99MTc-Hexamethylpropyleneamine Oxime Imaging for Early Detection of Acute Lung Injury in Rats Exposed to Hyperoxia or Lipopolysaccharide Treatment.

PubMed

Audi, Said H; Clough, Anne V; Haworth, Steven T; Medhora, Meetha; Ranji, Mahsa; Densmore, John C; Jacobs, Elizabeth R

2016-10-01

Tc-Hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime (HMPAO) is a clinical single-photon emission computed tomography biomarker of tissue oxidoreductive state. Our objective was to investigate whether HMPAO lung uptake can serve as a preclinical marker of lung injury in two well-established rat models of human acute lung injury (ALI).Rats were exposed to >95% O2 (hyperoxia) or treated with intratracheal lipopolysaccharide (LPS), with first endpoints obtained 24 h later. HMPAO was administered intravenously before and after treatment with the glutathione-depleting agent diethyl maleate (DEM), scintigraphy images were acquired, and HMPAO lung uptake was quantified from the images. We also measured breathing rates, heart rates, oxygen saturation, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cell counts and protein, lung homogenate glutathione (GSH) content, and pulmonary vascular endothelial filtration coefficient (Kf).For hyperoxia rats, HMPAO lung uptake increased after 24 h (134%) and 48 h (172%) of exposure. For LPS-treated rats, HMPAO lung uptake increased (188%) 24 h after injury and fell with resolution of injury. DEM reduced HMPAO uptake in hyperoxia and LPS rats by a greater fraction than in normoxia rats. Both hyperoxia exposure (18%) and LPS treatment (26%) increased lung homogenate GSH content, which correlated strongly with HMPAO uptake. Neither of the treatments had an effect on Kf at 24 h. LPS-treated rats appeared healthy but exhibited mild tachypnea, BAL, and histological evidence of inflammation, and increased wet and dry lung weights. These results suggest the potential utility of HMPAO as a tool for detecting ALI at a phase likely to exhibit minimal clinical evidence of injury.

Improved retention of imidacloprid (Confidor) in soils by adding vermicompost from spent grape marc.

PubMed

Fernández-Bayo, Jesús D; Nogales, Rogelio; Romero, Esperanza

2007-05-25

Batch sorption experiments of the insecticide imidacloprid by ten widely different Spanish soils were carried out. The sorption was studied for the active ingredient and its registered formulation Confidor. The temperature effect was studied at 15 degrees C and 25 degrees C. The addition of a vermicompost from spent grape marc (natural and ground), containing 344 g kg(-1) organic carbon, on the sorption of imidacloprid by two selected soils, a sandy loam and a silty clay loam, having organic carbon content of 3.6 g kg(-1) and 9.3 g kg(-1), respectively, was evaluated. Prior to the addition of this vermicompost, desorption isotherms with both selected soils, were also performed. The apparent hysteresis index (AHI) parameter was used to quantify sorption-desorption hysteresis. Sorption coefficients, K(d) and K(f), for the active ingredient and Confidor(R) in the different soils were similar. Sorption decreased with increasing temperature, this fact has special interest in greenhouse systems. A significant correlation (R(2)=0.965; P<0.01) between K(f) values and the organic carbon (OC) content was found, but some soils showed higher sorption coefficients than that expected from their OC values. The normalized sorption coefficients with the soil organic carbon content (K(oc)) were dispersed and low, implying that other characteristics of soils could contribute to the retention capacity as well. The spent grape marc vermicompost was an effective sorbent of this insecticide (K(f)=149). The sorption of imidacloprid increased significantly in soils amended with this vermicompost. The most pronounced effect was found in the sandy loam soil with low OC content, where the addition of 5% and 10% of vermicompost increased K(f) values by 8- and 15-fold, respectively. Soil desorption of imidacloprid was slower for the soil with the higher OC and clay content.

Modeling of the adsorption breakthrough behaviors of Pb2+ in a fixed bed of ETS-10 adsorbent.

PubMed

Lv, Lu; Zhang, Yan; Wang, Kean; Ray, Ajay K; Zhao, X S

2008-09-01

On the basis of experimental breakthrough curves of lead ion adsorption on ETS-10 particles in a fixed-bed column, we simulated the breakthrough curves using the two-phase homogeneous diffusion model (TPHDM). Three important model parameters, namely the external mass-transfer coefficient (k(f)), effective intercrystal diffusivity (D(e)), and axial dispersion coefficient (D(L)), were optimally found to be 8.33x10(-5) m/s, 2.57x10(-10) m(2)/s, and 1.93x10(-10) m(2)/s, respectively. A good agreement was observed between the numerical simulation and the experimental results. Sensitivity analysis revealed that the value of D(e) dictates the model performance while the magnitude of k(f) primarily affects the initial breakthrough point of the breakthrough curves.

Data assimilation in integrated hydrological modelling in the presence of observation bias

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rasmussen, J.; Madsen, H.; Jensen, K. H.; Refsgaard, J. C.

2015-08-01

The use of bias-aware Kalman filters for estimating and correcting observation bias in groundwater head observations is evaluated using both synthetic and real observations. In the synthetic test, groundwater head observations with a constant bias and unbiased stream discharge observations are assimilated in a catchment scale integrated hydrological model with the aim of updating stream discharge and groundwater head, as well as several model parameters relating to both stream flow and groundwater modeling. The Colored Noise Kalman filter (ColKF) and the Separate bias Kalman filter (SepKF) are tested and evaluated for correcting the observation biases. The study found that both methods were able to estimate most of the biases and that using any of the two bias estimation methods resulted in significant improvements over using a bias-unaware Kalman Filter. While the convergence of the ColKF was significantly faster than the convergence of the SepKF, a much larger ensemble size was required as the estimation of biases would otherwise fail. Real observations of groundwater head and stream discharge were also assimilated, resulting in improved stream flow modeling in terms of an increased Nash-Sutcliffe coefficient while no clear improvement in groundwater head modeling was observed. Both the ColKF and the SepKF tended to underestimate the biases, which resulted in drifting model behavior and sub-optimal parameter estimation, but both methods provided better state updating and parameter estimation than using a bias-unaware filter.

Data assimilation in integrated hydrological modelling in the presence of observation bias

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rasmussen, Jørn; Madsen, Henrik; Høgh Jensen, Karsten; Refsgaard, Jens Christian

2016-05-01

The use of bias-aware Kalman filters for estimating and correcting observation bias in groundwater head observations is evaluated using both synthetic and real observations. In the synthetic test, groundwater head observations with a constant bias and unbiased stream discharge observations are assimilated in a catchment-scale integrated hydrological model with the aim of updating stream discharge and groundwater head, as well as several model parameters relating to both streamflow and groundwater modelling. The coloured noise Kalman filter (ColKF) and the separate-bias Kalman filter (SepKF) are tested and evaluated for correcting the observation biases. The study found that both methods were able to estimate most of the biases and that using any of the two bias estimation methods resulted in significant improvements over using a bias-unaware Kalman filter. While the convergence of the ColKF was significantly faster than the convergence of the SepKF, a much larger ensemble size was required as the estimation of biases would otherwise fail. Real observations of groundwater head and stream discharge were also assimilated, resulting in improved streamflow modelling in terms of an increased Nash-Sutcliffe coefficient while no clear improvement in groundwater head modelling was observed. Both the ColKF and the SepKF tended to underestimate the biases, which resulted in drifting model behaviour and sub-optimal parameter estimation, but both methods provided better state updating and parameter estimation than using a bias-unaware filter.

Dynamics relationship between stock prices and economic variables in Malaysia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chun, Ooi Po; Arsad, Zainudin; Huen, Tan Bee

2014-07-01

Knowledge on linkages between stock prices and macroeconomic variables are essential in the formulation of effective monetary policy. This study investigates the relationship between stock prices in Malaysia (KLCI) with four selected macroeconomic variables, namely industrial production index (IPI), quasi money supply (MS2), real exchange rate (REXR) and 3-month Treasury bill (TRB). The variables used in this study are monthly data from 1996 to 2012. Vector error correction (VEC) model and Kalman filter (KF) technique are utilized to assess the impact of macroeconomic variables on the stock prices. The results from the cointegration test revealed that the stock prices and macroeconomic variables are cointegrated. Different from the constant estimate from the static VEC model, the KF estimates noticeably exhibit time-varying attributes over the entire sample period. The varying estimates of the impact coefficients should be better reflect the changing economic environment. Surprisingly, IPI is negatively related to the KLCI with the estimates of the impact slowly increase and become positive in recent years. TRB is found to be generally negatively related to the KLCI with the impact fluctuating along the constant estimate of the VEC model. The KF estimates for REXR and MS2 show a mixture of positive and negative impact on the KLCI. The coefficients of error correction term (ECT) are negative in majority of the sample period, signifying the stock prices responded to stabilize any short term deviation in the economic system. The findings from the KF model indicate that any implication that is based on the usual static model may lead to authorities implementing less appropriate policies.

Theory and simulation of electrolyte mixtures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, B. Hribar; Vlachy, V.; Bhuiyan, L. B.; Outhwaite, C. W.; Molero, M.

Monte Carlo simulation and theoretical results on some aspects of thermodynamics of mixtures of electrolytes with a common species are presented. Both charge symmetric mixtures, where ions differ only in size, and charge asymmetric but size symmetric mixtures at ionic strength ranging generally from I = 10-4 to 1.0 M, and in a few cases up to I = M, are examined. The theoretical methods explored are: (i) the symmetric Poisson-Boltzmann theory, (ii) the modified Poisson-Boltzmann theory and (iii) the hypernetted-chain integral equation. The first two electrolyte mixing coefficients w0 and w1 of the various mixtures are calculated from an accurate determination of their osmotic pressure data. The theories are seen to be consistent among themselves, and with certain limiting laws in the literature, in predicting the trends of the mixing coefficients with respect to ionic strength. Some selected relevant experimental data have been analysed and compared with the theoretical and simulation trends. In addition the mean activity coefficients for a model mimicking the mixture of KCl and KF electrolytes are calculated and hence the Harned coefficients obtained for this system. These calculations are compared with the experimental data and Monte Carlo results available in the literature. The theoretically predicted Harned coefficients are in good agreement with the simulation results for the model KCl-KF mixture.

Evaluation and linking of effective parameters in particle-based models and continuum models for mixing-limited bimolecular reactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yong; Papelis, Charalambos; Sun, Pengtao; Yu, Zhongbo

2013-08-01

Particle-based models and continuum models have been developed to quantify mixing-limited bimolecular reactions for decades. Effective model parameters control reaction kinetics, but the relationship between the particle-based model parameter (such as the interaction radius R) and the continuum model parameter (i.e., the effective rate coefficient Kf) remains obscure. This study attempts to evaluate and link R and Kf for the second-order bimolecular reaction in both the bulk and the sharp-concentration-gradient (SCG) systems. First, in the bulk system, the agent-based method reveals that R remains constant for irreversible reactions and decreases nonlinearly in time for a reversible reaction, while mathematical analysis shows that Kf transitions from an exponential to a power-law function. Qualitative link between R and Kf can then be built for the irreversible reaction with equal initial reactant concentrations. Second, in the SCG system with a reaction interface, numerical experiments show that when R and Kf decline as t-1/2 (for example, to account for the reactant front expansion), the two models capture the transient power-law growth of product mass, and their effective parameters have the same functional form. Finally, revisiting of laboratory experiments further shows that the best fit factor in R and Kf is on the same order, and both models can efficiently describe chemical kinetics observed in the SCG system. Effective model parameters used to describe reaction kinetics therefore may be linked directly, where the exact linkage may depend on the chemical and physical properties of the system.

CONVERSION OF DIMETHYL ETHER-BORON TRIFLUORIDE COMPLEX TO POTASSIUM FLUOBORATE

DOEpatents

Eberle, A.R.

1957-06-18

A method of preparing KBF/sub 4/ from the dimethyl ether complex of BF/sub 3/ is given. This may be accomplished by introducing the dimethyl ether complex of BF/sub 3/ into an aqueous solution of KF and alcohol, expelling the ether liberated from the complex by heating or stirring and recovering the KBF/sub 4/ so formed. The KBF/sub 4/ is then filtered from the alcohol-water solution, which may be recycled, to reduce the loss of KBF/sub 4/ which is not recovered by filtration.

Conversion of dimethyl ether--boron trifluoride complex to potassium fluoborate

DOEpatents

Eberle, A.R.

1957-06-18

A method of preparing KBF/sub 4/ from the dimethyl ether complex of BF/sub 3/ is given. This may be accomplished by introducing the dimethyl ether complex of BF/sub 3/ into an aqueous solution of KF and alcohol, expelling the ether liberated from the complex by heating or stirring and recovering the KBF/sub 4/ so formed. The KBF/sub 4/ is then filtered from the alcohol-water solution, which may be recycled, to reduce the loss of KBF/sub 4/ which is not recovered by filtration.

Herbicide and antibiotic removal by woodchip denitrification filters: Sorption processes

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Batch sorption and desorption experiments to evaluate the retention of the agrichemicals onto wood chips from an in situ wood chip denitrification wall were conducted for atrazine, enrofloxacin, monensin and sulfamethazine. Estimated Freundlich distribution coefficients (Kf) showed that the order of...

Herbicide and antibiotic removal by woodchip denitrification filters: Sorption processes

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Batch sorption and desorption experiments to evaluate the retention of the agrichemicals onto wood chips from an in situ wood chip denitrification wall were conducted for atrazine, enrofloxacin, monensin, and sulfamethazine. Estimated Freundlich distribution coefficients (Kf) showed that the order o...

An in vitro study of silver and fluoride ions on remineralization of demineralized enamel and dentine.

PubMed

Zhi, Q H; Lo, E C M; Kwok, A C Y

2013-03-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of silver fluoride, silver nitrate and potassium fluoride on remineralization of demineralized enamel and dentine in vitro. Forty premolars were cut into cuboidal blocks. Acid-resistant varnish was painted onto each block to cover all surfaces, except two windows, one in enamel and one in dentine. The tooth blocks were placed in demineralizing solution for 96 hours. They were then randomly divided into four groups of 10 blocks each and immersed in solutions of AgF, AgNO(3), KF or water for 3 minutes. Afterwards, they were immersed in a remineralizing solution for 108 hours. Micro CT scanning was conducted before and after remineralization. The increase in linear attentuation coefficient (LAC) for the enamel lesions after remineralization was 1.08/cm, 0.95/cm, 0.86/cm and 0.60/cm in the AgF, AgNO(3), KF and control groups, respectively (ANOVA, p < 0.001; AgF, AgNO(3), KF > control; AgF > KF). The increase in LAC for the dentine lesions was 1.01/cm, 0.92/cm, 0.88/cm and 0.53/cm, respectively (ANOVA, p < 0.001; AgF, AgNO(3), KF > control). Topical application of silver or fluoride ions can increase the mineral density of demineralized enamel and dentine lesions during remineralization. The synergistic effect of silver and fluoride ions is relatively small. © 2013 Australian Dental Association.

Glyphosate sorption to soils of Argentina. Estimation of affinity coeficient by pedotransfer function

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Geronimo, Eduardo; Aparicio, Virginia; Costa, José Luis

2017-04-01

Argentine agricultural production is fundamentally based on a technological package that combines direct seeding and glyphosate with transgenic crops (soybean, maize and cotton). Therefore, glyphosate is the most employed herbicide in the country, where 180 to 200 million liters are applied every year. Glyphosate is strongly sorbed to soil by binding to clay minerals, layer silicates, metal oxides, non-crystalline materials or organic matter. Sorption of glyphosate is a reversible process that regulates the half-life and mobility of the herbicide and it is therefore related to the risk of contaminating courses of surface and groundwater. However, this behavior may vary depending on the characteristics of the soil on which it is applied. In addition, pH is a determining factor since it modifies the net charge in the molecule and, with it, the force of the electrostatic interaction between the glyphosate and the components of the soil. For a reliable risk assessment of groundwater contamination from pesticides precise predictions of sorption coefficients are needed. The aim of this work is to study the affinity of glyphosate to different soils of Argentina and create a model to estimate the glyphosate Freundlich sorption coefficient (Kf) from easily measurable soil properties. Adsorption of glyphosate was investigated on 12 different agricultural soils of Argentina using batch equilibration technique and fit to Freundlich sorption model. The correlation coefficients and the effects of soil characteristic factors on glyphosate adsorption parameter were analyzed through principal component and multiple lineal regression analysis. Results indicate that pH and clay contents were found to be the most significant soil factors which affect the glyphosate adsorption process. The Freundlich (Kf) pedotransfer function obtained by stepwise regression analysis was Kf = 735.2*Clay - 104.2*pH + 0.7*Polsen - 3.8*Alin. A 97.9% of the variation of glyphosate sorption coefficient could be attributed to the variation of the soil clay contents, pH, Polsen and Alin.

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

Jain, Richa Naja, E-mail: ltprichanaja@gmail.com; Chakraborty, Brahmananda; Ramaniah, Lavanya M.

In this work our main objective is to compute Dynamical correlations, Onsager coefficients and Maxwell-Stefan (MS) diffusivities for molten salt LiF-KF mixture at various thermodynamic states through Green–Kubo formalism for the first time. The equilibrium molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were performed using BHM potential for LiF–KF mixture. The velocity autocorrelations functions involving Li ions reflect the endurance of cage dynamics or backscattering with temperature. The magnitude of Onsager coefficients for all pairs increases with increase in temperature. Interestingly most of the Onsager coefficients has almost maximum magnitude at the eutectic composition indicating the most dynamic character of the eutectic mixture.more » MS diffusivity hence diffusion for all ion pairs increases in the system with increasing temperature. Smooth variation of the diffusivity values denies any network formation in the mixture. Also, the striking feature is the noticeable concentration dependence of MS diffusivity between cation-cation pair, Đ{sub Li-K} which remains negative for most of the concentration range but changes sign to become positive for higher LiF concentration. The negative MS diffusivity is acceptable as it satisfies the non-negative entropy constraint governed by 2{sup nd} law of thermodynamics. This high diffusivity also vouches the candidature of molten salt as a coolant.« less

Effect of hypothermic pulmonary artery flushing on capillary filtration coefficient.

PubMed

Andrade, R S; Wangensteen, O D; Jo, J K; Tsai, M Y; Bolman, R M

2000-07-27

We previously demonstrated that surfactant dilution and inhibition occur immediately after pulmonary artery flushing with hypothermic modified Euro-Collins solution. Consequently, we speculated that increased capillary permeability contributed to these surfactant changes. To test this hypothesis, we evaluated the effects of hypothermic pulmonary artery flushing on the pulmonary capillary filtration coefficient (Kfc), and additionally performed a biochemical analysis of surfactant. We used a murine isolated, perfused lung model to measure the pulmonary capillary filtration coefficient and hemodynamic parameters, to determine the wet to dry weight ratio, and to evaluate surfactant by biochemical analysis of lung lavage fluid. We defined three study groups. In group I (controls), we harvested lungs without hypothermic pulmonary artery flushing, and measured Kfc immediately. In group II (in situ flush), we harvested lungs after hypothermic pulmonary artery flushing with modified Euro-Collins solution, and then measured Kfc. Experiments in groups I and II were designed to evaluate persistent changes in Kfc after pulmonary artery flushing. In group III (ex vivo flush), we flushed lungs ex vivo to evaluate transient changes in Kfc during hypothermic pulmonary artery flushing. Groups I and II did not differ significantly in capillary filtration coefficient and hemodynamics. Group II showed significant alterations on biochemical surfactant analysis and a significant increase in wet-to-dry weight ratio, when compared with group I. In group III, we observed a significant transient increase in capillary filtration coefficient during pulmonary artery flushing. Hypothermic pulmonary artery flushing transiently increases the capillary filtration coefficient, leads to an increase in the wet to dry weight ratio, and induces biochemical surfactant changes. These findings could be explained by the effects of hypothermic modified Euro-Collins solution on pulmonary capillary permeability.

Microvascular pressures and filtration coefficients in the cat mesentery.

PubMed Central

Fraser, P A; Smaje, L H; Verrinder, A

1978-01-01

1. Filtration coefficient and hydrostatic pressure have been measured in single capillaries and venules in the cat mesentery using a modification of the Landis (1927) single vessel occlusion technique. 2. Venules were found to be filtering fluid, not absorbing it as is often supposed. 3. The mean filtration coefficient in capillaries was 0.018 micrometers . s-1 . mmHg-1 (1.35 X 10(-10)m . s-1 . Pa-1) while that in venules, was 0.027 micrometers . s-1 . mmHg-1 (2.02 X 10(-10)m . s-1 . Pa-1). 4. In both capillaries and venules, filtration coefficient increased with decreasing pressure. 5. The difference between directly measured venular pressure and that calculated from the occlusion data was used to determine the contribution of the interstitium to fluid exchange. In the mesentery superfused with Krebs solution the tissue pressure so determined was found to be zero or subatmospheric initially but became increasingly positive with lengthening exposure of the mesentery. PMID:722585

Sorption of biodegradation end products of nonylphenol polyethoxylates onto activated sludge.

PubMed

Hung, Nguyen Viet; Tateda, Masafumi; Ike, Michihiko; Fujita, Masanori; Tsunoi, Shinji; Tanaka, Minoru

2004-01-01

Nonylphenol(NP), nonylphenoxy acetic acid (NP1EC), nonylphenol monoethoxy acetic acid (NP2EC), nonylphenol monoethoxylate (NP1EO) and nonylphenol diethoxylate (NP2EO) are biodegradation end products (BEPs) of nonionic surfactant nonylphenolpolyethoxylates (NPnEO). In this research, sorption of these compounds onto model activated sludge was characterized. Sorption equilibrium experiments showed that NP, NP1EO and NP2EO reached equilibrium in about 12 h, while equilibrium of NP1EC and NP2EC were reached earlier, in about 4 h. In sorption isotherm experiments, obtained equilibrium data at 28 degrees C fitted well to Freundlich sorption model for all investigated compounds. For NP1EC, in addition to Freundlich, equilibrium data also fitted well to Langmuir model. Linear sorption model was also tried, and equilibrium data of all NP, NP1EO, NP2EO and NP2EC except NP1EC fitted well to this model. Calculated Freundlich coefficient (K(F)) and linear sorption coefficient (K(D)) showed that sorption capacity of the investigated compounds were in order NP > NP2EO > NP1EO > NP1EC approximately NP2EC. For NP, NP1EO and NP2EO, high values of calculated K(F) and K(D) indicated an easy uptake of these compounds from aqueous phase onto activated sludge. Whereas, NP1EC and NP2EC with low values of K(F) and K(D) absorbed weakly to activated sludge and tended to preferably remain in aqueous phase.

Influence of soil properties and test conditions on sorption and desorption of testosterone

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In this study, batch sorption and desorption experiments were conducted for testosterone using four agricultural soils and five clay minerals. Significant differences in sorption behavior were observed between abiotic and biotic systems. The Freundlich sorption coefficient Kf (µg per g)/(µg per mL) ...

Sorption-desorption of indaziflam in selected agricultural soils.

PubMed

Alonso, Diego G; Koskinen, William C; Oliveira, Rubem S; Constantin, Jamil; Mislankar, Suresh

2011-12-28

Indaziflam, a new alkylazine herbicide that inhibits cellulose biosynthesis, is under current development for soil applications in perennial crops and nonagricultural areas. Sorption and desorption of indaziflam in six soils from Brazil and three soils from the United States, with different physical chemical properties, were investigated using the batch equilibration method. Sorption kinetics demonstrated that soil-solution equilibrium was attained in <24 h. The Freundlich equation described the sorption behavior of the herbicide for all soils (R(2) > 0.99). K(f) values of the Brazilian oxisols ranged from 4.66 to 29.3, and 1/n values were ≥ 0.95. Sorption was positively correlated to %OC and clay contents. U.S. mollisol K(f) values ranged from 6.62 to 14.3; 1/n values for sorption were ≥ 0.92. K(f) values from mollisols were also positively correlated with %OC. These results suggest that indaziflam potential mobility, based solely on its sorption coefficients, would range from moderate to low in soil. Desorption was hysteretic on all soils, further decreasing its potential mobility for offsite transport.

Hybrid vs Adaptive Ensemble Kalman Filtering for Storm Surge Forecasting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Altaf, M. U.; Raboudi, N.; Gharamti, M. E.; Dawson, C.; McCabe, M. F.; Hoteit, I.

2014-12-01

Recent storm surge events due to Hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico have motivated the efforts to accurately forecast water levels. Toward this goal, a parallel architecture has been implemented based on a high resolution storm surge model, ADCIRC. However the accuracy of the model notably depends on the quality and the recentness of the input data (mainly winds and bathymetry), model parameters (e.g. wind and bottom drag coefficients), and the resolution of the model grid. Given all these uncertainties in the system, the challenge is to build an efficient prediction system capable of providing accurate forecasts enough ahead of time for the authorities to evacuate the areas at risk. We have developed an ensemble-based data assimilation system to frequently assimilate available data into the ADCIRC model in order to improve the accuracy of the model. In this contribution we study and analyze the performances of different ensemble Kalman filter methodologies for efficient short-range storm surge forecasting, the aim being to produce the most accurate forecasts at the lowest possible computing time. Using Hurricane Ike meteorological data to force the ADCIRC model over a domain including the Gulf of Mexico coastline, we implement and compare the forecasts of the standard EnKF, the hybrid EnKF and an adaptive EnKF. The last two schemes have been introduced as efficient tools for enhancing the behavior of the EnKF when implemented with small ensembles by exploiting information from a static background covariance matrix. Covariance inflation and localization are implemented in all these filters. Our results suggest that both the hybrid and the adaptive approach provide significantly better forecasts than those resulting from the standard EnKF, even when implemented with much smaller ensembles.

Partial liquid ventilation reduces fluid filtration of isolated rabbit lungs with acute hydrochloric acid-induced edema.

PubMed

Loer, S A; Tarnow, J

2001-06-01

Hydrochloric acid aspiration increases pulmonary microvascular permeability. The authors tested the hypothesis that partial liquid ventilation has a beneficial effect on filtration coefficients in acute acid-induced lung injury. Isolated blood-perfused rabbit lungs were assigned randomly to one of four groups. Group 1 (n = 6) served as a control group without edema. In group 2 (n = 6), group 3 (n = 6), and group 4 (n = 6), pulmonary edema was induced by intratracheal instillation of hydrochloric acid (0.1 N, 2 ml/kg body weight). Filtration coefficients were determined 30 min after this injury (by measuring loss of perfusate after increase of left atrial pressure). Group 2 lungs were gas ventilated, and group 3 lungs received partial liquid ventilation (15 ml perfluorocarbon/kg body weight). In group 4 lungs, the authors studied the immediate effects of bronchial perfluorocarbon instillation on ongoing filtration. Intratracheal instillation of hydrochloric acid markedly increased filtration coefficients when compared with non-injured control lungs (2.3 +/- 0.7 vs. 0.31 +/- 0.08 ml.min(-1). mmHg(-1).100 g(-1) wet lung weight, P < 0.01). Partial liquid ventilation reduced filtration coefficients of the injured lungs (to 0.9 +/- 0.3 ml.min(-1).mmHg(-1).100 g(-1) wet lung weight, P = 0.022). Neither pulmonary artery nor capillary pressures (determined by simultaneous occlusion of inflow and outflow of the pulmonary circulation) were changed by hydrochloric acid instillation or by partial liquid ventilation. During ongoing filtration, bronchial perfluorocarbon instillation (5 ml/kg body weight) immediately reduced the amount of filtered fluid by approximately 50% (P = 0.027). In the acute phase after acid injury, partial liquid ventilation reduced pathologic fluid filtration. This effect started immediately after bronchial perfluorocarbon instillation and was not associated with changes in mean pulmonary artery, capillary, or airway pressures. The authors suggest that in the early phase of acid injury, reduction of fluid filtration contributes to the beneficial effects of partial liquid ventilation on gas exchange and lung mechanics.

An improved state-parameter analysis of ecosystem models using data assimilation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chen, M.; Liu, S.; Tieszen, L.L.; Hollinger, D.Y.

2008-01-01

Much of the effort spent in developing data assimilation methods for carbon dynamics analysis has focused on estimating optimal values for either model parameters or state variables. The main weakness of estimating parameter values alone (i.e., without considering state variables) is that all errors from input, output, and model structure are attributed to model parameter uncertainties. On the other hand, the accuracy of estimating state variables may be lowered if the temporal evolution of parameter values is not incorporated. This research develops a smoothed ensemble Kalman filter (SEnKF) by combining ensemble Kalman filter with kernel smoothing technique. SEnKF has following characteristics: (1) to estimate simultaneously the model states and parameters through concatenating unknown parameters and state variables into a joint state vector; (2) to mitigate dramatic, sudden changes of parameter values in parameter sampling and parameter evolution process, and control narrowing of parameter variance which results in filter divergence through adjusting smoothing factor in kernel smoothing algorithm; (3) to assimilate recursively data into the model and thus detect possible time variation of parameters; and (4) to address properly various sources of uncertainties stemming from input, output and parameter uncertainties. The SEnKF is tested by assimilating observed fluxes of carbon dioxide and environmental driving factor data from an AmeriFlux forest station located near Howland, Maine, USA, into a partition eddy flux model. Our analysis demonstrates that model parameters, such as light use efficiency, respiration coefficients, minimum and optimum temperatures for photosynthetic activity, and others, are highly constrained by eddy flux data at daily-to-seasonal time scales. The SEnKF stabilizes parameter values quickly regardless of the initial values of the parameters. Potential ecosystem light use efficiency demonstrates a strong seasonality. Results show that the simultaneous parameter estimation procedure significantly improves model predictions. Results also show that the SEnKF can dramatically reduce the variance in state variables stemming from the uncertainty of parameters and driving variables. The SEnKF is a robust and effective algorithm in evaluating and developing ecosystem models and in improving the understanding and quantification of carbon cycle parameters and processes. ?? 2008 Elsevier B.V.

Atrial natriuretic factor increases splenic microvascular pressure and fluid extravasation in the rat.

PubMed

Sultanian, R; Deng, Y; Kaufman, S

2001-05-15

The spleen is an important site of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF)-induced fluid extravasation into the systemic lymphatic system. The mechanism underlying this process was studied in a blood-perfused (1 ml min(-1)) rat spleen using the double occlusion technique. To ensure that our observations were spleen specific, a similar protocol was repeated in the hindquarters. Rat ANF(1-28), infused into the splenic artery of anaesthetized male rats, caused a dose-dependent (0.3-59 pmol min(-1)) increase in microvascular pressure from 11.3 +/- 0.7 to 14.9 +/- 0.5 mmHg and in post-capillary resistance from 7.2 +/- 0.6 to 10.1 +/- 1.1 mmHg ml(-1). ANF elicited no change in splenic pre-capillary resistance or in hindquarter haemodynamics. Intrasplenic ANF (6.5 pmol min(-1)) caused a sustained increase in intrasplenic fluid efflux from 0.1 +/- 0.1 to 0.3 +/- 0.1 ml min(-1), and in capillary filtration coefficient (Kf) from 1.2 +/- 0.5 to 2.4 +/- 0.6 ml mmHg-1 min-1 (100 g tissue)-1. Mechanical elevation of splenic intravascular pressure (from 11.3 +/- 0.7 to 22.4 +/- 0.2 mmHg) significantly increased intrasplenic fluid extravasation (from 0.4 +/- 0.3 to 1.4 +/- 0.3 ml min(-1)). The natriuretic peptide receptor-C (NPRC)-specific agonist C-ANF(4-23) (12.5 and 125 pmol min(-1)) did not alter splenic intravascular pressure or pre-/post-capillary resistance. The ANF antagonist A71915 (8.3 and 83 pmol min-1), which blocks ANF-stimulated cGMP production via natriuretic peptide receptor-A (NPRA), inhibited the ANF-induced changes in splenic microvascular pressure and post-capillary resistance. It is concluded that ANF enhances the extravasation of isoncotic fluid from the splenic vasculature both by raising intrasplenic microvascular pressure (increased post-capillary resistance) and by increasing filtration area. The constrictive activity of ANF on the splenic vasculature is mediated through NPRA.

