO deformation/ring-breathing mode, νb{36}(a1), were performed, thereby extracting refined structural and dynamical information that affords benchmarks for the quantitative interpretation of tunneling-induced signatures found in long-range scans of X1{A}1 vibrational levels residing below Etilde{X}vib = 1700 wn}. Observed kinetic isotope effects, which reflect changes in both reaction kinematics and vibrational displacements, will be discussed, with high-level quantum-chemical calculations serving to elucidate state-resolved propensities for proton transfer in TrOH and TrOD.

Depth resolved grazing incidence neutron scattering experiments from semi-infinite interfaces: a statistical analysis of the scattering contributions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adlmann, Franz A.; Herbel, Jörg; Korolkovas, Airidas; Bliersbach, Andreas; Toperverg, Boris; Van Herck, Walter; Pálsson, Gunnar K.; Kitchen, Brian; Wolff, Max

2018-04-01

Grazing incidence neutron scattering experiments offer surface sensitivity by reflecting from an interface at momentum transfers close to total external reflection. Under these conditions the penetration depth is strongly non-linear and may change by many orders of magnitude. This fact imposes severe challenges for depth resolved experiments, since the brilliance of neutron beams is relatively low in comparison to e.g. synchrotron radiation. In this article we use probability density functions to calculate the contribution of scattering at different distances from an interface to the intensities registered on the detector. Our method has the particular advantage that the depth sensitivity is directly extracted from the scattering pattern itself. Hence for perfectly known samples exact resolution functions can be calculated and visa versa. We show that any tails in the resolution function, e.g. Gaussian shaped, hinders depth resolved experiments. More importantly we provide means for a descriptive statistical analysis of detector images with respect to the scattering contributions and show that even for perfect resolution near surface scattering is hardly accessible.

Resolving writer's block.

PubMed Central

Huston, P.

1998-01-01

PROBLEM BEING ADDRESSED: Writer's block, or a distinctly uncomfortable inability to write, can interfere with professional productivity. OBJECTIVE OF PROGRAM: To identify writer's block and to outline suggestions for its early diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. MAIN COMPONENTS OF PROGRAM: Once the diagnosis has been established, a stepwise approach to care is recommended. Mild blockage can be resolved by evaluating and revising expectations, conducting a task analysis, and giving oneself positive feedback. Moderate blockage can be addressed by creative exercises, such as brainstorming and role-playing. Recalcitrant blockage can be resolved with therapy. Writer's block can be prevented by taking opportunities to write at the beginning of projects, working with a supportive group of people, and cultivating an ongoing interest in writing. CONCLUSIONS: Writer's block is a highly treatable condition. A systematic approach can help to alleviate anxiety, build confidence, and give people the information they need to work productively. PMID:9481467

Soil Vapor Extraction Implementation Experiences

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This issue paper identifies issues and summarizes experiences with soil vapor extraction (SVE) as a remedy for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in soils. The issues presented here reflect discussions with over 30 Remedial Project Managers (RPMs)...

Optimized respiratory-resolved motion-compensated 3D Cartesian coronary MR angiography.

PubMed

Correia, Teresa; Ginami, Giulia; Cruz, Gastão; Neji, Radhouene; Rashid, Imran; Botnar, René M; Prieto, Claudia

2018-04-22

To develop a robust and efficient reconstruction framework that provides high-quality motion-compensated respiratory-resolved images from free-breathing 3D whole-heart Cartesian coronary magnetic resonance angiography (CMRA) acquisitions. Recently, XD-GRASP (eXtra-Dimensional Golden-angle RAdial Sparse Parallel MRI) was proposed to achieve 100% scan efficiency and provide respiratory-resolved 3D radial CMRA images by exploiting sparsity in the respiratory dimension. Here, a reconstruction framework for Cartesian CMRA imaging is proposed, which provides respiratory-resolved motion-compensated images by incorporating 2D beat-to-beat translational motion information to increase sparsity in the respiratory dimension. The motion information is extracted from interleaved image navigators and is also used to compensate for 2D translational motion within each respiratory phase. The proposed Optimized Respiratory-resolved Cartesian Coronary MR Angiography (XD-ORCCA) method was tested on 10 healthy subjects and 2 patients with cardiovascular disease, and compared against XD-GRASP. The proposed XD-ORCCA provides high-quality respiratory-resolved images, allowing clear visualization of the right and left coronary arteries, even for irregular breathing patterns. Compared with XD-GRASP, the proposed method improves the visibility and sharpness of both coronaries. Significant differences (p < .05) in visible vessel length and proximal vessel sharpness were found between the 2 methods. The XD-GRASP method provides good-quality images in the absence of intraphase motion. However, motion blurring is observed in XD-GRASP images for respiratory phases with larger motion amplitudes and subjects with irregular breathing patterns. A robust respiratory-resolved motion-compensated framework for Cartesian CMRA has been proposed and tested in healthy subjects and patients. The proposed XD-ORCCA provides high-quality images for all respiratory phases, independently of the regularity of the breathing pattern. © 2018 The Authors Magnetic Resonance in Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Photo-generated carriers lose energy during extraction from polymer-fullerene solar cells

PubMed Central

Melianas, Armantas; Etzold, Fabian; Savenije, Tom J.; Laquai, Frédéric; Inganäs, Olle; Kemerink, Martijn

2015-01-01

In photovoltaic devices, the photo-generated charge carriers are typically assumed to be in thermal equilibrium with the lattice. In conventional materials, this assumption is experimentally justified as carrier thermalization completes before any significant carrier transport has occurred. Here, we demonstrate by unifying time-resolved optical and electrical experiments and Monte Carlo simulations over an exceptionally wide dynamic range that in the case of organic photovoltaic devices, this assumption is invalid. As the photo-generated carriers are transported to the electrodes, a substantial amount of their energy is lost by continuous thermalization in the disorder broadened density of states. Since thermalization occurs downward in energy, carrier motion is boosted by this process, leading to a time-dependent carrier mobility as confirmed by direct experiments. We identify the time and distance scales relevant for carrier extraction and show that the photo-generated carriers are extracted from the operating device before reaching thermal equilibrium. PMID:26537357

Integrated Modeling of Aerosol, Cloud, Precipitation and Land Processes at Satellite-Resolved Scales

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peters-Lidard, Christa; Tao, Wei-Kuo; Chin, Mian; Braun, Scott; Case, Jonathan; Hou, Arthur; Kumar, Anil; Kumar, Sujay; Lau, William; Matsui, Toshihisa;

Automatic Extraction of JPF Options and Documentation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Luks, Wojciech; Tkachuk, Oksana; Buschnell, David

2011-01-01

Documenting existing Java PathFinder (JPF) projects or developing new extensions is a challenging task. JPF provides a platform for creating new extensions and relies on key-value properties for their configuration. Keeping track of all possible options and extension mechanisms in JPF can be difficult. This paper presents jpf-autodoc-options, a tool that automatically extracts JPF projects options and other documentation-related information, which can greatly help both JPF users and developers of JPF extensions.

Evaluation of ADAM/1 model for advanced coal extraction concepts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deshpande, G. K.; Gangal, M. D.

1982-01-01

Several existing computer programs for estimating life cycle cost of mining systems were evaluated. A commercially available program, ADAM/1 was found to be satisfactory in relation to the needs of the advanced coal extraction project. Two test cases were run to confirm the ability of the program to handle nonconventional mining equipment and procedures. The results were satisfactory. The model, therefore, is recommended to the project team for evaluation of their conceptual designs.

Feature extraction through parallel Probabilistic Principal Component Analysis for heart disease diagnosis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shah, Syed Muhammad Saqlain; Batool, Safeera; Khan, Imran; Ashraf, Muhammad Usman; Abbas, Syed Hussnain; Hussain, Syed Adnan

2017-09-01

Automatic diagnosis of human diseases are mostly achieved through decision support systems. The performance of these systems is mainly dependent on the selection of the most relevant features. This becomes harder when the dataset contains missing values for the different features. Probabilistic Principal Component Analysis (PPCA) has reputation to deal with the problem of missing values of attributes. This research presents a methodology which uses the results of medical tests as input, extracts a reduced dimensional feature subset and provides diagnosis of heart disease. The proposed methodology extracts high impact features in new projection by using Probabilistic Principal Component Analysis (PPCA). PPCA extracts projection vectors which contribute in highest covariance and these projection vectors are used to reduce feature dimension. The selection of projection vectors is done through Parallel Analysis (PA). The feature subset with the reduced dimension is provided to radial basis function (RBF) kernel based Support Vector Machines (SVM). The RBF based SVM serves the purpose of classification into two categories i.e., Heart Patient (HP) and Normal Subject (NS). The proposed methodology is evaluated through accuracy, specificity and sensitivity over the three datasets of UCI i.e., Cleveland, Switzerland and Hungarian. The statistical results achieved through the proposed technique are presented in comparison to the existing research showing its impact. The proposed technique achieved an accuracy of 82.18%, 85.82% and 91.30% for Cleveland, Hungarian and Switzerland dataset respectively.

Civilian Skills for African Military Officers to Resolve the Infrastructure, Economic Development, and Stability Crisis in Sub-Saharan Africa

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-03-01

AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) Army War College,Strategic... projects build - ing Chinese infrastructure in both rural and urban ar- eas.53 The Chinese model thus instills a lifelong dedica- tion to and...Studies Institute,122 Forbes Avenue,Carlisle,PA,17013 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER 9. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES

Positron studies of defected metals, metallic surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bansil, A.

Specific problems proposed under this project included the treatment of electronic structure and momentum density in various disordered and defected systems. Since 1987, when the new high-temperature superconductors were discovered, the project focused extensively on questions concerning the electronic structure and Fermiology of high-(Tc) superconductors, in particular, (1) momentum density and positron experiments, (2) angle-resolved photoemission intensities, and (3) effects of disorder and substitutions in the high-(Tc)'s. The specific progress made in each of these problems is summarized.

EXAMINING IN-VEHICLE POLLUTION AND OXIDATIVE STRESS IN A COHORT OF DAILY COMMUTERS

EPA Science Inventory

This project is particularly suited towards EPA’s stated research questions (RQ) for examining the health effects of air pollutant mixtures. Expected exposure science results will further our understanding of: in-vehicle concentrations of size- and chemically-resolved PM mixtu...

32 CFR 701.101 - Privacy program terms and definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... or online collection that directly identifies an individual (e.g., name, address, social security... her (e.g., Social Security Number (SSN), age, military rank, civilian grade, marital status, race... from a project on privacy issues, identifying and resolving the privacy risks, and approval by a...

Interdisciplinarity within an Academic Career

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blackmore, Paul; Kandiko, Camille B.

2011-01-01

This project identified academics who have been involved with interdisciplinary leadership initiatives and sought to find out what had motivated them, what issues they had encountered and how they had resolved them. A powerful message emerging is the central importance of motivation in interdisciplinary work. Interviewees spoke of leaving their…

Deliver a set of tools for resolving bad inductive loops and correcting bad data.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-04-01

This project prototyped and demonstrated procedures to find and mitigate loop detector errors, and to derive more valuable data from loops. Specifically, methods were developed to find and isolate out loop data which is "bad" or invalid, so that miti...

Deliver a set of tools for resolving bad inductive loops and correcting bad data

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-04-10

This project prototyped and demonstrated procedures to find and mitigate loop detector errors, and to derive more valuable data from loops. Specifically, methods were developed to find and isolate out loop data which is "bad" or invalid, so that miti...

FIELD EVALUATION OF DNAPL EXTRACTION TECHNOLOGIES: PROJECT OVERVIEW

EPA Science Inventory

Five DNAPL remediation technologies were evaluated at the Dover National Test Site, Dover AFB, Delaware. The technologies were cosolvent solubilization, cosolvent mobilization, surfactant solubilization, complex sugar flushing and air sparging/soil vapor extraction. The effectiv...

The Vanilla Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Armstead, David

1994-01-01

Explains a series of experiments that enable students to discover the internal and external structure of the vanilla pod, isolate the chemical constituents of the pod, identify vanillin in the pod extract, and compare extracts across varieties of vanilla. (DDR)

BilKristal 2.0: A tool for pattern information extraction from crystal structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okuyan, Erhan; Güdükbay, Uğur

2014-01-01

We present a revised version of the BilKristal tool of Okuyan et al. (2007). We converted the development environment into Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 in order to resolve compatibility issues. We added multi-core CPU support and improvements are made to graphics functions in order to improve performance. Discovered bugs are fixed and exporting functionality to a material visualization tool is added.

Symmetry Breaking in Few Layer Graphene Films

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

Bostwick, A.; Ohta, T.; McChesney, J.L.

2007-05-25

Recently, it was demonstrated that the quasiparticledynamics, the layer-dependent charge and potential, and the c-axisscreening coefficient could be extracted from measurements of thespectral function of few layer graphene films grown epitaxially on SiCusing angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES). In this articlewe review these findings, and present detailed methodology for extractingsuch parameters from ARPES. We also present detailed arguments againstthe possibility of an energy gap at the Dirac crossing ED.

Ventral rhinotomy in a pet rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) with an odontogenic abscess and sub-obstructive rhinitis

PubMed Central

Brown, Tamara; Beaufrère, Hugues; Brisson, Brigitte; Laniesse, Delphine; zur Linden, Alex

2016-01-01

A rabbit was presented for severe dyspnea and was diagnosed with an odontogenic abscess obstructing the rostral nasopharynx using CT scan and oral endoscopy. The offending tooth was extracted intraorally, but due to persistent dyspnea, an endoscopic-guided ventral rhinotomy was performed. The dyspnea subsequently resolved, but the rabbit died 5 weeks later from a seemingly unrelated cause. PMID:27493289

US-SOMO HPLC-SAXS module: dealing with capillary fouling and extraction of pure component patterns from poorly resolved SEC-SAXS data

PubMed Central

Brookes, Emre; Vachette, Patrice; Rocco, Mattia; Pérez, Javier

2016-01-01

Size-exclusion chromatography coupled with SAXS (small-angle X-ray scattering), often performed using a flow-through capillary, should allow direct collection of monodisperse sample data. However, capillary fouling issues and non-baseline-resolved peaks can hamper its efficacy. The UltraScan solution modeler (US-SOMO) HPLC-SAXS (high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with SAXS) module provides a comprehensive framework to analyze such data, starting with a simple linear baseline correction and symmetrical Gaussian decomposition tools [Brookes, Pérez, Cardinali, Profumo, Vachette & Rocco (2013 ▸). J. Appl. Cryst. 46, 1823–1833]. In addition to several new features, substantial improvements to both routines have now been implemented, comprising the evaluation of outcomes by advanced statistical tools. The novel integral baseline-correction procedure is based on the more sound assumption that the effect of capillary fouling on scattering increases monotonically with the intensity scattered by the material within the X-ray beam. Overlapping peaks, often skewed because of sample interaction with the column matrix, can now be accurately decomposed using non-symmetrical modified Gaussian functions. As an example, the case of a polydisperse solution of aldolase is analyzed: from heavily convoluted peaks, individual SAXS profiles of tetramers, octamers and dodecamers are extracted and reliably modeled. PMID:27738419

Measuring correlations in non-separable vector beams using projective measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Subramanian, Keerthan; Viswanathan, Nirmal K.

2017-09-01

Doubts regarding the completeness of quantum mechanics as raised by Einstein, Podolsky and Rosen(EPR) have predominantly been resolved by resorting to a measurement of correlations between entangled photons which clearly demonstrate violation of Bell's inequality. This article is an attempt to reconcile incompatibility of hidden variable theories with reality by demonstrating experimentally a violation of Bell's inequality in locally correlated systems whose two degrees of freedom, the spin and orbital angular momentum, are maximally correlated. To this end we propose and demonstrate a linear, achromatic modified Sagnac interferometer to project orbital angular momentum states which we combine with spin projections to measure correlations.

A process dissociation approach to objective-projective test score interrelationships.

PubMed

Bornstein, Robert F

2002-02-01

Even when self-report and projective measures of a given trait or motive both predict theoretically related features of behavior, scores on the 2 tests correlate modestly with each other. This article describes a process dissociation framework for personality assessment, derived from research on implicit memory and learning, which can resolve these ostensibly conflicting results. Research on interpersonal dependency is used to illustrate 3 key steps in the process dissociation approach: (a) converging behavioral predictions, (b) modest test score intercorrelations, and (c) delineation of variables that differentially affect self-report and projective test scores. Implications of the process dissociation framework for personality assessment and test development are discussed.

The Interacting Axes of Environmental, Health, and Social Justice Cumulative Impacts: A Case Study of the Blueberry River First Nations

PubMed Central

Gislason, Maya K; Andersen, Holly K

2016-01-01

We consider the case of intensive resource extractive projects in the Blueberry River First Nations in Northern British Columbia, Canada, as a case study. Drawing on the parallels between concepts of cumulative environmental and cumulative health impacts, we highlight three axes along which to gauge the effects of intensive extraction projects. These are environmental, health, and social justice axes. Using an intersectional analysis highlights the way in which using individual indicators to measure impact, rather than considering cumulative effects, hides the full extent by which the affected First Nations communities are impacted by intensive extraction projects. We use the case study to contemplate several mechanisms at the intersection of these axes whereby the negative effects of each not only add but also amplify through their interactions. For example, direct impact along the environmental axis indirectly amplifies other health and social justice impacts separately from the direct impacts on those axes. We conclude there is significant work still to be done to use cumulative indicators to study the impacts of extractive industry projects—like liquefied natural gas—on peoples, environments, and health. PMID:27763548

Multifrequency synthesis and extraction using square wave projection patterns for quantitative tissue imaging.