Gas filtration and separation with nano-size ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lysenko, V. I.; Trufanov, D. Yu.; Bardakhanov, S. P.

2011-06-01

Filtration and separation properties were studied for filters made from open-porosity ceramics (sintered from authors-developed silicon dioxide nanopowder "tarkosil". Key parameters were measured for samples of ceramics produced at different sintering temperatures: porosity, gas permeability coefficient, relative time of standard volume fill-up, gas mixture separation coefficient. The possibility of using the described ceramics for helium enrichment was demonstrated with examples of helium-nitrogen and helium-methane mixtures.

Flexural properties untreated and treated kenaf fiber reinforced polypropylene composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Husin, Muhammad Muslimin; Mustapa, Mohammad Sukri; Wahab, Md Saidin; Arifin, Ahmad Mubarak Tajul; Masirin, Mohd Idrus Mohd; Jais, Farhana Hazwanee

2017-05-01

Today natural fiber polymer composites are being extensively used as alternatives in producing furniture to fulfill society demand instead of saving cost and environmentally friendly. The objective of this search is to investigate the untreated fine and rough kenaf fiber (KF) as well as treated KF reinforced with polypropylene (PP) on the flexural strength. Flexural strengths of pure PP, 10%, and 20% of untreated fine and rough KF by weight to PP have been recorded. In addition, flexural strengths of treated KF soaked with 5% and 10% of Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) have also been recorded. KF reinforced PP (PP/KF) untreated and treated composites were melt blended and then injection molded to observe their flexural strengths by measuring their threshold. Three point bending test was apply to determine the flexural stress of the composites. The result show treated fine KF produce better flexural performance at 20% PP/KF. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) is used to observe the morphological surface PP/KF. Overall 5% NaOH with 20% PP/KF (Fine KF) show good interfacial bonding PP/KF and best result with flexural stress value 30.25MPa.

Repeatability of Ophtha Top topography and comparison with IOL-Master and LenstarLS900 in cataract patients

PubMed Central

Yu, Sha-Sha; Song, Hui; Tang, Xin

2017-01-01

AIM To determine the repeatability of Ophtha Top topography and assess the consistency with intraocular lens (IOL)-Master and LenstarLS900 (Lenstar) in measuring corneal parameters among cataract patients. METHODS Totally 125 eyes were enrolled. Corneas were successively measured with Ophtha Top, IOL-Master and Lenstar at least three times. The flattest meridian power (Kf), the steepest meridian power (Ks), mean power (Km), J0 and J45 were recorded. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs), the coefficient of variance (COV), within subject standard deviation (Sw), and test-retest repeatability (2.77Sw) were adopted to determine the repeatability. The 95% limit of agreement (95%LOA) and Bland-Altman plots were used to assess comparability. RESULTS Repeatability of Ophtha Top topography for measuring corneal parameters showed the ICCs were all above 0.93, 2.77Sw was lower than 0.31, and the COV of the Kf and Ks was lower than 0.25. The keratometric readings with Ophtha Top topography were flatter than with the IOL-Master and Lenstar devices, while the Pearson correlation coefficients were over 0.97. The J0 and J45 with Ophtha Top topography were smaller compared with Lenstar and IOL-Master, while was comparable between Lenstar and IOL-Master. CONCLUSION Ophtha Top topography shows excellent repeatability for measuring corneal parameters. However, differences between the Ophtha TOP topography and Lenstar, IOL-Master both in cornea curvature and the astigmatism should be noted clinically. PMID:29181314

Repeatability of Ophtha Top topography and comparison with IOL-Master and LenstarLS900 in cataract patients.

PubMed

Yu, Sha-Sha; Song, Hui; Tang, Xin

2017-01-01

To determine the repeatability of Ophtha Top topography and assess the consistency with intraocular lens (IOL)-Master and LenstarLS900 (Lenstar) in measuring corneal parameters among cataract patients. Totally 125 eyes were enrolled. Corneas were successively measured with Ophtha Top, IOL-Master and Lenstar at least three times. The flattest meridian power (Kf), the steepest meridian power (Ks), mean power (Km), J0 and J45 were recorded. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs), the coefficient of variance (COV), within subject standard deviation (Sw), and test-retest repeatability (2.77Sw) were adopted to determine the repeatability. The 95% limit of agreement (95%LOA) and Bland-Altman plots were used to assess comparability. Repeatability of Ophtha Top topography for measuring corneal parameters showed the ICCs were all above 0.93, 2.77Sw was lower than 0.31, and the COV of the Kf and Ks was lower than 0.25. The keratometric readings with Ophtha Top topography were flatter than with the IOL-Master and Lenstar devices, while the Pearson correlation coefficients were over 0.97. The J0 and J45 with Ophtha Top topography were smaller compared with Lenstar and IOL-Master, while was comparable between Lenstar and IOL-Master. Ophtha Top topography shows excellent repeatability for measuring corneal parameters. However, differences between the Ophtha TOP topography and Lenstar, IOL-Master both in cornea curvature and the astigmatism should be noted clinically.

[Effects of Cultivation Soil Properties on the Transport of Genetically Engineered Microorganism in Huabei Plain].

PubMed

Zhang, Jing; Liu, Ping; Liu, Chun; Chen, Xiao-xuan; Zhang, Lei

2015-12-01

The transport of genetically engineered microorganism (GEM) in the soil is considered to be the important factor influencing the enhanced bioremediation of polluted soil. The transport of an atrazine-degrading GEM and its influencing factors were investigated in the saturated cultivation soil of Huabei Plain. The results showed that horizontal infiltration was the main mechanism of GEM transport in the saturated cultivation soil. The transport process could be simulated using the filtration model. Soil properties showed significant effects on pore water flow and GEM transport in saturated soil. When particle size, porosity and sand component of the soil increased, the hydraulic conductivity constant increased and filtration coefficient of GEM decreased in saturated soil, indicating the reduced retention of GEM in the soil. An increase in infiltration flow also increased hydraulic conductivity constant in saturated soil and consequently decreased filtration coefficient of GEM. When hydraulic conductivity constants ranged from 5.02 m · d⁻¹ to 6.70 m · d⁻¹ in the saturated soil, the filtration coefficients of GEM varied from 0.105 to 0.274. There was a significantly negative correlation between them.

Removal Efficiencies and Attachment Coefficients for Cryptosporidium in Sandy Alluvial Riverbank Sediment

EPA Science Inventory

Riverbank filtration has been shown to be effective at removing viable Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts and, therefore, drinking water systems that employ riverbank filtration may receive additional treatment credits beyond that which they can obtain using traditional engineering a...

A Ketogenic Formula Prevents Tumor Progression and Cancer Cachexia by Attenuating Systemic Inflammation in Colon 26 Tumor-Bearing Mice

PubMed Central

Tonouchi, Hidekazu; Sasayama, Akina

2018-01-01

Low-carbohydrate, high-fat diets (ketogenic diets) might prevent tumor progression and could be used as supportive therapy; however, few studies have addressed the effect of such diets on colorectal cancer. An infant formula with a ketogenic composition (ketogenic formula; KF) is used to treat patients with refractory epilepsy. We investigated the effect of KF on cancer and cancer cachexia in colon tumor-bearing mice. Mice were randomized into normal (NR), tumor-bearing (TB), and ketogenic formula (KF) groups. Colon 26 cells were inoculated subcutaneously into TB and KF mice. The NR and TB groups received a standard diet, and the KF mice received KF ad libitum. KF mice preserved their body, muscle, and carcass weights. Tumor weight and plasma IL-6 levels were significantly lower in KF mice than in TB mice. In the KF group, energy intake was significantly higher than that in the other two groups. Blood ketone body concentrations in KF mice were significantly elevated, and there was a significant negative correlation between blood ketone body concentration and tumor weight. Therefore, KF may suppress the progression of cancer and the accompanying systemic inflammation without adverse effects on weight gain, or muscle mass, which might help to prevent cancer cachexia. PMID:29443873

Kiwifruit Non-Sugar Components Reduce Glycaemic Response to Co-Ingested Cereal in Humans.

PubMed

Mishra, Suman; Edwards, Haley; Hedderley, Duncan; Podd, John; Monro, John

2017-10-30

Kiwifruit (KF) effects on the human glycaemic response to co-ingested wheat cereal were determined. Participants (n = 20) consumed four meals in random order, all being made to 40 g of the same available carbohydrate, by adding kiwifruit sugars (KF sug; glucose, fructose, sucrose 2:2:1) to meals not containing KF. The meals were flaked wheat biscuit (WB)+KFsug, WB+KF, WB+guar gum+KFsug, WB+guar gum+KF, that was ingested after fasting overnight. Blood glucose was monitored 3 h and hunger measured at 180 min post-meal using a visual analogue scale. KF and guar reduced postprandial blood glucose response amplitude, and prevented subsequent hypoglycaemia that occurred with WB+KFsug. The area between the blood glucose response curve and baseline from 0 to 180 min was not significantly different between meals, 0-120 min areas were significantly reduced by KF and/or guar. Area from 120 to 180 min was positive for KF, guar, and KF+guar, while the area for the WB meal was negative. Hunger at 180 min was significantly reduced by KF and/or guar when compared with WB. We conclude that KF components other than available carbohydrate may improve the glycaemic response profile to co-ingested cereal food.

Kiwifruit Non-Sugar Components Reduce Glycaemic Response to Co-Ingested Cereal in Humans

PubMed Central

Mishra, Suman; Edwards, Haley; Hedderley, Duncan; Podd, John; Monro, John

2017-01-01

Kiwifruit (KF) effects on the human glycaemic response to co-ingested wheat cereal were determined. Participants (n = 20) consumed four meals in random order, all being made to 40 g of the same available carbohydrate, by adding kiwifruit sugars (KF sug; glucose, fructose, sucrose 2:2:1) to meals not containing KF. The meals were flaked wheat biscuit (WB)+KFsug, WB+KF, WB+guar gum+KFsug, WB+guar gum+KF, that was ingested after fasting overnight. Blood glucose was monitored 3 h and hunger measured at 180 min post-meal using a visual analogue scale. KF and guar reduced postprandial blood glucose response amplitude, and prevented subsequent hypoglycaemia that occurred with WB+KFsug. The area between the blood glucose response curve and baseline from 0 to 180 min was not significantly different between meals, 0–120 min areas were significantly reduced by KF and/or guar. Area from 120 to 180 min was positive for KF, guar, and KF+guar, while the area for the WB meal was negative. Hunger at 180 min was significantly reduced by KF and/or guar when compared with WB. We conclude that KF components other than available carbohydrate may improve the glycaemic response profile to co-ingested cereal food. PMID:29084137

Reduction of Used Memory Ensemble Kalman Filtering (RumEnKF): A data assimilation scheme for memory intensive, high performance computing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hut, Rolf; Amisigo, Barnabas A.; Steele-Dunne, Susan; van de Giesen, Nick

2015-12-01

Reduction of Used Memory Ensemble Kalman Filtering (RumEnKF) is introduced as a variant on the Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF). RumEnKF differs from EnKF in that it does not store the entire ensemble, but rather only saves the first two moments of the ensemble distribution. In this way, the number of ensemble members that can be calculated is less dependent on available memory, and mainly on available computing power (CPU). RumEnKF is developed to make optimal use of current generation super computer architecture, where the number of available floating point operations (flops) increases more rapidly than the available memory and where inter-node communication can quickly become a bottleneck. RumEnKF reduces the used memory compared to the EnKF when the number of ensemble members is greater than half the number of state variables. In this paper, three simple models are used (auto-regressive, low dimensional Lorenz and high dimensional Lorenz) to show that RumEnKF performs similarly to the EnKF. Furthermore, it is also shown that increasing the ensemble size has a similar impact on the estimation error from the three algorithms.

The Ensemble Kalman filter: a signal processing perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roth, Michael; Hendeby, Gustaf; Fritsche, Carsten; Gustafsson, Fredrik

2017-12-01

The ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) is a Monte Carlo-based implementation of the Kalman filter (KF) for extremely high-dimensional, possibly nonlinear, and non-Gaussian state estimation problems. Its ability to handle state dimensions in the order of millions has made the EnKF a popular algorithm in different geoscientific disciplines. Despite a similarly vital need for scalable algorithms in signal processing, e.g., to make sense of the ever increasing amount of sensor data, the EnKF is hardly discussed in our field. This self-contained review is aimed at signal processing researchers and provides all the knowledge to get started with the EnKF. The algorithm is derived in a KF framework, without the often encountered geoscientific terminology. Algorithmic challenges and required extensions of the EnKF are provided, as well as relations to sigma point KF and particle filters. The relevant EnKF literature is summarized in an extensive survey and unique simulation examples, including popular benchmark problems, complement the theory with practical insights. The signal processing perspective highlights new directions of research and facilitates the exchange of potentially beneficial ideas, both for the EnKF and high-dimensional nonlinear and non-Gaussian filtering in general.

An improved procedure for shipboard enumeration of faecal indicator bacteria in marine sediments from sewage sludge disposal areas.

PubMed

West, P A

1988-04-01

An improved membrane filtration procedure for use on board ship to enumerate Escherichia coli and Group D faecal streptococci in marine sediments is described. Ultrasonication extraction combined with resuscitation of sublethally-injured cells yielded significantly higher counts of E. coli than sediments shaken by hand. Counts of E. coli were also higher on mFC agar (without rosalic acid) after a period of resuscitation on tryptone-soy agar supplemented with 0.1% yeast extract than on a 4% Teepol-lactose medium. Ultrasonication of sediments made no significant difference to counts of Group D faecal streptococci on KF-streptococcus agar. These improved isolation procedures allowed better discrimination of the area affected by sewage sludge at a disposal site off the northeast coast of England.

Gas-liquid countercurrent integration process for continuous biodiesel production using a microporous solid base KF/CaO as catalyst.

PubMed

Hu, Shengyang; Wen, Libai; Wang, Yun; Zheng, Xinsheng; Han, Heyou

2012-11-01

A continuous-flow integration process was developed for biodiesel production using rapeseed oil as feedstock, based on the countercurrent contact reaction between gas and liquid, separation of glycerol on-line and cyclic utilization of methanol. Orthogonal experimental design and response surface methodology were adopted to optimize technological parameters. A second-order polynomial model for the biodiesel yield was established and validated experimentally. The high determination coefficient (R(2)=98.98%) and the low probability value (Pr<0.0001) proved that the model matched the experimental data, and had a high predictive ability. The optimal technological parameters were: 81.5°C reaction temperature, 51.7cm fill height of catalyst KF/CaO and 105.98kPa system pressure. Under these conditions, the average yield of triplicate experiments was 93.7%, indicating the continuous-flow process has good potential in the manufacture of biodiesel. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessing performance of Bayesian state-space models fit to Argos satellite telemetry locations processed with Kalman filtering.

PubMed

Silva, Mónica A; Jonsen, Ian; Russell, Deborah J F; Prieto, Rui; Thompson, Dave; Baumgartner, Mark F

2014-01-01

Argos recently implemented a new algorithm to calculate locations of satellite-tracked animals that uses a Kalman filter (KF). The KF algorithm is reported to increase the number and accuracy of estimated positions over the traditional Least Squares (LS) algorithm, with potential advantages to the application of state-space methods to model animal movement data. We tested the performance of two Bayesian state-space models (SSMs) fitted to satellite tracking data processed with KF algorithm. Tracks from 7 harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) tagged with ARGOS satellite transmitters equipped with Fastloc GPS loggers were used to calculate the error of locations estimated from SSMs fitted to KF and LS data, by comparing those to "true" GPS locations. Data on 6 fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) were used to investigate consistency in movement parameters, location and behavioural states estimated by switching state-space models (SSSM) fitted to data derived from KF and LS methods. The model fit to KF locations improved the accuracy of seal trips by 27% over the LS model. 82% of locations predicted from the KF model and 73% of locations from the LS model were <5 km from the corresponding interpolated GPS position. Uncertainty in KF model estimates (5.6 ± 5.6 km) was nearly half that of LS estimates (11.6 ± 8.4 km). Accuracy of KF and LS modelled locations was sensitive to precision but not to observation frequency or temporal resolution of raw Argos data. On average, 88% of whale locations estimated by KF models fell within the 95% probability ellipse of paired locations from LS models. Precision of KF locations for whales was generally higher. Whales' behavioural mode inferred by KF models matched the classification from LS models in 94% of the cases. State-space models fit to KF data can improve spatial accuracy of location estimates over LS models and produce equally reliable behavioural estimates.

Assessing Performance of Bayesian State-Space Models Fit to Argos Satellite Telemetry Locations Processed with Kalman Filtering

PubMed Central

Silva, Mónica A.; Jonsen, Ian; Russell, Deborah J. F.; Prieto, Rui; Thompson, Dave; Baumgartner, Mark F.

2014-01-01

Argos recently implemented a new algorithm to calculate locations of satellite-tracked animals that uses a Kalman filter (KF). The KF algorithm is reported to increase the number and accuracy of estimated positions over the traditional Least Squares (LS) algorithm, with potential advantages to the application of state-space methods to model animal movement data. We tested the performance of two Bayesian state-space models (SSMs) fitted to satellite tracking data processed with KF algorithm. Tracks from 7 harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) tagged with ARGOS satellite transmitters equipped with Fastloc GPS loggers were used to calculate the error of locations estimated from SSMs fitted to KF and LS data, by comparing those to “true” GPS locations. Data on 6 fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) were used to investigate consistency in movement parameters, location and behavioural states estimated by switching state-space models (SSSM) fitted to data derived from KF and LS methods. The model fit to KF locations improved the accuracy of seal trips by 27% over the LS model. 82% of locations predicted from the KF model and 73% of locations from the LS model were <5 km from the corresponding interpolated GPS position. Uncertainty in KF model estimates (5.6±5.6 km) was nearly half that of LS estimates (11.6±8.4 km). Accuracy of KF and LS modelled locations was sensitive to precision but not to observation frequency or temporal resolution of raw Argos data. On average, 88% of whale locations estimated by KF models fell within the 95% probability ellipse of paired locations from LS models. Precision of KF locations for whales was generally higher. Whales’ behavioural mode inferred by KF models matched the classification from LS models in 94% of the cases. State-space models fit to KF data can improve spatial accuracy of location estimates over LS models and produce equally reliable behavioural estimates. PMID:24651252

Insights into the genomic plasticity of Pseudomonas putida KF715, a strain with unique biphenyl-utilizing activity and genome instability properties.

PubMed

Suenaga, Hikaru; Fujihara, Hidehiko; Kimura, Nobutada; Hirose, Jun; Watanabe, Takahito; Futagami, Taiki; Goto, Masatoshi; Shimodaira, Jun; Furukawa, Kensuke

2017-10-01

Pseudomonas putida KF715 exhibits unique properties in both catabolic activity and genome plasticity. Our previous studies revealed that the DNA region containing biphenyl and salycilate metabolism gene clusters (termed the bph-sal element) was frequently deleted and transferred by conjugation to closely related P. putida strains. In this study, we first determined the complete nucleotide sequence of the KF715 genome. Next, to determine the underlying cause of genome plasticity in KF715, we compared the KF715 genome with the genomes of one KF715 defective mutant, two transconjugants, and several P. putida strains available from public databases. The gapless KF715 genome sequence revealed five replicons: one circular chromosome, and four plasmids. Southern blot analysis indicated that most of the KF715 cell population carries the bph-sal element on the chromosome whereas a small number carry it on a huge plasmid, pKF715A. Moreover, the bph-sal element is present stably on the plasmid and did not integrate into the chromosome of its transconjugants. Comparative genome analysis and experiments showed that a number of diverse putative genetic elements are present in KF715 and are likely involved in genome rearrangement. These data provide insights into the genetic plasticity and adaptability of microorganisms for survival in various ecological niches. © 2017 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Characteristic of Nano-Cu Film Prepared by Energy Filtrating Magnetron Sputtering Technique and Its Optical Property

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zhaoyong; Hu, Xing; Yao, Ning

2015-03-01

At the optimized deposition parameters, Cu film was deposited by the direct current magnetron sputtering (DMS) technique and the energy filtrating magnetron sputtering (EFMS) technique. The nano-structure was charactered by x-ray diffraction. The surface morphology of the film was observed by atomic force microscopy. The optical properties of the film were measured by spectroscopic ellipsometry. The refractive index, extinction coefficient and the thickness of the film were obtained by the fitted spectroscopic ellipsometry data using the Drude-Lorentz oscillator optical model. Results suggested that a Cu film with different properties was fabricated by the EFMS technique. The film containing smaller particles is denser and the surface is smoother. The average transmission coefficient, the refractive index and the extinction coefficients are higher than those of the Cu film deposited by the DMS technique. The average transmission coefficient (400-800 nm) is more than three times higher. The refractive index and extinction coefficient (at 550 nm) are more than 36% and 14% higher, respectively.

Removal of Inclusions from Molten Aluminum by Supergravity Filtration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Gaoyang; Song, Bo; Yang, Zhanbing; Yang, Yuhou; Zhang, Jing

2016-12-01

A new approach to removing inclusions from aluminum melt by supergravity filtration was investigated. The molten aluminum containing MgAl2O4 spinel and coarse Al3Ti particles was isothermally filtered with different gravity coefficients, different filtering times, and various filtering temperatures under supergravity field. When the gravity coefficient G ≥ 50, the alloy samples were divided automatically into two parts: the upper residue and the lower filtered aluminum. All inclusions (MgAl2O4 and Al3Ti particles) were nearly intercepted in the upper residue by filter felt with average pore size of 44.78 μm. The removal efficiencies of oxide inclusions and Al3Ti particles exceeded 98 and 90 pct, respectively, at G ≥ 50, t = 2 minutes, T = 973 K (700 °C). Besides, the yield of purified aluminum was up to 92.1 pct at G = 600, t = 2 minutes, and T = 973 K (700 °C). The calculations of centrifugal pressure indicated that supergravity filtration could effectively overcome the pressure drop without meeting the rigorous requirement of height of molten metal, especially for using the fine-pore filter medium. Moreover, cake-mode filtration was the major mechanism of supergravity filtration of molten metal in this work.

Global Kalman filter approaches to estimate absolute angles of lower limb segments.

PubMed

Nogueira, Samuel L; Lambrecht, Stefan; Inoue, Roberto S; Bortole, Magdo; Montagnoli, Arlindo N; Moreno, Juan C; Rocon, Eduardo; Terra, Marco H; Siqueira, Adriano A G; Pons, Jose L

2017-05-16

In this paper we propose the use of global Kalman filters (KFs) to estimate absolute angles of lower limb segments. Standard approaches adopt KFs to improve the performance of inertial sensors based on individual link configurations. In consequence, for a multi-body system like a lower limb exoskeleton, the inertial measurements of one link (e.g., the shank) are not taken into account in other link angle estimations (e.g., foot). Global KF approaches, on the other hand, correlate the collective contribution of all signals from lower limb segments observed in the state-space model through the filtering process. We present a novel global KF (matricial global KF) relying only on inertial sensor data, and validate both this KF and a previously presented global KF (Markov Jump Linear Systems, MJLS-based KF), which fuses data from inertial sensors and encoders from an exoskeleton. We furthermore compare both methods to the commonly used local KF. The results indicate that the global KFs performed significantly better than the local KF, with an average root mean square error (RMSE) of respectively 0.942° for the MJLS-based KF, 1.167° for the matrical global KF, and 1.202° for the local KFs. Including the data from the exoskeleton encoders also resulted in a significant increase in performance. The results indicate that the current practice of using KFs based on local models is suboptimal. Both the presented KF based on inertial sensor data, as well our previously presented global approach fusing inertial sensor data with data from exoskeleton encoders, were superior to local KFs. We therefore recommend to use global KFs for gait analysis and exoskeleton control.

Exploiting the Spatio-Temporal Coherence of Ocean Ambient Noise for Passive Tomography

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-09-30

ˆ kfCij and corresponds to the entry (i,j) of cross-covariance matrix for the selected horizontal triangular array, denoted );( ˆ kfC at the...diagonal elements );( ˆ kfCii (i=1..3) of the matrix );( ˆ kfC were set to zero to mitigate the bias due to electronic noise and the large

Estimation of hydrothermal deposits location from magnetization distribution and magnetic properties in the North Fiji Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, S.; Kim, C.; Park, C.; Kim, H.

2013-12-01

The North Fiji Basin is belong to one of the youngest basins of back-arc basins in the southwest Pacific (from 12 Ma ago). We performed the marine magnetic and the bathymetry survey in the North Fiji Basin for finding the submarine hydrothermal deposits in April 2012. We acquired magnetic and bathymetry datasets by using Multi-Beam Echo Sounder EM120 (Kongsberg Co.) and Overhouser Proton Magnetometer SeaSPY (Marine Magnetics Co.). We conducted the data processing to obtain detailed seabed topography, magnetic anomaly, reduce to the pole(RTP), analytic signal and magnetization. The study areas composed of the two areas(KF-1(longitude : 173.5 ~ 173.7 and latitude : -16.2 ~ -16.5) and KF-3(longitude : 173.4 ~ 173.6 and latitude : -18.7 ~ -19.1)) in Central Spreading Ridge(CSR) and one area(KF-2(longitude : 173.7 ~ 174 and latitude : -16.8 ~ -17.2)) in Triple Junction(TJ). The seabed topography of KF-1 existed thin horst in two grabens that trends NW-SE direction. The magnetic properties of KF-1 showed high magnetic anomalies in center part and magnetic lineament structure of trending E-W direction. In the magnetization distribution of KF-1, the low magnetization zone matches well with a strong analytic signal in the northeastern part. KF-2 area has TJ. The seabed topography formed like Y-shape and showed a high feature in the center of TJ. The magnetic properties of KF-2 displayed high magnetic anomalies in N-S spreading ridge center and northwestern part. In the magnetization distribution of KF-2, the low magnetization zone matches well with a strong analytic signal in the northeastern part. The seabed topography of KF-3 presented a flat and high topography like dome structure at center axis and some seamounts scattered around the axis. The magnetic properties of KF-3 showed high magnetic anomalies in N-S spreading ridge center part. In the magnetization of KF-2, the low magnetization zone mismatches to strong analytic signal in this area. The difference of KF-3 between the low magnetization zones and the analytic signals is considered that the submarine magnetic strength of KF-3 is lower than that of KF-1 and KF-2. The spreading ridges of the study areas showed common Central Anomaly Magnetization Highs (CAMH). As a whole, the previous studies on the structure of this study area (Auzende et al, 1990) support our results of the magnetic properties (Magnetic Anomaly and RTP). We can expect to have the better results by comparing with the other study like geophysics (seismic), geology, and geochemistry in this area. Reference Auzende, J.M., and 29 others, Active Spreading and Hydrothermalism in North Fiji Basin(SW Pacific). Results of Japanese French Cruise Kaiyo 87, Marine Geophysical Researches., 12, 269-283, 1990.

Design and experiment on 2KF-15 type disc cutter and shallow fertilization machine in rubber plantation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, Yiguo; Zhang, Yuan; Wang, Yeqin

2017-12-01

At present, the trenching and fertilization machine has a serious weed plug problem when trenching and fertilization operation in rubber plantation. So a disc cutter and shallow fertilization machine in rubber plantation named 2KF-15 was designed, the design scheme used the front disc cutter cutting the grass, while using the rear of the disc furrow to trenching, the prototype of a disc anti-plugging trenching and shallow fertilization machine was completed. Afterwards, a series of trenching and fertilization field experiments were carried out, and the results showed that the ditching depth of this machine could achieve from 131 to 176 mm, and the average depth could reach 156 mm, the ditching depth stability coefficient could achieve 90.3%; The fertilizer amount of this machine could achieve from 113.2 to 156.4 kg/hm2, the average fertilizer amount reach 134.2kg/hm2, the fertilizer amount stability coefficient could achieve 89.6%, the fertilizer broken rate was 0%, the fertilizer coverage rate of 98.4%;The situation of fertilizer accumulation occurred less by using this machine, and the fertilization performance was relatively stable. This new designed machine for trenching, fertilization and covering the soil were carried out at the same time. So the number of operations could be effectively reduced. This new designed machine does not only meet the agronomic requirements of rubber plantation fertilization, but also provides a reference for the trenching and fertilization operation in other.

Pedotransfer functions for isoproturon sorption on soils and vadose zone materials.

PubMed

Moeys, Julien; Bergheaud, Valérie; Coquet, Yves

2011-10-01

Sorption coefficients (the linear K(D) or the non-linear K(F) and N(F)) are critical parameters in models of pesticide transport to groundwater or surface water. In this work, a dataset of isoproturon sorption coefficients and corresponding soil properties (264 K(D) and 55 K(F)) was compiled, and pedotransfer functions were built for predicting isoproturon sorption in soils and vadose zone materials. These were benchmarked against various other prediction methods. The results show that the organic carbon content (OC) and pH are the two main soil properties influencing isoproturon K(D) . The pedotransfer function is K(D) = 1.7822 + 0.0162 OC(1.5) - 0.1958 pH (K(D) in L kg(-1) and OC in g kg(-1)). For low-OC soils (OC < 6.15 g kg(-1)), clay and pH are most influential. The pedotransfer function is then K(D) = 0.9980 + 0.0002 clay - 0.0990 pH (clay in g kg(-1)). Benchmarking K(D) estimations showed that functions calibrated on more specific subsets of the data perform better on these subsets than functions calibrated on larger subsets. Predicting isoproturon sorption in soils in unsampled locations should rely, whenever possible, and by order of preference, on (a) site- or soil-specific pedotransfer functions, (b) pedotransfer functions calibrated on a large dataset, (c) K(OC) values calculated on a large dataset or (d) K(OC) values taken from existing pesticide properties databases. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry.

Determination of sorption of seventy-five pharmaceuticals in sewage sludge.