PubMed

Nadeau, Kyle P; Rice, Tyler B; Durkin, Anthony J; Tromberg, Bruce J

2015-11-01

We present a method for spatial frequency domain data acquisition utilizing a multifrequency synthesis and extraction (MSE) method and binary square wave projection patterns. By illuminating a sample with square wave patterns, multiple spatial frequency components are simultaneously attenuated and can be extracted to determine optical property and depth information. Additionally, binary patterns are projected faster than sinusoids typically used in spatial frequency domain imaging (SFDI), allowing for short (millisecond or less) camera exposure times, and data acquisition speeds an order of magnitude or more greater than conventional SFDI. In cases where sensitivity to superficial layers or scattering is important, the fundamental component from higher frequency square wave patterns can be used. When probing deeper layers, the fundamental and harmonic components from lower frequency square wave patterns can be used. We compared optical property and depth penetration results extracted using square waves to those obtained using sinusoidal patterns on an in vivo human forearm and absorbing tube phantom, respectively. Absorption and reduced scattering coefficient values agree with conventional SFDI to within 1% using both high frequency (fundamental) and low frequency (fundamental and harmonic) spatial frequencies. Depth penetration reflectance values also agree to within 1% of conventional SFDI.

Multifrequency synthesis and extraction using square wave projection patterns for quantitative tissue imaging

PubMed Central

Nadeau, Kyle P.; Rice, Tyler B.; Durkin, Anthony J.; Tromberg, Bruce J.

2015-01-01

Abstract. We present a method for spatial frequency domain data acquisition utilizing a multifrequency synthesis and extraction (MSE) method and binary square wave projection patterns. By illuminating a sample with square wave patterns, multiple spatial frequency components are simultaneously attenuated and can be extracted to determine optical property and depth information. Additionally, binary patterns are projected faster than sinusoids typically used in spatial frequency domain imaging (SFDI), allowing for short (millisecond or less) camera exposure times, and data acquisition speeds an order of magnitude or more greater than conventional SFDI. In cases where sensitivity to superficial layers or scattering is important, the fundamental component from higher frequency square wave patterns can be used. When probing deeper layers, the fundamental and harmonic components from lower frequency square wave patterns can be used. We compared optical property and depth penetration results extracted using square waves to those obtained using sinusoidal patterns on an in vivo human forearm and absorbing tube phantom, respectively. Absorption and reduced scattering coefficient values agree with conventional SFDI to within 1% using both high frequency (fundamental) and low frequency (fundamental and harmonic) spatial frequencies. Depth penetration reflectance values also agree to within 1% of conventional SFDI. PMID:26524682

Feasibility of corona discharge ion mobility spectrometry for direct analysis of samples extracted by dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction.

PubMed

Jafari, Mohammad T; Riahi, Farhad

2014-05-23

The capability of corona discharge ionization ion mobility spectrometry (CD-IMS) for direct analysis of the samples extracted by dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) was investigated and evaluated, for the first time. To that end, an appropriate new injection port was designed and constructed, resulting in possibility of direct injection of the known sample volume, without tedious sample preparation steps (e.g. derivatization, solvent evaporation, and re-solving in another solvent…). Malathion as a test compound was extracted from different matrices by a rapid and convenient DLLME method. The positive ion mobility spectra of the extracted malathion were obtained after direct injection of carbon tetrachloride or methanol solutions. The analyte responses were compared and the statistical results revealed the feasibility of direct analysis of the extracted samples in carbon tetrachloride, resulting in a convenient methodology. The coupled method of DLLME-CD-IMS was exhaustively validated in terms of sensitivity, dynamic range, recovery, and enrichment factor. Finally, various real samples of apple, river and underground water were analyzed, all verifying the feasibility and success of the proposed method for the easy extraction of the analyte using DLLME separation before the direct analysis by CD-IMS. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Single-shot work extraction in quantum thermodynamics revisited

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Shang-Yung

2018-01-01

We revisit the problem of work extraction from a system in contact with a heat bath to a work storage system, and the reverse problem of state formation from a thermal system state in single-shot quantum thermodynamics. A physically intuitive and mathematically simple approach using only elementary majorization theory and matrix analysis is developed, and a graphical interpretation of the maximum extractable work, minimum work cost of formation, and corresponding single-shot free energies is presented. This approach provides a bridge between two previous methods based respectively on the concept of thermomajorization and a comparison of subspace dimensions. In addition, a conceptual inconsistency with regard to general work extraction involving transitions between multiple energy levels of the work storage system is clarified and resolved. It is shown that an additional contribution to the maximum extractable work in those general cases should be interpreted not as work extracted from the system, but as heat transferred from the heat bath. Indeed, the additional contribution is an artifact of a work storage system (essentially a suspended ‘weight’ that can be raised or lowered) that does not truly distinguish work from heat. The result calls into question the common concept that a work storage system in quantum thermodynamics is simply the quantum version of a suspended weight in classical thermodynamics.

Collaborative human-machine analysis to disambiguate entities in unstructured text and structured datasets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davenport, Jack H.

2016-05-01

Intelligence analysts demand rapid information fusion capabilities to develop and maintain accurate situational awareness and understanding of dynamic enemy threats in asymmetric military operations. The ability to extract relationships between people, groups, and locations from a variety of text datasets is critical to proactive decision making. The derived network of entities must be automatically created and presented to analysts to assist in decision making. DECISIVE ANALYTICS Corporation (DAC) provides capabilities to automatically extract entities, relationships between entities, semantic concepts about entities, and network models of entities from text and multi-source datasets. DAC's Natural Language Processing (NLP) Entity Analytics model entities as complex systems of attributes and interrelationships which are extracted from unstructured text via NLP algorithms. The extracted entities are automatically disambiguated via machine learning algorithms, and resolution recommendations are presented to the analyst for validation; the analyst's expertise is leveraged in this hybrid human/computer collaborative model. Military capability is enhanced by these NLP Entity Analytics because analysts can now create/update an entity profile with intelligence automatically extracted from unstructured text, thereby fusing entity knowledge from structured and unstructured data sources. Operational and sustainment costs are reduced since analysts do not have to manually tag and resolve entities.

Resource utilisation and costs in predementia and dementia: a systematic review protocol

PubMed Central

Landeiro, Filipa; Wace, Helena; Ghinai, Isaac; Nye, Elsbeth; Mughal, Seher; Walsh, Katie; Roberts, Nia; Lecomte, Pascal; Wittenberg, Raphael; Wolstenholme, Jane; Handels, Ron; Roncancio-Diaz, Emilse; Potashman, Michele H; Tockhorn-Heidenreich, Antje; Gray, Alastair M

2018-01-01

Introduction Dementia is the fastest growing major cause of disability globally with a mounting social and financial impact for patients and their families but also to health and social care systems. This review aims to systematically synthesise evidence on the utilisation of resources and costs incurred by patients and their caregivers and by health and social care services across the full spectrum of dementia, from its preceding preclinical stage to end of life. The main drivers of resources used and costs will also be identified. Methods and analysis A systematic literature review was conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, CDSR, CENTRAL, DARE, EconLit, CEA Registry, TRIP, NHS EED, SCI, RePEc and OpenGrey between January 2000 and beginning of May 2017. Two reviewers will independently assess each study for inclusion and disagreements will be resolved by a third reviewer. Data will be extracted using a predefined data extraction form following best practice. Study quality will be assessed with the Effective Public Health Practice Project quality assessment tool. The reporting of costing methodology will be assessed using the British Medical Journal checklist. A narrative synthesis of all studies will be presented for resources used and costs incurred, by level of disease severity when available. If feasible, the data will be synthesised using appropriate statistical techniques. Ethics and dissemination Included articles will be reviewed for an ethics statement. The findings of the review will be disseminated in a related peer-reviewed journal and presented at conferences. They will also contribute to the work developed in the Real World Outcomes across the Alzheimer’s disease spectrum for better care: multi-modal data access platform (ROADMAP). Trial registration number CRD42017071413. PMID:29362261

Resource utilisation and costs in predementia and dementia: a systematic review protocol.

PubMed

Landeiro, Filipa; Wace, Helena; Ghinai, Isaac; Nye, Elsbeth; Mughal, Seher; Walsh, Katie; Roberts, Nia; Lecomte, Pascal; Wittenberg, Raphael; Wolstenholme, Jane; Handels, Ron; Roncancio-Diaz, Emilse; Potashman, Michele H; Tockhorn-Heidenreich, Antje; Gray, Alastair M

2018-01-23

Dementia is the fastest growing major cause of disability globally with a mounting social and financial impact for patients and their families but also to health and social care systems. This review aims to systematically synthesise evidence on the utilisation of resources and costs incurred by patients and their caregivers and by health and social care services across the full spectrum of dementia, from its preceding preclinical stage to end of life. The main drivers of resources used and costs will also be identified. A systematic literature review was conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, CDSR, CENTRAL, DARE, EconLit, CEA Registry, TRIP, NHS EED, SCI, RePEc and OpenGrey between January 2000 and beginning of May 2017. Two reviewers will independently assess each study for inclusion and disagreements will be resolved by a third reviewer. Data will be extracted using a predefined data extraction form following best practice. Study quality will be assessed with the Effective Public Health Practice Project quality assessment tool. The reporting of costing methodology will be assessed using the British Medical Journal checklist. A narrative synthesis of all studies will be presented for resources used and costs incurred, by level of disease severity when available. If feasible, the data will be synthesised using appropriate statistical techniques. Included articles will be reviewed for an ethics statement. The findings of the review will be disseminated in a related peer-reviewed journal and presented at conferences. They will also contribute to the work developed in the Real World Outcomes across the Alzheimer's disease spectrum for better care: multi-modal data access platform (ROADMAP). CRD42017071413. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

ON-SITE SOLID PHRASE EXTRACTION AND LABORATORY ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Fragrance materials, such as synthetic musks in aqueous samples, are normally analyzed by GC/MS in the selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode to provide maximum sensitivity after liquid-liquid extraction of I -L samples. A I -L sample, however, usually provides too little analyte for full-scan data acquisition. An on-site extraction method for extracting synthetic musks from 60 L of wastewater effluent has been developed. Such a large sample volume permits high-quality, full-scan mass spectra to be obtained for various synthetic musk compounds. Quantification of these compounds was conveniently achieved from the full-scan data directly, without preparing SIM descriptors for each compound to acquire SIM data. The research focused on in the subtasks is the development and application of state-of the-art technologies to meet the needs of the public, Office of Water, and ORD in the area of Water Quality. Located In the subtasks are the various research projects being performed in support of this Task and more in-depth coverage of each project. Briefly, each project's objective is stated below.Subtask 1: To integrate state-of-the-art technologies (polar organic chemical integrative samplers, advanced solid-phase extraction methodologies with liquid chromatography/electrospray/mass spectrometry) and apply them to studying the sources and fate of a select list of PPCPs. Application and improvement of analytical methodologies that can detect non-volatile, polar, water-sol

IN SITU SOLID-PHASE EXTRACTION AND ANALYSIS OF ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Fragrance materials, such as synthetic musks in aqueous samples, are normally analyzed by GC/MS in the selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode to provide maximum sensitivity after liquid-liquid extraction of 1-L samples. A 1-L sample, however, usually provides too little analyte for full-scan data acquisition.We have developed an on-site extraction method for extracting synthetic musks from 60 L of wastewater effluent. Such a large sample volume permits high-quality, full-scan mass spectra to be obtained for various synthetic musk compounds. Quantification of these compounds was conveniently achieved from the full-scan data directly, without preparing SIM descriptors for each compound to acquire SIM data. The research focused on in the subtasks is the development and application of state-of the-art technologies to meet the needs of the public, Office of Water, and ORD in the area of Water Quality. Located In the subtasks are the various research projects being performed in support of this Task and more in-depth coverage of each project. Briefly, each project's objective is stated below.Subtask 1: To integrate state-of-the-art technologies (polar organic chemical integrative samplers, advanced solid-phase extraction methodologies with liquid chromatography/electrospray/mass spectrometry) and apply them to studying the sources and fate of a select list of PPCPs. Application and improvement of analytical methodologies that can detect non-volatile, polar, water-s

Robust, non-invasive methods for metering groundwater well extraction in remote environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bulovic, Nevenka; Keir, Greg; McIntyre, Neil

2017-04-01

Quantifying the rate of extraction from groundwater wells can be essential for regional scale groundwater management and impact assessment. This is especially the case in regions heavily dependent on groundwater such as the semi-arid Surat and Bowen Basins in Queensland, Australia. Of the 30 000+ groundwater wells in this area, the majority of which are used for stock watering and domestic purposes, almost none have flow metering devices installed. As part of a research project to estimate regional groundwater extraction, we have undertaken a small scale flow metering program on a selected set of wells. Conventional in-line flow meters were unsuitable for our project, as both non-invasiveness and adaptability / suitability to a variety of discharge pipe characteristics was critical. We describe the use of two metering technologies not widely used in groundwater applications, non-invasive, clamp-on ultrasonic transit time flow meters and tipping bucket flow meters, as semi-permanent installations on discharge pipes of various artesian and sub-artesian groundwater wells. We present examples of detailed extraction rate time-series, which are of particular value in developing predictive models of water well extraction in data limited areas where water use dynamics and drivers are poorly understood. We conclude by discussing future project trajectories, which include expansion of the monitoring network through development of novel metering techniques and telemetry across large areas of poor connectivity.

EGS hydraulic stimulation monitoring by surface arrays - location accuracy and completeness magnitude: the Basel Deep Heat Mining Project case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Häge, Martin; Blascheck, Patrick; Joswig, Manfred

2013-01-01

The potential and limits of monitoring induced seismicity by surface-based mini arrays was evaluated for the hydraulic stimulation of the Basel Deep Heat Mining Project. This project aimed at the exploitation of geothermal heat from a depth of about 4,630 m. As reference for our results, a network of borehole stations by Geothermal Explorers Ltd. provided ground truth information. We utilized array processing, sonogram event detection and outlier-resistant, graphical jackknife location procedures to compensate for the decrease in signal-to-noise ratio at the surface. We could correctly resolve the NNW-SSE striking fault plane by relative master event locations. Statistical analysis of our catalog data resulted in M L 0.36 as completeness magnitude, but with significant day-to-night dependency. To compare to the performance of borehole data with M W 0.9 as completeness magnitude, we applied two methods for converting M L to M W which raised our M C to M W in the range of 0.99-1.13. Further, the b value for the duration of our measurement was calculated to 1.14 (related to M L), respectively 1.66 (related to M W), but changes over time could not be resolved from the error bars.

MULTILEVEL ISCHEMIA IN DISORGANIZATION OF THE RETINAL INNER LAYERS ON PROJECTION-RESOLVED OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY ANGIOGRAPHY.

PubMed

Onishi, Alex C; Ashraf, Mohammed; Soetikno, Brian T; Fawzi, Amani A

2018-04-10

To examine the relationship between ischemia and disorganization of the retinal inner layers (DRIL). Cross-sectional retrospective study of 20 patients (22 eyes) with diabetic retinopathy presenting to a tertiary academic referral center, who had DRIL on structural optical coherence tomography (OCT) using Spectralis HRA + OCT (Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany) and OCT angiography with XR Avanti (Optovue Inc, Fremont, CA) on the same day. Optical coherence tomography angiography images were further processed to remove flow signal projection artifacts using a software algorithm adapted from recent studies. Retinal capillary perfusion in the superficial capillary plexuses, middle capillary plexuses, and deep capillary plexuses, as well as integrity of the photoreceptor lines on OCT was compared in areas with DRIL to control areas without DRIL in the same eye. Qualitative assessment of projection-resolved OCT angiography of eyes with DRIL on structural OCT demonstrated significant perfusion deficits compared with adjacent control areas (P < 0.001). Most lesions (85.7%) showed superimposed superficial capillary plexus and/or middle capillary plexus nonperfusion in addition to deep capillary plexus nonflow. Areas of DRIL were significantly associated with photoreceptor disruption (P = 0.035) compared with adjacent DRIL-free areas. We found that DRIL is associated with multilevel retinal capillary nonperfusion, suggesting an important role for ischemia in this OCT phenotype.

The effects of thermal treatments on protein profiles of Macrobrachium rosenbergii (giant river prawn)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sockalingam, Komathi; Misnan, Rosmilah; Yadzir, Zailatul Hani Mohd

2017-05-01

Prawn allergy is certainly the most frequent cause of allergic reactions in countries where this crustacean is a popular dish of seafood. The aim of this study was to determine the protein profiles of giant river prawn which scientifically known as Macrobrachium rosenbergii. Raw and cooked extracts (boiled, steamed and fried) of prawn samples were prepared and then resolved by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). 27 protein bands between 6 to 207 kDa were detected in the SDS-PAGE gel of raw extracts while boiled, steamed and fried extracts revealed fewer protein bands. Steamed and boiled prawns presented higher numbers of protein bands compared to fried prawn. A prominent heat-resistant band between 32 to 38 kDa was seen in all extracts, might hypothesized to be tropomyosin. Other prominent bands between 17 to 20 kDa were also seen in all treated prawn extracts while bands of 24 to 27 kDa were seen in steamed and boiled prawn extracts. These positions are consistent with the known shellfish allergens myosin light chain, sacroplasmic calcium binding protein and troponin C respectively. Several other heat-sensitive protein bands at various molecular weights were also not detected in boiled, steamed and fried extracts of this prawn. This study showed that M. rosenbergii contains numerous heat-sensitive and heat-resistant proteins, which may play an important role in prawn allergy.

ID card number detection algorithm based on convolutional neural network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Jian; Ma, Hanjie; Feng, Jie; Dai, Leiyan

2018-04-01

In this paper, a new detection algorithm based on Convolutional Neural Network is presented in order to realize the fast and convenient ID information extraction in multiple scenarios. The algorithm uses the mobile device equipped with Android operating system to locate and extract the ID number; Use the special color distribution of the ID card, select the appropriate channel component; Use the image threshold segmentation, noise processing and morphological processing to take the binary processing for image; At the same time, the image rotation and projection method are used for horizontal correction when image was tilting; Finally, the single character is extracted by the projection method, and recognized by using Convolutional Neural Network. Through test shows that, A single ID number image from the extraction to the identification time is about 80ms, the accuracy rate is about 99%, It can be applied to the actual production and living environment.