PubMed

Hörsing, Maritha; Ledin, Anna; Grabic, Roman; Fick, Jerker; Tysklind, Mats; la Cour Jansen, Jes; Andersen, Henrik R

2011-10-01

Sorption of 75 active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) to three different types of sludge (primary sludge, secondary sludge with short and long sludge age respectively) were investigated. To obtain the sorption isotherms batch studies with the APIs mixture were performed in four nominal concentrations to water containing 1 g of sludge. The range of APIs concentrations was between ng L(-1) to μg L(-1) which are found in the wastewater effluents. Isotherms were obtained for approximately 45 of the APIs, providing distribution coefficients for linear (Kd), Freundlich (Kf) and Langmuir (KL) isotherms. Kd, Kf and KL ranging between 7.1×10(4) and 3.8×10(7), 1.1×10(-2) and 6.1×10(4) and 9.2×10(-3) and 1.1 L kg(-1), respectively. The obtained coefficients were applied to estimate the fraction of APIs in the water phase (see Abstract Graphic). For 37 of the 75 APIs, the predicted presence in the liquid phase was estimated to >80%. 24 APIs were estimated to be present in the liquid phase between 20 and 80%, and 14 APIs were found to have <20% presence in the liquid phase, i.e. high affinity towards sludge. Furthermore, the effect of pH at values 6, 7 and 8 was evaluated using one way ANOVA-test. A significant difference in Kds due to pH changes were found for 6 of the APIs (variation 10-20%). Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Metabolically active tumour volume segmentation from dynamic [(18)F]FLT PET studies in non-small cell lung cancer.

PubMed

Hoyng, Lieke L; Frings, Virginie; Hoekstra, Otto S; Kenny, Laura M; Aboagye, Eric O; Boellaard, Ronald

2015-01-01

Positron emission tomography (PET) with (18)F-3'-deoxy-3'-fluorothymidine ([(18)F]FLT) can be used to assess tumour proliferation. A kinetic-filtering (KF) classification algorithm has been suggested for segmentation of tumours in dynamic [(18)F]FLT PET data. The aim of the present study was to evaluate KF segmentation and its test-retest performance in [(18)F]FLT PET in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Nine NSCLC patients underwent two 60-min dynamic [(18)F]FLT PET scans within 7 days prior to treatment. Dynamic scans were reconstructed with filtered back projection (FBP) as well as with ordered subsets expectation maximisation (OSEM). Twenty-eight lesions were identified by an experienced physician. Segmentation was performed using KF applied to the dynamic data set and a source-to-background corrected 50% threshold (A50%) was applied to the sum image of the last three frames (45- to 60-min p.i.). Furthermore, several adaptations of KF were tested. Both for KF and A50% test-retest (TRT) variability of metabolically active tumour volume and standard uptake value (SUV) were evaluated. KF performed better on OSEM- than on FBP-reconstructed PET images. The original KF implementation segmented 15 out of 28 lesions, whereas A50% segmented each lesion. Adapted KF versions, however, were able to segment 26 out of 28 lesions. In the best performing adapted versions, metabolically active tumour volume and SUV TRT variability was similar to those of A50%. KF misclassified certain tumour areas as vertebrae or liver tissue, which was shown to be related to heterogeneous [(18)F]FLT uptake areas within the tumour. For [(18)F]FLT PET studies in NSCLC patients, KF and A50% show comparable tumour volume segmentation performance. The KF method needs, however, a site-specific optimisation. The A50% is therefore a good alternative for tumour segmentation in NSCLC [(18)F]FLT PET studies in multicentre studies. Yet, it was observed that KF has the potential to subsegment lesions in high and low proliferative areas.

Electrochemical separation of uranium in the molten system LiF-NaF-KF-UF4

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korenko, M.; Straka, M.; Szatmáry, L.; Ambrová, M.; Uhlíř, J.

2013-09-01

This article is focused on the electrochemical investigation (cyclic voltammetry and related studies) of possible reduction of U4+ ions to metal uranium in the molten system LiF-NaF-KF(eut.)-UF4 that can provide basis for the electrochemical extraction of uranium from molten salts. Two-step reduction mechanism for U4+ ions involving one electron exchange in soluble/soluble U4+/U3+ system and three electrons exchange in the second step were found on the nickel working electrode. Both steps were found to be reversible and diffusion controlled. Based on cyclic voltammetry, the diffusion coefficients of uranium ions at 530 °C were found to be D(U4+) = 1.64 × 10-5 cm2 s-1 and D(U3+) 1.76 × 10-5 cm2 s-1. Usage of the nickel spiral electrode for electrorefining of uranium showed fairly good feasibility of its extraction. However some oxidant present during the process of electrorefining caused that the solid deposits contained different uranium species such as UF3, UO2 and K3UO2F5.

The Kölliker-Fuse nucleus: a review of animal studies and the implications for cranial nerve function in humans.

PubMed

Browaldh, Nanna; Bautista, Tara G; Dutschmann, Mathias; Berkowitz, Robert G

2016-11-01

To review the scientific literature on the relationship between Kölliker-Fuse nucleus (KF) and cranial nerve function in animal models, with view to evaluating the potential role of KF maturation in explaining age-related normal physiologic parameters and developmental and acquired impairment of cranial nerve function in humans. Medical databases (Medline and PubMed). Studies investigating evidence of KF activity responsible for a specific cranial nerve function that were based on manipulation of KF activity or the use of neural markers were included. Twenty studies were identified that involved the trigeminal (6 studies), vagus (9), and hypoglossal nerves (5). These pertained specifically to a role of the KF in mediating the dive reflex, laryngeal adductor control, swallowing function and upper airway tone. The KF acts as a mediator of a number of important functions that relate primarily to laryngeal closure, upper airway tone and swallowing. These areas are characterized by a variety of disorders that may present to the otolaryngologist, and hence the importance of understanding the role played by the KF in maintaining normal function.

New KF-PP-SVM classification method for EEG in brain-computer interfaces.

PubMed

Yang, Banghua; Han, Zhijun; Zan, Peng; Wang, Qian

2014-01-01

Classification methods are a crucial direction in the current study of brain-computer interfaces (BCIs). To improve the classification accuracy for electroencephalogram (EEG) signals, a novel KF-PP-SVM (kernel fisher, posterior probability, and support vector machine) classification method is developed. Its detailed process entails the use of common spatial patterns to obtain features, based on which the within-class scatter is calculated. Then the scatter is added into the kernel function of a radial basis function to construct a new kernel function. This new kernel is integrated into the SVM to obtain a new classification model. Finally, the output of SVM is calculated based on posterior probability and the final recognition result is obtained. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed KF-PP-SVM method, EEG data collected from laboratory are processed with four different classification schemes (KF-PP-SVM, KF-SVM, PP-SVM, and SVM). The results showed that the overall average improvements arising from the use of the KF-PP-SVM scheme as opposed to KF-SVM, PP-SVM and SVM schemes are 2.49%, 5.83 % and 6.49 % respectively.

The calcium fluoride effect on properties of cryolite melts feasible for low-temperature production of aluminum and its alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tkacheva, O.; Dedyukhin, A.; Redkin, A.; Zaikov, Yu.

2017-07-01

The CaF2 effect on the liquidus temperature, electrical conductivity and alumina solubility in the potassium-sodium and potassium-lithium cryolite melts with cryolite ratio (CR = (nKF+nMF)/nAlF3, M = Li, Na) 1.3 was studied. The liquidus temperature in the quisi-binary system [KF-LiF-AlF3]-CaF2 changes with the same manner as in the [KF-NaF-AlF3]-CaF2. The electrical conductivity in the KF-NaF-AlF3-CaF2 melt decreases with increasing the CaF2 content, but it slightly raises with the first small addition of CaF2 into the KF-LiF-AlF3-CaF2 melts, enriched with KF, which was explained by the increased K+ ions mobility due to their relatively low ionic potential. The contribution of the Li+ cations in conductivity of the KF-LiF-AlF3-CaF2 electrolyte is not noteworthy. The Al2O3 solubility in the KF-NaF-AlF3 electrolyte rises with the increasing KF content, but the opposite tendency is observed in the cryolite mixtures containing CaF2. The insoluble compounds - KCaAl2F9 or KCaF3 - formed in the molten mixtures containing potassium and calcium ions endorse the increase of the liquidus temperature. The calcium fluoride effect on the side ledge formation in the electrolytic cell during low-temperature aluminum electrolysis is discussed.

The Radiative Heat Transfer Properties of Molten Salts and Their Relevance to the Design of Advanced Reactors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaleff, Ethan Solomon

Molten salts, such as the fluoride salt eutectic LiF-NaF-KF (FLiNaK) or the transition metal fluoride salt KF-ZrF4, have been proposed as coolants for numerous advanced reactor concepts. These reactors are designed to operate at high temperatures where radiative heat transfer may play a significant role. If this is the case, the radiative heat transfer properties of the salt coolants are required to be known for heat transfer calculations to be performed accurately. Chapter 1 describes the existing literature and experimental efforts pertaining to radiative heat transfer in molten salts. The physics governing photon absorption by halide salts is discussed first, followed by a more specific description of experimental results pertaining to salts of interest. The phonon absorption edge in LiF-based salts such as FLiNaK is estimated and the technique described for potential use in other salts. A description is given of various spectral measurement techniques which might plausibly be employed in the present effort, as well as an argument for the use of integral techniques. Chapter 2 discusses the mathematical treatments required to approximate and solve for the radiative flux in participating materials. The differential approximation and the exact solutions to the radiative flux are examined, and methods are given to solve radiative and energy equations simultaneously. A coupled solution is used to examine radiative heat transfer to molten salt coolants. A map is generated of pipe diameters, wall temperatures, and average absorption coefficients where radiative heat transfer will increase expected heat transfer by more than 10% compared to convective methods alone. Chapter 3 presents the design and analysis of the Integral Radiative Absorption Chamber (IRAC). The IRAC employs an integral technique for the measurement of the entire electromagnetic spectrum, negating some of the challenges associated with the methods discussed in Chapter 1 at the loss of spectral information. The IRAC design is validated by modeling the experiment in Fluent which shows that the IRAC should be capable of measuring absorption coefficients within 10%. Chapter 4 contains a parallel effort to experimental techniques, whereby information on absorption in salts is pursued using the Density Functional Theory code VASP. Photon-electron interactions are studied in pure salts such as LiF and are shown to be broadly transparent. Transition metal Fluoride salts such as KF-ZrF4 are shown to be broadly opaque. The addition of small amounts of transition metal impurities is studied by insertion of Chromium into the salt mixtures, which causes otherwise transparent salts to exhibit absorption coefficients significant to heat transfer. The spectral absorption coefficient for FLiNaK with Chromium is presented as is the average absorption coefficient as a function of impurity concentration. Chapter 5 discusses experimental efforts undertaken at The Ohio State University. Challenges with the constructed experimental apparatus are discussed and suggestions for future improvement on the technique are included. Finally, Chapter 6 contains broad conclusions pertaining to radiative transfer in advanced reactors.

Melt volume flow rate and melt flow rate of kenaf fibre reinforced Floreon/magnesium hydroxide biocomposites.

PubMed

Lee, C H; Sapuan, S M; Lee, J H; Hassan, M R

2016-01-01

A study of the melt volume flow rate (MVR) and the melt flow rate (MFR) of kenaf fibre (KF) reinforced Floreon (FLO) and magnesium hydroxide (MH) biocomposites under different temperatures (160-180 °C) and weight loadings (2.16, 5, 10 kg) is presented in this paper. FLO has the lowest values of MFR and MVR. The increment of the melt flow properties (MVR and MFR) has been found for KF or MH insertion due to the hydrolytic degradation of the polylactic acid in FLO. Deterioration of the entanglement density at high temperature, shear thinning and wall slip velocity were the possible causes for the higher melt flow properties. Increasing the KF loadings caused the higher melt flow properties while the higher MH contents created stronger bonding for higher macromolecular chain flow resistance, hence lower melt flow properties were recorded. However, the complicated melt flow behaviour of the KF reinforced FLO/MH biocomposites was found in this study. The high probability of KF-KF and KF-MH collisions was expected and there were more collisions for higher fibre and filler loading causing lower melt flow properties.

Characterization of a novel cell line from the caudal fin of koi carp Cyprinus carpio.

PubMed

Lin, S-L; Cheng, Y-H; Wen, C-M; Chen, S-N

2013-06-01

A continuous cell line (KF-101) derived from the caudal fin of the koi carp Cyprinus carpio was established and characterized. The KF-101 cell line multiplied abundantly in Leibovitz's L-15 medium containing 10% foetal bovine serum at 25° C, and was subcultured for >90 passages over a period of 3 years. Immunocytochemistry revealed that the KF-101 cells contain keratin, junction proteins connexin-43 and occludin, and ectodermal stem-cell marker Pax-6, but not vimentin. Furthermore, the KF-101 cells reacted with anti-human DARPP-32 and anti-human GATA-4 antibodies, and the labelling was regulated according to the cell cycle. The labels of the DARPP-32 and GATA-4 antibodies in the KF-101 cells were the suggested phosphatase-1 inhibitor-1 and GATA-3, respectively. In addition, the KF-101 cells were susceptible to koi herpesvirus but were resistant to eel herpesvirus, iridovirus, grouper nodavirus and chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) virus. The results indicate that the KF-101 cells are suitable materials for investigating biological and virological development. © 2013 The Authors. Journal of Fish Biology © 2013 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

A Stationary North-Finding Scheme for an Azimuth Rotational IMU Utilizing a Linear State Equality Constraint

PubMed Central

Yu, Huapeng; Zhu, Hai; Gao, Dayuan; Yu, Meng; Wu, Wenqi

2015-01-01

The Kalman filter (KF) has always been used to improve north-finding performance under practical conditions. By analyzing the characteristics of the azimuth rotational inertial measurement unit (ARIMU) on a stationary base, a linear state equality constraint for the conventional KF used in the fine north-finding filtering phase is derived. Then, a constrained KF using the state equality constraint is proposed and studied in depth. Estimation behaviors of the concerned navigation errors when implementing the conventional KF scheme and the constrained KF scheme during stationary north-finding are investigated analytically by the stochastic observability approach, which can provide explicit formulations of the navigation errors with influencing variables. Finally, multiple practical experimental tests at a fixed position are done on a postulate system to compare the stationary north-finding performance of the two filtering schemes. In conclusion, this study has successfully extended the utilization of the stochastic observability approach for analytic descriptions of estimation behaviors of the concerned navigation errors, and the constrained KF scheme has demonstrated its superiority over the conventional KF scheme for ARIMU stationary north-finding both theoretically and practically. PMID:25688588

Experimental investigation of air pressure affecting filtration performance of fibrous filter sheet.

PubMed

Xu, Bin; Yu, Xiao; Wu, Ya; Lin, Zhongping

2017-03-01

Understanding the effect of air pressure on their filtration performance is important for assessing the effectiveness of fibrous filters under different practical circumstances. The effectiveness of three classes of air filter sheets were investigated in laboratory-based measurements at a wide range of air pressures (60-130 KPa). The filtration efficiency was found most sensitive to the air pressure change at smaller particle sizes. As the air pressure increased from 60 to 130 KPa, significant decrease in filtration efficiency (up to 15%) and increase in pressure drop (up to 90 Pa) were observed. The filtration efficiency of the filter sheet with largest fiber diameter and smallest solid volume fraction was affected most, while the pressure drop of the filter sheet with smallest fiber diameter and largest solid volume fraction was affected most. The effect of air pressure on the filtration efficiency was slightly larger at greater filter face air velocity. However, the effect of air pressure on the pressure drop was negligible. The filtration efficiency and pressure drop were explicitly expressed as functions of the air pressure. Two coefficients were empirically derived and successfully accounted for the effects of air pressure on filtration efficiency and pressure drop.

Ponto-medullary nuclei involved in the generation of sequential pharyngeal swallowing and concomitant protective laryngeal adduction in situ

PubMed Central

Bautista, Tara G; Dutschmann, Mathias

2014-01-01

Both swallowing and respiration involve postinspiratory laryngeal adduction. Swallowing-related postinspiratory neurons are likely to be located in the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) and those involved in respiration are found in the Kölliker–Fuse nucleus (KF). The function of KF and NTS in the generation of swallowing and its coordination with respiration was investigated in perfused brainstem preparations of juvenile rats (n = 41). Orally injected water evoked sequential pharyngeal swallowing (s-PSW) seen as phasic, spindle-shaped bursting of vagal nerve activity (VNA) against tonic postinspiratory discharge. KF inhibition by microinjecting isoguvacine (GABAA receptor agonist) selectively attenuated tonic postinspiratory VNA (n = 10, P < 0.001) but had no effect on frequency or timing of s-PSW. KF disinhibition after bicuculline (GABAA receptor antagonist) microinjections caused an increase of the tonic VNA (n = 8, P < 0.01) resulting in obscured and delayed phasic s-PSW. Occurrence of spontaneous PSW significantly increased after KF inhibition (P < 0.0001) but not after KF disinhibition (P = 0.14). NTS isoguvacine microinjections attenuated the occurrence of all PSW (n = 5, P < 0.01). NTS bicuculline microinjections (n = 6) resulted in spontaneous activation of a disordered PSW pattern and long-lasting suppression of respiratory activity. Pharmacological manipulation of either KF or NTS also triggered profound changes in respiratory postinspiratory VNA. Our results indicate that the s-PSW comprises two functionally distinct components. While the primary s-PSW is generated within the NTS, a KF-mediated laryngeal adductor reflex safeguards the lower airways from aspiration. Synaptic interaction between KF and NTS is required for s-PSW coordination with respiration as well as for proper gating and timing of s-PSW. PMID:24639482

Developmental Changes in Isometric Strength: Longitudinal Study in Adolescent Soccer Players.

PubMed

Duarte, Joao P; Valente-Dos-Santos, João; Coelho-E-Silva, Manuel J; Malina, R M; Deprez, Dieter; Philippaerts, Renaat; Lenoir, Matthieu; Vaeyens, Roel

2018-06-20

This study aimed to examine longitudinal changes in isometric strength of the knee extensors (ImKE) and knee flexors (ImKF) at 30° and 60°. The sample was composed of 67 players aged 11.0-13.9 years at baseline over five years. Stature, body mass, skinfolds, and isometric strength (ImKE30°, ImKF30°, ImKE60° and ImKF60°) were measured. Fat mass and fat-free mass (FFM) were derived from skinfolds. Skeletal age was obtained using TW2 RUS. Multilevel random effects regression analyses extracted developmental polynomial models. An annual increment on chronological age (CA) corresponded to 5.6 N (ImKE30°: ), 2.7 N (ImKF30°: ), 4.6 N (ImKE60°: ) and 1.5 N (ImKF60°). An increment of 1 kg in FFM predicted isometric strength as follows: 1.2 N (ImKE30°), 2.1 N (ImKF30°), 3.1 N (ImKE60°) and 2.0 N (ImKF60°). The following equations were obtained: ImKE30°=5.759×CA+1.163×FFM; ImKF30°=-19.369+2.691×CA+0.693×CA 2 +2.108×FFM; ImKE60°=4.553×CA+3.134×FFM; and, ImKF60°=-19.669+1.544×CA+2.033×FFM. Although skeletal maturity had a negligible effect on dependent variables, age and body size, based on FFM, were relevant longitudinal predictors. During adolescence, systematic assessment of knee extensors and knee flexors are strongly recommended to prevent impairment of knee muscle groups. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

31 P magnetic resonance fingerprinting for rapid quantification of creatine kinase reaction rate in vivo.

PubMed

Wang, Charlie Y; Liu, Yuchi; Huang, Shuying; Griswold, Mark A; Seiberlich, Nicole; Yu, Xin

2017-12-01

The purpose of this work was to develop a 31 P spectroscopic magnetic resonance fingerprinting (MRF) method for fast quantification of the chemical exchange rate between phosphocreatine (PCr) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) via creatine kinase (CK). A 31 P MRF sequence (CK-MRF) was developed to quantify the forward rate constant of ATP synthesis via CK ( kfCK), the T 1 relaxation time of PCr ( T1PCr), and the PCr-to-ATP concentration ratio ( MRPCr). The CK-MRF sequence used a balanced steady-state free precession (bSSFP)-type excitation with ramped flip angles and a unique saturation scheme sensitive to the exchange between PCr and γATP. Parameter estimation was accomplished by matching the acquired signals to a dictionary generated using the Bloch-McConnell equation. Simulation studies were performed to examine the susceptibility of the CK-MRF method to several potential error sources. The accuracy of nonlocalized CK-MRF measurements before and after an ischemia-reperfusion (IR) protocol was compared with the magnetization transfer (MT-MRS) method in rat hindlimb at 9.4 T (n = 14). The reproducibility of CK-MRF was also assessed by comparing CK-MRF measurements with both MT-MRS (n = 17) and four angle saturation transfer (FAST) (n = 7). Simulation results showed that CK-MRF quantification of kfCK was robust, with less than 5% error in the presence of model inaccuracies including dictionary resolution, metabolite T 2 values, inorganic phosphate metabolism, and B 1 miscalibration. Estimation of kfCK by CK-MRF (0.38 ± 0.02 s -1 at baseline and 0.42 ± 0.03 s -1 post-IR) showed strong agreement with MT-MRS (0.39 ± 0.03 s -1 at baseline and 0.44 ± 0.04 s -1 post-IR). kfCK estimation was also similar between CK-MRF and FAST (0.38 ± 0.02 s -1 for CK-MRF and 0.38 ± 0.11 s -1 for FAST). The coefficient of variation from 20 s CK-MRF quantification of kfCK was 42% of that by 150 s MT-MRS acquisition and was 12% of that by 20 s FAST acquisition. This study demonstrates the potential of a 31 P spectroscopic MRF framework for rapid, accurate and reproducible quantification of chemical exchange rate of CK in vivo. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

(Boiling water reactor (BWR) CORA experiments)

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

Ott, L.J.

To participate in the 1990 CORA Workshop at Kernforschungszentrum Karlsruhe (KfK) GmbH, Karlsruhe, FRG, on October 1--4, and to participate in detailed discussions on October 5 with the KfK CORA Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) experiments. The traveler attended the 1990 CORA Workshop at KfK, FRG. Participation included the presentation of a paper on work performed by the Boiling Water Reactor Core Melt Progression Phenomena Program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) on posttest analyses of CORA BWR experiments. The Statement of Work (November 1989) for the BWR Core Melt Progression Phenomena Program provides for pretest and posttest analyses of themore » BWR CORA experiments performed at KfK. Additionally, it is intended that ORNL personnel participate in the planning process for future CORA BWR experiments. For these purposes, meetings were held with KfK staff to discuss such topics as (1) experimental test schedule, (2) BWR test conduct, (3) perceived BWR experimental needs, and (4) KfK operational staff needs with respect to ORNL support. 19 refs.« less

Single-molecule imaging of DNA polymerase I (Klenow fragment) activity by atomic force microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chao, J.; Zhang, P.; Wang, Q.; Wu, N.; Zhang, F.; Hu, J.; Fan, C. H.; Li, B.

2016-03-01

We report a DNA origami-facilitated single-molecule platform that exploits atomic force microscopy to study DNA replication. We imaged several functional activities of the Klenow fragment of E. coli DNA polymerase I (KF) including binding, moving, and dissociation from the template DNA. Upon completion of these actions, a double-stranded DNA molecule was formed. Furthermore, the direction of KF activities was captured and then confirmed by shifting the KF binding sites on the template DNA.We report a DNA origami-facilitated single-molecule platform that exploits atomic force microscopy to study DNA replication. We imaged several functional activities of the Klenow fragment of E. coli DNA polymerase I (KF) including binding, moving, and dissociation from the template DNA. Upon completion of these actions, a double-stranded DNA molecule was formed. Furthermore, the direction of KF activities was captured and then confirmed by shifting the KF binding sites on the template DNA. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr06544e

KF19514, a phosphodieterase 4 and 1 inhibitor, inhibits PAF-induced lung inflammatory responses by inhaled administration in guinea pigs.

PubMed

Manabe, H; Akuta, K; Okamura, K; Ohmori, K

1997-12-01

Phosphodiesterase (PDE) 4 inhibitors are well known for their inhibitory effect on bronchoconstriction and inflammation and may be promising anti-asthma drugs. Platelet-activating factor (PAF) has been proposed as an inflammatory mediator to be relevant to asthma. It causes bronchoconstriction, airway microvascular leakage, inflammatory cell accumulation in the lung and hyperresponsiveness. In this study, we therefore have investigated the anti-asthmatic effects of the inhaled KF19514 [5-phenyl-3'-(3-pyridyl)methyl-3H-imidazo(4,5-c)(1,8) naphthyridin-4(5H)-one], a PDE 4 and 1 inhibitor, on PAF-induced lung inflammatory responses in guinea pigs. The inhaled KF19514 (0.0001-0.01%) significantly inhibited PAF-induced eosinophil and neutrophil accumulation into the airway and hyperresponsiveness in guinea pigs. The IC50 value of KF19514 against eosinophil accumulation was 14.8 microM (0.00063%). Moreover, the effect of KF19514 on the electrical field stimulation-induced bronchial contraction was examined using the main bronchi of guinea pigs in vitro. KF19514 inhibited both cholinergic and tachykininergic contraction and, in particular, produced a potent inhibitory effect on tachykininergic contraction (IC50 = 0.49 microM). The mechanism by which KF19514 inhibited the PAF-induced hyperresponsiveness may in part be the suppression of the tachykinin release. Based on these results, it was demonstrated that the inhaled KF19514 might have a significant potential effect on the inflammatory cell accumulation and hyperresponsiveness induced by PAF.

Evaluation of Kayser-Fleischer ring in Wilson disease by anterior segment optical coherence tomography.

PubMed

Sridhar, Mittanamalli S; Rangaraju, Advithi; Anbarasu, Kavitha; Reddy, Sharat Putta; Daga, Sachin; Jayalakshmi, Sita; Shaik, Bajibhi

2017-05-01

The purpose of the study is to present anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) as an alternative method of evaluating Kayser-Fleischer (KF) ring in Wilson disease (WD) not only by ophthalmologists but also by other clinicians dealing with WD. This was a retrospective case series of six WD patients with KF ring. Evaluation of KF ring was done by naked eye examination using torch light, slit lamp biomicroscopy (SL), and AS-OCT. SL examination was done using a narrow slit of the superior cornea. AS-OCT was done using the Optovue RTvue PremierTM device (Fremont, CA, USA). AS-OCT revealed KF ring as an intense hyperreflective band at the level of Descemet membrane (DM). Color scale of AS-OCT showed KF ring as greenish/greenish yellow/orange yellow/yellowish/red band. Validation of AS-OCT findings was done by second ophthalmologist, medical gastroenterologist, surgical gastroenterologist, and neurophysician. After seeing the first observation, they could identify the AS-OCT features in all pictures with ease. This is the first observation of KF ring in WD on AS-OCT. On AS-OCT, KF ring is visualized as intense hyperreflectivity at the level of DM in the peripheral cornea. Further, studies are needed to evaluate the usefulness of AS-OCT in WD management.

Physicochemical Properties of Industrial Aluminum Electrolytes Enriching Li and K: The Liquidus Temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lv, Xiao-jun; Shuang, Ya-jing; Li, Jie; Chen, Shi-yue; Lai, Yan-qing; Zhang, Hong-liang; Liu, Ye-xiang

2017-04-01

The alumina contains plenty of Li2O and K2O as a result of using low-grade bauxite in China. Thus, LiF and KF will be enriched in the electrolytes with the operation of the cell, so that the composition and physicochemical properties of electrolytes have been changed. The effects of LiF, KF, and CR on the liquidus temperature of electrolytes based on the xNaF·AlF3-5 wt pct CaF2-2.5 wt pct Al2O3-0.5 wt pct MgF2 system have been investigated in this study. The results show that the liquidus temperature decreases by 5.13 K to 10.74 K (5.13 °C to 10.74 °C) per 1 wt pct addition of LiF and that the liquidus temperature decreases by 1.63 K to 3.8 K (1.63 °C to 3.8 °C) with per 1 wt pct addition of KF. When adding LiF and KF together, it has the interplay between LiF and KF. Under different electrolyte systems, the interplay between LiF and KF is complex. The effect of CR on liquidus temperature has been related to the concentration of LiF and KF.

Investigation of flow and transport processes at the MADE site using ensemble Kalman filter

USGS Publications Warehouse

Liu, Gaisheng; Chen, Y.; Zhang, Dongxiao

2008-01-01

In this work the ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) is applied to investigate the flow and transport processes at the macro-dispersion experiment (MADE) site in Columbus, MS. The EnKF is a sequential data assimilation approach that adjusts the unknown model parameter values based on the observed data with time. The classic advection-dispersion (AD) and the dual-domain mass transfer (DDMT) models are employed to analyze the tritium plume during the second MADE tracer experiment. The hydraulic conductivity (K), longitudinal dispersivity in the AD model, and mass transfer rate coefficient and mobile porosity ratio in the DDMT model, are estimated in this investigation. Because of its sequential feature, the EnKF allows for the temporal scaling of transport parameters during the tritium concentration analysis. Inverse simulation results indicate that for the AD model to reproduce the extensive spatial spreading of the tritium observed in the field, the K in the downgradient area needs to be increased significantly. The estimated K in the AD model becomes an order of magnitude higher than the in situ flowmeter measurements over a large portion of media. On the other hand, the DDMT model gives an estimation of K that is much more comparable with the flowmeter values. In addition, the simulated concentrations by the DDMT model show a better agreement with the observed values. The root mean square (RMS) between the observed and simulated tritium plumes is 0.77 for the AD model and 0.45 for the DDMT model at 328 days. Unlike the AD model, which gives inconsistent K estimates at different times, the DDMT model is able to invert the K values that consistently reproduce the observed tritium concentrations through all times. ?? 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optical measurements of lung microvascular filtration coefficient using polysulfone fibers.

PubMed

Klaesner, J W; Roselli, R J; Evans, S; Pou, N A; Parker, R E; Tack, G; Parham, M

1994-01-01

Lung fluid balance, which is governed by the product of net transvascular pressure difference and lung filtration coefficient, can be altered in pulmonary diseases. A simple measurement of the lung filtration coefficient (Kfc) would be clinically useful and has been examined by several researchers. Current methods of determining Kfc include gravimetric measurement in isolated lungs and lymph node cannulation, neither of which can be extended to human use. Optical measurements of protein concentration changes in venous blood can be combined with pressure measurements to calculate Kfc. Blood, though, contains red corpuscles, which tend to absorb and scatter light, obscuring these optical measurements. In this study, an optical system was developed in which a polysulfone filter cartridge was used to remove red blood cells before the filtrate was passed through a spectrophotometer. Absorbance changes caused by changes in concentration of albumin labeled with Evans Blue were monitored at 620 nm after venous pressure was elevated by about 13 cm H2O. Optical measurements of Kfc averaged 0.401 +/- 0.074 (ml/min cm H2O 100 g DLW) for an isolated canine lung. Optical measurements of Kfc (0.363 +/- 0.120 ml/min cm H2O 100 g DLW) were made for the first time in an intact, closed chest sheep in which pulmonary pressure was altered by inflating a Foley balloon in the left atrium. We conclude that absorbance and scattering artifacts introduced by red blood cells can be eliminated by first filtering the blood through polysulfone fibers. Kfc measurements using the optical method are similar to values obtained by others using gravimetric methods. Finally, we have demonstrated that the technique can be used to estimate Kfc in an intact animal.

KfW and the Promotion of Entrepreneurship Training in Germany

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tchouvakhina, Margarita

2004-01-01

The author, a spokesperson for Kreditanstalt fur Wiederaufbau (KfW), a major German investment bank, describes the efforts that this institution has made to stimulate the development of Entrepreneurship studies in German universities. These efforts got underway in 1998, when KfW financed the setting up of a professorial chair in new company…

KF post-deposition treatment of industrial Cu(In, Ga)(S, Se) 2 thin-film surfaces: Modifying the chemical and electronic structure

DOE PAGES

Mezher, Michelle; Mansfield, Lorelle M.; Horsley, Kimberly; ...