USING TIME- AND SIZE-RESOLVED PARTICULATE DATA TO QUANTIFY INDOOR PENETRATION AND DEPOSITION BEHAVIOR. (R827353C001)

EPA Science Inventory

The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Concl...

75 FR 16488 - National Center for Environmental Health/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (NCEH...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-01

... National Conversation on Public Health and Chemical Exposures Leadership Council Conference Call Time and... Leadership Council, which is convened by RESOLVE, a non-profit independent facilitator. The National... Leadership Council provides overall guidance to the National Conversation project and will be responsible for...

Legal Pitfalls and Pratfalls in Overseas Ventures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Michaelson, Martin

2009-01-01

Universities in the United States are hardly novices in international initiatives, yet overseas projects today, although enticing, often seem novel to them, long experience notwithstanding. A number of motivators drive the new zeal to go overseas. Among these are a resolve to stay competitive in this era of heightened inter-institutional…

Accounting for the Differential Attainment of Boys and Girls at School.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salisbury, Jane; Rees, Gareth; Gorard, Stephen

1999-01-01

Considers various research projects attempting to explain examination outcome differences between boys and girls and describes policies to resolve the "problem." British girls have higher attainment levels in English, Welsh, languages, and humanities; no achievement gaps exist in other subjects. There are no convincing explanations or…

Managing and Resolving Organizational Conflict in School-University Partnerships through Sound Planning and Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reaves, William E.; Narvaez, Jeanette G.

2006-01-01

Partnerships and collaborative projects among public schools and universities have become increasingly prominent in the educational landscape. Properly structured and carefully managed school-university initiatives can enrich educational opportunities and contribute to simultaneous and continual quality improvement of the partnering entities. In…

15 CFR 923.126 - Pre-application procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... the past year's work contributed to the attainment of a program change as defined in § 923.123(a) in... Strategy, to resolve any questions concerning eligibility for funding under section 309 (see § 923.121(b... the applying agency (increase or decrease over previous fiscal year), future budget projections, and...

Bringing to Life Transformative Ideas: A Blueprint for Trustees

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitman, Janet

2012-01-01

To bring major initiatives to fruition, trustees, administrators, faculty members, and donors must all be effectively engaged. By broadening a project's impact, the concerns of board members and other constituencies may be addressed and resolved to the satisfaction of all. An institution must provide sufficient time and multiple opportunities for…

“Fine-Scale Application of the coupled WRF-CMAQ System to the 2011 DISCOVER-AQ Campaign”

EPA Science Inventory

The DISCOVER-AQ project (Deriving Information on Surface conditions from Column and Vertically Resolved Observations Relevant to Air Quality), is a joint collaboration between NASA, U.S. EPA and a number of other local organizations with the goal of characterizing air quality in ...

Teaching Students to Become Discriminating Map Users.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rice, Gwenda H.

1990-01-01

Analyzes the difficulty of depicting a round world on a flat surface by identifying distortions in the traditional Mercator Projection. Questions whether its Eurocentric bias culturally conditions students. Presents other world maps that attempt to resolve more fairly the shape/area problem, including some drawn with computers. Encourages teachers…

Tilling the Soil of the European Higher Education Area

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burnett, John

2007-01-01

The Bologna Process presents both opportunities and challenges for teachers in the European area. As tensions surface between different forms of national legislation, accreditation and quality assurance, projects need to be developed that model ways of resolving problems within a European context. Utilising their links and network of contacts…

Bridging Cultures in Our Schools: New Approaches That Work. Knowledge Brief.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trumbull, Elise; Rothstein-Fisch, Carrie; Greenfield, Patricia M.

This publication describes how teachers can begin to gain understanding of diverse students and families and their cultural values, behavioral standards, and social ideals. It presents specific examples of cross-cultural conflicts and illustrates strategies for resolving them. Data come from the Bridging Cultures action research project in…

Four-Dimensional Respiratory Motion-Resolved Whole Heart Coronary MR Angiography

PubMed Central

Piccini, Davide; Feng, Li; Bonanno, Gabriele; Coppo, Simone; Yerly, Jérôme; Lim, Ruth P.; Schwitter, Juerg; Sodickson, Daniel K.; Otazo, Ricardo; Stuber, Matthias

2016-01-01

Purpose Free-breathing whole-heart coronary MR angiography (MRA) commonly uses navigators to gate respiratory motion, resulting in lengthy and unpredictable acquisition times. Conversely, self-navigation has 100% scan efficiency, but requires motion correction over a broad range of respiratory displacements, which may introduce image artifacts. We propose replacing navigators and self-navigation with a respiratory motion-resolved reconstruction approach. Methods Using a respiratory signal extracted directly from the imaging data, individual signal-readouts are binned according to their respiratory states. The resultant series of undersampled images are reconstructed using an extradimensional golden-angle radial sparse parallel imaging (XD-GRASP) algorithm, which exploits sparsity along the respiratory dimension. Whole-heart coronary MRA was performed in 11 volunteers and four patients with the proposed methodology. Image quality was compared with that obtained with one-dimensional respiratory self-navigation. Results Respiratory-resolved reconstruction effectively suppressed respiratory motion artifacts. The quality score for XD-GRASP reconstructions was greater than or equal to self-navigation in 80/88 coronary segments, reaching diagnostic quality in 61/88 segments versus 41/88. Coronary sharpness and length were always superior for the respiratory-resolved datasets, reaching statistical significance (P < 0.05) in most cases. Conclusion XD-GRASP represents an attractive alternative for handling respiratory motion in free-breathing whole heart MRI and provides an effective alternative to self-navigation. PMID:27052418

Evaluation of Nuclear Facility Decommissioning Projects program: a reference test reactor. Project summary report

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

Boing, L.E.; Miller, R.L.

1983-10-01

This document presents, in summary form, generic conceptual information relevant to the decommissioning of a reference test reactor (RTR). All of the data presented were extracted from NUREG/CR-1756 and arranged in a form that will provide a basis for future comparison studies for the Evaluation of Nuclear Facility Decommissioning Projects (ENFDP) program. During the data extraction process no attempt was made to challenge any of the assumptions used in the original studies nor was any attempt made to update assumed methods or processes to state-of-the-art decommissioning techniques. In a few instances obvious errors were corrected after consultation with the studymore » author.« less

Precision spectroscopy of the 2S-4P transition in atomic hydrogen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maisenbacher, Lothar; Beyer, Axel; Matveev, Arthur; Grinin, Alexey; Pohl, Randolf; Khabarova, Ksenia; Kolachevsky, Nikolai; Hänsch, Theodor W.; Udem, Thomas

2017-04-01

Precision measurements of atomic hydrogen have long been successfully used to extract fundamental constants and to test bound-state QED. However, both these applications are limited by measurements of hydrogen lines other than the very precisely known 1S-2S transition. Moreover, the proton r.m.s.charge radius rp extracted from electronic hydrogen measurements currently disagrees by 4 σ with the much more precise value extracted from muonic hydrogen spectroscopy. We have measured the 2S-4P transition in atomic hydrogen using a cryogenic beam of hydrogen atoms optically excited to the initial 2S state. The first order Doppler shift of the one-photon 2S-4P transition is suppressed by actively stabilized counter-propagating laser beams and time-of-flight resolved detection. Quantum interference between excitation paths can lead to significant line distortions in our system. We use an experimentally verified, simple line shape model to take these distortions into account. With this, we can extract a new value for rp and the Rydberg constant R∞ with comparable accuracy as the combined previous H world data.

Characterizing the Performance of the Princeton Advanced Test Stand Ion Source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stepanov, A.; Gilson, E. P.; Grisham, L.; Kaganovich, I.; Davidson, R. C.

2012-10-01

The Princeton Advanced Test Stand (PATS) is a compact experimental facility for studying the physics of intense beam-plasma interactions relevant to the Neutralized Drift Compression Experiment - II (NDCX-II). The PATS facility consists of a multicusp RF ion source mounted on a 2 m-long vacuum chamber with numerous ports for diagnostic access. Ar+ beams are extracted from the source plasma with three-electrode (accel-decel) extraction optics. The RF power and extraction voltage (30 - 100 kV) are pulsed to produce 100 μsec duration beams at 0.5 Hz with excellent shot-to-shot repeatability. Diagnostics include Faraday cups, a double-slit emittance scanner, and scintillator imaging. This work reports measurements of beam parameters for a range of beam energies (30 - 50 keV) and currents to characterize the behavior of the ion source and extraction optics. Emittance scanner data is used to calculate the beam trace-space distribution and corresponding transverse emittance. If the plasma density is changing during a beam pulse, time-resolved emittance scanner data has been taken to study the corresponding evolution of the beam trace-space distribution.

DEMETERRES project: development of innovative technologies for removing radionuclides from contaminated solid and liquid matrices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chagvardieff, Pierre; Barré, Yves; Blin, Virginie; Faure, Sylvain; Fornier, Anne; Grange, Didier; Grandjean, Agnès; Guiderdoni, Emmanuel; Henner, Pascale; Siroux, Brice; Leybros, Antoine; Messalier, Marc; Paillard, Hervé; Prévost, Thierry; Rennesson, Malvina; Sarrobert, Catherine; Vavasseur, Alain; Véry, Anne-Aliénor

2017-09-01

As part of the « post-accidental » management, the DEMETERRES project (RSNR PIA) proposes to develop innovative and environmentally friendly methods for removal of cesium and strontium from soils and liquid matrices in order to rehabilitate them for an agricultural use while minimizing the volume of generated wastes in accordance with the nuclear waste existing processes. Complementary approaches are used: they are based on physico-chemical technologies (such as foams flotation, supercritical CO2 extraction, extractants in fluidized bed reactor …) and biological ones (bioextractants, phytoextraction) which concepts are described. These researches aim to design innovative and performing extractants in term of selectivity and to achieve the pilot reactor phase for each of them. These pilots will group in a network to provide a technological platform lasting the project, to which will be attached an available network of experts. The respective advances of these researches are presented, completed of tests initiated in Japan on contaminated soils through partnerships.

Spectral Types and Wind Velocities for Massive Stars in R136

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bostroem, K. A.; Maíz Apellániz, J.; Caballero-Nieves, S. M.; Walborn, N. R.; Crowther, P. A.

2014-01-01

We analyze spatially resolved, long-slit ultraviolet (UV) and optical stellar spectra of the compact starburst cluster R136 at the core of 30 Doradus. R136 is young and massive, making it an ideal place to study the upper end of the initial mass function. These spectra, taken with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph on the Hubble Space Telescope, cover over 100 stars in the inner 4 arcseconds (1 parsec) of R136, a region which cannot be resolved with ground-based spectroscopy. In this poster we present both the UV and optical of over 20 of the brightest stars in R136, extracted with MULTISPEC, a tool written specifically for multiple objects in crowded fields. For each star we present an optical spectral type and a terminal wind velocity derived from the UV data

Revealing the ultrafast charge carrier dynamics in organo metal halide perovskite solar cell materials using time resolved THz spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ponseca, C. S., Jr.; Sundström, V.

2016-03-01

Ultrafast charge carrier dynamics in organo metal halide perovskite has been probed using time resolved terahertz (THz) spectroscopy (TRTS). Current literature on its early time characteristics is unanimous: sub-ps charge carrier generation, highly mobile charges and very slow recombination rationalizing the exceptionally high power conversion efficiency for a solution processed solar cell material. Electron injection from MAPbI3 to nanoparticles (NP) of TiO2 is found to be sub-ps while Al2O3 NPs do not alter charge dynamics. Charge transfer to organic electrodes, Spiro-OMeTAD and PCBM, is sub-ps and few hundreds of ps respectively, which is influenced by the alignment of energy bands. It is surmised that minimizing defects/trap states is key in optimizing charge carrier extraction from these materials.

Exciton diffusion in WSe2 monolayers embedded in a van der Waals heterostructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cadiz, F.; Robert, C.; Courtade, E.; Manca, M.; Martinelli, L.; Taniguchi, T.; Watanabe, K.; Amand, T.; Rowe, A. C. H.; Paget, D.; Urbaszek, B.; Marie, X.

2018-04-01

We have combined spatially resolved steady-state micro-photoluminescence with time-resolved photoluminescence to investigate the exciton diffusion in a WSe2 monolayer encapsulated with hexagonal boron nitride. At 300 K, we extract an exciton diffusion length of LX = 0.36 ± 0.02 μm and an exciton diffusion coefficient of DX = 14.5 ± 2 cm2/s. This represents a nearly 10-fold increase in the effective mobility of excitons with respect to several previously reported values on nonencapsulated samples. At cryogenic temperatures, the high optical quality of these samples has allowed us to discriminate the diffusion of the different exciton species: bright and dark neutral excitons, as well as charged excitons. The longer lifetime of dark neutral excitons yields a larger diffusion length of LXD=1.5 ±0.02 μ m.

Adding Value to Fruit Processing Waste: Innovative Ways to Incorporate Fibers from Berry Pomace in Baked and Extruded Cereal-based Foods-A SUSFOOD Project.

PubMed

Rohm, Harald; Brennan, Charles; Turner, Charlotta; Günther, Edeltraud; Campbell, Grant; Hernando, Isabel; Struck, Susanne; Kontogiorgos, Vassilis

2015-11-24

This article communicates the set-up of BERRYPOM, a European research project established in the second call of the SUStainable FOOD Production and Consumption (SUSFOOD) network. The project deals with the by-product from berry processing, which is frequently recycled as animal feed, composted or utilized for biogas production. With BERRYPOM it is proposed to analyze the value of berry pomace, to optimize the recovery of bioactive compounds from pomace material, and to incorporate processed berry pomace in cereal-based foods to take advantage of nutritional benefits that originate from its fiber and the content of bioactive substances. Additionally, extraction methods will be evaluated to obtain products rich in phytochemicals, and the influence of processing steps on the antioxidant capacity of pomace will be analyzed. The fiber extracts will then also be utilized in different cereal-based foods and extruded products. As project outcome we expect a substantial increase of knowledge concerning fiber and phytochemicals extraction from berry pomace, its suitability for enhancing nutritional and sensory properties of cereal-based foods, and its effects on the sustainability of the food chain.

Adding Value to Fruit Processing Waste: Innovative Ways to Incorporate Fibers from Berry Pomace in Baked and Extruded Cereal-based Foods—A SUSFOOD Project

PubMed Central

Rohm, Harald; Brennan, Charles; Turner, Charlotta; Günther, Edeltraud; Campbell, Grant; Hernando, Isabel; Struck, Susanne; Kontogiorgos, Vassilis

2015-01-01

This article communicates the set-up of BERRYPOM, a European research project established in the second call of the SUStainable FOOD Production and Consumption (SUSFOOD) network. The project deals with the by-product from berry processing, which is frequently recycled as animal feed, composted or utilized for biogas production. With BERRYPOM it is proposed to analyze the value of berry pomace, to optimize the recovery of bioactive compounds from pomace material, and to incorporate processed berry pomace in cereal-based foods to take advantage of nutritional benefits that originate from its fiber and the content of bioactive substances. Additionally, extraction methods will be evaluated to obtain products rich in phytochemicals, and the influence of processing steps on the antioxidant capacity of pomace will be analyzed. The fiber extracts will then also be utilized in different cereal-based foods and extruded products. As project outcome we expect a substantial increase of knowledge concerning fiber and phytochemicals extraction from berry pomace, its suitability for enhancing nutritional and sensory properties of cereal-based foods, and its effects on the sustainability of the food chain. PMID:28231231

Brine Extraction and Treatment Strategies to Enhance Pressure Management and Control of CO 2 Plumes in Deep Geologic Formations

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

Okwen, Roland; Frailey, Scott; Dastgheib, Seyed

The overall goal of the this project is to develop and validate pressure management and carbon dioxide (CO 2) plume control strategies that can address technical and economic barriers to commercial deployment of CO 2 storage technologies, based on computational and field demonstration work at the Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) facility where the Illinois Basin–Decatur Project (IBDP) and the Illinois-Industrial Carbon Capture and Storage (IL-ICCS) projects are located. To accomplish the overall goal, the ISGS designed a brine extraction storage test (BEST) that could be completed in two phases. The goal of BEST Phase I was to evaluate themore » feasibilities of extraction well(s) placement, the brine extraction to CO 2 injection rate ratio, extraction well completion, and brine treatment and handling. The goal of BEST Phase II would be to validate the brine extraction and treatment options deemed feasible in Phase I by (1) demonstrating the efficacy of brine extraction (BE) in managing pressure (i.e., formation) and the CO 2 plume, and (2) demonstrating treatment of extracted brine with high total dissolved solids (TDS; >200,000 mg/L) using multiple advanced treatment technologies. This report details work done in Phase I. Several brine extraction and treatment scenarios were tested, simulated, and analyzed for their effectiveness in extracting brine. Initially a vertical well was studied; however, geologic modeling, reservoir modeling, and the existing facility and wellbore infrastructure dictated that the location of a vertical brine extraction well was limited to an area with no existing monitoring wells and where the well would be in relative proximity to an existing CO 2 plume. Consequently, a vertical well was excluded, and a horizontal brine extraction well placed above the existing CO 2 plume near two existing wells was studied. The horizontal well option allows the project to leverage the availability of cased-hole logs and cross-well tomography to monitor CO 2 saturation and plume distribution, respectively. Because of the proximity of the horizontal well option to two existing wells, no additional monitoring well (or caprock penetration) is required. The recommended brine extraction pilot design options are (1) a horizontal extraction well at the base of the Middle Mt. Simon, which is 350–520 ft (107–158 m) above the CO 2 plume at CCS#1 and VW#1; or (2) a vertical extraction well 0.5 mi (0.8 km) from CCS#2 in a direction approximately southeast of CCS#2, perpendicular to the direction of high hydraulic connectivity. A horizontal extraction well has advantages over a vertical extraction well, including less risk of drilling into an existing CO 2 plume and it can be located between two other wells that can be used for monitoring. Thus, because the two existing wells can serve as monitoring wells, it eliminates the need for a third verification well and allows for a lower extraction rate to control the CO 2 plume and pressure. Managing pressure and the CO 2 plume distribution via brine extraction creates the obvious and important challenge of handling and treating the extracted brine. There were three options for brine disposal: (1) underground injection control (UIC) disposal well, (2) brine treatment and industrial use, and (3) brine pretreatment and discharge into municipal wastewater system. The primary design elements were budget and permitting requirements. The disposal well would be a vertical well drilled and completed into the Potosi Dolomite. For the range of extraction rates anticipated, the cost of this well is relatively constant. The cost of brine treatment is highly depends on the extraction rate, which depends on the well orientation. If relatively high rates are required, the vertical disposal well option is more favorable; for relatively lower rates, the two brine treatment options have lower costs. Life-cycle-analysis studies on extracted brine handling options suggest that a UIC well has a lower environmental impact than brine treatment. Both brine disposal options using brine treatment require removal of suspended solids from the extracted brine. The most suitable commercially available technology and the most promising emerging and innovative technology are recommended for implementation in Phase II. Though the challenges of this project are written specific to Decatur, every CO 2 storage site considering the use of brine extraction integrated with CO 2 storage will have similar, if not identical, technical and logistical challenges.« less

Anatomy of the Chaco cryogenic project

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

Milios, P.B.; Harris, R.A.

1997-12-31

In the first quarter of 1996 El Paso Field Services (EPFS) began operation of a new Chaco liquids extraction plant. The plant, located in northwest New Mexico, has the capacity to extract more natural gas liquids (NGL) than any other turboexpander plant in the lower 48 states; 50,000 b/d of NGL from 600 MMscfd of gas. Its existence is the result of El Paso`s desire to combine state-of-the-art processing with processing rates that align EPFS`s interests with the interests of the producers, in order to secure a long term competitive position in the San Juan Basin. All the project stakeholders,more » the producers, the liquids transporter, the construction contractor, and the processor have benefited from the project. Without regulatory reform the project would not have happened.« less

Robust breathing signal extraction from cone beam CT projections based on adaptive and global optimization techniques

PubMed Central

Chao, Ming; Wei, Jie; Li, Tianfang; Yuan, Yading; Rosenzweig, Kenneth E; Lo, Yeh-Chi

2017-01-01

We present a study of extracting respiratory signals from cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) projections within the framework of the Amsterdam Shroud (AS) technique. Acquired prior to the radiotherapy treatment, CBCT projections were preprocessed for contrast enhancement by converting the original intensity images to attenuation images with which the AS image was created. An adaptive robust z-normalization filtering was applied to further augment the weak oscillating structures locally. From the enhanced AS image, the respiratory signal was extracted using a two-step optimization approach to effectively reveal the large-scale regularity of the breathing signals. CBCT projection images from five patients acquired with the Varian Onboard Imager on the Clinac iX System Linear Accelerator (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA) were employed to assess the proposed technique. Stable breathing signals can be reliably extracted using the proposed algorithm. Reference waveforms obtained using an air bellows belt (Philips Medical Systems, Cleveland, OH) were exported and compared to those with the AS based signals. The average errors for the enrolled patients between the estimated breath per minute (bpm) and the reference waveform bpm can be as low as −0.07 with the standard deviation 1.58. The new algorithm outperformed the original AS technique for all patients by 8.5% to 30%. The impact of gantry rotation on the breathing signal was assessed with data acquired with a Quasar phantom (Modus Medical Devices Inc., London, Canada) and found to be minimal on the signal frequency. The new technique developed in this work will provide a practical solution to rendering markerless breathing signal using the CBCT projections for thoracic and abdominal patients. PMID:27008349

Maxillectomy for Cementifying Osseous Dysplasia of the Maxilla: A Case Report.

PubMed

Akbulut, Sevtap; Demir, Mehmet Gokhan; Basak, Kayhan; Paksoy, Mustafa

2015-01-01

Osseous dysplasias are the most common subtype of fibro-osseous lesions of the maxillofacial bones. They are benign and often present as incidental asymptomatic lesions. Diagnosis can be made with clinical and radiographic examination. This article reports the case of a 47-year-old man with a huge cementifying osseous dysplasia of the maxilla that presented with secondary infection after teeth extraction and repair of oroantral fistula. A subtotal maxillectomy had to be done after conservative treatment failed to resolve the infection. Biopsy, tooth extraction or surgical trauma to the affected bones of osseous dysplasia could easily lead to severe secondary infection, the treatment of which may be very difficult, and thus should be avoided if possible.

An overview of platelet products (PRP, PRGF, PRF, etc.) in the Iranian studies

PubMed Central

Raeissadat, Seyed Ahmad; Babaee, Marzieh; Rayegani, Seyed Mansour; Hashemi, Zahra; Hamidieh, Amir Ali; Mojgani, Parviz; Fouladi Vanda, Hossein

2017-01-01

Aim: The aim of the study was to carry out a review of published studies on various platelet products in Iranian studies. Materials & methods: Electronic databases were searched for relevant articles. Two review authors independently extracted data via a tested extraction sheet, and disagreements were resolved by a meeting with a third review author. Results: Bone disorders (25%), wound and fistula (16%), dental and gingival disorders (14%) and osteoarthritis (11%) have more relative frequency based on different fields. Conclusion: The necessity of pursuing standard protocols in the preparation of platelet products, stating the precise content of platelets and growth factors, and long-term follow-up of study subjects were the most important points in Iranian studies. PMID:29134118

Instrument for Analysis of Organic Compounds on Other Planets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Daulton, Riley M.; Hintze, Paul E.

2016-01-01

The goal of this project is to develop the Instrument for Solvent Extraction and Analysis of Extraterrestrial Bodies using In Situ Resources (ISEE). Specifically, ISEE will extract and characterize organic compounds from regolith which is found on the surface of other planets or asteroids. The techniques this instrument will use are supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) and supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC). ISEE aligns with NASA's goal to expand the frontiers of knowledge, capability, and opportunities in space in addition to supporting NASA's aim to search for life elsewhere by characterizing organic compounds. The outcome of this project will be conceptual designs of 2 components of the ISEE instrument as well as the completion of proof-of-concept extraction experiments to demonstrate the capabilities of SFE. The first conceptual design is a pressure vessel to be used for the extraction of the organic compounds from the regolith. This includes a comparison of different materials, geometry's, and a proposition of how to insert the regolith into the vessel. The second conceptual design identifies commercially available fluid pumps based on the requirements needed to generate supercritical CO2. The proof-of-concept extraction results show the percent mass lost during standard solvent extractions of regolith with organic compounds. This data will be compared to SFE results to demonstrate the capabilities of ISEE's approach.

Automation of lidar-based hydrologic feature extraction workflows using GIS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borlongan, Noel Jerome B.; de la Cruz, Roel M.; Olfindo, Nestor T.; Perez, Anjillyn Mae C.

2016-10-01

With the advent of LiDAR technology, higher resolution datasets become available for use in different remote sensing and GIS applications. One significant application of LiDAR datasets in the Philippines is in resource features extraction. Feature extraction using LiDAR datasets require complex and repetitive workflows which can take a lot of time for researchers through manual execution and supervision. The Development of the Philippine Hydrologic Dataset for Watersheds from LiDAR Surveys (PHD), a project under the Nationwide Detailed Resources Assessment Using LiDAR (Phil-LiDAR 2) program, created a set of scripts, the PHD Toolkit, to automate its processes and workflows necessary for hydrologic features extraction specifically Streams and Drainages, Irrigation Network, and Inland Wetlands, using LiDAR Datasets. These scripts are created in Python and can be added in the ArcGIS® environment as a toolbox. The toolkit is currently being used as an aid for the researchers in hydrologic feature extraction by simplifying the workflows, eliminating human errors when providing the inputs, and providing quick and easy-to-use tools for repetitive tasks. This paper discusses the actual implementation of different workflows developed by Phil-LiDAR 2 Project 4 in Streams, Irrigation Network and Inland Wetlands extraction.

Analyzing the relationship between sequence divergence and nodal support using Bayesian phylogenetic analyses.

PubMed

Makowsky, Robert; Cox, Christian L; Roelke, Corey; Chippindale, Paul T

2010-11-01

Determining the appropriate gene for phylogeny reconstruction can be a difficult process. Rapidly evolving genes tend to resolve recent relationships, but suffer from alignment issues and increased homoplasy among distantly related species. Conversely, slowly evolving genes generally perform best for deeper relationships, but lack sufficient variation to resolve recent relationships. We determine the relationship between sequence divergence and Bayesian phylogenetic reconstruction ability using both natural and simulated datasets. The natural data are based on 28 well-supported relationships within the subphylum Vertebrata. Sequences of 12 genes were acquired and Bayesian analyses were used to determine phylogenetic support for correct relationships. Simulated datasets were designed to determine whether an optimal range of sequence divergence exists across extreme phylogenetic conditions. Across all genes we found that an optimal range of divergence for resolving the correct relationships does exist, although this level of divergence expectedly depends on the distance metric. Simulated datasets show that an optimal range of sequence divergence exists across diverse topologies and models of evolution. We determine that a simple to measure property of genetic sequences (genetic distance) is related to phylogenic reconstruction ability in Bayesian analyses. This information should be useful for selecting the most informative gene to resolve any relationships, especially those that are difficult to resolve, as well as minimizing both cost and confounding information during project design. Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Inc.

High Resolution Imaging of Very Low Mass Spectral Binaries: Three Resolved Systems and Detection of Orbital Motion in an L/T Transition Binary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bardalez Gagliuffi, Daniella C.; Gelino, Christopher R.; Burgasser, Adam J.

2015-11-01

We present high resolution Laser Guide Star Adaptive Optics imaging of 43 late-M, L and T dwarf systems with Keck/NIRC2. These include 17 spectral binary candidates, systems whose spectra suggest the presence of a T dwarf secondary. We resolve three systems: 2MASS J1341-3052, SDSS J1511+0607 and SDSS J2052-1609 the first two are resolved for the first time. All three have projected separations <8 AU and estimated periods of 14-80 years. We also report a preliminary orbit determination for SDSS J2052-1609 based on six epochs of resolved astrometry between 2005 and 2010. Among the 14 unresolved spectral binaries, 5 systems were confirmed binaries but remained unresolved, implying a minimum binary fraction of {47}-11+12% for this sample. Our inability to resolve most of the spectral binaries, including the confirmed binaries, supports the hypothesis that a large fraction of very low mass systems have relatively small separations and are missed with direct imaging. Some of the data presented herein were obtained at the W.M. Keck Observatory, which is operated as a scientific partnership among the California Institute of Technology, the University of California, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The Observatory was made possible by the generous financial support of the W.M. Keck Foundation.

In-pile Thermal Conductivity Characterization with Time Resolved Raman

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

Wang, Xinwei; Hurley, David H.

The project is designed to achieve three objectives: (1) Develop a novel time resolved Raman technology for direct measurement of fuel and cladding thermal conductivity. (2) Validate and improve the technology development by measuring ceramic materials germane to the nuclear industry. (3) Conduct instrumentation development to integrate optical fiber into our sensing system for eventual in-pile measurement. We have developed three new techniques: time-domain differential Raman (TD-Raman), frequency-resolved Raman (FR-Raman), and energy transport state-resolved Raman (ET-Raman). The TD-Raman varies the laser heating time and does simultaneous Raman thermal probing, the FR-Raman probes the material’s thermal response under periodical laser heatingmore » of different frequencies, and the ET-Raman probes the thermal response under steady and pulsed laser heating. The measurement capacity of these techniques have been fully assessed and verified by measuring micro/nanoscale materials. All these techniques do not need the data of laser absorption and absolute material temperature rise, yet still be able to measure the thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity with unprecedented accuracy. It is expected they will have broad applications for in-pile thermal characterization of nuclear materials based on pure optical heating and sensing.« less

A concept for extraction of habitat features from laser scanning and hypersprectral imaging for evaluation of Natura 2000 sites - the ChangeHabitats2 project approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Székely, B.; Kania, A.; Pfeifer, N.; Heilmeier, H.; Tamás, J.; Szöllősi, N.; Mücke, W.

2012-04-01

The goal of the ChangeHabitats2 project is the development of cost- and time-efficient habitat assessment strategies by employing effective field work techniques supported by modern airborne remote sensing methods, i.e. hyperspectral imagery and laser scanning (LiDAR). An essential task of the project is the design of a novel field work technique that on the one hand fulfills the reporting requirements of the Flora-Fauna-Habitat (FFH-) directive and on the other hand serves as a reference for the aerial data analysis. Correlations between parameters derived from remotely sensed data and terrestrial field measurements shall be exploited in order to create half- or fully-automated methods for the extraction of relevant Natura2000 habitat parameters. As a result of these efforts a comprehensive conceptual model has been developed for extraction and integration of Natura 2000 relevant geospatial data. This scheme is an attempt to integrate various activities within ChangeHabitats2 project defining pathways of development, as well as encompassing existing data processing chains, theoretical approaches and field work. The conceptual model includes definition of processing levels (similar to those existing in remote sensing), whereas these levels cover the range from the raw data to the extracted habitat feature. For instance, the amount of dead wood (standing or lying on the surface) is an important evaluation criterion for the habitat. The tree trunks lying on the ground surface typically can be extracted from the LiDAR point cloud, and the amount of wood can be estimated accordingly. The final result will be considered as a habitat feature derived from laser scanning data. Furthermore, we are also interested not only in the determination of the specific habitat feature, but also in the detection of its variations (especially in deterioration). In this approach the variation of this important habitat feature is considered to be a differential habitat feature, that can be immediately used in the evaluation of the Natura 2000 sites. The goal of the project is the identification of many potential habitat features that can be extracted or implied from remotely sensed data, and the development of processing chains to provide data that can be used in the everyday field work of ecological site assessment. This is a contribution of ChangeHabitats2 project financed by the European Union within the Industry Academia Partnership Pathways (IAPP), as a part of FP7 Marie Curie Actions.

Statistically Enhanced Model of In Situ Oil Sands Extraction Operations: An Evaluation of Variability in Greenhouse Gas Emissions.

PubMed

Orellana, Andrea; Laurenzi, Ian J; MacLean, Heather L; Bergerson, Joule A

2018-02-06

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with extraction of bitumen from oil sands can vary from project to project and over time. However, the nature and magnitude of this variability have yet to be incorporated into life cycle studies. We present a statistically enhanced life cycle based model (GHOST-SE) for assessing variability of GHG emissions associated with the extraction of bitumen using in situ techniques in Alberta, Canada. It employs publicly available, company-reported operating data, facilitating assessment of inter- and intraproject variability as well as the time evolution of GHG emissions from commercial in situ oil sands projects. We estimate the median GHG emissions associated with bitumen production via cyclic steam stimulation (CSS) to be 77 kg CO 2 eq/bbl bitumen (80% CI: 61-109 kg CO 2 eq/bbl), and via steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) to be 68 kg CO 2 eq/bbl bitumen (80% CI: 49-102 kg CO 2 eq/bbl). We also show that the median emissions intensity of Alberta's CSS and SAGD projects have been relatively stable from 2000 to 2013, despite greater than 6-fold growth in production. Variability between projects is the single largest source of variability (driven in part by reservoir characteristics) but intraproject variability (e.g., startups, interruptions), is also important and must be considered in order to inform research or policy priorities.

MEMBRANE-MEDIATED EXTRACTION AND BIODEGRADATION OF VOCS FROM AIR

EPA Science Inventory

The paper discusses a project designed to evaluate the feasibility of using a membrane-supported extraction and biotreatment process to meet the National Emissions Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for aircraft painting and depainting facilities. The proposed system...

Prompt photon measurements with the PHENIX MPC-EX detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campbell, Sarah

2013-04-01

The MPC-EX detector is a preshower extension to PHENIX's Muon Piston Calorimeter (MPC). It consists of eight layers of alternating W absorber and Si mini-pad sensors. Located at forward rapidity, 3.1<|η|<3.8, the MPC and MPC-EX access low-x partons in the Au nucleus in p+Au collisions and high-x partons in the projectile in polarized p+p collisions. With the MPC-EX, photon and ^0 separation extends to E>80 GeV, allowing the measurement of prompt photons using the double ratio method. At forward rapidities, prompt photons are dominated by direct photons produced by quark-gluon Compton scattering. In transversely polarized p+p collisions, the prompt photon single spin asymmetry measurement, AN, will resolve the sign discrepancy between the Sivers and twist-3 extractions of AN. In p+Au collisions, the prompt photon RpAu will quantify the level of gluon saturation in the Au nucleus at low-x, 10-3, with a projected systematic error band a factor of four smaller than EPS09's current allowable range. The MPC-EX detector will expand our understanding of gluon nuclear parton distribution functions, providing information about the initial state of heavy ion collisions, and clarify how valence parton's pT and spin correlate to the proton spin.

Time tracking and interaction of energy-eddies at different scales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cardesa, Jose I.; Vela-Martin, Alberto; Jimenez, Javier

2016-11-01

We study the energy cascade through coherent structures obtained in time-resolved simulations of incompressible, statistically steady isotropic turbulence. The structures are defined as geometrically connected regions of the flow with high kinetic energy. We compute the latter by band-pass filtering the velocity field around a scale r. We analyse the dynamics of structures extracted with different r, which are a proxy for eddies containing energy at those r. We find that the size of these "energy-eddies" scales with r, while their lifetime scales with the local eddy-turnover r 2 / 3ɛ - 1 / 3 , where ɛ is the energy dissipation averaged over all space and time. Furthermore, a statistical analysis over the lives of the eddies shows a slight predominance of the splitting over the merging process. When we isolate the eddies which do not interact with other eddies of the same scale, we observe a parent-child dependence by which, on average, structures are born at scale r during the decaying part of the life of a structure at scale r' > r . The energy-eddy at r' lives in the same region of space as that at r. Finally, we investigate how interactions between eddies at the same scale are echoed across other scales. Funded by the ERC project Coturb.