2017-08-14

The chemical and electronic structures of industrial chalcopyrite photovoltaic absorbers after KF post-deposition treatment (KF-PDT) are investigated using electron spectroscopies to probe the occupied and unoccupied electronic states. In contrast to a variety of recent publications on the impact of KF-PDT, this study focuses on industrial Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se) 2 absorbers that also contain sulfur at the surface. We find that the KF-PDT removes surface adsorbates and oxides and also observe a change in the S/Se ratio. Furthermore, the KF-PDT leads to a Cu reduction at the surface but to a much lower degree than the strongly Cu-depleted or even Cu-free surfacesmore » reported for (non-industrial) sulfur-free Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 absorbers. Furthermore, the valence band maximum at the surface is found at a lower energy compared to the untreated absorber, and the conduction band minimum is found at a higher energy, overall revealing a widening of the bandgap in the surface region.« less

KF post-deposition treatment of industrial Cu(In, Ga)(S, Se) 2 thin-film surfaces: Modifying the chemical and electronic structure

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

Mezher, Michelle; Mansfield, Lorelle M.; Horsley, Kimberly

The chemical and electronic structures of industrial chalcopyrite photovoltaic absorbers after KF post-deposition treatment (KF-PDT) are investigated using electron spectroscopies to probe the occupied and unoccupied electronic states. In contrast to a variety of recent publications on the impact of KF-PDT, this study focuses on industrial Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se) 2 absorbers that also contain sulfur at the surface. We find that the KF-PDT removes surface adsorbates and oxides and also observe a change in the S/Se ratio. Furthermore, the KF-PDT leads to a Cu reduction at the surface but to a much lower degree than the strongly Cu-depleted or even Cu-free surfacesmore » reported for (non-industrial) sulfur-free Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 absorbers. Furthermore, the valence band maximum at the surface is found at a lower energy compared to the untreated absorber, and the conduction band minimum is found at a higher energy, overall revealing a widening of the bandgap in the surface region.« less

Effects of sodium and potassium on the photovoltaic performance of CIGS solar cells

DOE PAGES

Raguse, John M.; Muzzillo, Christopher P.; Sites, James R.; ...

2016-11-17

Here, the deliberate introduction of K and Na into Cu(In, Ga)Se 2 (CIGS) absorbers was investigated by varying a combination of an SiO 2 diffusion barrier, coevaporation of KF with the CIGS absorber, and a KF postdeposition treatment (PDT). Devices made with no diffusion barrier and KF coevaporation treatment exhibited the highest photovoltaic conversion efficiency with the smallest overall distribution in key current density-voltage (J-V) performance metrics. Out-diffusion of Na and K from the substrate, KF coevaporation, and KF PDT all increased carrier concentration, open-circuit voltage, fill factor, and power conversion efficiency. Quantum-efficiency analysis of devices highlighted the greatest lossmore » in the short-circuit current density due to incomplete absorption and collection. Secondary ion mass spectrometry illustrated the efficacy of the SiO 2 film as a sodium and potassium diffusion barrier, as well as their relative concentration in the absorber. Introduction of KF appeared to enhance diffusion of Na from the substrate, in agreement with previous studies.« less

Desensitization and Tolerance of Mu Opioid Receptors on Pontine Kölliker-Fuse Neurons.

PubMed

Levitt, Erica S; Williams, John T

2018-01-01

Acute desensitization of mu opioid receptors is thought to be an initial step in the development of tolerance to opioids. Given the resistance of the respiratory system to develop tolerance, desensitization of neurons in the Kölliker-Fuse (KF), a key area in the respiratory circuit, was examined. The activation of G protein-coupled inwardly rectifying potassium current was measured using whole-cell voltage-clamp recordings from KF and locus coeruleus (LC) neurons contained in acute rat brain slices. A saturating concentration of the opioid agonist [Met 5 ]-enkephalin (ME) caused significantly less desensitization in KF neurons compared with LC neurons. In contrast to LC, desensitization in KF neurons was not enhanced by activation of protein kinase C or in slices from morphine-treated rats. Cellular tolerance to ME and morphine was also lacking in KF neurons from morphine-treated rats. The lack of cellular tolerance in KF neurons correlates with the relative lack of tolerance to the respiratory depressant effect of opioids. Copyright © 2018 by The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.

The Ensemble Kalman Filter for Groundwater Plume Characterization: A Case Study.

PubMed

Ross, James L; Andersen, Peter F

2018-04-17

The Kalman filter is an efficient data assimilation tool to refine an estimate of a state variable using measured data and the variable's correlations in space and/or time. The ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) (Evensen 2004, 2009) is a Kalman filter variant that employs Monte Carlo analysis to define the correlations that help to refine the updated state. While use of EnKF in hydrology is somewhat limited, it has been successfully applied in other fields of engineering (e.g., oil reservoir modeling, weather forecasting). Here, EnKF is used to refine a simulated groundwater tetrachloroethylene (TCE) plume that underlies the Tooele Army Depot-North (TEAD-N) in Utah, based on observations of TCE in the aquifer. The resulting EnKF-based assimilated plume is simulated forward in time to predict future plume migration. The correlations that underpin EnKF updating implicitly contain information about how the plume developed over time under the influence of complex site hydrology and variable source history, as they are predicated on multiple realizations of a well-calibrated numerical groundwater flow and transport model. The EnKF methodology is compared to an ordinary kriging-based assimilation method with respect to the accurate representation of plume concentrations in order to determine the relative efficacy of EnKF for water quality data assimilation. © 2018, National Ground Water Association.

A novel variant of aquaporin 3 is expressed in killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus) intestine

PubMed Central

Jung, Dawoon; Adamo, Meredith A.; Lehman, Rebecca M.; Barnaby, Roxanna; Jackson, Craig E.; Jackson, Brian P.; Shaw, Joseph R.; Stanton, Bruce A.

2015-01-01

Killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus) are euryhaline teleosts that are widely used in environmental and toxicological studies, and they are tolerant to arsenic, in part due to very low assimilation of arsenic from the environment. The mechanism of arsenic uptake by the intestine, a major route of arsenic uptake in humans is unknown. Thus, the goal of this study was to determine if aquaglyceroporins (AQP), which transport water and other small molecules including arsenite across cell membranes, are expressed in the killifish intestine, and whether AQP expression is affected by osmotic stress. Through RT-PCR and sequence analysis of PCR amplicons, we demonstrated that the intestine expresses kfAQP3a and kfAQP3b, two previously identified variants, and also identified a novel variant of killifish AQP3 (kfAQP3c) in the intestine. The variants likely represent alternate splice forms. A BLAST search of the F. heteroclitus reference genome revealed that the AQP3 gene resides on a single locus, while an alignment of the AQP3 sequence among 384 individuals from eight population ranging from Rhode Island to North Carolina revealed that its coding sequence was remarkably conserved with no fixed polymorphism residing in the region that distinguishes these variants. We further demonstrate that the novel variant transports arsenite into HEK293T cells. Whereas kfAQP3a, which does not transport arsenite, was expressed in both freshwater (FW) and saltwater (SW) acclimated fish, kfAQP3b, an arsenic transporter, was expressed only in FW acclimated fish, and kfAQP3c was expressed only in SW acclimated fish. Thus, we have identified a novel, putative splice variant of kfAQP3, kfAQP3c, which transports arsenic and is expressed only in SW acclimated fish. PMID:25766383

Description of chlorophenol-degrading Pseudomonas sp. strains KF1T, KF3, and NKF1 as a new species of the genus Sphingomonas, Sphingomonas subarctica sp. nov.

PubMed

Nohynek, L J; Nurmiaho-Lassila, E L; Suhonen, E L; Busse, H J; Mohammadi, M; Hantula, J; Rainey, F; Salkinoja-Salonen, M S

1996-10-01

Gram-negative polychlorophenol-degrading bacterial strains KF1T (T = type strain), KF3, and NKF1, which were described previously as Pseudomonas saccharophila strains, were studied by chemotaxonomic, genetic, and physiological methods and by electron microscopy and compared with selected xenobiotic compound-degrading bacteria. These strains contained sphingolipids with d-18:0, d-20:1, and d-21:1 as the main dihydrosphingosines, ubiquinone 10 as the main respiratory quinone, and spermidine as the major polyamine, and the DNA G + C content was 66 mol%. The cellular fatty acids included about 60% octadecenoic acid, 9% 2-hydroxymyristic acid, 14% cis-9-hexadecenoic acid, and 10% hexadecanoic acid. These strains exhibited less than 97% 16S ribosomal DNA sequence similarity to all of the other taxa studied. In the DNA-DNA reassociation studies the highest levels of reassociation between these strains and previously described species were less than 40%. Thin sections of cells of strains KF1T, KF3, and NKF1 were examined by electron microscopy, and the results showed that the cells had peculiar concentrically arranged layered membranous blebs that extruded from the outer membrane, especially at the cell division points. On the basis of the results of this study, polychlorophenol-degrading strains KF1T, KF3, and NKF1 are considered members of a new species of the genus Sphingomonas, Sphingomonas subarctica. The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-degrading organism Sphingomonas paucimobilis EPA 505 was closely related to Sphingomonas chlorophenolica as determined by chemotaxonomic, phylogenetic, and physiological criteria. The xenobiotic compound degraders Alcaligenes sp. strain A175 and Pseudomonas sp. strain BN6 were identified as members of species of the genus Sphingomonas.

A reassessment of mercury in silastic strain gauge plethysmography for microvascular permeability assessment in man.

PubMed Central

Gamble, J; Gartside, I B; Christ, F

1993-01-01

1. We have used non-invasive mercury in a silastic strain gauge system to assess the effect of pressure step size, on the time course of the rapid volume response (RVR) to occlusion pressure. We also obtained values for hydraulic conductance (Kf), isovolumetric venous pressure (Pvi) and venous pressure (Pv) in thirty-five studies on the legs of twenty-three supine control subjects. 2. The initial rapid volume response to small (9.53 +/- 0.45 mmHg, mean +/- S.E.M.) stepped increases in venous pressure, the rapid volume response, could be described by a single exponential of time constant 15.54 +/- 1.14 s. 3. Increasing the size of the pressure step, to 49.8 +/- 1.1 mmHg, gave a larger value for the RVR time constant (mean 77.3 +/- 11.6 s). 4. We propose that the pressure-dependent difference in the duration of the rapid volume response, in these two situations, might be due to a vascular smooth muscle-based mechanism, e.g. the veni-arteriolar reflex. 5. The mean (+/- S.E.M.) values for Kf, Pvi and Pv were 4.27 +/- 0.18 (units, ml min-1 (100 g)-1 mmHg-1 x 10(-3), 21.50 +/- 0.81 (units, mmHg) and 9.11 +/- 0.94 (units, mmHg), respectively. 6. During simultaneous assessment of these parameters in arms and legs, it was found that they did not differ significantly from one another. 7. We propose that the mercury strain gauge system offers a useful, non-invasive means of studying the mechanisms governing fluid filtration in human limbs. Images Fig. 1 PMID:8229810

Performance Analysis of Local Ensemble Kalman Filter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tong, Xin T.

2018-03-01

Ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) is an important data assimilation method for high-dimensional geophysical systems. Efficient implementation of EnKF in practice often involves the localization technique, which updates each component using only information within a local radius. This paper rigorously analyzes the local EnKF (LEnKF) for linear systems and shows that the filter error can be dominated by the ensemble covariance, as long as (1) the sample size exceeds the logarithmic of state dimension and a constant that depends only on the local radius; (2) the forecast covariance matrix admits a stable localized structure. In particular, this indicates that with small system and observation noises, the filter error will be accurate in long time even if the initialization is not. The analysis also reveals an intrinsic inconsistency caused by the localization technique, and a stable localized structure is necessary to control this inconsistency. While this structure is usually taken for granted for the operation of LEnKF, it can also be rigorously proved for linear systems with sparse local observations and weak local interactions. These theoretical results are also validated by numerical implementation of LEnKF on a simple stochastic turbulence in two dynamical regimes.

Inertial Sensor Error Reduction through Calibration and Sensor Fusion.

PubMed

Lambrecht, Stefan; Nogueira, Samuel L; Bortole, Magdo; Siqueira, Adriano A G; Terra, Marco H; Rocon, Eduardo; Pons, José L

2016-02-17

This paper presents the comparison between cooperative and local Kalman Filters (KF) for estimating the absolute segment angle, under two calibration conditions. A simplified calibration, that can be replicated in most laboratories; and a complex calibration, similar to that applied by commercial vendors. The cooperative filters use information from either all inertial sensors attached to the body, Matricial KF; or use information from the inertial sensors and the potentiometers of an exoskeleton, Markovian KF. A one minute walking trial of a subject walking with a 6-DoF exoskeleton was used to assess the absolute segment angle of the trunk, thigh, shank, and foot. The results indicate that regardless of the segment and filter applied, the more complex calibration always results in a significantly better performance compared to the simplified calibration. The interaction between filter and calibration suggests that when the quality of the calibration is unknown the Markovian KF is recommended. Applying the complex calibration, the Matricial and Markovian KF perform similarly, with average RMSE below 1.22 degrees. Cooperative KFs perform better or at least equally good as Local KF, we therefore recommend to use cooperative KFs instead of local KFs for control or analysis of walking.

Processing arctic eddy-flux data using a simple carbon-exchange model embedded in the ensemble Kalman filter.

PubMed

Rastetter, Edward B; Williams, Mathew; Griffin, Kevin L; Kwiatkowski, Bonnie L; Tomasky, Gabrielle; Potosnak, Mark J; Stoy, Paul C; Shaver, Gaius R; Stieglitz, Marc; Hobbie, John E; Kling, George W

2010-07-01

Continuous time-series estimates of net ecosystem carbon exchange (NEE) are routinely made using eddy covariance techniques. Identifying and compensating for errors in the NEE time series can be automated using a signal processing filter like the ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF). The EnKF compares each measurement in the time series to a model prediction and updates the NEE estimate by weighting the measurement and model prediction relative to a specified measurement error estimate and an estimate of the model-prediction error that is continuously updated based on model predictions of earlier measurements in the time series. Because of the covariance among model variables, the EnKF can also update estimates of variables for which there is no direct measurement. The resulting estimates evolve through time, enabling the EnKF to be used to estimate dynamic variables like changes in leaf phenology. The evolving estimates can also serve as a means to test the embedded model and reconcile persistent deviations between observations and model predictions. We embedded a simple arctic NEE model into the EnKF and filtered data from an eddy covariance tower located in tussock tundra on the northern foothills of the Brooks Range in northern Alaska, USA. The model predicts NEE based only on leaf area, irradiance, and temperature and has been well corroborated for all the major vegetation types in the Low Arctic using chamber-based data. This is the first application of the model to eddy covariance data. We modified the EnKF by adding an adaptive noise estimator that provides a feedback between persistent model data deviations and the noise added to the ensemble of Monte Carlo simulations in the EnKF. We also ran the EnKF with both a specified leaf-area trajectory and with the EnKF sequentially recalibrating leaf-area estimates to compensate for persistent model-data deviations. When used together, adaptive noise estimation and sequential recalibration substantially improved filter performance, but it did not improve performance when used individually. The EnKF estimates of leaf area followed the expected springtime canopy phenology. However, there were also diel fluctuations in the leaf-area estimates; these are a clear indication of a model deficiency possibly related to vapor pressure effects on canopy conductance.

Improving estimates of water resources in a semi-arid region by assimilating GRACE data into the PCR-GLOBWB hydrological model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tangdamrongsub, Natthachet; Steele-Dunne, Susan; Gunter, Brian; Ditmar, Pavel; Sutanudjaja, Edwin; Sun, Yu; Xia, Ting; Wang, Zhongjing

2016-04-01

An accurate estimate of water resources is critical for proper management of both agriculture and the local ecology, particularly in semi-arid regions where water is scarce. Imperfections in model physics, uncertainties in model land parameters and meteorological data, and the human impact on land changes often limit the accuracy of hydrological models in estimating water storages. To address this problem, this study investigated the assimilation of Terrestrial Water Storage (TWS) estimates derived from the Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment (GRACE) data using an Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) approach. The region considered was the Hexi Corridor of Northern China. The hydrological model used for the analysis was PCR-GLOBWB, driven by satellite-based forcing data from April 2002 to December 2010. The performance of the GRACE Data Assimilation (DA) scheme was evaluated in terms of its impact on the TWS as well as on the individual hydrological storage estimates. The capability of GRACE DA to adjust the storage level was apparent not only in the TWS but also in the groundwater component, which had annual amplitude, phase, and long-term trend estimates closer to the GRACE observations. This study also assessed the impact of considering correlated errors in GRACE-based estimates. These were derived based on the error propagation approach using the full error variance-covariance matrices provided as a part of the GRACE data product. The assessment was carried out by comparing the EnKF results after excluding (EnKF 1D) and including (EnKF 3D) error correlations with the in situ groundwater data from 5 well sites, and the in situ streamflow data from two river gauges. Both EnKF 1D and 3D improved groundwater and streamflow estimates compared to the results from the PCR-GLOBWB alone (Ensemble Open Loop, EnOL). Although EnKF 3D was inferior to 1D at some groundwater measurement locations, on average, it showed equal or greater improvement in all metrics. For example, the improvement in the correlation coefficient (average from 5 locations) was from 0.06 to 0.63 (1D) and to 0.70 (3D). The RMS difference reduced from 2.06 to 1.55 cm (1D) and 1.19 cm (3D). A modest improvement in the streamflow estimates was similar in 1D and 3D cases. In addition, results from the 9-year long GRACE DA study were used to assess the status of water resources over the Hexi Corridor. Areally-averaged values revealed that TWS, soil moisture, and groundwater storages over the region decreased with an average rate of approximately 0.3, 0.2, 0.1 cm/yr, respectively during the study period. A substantial decline in TWS (approximately -0.5 cm/yr) was seen over the Shiyang River Basin in particular, and the reduction mostly occurred in the groundwater layer. An investigation of the relationship between water resources and agriculture in the region was conducted. It showed that the groundwater consumption required to maintain the growing period in this specific basin was probably the cause of the groundwater depletion.

Assimilating AmeriFlux Site Data into the Community Land Model with Carbon-Nitrogen Coupling via the Ensemble Kalman Filter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pettijohn, J. C.; Law, B. E.; Williams, M. D.; Stoeckli, R.; Thornton, P. E.; Hudiburg, T. M.; Thomas, C. K.; Martin, J.; Hill, T. C.

2009-12-01

The assimilation of terrestrial carbon, water and nutrient cycle measurements into land surface models of these processes is fundamental to improving our ability to predict how these ecosystems may respond to climate change. A combination of measurements and models, each with their own systematic biases, must be considered when constraining the nonlinear behavior of these coupled dynamics. As such, we use the sequential Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) to assimilate eddy covariance (EC) and other site-level AmeriFlux measurements into the NCAR Community Land Model with Carbon-Nitrogen coupling (CLM-CN v3.5), run in single-column mode at a 30-minute time step, to improve estimates of relatively unconstrained model state variables and parameters. Specifically, we focus on a semi-arid ponderosa pine site (US-ME2) in the Pacific Northwest to identify the mechanisms by which this ecosystem responds to severe late summer drought. Our EnKF analysis includes water, carbon, energy and nitrogen state variables (e.g., 10 volumetric soil moisture levels (0-3.43 m), ponderosa pine and shrub evapotranspiration and net ecosystem exchange of carbon dioxide stocks and flux components, snow depth, etc.) and associated parameters (e.g., PFT-level rooting distribution parameters, maximum subsurface runoff coefficient, soil hydraulic conductivity decay factor, snow aging parameters, maximum canopy conductance, C:N ratios, etc.). The effectiveness of the EnKF in constraining state variables and associated parameters is sensitive to their relative frequencies, in that C-N state variables and parameters with long time constants require similarly long time series in the analysis. We apply the EnKF kernel perturbation routine to disrupt preliminary convergence of covariances, which has been found in recent studies to be a problem more characteristic of low frequency vegetation state variables and parameters than high frequency ones more heavily coupled with highly varying climate (e.g., shallow soil moisture, snow depth). Preliminary results demonstrate that the assimilation of EC and other available AmeriFlux site physical, chemical and biological data significantly helps quantify and reduce CLM-CN model uncertainties and helps to constrain ‘hidden’ states and parameters that are essential in the coupled water, carbon, energy and nutrient dynamics of these sites. Such site-level calibration of CLM-CN is an initial step in identifying model deficiencies and in forecasts of future ecosystem responses to climate change.

Deterministic Mean-Field Ensemble Kalman Filtering

DOE PAGES

Law, Kody J. H.; Tembine, Hamidou; Tempone, Raul

2016-05-03

The proof of convergence of the standard ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) from Le Gland, Monbet, and Tran [Large sample asymptotics for the ensemble Kalman filter, in The Oxford Handbook of Nonlinear Filtering, Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK, 2011, pp. 598--631] is extended to non-Gaussian state-space models. In this paper, a density-based deterministic approximation of the mean-field limit EnKF (DMFEnKF) is proposed, consisting of a PDE solver and a quadrature rule. Given a certain minimal order of convergence κ between the two, this extends to the deterministic filter approximation, which is therefore asymptotically superior to standard EnKF for dimension d

An approach for prominent enhancement of the quality of konjac flour: dimethyl sulfoxide as medium.

PubMed

Ye, Ting; Wang, Ling; Xu, Wei; Liu, Jinjin; Wang, Yuntao; Zhu, Kunkun; Wang, Sujuan; Li, Bin; Wang, Chao

2014-01-01

In this paper, an approach to improve several konjac flour (KF) qualities by dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) addition using various concentrations at different temperature levels was proposed. Also, various properties of native and refined KF, including transparency, chemical composition and rheological properties have been investigated. The results showed that the KF refined by 75% DMSO achieved 27.7% improvement in transparency, 99.7% removal of starch, 99.4% removal of soluble sugar, and 98.2% removal of protein as well as more satisfactory viscosity stability. In addition, the morphology structure of refined KF showed a significant difference compared with the native one as observed using the SEM, which is promising for further industrial application. Furthermore, the rheological properties of both native and refined konjac sols were studied and the results showed that DMSO refinement is an effective and alternative approach to improve the qualities of KF in many aspects. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Deterministic Mean-Field Ensemble Kalman Filtering

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

Law, Kody J. H.; Tembine, Hamidou; Tempone, Raul

The proof of convergence of the standard ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) from Le Gland, Monbet, and Tran [Large sample asymptotics for the ensemble Kalman filter, in The Oxford Handbook of Nonlinear Filtering, Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK, 2011, pp. 598--631] is extended to non-Gaussian state-space models. In this paper, a density-based deterministic approximation of the mean-field limit EnKF (DMFEnKF) is proposed, consisting of a PDE solver and a quadrature rule. Given a certain minimal order of convergence κ between the two, this extends to the deterministic filter approximation, which is therefore asymptotically superior to standard EnKF for dimension d

Heat treatment of curdlan enhances the enzymatic production of biologically active β-(1,3)-glucan oligosaccharides.

PubMed

Kumagai, Yuya; Okuyama, Masayuki; Kimura, Atsuo

2016-08-01

Biologically active β-(1,3)-glucan oligosaccharides were prepared from curdlan using GH64 enzyme (KfGH64). KfGH64 showed low activity toward native curdlan; thereby pretreatment conditions of curdlan were evaluated. KfGH64 showed the highest activity toward curdlan with heat treatment. The most efficient pretreatment (90°C for 0.5h) converted approximately 60% of curdlan into soluble saccharides under the optimized enzyme reaction conditions (pH 5.5, 37°C, 100rpm mixing speed, 24h, and 10μg of KfGH64/1g of curdlan). The resulting products were predominantly laminaripentaose and a small amount of β-(1,3)-glucans with an average degree of polymerization (DP) of 13 and 130. The products did not contain small oligosaccharides (DP<5), indicating that the hydrolysis of heat-treated curdlan by KfGH64 is a suitable method for the production of biologically active β-(1,3)-glucan oligosaccharides. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Stock price estimation using ensemble Kalman Filter square root method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karya, D. F.; Katias, P.; Herlambang, T.

2018-04-01

Shares are securities as the possession or equity evidence of an individual or corporation over an enterprise, especially public companies whose activity is stock trading. Investment in stocks trading is most likely to be the option of investors as stocks trading offers attractive profits. In determining a choice of safe investment in the stocks, the investors require a way of assessing the stock prices to buy so as to help optimize their profits. An effective method of analysis which will reduce the risk the investors may bear is by predicting or estimating the stock price. Estimation is carried out as a problem sometimes can be solved by using previous information or data related or relevant to the problem. The contribution of this paper is that the estimates of stock prices in high, low, and close categorycan be utilized as investors’ consideration for decision making in investment. In this paper, stock price estimation was made by using the Ensemble Kalman Filter Square Root method (EnKF-SR) and Ensemble Kalman Filter method (EnKF). The simulation results showed that the resulted estimation by applying EnKF method was more accurate than that by the EnKF-SR, with an estimation error of about 0.2 % by EnKF and an estimation error of 2.6 % by EnKF-SR.

­Genomic data mining of the marine actinobacteria Streptomyces sp. H-KF8 unveils insights into multi-stress related genes and metabolic pathways involved in antimicrobial synthesis

PubMed Central

Undabarrena, Agustina; Ugalde, Juan A.; Seeger, Michael

2017-01-01

Streptomyces sp. H-KF8 is an actinobacterial strain isolated from marine sediments of a Chilean Patagonian fjord. Morphological characterization together with antibacterial activity was assessed in various culture media, revealing a carbon-source dependent activity mainly against Gram-positive bacteria (S. aureus and L. monocytogenes). Genome mining of this antibacterial-producing bacterium revealed the presence of 26 biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) for secondary metabolites, where among them, 81% have low similarities with known BGCs. In addition, a genomic search in Streptomyces sp. H-KF8 unveiled the presence of a wide variety of genetic determinants related to heavy metal resistance (49 genes), oxidative stress (69 genes) and antibiotic resistance (97 genes). This study revealed that the marine-derived Streptomyces sp. H-KF8 bacterium has the capability to tolerate a diverse set of heavy metals such as copper, cobalt, mercury, chromate and nickel; as well as the highly toxic tellurite, a feature first time described for Streptomyces. In addition, Streptomyces sp. H-KF8 possesses a major resistance towards oxidative stress, in comparison to the soil reference strain Streptomyces violaceoruber A3(2). Moreover, Streptomyces sp. H-KF8 showed resistance to 88% of the antibiotics tested, indicating overall, a strong response to several abiotic stressors. The combination of these biological traits confirms the metabolic versatility of Streptomyces sp. H-KF8, a genetically well-prepared microorganism with the ability to confront the dynamics of the fjord-unique marine environment. PMID:28229018

Sorption-desorption of indaziflam and its three metabolites in sandy soils.

PubMed

Trigo, Carmen; Koskinen, William C; Kookana, Rai S

2014-01-01

Indaziflam is a relatively new herbicide for which sorption-desorption information is lacking, and nothing is available on its metabolites. Information is needed on the multiple soil and pesticide characteristics known to influence these processes. For four soils, the order of sorption was indaziflam (N-[1R,2S)-2,3-dihydro-2,6-dimethyl-1H-inden-1-yl]-6-[(1R)-1-fluoroethyl]-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diamine) (sandy clay loam: Kf = 5.9, 1/nf = 0.7, Kfoc = 447; sandy loam: Kf = 3.9, 1/nf = 0.9, Kfoc = 276) > triazine indanone metabolite (N-[(1R,2S)-2,3-dihydro-2,6-dimethyl-3-oxo-1H-inden-1-yl]-6-[(1R)-1-fluoroethyl]-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diamine) (sandy clay loam: Kf = 2.1, 1/nf = 0.8, Kfoc = 177; sandy loam: Kf = 1.7, 1/nf = 0.9, Kfoc = 118) > fluoroethyldiaminotriazine metabolite (6-[(1R-1-Fluoroethyl]-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diamine) (sandy clay loam: Kf = 0.3, 1/nf = 0.9, Kfoc = 28; sandy loam: Kf = 0.3, 1/nf = 0.9, Kfoc = 22) = indaziflam carboxylic acid metabolite (2S,3R)-3-[[4-amino-6-[(1R)-1-fluoroethyl]-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl]amino]-2,3-dihydro-2-methyl-1H-indene-5-carboxylic acid) (sandy clay loam: Kf = 0.3, 1/nf = 0.9, Kfoc = 22; sandy loam: Kf = 0.5, 1/nf = 0.8, Kfoc = 32). The metabolites being more polar than the parent compound showed lower sorption. Desorption was hysteretic for indaziflam and triazine indanone metabolite, but not for the other two metabolites. Unsaturated transient flow Kd's were lower than batch Kd's for indaziflam, but similar for fluoroethyldiaminotriazine metabolite. Batch Kd's would overpredict potential offsite transport if desorption hysteresis is not taken into account.