Measurement of the Atomic Orbital Composition of the Near-Fermi-Level Electronic States in the Lanthanum Monopnictides LaBi and LaSb

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nummy, Thomas; Waugh, Justin; Parham, Stephen; Li, Haoxiang; Zhou, Xiaoqing; Plumb, Nick; Tafti, Fazel; Dessau, Daniel

Angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) is used to measure the electronic structure of the Extreme Magnetoresistance (XMR) topological semimetal candidates LaBi and LaSb. Using a wide range of photon energies the true bulk states are cleanly disentangled from the various types of surface states, which may exist due to surface projections of bulk states as well as for topological reasons. The orbital content of the near-EF states are extracted using varying photon polarizations. The measured bulk bands are somewhat lighter and are energy shifted compared to the results of Density Functional calculations, which is a minor effect in LaBi and a more serious effect in LaSb. This bulk band structure puts LaBi in the v = 1 class of Topological Insulators (or semimetals), consistent with the measured Dirac-like surface states. LaSb on the other hand is at the verge of a topological band inversion, with a less-clear case for any distinctly topological surface states. The low-dimensional cigar-shaped bulk Fermi surfaces for both compounds are separated out by orbital content, with a crossover from pnictide d orbitals to La p orbitals around the Fermi surface, which through strong spin-orbit coupling may be relevant for the Extreme Magnetoresistance. NSF GRFP.

Subwavelength hyperspectral THz studies of articular cartilage.

PubMed

Stantchev, Rayko I; Mansfield, Jessica C; Edginton, Ryan S; Hobson, Peter; Palombo, Francesca; Hendry, Euan

2018-05-02

Terahertz-spectroscopy probes dynamics and spectral response of collective vibrational modes in condensed phase, which can yield insight into composition and topology. However, due to the long wavelengths employed (λ = 300 μm at 1THz), diffraction limited imaging is typically restricted to spatial resolutions around a millimeter. Here, we demonstrate a new form of subwavelength hyperspectral, polarization-resolved THz imaging which employs an optical pattern projected onto a 6 μm-thin silicon wafer to achieve near-field modulation of a co-incident THz pulse. By placing near-field scatterers, one can measure the interaction of object with the evanescent THz fields. Further, by measuring the temporal evolution of the THz field a sample's permittivity can be extracted with 65 μm spatial resolution due to the presence of evanescent fields. Here, we present the first application of this new approach to articular cartilage. We show that the THz permittivity in this material varies progressively from the superficial zone to the deep layer, and that this correlates with a change in orientation of the collagen fibrils that compose the extracellular matrix (ECM) of the tissue. Our approach enables direct interrogation of the sample's biophysical properties, in this case concerning the structure and permittivity of collagen fibrils and their anisotropic organisation in connective tissue.

Calcul numérique des ondes de surface par une méthode de projection avec un maillage eulérien adaptatif

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guillou, Sylvain; Barbry, Nathaly; Nguyen, Kim Dan

A non hydrostatic vertical two-dimensional numerical model is proposed to calculate free-surface flows. This model is based on resolving the full Navier-Stokes equations by a finite-difference method coupled with Chorin's projection method. An adaptative-Eulerian grid in the sigma-coordinate system is used. The model permits the calculation of surface-waves in estuarine and coastal zones. A benchmark test relative to the soliton propagation is realised to validate the model.

2005 Tri-Service Infrastructure Systems Conference and Exhibition. Volume 1, Track 1

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-08-04

Action Items •Resolve Action Items •Forward- on Criteria & Business Process Issues PM Creates & Initiates Survey 1 Client Self - Administered Web...expected score. SPiRiT/LEED Goal Setting and Self Rating • Project teams self rate projects using SPiRiT/LEED at 4 stages: – Planning Charrette* (identify...Data No Data No Data No Data O/C No Respose No Data (1,925) NOTE: Does not reflect recent change counting all Modularity S&A as MILCON FY 05 MILCON S&A

Hydrodynamic observations in support of Moored Autonomous pCO2 buoy efforts at La Parguera Marine Reserve

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodriguez-Abudo, S.; Melendez, M.; Morell, J. M.; Padilla, A.; Salisbury, J.

2016-02-01

Time series of near-reef carbonate chemistry obtained through the National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) at La Parguera Marine Reserve, Puerto Rico exhibit seasonal and diurnal variations modulated by diverse processes including coral community metabolism, thermodynamics and hydrodynamics. While surface CO2 dynamics have been fairly well characterized with moored pCO2 efforts, detailed hydrodynamic information resulting from La Parguera's complex morphological, meteorological, and oceanographic processes is currently lacking. This project focuses on a one-month-long hydrodynamic assessment near a fore reef site located within 100 m of the NCRMP pCO2 buoy. Current profiles spanning 12 m of depth were resolved with a bottom-mounted ADCP. Preliminary results show that under no wind conditions, dominant currents are tidally driven and aligned with the reef channel. Depth-averaged currents exhibit diurnal and semidiurnal peaks, not inconsistent with tidal and wind forcing. The analysis also shows that at times surface current direction can differ from near-reef currents by as much as 200 degrees, suggesting a possible mismatch between carbonate chemistry resolved at the surface and that felt by the reef structure. Moreover, buoy measurements are potentially resolving carbonate chemistry from both, oceanic and inshore water masses. Our findings suggest that monitoring and potentially predicting near-reef CO2 dynamics require interdisciplinary expertise and integrated approaches. This project provides new insights into the effects of tidal and meteorological forcing on the carbonate chemistry of near-reef coral ecosystems.

Summary of the DOD Process for Developing Ouantitative Munitions Requirements

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-02-24

extracted from the overall classified Secret documents, by itself, is unclassified. 20 conflict in the NonNuclear Consumables Annual Analysis threat...Projected Kits’ Projecled Consumption’ Projected Kfc ’ Projected Consumption4 Total Projected Consumption e.g. Tanks MTWEist Portion to defeat I1 MTW...umns2and5. er ol projected ’ The total munitions consumed lo achieve Ihe numb (ifebyrmivtiontype. Figure 3-1 Combat Munitions Data Formal ?? MUNITIONS

AGN Space Telescope and Optical Reverberation Mapping Project. IV. Velocity-Delay Mapping of Broad Emission Lines in NGC 5548

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horne, Keith D.; Agn Storm Team

2015-01-01

Two-dimensional velocity-delay maps of AGN broad emission line regions can be recovered by modelling observations of reverberating emission-line profiles on the assumption that the line profile variations are driven by changes in ionising radiation from a compact source near the black hole. The observable light travel time delay resolves spatial structure on iso-delay paraboloids, while the doppler shift resolves kinematic structure along the observer's line-of-sight. Velocity-delay maps will be presented and briefly discussed for the Lyman alpha, CIV and Hbeta line profiles based on the HST and ground-based spectrophotometric monitoring of NGC 5548 during the 2014 AGN STORM campaign.

The Graduate Outcome Project: Using Data from the Integrated Data Infrastructure Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rees, Malcolm

2014-01-01

This paper reports on progress to date with a project underway in New Zealand involving the extraction of data from multiple government agencies that is then combined into one comprehensive longitudinal integrated dataset and made available to trial participants in a way never previously thought possible. The dataset includes school leaver…

Changing over a Project Changing over: A Project-Research Supervision as a Conversation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clarke, Helen; Ryan, Charly

2006-01-01

Extracts from the written conversation between research student and supervisor show the nature of educative research supervision. The authors argue that researcher-supervisor relationships are methodological in nature as they shape and influence the people, the project and the field. Such relationships, which construct meanings, are complex. A…

Plasma formed ion beam projection lithography system

DOEpatents

Leung, Ka-Ngo; Lee, Yung-Hee Yvette; Ngo, Vinh; Zahir, Nastaran

2002-01-01

A plasma-formed ion-beam projection lithography (IPL) system eliminates the acceleration stage between the ion source and stencil mask of a conventional IPL system. Instead a much thicker mask is used as a beam forming or extraction electrode, positioned next to the plasma in the ion source. Thus the entire beam forming electrode or mask is illuminated uniformly with the source plasma. The extracted beam passes through an acceleration and reduction stage onto the resist coated wafer. Low energy ions, about 30 eV, pass through the mask, minimizing heating, scattering, and sputtering.

Global Tungsten Demand and Supply Forecast

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dvořáček, Jaroslav; Sousedíková, Radmila; Vrátný, Tomáš; Jureková, Zdenka

2017-03-01

An estimate of the world tungsten demand and supply until 2018 has been made. The figures were obtained by extrapolating from past trends of tungsten production from1905, and its demand from 1964. In addition, estimate suggestions of major production and investment companies were taken into account with regard to implementations of new projects for mining of tungsten or possible termination of its standing extraction. It can be assumed that tungsten supply will match demand by 2018. This suggestion is conditioned by successful implementation of new tungsten extraction projects, and full application of tungsten recycling methods.

75 FR 75474 - National Center for Environmental Health/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (NCEH...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-03

... National Conversation on Public Health and Chemical Exposures Leadership Council Meeting Time and Date: 9 a... Leadership Council, which is convened by RESOLVE, a non-profit independent facilitator. The National... Leadership Council provides overall guidance to the National Conversation project and is responsible for...

75 FR 59727 - National Center for Environmental Health/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (NCEH...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-28

... National Conversation on Public Health and Chemical Exposures Leadership Council Meeting Time and Date: 9 a... Chemical Exposures Leadership Council, which is convened by RESOLVE, a non-profit independent facilitator... exposures. The Leadership Council provides overall guidance to the National Conversation project and is...

An Interdisciplinary Design Project in Second Life: Creating a Virtual Marine Science Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Triggs, Riley; Jarmon, Leslie; Villareal, Tracy A.

2010-01-01

Virtual environments can resolve many practical and pedagogical challenges within higher education. Economic considerations, accessibility issues, and safety concerns can all be somewhat alleviated by creating learning activities in a virtual space. Because of the removal of real-world physical limitations like gravity, durability and scope,…

Monitoring the formation of oil-water emulsions with a fast spatially resolved NMR spectroscopy method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

You, Meng-Ting; Wei, Zhi-Liang; Yang, Jian; Cui, Xiao-Hong; Chen, Zhong

2018-02-01

Not Available Project supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province, China (Grant Nos. 2016J01078 and 2017J05011), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities of China (Grant Nos. 20720160125 and 20720150018), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 11705068).

Racial Differences in Resolving Conflicts: A Comparison between Black and White Police Officers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sun, Ivan Y.; Payne, Brian K.

2004-01-01

This study examined the behavioral differences between Black and White police officers in handling interpersonal conflicts. Observational and survey data from the Project on Policing Neighborhoods and the 1990 census data were used. Actions taken by officers are examined along two behavioral dimensions: coercion and support. Findings show that…

Perceptions of Constructivist Pedagogy in Project Lead the Way

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Capers, Gesa Maria

2017-01-01

In 2016, six of six American Nobel Prize winners in science were immigrants. The numbers of U.S. educated graduates who enter the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields have been on the decline, and policymakers and educators have continually sought new policies and programs to try resolve this problem with long-term…

Fine-scale application of the WRF-CMAQ modeling system to the 2013 DISCOVER-AQ San Joaquin Valley study

EPA Science Inventory

The DISCOVER-AQ project (Deriving Information on Surface conditions from Column and Vertically Resolved Observations Relevant to Air Quality), is a joint collaboration between NASA, U.S. EPA and a number of other local organizations with the goal of characterizing air quality in ...

When Choice Fosters Inequality: Can Research Help?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ayscue, Jennifer B.; Siegel-Hawley, Genevieve; Woodward, Brian; Orfield, Gary

2017-01-01

The Civil Rights Project was hired to identify barriers to equitable access in Buffalo (New York) Public Schools' criteria schools and propose solutions, which, if accepted by both parties, could resolve the civil rights violations and create more equitable access to those schools. The researchers found that students of color, low-income students,…

Demonstration of the Competency-Based Curriculum for Distributive Education and Distributive Cooperative Training Programs. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marshall Univ., Huntington, WV. Dept. of Occupational, Adult, and Safety Education.

A core curriculum, training plans, and implementation guide developed by the project are included in this final report, which describes activities to resolve problems encountered by teachers using the IDECC (Interstate Distributive Education Curriculum Consortium) system designed for distributive education (DE) and diversified cooperative training…

Industry Views on the Ability of the U.S. Photovoltaics Industry to Compete in Foreign Markets.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-09-15

Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia ) had agreed to them in principal. Details still remain to be resolved. The agency responsible for the fourth...project (Direccion General de Aprovechamiento de Aguas Salinas y Energia Solar) had not yet replied. Israel agreement Based upon discussions held with

Literacy Teaching Method and Peace Building in Multi-Ethnic Communities of Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adelore, Omobola; Majaro-Majesty, Henry

2008-01-01

The challenge of peace building in Nigeria is increasing as communities continue to show adversary tendencies. This is happening even after many third party conflict transformation efforts have been expended to resolve and set a conducive climate for stakeholders to sustain peace. Some peace building assessment projects have indicated that the…

The crustal structures from Wuyi-Yunkai orogen to Taiwan orogen: the onshore-offshore wide-angle seismic experiment of TAIGER and ATSEE projects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuochen, H.; Kuo, N. Y. W.; Wang, C. Y.; Jin, X.; Cai, H. T.; Lin, J. Y.; Wu, F. T.; Yen, H. Y.; Huang, B. S.; Liang, W. T.; Okaya, D. A.; Brown, L. D.

2015-12-01

The crustal structure is key information for understanding the tectonic framework and geological evolution in the southeastern China and its adjacent area. In this study, we integrated the data sets from the TAIGER and ATSEE projects to resolve onshore-offshore deep crustal seismic profiles from the Wuyi-Yunkai orogen to the Taiwan orogen in southeastern China. Totally, there are three seismic profiles resolved and the longest profile is 850 km. Unlike 2D and 3D first arrival travel-time tomography from previous studies, we used both refracted and reflected phases (Pg, Pn, PcP, and PmP) to model the crustal structures and the crustal reflectors. 40 shots, 2 earthquakes, and about 1,950 stations were used and 15,319 arrivals were picked among three transects. As a result, the complex crustal evolution since Paleozoic era are shown, which involved the closed Paleozoic rifted basin in central Fujian, the Cenozoic extension due to South China sea opening beneath the coastline of southern Fujian, and the on-going collision of the Taiwan orogen.

A Novel Multi-scale Simulation Strategy for Turbulent Reacting Flows

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

James, Sutherland C.

In this project, a new methodology was proposed to bridge the gap between Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) and Large Eddy Simulation (LES). This novel methodology, titled Lattice-Based Multiscale Simulation (LBMS), creates a lattice structure of One-Dimensional Turbulence (ODT) models. This model has been shown to capture turbulent combustion with high fidelity by fully resolving interactions between turbulence and diffusion. By creating a lattice of ODT models, which are then coupled, LBMS overcomes the shortcomings of ODT, which are its inability to capture large scale three dimensional flow structures. However, by spacing these lattices significantly apart, LBMS can avoid the cursemore » of dimensionality that creates untenable computational costs associated with DNS. This project has shown that LBMS is capable of reproducing statistics of isotropic turbulent flows while coarsening the spacing between lines significantly. It also investigates and resolves issues that arise when coupling ODT lines, such as flux reconstruction perpendicular to a given ODT line, preservation of conserved quantities when eddies cross a course cell volume and boundary condition application. Robust parallelization is also investigated.« less

Need of risk management practice amongst bumiputera contractors in Malaysia construction industries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Syuhada Fadzil, Nur; Noor, Nurazuwa Md; Rahman, Ismail Abdul

2017-11-01

Malaysia construction industry has been growing continuously with double-digit growth for the past two decades. There are many issues surrounded the industry such as delay in delivery, cost overrun, quality and safety. In bumiputera contractor’s context, the literature review found that 32 issues were encountered in the construction project. These issues can be handled properly with the application of risk management. According to previous researchers, application of risk management in Malaysia construction industry is at the low level where it is implemented in traditional ways that are brainstorming and checklist. These were due to lack of knowledge, the high cost of hiring experts and avoiding extra cost. Besides that, this study also intentions to analyse the risk categories in the construction industry as well as identify risk management process to resolve the construction issues. Hence, this paper presents issues engulfed by Bumiputera contractors which can partly be resolved by applying risk management practice in carrying out the construction activity. This may inspire the contractors to apply the risk management practice in ensuring the success of their construction project.

Scheduling with Automatic Resolution of Conflicts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clement, Bradley; Schaffer, Steve

2006-01-01

DSN Requirement Scheduler is a computer program that automatically schedules, reschedules, and resolves conflicts for allocations of resources of NASA s Deep Space Network (DSN) on the basis of ever-changing project requirements for DSN services. As used here, resources signifies, primarily, DSN antennas, ancillary equipment, and times during which they are available. Examples of project-required DSN services include arraying, segmentation, very-long-baseline interferometry, and multiple spacecraft per aperture. Requirements can include periodic reservations of specific or optional resources during specific time intervals or within ranges specified in terms of starting times and durations. This program is built on the Automated Scheduling and Planning Environment (ASPEN) software system (aspects of which have been described in previous NASA Tech Briefs articles), with customization to reflect requirements and constraints involved in allocation of DSN resources. Unlike prior DSN-resource- scheduling programs that make single passes through the requirements and require human intervention to resolve conflicts, this program makes repeated passes in a continuing search for all possible allocations, provides a best-effort solution at any time, and presents alternative solutions among which users can choose.

Docking and Virtual Screening Strategies for GPCR Drug Discovery.

PubMed

Beuming, Thijs; Lenselink, Bart; Pala, Daniele; McRobb, Fiona; Repasky, Matt; Sherman, Woody

2015-01-01

Progress in structure determination of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) has made it possible to apply structure-based drug design (SBDD) methods to this pharmaceutically important target class. The quality of GPCR structures available for SBDD projects fall on a spectrum ranging from high resolution crystal structures (<2 Å), where all water molecules in the binding pocket are resolved, to lower resolution (>3 Å) where some protein residues are not resolved, and finally to homology models that are built using distantly related templates. Each GPCR project involves a distinct set of opportunities and challenges, and requires different approaches to model the interaction between the receptor and the ligands. In this review we will discuss docking and virtual screening to GPCRs, and highlight several refinement and post-processing steps that can be used to improve the accuracy of these calculations. Several examples are discussed that illustrate specific steps that can be taken to improve upon the docking and virtual screening accuracy. While GPCRs are a unique target class, many of the methods and strategies outlined in this review are general and therefore applicable to other protein families.

A reconstruction of global hydroclimate and dynamical variables over the Common Era.

PubMed

Steiger, Nathan J; Smerdon, Jason E; Cook, Edward R; Cook, Benjamin I

2018-05-22

Hydroclimate extremes critically affect human and natural systems, but there remain many unanswered questions about their causes and how to interpret their dynamics in the past and in climate change projections. These uncertainties are due, in part, to the lack of long-term, spatially resolved hydroclimate reconstructions and information on the underlying physical drivers for many regions. Here we present the first global reconstructions of hydroclimate and associated climate dynamical variables over the past two thousand years. We use a data assimilation approach tailored to reconstruct hydroclimate that optimally combines 2,978 paleoclimate proxy-data time series with the physical constraints of an atmosphere-ocean climate model. The global reconstructions are annually or seasonally resolved and include two spatiotemporal drought indices, near-surface air temperature, an index of North Atlantic variability, the location of the intertropical convergence zone, and monthly Niño indices. This database, called the Paleo Hydrodynamics Data Assimilation product (PHYDA), will provide a critical new platform for investigating the causes of past climate variability and extremes, while informing interpretations of future hydroclimate projections.

A daily, 1 km resolution data set of downscaled Greenland ice sheet surface mass balance (1958-2015)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noël, Brice; van de Berg, Willem Jan; Machguth, Horst; Lhermitte, Stef; Howat, Ian; Fettweis, Xavier; van den Broeke, Michiel R.

2016-10-01

This study presents a data set of daily, 1 km resolution Greenland ice sheet (GrIS) surface mass balance (SMB) covering the period 1958-2015. Applying corrections for elevation, bare ice albedo and accumulation bias, the high-resolution product is statistically downscaled from the native daily output of the polar regional climate model RACMO2.3 at 11 km. The data set includes all individual SMB components projected to a down-sampled version of the Greenland Ice Mapping Project (GIMP) digital elevation model and ice mask. The 1 km mask better resolves narrow ablation zones, valley glaciers, fjords and disconnected ice caps. Relative to the 11 km product, the more detailed representation of isolated glaciated areas leads to increased precipitation over the southeastern GrIS. In addition, the downscaled product shows a significant increase in runoff owing to better resolved low-lying marginal glaciated regions. The combined corrections for elevation and bare ice albedo markedly improve model agreement with a newly compiled data set of ablation measurements.

Radiocarbon dating of American pika fecal pellets provides insights into population extirpations and climate refugia.

PubMed

Millar, Constance I; Heckman, Katherine; Swanston, Christopher; Schmidt, Karena; Westfall, Robert D; Delany, Diane L

The American pika (Ochotona princeps) has become a species of concern for its sensitivity to warm temperatures and potential vulnerability to global warming. We explored the value of radiocarbon dating of fecal pellets to address questions of population persistence and timing of site extirpation. Carbon was extracted from pellets collected at 43 locations in the western Great Basin, USA, including three known occupied sites and 40 sites of uncertain status at range margins or where previous studies indicated the species is vulnerable. We resolved calibrated dates with high precision (within several years), most of which fell in the period of the mid-late 20th century bomb curve. The two-sided nature of the bomb curve renders far- and near-side dates of equal probability, which are separated by one to four decades. We document methods for narrowing resolution to one age range, including stratigraphic analysis of vegetation collected from pika haypiles. No evidence was found for biases in atmospheric 14C levels due to fossil-derived or industrial CO2 contamination. Radiocarbon dating indicated that pellets can persist for >59 years; known occupied sites resolved contemporary dates. Using combined evidence from field observations and radiocarbon dating, and the Bodie Mountains as an example, we propose a historical biogeographic scenario for pikas in minor Great Basin mountain ranges adjacent to major cordillera, wherein historical climate variability led to cycles of extirpation and recolonization during alternating cool and warm centuries. Using this model to inform future dynamics for small ranges in biogeographic settings similar to the Bodie Mountains in California, extirpation of pikas appears highly likely under directional warming trends projected for the next century, even while populations in extensive cordillera (e.g., Sierra Nevada, Rocky Mountains, Cascade Range) are likely to remain viable due to extensive, diverse habitat and high connectivity.

Doppler effects on 3-D non-LTE radiation transport and emission spectra.

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

Giuliani, J. L.; Davis, J.; DasGupta, A.

2010-10-01

Spatially and temporally resolved X-ray emission lines contain information about temperatures, densities, velocities, and the gradients in a plasma. Extracting this information from optically thick lines emitted from complex ions in dynamic, three-dimensional, non-LTE plasmas requires self-consistent accounting for both non-LTE atomic physics and non-local radiative transfer. We present a brief description of a hybrid-structure spectroscopic atomic model coupled to an iterative tabular on-the-spot treatment of radiative transfer that can be applied to plasmas of arbitrary material composition, conditions, and geometries. The effects of Doppler line shifts on the self-consistent radiative transfer within the plasma and the emergent emission andmore » absorption spectra are included in the model. Sample calculations for a two-level atom in a uniform cylindrical plasma are given, showing reasonable agreement with more sophisticated transport models and illustrating the potential complexity - or richness - of radially resolved emission lines from an imploding cylindrical plasma. Also presented is a comparison of modeled L- and K-shell spectra to temporally and radially resolved emission data from a Cu:Ni plasma. Finally, some shortcomings of the model and possible paths for improvement are discussed.« less

Effect of membrane microheterogeneity and domain size on fluorescence resonance energy transfer.

PubMed

Towles, Kevin B; Brown, Angela C; Wrenn, Steven P; Dan, Nily

2007-07-15

Studies of multicomponent membranes suggest lateral inhomogeneity in the form of membrane domains, but the size of small (nanoscale) domains in situ cannot be determined with current techniques. In this article, we present a model that enables extraction of membrane domain size from time-resolved fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) data. We expand upon a classic approach to the infinite phase separation limit and formulate a model that accounts for the presence of disklike domains of finite dimensions within a two-dimensional infinite planar bilayer. The model was tested against off-lattice Monte Carlo calculations of a model membrane in the liquid-disordered (l(d)) and liquid-ordered (l(o)) coexistence regime. Simulated domain size was varied from 5 to 50 nm, and two fluorophores, preferentially partitioning into opposite phases, were randomly mixed to obtain the simulated time-resolved FRET data. The Monte Carlo data show clear differences in the efficiency of energy transfer as a function of domain size. The model fit of the data yielded good agreement for the domain size, especially in cases where the domain diameter is <20 nm. Thus, data analysis using the proposed model enables measurement of nanoscale membrane domains using time-resolved FRET.

RESOLVE 2010 Field Test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Captain, J.; Quinn, J.; Moss, T.; Weis, K.

2010-01-01

This slide presentation reviews the field tests conducted in 2010 of the Regolith Environment Science & Oxygen & Lunar Volatile Extraction (RESOLVE). The Resolve program consist of several mechanism: (1) Excavation and Bulk Regolith Characterization (EBRC) which is designed to act as a drill and crusher, (2) Regolith Volatiles Characterization (RVC) which is a reactor and does gas analysis,(3) Lunar Water Resources Demonstration (LWRD) which is a fluid system, water and hydrogen capture device and (4) the Rover. The scientific goal of this test is to demonstrate evolution of low levels of hydrogen and water as a function of temperature. The Engineering goals of this test are to demonstrate:(1) Integration onto new rover (2) Miniaturization of electronics rack (3) Operation from battery packs (elimination of generator) (4) Remote command/control and (5) Operation while roving. Views of the 2008 and the 2010 mechanisms, a overhead view of the mission path, a view of the terrain, the two drill sites, and a graphic of the Master Events Controller Graphical User Interface (MEC GUI) are shown. There are descriptions of the Gas chromatography (GC), the operational procedure, water and hydrogen doping of tephra. There is also a review of some of the results, and future direction for research and tests.

In-line phase contrast micro-CT reconstruction for biomedical specimens.

PubMed

Fu, Jian; Tan, Renbo

2014-01-01

X-ray phase contrast micro computed tomography (micro-CT) can non-destructively provide the internal structure information of soft tissues and low atomic number materials. It has become an invaluable analysis tool for biomedical specimens. Here an in-line phase contrast micro-CT reconstruction technique is reported, which consists of a projection extraction method and the conventional filter back-projection (FBP) reconstruction algorithm. The projection extraction is implemented by applying the Fourier transform to the forward projections of in-line phase contrast micro-CT. This work comprises a numerical study of the method and its experimental verification using a biomedical specimen dataset measured at an X-ray tube source micro-CT setup. The numerical and experimental results demonstrate that the presented technique can improve the imaging contrast of biomedical specimens. It will be of interest for a wide range of in-line phase contrast micro-CT applications in medicine and biology.

Extraction of volatile and metals from extraterrestrial materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lewis, John S.

1990-01-01

Since March 1, 1989, attention was concentrated on the extraction of ilmenite from extraterrestrial materials and on the planning and development of laboratory facilities for carbonyl extraction of ferrous metal alloys. Work under three subcontracts was administered by this project: (1) electrolytic production of oxygen from molten lunar materials; (2) microwave processing of lunar materials; and (3) production of a resource-oriented space science data base.

Investigation of the probability of concurrent drought events between the water source and destination regions of China's water diversion project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Xiaomang; Luo, Yuzhou; Yang, Tiantian; Liang, Kang; Zhang, Minghua; Liu, Changming

2015-10-01

In this study, we investigate the concurrent drought probability between the water source and destination regions of the central route of China's South to North Water Diversion Project. We find that both regions have been drying from 1960 to 2013. The estimated return period of concurrent drought events in both regions is 11 years. However, since 1997, these regions have experienced 5 years of simultaneous drought. The projection results of global climate models show that the probability of concurrent drought events is highly likely to increase during 2020 to 2050. The increasing concurrent drought events will challenge the success of the water diversion project, which is a strategic attempt to resolve the water crisis of North China Plain. The data suggest great urgency in preparing adaptive measures to ensure the long-term sustainable operation of the water diversion project.

ESTIMATING PERCENT REMOVAL FOR A SOIL VENTING PROJECT.

EPA Science Inventory

The USEPA allowed the Performing Parties (PPs) to perform a soil vapor extraction process to a site contaminated by volatile organic compounds (VOC), contingent upon the process reducing the VOC concentrations in the soil by 75% within one year. An innovative injection-extraction...

Machine vision extracted plant movement for early detection of plant water stress.

PubMed

Kacira, M; Ling, P P; Short, T H

2002-01-01

A methodology was established for early, non-contact, and quantitative detection of plant water stress with machine vision extracted plant features. Top-projected canopy area (TPCA) of the plants was extracted from plant images using image-processing techniques. Water stress induced plant movement was decoupled from plant diurnal movement and plant growth using coefficient of relative variation of TPCA (CRV[TPCA)] and was found to be an effective marker for water stress detection. Threshold value of CRV(TPCA) as an indicator of water stress was determined by a parametric approach. The effectiveness of the sensing technique was evaluated against the timing of stress detection by an operator. Results of this study suggested that plant water stress detection using projected canopy area based features of the plants was feasible.

Rectification of elemental image set and extraction of lens lattice by projective image transformation in integral imaging.

PubMed

Hong, Keehoon; Hong, Jisoo; Jung, Jae-Hyun; Park, Jae-Hyeung; Lee, Byoungho

2010-05-24

We propose a new method for rectifying a geometrical distortion in the elemental image set and extracting an accurate lens lattice lines by projective image transformation. The information of distortion in the acquired elemental image set is found by Hough transform algorithm. With this initial information of distortions, the acquired elemental image set is rectified automatically without the prior knowledge on the characteristics of pickup system by stratified image transformation procedure. Computer-generated elemental image sets with distortion on purpose are used for verifying the proposed rectification method. Experimentally-captured elemental image sets are optically reconstructed before and after the rectification by the proposed method. The experimental results support the validity of the proposed method with high accuracy of image rectification and lattice extraction.

Status of the Magma Energy Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dunn, J. C.

The current magma energy project is assessing the engineering feasibility of extracting thermal energy directly from crustal magma bodies. The estimated size of the U.S. resource (50,000 to 500,000 quads) suggests a considerable potential impact on future power generation. In a previous seven-year study, we concluded that there are no insurmountable barriers that would invalidate the magma energy concept. Several concepts for drilling, energy extraction, and materials survivability were successfully demonstrated in Kilauea Iki lava lake, Hawaii. The present program is addressing the engineering design problems associated with accessing magma bodies and extracting thermal energy for power generation. The normal stages for development of a geothermal resource are being investigated: exploration, drilling and completions, production, and surface power plant design. Current status of the engineering program and future plans are described.

Survey of the mutagenicity of surface water, sediments, and drinking water from the Penobscot Indian Nation.

PubMed

Warren, Sarah H; Claxton, Larry D; Diliberto, Janet; Hughes, Thomas J; Swank, Adam; Kusnierz, Daniel H; Marshall, Valerie; DeMarini, David M

2015-02-01

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) Regional Applied Research Effort (RARE) projects address the effects of environmental pollutants in a particular region on the health of the population in that region. This report is part of a RARE project that addresses this for the Penobscot Indian Nation (PIN), Penobscot Island, Maine, U.S., where the Penobscot River has had fish advisories for many years due to high levels of mercury. We used the Salmonella mutagenicity assay with strains TA100, TA98, YG1041, and YG1042 with and without metabolic activation to assess the mutagenic potencies of organic extracts of the Penobscot River water and sediment, as well as drinking-water samples, all collected by the PIN Department of Natural Resources. The source water for the PIN drinking water is gravel-packed groundwater wells adjacent to the Penobscot River. Most samples of all extracts were either not mutagenic or had low to moderate mutagenic potencies. The average mutagenic potencies (revertants/L-equivalent) were 337 for the drinking-water extracts and 177 for the river-water extracts; the average mutagenic potency for the river-sediment extracts was 244 revertants(g-equivalent)(-1). This part of the RARE project showed that extracts of the Penobscot River water and sediments and Penobscot drinking water have little to no mutagenic activity that might be due to the classes of compounds that the Salmonella mutagenicity assay detects, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), nitro-PAHs (nitroarenes), and aromatic amines. This study is the first to examine the mutagenicity of environmental samples from a tribal nation in the U.S. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Biogeochemical Response to Mesoscale Physical Forcing in the California Current System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Niiler, Pearn P.; Letelier, Ricardo; Moisan, John R.; Marra, John A. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

In the first part of the project, we investigated the local response of the coastal ocean ecosystems (changes in chlorophyll, concentration and chlorophyll, fluorescence quantum yield) to physical forcing by developing and deploying Autonomous Drifting Ocean Stations (ADOS) within several mesoscale features along the U.S. west coast. Also, we compared the temporal and spatial variability registered by sensors mounted in the drifters to that registered by the sensors mounted in the satellites in order to assess the scales of variability that are not resolved by the ocean color satellite. The second part of the project used the existing WOCE SVP Surface Lagrangian drifters to track individual water parcels through time. The individual drifter tracks were used to generate multivariate time series by interpolating/extracting the biological and physical data fields retrieved by remote sensors (ocean color, SST, wind speed and direction, wind stress curl, and sea level topography). The individual time series of the physical data (AVHRR, TOPEX, NCEP) were analyzed against the ocean color (SeaWiFS) time-series to determine the time scale of biological response to the physical forcing. The results from this part of the research is being used to compare the decorrelation scales of chlorophyll from a Lagrangian and Eulerian framework. The results from both parts of this research augmented the necessary time series data needed to investigate the interactions between the ocean mesoscale features, wind, and the biogeochemical processes. Using the historical Lagrangian data sets, we have completed a comparison of the decorrelation scales in both the Eulerian and Lagrangian reference frame for the SeaWiFS data set. We are continuing to investigate how these results might be used in objective mapping efforts.

Applying Intelligent Algorithms to Automate the Identification of Error Factors.

PubMed

Jin, Haizhe; Qu, Qingxing; Munechika, Masahiko; Sano, Masataka; Kajihara, Chisato; Duffy, Vincent G; Chen, Han

2018-05-03

Medical errors are the manifestation of the defects occurring in medical processes. Extracting and identifying defects as medical error factors from these processes are an effective approach to prevent medical errors. However, it is a difficult and time-consuming task and requires an analyst with a professional medical background. The issues of identifying a method to extract medical error factors and reduce the extraction difficulty need to be resolved. In this research, a systematic methodology to extract and identify error factors in the medical administration process was proposed. The design of the error report, extraction of the error factors, and identification of the error factors were analyzed. Based on 624 medical error cases across four medical institutes in both Japan and China, 19 error-related items and their levels were extracted. After which, they were closely related to 12 error factors. The relational model between the error-related items and error factors was established based on a genetic algorithm (GA)-back-propagation neural network (BPNN) model. Additionally, compared to GA-BPNN, BPNN, partial least squares regression and support vector regression, GA-BPNN exhibited a higher overall prediction accuracy, being able to promptly identify the error factors from the error-related items. The combination of "error-related items, their different levels, and the GA-BPNN model" was proposed as an error-factor identification technology, which could automatically identify medical error factors.