Assessment of the effects of ketamine-fentanyl combination versus propofol-remifentanil combination for sedation during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography

PubMed Central

Heidari, Sayed Morteza; Loghmani, Parisa

2014-01-01

Background: Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) as a diagnostic and treatment procedure is used in most biliary tract and pancreatic. Either sedation or general anesthesia could be considered for this procedure. Combining a sedative with an opioid agent can provide effective moderate sedation. This study compared the impact of ketamine-fentanyl (KF) versus propofol-remifentanil (PR) on sedation scale in patients undergoing ERCP. Materials and Methods: As a double-blinded randomized clinical trial, 80 patients selected by convenient sampling, allocated randomly into two groups. KF group received ketamine 0.5 mg/kg body weight intravenously over 60 s and then fentanyl 1 mcg/kg body weight intravenously. PR group received propofol l mg/kg body weight intravenously over 60 s and then remifentanil 0.05 mcg/kg body weight/min intravenously. Intravenous (IV) infusion of propofol was maintained by 50 mcg/kg body weight/min throughout ERCP. Ramsay Sedation Score, vital signs, oxygen saturation (SpO2), recovery score (modified Aldrete score) and visual analog scales of pain intensity, and endoscopist's satisfaction were considered as measured outcomes. All analysis were analyzed by SPSS Statistics version 22 and using t-test, Chi-square and repeated measured ANOVA and Mann-Whitney tests for data analysis. Results: Respiratory rate and SpO2 level during the time intervals were lower in PR group (P < 0.001). Sedation score at intervals was not significantly different (P = 0.07). The frequency of apnea in PR group was significantly higher than the KF group (P = 0.003). The percentage of need to supplemental oxygen in PR group was 35.1% that was also significantly higher than 8.8% in the KF group (P = 0.008), but the dosage frequency was significantly higher in KF group (P < 0.001). The KF and PR groups average length of stay in the recovery room were 50.71 standard deviation (SD = 9.99) and 42.57 (SD = 11.99) minutes, respectively, indicating a significant difference (P = 0.003). The mean severity of nausea in KF and PR groups was, respectively, 2.74 confidence interval (CI = 1.68-3.81) and 0.43 (CI = 0.11-0.75), that was significantly higher in KF group (P < 0.001). The average score of surgeon satisfaction in both KF and PR groups were 7.69 (CI = 7.16-8.21) and 8.65 (CI = 8.25-9.05), respectively, which was higher in KF group (P = 0.004), but the average level of patients satisfaction in KF group was 8.86 (CI = 8.53-9.19) and in PR group was 8.95 (CI - 8.54-9.35) that were not significantly different (P = 0.074). Conclusion: There is no statistically significant difference between KF and PR combinations in sedation score, but PR combination provides better pain control, with less nausea and shorter recovery time while causing more respiratory side effects, that is, apnea and need to oxygen. PMID:25535501

Effect of Wigner energy on the symmetry energy coefficient in nuclei

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, Jun-Long; Cui, Hai-Tao; Gao, Teng; Wang, Ning

2016-09-01

The nuclear symmetry energy coefficient (including the coefficient of the I4 term) of finite nuclei is extracted by using the differences of available experimental binding energies of isobaric nuclei. It is found that the extracted symmetry energy coefficient decreases with increasing isospin asymmetry I, which is mainly caused by Wigner correction, since is the summation of the traditional symmetry energy esym and the Wigner energy eW. We obtain the optimal values J = 30.25 ± 0.10 MeV, ass = 56.18 ± 1.25 MeV, and the Wigner parameter x = 2.38 ± 0.12 through a polynomial fit to 2240 measured binding energies for nuclei with 20 ⩽ A ⩽ 261 with an rms deviation of 23.42 keV. We also find that the volume symmetry coefficient J ≃ 30 MeV is insensitive to the value x, whereas the surface symmetry coefficient ass and the coefficient are very sensitive to the value of x in the range 1 ⩽ x ⩽ 4. The contribution of the term increases rapidly with increasing isospin asymmetry I. For very neutron-rich nuclei, the contribution of the term will play an important role. Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (11475004, 11275052, 11305003, 11375094 and 11465005), Natural Science Foundation of He'nan Educational Committee (2011A140001 and 2011GGJS-147), Open Project Program of State Key Laboratory of Theoretical Physics, Institute of Theoretical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (Y4KF041CJ1)

Effects of soluble fiber inclusion in gestation diets with varying fermentation characteristics on lactational feed intake of sows over two successive parities.

PubMed

Tan, C Q; Sun, H Q; Wei, H K; Tan, J J; Long, G; Jiang, S W; Peng, J

2017-11-29

The effects of soluble fiber inclusion in gestation diets with varying fermentation characteristics (fermentation kinetics and short-chain fatty acids (SCFA)-profile) on lactational feed intake of sows and their piglet growth over two parities were investigated using an in vitro-in vivo methodology. After breeding, 90 multiparous Landrace sows were randomized to one of three experimental diets: the control (CON) diet, konjac flour (KF) diet or sugar beet pulp (SBP) diet. All diets had similar levels of net energy, CP, insoluble fiber and NDF, but KF and SBP diets had higher soluble fiber levels than the CON diet. During gestation, the sows were restrictively fed with three different diets, but during lactation, all the sows were similarly fed ad libitum. The three gestation diets were enzymatically hydrolyzed using pepsin and pancreatin, and enzymolyzed residues were used in in vitro fermentation. Gas and SCFA production were monitored during fermentation. After fermentation, enzymolyzed residues of KF or SBP diets resulted in higher final asymptotic gas volume than those of the CON diet. The enzymolyzed residues of KF diet were mainly part of rapidly fermented fractions, whereas those of SBP diet were mainly part of slowly fermented fractions. In addition, the acetic acid, butyric acid and total SCFA concentrations of enzymolyzed residues of KF diet were higher (P<0.01) than the control and SBP diets. In the in vivo studies, on day 90 of gestation, the KF diet sows had higher plasma SCFA concentration (P<0.05) at 4 h after feeding than the CON diet sows. Furthermore, the KF diet sows had lower plasma free fatty acid (FFA) concentration (P<0.01) at 4 h after feeding, and a lower value of homeostasis model assessment (HOMA)-insulin resistance (P<0.05), but a higher value of HOMA-insulin sensitivity (P<0.01). The KF diet sows also consumed more feed during lactation (P<0.01) and weaned significantly heavier pigs (P<0.01) than the CON diet sows. The overall results showed that the high fermentation capacity KF diet contributed to an increased lactational feed intake and improved performance of piglets in the second reproductive cycle.

Design of eudragit RL nanoparticles by nanoemulsion method as carriers for ophthalmic drug delivery of ketotifen fumarate

PubMed Central

Soltani, Saieede; Zakeri-Milani, Parvin; Barzegar-Jalali, Mohammad; Jelvehgari, Mitra

2016-01-01

Objective(s): Ketotifen fumarate (KF) is a selective and noncompetitive histamine antagonist (H1-receptor) that is used topically in the treatment of allergic conditions of rhinitis and conjunctivitis. The aim of this study was to formulate and improve an ophthalmic delivery system of KF. Ocular nanoparticles were prepared with the objective of reducing the frequency of administration and obtaining controlled release to improve the anti-inflammatory drug delivery. Materials and Methods: In the present study, ocular KF loaded Eudragit RL 100 nanoparticles were prepared using O/W solvent diffusion method. The nanoparticles were evaluated for particle size, entrapment efficiency, surface morphology, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform spectroscopy (FTIR), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). In vitro release and permeation studies were also carried out on nanoparticles. Results: An average size range of 182 to 314.30 nm in diameter was obtained and encapsulation efficiency up to 95.0% was observed for all the formulations. Drug release for all formulations after 24 hr was between 65.51% and 88.82% indicating effective controlled release property of KF. The mechanism of drug release for best formulation was found to be fickian diffusion mechanism. KF nanoparticles containing high polymer concentration (1:15) presented a faster drug release and a higher drug penetration; on the contrary, nanoparticles containing low polymer concentration (1:7.5) were able to give a more sustained release of the drug and thus a slower KF permeation through the cornea. Conclusion: The study revealed that KF NPs were capable of releasing the drug for a prolonged period of time and increasing the ocular bioavailability. PMID:27403262

Wound closure with Karydakis flap is decreasing the perioperative costs after pilonidal sinus excision as compared to lay-open approach.

PubMed

Borel, F; Gaudin, C; Duchalais, E; Lehur, P-A; Meurette, G

2017-12-01

To assess the impact of a simple flap closing procedure by Karydakis flap (KF) after pilonidal sinus excision on the costs and healing time as compared to routine lay-open technique. Out of 44 consecutive patients operated on for pilonidal excision (November 2013-March 2015), 17 had a Karydakis flap and 27 a lay-open procedure. For each patient, the length of stay, the operating time (OT), the time needed for complete healing and postoperative care resources were recorded. The global costs included OT, nursing care quantity, and modalities until complete scar healing. One reoperation in the lay-open group was necessary during the follow-up (8±5months). No recurrence occurred. Postoperative morbidity was similar in both groups. Results showed that KF global cost was inferior as compared to lay-open technique (941±178€ vs. 1601±399€; P=0.0001), KF healed faster (32±17 vs. 59±22days; P=0.0001), whereas OT was longer in KF group (16±7 vs. 25±4min; P=0.001). KF allows a faster healing time and a 41% lower cost than lay-open technique. Preferential use of KF rather than lay-open procedure could allow a significant health cost saving. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

THE USE OF KF STYLE FLANGES IN LOW PARTICULATE APPLICATIONS

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

Kendziora, K. R.; Angelo, J.; Baffes, C.

As SCRF particle accelerator technology advances the need for “low particulate” and “particle free” vacuum sys-tems becomes greater and greater. In the course of the op-eration of these systems, there comes a time when various instruments have to be temporarily attached for diagnostic purposes: RGAs, leak detectors, and additional pumps. In an effort to make the additions of these instruments easier and more time effective, we propose to use KF style flanges for these types of temporary diagnostic connec-tions. This document will describe the tests used to com-pare the particles generated using the assembly of the, widely accepted for “particlemore » free” use, conflat flange to the proposed KF style flange, and demonstrate that KF flanges produce comparable or even less particles« less

Spectrophotometric analysis of flavonoid-DNA binding interactions at physiological conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Janjua, Naveed Kausar; Siddiqa, Asima; Yaqub, Azra; Sabahat, Sana; Qureshi, Rumana; Haque, Sayed ul

2009-12-01

Mode of interactions of three flavonoids [morin (M), quercetin (Q), and rutin (R)] with chicken blood ds.DNA (ck.DNA) has been investigated spectrophotometrically at different temperatures including body temperature (310 K) and at two physiological pH values, i.e. 7.4 (human blood pH) and 4.7 (stomach pH). The binding constants, Kf, evaluated using Benesi-Hildebrand equation showed that the flavonoids bind effectively through intercalation at both pH values and body temperature. Quercetin, somehow, showed greater binding capabilities with DNA. The free energies of flavonoid-DNA complexes indicated the spontaneity of their binding. The order of binding constants of three flavonoids at both pH values were found to be Kf(Q) > Kf(R) > Kf(M) and at 310 K.

The combination of satellite observation techniques for sequential ionosphere VTEC modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erdogan, Eren; Limberger, Marco; Schmidt, Michael; Seitz, Florian; Dettmering, Denise; Börger, Klaus; Brandert, Sylvia; Görres, Barbara; Kersten, Wilhelm F.; Bothmer, Volker; Hinrichs, Johannes; Venzmer, Malte; Mrotzek, Niclas

2016-04-01

The project OPTIMAP is a joint initiative by the Bundeswehr GeoInformation Centre (BGIC), the German Space Situational Awareness Centre (GSSAC), the German Geodetic Research Institute of the Technical University of Munich (DGFI-TUM) and the Institute for Astrophysics at the University of Göttingen (IAG). The main goal is to develop an operational tool for ionospheric mapping and prediction (OPTIMAP). A key feature of the project is the combination of different satellite observation techniques to improve the spatio-temporal data coverage and the sensitivity for selected target parameters. In the current status, information about the vertical total electron content (VTEC) is derived from the dual frequency signal processing of four techniques: (1) Terrestrial observations of GPS and GLONASS ensure the high-resolution coverage of continental regions, (2) the satellite altimetry mission Jason-2 is taken into account to provide VTEC in nadir direction along the satellite tracks over the oceans, (3) GPS radio occultations to Formosat-3/COSMIC are exploited for the retrieval of electron density profiles that are integrated to obtain VTEC and (4) Jason-2 carrier-phase observations tracked by the on-board DORIS receiver are processed to determine the relative VTEC. All measurements are sequentially pre-processed in hourly batches serving as input data of a Kalman filter (KF) for modeling the global VTEC distribution. The KF runs in a predictor-corrector mode allowing for the sequential processing of the measurements where update steps are performed with one-minute sampling in the current configuration. The spatial VTEC distribution is represented by B-spline series expansions, i.e., the corresponding B-spline series coefficients together with additional technique-dependent unknowns such as Differential Code Biases and Intersystem Biases are estimated by the KF. As a preliminary solution, the prediction model to propagate the filter state through time is defined by a random walk.

Application of Ensemble Kalman Filter in Power System State Tracking and Sensitivity

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

Li, Yulan; Huang, Zhenyu; Zhou, Ning

2012-05-01

Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) is proposed to track dynamic states of generators. The algorithm of EnKF and its application to generator state tracking are presented in detail. The accuracy and sensitivity of the method are analyzed with respect to initial state errors, measurement noise, unknown fault locations, time steps and parameter errors. It is demonstrated through simulation studies that even with some errors in the parameters, the developed EnKF can effectively track generator dynamic states using disturbance data.

Multilevel ensemble Kalman filtering

DOE PAGES

Hoel, Hakon; Law, Kody J. H.; Tempone, Raul

2016-06-14

This study embeds a multilevel Monte Carlo sampling strategy into the Monte Carlo step of the ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) in the setting of finite dimensional signal evolution and noisy discrete-time observations. The signal dynamics is assumed to be governed by a stochastic differential equation (SDE), and a hierarchy of time grids is introduced for multilevel numerical integration of that SDE. Finally, the resulting multilevel EnKF is proved to asymptotically outperform EnKF in terms of computational cost versus approximation accuracy. The theoretical results are illustrated numerically.

Towards predictive data-driven simulations of wildfire spread - Part I: Reduced-cost Ensemble Kalman Filter based on a Polynomial Chaos surrogate model for parameter estimation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rochoux, M. C.; Ricci, S.; Lucor, D.; Cuenot, B.; Trouvé, A.

2014-05-01

This paper is the first part in a series of two articles and presents a data-driven wildfire simulator for forecasting wildfire spread scenarios, at a reduced computational cost that is consistent with operational systems. The prototype simulator features the following components: a level-set-based fire propagation solver FIREFLY that adopts a regional-scale modeling viewpoint, treats wildfires as surface propagating fronts, and uses a description of the local rate of fire spread (ROS) as a function of environmental conditions based on Rothermel's model; a series of airborne-like observations of the fire front positions; and a data assimilation algorithm based on an ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) for parameter estimation. This stochastic algorithm partly accounts for the non-linearities between the input parameters of the semi-empirical ROS model and the fire front position, and is sequentially applied to provide a spatially-uniform correction to wind and biomass fuel parameters as observations become available. A wildfire spread simulator combined with an ensemble-based data assimilation algorithm is therefore a promising approach to reduce uncertainties in the forecast position of the fire front and to introduce a paradigm-shift in the wildfire emergency response. In order to reduce the computational cost of the EnKF algorithm, a surrogate model based on a polynomial chaos (PC) expansion is used in place of the forward model FIREFLY in the resulting hybrid PC-EnKF algorithm. The performance of EnKF and PC-EnKF is assessed on synthetically-generated simple configurations of fire spread to provide valuable information and insight on the benefits of the PC-EnKF approach as well as on a controlled grassland fire experiment. The results indicate that the proposed PC-EnKF algorithm features similar performance to the standard EnKF algorithm, but at a much reduced computational cost. In particular, the re-analysis and forecast skills of data assimilation strongly relate to the spatial and temporal variability of the errors in the ROS model parameters.

Towards predictive data-driven simulations of wildfire spread - Part I: Reduced-cost Ensemble Kalman Filter based on a Polynomial Chaos surrogate model for parameter estimation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rochoux, M. C.; Ricci, S.; Lucor, D.; Cuenot, B.; Trouvé, A.

2014-11-01

This paper is the first part in a series of two articles and presents a data-driven wildfire simulator for forecasting wildfire spread scenarios, at a reduced computational cost that is consistent with operational systems. The prototype simulator features the following components: an Eulerian front propagation solver FIREFLY that adopts a regional-scale modeling viewpoint, treats wildfires as surface propagating fronts, and uses a description of the local rate of fire spread (ROS) as a function of environmental conditions based on Rothermel's model; a series of airborne-like observations of the fire front positions; and a data assimilation (DA) algorithm based on an ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) for parameter estimation. This stochastic algorithm partly accounts for the nonlinearities between the input parameters of the semi-empirical ROS model and the fire front position, and is sequentially applied to provide a spatially uniform correction to wind and biomass fuel parameters as observations become available. A wildfire spread simulator combined with an ensemble-based DA algorithm is therefore a promising approach to reduce uncertainties in the forecast position of the fire front and to introduce a paradigm-shift in the wildfire emergency response. In order to reduce the computational cost of the EnKF algorithm, a surrogate model based on a polynomial chaos (PC) expansion is used in place of the forward model FIREFLY in the resulting hybrid PC-EnKF algorithm. The performance of EnKF and PC-EnKF is assessed on synthetically generated simple configurations of fire spread to provide valuable information and insight on the benefits of the PC-EnKF approach, as well as on a controlled grassland fire experiment. The results indicate that the proposed PC-EnKF algorithm features similar performance to the standard EnKF algorithm, but at a much reduced computational cost. In particular, the re-analysis and forecast skills of DA strongly relate to the spatial and temporal variability of the errors in the ROS model parameters.

Joint DEnKF-albedo assimilation scheme that considers the common land model subgrid heterogeneity and a snow density-based observation operator for improving snow depth simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Jianhui; Zhang, Feifei; Zhao, Yi; Shu, Hong; Zhong, Kaiwen

2016-07-01

For the large-area snow depth (SD) data sets with high spatial resolution in the Altay region of Northern Xinjiang, China, we present a deterministic ensemble Kalman filter (DEnKF)-albedo assimilation scheme that considers the common land model (CoLM) subgrid heterogeneity. In the albedo assimilation of DEnKF-albedo, the assimilated albedos over each subgrid tile are estimated with the MCD43C1 bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) parameters product and CoLM calculated solar zenith angle. The BRDF parameters are hypothesized to be consistent over all subgrid tiles within a specified grid. In the SCF assimilation of DEnKF-albedo, a DEnKF combining a snow density-based observation operator considers the effects of the CoLM subgrid heterogeneity and is employed to assimilate MODIS SCF to update SD states over all subgrid tiles. The MODIS SCF over a grid is compared with the area-weighted sum of model predicted SCF over all the subgrid tiles within the grid. The results are validated with in situ SD measurements and AMSR-E product. Compared with the simulations, the DEnKF-albedo scheme can reduce errors of SD simulations and accurately simulate the seasonal variability of SD. Furthermore, it can improve simulations of SD spatiotemporal distribution in the Altay region, which is more accurate and shows more detail than the AMSR-E product.

SU-F-I-75: Half-Value Layer Thicknesses and Homogeneity Coefficients for Fluoroscopic X-Ray Beam Spectra Incorporating Spectral Filtration

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

Wunderle, K; Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI; Godley, A

Purpose: The purpose of this investigation is to quantify various first half-value-layers (HVLs), second HVLs and homogeneity coefficients (HCs) for a state-of-the-art fluoroscope utilizing spectral (copper) filtration. Methods: A Radcal (Monrovia, Ca) AccuPro dosimeter with a 10×6-6 calibrated ionization chamber was used to measure air kerma for radiographic x-ray exposures made on a Siemens (Erlangen, Germany) Artis ZeeGo fluoroscope operated in the service mode. The ionization chamber was centered in the x-ray beam at 72 cm from the focal spot with a source-to-image-distance of 120 cm. The collimators were introduced to limit the x-ray field to approximately 5 cm ×more » 5 cm at the ionization chamber plane. Type-1100 aluminum filters, in 0.5 mm increments, were used to determine the HVL. Two HVL calculation methods were used, log-linear interpolation and Lambert-W interpolation as described by Mathieu [Med Phys, 38(8), 4546 (2011)]. Multiple measurements were made at 60, 80, 100, 120 kVp at spectral filtration thicknesses of 0, 0.1, 0.3, 0.6 and 0.9 mm. Results: First HVL, second HVL, and HCs are presented for the fluoroscopic x-ray beam spectra indicated above, with nearly identical results from the two interpolation methods. Accuracy of the set kVp was also determined and deviated less than 2%. First HVLs for fluoroscopic x-ray beam spectra without spectral filtration determined in our study were 7%–16% greater than previously published data by Fetterly et al. [Med Phys, 28, 205 (2001)]. However, the FDA minimum HVL requirements changed since that publication, requiring larger HVLs as of 2006. Additionally, x-ray tube and generator architecture have substantially changed over the last 15 years providing different beam spectra. Conclusion: X-ray beam quality characteristics for state-of-the-art fluoroscopes with spectral filtration have not been published. This study provides reference data which will be useful for defining beam qualities encountered on fluoroscopes using spectral filtration.« less

Transport of water and ions in partially water-saturated porous media. Part 2. Filtration effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Revil, A.

2017-05-01

A new set of constitutive equations describing the transport of the ions and water through charged porous media and considering the effect of ion filtration is applied to the problem of reverse osmosis and diffusion of a salt. Starting with the constitutive equations derived in Paper 1, I first determine specific formula for the osmotic coefficient and effective diffusion coefficient of a binary symmetric 1:1 salt (such as KCl or NaCl) as a function of a dimensionless number Θ corresponding to the ratio between the cation exchange capacity (CEC) and the salinity. The modeling is first carried with the Donnan model used to describe the concentrations of the charge carriers in the pore water phase. Then a new model is developed in the thin double layer approximation to determine these concentrations. These models provide explicit relationships between the concentration of the ionic species in the pore space and those in a neutral reservoir in local equilibrium with the pore space and the CEC. The case of reverse osmosis and diffusion coefficient are analyzed in details for the case of saturated and partially saturated porous materials. Comparisons are done with experimental data from the literature obtained on bentonite. The model predicts correctly the influence of salinity (including membrane behavior at high salinities), porosity, cation type (K+ versus Na+), and water saturation on the osmotic coefficient. It also correctly predicts the dependence of the diffusion coefficient of the salt with the salinity.

Simple chemiluminescence determination of ketotifen using tris(1,10 phenanthroline)ruthenium(II)- Ce(IV) system.

PubMed

Mokhtari, Ali; Ghazaeian, Mehrgan; Maghsoudi, Mahdieh; Keyvanfard, Mohsen; Emami, Iraj

2015-11-01

A new method using chemiluminescence (CL) detection has been developed for the simple determination of ketotifen fumarate (KF). The method is based on the catalytic effect of KF in the CL reaction of tris(1,10 phenanthroline)ruthenium(II), Ru(phen)3 (2+), with Ce(IV) in sulfuric acid medium. The CL response was detected using a lab-made chemiluminometer. Effects of chemical variables were investigated and under optimum conditions, the CL intensity was proportional to the concentration of the drug over the range 0.34-34.00 µg mL(-1) KF. The limit of detection (S/N=3) was 0.09 µg mL(-1). Effects of common ingredients were investigated and the method was applied successfully for determining KF in pharmaceutical formulations and human plasma. The percent of relative standard deviation (n=11) at level of 3.4 µg mL(-1) of KF was 4.6% and the minimum sampling rate was 70 samples per hour. The possible CL mechanism is proposed based on the kinetic characteristic of the CL reaction, CL spectrum, UV-Vis and phosphorescence spectra. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Tuning of Kalman filter parameters via genetic algorithm for state-of-charge estimation in battery management system.

PubMed

Ting, T O; Man, Ka Lok; Lim, Eng Gee; Leach, Mark

2014-01-01

In this work, a state-space battery model is derived mathematically to estimate the state-of-charge (SoC) of a battery system. Subsequently, Kalman filter (KF) is applied to predict the dynamical behavior of the battery model. Results show an accurate prediction as the accumulated error, in terms of root-mean-square (RMS), is a very small value. From this work, it is found that different sets of Q and R values (KF's parameters) can be applied for better performance and hence lower RMS error. This is the motivation for the application of a metaheuristic algorithm. Hence, the result is further improved by applying a genetic algorithm (GA) to tune Q and R parameters of the KF. In an online application, a GA can be applied to obtain the optimal parameters of the KF before its application to a real plant (system). This simply means that the instantaneous response of the KF is not affected by the time consuming GA as this approach is applied only once to obtain the optimal parameters. The relevant workable MATLAB source codes are given in the appendix to ease future work and analysis in this area.

Tuning of Kalman Filter Parameters via Genetic Algorithm for State-of-Charge Estimation in Battery Management System

PubMed Central

Ting, T. O.; Lim, Eng Gee

2014-01-01

In this work, a state-space battery model is derived mathematically to estimate the state-of-charge (SoC) of a battery system. Subsequently, Kalman filter (KF) is applied to predict the dynamical behavior of the battery model. Results show an accurate prediction as the accumulated error, in terms of root-mean-square (RMS), is a very small value. From this work, it is found that different sets of Q and R values (KF's parameters) can be applied for better performance and hence lower RMS error. This is the motivation for the application of a metaheuristic algorithm. Hence, the result is further improved by applying a genetic algorithm (GA) to tune Q and R parameters of the KF. In an online application, a GA can be applied to obtain the optimal parameters of the KF before its application to a real plant (system). This simply means that the instantaneous response of the KF is not affected by the time consuming GA as this approach is applied only once to obtain the optimal parameters. The relevant workable MATLAB source codes are given in the appendix to ease future work and analysis in this area. PMID:25162041

Konjac flour improved textural and water retention properties of transglutaminase-mediated, heat-induced porcine myofibrillar protein gel: Effect of salt level and transglutaminase incubation.

PubMed

Chin, Koo B; Go, Mi Y; Xiong, Youling L

2009-03-01

Functional properties of heat-induced gels prepared from microbial transglutaminase (TG)-treated porcine myofibrillar protein (MP) containing sodium caseinate with or without konjac flour (KF) under various salt concentrations (0.1, 0.3 and 0.6MNaCl) were evaluated. The mixed MP gels with KF exhibited improved cooking yields at all salt concentrations. TG treatment greatly enhanced gel strength and elasticity (storage modulus, G') at 0.6M NaCl, but not at lower salt concentrations. The combination of KF and TG improved the gel strength at 0.1 and 0.3M NaCl and G' at all salt concentrations, when compared with non-TG controls. Incubation of MP suspensions (sols) with TG promoted the disappearance of myosin heavy chain and the production of polymers. The TG-treated MP mixed gels had a compact structure, compared to those without TG, and the KF incorporation modified the gel matrix and increased its water-holding capacity. Results from differential scanning calorimetry suggested possible interactions of MP with KF, which may explain the changes in the microstructure of the heat-induced gels.

Knee flexor strength and balance control impairment may explain declines during prolonged walking in women with mild multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Ramari, Cintia; Moraes, Andréa G; Tauil, Carlos B; von Glehn, Felipe; Motl, Robert; de David, Ana C

2018-02-01

Physiological factors such as muscle weakness and balance could explain declines in walking distance by multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. The purpose of this study was to characterize levels and examine associations among decline in walking distance, balance and muscular strength in women with mild MS. Participants included 28 women with mild relapsing-remitting MS and 21 women without MS. We executed the 6-min walk test (6MWT) to verify declines in walking distance. Isokinetic knee flexion (KF) and extension (KE) muscle strength was measured using a dynamometer. Balance was quantified using a force platform, with eyes open and closed, on a rigid and foam surface. The MS patients presented declines in walking, lower KF muscle strength, and worse balance than controls. KF strength and balance correlated with walking in the MS group. The KF strength explained differences between groups in walking. The KF strength and balance presented as predictors of walking slowing down in the 6MWT, in mild MS. Women with mild MS have strength impairment of knee flexor muscles and balance control impairment that may explain walking related motor fatigability during prolonged walking. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of physical parameters on the cell-to-dendrite transition in directional solidification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Lei; Lin, Xin; Wang, Meng; Huang, Wei-Dong

2015-07-01

A quantitative cellular automaton model is used to study the cell-to-dendrite transition (CDT) in directional solidification. We give a detailed description of the CDT by carefully examining the influence of the physical parameters, including: the Gibbs-Thomson coefficient Γ, the solute diffusivity Dl, the solute partition coefficient k0, and the liquidus slope ml. It is found that most of the parameters agree with the Kurz and Fisher (KF) criterion, except for k0. The intrinsic relations among the critical velocity Vcd, the cellular primary spacing λc,max, and the critical spacing λcd are investigated. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 51271213 and 51323008), the National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2011CB610402), the National High Technology Research and Development Program of China (Grant No. 2013AA031103), the Specialized Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education of China (Grant No. 20116102110016), and the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (Grant No. 2013M540771).

Estimation of Glomerular Filtration Rate from Plasma Clearance of 51-Chromium Edetic Acid

PubMed Central

Chantler, C.; Barratt, T. M.

1972-01-01

The glomerular filtration rate was estimated by a single compartment analysis of the rate of fall of plasma concentration of 51-chromium edetic acid after a single intravenous injection. This slope clearance consistently overestimated the simultaneously determined standard urinary clearance, but could be used to predict the latter with an accuracy of ±9% (95% confidence limits). The coefficient of variation of replicate estimates of the slope clearance in the same individual was 3·9%; thus two estimates of glomerular filtration rate by this technique which differ by 11% have a 95% probability of reflecting a genuine difference. The method requires an intravenous injection and blood samples at 2 and 4 hours; urine samples are not required. It is simple, safe, and precise, and is applicable to children. PMID:4625784

Enhancement of biodiesel synthesis from soybean oil by potassium fluoride modification of a calcium magnesium oxides catalyst.

PubMed

Fan, Mingming; Zhang, Pingbo; Ma, Qinke

2012-01-01

Transesterification of soybean oil with methanol was carried out in the presence of CaO-MgO and KF-modified CaO-MgO catalysts at atmospheric pressure. While the methyl ester yield for the CaO-MgO catalyst with a ratio of 8:2 (CaO:MgO) was 63.6%, it was 97.9% for the KF-modified catalyst at a 2% catalyst to the reactants (methanol/oil mixture) weight ratio, a temperature of 65 °C, a methanol-soybean oil ratio of 9:1 and a reaction time of 2.5 h. The KF/CaO-MgO catalyst still yielded 86.7% after four successive uses. The catalytic performance of the KF/CaO-MgO catalyst was attributed to the formation of active KCaF(3) and K(2)MgF(4) centers. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Parameter estimation for stiff deterministic dynamical systems via ensemble Kalman filter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arnold, Andrea; Calvetti, Daniela; Somersalo, Erkki

2014-10-01

A commonly encountered problem in numerous areas of applications is to estimate the unknown coefficients of a dynamical system from direct or indirect observations at discrete times of some of the components of the state vector. A related problem is to estimate unobserved components of the state. An egregious example of such a problem is provided by metabolic models, in which the numerous model parameters and the concentrations of the metabolites in tissue are to be estimated from concentration data in the blood. A popular method for addressing similar questions in stochastic and turbulent dynamics is the ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF), a particle-based filtering method that generalizes classical Kalman filtering. In this work, we adapt the EnKF algorithm for deterministic systems in which the numerical approximation error is interpreted as a stochastic drift with variance based on classical error estimates of numerical integrators. This approach, which is particularly suitable for stiff systems where the stiffness may depend on the parameters, allows us to effectively exploit the parallel nature of particle methods. Moreover, we demonstrate how spatial prior information about the state vector, which helps the stability of the computed solution, can be incorporated into the filter. The viability of the approach is shown by computed examples, including a metabolic system modeling an ischemic episode in skeletal muscle, with a high number of unknown parameters.

New constraints on the late Quaternary slip rate and earthquake history of the Kalabagh fault from geomorphic mapping: Implications for slip rate and earthquake potential of the western Salt Range thrust

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madugo, C. M.; Meigs, A.; Ramzan, S.