The Andromeda Optical and Infrared Disk Survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sick, Jonathan

The spectral energy distributions of galaxies inform us about a galaxy's stellar populations and interstellar medium, revealing stories of galaxy formation and evolution. How we interpret this light depends in part on our proximity to the galaxy. For nearby galaxies, detailed star formation histories can be extracted from the resolved stellar populations, while more distant galaxies feature the contributions of entire stellar populations within their integrated spectral energy distribution (SED). This thesis aims to resolve whether the techniques used to investigate stellar populations in distant galaxies are consistent with those available for nearby galaxies. As the nearest spiral galaxy, the Andromeda Galaxy (M31) is the ideal testbed for the joint study of resolved stellar populations and panchromatic SEDs. We present the Andromeda Optical and Infrared Disk Survey (ANDROIDS), which adds new near-UV to near-IR (u*g'r'i'JKs) imaging using the MegaCam and WIRCam cameras at the Canada-France-Hawaii telescope to the available M31 panchromatic dataset. To accurately subtract photometric background from our extremely wide-field (14 square degree) mosaics, we present observing and data reduction techniques with sky-target nodding, optimization of image-to-image surface brightness, and a novel hierarchical Bayesian model to trace the background signal while modelling the astrophysical SED. We model the spectral energy distributions of M31 pixels with MAGPHYS (da Cunha et al. 2008) and compare those results to resolved stellar population models of the same pixels from the Panchromatic Hubble Andromeda Treasury (PHAT) survey (Williams et al. 2017). We find substantial (0.3 dex) differences in stellar mass estimates despite a common use of the Chabrier (2003) initial mass function. Stellar mass estimated from the resolved stellar population is larger than any mass estimate from SED models or colour-M/L relations (CMLRs). There is also considerable diversity among CMLR estimators, largely driven by differences in the star formation history prior distribution. We find broad consistency between the star formation history estimated by integrated spectral energy distributions and resolved stars. Generally, spectral energy distribution models yield a stronger inside-out radial metallicity gradient and bias towards younger mean ages than resolved stellar population models.

MSLICE Sequencing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crockett, Thomas M.; Joswig, Joseph C.; Shams, Khawaja S.; Norris, Jeffrey S.; Morris, John R.

2011-01-01

MSLICE Sequencing is a graphical tool for writing sequences and integrating them into RML files, as well as for producing SCMF files for uplink. When operated in a testbed environment, it also supports uplinking these SCMF files to the testbed via Chill. This software features a free-form textural sequence editor featuring syntax coloring, automatic content assistance (including command and argument completion proposals), complete with types, value ranges, unites, and descriptions from the command dictionary that appear as they are typed. The sequence editor also has a "field mode" that allows tabbing between arguments and displays type/range/units/description for each argument as it is edited. Color-coded error and warning annotations on problematic tokens are included, as well as indications of problems that are not visible in the current scroll range. "Quick Fix" suggestions are made for resolving problems, and all the features afforded by modern source editors are also included such as copy/cut/paste, undo/redo, and a sophisticated find-and-replace system optionally using regular expressions. The software offers a full XML editor for RML files, which features syntax coloring, content assistance and problem annotations as above. There is a form-based, "detail view" that allows structured editing of command arguments and sequence parameters when preferred. The "project view" shows the user s "workspace" as a tree of "resources" (projects, folders, and files) that can subsequently be opened in editors by double-clicking. Files can be added, deleted, dragged-dropped/copied-pasted between folders or projects, and these operations are undoable and redoable. A "problems view" contains a tabular list of all problems in the current workspace. Double-clicking on any row in the table opens an editor for the appropriate sequence, scrolling to the specific line with the problem, and highlighting the problematic characters. From there, one can invoke "quick fix" as described above to resolve the issue. Once resolved, saving the file causes the problem to be removed from the problem view.

Imitating manual curation of text-mined facts in biomedicine.

PubMed

Rodriguez-Esteban, Raul; Iossifov, Ivan; Rzhetsky, Andrey

2006-09-08

Text-mining algorithms make mistakes in extracting facts from natural-language texts. In biomedical applications, which rely on use of text-mined data, it is critical to assess the quality (the probability that the message is correctly extracted) of individual facts--to resolve data conflicts and inconsistencies. Using a large set of almost 100,000 manually produced evaluations (most facts were independently reviewed more than once, producing independent evaluations), we implemented and tested a collection of algorithms that mimic human evaluation of facts provided by an automated information-extraction system. The performance of our best automated classifiers closely approached that of our human evaluators (ROC score close to 0.95). Our hypothesis is that, were we to use a larger number of human experts to evaluate any given sentence, we could implement an artificial-intelligence curator that would perform the classification job at least as accurately as an average individual human evaluator. We illustrated our analysis by visualizing the predicted accuracy of the text-mined relations involving the term cocaine.

Distinct subcutaneous emphysema following surgical wisdom tooth extraction in a patient suffering from 'Gilles de la Tourette syndrome'.

PubMed

Tomasetti, Patrick; Kuttenberger, Johannes; Bassetti, Renzo

2015-06-14

Subcutaneous emphysema is a rare complication in oral surgery. In most cases, it resolves spontaneously. However, air might disperse into deeper facial spaces causing life-threatening complications such as compression of the tracheobronchial tree or the development of pneumomediastinum. Moreover, microorganisms might spread from the oral cavity into deeper spaces. Hence, rapid diagnosis of subcutaneous emphysema is important. Characteristic signs are both a shiftable swelling and crepitation. In this case report, a 30-year-old man, suffering from the Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome, with a distinct subcutaneous emphysema after bilateral surgical wisdom tooth extraction is presented. Induced by a specific motor tic, air accumulated from the periorbital through to the parapharyngeal region. Applying a 10-cm-long Redon drainage tube as air valve, 10 days after wisdom teeth extraction, the patient was asymptomatic with complete resolution of the emphysema. Published by Oxford University Press and JSCR Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved. © The Author 2015.

Technical difficulties and solutions of direct transesterification process of microbial oil for biodiesel synthesis.

PubMed

Yousuf, Abu; Khan, Maksudur Rahman; Islam, M Amirul; Wahid, Zularisam Ab; Pirozzi, Domenico

2017-01-01

Microbial oils are considered as alternative to vegetable oils or animal fats as biodiesel feedstock. Microalgae and oleaginous yeast are the main candidates of microbial oil producers' community. However, biodiesel synthesis from these sources is associated with high cost and process complexity. The traditional transesterification method includes several steps such as biomass drying, cell disruption, oil extraction and solvent recovery. Therefore, direct transesterification or in situ transesterification, which combines all the steps in a single reactor, has been suggested to make the process cost effective. Nevertheless, the process is not applicable for large-scale biodiesel production having some difficulties such as high water content of biomass that makes the reaction rate slower and hurdles of cell disruption makes the efficiency of oil extraction lower. Additionally, it requires high heating energy in the solvent extraction and recovery stage. To resolve these difficulties, this review suggests the application of antimicrobial peptides and high electric fields to foster the microbial cell wall disruption.

An HPLC method for determination of azadirachtin residues in bovine muscle.

PubMed

Gai, María Nella; Álvarez, Christian; Venegas, Raúl; Morales, Javier

2011-04-01

A high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for the determination of azadirachtin (A and B) residues in bovine muscle has been developed. Azadirachtin is a neutral triterpene and chemotherapeutic agent effective in controlling some pest flies in horses, stables, horns and fruit. The actual HPLC method uses an isocratic elution and UV detection. Liquid-liquid extraction and solid-phase purification was used for the clean-up of the biological matrix. The chromatographic determination of these components is achieved using a C18 analytical column with water-acetonitrile mixture (27.5:72.5, v/v) as mobile phase, 1 mL/min as flow rate, 45 °C column temperature and UV detector at 215 nm. The azadirachtin peaks are well resolved and free of interference from matrix components. The extraction and analytical method developed in this work allows the quantitation of azadirachtin with precision and accuracy, establishing a lower limit of quantitation of azadirachtin, extracted from the biological matrix.

Dynamic cardiac PET imaging: extraction of time-activity curves using ICA and a generalized Gaussian distribution model.

PubMed

Mabrouk, Rostom; Dubeau, François; Bentabet, Layachi

2013-01-01

Kinetic modeling of metabolic and physiologic cardiac processes in small animals requires an input function (IF) and a tissue time-activity curves (TACs). In this paper, we present a mathematical method based on independent component analysis (ICA) to extract the IF and the myocardium's TACs directly from dynamic positron emission tomography (PET) images. The method assumes a super-Gaussian distribution model for the blood activity, and a sub-Gaussian distribution model for the tissue activity. Our appreach was applied on 22 PET measurement sets of small animals, which were obtained from the three most frequently used cardiac radiotracers, namely: desoxy-fluoro-glucose ((18)F-FDG), [(13)N]-ammonia, and [(11)C]-acetate. Our study was extended to PET human measurements obtained with the Rubidium-82 ((82) Rb) radiotracer. The resolved mathematical IF values compare favorably to those derived from curves extracted from regions of interest (ROI), suggesting that the procedure presents a reliable alternative to serial blood sampling for small-animal cardiac PET studies.

Three-dimensional shape perception from chromatic orientation flows

PubMed Central

Zaidi, Qasim; Li, Andrea

2010-01-01

The role of chromatic information in 3-D shape perception is controversial. We resolve this controversy by showing that chromatic orientation flows are sufficient for accurate perception of 3-D shape. Chromatic flows required less cone contrast to convey shape than did achromatic flows, thus ruling out luminance artifacts as a problem. Luminance artifacts were also ruled out by a protanope’s inability to see 3-D shape from chromatic flows. Since chromatic orientation flows can only be extracted from retinal images by neurons that are responsive to color modulations and selective for orientation, the psychophysical results also resolve the controversy over the existence of such neurons. In addition, we show that identification of 3-D shapes from chromatic flows can be masked by luminance modulations, indicating that it is subserved by orientation-tuned neurons sensitive to both chromatic and luminance modulations. PMID:16961963

Time-resolved 2-million-year-old supernova activity discovered in Earth's microfossil record.

PubMed

Ludwig, Peter; Bishop, Shawn; Egli, Ramon; Chernenko, Valentyna; Deneva, Boyana; Faestermann, Thomas; Famulok, Nicolai; Fimiani, Leticia; Gómez-Guzmán, José Manuel; Hain, Karin; Korschinek, Gunther; Hanzlik, Marianne; Merchel, Silke; Rugel, Georg

2016-08-16

Massive stars ([Formula: see text]), which terminate their evolution as core-collapse supernovae, are theoretically predicted to eject [Formula: see text] of the radioisotope (60)Fe (half-life 2.61 Ma). If such an event occurs sufficiently close to our solar system, traces of the supernova debris could be deposited on Earth. Herein, we report a time-resolved (60)Fe signal residing, at least partially, in a biogenic reservoir. Using accelerator mass spectrometry, this signal was found through the direct detection of live (60)Fe atoms contained within secondary iron oxides, among which are magnetofossils, the fossilized chains of magnetite crystals produced by magnetotactic bacteria. The magnetofossils were chemically extracted from two Pacific Ocean sediment drill cores. Our results show that the (60)Fe signal onset occurs around 2.6 Ma to 2.8 Ma, near the lower Pleistocene boundary, terminates around 1.7 Ma, and peaks at about 2.2 Ma.

A modified active appearance model based on an adaptive artificial bee colony.

PubMed

Abdulameer, Mohammed Hasan; Sheikh Abdullah, Siti Norul Huda; Othman, Zulaiha Ali

2014-01-01

Active appearance model (AAM) is one of the most popular model-based approaches that have been extensively used to extract features by highly accurate modeling of human faces under various physical and environmental circumstances. However, in such active appearance model, fitting the model with original image is a challenging task. State of the art shows that optimization method is applicable to resolve this problem. However, another common problem is applying optimization. Hence, in this paper we propose an AAM based face recognition technique, which is capable of resolving the fitting problem of AAM by introducing a new adaptive ABC algorithm. The adaptation increases the efficiency of fitting as against the conventional ABC algorithm. We have used three datasets: CASIA dataset, property 2.5D face dataset, and UBIRIS v1 images dataset in our experiments. The results have revealed that the proposed face recognition technique has performed effectively, in terms of accuracy of face recognition.

Cooperative macromolecular device revealed by meta-analysis of static and time-resolved structures

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

Ren, Zhong; Šrajer, Vukica; Knapp, James E.

2013-04-08

Here we present a meta-analysis of a large collection of static structures of a protein in the Protein Data Bank in order to extract the progression of structural events during protein function. We apply this strategy to the homodimeric hemoglobin HbI from Scapharca inaequivalvis. We derive a simple dynamic model describing how binding of the first ligand in one of the two chemically identical subunits facilitates a second binding event in the other partner subunit. The results of our ultrafast time-resolved crystallographic studies support this model. We demonstrate that HbI functions like a homodimeric mechanical device, such as pliers ormore » scissors. Ligand-induced motion originating in one subunit is transmitted to the other via conserved pivot points, where the E and F' helices from two partner subunits are 'bolted' together to form a stable dimer interface permitting slight relative rotation but preventing sliding.« less

Probing Membrane Order and Topography in Supported Lipid Bilayers by Combined Polarized Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence-Atomic Force Microscopy

PubMed Central

Oreopoulos, John; Yip, Christopher M.

2009-01-01

Determining the local structure, dynamics, and conformational requirements for protein-protein and protein-lipid interactions in membranes is critical to understanding biological processes ranging from signaling to the translocating and membranolytic action of antimicrobial peptides. We report here the application of a combined polarized total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy-in situ atomic force microscopy platform. This platform's ability to image membrane orientational order was demonstrated on DOPC/DSPC/cholesterol model membranes containing the fluorescent membrane probe, DiI-C20 or BODIPY-PC. Spatially resolved order parameters and fluorophore tilt angles extracted from the polarized total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy images were in good agreement with the topographical details resolved by in situ atomic force microscopy, portending use of this technique for high-resolution characterization of membrane domain structures and peptide-membrane interactions. PMID:19254557

Fabry-Perot interferometer measurement of static temperature and velocity for ASTOVL model tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kourous, Helen E.; Seacholtz, Richard G.

1995-01-01

A spectrally resolved Rayleigh/Mie scattering diagnostic was developed to measure temperature and wing-spanwise velocity in the vicinity of an ASTOVL aircraft model in the Lewis 9 x 15 Low Speed Wind Tunnel. The spectrum of argon-ion laser light scattered by the air molecules and particles in the flow was resolved with a Fabry-Perot interferometer. Temperature was extracted from the spectral width of the Rayleigh scattering component, and spanwise gas velocity from the gross spectral shift. Nozzle temperature approached 800 K, and the velocity component approached 30 m/s. The measurement uncertainty was about 5 percent for the gas temperature, and about 10 m/s for the velocity. The large difference in the spectral width of the Mie scattering from particles and the Rayleigh scattering from gas molecules allowed the gas temperature to be measured in flow containing both naturally occurring dust and LDV seed (both were present).

Vision-based in-line fabric defect detection using yarn-specific shape features

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schneider, Dorian; Aach, Til

2012-01-01

We develop a methodology for automatic in-line flaw detection in industrial woven fabrics. Where state of the art detection algorithms apply texture analysis methods to operate on low-resolved ({200 ppi) image data, we describe here a process flow to segment single yarns in high-resolved ({1000 ppi) textile images. Four yarn shape features are extracted, allowing a precise detection and measurement of defects. The degree of precision reached allows a classification of detected defects according to their nature, providing an innovation in the field of automatic fabric flaw detection. The design has been carried out to meet real time requirements and face adverse conditions caused by loom vibrations and dirt. The entire process flow is discussed followed by an evaluation using a database with real-life industrial fabric images. This work pertains to the construction of an on-loom defect detection system to be used in manufacturing practice.

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

Fertig, Fabian, E-mail: fabian.fertig@ise.fraunhofer.de; Greulich, Johannes; Rein, Stefan

We present a spatially resolved method to determine the short-circuit current density of crystalline silicon solar cells by means of lock-in thermography. The method utilizes the property of crystalline silicon solar cells that the short-circuit current does not differ significantly from the illuminated current under moderate reverse bias. Since lock-in thermography images locally dissipated power density, this information is exploited to extract values of spatially resolved current density under short-circuit conditions. In order to obtain an accurate result, one or two illuminated lock-in thermography images and one dark lock-in thermography image need to be recorded. The method can be simplifiedmore » in a way that only one image is required to generate a meaningful short-circuit current density map. The proposed method is theoretically motivated, and experimentally validated for monochromatic illumination in comparison to the reference method of light-beam induced current.« less

High-Throughput Amplicon-Based Copy Number Detection of 11 Genes in Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded Ovarian Tumour Samples by MLPA-Seq

PubMed Central

Kondrashova, Olga; Love, Clare J.; Lunke, Sebastian; Hsu, Arthur L.; Waring, Paul M.; Taylor, Graham R.

2015-01-01

Whilst next generation sequencing can report point mutations in fixed tissue tumour samples reliably, the accurate determination of copy number is more challenging. The conventional Multiplex Ligation-dependent Probe Amplification (MLPA) assay is an effective tool for measurement of gene dosage, but is restricted to around 50 targets due to size resolution of the MLPA probes. By switching from a size-resolved format, to a sequence-resolved format we developed a scalable, high-throughput, quantitative assay. MLPA-seq is capable of detecting deletions, duplications, and amplifications in as little as 5ng of genomic DNA, including from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tumour samples. We show that this method can detect BRCA1, BRCA2, ERBB2 and CCNE1 copy number changes in DNA extracted from snap-frozen and FFPE tumour tissue, with 100% sensitivity and >99.5% specificity. PMID:26569395

Remarks on the pion-nucleon σ-term

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoferichter, Martin; Ruiz de Elvira, Jacobo; Kubis, Bastian; Meißner, Ulf-G.

2016-09-01

The pion-nucleon σ-term can be stringently constrained by the combination of analyticity, unitarity, and crossing symmetry with phenomenological information on the pion-nucleon scattering lengths. Recently, lattice calculations at the physical point have been reported that find lower values by about 3σ with respect to the phenomenological determination. We point out that a lattice measurement of the pion-nucleon scattering lengths could help resolve the situation by testing the values extracted from spectroscopy measurements in pionic atoms.

Comment on: Supervisory Asymmetric Deterministic Secure Quantum Communication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kao, Shih-Hung; Tsai, Chia-Wei; Hwang, Tzonelih

2012-12-01

In 2010, Xiu et al. (Optics Communications 284:2065-2069, 2011) proposed several applications based on a new secure four-site distribution scheme using χ-type entangled states. This paper points out that one of these applications, namely, supervisory asymmetric deterministic secure quantum communication, is subject to an information leakage problem, in which the receiver can extract two bits of a three-bit secret message without the supervisor's permission. An enhanced protocol is proposed to resolve this problem.

Atomic collisions in the presence of laser radiation - Time dependence and the asymptotic wave function

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Devries, P. L.; George, T. F.

1982-01-01

A time-dependent, wave-packet description of atomic collisions in the presence of laser radiation is extracted from the more conventional time-independent, stationary-state description. This approach resolves certain difficulties of interpretation in the time-independent approach which arise in the case of asymptotic near resonance. In the two-state model investigated, the approach predicts the existence of three spherically scattered waves in this asymptotically near-resonant case.

Integration and Ruggedization of a Commercially Available Gas Chromatograph and Mass Spectrometer (GCMS) for the Resource Prospector Mission (RPM)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Loftin, Kathleen; Griffin, Timothy; Captain, Janine

2013-01-01

The Resource Prospector is a mission to prospect for lunar volatiles (primarily water) at one of the two lunar poles, as well as demonstrate In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) on the Moon. The Resource Prospector consists of a lander, a rover, and a rover-borne scientific payload. The Regolith and Environment Science and Oxygen & Lunar Volatile Extraction (RESOLVE) payload, will be able to (1) locate near subsurface volatiles, (2) excavate and analyze samples of the volatile-bearing regolith, and (3) demonstrate the form, extractability and usefulness of the materials. The gas chromatograph mass spectrometer (GCMS) is the primary instrument in the RESOLVE instrumentation suite responsible for identification and quantification of the volatiles evolved from the lunar regolith. Specifically, this instrument must have: a low mass, a low power consumption, be able to perform fast analyses of samples ranging from less than one to greater than ninety nine percent water by mass, be autonomously controlled by the payload's software and avionics platform, and be able to operate in the harsh lunar environment. The RPM's short mission duration is the primary driver of the requirement for a very fast analysis time currently base lined at less than 2 minutes per sample. This presentation will discuss the requirements levied upon the GCMS design, lessons learned from a preliminary field demonstration deployment, the current design, and the path forward.

Proton chemical shift tensors determined by 3D ultrafast MAS double-quantum NMR spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Rongchun; Mroue, Kamal H.; Ramamoorthy, Ayyalusamy

2015-10-01

Proton NMR spectroscopy in the solid state has recently attracted much attention owing to the significant enhancement in spectral resolution afforded by the remarkable advances in ultrafast magic angle spinning (MAS) capabilities. In particular, proton chemical shift anisotropy (CSA) has become an important tool for obtaining specific insights into inter/intra-molecular hydrogen bonding. However, even at the highest currently feasible spinning frequencies (110-120 kHz), 1H MAS NMR spectra of rigid solids still suffer from poor resolution and severe peak overlap caused by the strong 1H-1H homonuclear dipolar couplings and narrow 1H chemical shift (CS) ranges, which render it difficult to determine the CSA of specific proton sites in the standard CSA/single-quantum (SQ) chemical shift correlation experiment. Herein, we propose a three-dimensional (3D) 1H double-quantum (DQ) chemical shift/CSA/SQ chemical shift correlation experiment to extract the CS tensors of proton sites whose signals are not well resolved along the single-quantum chemical shift dimension. As extracted from the 3D spectrum, the F1/F3 (DQ/SQ) projection provides valuable information about 1H-1H proximities, which might also reveal the hydrogen-bonding connectivities. In addition, the F2/F3 (CSA/SQ) correlation spectrum, which is similar to the regular 2D CSA/SQ correlation experiment, yields chemical shift anisotropic line shapes at different isotropic chemical shifts. More importantly, since the F2/F1 (CSA/DQ) spectrum correlates the CSA with the DQ signal induced by two neighboring proton sites, the CSA spectrum sliced at a specific DQ chemical shift position contains the CSA information of two neighboring spins indicated by the DQ chemical shift. If these two spins have different CS tensors, both tensors can be extracted by numerical fitting. We believe that this robust and elegant single-channel proton-based 3D experiment provides useful atomistic-level structural and dynamical information for a variety of solid systems that possess high proton density.

Proton chemical shift tensors determined by 3D ultrafast MAS double-quantum NMR spectroscopy

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

Zhang, Rongchun; Mroue, Kamal H.; Ramamoorthy, Ayyalusamy, E-mail: ramamoor@umich.edu

2015-10-14

Proton NMR spectroscopy in the solid state has recently attracted much attention owing to the significant enhancement in spectral resolution afforded by the remarkable advances in ultrafast magic angle spinning (MAS) capabilities. In particular, proton chemical shift anisotropy (CSA) has become an important tool for obtaining specific insights into inter/intra-molecular hydrogen bonding. However, even at the highest currently feasible spinning frequencies (110–120 kHz), {sup 1}H MAS NMR spectra of rigid solids still suffer from poor resolution and severe peak overlap caused by the strong {sup 1}H–{sup 1}H homonuclear dipolar couplings and narrow {sup 1}H chemical shift (CS) ranges, which rendermore » it difficult to determine the CSA of specific proton sites in the standard CSA/single-quantum (SQ) chemical shift correlation experiment. Herein, we propose a three-dimensional (3D) {sup 1}H double-quantum (DQ) chemical shift/CSA/SQ chemical shift correlation experiment to extract the CS tensors of proton sites whose signals are not well resolved along the single-quantum chemical shift dimension. As extracted from the 3D spectrum, the F1/F3 (DQ/SQ) projection provides valuable information about {sup 1}H–{sup 1}H proximities, which might also reveal the hydrogen-bonding connectivities. In addition, the F2/F3 (CSA/SQ) correlation spectrum, which is similar to the regular 2D CSA/SQ correlation experiment, yields chemical shift anisotropic line shapes at different isotropic chemical shifts. More importantly, since the F2/F1 (CSA/DQ) spectrum correlates the CSA with the DQ signal induced by two neighboring proton sites, the CSA spectrum sliced at a specific DQ chemical shift position contains the CSA information of two neighboring spins indicated by the DQ chemical shift. If these two spins have different CS tensors, both tensors can be extracted by numerical fitting. We believe that this robust and elegant single-channel proton-based 3D experiment provides useful atomistic-level structural and dynamical information for a variety of solid systems that possess high proton density.« less

AQA-PM: Extension of the Air-Quality model for Austria with satellite based Particulate Matter estimates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hirtl, M.; Mantovani, S.; Krüger, B. C.; Triebnig, G.

2012-04-01

Air quality is a key element for the well-being and quality of life of European citizens. Air pollution measurements and modeling tools are essential for assessment of air quality according to EU legislation. The responsibilities of ZAMG as the national weather service of Austria include the support of the federal states and the public in questions connected to the protection of the environment in the frame of advisory and counseling services as well as expert opinions. The Air Quality model for Austria (AQA) is operated at ZAMG in cooperation with the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences in Vienna (BOKU) by order of the regional governments since 2005. AQA conducts daily forecasts of gaseous and particulate (PM10) air pollutants over Austria. In the frame of the project AQA-PM (funded by FFG), satellite measurements of the Aerosol Optical Thickness (AOT) and ground-based PM10-measurements are combined to highly-resolved initial fields using assimilation techniques. It is expected that the assimilation of satellite measurements will significantly improve the quality of AQA. Currently no observations are considered in the modeling system. At the current stage of the project, different datasets have been collected (ground measurements, satellite measurements, fine resolved regional emission inventories) and are analyzed and prepared for further processing. This contribution gives an overview of the project working plan and the upcoming developments. The goal of this project is to improve the PM10-forecasts for Austria with the integration of satellite based measurements and to provide a comprehensive product-platform.

Evaluation of Cirrus Cloud Simulations using ARM Data-Development of Case Study Data Set

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Starr, David OC.; Demoz, Belay; Wang, Yansen; Lin, Ruei-Fong; Lare, Andrew; Mace, Jay; Poellot, Michael; Sassen, Kenneth; Brown, Philip

2002-01-01

Cloud-resolving models (CRMs) are being increasingly used to develop parametric treatments of clouds and related processes for use in global climate models (GCMs). CRMs represent the integrated knowledge of the physical processes acting to determine cloud system lifecycle and are well matched to typical observational data in terms of physical parameters/measurables and scale-resolved physical processes. Thus, they are suitable for direct comparison to field observations for model validation and improvement. The goal of this project is to improve state-of-the-art CRMs used for studies of cirrus clouds and to establish a relative calibration with GCMs through comparisons among CRMs, single column model (SCM) versions of the GCMs, and observations. The objective is to compare and evaluate a variety of CRMs and SCMs, under the auspices of the GEWEX Cloud Systems Study (GCSS) Working Group on Cirrus Cloud Systems (WG2), using ARM data acquired at the Southern Great Plains (SGP) site. This poster will report on progress in developing a suitable WG2 case study data set based on the September 26, 1996 ARM IOP case - the Hurricane Nora outflow case. Progress is assessing cloud and other environmental conditions will be described. Results of preliminary simulations using a regional cloud system model (MM5) and a CRM will be discussed. Focal science questions for the model comparison are strongly based on results of the idealized GCSS WG2 cirrus cloud model comparison projects (Idealized Cirrus Cloud Model Comparison Project and Cirrus Parcel Model Comparison Project), which will also be briefly summarized.

Python and computer vision

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

Doak, J. E.; Prasad, Lakshman

2002-01-01

This paper discusses the use of Python in a computer vision (CV) project. We begin by providing background information on the specific approach to CV employed by the project. This includes a brief discussion of Constrained Delaunay Triangulation (CDT), the Chordal Axis Transform (CAT), shape feature extraction and syntactic characterization, and normalization of strings representing objects. (The terms 'object' and 'blob' are used interchangeably, both referring to an entity extracted from an image.) The rest of the paper focuses on the use of Python in three critical areas: (1) interactions with a MySQL database, (2) rapid prototyping of algorithms, andmore » (3) gluing together all components of the project including existing C and C++ modules. For (l), we provide a schema definition and discuss how the various tables interact to represent objects in the database as tree structures. (2) focuses on an algorithm to create a hierarchical representation of an object, given its string representation, and an algorithm to match unknown objects against objects in a database. And finally, (3) discusses the use of Boost Python to interact with the pre-existing C and C++ code that creates the CDTs and CATS, performs shape feature extraction and syntactic characterization, and normalizes object strings. The paper concludes with a vision of the future use of Python for the CV project.« less

Structural uncertainty of downscaled climate model output in a difficult-to-resolve environment: data sparseness and parameterization error contribution to statistical and dynamical downscaling output in the U.S. Caribbean region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Terando, A. J.; Grade, S.; Bowden, J.; Henareh Khalyani, A.; Wootten, A.; Misra, V.; Collazo, J.; Gould, W. A.; Boyles, R.

2016-12-01

Sub-tropical island nations may be particularly vulnerable to anthropogenic climate change because of predicted changes in the hydrologic cycle that would lead to significant drying in the future. However, decision makers in these regions have seen their adaptation planning efforts frustrated by the lack of island-resolving climate model information. Recently, two investigations have used statistical and dynamical downscaling techniques to develop climate change projections for the U.S. Caribbean region (Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands). We compare the results from these two studies with respect to three commonly downscaled CMIP5 global climate models (GCMs). The GCMs were dynamically downscaled at a convective-permitting scale using two different regional climate models. The statistical downscaling approach was conducted at locations with long-term climate observations and then further post-processed using climatologically aided interpolation (yielding two sets of projections). Overall, both approaches face unique challenges. The statistical approach suffers from a lack of observations necessary to constrain the model, particularly at the land-ocean boundary and in complex terrain. The dynamically downscaled model output has a systematic dry bias over the island despite ample availability of moisture in the atmospheric column. Notwithstanding these differences, both approaches are consistent in projecting a drier climate that is driven by the strong global-scale anthropogenic forcing.

Four-dimensional respiratory motion-resolved whole heart coronary MR angiography.

PubMed

Piccini, Davide; Feng, Li; Bonanno, Gabriele; Coppo, Simone; Yerly, Jérôme; Lim, Ruth P; Schwitter, Juerg; Sodickson, Daniel K; Otazo, Ricardo; Stuber, Matthias

2017-04-01

Free-breathing whole-heart coronary MR angiography (MRA) commonly uses navigators to gate respiratory motion, resulting in lengthy and unpredictable acquisition times. Conversely, self-navigation has 100% scan efficiency, but requires motion correction over a broad range of respiratory displacements, which may introduce image artifacts. We propose replacing navigators and self-navigation with a respiratory motion-resolved reconstruction approach. Using a respiratory signal extracted directly from the imaging data, individual signal-readouts are binned according to their respiratory states. The resultant series of undersampled images are reconstructed using an extradimensional golden-angle radial sparse parallel imaging (XD-GRASP) algorithm, which exploits sparsity along the respiratory dimension. Whole-heart coronary MRA was performed in 11 volunteers and four patients with the proposed methodology. Image quality was compared with that obtained with one-dimensional respiratory self-navigation. Respiratory-resolved reconstruction effectively suppressed respiratory motion artifacts. The quality score for XD-GRASP reconstructions was greater than or equal to self-navigation in 80/88 coronary segments, reaching diagnostic quality in 61/88 segments versus 41/88. Coronary sharpness and length were always superior for the respiratory-resolved datasets, reaching statistical significance (P < 0.05) in most cases. XD-GRASP represents an attractive alternative for handling respiratory motion in free-breathing whole heart MRI and provides an effective alternative to self-navigation. Magn Reson Med 77:1473-1484, 2017. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Time-resolved single-shot terahertz time-domain spectroscopy for ultrafast irreversible processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhai, Zhao-Hui; Zhong, Sen-Cheng; Li, Jun; Zhu, Li-Guo; Meng, Kun; Li, Jiang; Liu, Qiao; Peng, Qi-Xian; Li, Ze-Ren; Zhao, Jian-Heng

2016-09-01

Pulsed terahertz spectroscopy is suitable for spectroscopic diagnostics of ultrafast events. However, the study of irreversible or single shot ultrafast events requires ability to record transient properties at multiple time delays, i.e., time resolved at single shot level, which is not available currently. Here by angular multiplexing use of femtosecond laser pulses, we developed and demonstrated a time resolved, transient terahertz time domain spectroscopy technique, where burst mode THz pulses were generated and then detected in a single shot measurement manner. The burst mode THz pulses contain 2 sub-THz pulses, and the time gap between them is adjustable up to 1 ns with picosecond accuracy, thus it can be used to probe the single shot event at two different time delays. The system can detect the sub-THz pulses at 0.1 THz-2.5 THz range with signal to noise ratio (SNR) of ˜400 and spectrum resolution of 0.05 THz. System design was described here, and optimizations of single shot measurement of THz pulses were discussed in detail. Methods to improve SNR were also discussed in detail. A system application was demonstrated where pulsed THz signals at different time delays of the ultrafast process were successfully acquired within single shot measurement. This time resolved transient terahertz time domain spectroscopy technique provides a new diagnostic tool for irreversible or single shot ultrafast events where dynamic information can be extracted at terahertz range within one-shot experiment.

Time-resolved single-shot terahertz time-domain spectroscopy for ultrafast irreversible processes.

PubMed

Zhai, Zhao-Hui; Zhong, Sen-Cheng; Li, Jun; Zhu, Li-Guo; Meng, Kun; Li, Jiang; Liu, Qiao; Peng, Qi-Xian; Li, Ze-Ren; Zhao, Jian-Heng

2016-09-01

Pulsed terahertz spectroscopy is suitable for spectroscopic diagnostics of ultrafast events. However, the study of irreversible or single shot ultrafast events requires ability to record transient properties at multiple time delays, i.e., time resolved at single shot level, which is not available currently. Here by angular multiplexing use of femtosecond laser pulses, we developed and demonstrated a time resolved, transient terahertz time domain spectroscopy technique, where burst mode THz pulses were generated and then detected in a single shot measurement manner. The burst mode THz pulses contain 2 sub-THz pulses, and the time gap between them is adjustable up to 1 ns with picosecond accuracy, thus it can be used to probe the single shot event at two different time delays. The system can detect the sub-THz pulses at 0.1 THz-2.5 THz range with signal to noise ratio (SNR) of ∼400 and spectrum resolution of 0.05 THz. System design was described here, and optimizations of single shot measurement of THz pulses were discussed in detail. Methods to improve SNR were also discussed in detail. A system application was demonstrated where pulsed THz signals at different time delays of the ultrafast process were successfully acquired within single shot measurement. This time resolved transient terahertz time domain spectroscopy technique provides a new diagnostic tool for irreversible or single shot ultrafast events where dynamic information can be extracted at terahertz range within one-shot experiment.