2013-12-01

Whether the basal décollement ruptures in great earthquakes and at what rate it slips are open questions for the Pakistani Himalaya. The fact that the southern expression of the décollement, the Salt Range thrust (SRT) is localized in a thick evaporate deposit implies the fault has low strength. The lack of a strong motion event in historic records suggests no large earthquakes have struck this region in the past 2000 years. Because 101 year GPS geodetic slip rates for the SRT (~3 mm/yr) are up to four times lower than 106 year geologic rates (9-14 mm/yr), it is unknown whether the convergence rate has decreased over time, or whether the geodetic data reflect a transient phenomenon such as fault creep on the SRT. To evaluate these end members, we obtained intermediate term (104 yr) slip rates from offset geomorphic markers along the Kalabagh fault (KF). The KF is a structurally complex tear fault and lateral ramp that bounds the western side of the SRT. The bending of the western end of the SRT into the KF, and their similar geologic slip rates, suggest the faults are kinematically linked. Thus intermediate-scale slip rates and perhaps earthquake history for the KF represent a proxy for behavior of the SRT. On a section of the KF that exhibits geomorphic evidence of primarily strike slip motion, we identify two partially eroded alluvial fan apexes that are offset up to 300×25 m and 210×30 m from their source channels. Fan reconstructions suggest the offsets are probably not significantly lower than these values. Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) ages of 23×3 ka and 16×2 ka constrain fan surface abandonment. Assuming that fan abandonment accompanied offset by the KF, both fans yield nearly identical slip rates of 13×3 mm/yr and 13×4 mm/yr for the KF. Within uncertainty, these rates are at the high end of the geologic rate for the KF and SRT, and at least several times higher than the geodetic rate for the SRT. We also identify evidence of liquefaction and fissuring in natural exposures of the KF in the walls of alluvial stream cuts. An OSL age of 6×1 ka for a sand layer that fills fault tip fissures and is cut by other fault strands indicates that the KF has experienced multiple mid-late Holocene surface ruptures. Our results favor the model where the KF and SRT are linked and that the SRT ruptures during large earthquakes, similar to behavior of the thrust front in the central Himalaya. An outstanding question not reconciled by these data is why existing GPS data are markedly lower than intermediate and long-term slip rates. One potential way to reconcile the low geodetic with the high geologic rates is to interpret the 3 mm/yr geodetic velocity as the creep rate, which implies that the ~11 mm/yr discrepancy represents the loading rate of the Main Himalaya thrust (the décollement to the north of the evaporate deposits) which is relieved in large infrequent earthquakes.

Impacts of using an ensemble Kalman filter on air quality simulations along the California-Mexico border region during Cal-Mex 2010 field campaign.

PubMed

Bei, Naifang; Li, Guohui; Meng, Zhiyong; Weng, Yonghui; Zavala, Miguel; Molina, L T

2014-11-15

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of using an ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) on air quality simulations in the California-Mexico border region on two days (May 30 and June 04, 2010) during Cal-Mex 2010. The uncertainties in ozone (O3) and aerosol simulations in the border area due to the meteorological initial uncertainties were examined through ensemble simulations. The ensemble spread of surface O3 averaged over the coastal region was less than 10ppb. The spreads in the nitrate and ammonium aerosols are substantial on both days, mostly caused by the large uncertainties in the surface temperature and humidity simulations. In general, the forecast initialized with the EnKF analysis (EnKF) improved the simulation of meteorological fields to some degree in the border region compared to the reference forecast initialized with NCEP analysis data (FCST) and the simulation with observation nudging (FDDA), which in turn leading to reasonable air quality simulations. The simulated surface O3 distributions by EnKF were consistently better than FCST and FDDA on both days. EnKF usually produced more reasonable simulations of nitrate and ammonium aerosols compared to the observations, but still have difficulties in improving the simulations of organic and sulfate aerosols. However, discrepancies between the EnKF simulations and the measurements were still considerably large, particularly for sulfate and organic aerosols, indicating that there are still ample rooms for improvement in the present data assimilation and/or the modeling systems. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

High pressure synthesis and properties of ternary titanium (III) fluorides in the system KF-TiF 3 containing regular pentagonal bipyramids [TiF 7

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamanaka, Shoji; Yasuda, Akira; Miyata, Hajime

2010-01-01

Titanium trifluoride TiF 3 has the distorted ReO 3 structure composed of corner sharing TiF 6 octahedra linked with Ti-F-Ti bridges. Potassium fluoride KF was inserted into the bridges using high-pressure and high-temperature conditions (5 GPa, 1000-1200 °C). When the molar ratio KF/TiF 3≥1, a few low dimensional compounds were obtained forming non-bridged F ions. At the composition KF/TiF 3=1/2, a new compound KTi 2F 7 was formed, which crystallizes with the space group Cmmm and the lattice parameters of a=6.371(3), b=10.448(6), c=3.958(2) Å, consisting of edge-sharing pentagonal bipyramids [TiF 7] forming ribbons running along the a axis. The ribbons are linked by corners to construct a three-dimensional framework without forming non-bridged F ions. The compound is antiferromagnetic with the Néel temperature T N=75 K, and the optical band gap was 6.4 eV. A new fluoride K 2TiF 5 (KF/TiF 3=2) with the space group Pbcn and the lattice parameters of a=7.4626(2), b=12.9544(4) and c=20.6906(7) Å was also obtained by the high pressure and high temperature treatment (5 GPa at 1000 °C) of a molar mixture of 2 KF+TiF 3. The compound contains one-dimensional chains of corner-sharing TiF 6 octahedra.

Assimilation of temperature and salinity profile data in the Norwegian Climate Prediction Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yiguo; Counillon, Francois; Bertino, Laurent; Bethke, Ingo; Keenlyside, Noel

2016-04-01

Assimilating temperature and salinity profile data is promising to constrain the ocean component of Earth system models for the purpose of seasonal-to-dedacal climate predictions. However, assimilating temperature and salinity profiles that are measured in standard depth coordinate (z-coordinate) into isopycnic coordinate ocean models that are discretised by water densities is challenging. Prior studies (Thacker and Esenkov, 2002; Xie and Zhu, 2010) suggested that converting observations to the model coordinate (i.e. innovations in isopycnic coordinate) performs better than interpolating model state to observation coordinate (i.e. innovations in z-coordinate). This problem is revisited here with the Norwegian Climate Prediction Model, which applies the ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) into the ocean isopycnic model (MICOM) of the Norwegian Earth System Model. We perform Observing System Simulation Experiments (OSSEs) to compare two schemes (the EnKF-z and EnKF-ρ). In OSSEs, the truth is set to the EN4 objective analyses and observations are perturbations of the truth with white noises. Unlike in previous studies, it is found that EnKF-z outperforms EnKF-ρ for different observed vertical resolution, inhomogeneous sampling (e.g. upper 1000 meter observations only), or lack of salinity measurements. That is mostly because the operator converting observations into isopycnic coordinate is strongly non-linear. We also study the horizontal localisation radius at certain arbitrary grid points. Finally, we perform the EnKF-z with the chosen localisation radius in a realistic framework with NorCPM over a 5-year analysis period. The analysis is validated by different independent datasets.

Optical measurement of isolated canine lung filtration coefficients after alloxan infusion.

PubMed

Klaesner, J W; Pou, N A; Parker, R E; Finney, C; Roselli, R J

1998-04-01

In this study, lung filtration coefficient (Kfc) was measured in eight isolated canine lung preparations by using three methods: standard gravimetric (Std), blood-corrected gravimetric (BC), and optical. The lungs were held in zone III conditions and were subjected to an average venous pressure increase of 8.79 +/- 0.93 (mean +/- SD) cmH2O. The permeability of the lungs was increased with an infusion of alloxan (75 mg/kg). The resulting Kfc values (in milliliters . min-1 . cmH2O-1 . 100 g dry lung weight-1) measured by using Std and BC gravimetric techniques before vs. after alloxan infusion were statistically different: Std, 0.527 +/- 0.290 vs. 1. 966 +/- 0.283; BC, 0.313 +/- 0.290 vs. 1.384 +/- 0.290. However, the optical technique did not show any statistical difference between pre- and postinjury with alloxan, 0.280 +/- 0.305 vs. 0.483 +/- 0. 297, respectively. The alloxan injury, quantified by using multiple-indicator techniques, showed an increase in permeability and a corresponding decrease in reflection coefficient for albumin (sigmaf). Because the optical method measures the product of Kfc and sigmaf, this study shows that albumin should not be used as an intravascular optical filtration marker when permeability is elevated. However, the optical technique, along with another means of measuring Kfc (such as BC), can be used to calculate the sigmaf of a tracer (in this study, sigmaf of 0.894 at baseline and 0.348 after injury). Another important finding of this study was that the ratio of baseline-to-injury Kfc values was not statistically different for Std and BC techniques, indicating that the percent contribution of slow blood-volume increases does not change because of injury.

Detection of micro gap weld joint by using magneto-optical imaging and Kalman filtering compensated with RBF neural network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Xiangdong; Chen, Yuquan; You, Deyong; Xiao, Zhenlin; Chen, Xiaohui

2017-02-01

An approach for seam tracking of micro gap weld whose width is less than 0.1 mm based on magneto optical (MO) imaging technique during butt-joint laser welding of steel plates is investigated. Kalman filtering(KF) technology with radial basis function(RBF) neural network for weld detection by an MO sensor was applied to track the weld center position. Because the laser welding system process noises and the MO sensor measurement noises were colored noises, the estimation accuracy of traditional KF for seam tracking was degraded by the system model with extreme nonlinearities and could not be solved by the linear state-space model. Also, the statistics characteristics of noises could not be accurately obtained in actual welding. Thus, a RBF neural network was applied to the KF technique to compensate for the weld tracking errors. The neural network can restrain divergence filter and improve the system robustness. In comparison of traditional KF algorithm, the RBF with KF was not only more effectively in improving the weld tracking accuracy but also reduced noise disturbance. Experimental results showed that magneto optical imaging technique could be applied to detect micro gap weld accurately, which provides a novel approach for micro gap seam tracking.

Molecular characterization and combined genotype association study of bovine cluster of differentiation 14 gene with clinical mastitis in crossbred dairy cattle

PubMed Central

Selvan, A. Sakthivel; Gupta, I. D.; Verma, A.; Chaudhari, M. V.; Magotra, A.

2016-01-01

Aim: The present study was undertaken with the objectives to characterize and to analyze combined genotypes of cluster of differentiation 14 (CD14) gene to explore its association with clinical mastitis in Karan Fries (KF) cows maintained in the National Dairy Research Institute herd, Karnal. Materials and Methods: Genomic DNA was extracted using blood of randomly selected 94 KF lactating cattle by phenol-chloroform method. After checking its quality and quantity, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was carried out using six sets of reported gene-specific primers to amplify complete KF CD14 gene. The forward and reverse sequences for each PCR fragments were assembled to form complete sequence for the respective region of KF CD14 gene. The multiple sequence alignments of the edited sequence with the corresponding reference with reported Bos taurus sequence (EU148610.1) were performed with ClustalW software to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Basic Local Alignment Search Tool analysis was performed to compare the sequence identity of KF CD14 gene with other species. The restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis was carried out in all KF cows using Helicobacter pylori 188I (Hpy188I) (contig 2) and Haemophilus influenzae I (HinfI) (contig 4) restriction enzyme (RE). Cows were assigned genotypes obtained by PCR-RFLP analysis, and association study was done using Chi-square (χ2) test. The genotypes of both contigs (loci) number 2 and 4 were combined with respect to each animal to construct combined genotype patterns. Results: Two types of sequences of KF were obtained: One with 2630 bp having one insertion at 616 nucleotide (nt) position and one deletion at 1117 nt position, and the another sequence was of 2629 bp having only one deletion at 615 nt position. ClustalW, multiple alignments of KF CD14 gene sequence with B. taurus cattle sequence (EU148610.1), revealed 24 nt changes (SNPs). Cows were also screened using PCR-RFLP with Hpy188I (contig 2) and HinfI (contig 4) RE, which revealed three genotypes each that differed significantly regarding mastitis incidence. The maximum possible combination of these two loci shown nine combined genotype patterns and it was observed only eight combined genotypes out of nine: AACC, AACD, AADD, ABCD, ABDD, BBCC, BBCD, and BBDD. The combined genotype ABCC was not observed in the studied population of KF cows. Out of 94 animals, AACD combined genotype animals (10.63%) were found to be not affected with mastitis, and ABDD combined genotyped animals was observed having the highest mastitis incidence of 15.96%. Conclusion: AACD typed cows were found to be least susceptible to mastitis incidence as compared to other combined genotypes. PMID:27536026

Molecular characterization and combined genotype association study of bovine cluster of differentiation 14 gene with clinical mastitis in crossbred dairy cattle.

PubMed

Selvan, A Sakthivel; Gupta, I D; Verma, A; Chaudhari, M V; Magotra, A

2016-07-01

The present study was undertaken with the objectives to characterize and to analyze combined genotypes of cluster of differentiation 14 (CD14) gene to explore its association with clinical mastitis in Karan Fries (KF) cows maintained in the National Dairy Research Institute herd, Karnal. Genomic DNA was extracted using blood of randomly selected 94 KF lactating cattle by phenol-chloroform method. After checking its quality and quantity, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was carried out using six sets of reported gene-specific primers to amplify complete KF CD14 gene. The forward and reverse sequences for each PCR fragments were assembled to form complete sequence for the respective region of KF CD14 gene. The multiple sequence alignments of the edited sequence with the corresponding reference with reported Bos taurus sequence (EU148610.1) were performed with ClustalW software to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Basic Local Alignment Search Tool analysis was performed to compare the sequence identity of KF CD14 gene with other species. The restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis was carried out in all KF cows using Helicobacter pylori 188I (Hpy188I) (contig 2) and Haemophilus influenzae I (HinfI) (contig 4) restriction enzyme (RE). Cows were assigned genotypes obtained by PCR-RFLP analysis, and association study was done using Chi-square (χ (2)) test. The genotypes of both contigs (loci) number 2 and 4 were combined with respect to each animal to construct combined genotype patterns. Two types of sequences of KF were obtained: One with 2630 bp having one insertion at 616 nucleotide (nt) position and one deletion at 1117 nt position, and the another sequence was of 2629 bp having only one deletion at 615 nt position. ClustalW, multiple alignments of KF CD14 gene sequence with B. taurus cattle sequence (EU148610.1), revealed 24 nt changes (SNPs). Cows were also screened using PCR-RFLP with Hpy188I (contig 2) and HinfI (contig 4) RE, which revealed three genotypes each that differed significantly regarding mastitis incidence. The maximum possible combination of these two loci shown nine combined genotype patterns and it was observed only eight combined genotypes out of nine: AACC, AACD, AADD, ABCD, ABDD, BBCC, BBCD, and BBDD. The combined genotype ABCC was not observed in the studied population of KF cows. Out of 94 animals, AACD combined genotype animals (10.63%) were found to be not affected with mastitis, and ABDD combined genotyped animals was observed having the highest mastitis incidence of 15.96%. AACD typed cows were found to be least susceptible to mastitis incidence as compared to other combined genotypes.

Blood flow vs. venous pressure effects on filtration coefficient in oleic acid-injured lung.

PubMed

Anglade, D; Corboz, M; Menaouar, A; Parker, J C; Sanou, S; Bayat, S; Benchetrit, G; Grimbert, F A

1998-03-01

On the basis of changes in capillary filtration coefficient (Kfc) in 24 rabbit lungs, we determined whether elevations in pulmonary venous pressure (Ppv) or blood flow (BF) produced differences in filtration surface area in oleic acid-injured (OA) or control (Con) lungs. Lungs were cyclically ventilated and perfused under zone 3 conditions by using blood and 5% albumin with no pharmacological modulation of vascular tone. Pulmonary arterial, venous, and capillary pressures were measured by using arterial, venous, and double occlusion. Before and during each Kfc-measurement maneuver, microvascular/total vascular compliance was measured by using venous occlusion. Kfc was measured before and 30 min after injury, by using a Ppv elevation of 7 cmH2O or a BF elevation from 1 to 2 l . min-1 . 100 g-1 to obtain a similar double occlusion pressure. Pulmonary arterial pressure increased more with BF than with Ppv in both Con and OA lungs [29 +/- 2 vs. 19 +/- 0.7 (means +/- SE) cmH2O; P < 0. 001]. In OA lungs compared with Con lungs, values of Kfc (200 +/- 40 vs. 83 +/- 14%, respectively; P < 0.01) and microvascular/total vascular compliance ratio (86 +/- 4 vs. 68 +/- 5%, respectively; P < 0.01) increased more with BF than with Ppv. In conclusion, for a given OA-induced increase in hydraulic conductivity, BF elevation increased filtration surface area more than did Ppv elevation. The steep pulmonary pressure profile induced by increased BF could result in the recruitment of injured capillaries and could also shift downstream the compression point of blind (zone 1) and open injured vessels (zone 2).

The biomechanical role of overall-shape transformation in a primitive multicellular organism: A case study of dimorphism in the filamentous cyanobacterium Arthrospira platensis.

PubMed

Chaiyasitdhi, Atitheb; Miphonpanyatawichok, Wirat; Riehle, Mathis Oliver; Phatthanakun, Rungrueang; Surareungchai, Werasak; Kundhikanjana, Worasom; Kuntanawat, Panwong

2018-01-01

Morphological transformations in primitive organisms have long been observed; however, its biomechanical roles are largely unexplored. In this study, we investigate the structural advantages of dimorphism in Arthrospira platensis, a filamentous multicellular cyanobacterium. We report that helical trichomes, the default shape, have a higher persistence length (Lp), indicating a higher resistance to bending or a large value of flexural rigidity (kf), the product of the local cell stiffness (E) and the moment of inertia of the trichomes' cross-section (I). Through Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), we determined that the E of straight and helical trichomes were the same. In contrast, our computational model shows that I is greatly dependent on helical radii, implying that trichome morphology is the major contributor to kf variation. According to our estimation, increasing the helical radii alone can increase kf by 2 orders of magnitude. We also observe that straight trichomes have improved gliding ability, due to its structure and lower kf. Our study shows that dimorphism provides mechanical adjustability to the organism and may allow it to thrive in different environmental conditions. The higher kf provides helical trichomes a better nutrient uptake through advection in aquatic environments. On the other hand, the lower kf improves the gliding ability of straight trichomes in aquatic environments, enabling it to chemotactically relocate to more favorable territories when it encounters certain environmental stresses. When more optimal conditions are encountered, straight trichomes can revert to their original helical form. Our study is one of the first to highlight the biomechanical role of an overall-shape transformation in cyanobacteria.

Knee Fusion or Above-The-Knee Amputation after Failed Two-Stage Reimplantation Total Knee Arthroplasty

PubMed Central

Rodriguez-Merchan, E. Carlos

2015-01-01

Prosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a serious complication of total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Control of infection after a failed two-stage TKA is not always possible, and the resolution of infection may require an above-knee amputation (AKA) or a the-knee (KF). The purpose of this review is to determine which treatment method (AKA or KF) yields better function and ambulatory status for patients after a failed two-stage reimplantation. A PubMed search related to the resolution of infection by means of an above-the-knee amputation (AKA) or a knee fusion was performed until 10 January 2015. The key words were: infected TKA and above-the-knee amputation. Five hundred and sixty-six papers were found, of which ten were reviewed because they were focused on the topic of the article. KF should be strongly considered as the treatment of choice for patients who have persistent infected TKA after a failed two-stage revision arthroplasty. Patients can walk at least inside the house, and activity of daily living independence is achieved by the patients with successful KF, although walking aids, including a shoe lift, are required. An intramedullary nail leads to better functional results than an external fixator. The functional outcome after AKA performed after TKA is poor. A substantial percentage of the patients never fit with a prosthesis, and those who are seldom obtain functional independence. Only 50% of patients are able to walk after AKA. Patients receiving KF for treating recurrent PJI after TKA have better function and ambulatory status compared to patients receiving AKA. KF must be recommended as the treatment of choice for patients who have persistent infected TKA after a failed two-stage reimplantation procedure. PMID:26550586

Knee Fusion or Above-The-Knee Amputation after Failed Two-Stage Reimplantation Total Knee Arthroplasty.

PubMed

Rodriguez-Merchan, E Carlos

2015-10-01

Prosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a serious complication of total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Control of infection after a failed two-stage TKA is not always possible, and the resolution of infection may require an above-knee amputation (AKA) or a the-knee (KF). The purpose of this review is to determine which treatment method (AKA or KF) yields better function and ambulatory status for patients after a failed two-stage reimplantation. A PubMed search related to the resolution of infection by means of an above-the-knee amputation (AKA) or a knee fusion was performed until 10 January 2015. The key words were: infected TKA and above-the-knee amputation. Five hundred and sixty-six papers were found, of which ten were reviewed because they were focused on the topic of the article. KF should be strongly considered as the treatment of choice for patients who have persistent infected TKA after a failed two-stage revision arthroplasty. Patients can walk at least inside the house, and activity of daily living independence is achieved by the patients with successful KF, although walking aids, including a shoe lift, are required. An intramedullary nail leads to better functional results than an external fixator. The functional outcome after AKA performed after TKA is poor. A substantial percentage of the patients never fit with a prosthesis, and those who are seldom obtain functional independence. Only 50% of patients are able to walk after AKA. Patients receiving KF for treating recurrent PJI after TKA have better function and ambulatory status compared to patients receiving AKA. KF must be recommended as the treatment of choice for patients who have persistent infected TKA after a failed two-stage reimplantation procedure.

Metabolic characterization and transformation of the non-dairy Lactococcus lactis strain KF147, for production of ethanol from xylose.

PubMed

Petersen, Kia Vest; Liu, Jianming; Chen, Jun; Martinussen, Jan; Jensen, Peter Ruhdal; Solem, Christian

2017-08-01

The non-dairy lactic acid bacterium Lactococcus lactis KF147 can utilize xylose as the sole energy source. To assess whether KF147 could serve as a platform organism for converting second generation sugars into useful chemicals, the authors characterized growth and product formation for KF147 when grown on xylose. In a defined medium KF147 was found to co-metabolize xylose and arginine, resulting in bi-phasic growth. Especially at low xylose concentrations, arginine significantly improved growth rate. To facilitate further studies of the xylose metabolism, the authors eliminated arginine catabolism by deleting the arcA gene encoding the arginine deiminase. The fermentation product profile suggested two routes for xylose degradation, the phosphoketolase pathway and the pentose phosphate pathway. Inactivation of the phosphoketolase pathway redirected the entire flux through the pentose phosphate pathway whereas over-expression of phosphoketolase increased the flux through the phosphoketolase pathway. In general, significant amounts of the mixed-acid products, including lactate, formate, acetate and ethanol, were formed irrespective of xylose concentrations. To demonstrate the potential of KF147 for converting xylose into useful chemicals the authors chose to redirect metabolism towards ethanol production. A synthetic promoter library was used to drive the expression of codon-optimized versions of the Zymomonas mobilis genes encoding pyruvate decarboxylase and alcohol dehydrogenase, and the outcome was a strain producing ethanol as the sole fermentation product with a high yield corresponding to 83% of the theoretical maximum. The results clearly indicate the great potential of using the more metabolically diverse non-dairy L. lactis strains for bio-production based on xylose containing feedstocks. Copyright © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Assimilating MODIS-based albedo and snow cover fraction into the Common Land Model to improve snow depth simulation with direct insertion and deterministic ensemble Kalman filter methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Jianhui; Shu, Hong

2014-09-01

This study assesses the analysis performance of assimilating the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS)-based albedo and snow cover fraction (SCF) separately or jointly into the physically based Common Land Model (CoLM). A direct insertion method (DI) is proposed to assimilate the black and white-sky albedos into the CoLM. The MODIS-based albedo is calculated with the MODIS bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) model parameters product (MCD43B1) and the solar zenith angle as estimated in the CoLM for each time step. Meanwhile, the MODIS SCF (MOD10A1) is assimilated into the CoLM using the deterministic ensemble Kalman filter (DEnKF) method. A new DEnKF-albedo assimilation scheme for integrating the DI and DEnKF assimilation schemes is proposed. Our assimilation results are validated against in situ snow depth observations from November 2008 to March 2009 at five sites in the Altay region of China. The experimental results show that all three data assimilation schemes can improve snow depth simulations. But overall, the DEnKF-albedo assimilation shows the best analysis performance as it significantly reduces the bias and root-mean-square error (RMSE) during the snow accumulation and ablation periods at all sites except for the Fuyun site. The SCF assimilation via DEnKF produces better results than the albedo assimilation via DI, implying that the albedo assimilation that indirectly updates the snow depth state variable is less efficient than the direct SCF assimilation. For the Fuyun site, the DEnKF-albedo scheme tends to overestimate the snow depth accumulation with the maximum bias and RMSE values because of the large positive innovation (observation minus forecast).

Rotor Re-Design for the SSME Fuel Flowmeter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marcu, Bogdan

1999-01-01

The present report describes the process of redesigning a new rotor for the SSME Fuel Flowmeter. The new design addresses the specific requirement of a lower rotor speed which would allow the SSME operation at 1 15% rated power level without reaching a blade excitation by the wakes behind the hexagonal flow straightener upstream at frequencies close to the blade natural frequency. A series of calculations combining fleet flowmeters test data, airfoil fluid dynamics and CFD simulations of flow patterns behind the flowmeter's hexagonal straightener has led to a blade twist design alpha = alpha (radius) targeting a kf constant of 0.8256. The kf constant relates the fuel volume flow to the flowmeter rotor speed, for this particular value 17685 GPM at 3650 RPM. Based on this angle distribution, two actual blade designs were developed. A first design using the same blade airfoil as the original design targeted the new kf value only. A second design using a variable blade chord length and airfoil relative thickness targeted simultaneously the new kf value and an optimum blade design destined to provide smooth and stable operation and a significant increase in the blade natural frequency associated with the first bending mode, such that a comfortable margin could be obtained at 115% RPL. The second design is a result of a concurrent engineering process, during which several iterations were made in order to achieve a targeted blade natural frequency associated with the first bending mode of 1300 Hz. Water flow tests preliminary results indicate a kf value of 0.8179 for the f-irst design, which is within 1% of the target value. The second design rotor shows a natural frequency associated with the first bending mode of 1308 Hz, and a water-flow calibration constant of kf 0.8169.

Evaluating uncertainties in multi-layer soil moisture estimation with support vector machines and ensemble Kalman filtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Di; Mishra, Ashok K.; Yu, Zhongbo

2016-07-01

This paper examines the combination of support vector machines (SVM) and the dual ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) technique to estimate root zone soil moisture at different soil layers up to 100 cm depth. Multiple experiments are conducted in a data rich environment to construct and validate the SVM model and to explore the effectiveness and robustness of the EnKF technique. It was observed that the performance of SVM relies more on the initial length of training set than other factors (e.g., cost function, regularization parameter, and kernel parameters). The dual EnKF technique proved to be efficient to improve SVM with observed data either at each time step or at a flexible time steps. The EnKF technique can reach its maximum efficiency when the updating ensemble size approaches a certain threshold. It was observed that the SVM model performance for the multi-layer soil moisture estimation can be influenced by the rainfall magnitude (e.g., dry and wet spells).

AMA- and RWE- Based Adaptive Kalman Filter for Denoising Fiber Optic Gyroscope Drift Signal

PubMed Central

Yang, Gongliu; Liu, Yuanyuan; Li, Ming; Song, Shunguang

2015-01-01

An improved double-factor adaptive Kalman filter called AMA-RWE-DFAKF is proposed to denoise fiber optic gyroscope (FOG) drift signal in both static and dynamic conditions. The first factor is Kalman gain updated by random weighting estimation (RWE) of the covariance matrix of innovation sequence at any time to ensure the lowest noise level of output, but the inertia of KF response increases in dynamic condition. To decrease the inertia, the second factor is the covariance matrix of predicted state vector adjusted by RWE only when discontinuities are detected by adaptive moving average (AMA).The AMA-RWE-DFAKF is applied for denoising FOG static and dynamic signals, its performance is compared with conventional KF (CKF), RWE-based adaptive KF with gain correction (RWE-AKFG), AMA- and RWE- based dual mode adaptive KF (AMA-RWE-DMAKF). Results of Allan variance on static signal and root mean square error (RMSE) on dynamic signal show that this proposed algorithm outperforms all the considered methods in denoising FOG signal. PMID:26512665

AMA- and RWE- Based Adaptive Kalman Filter for Denoising Fiber Optic Gyroscope Drift Signal.

PubMed

Yang, Gongliu; Liu, Yuanyuan; Li, Ming; Song, Shunguang

2015-10-23

An improved double-factor adaptive Kalman filter called AMA-RWE-DFAKF is proposed to denoise fiber optic gyroscope (FOG) drift signal in both static and dynamic conditions. The first factor is Kalman gain updated by random weighting estimation (RWE) of the covariance matrix of innovation sequence at any time to ensure the lowest noise level of output, but the inertia of KF response increases in dynamic condition. To decrease the inertia, the second factor is the covariance matrix of predicted state vector adjusted by RWE only when discontinuities are detected by adaptive moving average (AMA).The AMA-RWE-DFAKF is applied for denoising FOG static and dynamic signals, its performance is compared with conventional KF (CKF), RWE-based adaptive KF with gain correction (RWE-AKFG), AMA- and RWE- based dual mode adaptive KF (AMA-RWE-DMAKF). Results of Allan variance on static signal and root mean square error (RMSE) on dynamic signal show that this proposed algorithm outperforms all the considered methods in denoising FOG signal.

Potent L-lactic acid assimilation of the fermentative and heterothallic haploid yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae NAM34-4C.

PubMed

Tomitaka, Masataka; Taguchi, Hisataka; Matsuoka, Masayoshi; Morimura, Shigeru; Kida, Kenji; Akamatsu, Takashi

2014-01-01

We screened an industrial thermotolerant Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain, KF7, as a potent lactic-acid-assimilating yeast. Heterothallic haploid strains KF7-5C and KF7-4B were obtained from the tetrads of the homothallic yeast strain KF7. The inefficient sporulation and poor spore viability of the haploid strains were improved by two strategies. The first strategy was as follows: (i) the KF7-5C was crossed with the laboratory strain SH6710; (ii) the progenies were backcrossed with KF7-5C three times; and (iii) the progenies were inbred three times to maintain a genetic background close to that of KF7. The NAM12 diploid between the cross of the resultant two strains, NAM11-9C and NAM11-13A, showed efficient sporulation and exhibited excellent growth in YPD medium (pH 3.5) at 35°C with 1.4-h generation time, indicating thermotolerance and acid tolerance. The second strategy was successive intrastrain crosses. The resultant two strains, KFG4-6B and KFG4-4B, showed excellent mating capacity. A spontaneous mutant of KFG4-6B, KFG4-6BD, showed a high growth rate with a generation time of 1.1 h in YPD medium (pH 3.0) at 35°C. The KFG4-6BD strain produced ascospores, which were crossed with NAM11-2C and its progeny to produce tetrads. These tetrads were crossed with KFG4-4B to produce NAM26-14A and NAM26-15A. The latter strain had a generation time of 1.6 h at 35°C in pH 2.5, thus exhibiting further thermotolerance and acid tolerance. A progeny from a cross of NAM26-14A and NAM26-15A yielded the strain NAM34-4C, which showed potent lactic acid assimilation and high transformation efficiency, better than those of a standard laboratory strain. Copyright © 2013 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Determination of the Cryolite Ratio of KF-NaF-AlF3 Electrolyte by Conductivity Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Hengwei; Yang, Jianhong; Liu, Zhanwei; Wang, Chengzhi; Ma, Wenhui

2018-05-01

The cryolite ratio (CR) is an important parameter for the electrolyte in aluminum reduction cells. The measurement method for the CR of the KF-NaF-AlF3 system acid (CR < 3) electrolyte by means of electrical conductivity was initially developed, and the formula for calculating the CR was deduced. This method has the advantages of simple operation and high precision. In addition, the relative standard deviations (RSD) of the measurement are < 1.2 pct, and the analysis error of the NaF or KF content has little effect on the determination of the CR.

Comparative studies on the retardation and reduction of glyphosate during subsurface passage.

PubMed

Litz, N T; Weigert, A; Krause, B; Heise, S; Grützmacher, G

2011-05-01

The herbicide Glyphosate was detected in River Havel (Berlin, Germany) in concentrations between 0.1 and 2 μg/L (single maximum outlier: 5 μg/L). As the river indirectly acts as drinking water source for the city's 3.4 Mio inhabitants potential risks for drinking water production needed to be assessed. For this reason laboratory (sorption and degradation studies) and technical scale investigations (bank filtration and slow sand filter experiments) were carried out. Batch adsorption experiments with Glyphosate yielded a low K(F) of 1.89 (1/n = 0.48) for concentrations between 0.1 and 100 mg/L. Degradation experiments at 8 °C with oxygen limitation resulted in a decrease of Glyphosate concentrations in the liquid phase probably due to slow adsorption (half life: 30 days). During technical scale slow sand filter (SSF) experiments Glyphosate attenuation was 70-80% for constant inlet concentrations of 0.7, 3.5 and 11.6 μg/L, respectively. Relevant retardation of Glyphosate breakthrough was observed despite the low adsorption potential of the sandy filter substrate and the relatively high flow velocity. The VisualCXTFit model was applied with data from typical Berlin bank filtration sites to extrapolate the results to a realistic field setting and yielded sufficient attenuation within a few days of travel time. Experiments on an SSF planted with Phragmites australis and an unplanted SSF with mainly vertical flow conditions to which Glyphosate was continuously dosed showed that in the planted SSF Glyphosate retardation exceeds 54% compared to 14% retardation in the unplanted SSF. The results show that saturated subsurface passage has the potential to efficiently attenuate glyphosate, favorably with aerobic conditions, long travel times and the presence of planted riparian boundary buffer strips. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

One Decade Later: KF Canadian Adaptation Scheme.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rashid, H.

1984-01-01

Provides background and rationale for formulation and use of the KF Canadian Adaptation Scheme in Canadian law libraries and describes methodological approaches and applications of the scheme to diverse and specific situations. Recent developments in its maintenance and updating and suggestions for its potential use are highlighted. (EJS)

Impacts of snow cover fraction data assimilation on modeled energy and moisture budgets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arsenault, Kristi R.; Houser, Paul R.; De Lannoy, Gabriëlle J. M.; Dirmeyer, Paul A.

2013-07-01

Two data assimilation (DA) methods, a simple rule-based direct insertion (DI) approach and a one-dimensional ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) method, are evaluated by assimilating snow cover fraction observations into the Community Land surface Model. The ensemble perturbation needed for the EnKF resulted in negative snowpack biases. Therefore, a correction is made to the ensemble bias using an approach that constrains the ensemble forecasts with a single unperturbed deterministic LSM run. This is shown to improve the final snow state analyses. The EnKF method produces slightly better results in higher elevation locations, whereas results indicate that the DI method has a performance advantage in lower elevation regions. In addition, the two DA methods are evaluated in terms of their overall impacts on the other land surface state variables (e.g., soil moisture) and fluxes (e.g., latent heat flux). The EnKF method is shown to have less impact overall than the DI method and causes less distortion of the hydrological budget. However, the land surface model adjusts more slowly to the smaller EnKF increments, which leads to smaller but slightly more persistent moisture budget errors than found with the DI updates. The DI method can remove almost instantly much of the modeled snowpack, but this also allows the model system to quickly revert to hydrological balance for nonsnowpack conditions.

Hybrid Data Assimilation without Ensemble Filtering

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Todling, Ricardo; Akkraoui, Amal El

2014-01-01

The Global Modeling and Assimilation Office is preparing to upgrade its three-dimensional variational system to a hybrid approach in which the ensemble is generated using a square-root ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) and the variational problem is solved using the Grid-point Statistical Interpolation system. As in most EnKF applications, we found it necessary to employ a combination of multiplicative and additive inflations, to compensate for sampling and modeling errors, respectively and, to maintain the small-member ensemble solution close to the variational solution; we also found it necessary to re-center the members of the ensemble about the variational analysis. During tuning of the filter we have found re-centering and additive inflation to play a considerably larger role than expected, particularly in a dual-resolution context when the variational analysis is ran at larger resolution than the ensemble. This led us to consider a hybrid strategy in which the members of the ensemble are generated by simply converting the variational analysis to the resolution of the ensemble and applying additive inflation, thus bypassing the EnKF. Comparisons of this, so-called, filter-free hybrid procedure with an EnKF-based hybrid procedure and a control non-hybrid, traditional, scheme show both hybrid strategies to provide equally significant improvement over the control; more interestingly, the filter-free procedure was found to give qualitatively similar results to the EnKF-based procedure.

Separation of electrolyte solutions by reverse osmosis.

PubMed

Starov, V M; Churaev, N V

1993-05-09

The paper presented is subdivided into two parts. The first one includes a survey of current notions concerning the physico-chemical nature of interaction potential phi between dissolved molecules or ions and water with a membrane material. Special attention is paid to the structural potential and the potential of image forces. The main conclusion is that the potential of interaction phi determines the major part of phenomena which are relevant for reverse osmosis (RO) separation. In the second part the distribution coefficient gamma = exp (phi) is supposed to be known and a survey of theoretical investigations of RO processes is undertaken. The so called homogeneous model of RO membranes is employed and concentration polarization is taken into account. Two main points in this investigation should be emphasized, that is, taking into account concentration polarization and a theory of RO separation of electrolyte mixtures. The maximum value of rejection coefficient and corresponding optimum velocity of filtration are calculated. Negative rejection of some ions from the mixture is explained, as well as a change in pH of filtrate. The streaming potential is calculated as a function of Peclet number, distribution coefficients, membrane charge and so on in all cases. The suggested theory gives the possibility to explain a number of phenomena in RO separation of electrolyte solutions.

Identification of high-permeability subsurface structures with multiple point geostatistics and normal score ensemble Kalman filter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zovi, Francesco; Camporese, Matteo; Hendricks Franssen, Harrie-Jan; Huisman, Johan Alexander; Salandin, Paolo

2017-05-01

Alluvial aquifers are often characterized by the presence of braided high-permeable paleo-riverbeds, which constitute an interconnected preferential flow network whose localization is of fundamental importance to predict flow and transport dynamics. Classic geostatistical approaches based on two-point correlation (i.e., the variogram) cannot describe such particular shapes. In contrast, multiple point geostatistics can describe almost any kind of shape using the empirical probability distribution derived from a training image. However, even with a correct training image the exact positions of the channels are uncertain. State information like groundwater levels can constrain the channel positions using inverse modeling or data assimilation, but the method should be able to handle non-Gaussianity of the parameter distribution. Here the normal score ensemble Kalman filter (NS-EnKF) was chosen as the inverse conditioning algorithm to tackle this issue. Multiple point geostatistics and NS-EnKF have already been tested in synthetic examples, but in this study they are used for the first time in a real-world case study. The test site is an alluvial unconfined aquifer in northeastern Italy with an extension of approximately 3 km2. A satellite training image showing the braid shapes of the nearby river and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) images were used as conditioning data to provide information on channel shape, size, and position. Measured groundwater levels were assimilated with the NS-EnKF to update the spatially distributed groundwater parameters (hydraulic conductivity and storage coefficients). Results from the study show that the inversion based on multiple point geostatistics does not outperform the one with a multiGaussian model and that the information from the ERT images did not improve site characterization. These results were further evaluated with a synthetic study that mimics the experimental site. The synthetic results showed that only for a much larger number of conditioning piezometric heads, multiple point geostatistics and ERT could improve aquifer characterization. This shows that state of the art stochastic methods need to be supported by abundant and high-quality subsurface data.

OXIDATION OF POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS BY PSEUDOMONAS SP. STRAIN LB400 AND PSEUDOMONAS PSEUDOALCALIGENES KF707

EPA Science Inventory

Biphenyl-grown cells and cell extracts prepared from biphenyl-grown cells of Pseudomonas sp. strain LB400 oxidize a much wider range of chlorinated biphenyls than do analogous preparations from Pseudomonas pseudoalcaligenes KF707. These results are attributed to differences in th...

Removal of humic substances by biosorption.

PubMed

Vuković, Marija; Domanovac, Tomislav; Briski, Felicita

2008-01-01

Fungal pellets of Aspergillus niger 405, Aspergillus ustus 326, and Stachybotrys sp. 1103 were used for the removal of humic substances from aqueous solutions. Batchwise biosorption, carried out at pH 6 and 25 degrees C, was monitored spectrophotometrically and the process described with Freundlich's model. Calculated sorption coefficients K(f) and n showed that A. niger exhibited the highest efficiency. A good match between the model and experimental data and a high correlation coefficient (R2) pointed out to judicious choice of the mechanism for removal of humic substances from the reaction medium. The sorption rate constants (k) for A. ustus and Stachybotrys sp. were almost equal, however higher than that for A. niger. Comparison of test results with the simulated ones demonstrated the applicability of the designed kinetic model for removal of humic substances from natural water by biosorption with fungal pellets. Different morphological structure of the examined fungal pellets showed that faster sorption does not imply the most efficient removal of humic substances. Desorption of humic substances from fungal pellets was complete, rapid, and yielded uniform results.

Size and Shape of Protein Molecules at the Nanometer Level Determined by Sedimentation, Gel Filtration, and Electron Microscopy

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

An important part of characterizing any protein molecule is to determine its size and shape. Sedimentation and gel filtration are hydrodynamic techniques that can be used for this medium resolution structural analysis. This review collects a number of simple calculations that are useful for thinking about protein structure at the nanometer level. Readers are reminded that the Perrin equation is generally not a valid approach to determine the shape of proteins. Instead, a simple guideline is presented, based on the measured sedimentation coefficient and a calculated maximum S, to estimate if a protein is globular or elongated. It is recalled that a gel filtration column fractionates proteins on the basis of their Stokes radius, not molecular weight. The molecular weight can be determined by combining gradient sedimentation and gel filtration, techniques available in most biochemistry laboratories, as originally proposed by Siegel and Monte. Finally, rotary shadowing and negative stain electron microscopy are powerful techniques for resolving the size and shape of single protein molecules and complexes at the nanometer level. A combination of hydrodynamics and electron microscopy is especially powerful. PMID:19495910

Comparison of the Effects of RAS vs. Kain-Fritsch Convective Schemes on Katrina Forecasts with GEOS-5

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, Timothy L.; Cohen, Charles; Paxton, Jessica; Robertson, F. R. (Pete)

2009-01-01

Global forecasts were made with the 0.25-degree latitude version of GEOS-5, with the RAS scheme and with the Kain-Fritsch scheme. Examination was made of the Katrina (2005) hurricane simulation. Replacement of the RAS convective scheme with the K-F scheme results in a much more vigorous Katrina, closer to reality. Still, the result is not as vigorous as reality. In terms of wind maximum, the gap was closed by 50%. The result seems to be due to the RAS scheme drying out the boundary layer, thus hampering the grid-scale secondary circulation and attending cyclone development. The RAS case never developed a full warm core, whereas the K-F case did. Not shown here: The K-F scheme also resulted in a more vigorous storm than when GEOS-5 is run with no convective parameterization. Also not shown: An experiment in which the RAS firing level was moved up by 3 model levels resulted in a stronger, warm-core storm, though not as strong as the K-F case. Effects on storm track were noticed, but not studied.

Raman spectroscopic study of the minerals apophyllite-(KF) KCa4Si8O20F·8H2O and apophyllite-(KOH) KCa4Si8O20(F,OH)·8H2O

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frost, Ray L.; Xi, Yunfei

2012-11-01

Raman spectroscopy complimented with infrared spectroscopy has been used to study the variation in molecular structure of two minerals of the apophyllite mineral group, namely apophyllite-(KF) KCa4Si8O20F·8H2O and apophyllite-(KOH) KCa4Si8O20(F,OH)·8H2O. apophyllite-(KF) and apophyllite-(KOH) are different minerals only because of the difference in the percentage of fluorine to hydroxyl ions. The Raman spectra are dominated by a very intense sharp peak at 1059 cm-1. A band at around 846 cm-1 is assigned to the water librational mode. It is proposed that the difference between apophyllite-(KF) and apophyllite-(KOH) is the observation of two Raman bands in the OH stretching region at around 3563 and 3625 cm-1. Multiple water stretching and bending modes are observed showing that there is much variation in hydrogen bonding between water and the silicate surfaces.

A robust adaptive flightpath reconstruction technique

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Verhaegen, M. H.

1986-01-01

Computational schemes are presented that allow accurate reconstruction of an aircraft's flightpath in real-time. The reconstruction of the flightpath is formulated as a linear state reconstruction problem, which can be solved via Kalman filtering (KF) techniques. This imposes some conditions upon the flight-test equipment. A reliable square root covariance KF (SRCF) implementation is chosen and further developed into a fully adaptive flightpath reconstruction scheme. Therefore, the basic SRCF is modified in order to cope with several practical problems such as: the automatic control of the convergence of the recursive KF calculations, time varying zero-bias errors on the input signal of the system model used in the KF, and the changing aircraft dynamics owing to a change in reference flight condition. The developed solutions for these problems are all implemented in a numerically stable way, which guarantees the overall flightpath reconstruction scheme to be robust. Furthermore, some special features of the used system model are exploited to make the algorithmic implementation very efficient. An experimental simulation study using simulated flight test data demonstrated these different capabilities.

Single-molecule comparison of DNA Pol I activity with native and analog nucleotides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gul, Osman; Olsen, Tivoli; Choi, Yongki; Corso, Brad; Weiss, Gregory; Collins, Philip

2014-03-01

DNA polymerases are critical enzymes for DNA replication, and because of their complex catalytic cycle they are excellent targets for investigation by single-molecule experimental techniques. Recently, we studied the Klenow fragment (KF) of DNA polymerase I using a label-free, electronic technique involving single KF molecules attached to carbon nanotube transistors. The electronic technique allowed long-duration monitoring of a single KF molecule while processing thousands of template strands. Processivity of up to 42 nucleotide bases was directly observed, and statistical analysis of the recordings determined key kinetic parameters for the enzyme's open and closed conformations. Subsequently, we have used the same technique to compare the incorporation of canonical nucleotides like dATP to analogs like 1-thio-2'-dATP. The analog had almost no affect on duration of the closed conformation, during which the nucleotide is incorporated. On the other hand, the analog increased the rate-limiting duration of the open conformation by almost 40%. We propose that the thiolated analog interferes with KF's recognition and binding, two key steps that determine its ensemble turnover rate.

Predicting the size-dependent tissue accumulation of agents released from vascular targeted nanoconstructs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Tullio, Marco D.; Singh, Jaykrishna; Pascazio, Giuseppe; Decuzzi, Paolo

2014-03-01

Vascular targeted nanoparticles have been developed for the delivery of therapeutic and imaging agents in cancer and cardiovascular diseases. However, at authors' knowledge, a comprehensive systematic analysis on their delivery efficiency is still missing. Here, a computational model is developed to predict the vessel wall accumulation of agents released from vascular targeted nanoconstructs. The transport problem for the released agent is solved using a finite volume scheme in terms of three governing parameters: the local wall shear rate , ranging from to ; the wall filtration velocity , varying from to ; and the agent diffusion coefficient , ranging from to . It is shown that the percentage of released agent adsorbing on the vessel walls in the vicinity of the vascular targeted nanoconstructs reduces with an increase in shear rate , and with a decrease in filtration velocity and agent diffusivity . In particular, in tumor microvessels, characterized by lower shear rates () and higher filtration velocities (), an agent with a diffusivity (i.e. a 50 nm particle) is predicted to deposit on the vessel wall up to of the total released dose. Differently, drug molecules, exhibiting a smaller size and much higher diffusion coefficient (), are predicted to accumulate up to . In healthy vessels, characterized by higher and lower , the largest majority of the released agent is redistributed directly in the circulation. These data suggest that drug molecules and small nanoparticles only can be efficiently released from vascular targeted nanoconstructs towards the diseased vessel walls and tissue.

Transport of Spherical Particles Through Fibrous Media and a Row of Parallel Cylinders: Applications to Glomerular Filtration.

PubMed

Punyaratabandhu, Numpong; Kongoup, Pimkhwan; Dechadilok, Panadda; Katavetin, Pisut; Triampo, Wannapong

2017-12-01

Viewed in renal physiology as a refined filtration device, the glomerulus filters large volumes of blood plasma while keeping proteins within blood circulation. Effects of macromolecule size and macromolecule hydrodynamic interaction with the nanostructure of the cellular layers of the glomerular capillary wall on the glomerular size selectivity are investigated through a mathematical simulation based on an ultrastructural model. The epithelial slit, a planar arrangement of fibers connecting the epithelial podocytes, is represented as a row of parallel cylinders with nonuniform spacing between adjacent fibers. The mean and standard deviation of gap half-width between its fibers are based on values recently reported from electron microscopy. The glomerular basement membrane (GBM) is represented as a fibrous medium containing fibers of two different sizes: the size of type IV collagens and that of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). The endothelial cell layer is modeled as a layer full of fenestrae that are much larger than solute size and filled with GAGs. The calculated total sieving coefficient agrees well with the sieving coefficients of ficolls obtained from in vivo urinalysis in humans, whereas the computed glomerular hydraulic permeability also falls within the range estimated from human glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Our result indicates that the endothelial cell layer and GBM significantly contribute to solute and fluid restriction of the glomerular barrier, whereas, based on the structure of the epithelial slit obtained from electron microscopy, the contribution of the epithelial slit could be smaller than previously believed.

Aldosterone and glomerular filtration--observations in the general population.

PubMed

Hannemann, Anke; Rettig, Rainer; Dittmann, Kathleen; Völzke, Henry; Endlich, Karlhans; Nauck, Matthias; Wallaschofski, Henri

2014-03-10

Increasing evidence suggests that aldosterone promotes renal damage. Since data on the association between aldosterone and renal function in the general population are sparse, we chose to address this issue. We investigated the associations between the plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) or the aldosterone-to-renin ratio (ARR) and the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in a sample of adult men and women from Northeast Germany. A study population of 1921 adult men and women who participated in the first follow-up of the Study of Health in Pomerania was selected. None of the subjects used drugs that alter PAC or ARR. The eGFR was calculated according to the four-variable Modification of Diet in Renal Disease formula. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) was defined as an eGFR < 60 ml/min/1.73 m2. Linear regression models, adjusted for sex, age, waist circumference, diabetes mellitus, smoking status, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, serum triglyceride concentrations and time of blood sampling revealed inverse associations of PAC or ARR with eGFR (ß-coefficient for log-transformed PAC -3.12, p < 0.001; ß-coefficient for log-transformed ARR -3.36, p < 0.001). Logistic regression models revealed increased odds for CKD with increasing PAC (odds ratio for a one standard deviation increase in PAC: 1.35, 95% confidence interval: 1.06-1.71). There was no statistically significant association between ARR and CKD. Our study demonstrates that PAC and ARR are inversely associated with the glomerular filtration rate in the general population.

Impact of Spatial Neglect in Stroke Rehabilitation: Evidence from the Setting of an Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility

PubMed Central

Chen, Peii; Hreha, Kimberly; Kong, Yekyung; Barrett, A. M.

2015-01-01

Objective To examine the impact of spatial neglect on rehabilitation outcome, risk of falls, and discharge disposition in stroke survivors. Design Inception cohort Setting Inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) Participants 108 individuals with unilateral brain damage after their first stroke were assessed at the times of IRF admission and discharge. At admission, 74 of them (68.5%) demonstrated symptoms of spatial neglect, as measured with the Kessler Foundation Neglect Assessment Process (KF-NAP™). Interventions Usual and standard IRF care. Main Outcome Measures Functional Independence Measure (FIM™), Conley Scale, number of falls, length of stay (LOS), and discharge disposition. Results The greater severity of spatial neglect (higher KF-NAP scores) at IRF admission, the lower FIM scores at admission as well as at discharge. Higher KF-NAP scores also correlated with greater LOS and slower FIM improvement rate. The presence of spatial neglect (KF-NAP > 0), but not Conley Scale scores, predicted falls such that participants with spatial neglect fell 6.5 times more often than those without symptoms. More severe neglect, by KF-NAP scores at IRF admission, reduced the likelihood of returning home at discharge. A model that took spatial neglect and other demographic, socioeconomic, and clinical factors into account predicted home discharge. Rapid FIM improvement during IRF stay and lower annual income level were significant predictors of home discharge. Conclusions Spatial neglect following a stroke is a prevalent problem, and may negatively affect rehabilitation outcome, risk of falls, and length of hospital stay. PMID:25862254

Examining dynamic interactions among experimental factors influencing hydrologic data assimilation with the ensemble Kalman filter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, S.; Huang, G. H.; Baetz, B. W.; Cai, X. M.; Ancell, B. C.; Fan, Y. R.

2017-11-01

The ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) is recognized as a powerful data assimilation technique that generates an ensemble of model variables through stochastic perturbations of forcing data and observations. However, relatively little guidance exists with regard to the proper specification of the magnitude of the perturbation and the ensemble size, posing a significant challenge in optimally implementing the EnKF. This paper presents a robust data assimilation system (RDAS), in which a multi-factorial design of the EnKF experiments is first proposed for hydrologic ensemble predictions. A multi-way analysis of variance is then used to examine potential interactions among factors affecting the EnKF experiments, achieving optimality of the RDAS with maximized performance of hydrologic predictions. The RDAS is applied to the Xiangxi River watershed which is the most representative watershed in China's Three Gorges Reservoir region to demonstrate its validity and applicability. Results reveal that the pairwise interaction between perturbed precipitation and streamflow observations has the most significant impact on the performance of the EnKF system, and their interactions vary dynamically across different settings of the ensemble size and the evapotranspiration perturbation. In addition, the interactions among experimental factors vary greatly in magnitude and direction depending on different statistical metrics for model evaluation including the Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency and the Box-Cox transformed root-mean-square error. It is thus necessary to test various evaluation metrics in order to enhance the robustness of hydrologic prediction systems.

Solubility of KF and NaCl in water by molecular simulation.

PubMed

Sanz, E; Vega, C

2007-01-07

The solubility of two ionic salts, namely, KF and NaCl, in water has been calculated by Monte Carlo molecular simulation. Water has been modeled with the extended simple point charge model (SPC/E), ions with the Tosi-Fumi model and the interaction between water and ions with the Smith-Dang model. The chemical potential of the solute in the solution has been computed as the derivative of the total free energy with respect to the number of solute particles. The chemical potential of the solute in the solid phase has been calculated by thermodynamic integration to an Einstein crystal. The solubility of the salt has been calculated as the concentration at which the chemical potential of the salt in the solution becomes identical to that of the pure solid. The methodology used in this work has been tested by reproducing the results for the solubility of KF determined previously by Ferrario et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 117, 4947 (2002)]. For KF, it was found that the solubility of the model is only in qualitative agreement with experiment. The variation of the solubility with temperature for KF has also been studied. For NaCl, the potential model used predicts a solubility in good agreement with the experimental value. The same is true for the hydration chemical potential at infinite dilution. Given the practical importance of solutions of NaCl in water the model used in this work, whereas simple, can be of interest for future studies.

Ensemble Kalman filter for the reconstruction of the Earth's mantle circulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bocher, Marie; Fournier, Alexandre; Coltice, Nicolas

2018-02-01

Recent advances in mantle convection modeling led to the release of a new generation of convection codes, able to self-consistently generate plate-like tectonics at their surface. Those models physically link mantle dynamics to surface tectonics. Combined with plate tectonic reconstructions, they have the potential to produce a new generation of mantle circulation models that use data assimilation methods and where uncertainties in plate tectonic reconstructions are taken into account. We provided a proof of this concept by applying a suboptimal Kalman filter to the reconstruction of mantle circulation (Bocher et al., 2016). Here, we propose to go one step further and apply the ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) to this problem. The EnKF is a sequential Monte Carlo method particularly adapted to solve high-dimensional data assimilation problems with nonlinear dynamics. We tested the EnKF using synthetic observations consisting of surface velocity and heat flow measurements on a 2-D-spherical annulus model and compared it with the method developed previously. The EnKF performs on average better and is more stable than the former method. Less than 300 ensemble members are sufficient to reconstruct an evolution. We use covariance adaptive inflation and localization to correct for sampling errors. We show that the EnKF results are robust over a wide range of covariance localization parameters. The reconstruction is associated with an estimation of the error, and provides valuable information on where the reconstruction is to be trusted or not.

Mitigation of radon and thoron decay products by filtration.

PubMed

Wang, Jin; Meisenberg, Oliver; Chen, Yongheng; Karg, Erwin; Tschiersch, Jochen

2011-09-01

Inhalation of indoor radon ((222)Rn) and thoron ((220)Rn) decay products is the most important source of exposure to ionizing radiation for the human respiratory tract. Decreasing ventilation rates due to energy saving reasons in new buildings suggest additional active mitigation techniques to reduce the exposure in homes with high radon and thoron concentrations but poor ventilation. Filtration techniques with HEPA filters and simple surgical mask material have been tested for their potential to reduce the indoor exposure in terms of the total effective dose for mixed radon and thoron indoor atmospheres. The tests were performed inside an experimental room providing stable conditions. Filtration (at filtration rates of 0.2 h(-1) and larger) removes attached radon and thoron decay products effectively but indoor aerosol as well. Therefore the concentration of unattached decay products (which have a higher dose coefficient) may increase. The decrease of the attached decay product concentrations could be theoretically described by a slowly decreasing exponential process. For attached radon decay products, it exhibited a faster but weaker removal process compared to attached thoron decay products (-70% for attached radon decay products and -80% for attached thoron decay products at a filtration rate of 0.5 h(-1) with an HEPA filter). The concentration of unattached thoron decay products increased distinctly during the filtration process (+300%) while that of unattached radon decay products rose only slightly though at a much higher level (+17%). In the theoretical description these observed differences could be attributed to the different half-lives of the nuclides. Considering both effects, reduced attached and increased unattached decay product concentrations, filtration could significantly decrease the total effective dose from thoron whereas the overall effect on radon dose is small. A permanent filtration is recommended because of the slow decrease of the thoron decay product concentrations. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Deletion of PDZD7 disrupts the Usher syndrome type 2 protein complex in cochlear hair cells and causes hearing loss in mice.

PubMed

Zou, Junhuang; Zheng, Tihua; Ren, Chongyu; Askew, Charles; Liu, Xiao-Ping; Pan, Bifeng; Holt, Jeffrey R; Wang, Yong; Yang, Jun

2014-05-01

Usher syndrome type 2 (USH2) is the predominant form of USH, a leading genetic cause of combined deafness and blindness. PDZD7, a paralog of two USH causative genes, USH1C and USH2D (WHRN), was recently reported to be implicated in USH2 and non-syndromic deafness. It encodes a protein with multiple PDZ domains. To understand the biological function of PDZD7 and the pathogenic mechanism caused by PDZD7 mutations, we generated and thoroughly characterized a Pdzd7 knockout mouse model. The Pdzd7 knockout mice exhibit congenital profound deafness, as assessed by auditory brainstem response, distortion product otoacoustic emission and cochlear microphonics tests, and normal vestibular function, as assessed by their behaviors. Lack of PDZD7 leads to the disorganization of stereocilia bundles and a reduction in mechanotransduction currents and sensitivity in cochlear outer hair cells. At the molecular level, PDZD7 determines the localization of the USH2 protein complex, composed of USH2A, GPR98 and WHRN, to ankle links in developing cochlear hair cells, likely through its direct interactions with these three proteins. The localization of PDZD7 to the ankle links of cochlear hair bundles also relies on USH2 proteins. In photoreceptors of Pdzd7 knockout mice, the three USH2 proteins largely remain unchanged at the periciliary membrane complex. The electroretinogram responses of both rod and cone photoreceptors are normal in knockout mice at 1 month of age. Therefore, although the organization of the USH2 complex appears different in photoreceptors, it is clear that PDZD7 plays an essential role in organizing the USH2 complex at ankle links in developing cochlear hair cells. GenBank accession numbers: KF041446, KF041447, KF041448, KF041449, KF041450, KF041451.

A Bayesian consistent dual ensemble Kalman filter for state-parameter estimation in subsurface hydrology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ait-El-Fquih, Boujemaa; El Gharamti, Mohamad; Hoteit, Ibrahim

2016-08-01

Ensemble Kalman filtering (EnKF) is an efficient approach to addressing uncertainties in subsurface groundwater models. The EnKF sequentially integrates field data into simulation models to obtain a better characterization of the model's state and parameters. These are generally estimated following joint and dual filtering strategies, in which, at each assimilation cycle, a forecast step by the model is followed by an update step with incoming observations. The joint EnKF directly updates the augmented state-parameter vector, whereas the dual EnKF empirically employs two separate filters, first estimating the parameters and then estimating the state based on the updated parameters. To develop a Bayesian consistent dual approach and improve the state-parameter estimates and their consistency, we propose in this paper a one-step-ahead (OSA) smoothing formulation of the state-parameter Bayesian filtering problem from which we derive a new dual-type EnKF, the dual EnKFOSA. Compared with the standard dual EnKF, it imposes a new update step to the state, which is shown to enhance the performance of the dual approach with almost no increase in the computational cost. Numerical experiments are conducted with a two-dimensional (2-D) synthetic groundwater aquifer model to investigate the performance and robustness of the proposed dual EnKFOSA, and to evaluate its results against those of the joint and dual EnKFs. The proposed scheme is able to successfully recover both the hydraulic head and the aquifer conductivity, providing further reliable estimates of their uncertainties. Furthermore, it is found to be more robust to different assimilation settings, such as the spatial and temporal distribution of the observations, and the level of noise in the data. Based on our experimental setups, it yields up to 25 % more accurate state and parameter estimations than the joint and dual approaches.

Applying Ensemble Kalman Filter to Regional Ocean Circulation Model in the East Asian Marginal Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pak, Gyun-Do; Kim, Young Ho; Chang, Kyung-Il

2010-05-01

We successfully apply the ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) data assimilation scheme to the East Sea Regional Ocean Model (ESROM). The ESROM solves the three dimensional ocean primitive equations with the hydrostatic and Boussinesq approximations. The domain of ESROM fully covers East Sea with grid intervals of approximately 0.1˚. The ESROM has one inflow port, the Korea Strait, and two outflow ports, the Tsugaru and Soya straits. High resolution bathymetry of 1/60˚ (Choi et al., 2002) is adopted for the model topography. The ESROM is initialized using hydrographic data from World Ocean Atlas (WOA), and forced by monthly mean surface and open boundary conditions supplied from European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecast data, WOA and so on. The EnKF system is composed of 16 ensembles and thousands of observation data are assimilated at every assimilation step into its parallel version, which significantly reduces the required memory and computational time more than 3-fold compared with its serial version. To prevent the collapse of ensembles due to rank deficiency, we employ various schemes such as localization and inflation of the background error covariance and disturbance of observations. Sea surface temperature from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer and in-situ temperature profiles from various sources including Argo floats have been assimilated into the EnKF system. For cyclonic circulation in the northern East Sea and paths of the East Korean Warm Current and the Nearshore Branch, the EnKF system reproduces the mean surface circulation more realistically than that in the case without data assimilation. Simulated area-averaged vertical temperature profiles also agrees well with the Generalized Digital Environmental Model data, which indicates that the EnKF system corrects the warming of subsurface temperature and the erosion of the permanent thermocline that are usually observed in numerical models without data assimilation. We also quantitatively validate the EnKF system by comparing its results with observed temperatures at 100 m for two years in the southwestern East Sea. We find that spatial and temporal correlations are higher and root-mean-square errors are lower in the EnKF system as compared with those systems without data assimilation.

Weak constrained localized ensemble transform Kalman filter for radar data assimilation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Janjic, Tijana; Lange, Heiner

2015-04-01

The applications on convective scales require data assimilation with a numerical model with single digit horizontal resolution in km and time evolving error covariances. The ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) algorithm incorporates these two requirements. However, some challenges for the convective scale applications remain unresolved when using the EnKF approach. These include a need on convective scale to estimate fields that are nonnegative (as rain, graupel, snow) and use of data sets as radar reflectivity or cloud products that have the same property. What underlines these examples are errors that are non-Gaussian in nature causing a problem with EnKF, which uses Gaussian error assumptions to produce the estimates from the previous forecast and the incoming data. Since the proper estimates of hydrometeors are crucial for prediction on convective scales, question arises whether EnKF method can be modified to improve these estimates and whether there is a way of optimizing use of radar observations to initialize NWP models due to importance of this data set for prediction of connective storms. In order to deal with non-Gaussian errors different approaches can be taken in the EnKF framework. For example, variables can be transformed by assuming the relevant state variables follow an appropriate pre-specified non-Gaussian distribution, such as the lognormal and truncated Gaussian distribution or, more generally, by carrying out a parameterized change of state variables known as Gaussian anamorphosis. In a recent work by Janjic et al. 2014, it was shown on a simple example how conservation of mass could be beneficial for assimilation of positive variables. The method developed in the paper outperformed the EnKF as well as the EnKF with the lognormal change of variables. As argued in the paper the reason for this, is that each of these methods preserves mass (EnKF) or positivity (lognormal EnKF) but not both. Only once both positivity and mass were preserved in a new algorithm, the good estimates of the fields were obtained. The alternative to strong constraint formulation in Janjic et al. 2014 is to modify LETKF algorithm to take into the account physical properties only approximately. In this work we will include the weak constraints in the LETKF algorithm for estimation of hydrometers. The benefit on prediction is illustrated in an idealized setup (Lange and Craig, 2013). This setup uses the non hydrostatic COSMO model with a 2 km horizontal resolution, and the LETKF as implemented in KENDA (Km-scale Ensemble Data Assimilation) system of German Weather Service (Reich et al. 2011). Due to the Gaussian assumptions that underline the LETKF algorithm, the analyses of water species will become negative in some grid points of the COSMO model. These values are set to zero currently in KENDA after the LETKF analysis step. The tests done within this setup show that such a procedure introduces a bias in the analysis ensemble with respect to the true, that increases in time due to the cycled data assimilation. The benefits of including the constraints in LETKF are illustrated on the bias values during assimilation and the prediction.

Prediction of ISO 9705 Room/Corner Test Results. Volume 1

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-11-01

spread rates depend on the flame length , so that it is not a unique function of the material being burned. The flame spread model developed by Mowrer and...height is expressed as: = kf (5) xp -X16 16I The parameter, kf is a correlating factor used to define the flame length . Cleary and Quintiere (1991

76 FR 30027 - National Oil and Hazardous Substance Pollution Contingency Plan; National Priorities List

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-24

... (dust, paint and water). These trigger criteria were used by the KF work group to identify and.... The KF work group developed and approved all action and no-action determinations. The property owners... remediation When one or more of the trigger criteria were exceeded, a work group evaluated a range of...

Connections 2015: Our History: Journeys in KF Research. Annual Newsletter

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gilmore, Melinda, Ed.; Holwerk, David, Ed.

2015-01-01

Each issue of this annual newsletter focuses on a particular area of Kettering's research. The 2015 issue focuses on a yearlong review of Kettering's research over time. This issue contains the following articles that address this review: (1) How Kettering Discovered Democracy (David Mathews); (2) Key Events in KF History (Collette McDonough); (3)…

Characterization of Natural Organic Matter in Conventional Water Treatment Processes and Evaluation of THM Formation with Chlorine

PubMed Central

Özdemır, Kadir

2014-01-01

This study investigates the fractions of natural organic matter (NOM) and trihalomethane (THM) formation after chlorination in samples of raw water and the outputs from ozonation, coagulation-flocculation, and conventional filtration treatment units. All the water samples are passed through various ultrafiltration (UF) membranes. UF membranes with different molecular size ranges based on apparent molecular weight (AMW), such as 1000, 3000, 10,000, and 30,000 Daltons (Da), are commonly used. The NOM fraction with AMW < 1000 Da (1 K) is the dominant fraction within all the fractionated water samples. Its maximum percentage is 85.86% after the filtration process and the minimum percentage is 65.01% in raw water samples. The total THM (TTHM) yield coefficients range from 22.5 to 42 μg-TTHM/mg-DOC in all fractionated samples, which is related to their specific ultraviolet Absorbance (SUVA) levels. As the molecular weight of the fractions decreased, the TTHM yield coefficients increased. The NOM fractions with AMW values less than 1 K had lower SUVA values (<3 L/mg·m) for all treatment stages and also they had higher yield of TTHM per unit of DOC. The NOM fraction with AMW < 1 K for chlorinated raw water samples has the highest yield coefficient (42 μg-TTHM/mg-DOC). PMID:24558323

Optical measurement of isolated canine lung filtration coefficients at normal hematocrits.

PubMed

Klaesner, J W; Pou, N A; Parker, R E; Finney, C; Roselli, R J

1997-12-01

In this study, lung filtration coefficient (Kfc) values were measured in eight isolated canine lung preparations at normal hematocrit values using three methods: gravimetric, blood-corrected gravimetric, and optical. The lungs were kept in zone 3 conditions and subjected to an average venous pressure increase of 10.24 +/- 0.27 (SE) cmH2O. The resulting Kfc (ml . min-1 . cmH2O-1 . 100 g dry lung wt-1) measured with the gravimetric technique was 0.420 +/- 0.017, which was statistically different from the Kfc measured by the blood-corrected gravimetric method (0.273 +/- 0.018) or the product of the reflection coefficient (sigmaf) and Kfc measured optically (0. 272 +/- 0.018). The optical method involved the use of a Cellco filter cartridge to separate red blood cells from plasma, which allowed measurement of the concentration of the tracer in plasma at normal hematocrits (34 +/- 1.5). The permeability-surface area product was measured using radioactive multiple indicator-dilution methods before, during, and after venous pressure elevations. Results showed that the surface area of the lung did not change significantly during the measurement of Kfc. These studies suggest that sigmafKfc can be measured optically at normal hematocrits, that this measurement is not influenced by blood volume changes that occur during the measurement, and that the optical sigmafKfc agrees with the Kfc obtained via the blood-corrected gravimetric method.

Effect of cyclical thermal to mechanical properties of Hybrid Laminate Composites (HLC) with skin recycle polypropylene/natural fiber/halloysite and core PP/KF composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sri Suharty, Neng; Ismail, Hanafi; Suci Handayani, Desi; Diharjo, Kuncoro; Rachman Wibowo, Fajar; Arnita Wuri, Margaretha

2016-02-01

This research has successfully synthesized six hybrid laminate composites (HLC). These HLC consist of two layers skin composites and one layer of core PP/KF composites. There are sticked with epoxy adhesive by using cold press method. In this research 6 types of skin are used, namely the rPP (recycled polypropylene, HC1); rPP/DVB/PP-g-AA/KF (HC2); rPP/DVB/PP-g-AA/Hall (HC3); rPP/DVB/PP-g-AA/Hall+ZB (HC4); rPP/DVB/PP-g-AA/KF/Hall (HC5) and rPP/DVB/PP-g-AA/KF/Hall+ZB (HC6) composites. The mechanical properties assessment tensile strength (TS) of various HLC before and after cyclical thermal (CT) was done by ASTM D638. While testing the flame retardant: such as time to ignition (TTI) and burning rate (BR) was done by ASTM D635. Heat stability of HLC can be recognized by conducting the CT treatment. It is to determine the effect of fluctuating heat loads on mechanical properties of HLC materials. The TS result of five HLCs (HC2, HC3, HC4, HC5 and HC6) before CT treatment were higher than HC1 (blank HLC). Those five HLC are also able to increase the TTI and reduce the BR compared to HC1. The CT treatment conditions performed at 45 oC as much as 125 times. After CT treatment, the TS values only slightly decline compared to before CT treatment.

Novel Kalman filter algorithm for statistical monitoring of extensive landscapes with synoptic sensor data

Treesearch

Raymond L. Czaplewski

2015-01-01

Wall-to-wall remotely sensed data are increasingly available to monitor landscape dynamics over large geographic areas. However, statistical monitoring programs that use post-stratification cannot fully utilize those sensor data. The Kalman filter (KF) is an alternative statistical estimator. I develop a new KF algorithm that is numerically robust with large numbers of...

Comment on "No late Quaternary strike-slip motion along the northern Karakoram fault" published by Robinson et al. in EPSL, 2015

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chevalier, Marie-Luce; Leloup, Philippe Hervé; Li, Haibing

2016-06-01

The northern part of the already highly debated Karakorum fault (KF) in western Tibet (regarding its initiation age, total geological offset and slip-rate) has been argued by Robinson (2009a) and Robinson et al. (2015) to be inactive. This is based on field investigation and satellite images interpretation showing a few km of Quaternary deposits from the southern Tashkorgan basin in the Chinese Pamir, that appear undisturbed by the main branch of the KF. In particular, Robinson et al. (2015) suggested that the Kongur Shan extensional system (KES) is not kinematically related to the KF, and that the latter is only a local fault. Here, we use basic definitions of what is an active strike-slip fault system, as well as re-emphasize the importance of the timescale of observation to discuss whether a fault is active, to demonstrate that the KF and the KES are part of the same fault system. We argue that they together play a significant role in accommodating deformation at the western Himalayan syntaxis, under the form of extensional displacement in the Chinese Pamir.

Experimental indication for band gap widening of chalcopyrite solar cell absorbers after potassium fluoride treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pistor, P.; Greiner, D.; Kaufmann, C. A.; Brunken, S.; Gorgoi, M.; Steigert, A.; Calvet, W.; Lauermann, I.; Klenk, R.; Unold, T.; Lux-Steiner, M.-C.

2014-08-01

The implementation of potassium fluoride treatments as a doping and surface modification procedure in chalcopyrite absorber preparation has recently gained much interest since it led to new record efficiencies for this kind of solar cells. In the present work, Cu(In,Ga)Se2 absorbers have been evaporated on alkali containing Mo/soda-lime glass substrates. We report on compositional and electronic changes of the Cu(In,Ga)Se2 absorber surface as a result of a post deposition treatment with KF (KF PDT). In particular, by comparing standard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and synchrotron-based hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HAXPES), we are able to confirm a strong Cu depletion in the absorbers after the KF PDT which is limited to the very near surface region. As a result of the Cu depletion, we find a change of the valence band structure and a shift of the valence band onset by approximately 0.4 eV to lower binding energies which is tentatively explained by a band gap widening as expected for Cu deficient compounds. The KF PDT increased the open circuit voltage by 60-70 mV compared to the untreated absorbers, while the fill factor deteriorated.

Interactions of ciprofloxacin (CIP), titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles and natural organic matter (NOM) in aqueous suspensions.

PubMed

Fries, Elke; Crouzet, Catherine; Michel, Caroline; Togola, Anne

2016-09-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate interactions of the antibiotic ciprofloxacin (CIP), titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NP) and natural organic matter (NOM) in aqueous suspensions. The mean hydrodynamic diameter of particles of TiO2 NP and NOM in the suspensions ranged from 113 to 255nm. During batch experiments the radioactivity resulting from (14)CIP was determined in the filtrate (filter pore size 100nm) by scintillation measurements. Up to 72h, no significant sorption of NOM to TiO2 NP was observed at a TiO2 NP concentration of 5mg/L. When the concentration of TiO2 NP was increased to 500mg/L, a small amount of NOM of 9.5%±0.6% was sorbed at 72h. The low sorption affinity of NOM on TiO2 NP surfaces could be explained by the negative charge of both components in alkaline media or by the low hydrophobicity of the NOM contents. At a TiO2 NP concentration of 5mgL(-1), the sorption of CIP on TiO2 NP was insignificant (TiO2 NP/CIP ratio: 10). When the TiO2 NP/CIP ratio was increased to 1000, a significant amount of 53.6%±7.2% of CIP was sorbed on TiO2 NP under equilibrium conditions at 64h. In alkaline media, CIP is present mainly as zwitterions which have an affinity to sorb on negatively charged TiO2 NP surfaces. The sorption of CIP on TiO2 NP in the range of TiO2 NP concentrations currently estimated for municipal wastewater treatment plants is estimated to be rather low. The Freundlich sorption coefficients (KF) in the presence of NOM of 2167L(n)mgmg(-n)kg(-1) was about 10 times lower than in the absence of NOM. This is an indication that the particle fraction of NOM<100nm could play a role as a carrier for ionic organic micro-pollutants as CIP. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Bayesian Tracking of Emerging Epidemics Using Ensemble Optimal Statistical Interpolation

PubMed Central

Cobb, Loren; Krishnamurthy, Ashok; Mandel, Jan; Beezley, Jonathan D.

2014-01-01

We present a preliminary test of the Ensemble Optimal Statistical Interpolation (EnOSI) method for the statistical tracking of an emerging epidemic, with a comparison to its popular relative for Bayesian data assimilation, the Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF). The spatial data for this test was generated by a spatial susceptible-infectious-removed (S-I-R) epidemic model of an airborne infectious disease. Both tracking methods in this test employed Poisson rather than Gaussian noise, so as to handle epidemic data more accurately. The EnOSI and EnKF tracking methods worked well on the main body of the simulated spatial epidemic, but the EnOSI was able to detect and track a distant secondary focus of infection that the EnKF missed entirely. PMID:25113590

Resistance distance and Kirchhoff index in circulant graphs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Heping; Yang, Yujun

The resistance distance rij between vertices i and j of a connected (molecular) graph G is computed as the effective resistance between nodes i and j in the corresponding network constructed from G by replacing each edge of G with a unit resistor. The Kirchhoff index Kf(G) is the sum of resistance distances between all pairs of vertices. In this work, closed-form formulae for Kirchhoff index and resistance distances of circulant graphs are derived in terms of Laplacian spectrum and eigenvectors. Special formulae are also given for four classes of circulant graphs (complete graphs, complete graphs minus a perfect matching, cycles, Möbius ladders Mp). In particular, the asymptotic behavior of Kf(Mp) as p ? ? is obtained, that is, Kf(Mp) grows as ⅙p3 as p ? ?.

Development of a variable structure-based fault detection and diagnosis strategy applied to an electromechanical system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gadsden, S. Andrew; Kirubarajan, T.

2017-05-01

Signal processing techniques are prevalent in a wide range of fields: control, target tracking, telecommunications, robotics, fault detection and diagnosis, and even stock market analysis, to name a few. Although first introduced in the 1950s, the most popular method used for signal processing and state estimation remains the Kalman filter (KF). The KF offers an optimal solution to the estimation problem under strict assumptions. Since this time, a number of other estimation strategies and filters were introduced to overcome robustness issues, such as the smooth variable structure filter (SVSF). In this paper, properties of the SVSF are explored in an effort to detect and diagnosis faults in an electromechanical system. The results are compared with the KF method, and future work is discussed.

DISSOLUTION OF PLUTONIUM METAL IN 8-10 M NITRIC ACID

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

Rudisill, T.; Pierce, R.

2012-02-21

The H-Canyon facility will be used to dissolve Pu metal for subsequent purification and conversion to plutonium dioxide (PuO{sub 2}) using Phase II of HB-Line. To support the new mission, the development of a Pu metal dissolution flowsheet which utilizes concentrated (8-10 M) nitric acid (HNO{sub 3}) solutions containing potassium fluoride (KF) is required. Dissolution of Pu metal in concentrated HNO{sub 3} is desired to eliminate the need to adjust the solution acidity prior to purification by anion exchange. The preferred flowsheet would use 8-10 M HNO{sub 3}, 0.015-0.07 M KF, and 0.5-1.0 g/L Gd to dissolve the Pu upmore » to 6.75 g/L. An alternate flowsheet would use 8-10 M HNO{sub 3}, 0.1-0.2 M KF, and 1-2 g/L B to dissolve the Pu. The targeted average Pu metal dissolution rate is 20 mg/min-cm{sup 2}, which is sufficient to dissolve a 'standard' 2250-g Pu metal button in 24 h. Plutonium metal dissolution rate measurements showed that if Gd is used as the nuclear poison, the optimum dissolution conditions occur in 10 M HNO{sub 3}, 0.04-0.05 M KF, and 0.5-1.0 g/L Gd at 112 to 116 C (boiling). These conditions will result in an estimated Pu metal dissolution rate of {approx}11-15 mg/min-cm{sup 2} and will result in dissolution times of 36-48 h for standard buttons. The recommended minimum and maximum KF concentrations are 0.03 M and 0.07 M, respectively. The maximum KF concentration is dictated by a potential room-temperature Pu-Gd-F precipitation issue at low Pu concentrations. The purpose of the experimental work described in this report was two-fold. Initially a series of screening experiments was performed to measure the dissolution rate of Pu metal as functions of the HNO{sub 3}, KF, and Gd or B concentrations. The objective of the screening tests was to propose optimized conditions for subsequent flowsheet demonstration tests. Based on the rate measurements, this study found that optimal dissolution conditions in solutions containing 0.5-1.0 g/L Gd occurred in 8-10 M HNO{sub 3} with 0.04-0.05 M KF at 112 to 116 C (boiling). The testing also showed that solutions containing 8-10 M HNO{sub 3}, 0.1-0.2 M KF, and 1-2 g/L B achieved acceptable dissolution rates in the same temperature range. To confirm that conditions identified by the dissolution rate measurements for solutions containing Gd or B can be used to dissolve Pu metal up to 6.75 g/L in the presence of Fe, demonstration experiments were performed using concentrations in the optimal ranges. In two of the demonstration experiments using Gd and in one experiment using B, the offgas generation during the dissolution was measured and samples were analyzed for H{sub 2}. The experimental methods used to perform the dissolution rate measurements and flowsheet demonstrations and a discussion of the results are presented.« less

High-precision thermal expansion measurements using small Fabry-Perot etalons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, Mark J.; Hayden, Joseph S.; Farber, Daniel L.

2007-09-01

Coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) measurements using small Fabry-Perot etalons were conducted on high and low thermal expansion materials differing in CTE by a factor of nearly 400. The smallest detectable change in length was ~10 -12 m. The sample consisted of a mm-sized Fabry-Perot etalon equipped with spherical mirrors; the material-under-test served as the 2.5 mm-thick spacer between the mirrors. A heterodyne optical setup was used with one laser locked to an ~780 nm hyperfine line of Rb gas and the other locked to a resonance of the sample etalon; changes in the beat frequency between the two lasers as a function of temperature directly provided a CTE value. The measurement system was tested using the high-CTE SCHOTT optical glass N-KF9 (CTE = 9.5 ppm/K at 23 °C). Measurements conducted under reproducibility conditions using five identically-prepared N-KF9 etalons demonstrate a precision of 0.1 ppm/K; absolute values (accuracy) are within 2-sigma errors with those made using mechanical dilatometers with 100-mm long sample rods. Etalon-based CTE measurements were also made on a high-CTE (~10.5 ppm/K), proprietary glass-ceramic used for high peak-pressure electrical feedthroughs and revealed statistically significant differences among parts made under what were assumed to be identical conditions. Finally, CTE measurements were made on etalons constructed from SCHOTT's ultra-low CTE Zerodur (R) glass-ceramic (CTE about -20 ppb/K at 50 °C for the material tested herein).

Correlation between mastitis occurrence and the count of microorganisms in bulk raw milk of bovine dairy herds in four selective culture media.

PubMed

Souto, Luís I M; Minagawa, Clarice Y; Telles, Evelise O; Garbuglio, Márcio A; Amaku, Marcos; Melville, Priscilla A; Dias, Ricardo A; Sakata, Sonia T; Benites, Nilson R

2010-02-01

Milk is the normal secretion of the mammary gland, practically free of colostrum and obtained by the complete milking of one or more healthy animals. Mastitis is an inflammatory process of the mammary gland and it may cause alterations in the milk. The present work aimed to verify whether it is possible, by means of the counts of microorganism in the bulk raw milk in four selective culture media, to establish a correlation with the occurrence of mastitis and therefore, to monitor this disease in bovine dairy herds. The following selective culture media were used: KF Streptococcus Agar, Edwards Agar, Baird-Parker Agar, Blood Agar plus potassium tellurite. Spearman's correlation coefficient was calculated in order to compare the occurrence of mastitis (percentage) in each herd with respective selective culture media counts of microorganisms in bulk raw milk. Thirty-six possibilities were analysed (Tamis and CMT-positive rates were compared with the log-transformed count in four selective culture media) and there was a negative correlation between Tamis 3 and the Baird-Parker Agar plate count. The total results of microbiological tests showed that there were three correlations of the counts in selective culture media. Fifty-two possibilities were analysed and there was a negative correlation between no-bacterial-growth mastitis rates and log10 of KF Streptoccocus Agar plate count and there were two positive correlations between coagulase-positive staphylococci and log10 of Baird-Parker Agar plate count and Blood Agar plus potassium tellurite plate count.

Density dependence of the nuclear energy-density functional

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papakonstantinou, Panagiota; Park, Tae-Sun; Lim, Yeunhwan; Hyun, Chang Ho

2018-01-01

Background: The explicit density dependence in the coupling coefficients entering the nonrelativistic nuclear energy-density functional (EDF) is understood to encode effects of three-nucleon forces and dynamical correlations. The necessity for the density-dependent coupling coefficients to assume the form of a preferably small fractional power of the density ρ is empirical and the power is often chosen arbitrarily. Consequently, precision-oriented parametrizations risk overfitting in the regime of saturation and extrapolations in dilute or dense matter may lose predictive power. Purpose: Beginning with the observation that the Fermi momentum kF, i.e., the cubic root of the density, is a key variable in the description of Fermi systems, we first wish to examine if a power hierarchy in a kF expansion can be inferred from the properties of homogeneous matter in a domain of densities, which is relevant for nuclear structure and neutron stars. For subsequent applications we want to determine a functional that is of good quality but not overtrained. Method: For the EDF, we fit systematically polynomial and other functions of ρ1 /3 to existing microscopic, variational calculations of the energy of symmetric and pure neutron matter (pseudodata) and analyze the behavior of the fits. We select a form and a set of parameters, which we found robust, and examine the parameters' naturalness and the quality of resulting extrapolations. Results: A statistical analysis confirms that low-order terms such as ρ1 /3 and ρ2 /3 are the most relevant ones in the nuclear EDF beyond lowest order. It also hints at a different power hierarchy for symmetric vs. pure neutron matter, supporting the need for more than one density-dependent term in nonrelativistic EDFs. The functional we propose easily accommodates known or adopted properties of nuclear matter near saturation. More importantly, upon extrapolation to dilute or asymmetric matter, it reproduces a range of existing microscopic results, to which it has not been fitted. It also predicts a neutron-star mass-radius relation consistent with observations. The coefficients display naturalness. Conclusions: Having been already determined for homogeneous matter, a functional of the present form can be mapped onto extended Skyrme-type functionals in a straightforward manner, as we outline here, for applications to finite nuclei. At the same time, the statistical analysis can be extended to higher orders and for different microscopic (ab initio) calculations with sufficient pseudodata points and for polarized matter.

Cytotoxic effect of Kalanchoe flammea and induction of intrinsic mitochondrial apoptotic signaling in prostate cancer cells.

PubMed

Arias-González, Iván; García-Carrancá, Alejandro M; Cornejo-Garrido, Jorge; Ordaz-Pichardo, Cynthia

2018-05-03

Kalanchoe flammea Stapf (Crassulaceae) is a medicinal plant grown in the South of Mexico (State of Tabasco), which is commonly used in traditional medicine for the treatment of fever, wounds, inflammation, and cancer. To establish the potential of K. flammea for the treatment of prostate cancer, evaluating its cytotoxic activity, its probable mechanism of action, and carrying out some toxicological safety studies. The cytotoxic activity of the ethyl acetate extract of K. flammea (Kf-EtOAc) was evaluated in several cell lines of prostate cancer by MTT viability assay. The cellular death mechanism was studied by evaluating the translocation of phosphatidylserine (Annexin V); overproduction of reactive oxygen species [2'-7'-Dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) assay]; release of Cytochrome C; activation of caspase-3 and -9, and regulation of Bcl-2, XIAP, and PKCε proteins by Western Blot analysis. For the evaluation of the safety of Kf-EtOAc, the Ames test, Micronucleus assay, and acute toxicity study were determined. Kf-EtOAc exhibited selective cytotoxic activity against prostate cell lines as follows: PC-3, LNCaP, and PrEC (IC 50 = 1.36 ± 0.05; 2.06 ± 0.02, and 127.05 ± 0.07 μg/mL, respectively). The F82-P2 fraction (rich in coumaric acid and palmitic acid) obtained by bioassay-guided fractionation of Kf-EtOAc also demonstrated selective cytotoxic activity against PC-3 cells (IC 50 = 1.05 ± 0.06 μg/mL). Kf-EtOAc induces apoptosis by the intrinsic pathway; this mechanism of cell death was confirmed after observing that the extract produces phosphatidylserine translocation, overproduction of reactive oxygen species, release of Cytochrome C at mitochondrial level, and activation of caspase-3 and -9. It was also observed that Kf-EtOAc produces significant downregulation of apoptosis-related proteins Bcl-2, XIAP, and PKCε and induces DNA fragmentation and cell cycle arrest. In addition, Kf-EtOAc is non-genotoxic in vitro by Ames test and non-genotoxic in vivo by Micronucleus assay, and no signs of toxicity or death were reported after the administration of a single acute exposure of 2000 mg/kg. K. flammea is a potential candidate for the development of new drugs for the treatment of prostate cancer. However, to propose their use in clinical trials, additional studies are required to understand their pharmacokinetic behavior, as well as the development of a suitable pharmaceutical form. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Short-range ensemble predictions based on convection perturbations in the Eta Model for the Serra do Mar region in Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bustamante, J. F. F.; Chou, S. C.; Gomes, J. L.

2009-04-01

The Southeast Brazil, in the coastal and mountain region called Serra do Mar, between Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, is subject to frequent events of landslides and floods. The Eta Model has been producing good quality forecasts over South America at about 40-km horizontal resolution. For that type of hazards, however, more detailed and probabilistic information on the risks should be provided with the forecasts. Thus, a short-range ensemble prediction system (SREPS) based on the Eta Model is being constructed. Ensemble members derived from perturbed initial and lateral boundary conditions did not provide enough spread for the forecasts. Members with model physics perturbation are being included and tested. The objective of this work is to construct more members for the Eta SREPS by adding physics perturbed members. The Eta Model is configured at 10-km resolution and 38 layers in the vertical. The domain covered is most of Southeast Brazil, centered over the Serra do Mar region. The constructed members comprise variations of the cumulus parameterization Betts-Miller-Janjic (BMJ) and Kain-Fritsch (KF) schemes. Three members were constructed from the BMJ scheme by varying the deficit of saturation pressure profile over land and sea, and 2 members of the KF scheme were included using the standard KF and a momentum flux added to KF scheme version. One of the runs with BMJ scheme is the control run as it was used for the initial condition perturbation SREPS. The forecasts were tested for 6 cases of South America Convergence Zone (SACZ) events. The SACZ is a common summer season feature of Southern Hemisphere that causes persistent rain for a few days over the Southeast Brazil and it frequently organizes over Serra do Mar region. These events are particularly interesting because of the persistent rains that can accumulate large amounts and cause generalized landslides and death. With respect to precipitation, the KF scheme versions have shown to be able to reach the larger precipitation peaks of the events. On the other hand, for predicted 850-hPa temperature, the KF scheme versions produce positive bias and BMJ versions produce negative bias. Therefore, the ensemble mean forecast of 850-hPa temperature of this SREPS exhibits smaller error than the control member. Specific humidity shows smaller bias in the KF scheme. In general, the ensemble mean produced forecasts closer to the observations than the control run.

Aldosterone and glomerular filtration – observations in the general population

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Increasing evidence suggests that aldosterone promotes renal damage. Since data on the association between aldosterone and renal function in the general population are sparse, we chose to address this issue. We investigated the associations between the plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) or the aldosterone-to-renin ratio (ARR) and the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in a sample of adult men and women from Northeast Germany. Methods A study population of 1921 adult men and women who participated in the first follow-up of the Study of Health in Pomerania was selected. None of the subjects used drugs that alter PAC or ARR. The eGFR was calculated according to the four-variable Modification of Diet in Renal Disease formula. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) was defined as an eGFR <60 ml/min/1.73 m2. Results Linear regression models, adjusted for sex, age, waist circumference, diabetes mellitus, smoking status, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, serum triglyceride concentrations and time of blood sampling revealed inverse associations of PAC or ARR with eGFR (ß-coefficient for log-transformed PAC −3.12, p < 0.001; ß-coefficient for log-transformed ARR −3.36, p < 0.001). Logistic regression models revealed increased odds for CKD with increasing PAC (odds ratio for a one standard deviation increase in PAC: 1.35, 95% confidence interval: 1.06-1.71). There was no statistically significant association between ARR and CKD. Conclusion Our study demonstrates that PAC and ARR are inversely associated with the glomerular filtration rate in the general population. PMID:24612948

Predicting root zone soil moisture with soil properties and satellite near-surface moisture data across the conterminous United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baldwin, D.; Manfreda, S.; Keller, K.; Smithwick, E. A. H.

2017-03-01

Satellite-based near-surface (0-2 cm) soil moisture estimates have global coverage, but do not capture variations of soil moisture in the root zone (up to 100 cm depth) and may be biased with respect to ground-based soil moisture measurements. Here, we present an ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) hydrologic data assimilation system that predicts bias in satellite soil moisture data to support the physically based Soil Moisture Analytical Relationship (SMAR) infiltration model, which estimates root zone soil moisture with satellite soil moisture data. The SMAR-EnKF model estimates a regional-scale bias parameter using available in situ data. The regional bias parameter is added to satellite soil moisture retrievals before their use in the SMAR model, and the bias parameter is updated continuously over time with the EnKF algorithm. In this study, the SMAR-EnKF assimilates in situ soil moisture at 43 Soil Climate Analysis Network (SCAN) monitoring locations across the conterminous U.S. Multivariate regression models are developed to estimate SMAR parameters using soil physical properties and the moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) evapotranspiration data product as covariates. SMAR-EnKF root zone soil moisture predictions are in relatively close agreement with in situ observations when using optimal model parameters, with root mean square errors averaging 0.051 [cm3 cm-3] (standard error, s.e. = 0.005). The average root mean square error associated with a 20-fold cross-validation analysis with permuted SMAR parameter regression models increases moderately (0.082 [cm3 cm-3], s.e. = 0.004). The expected regional-scale satellite correction bias is negative in four out of six ecoregions studied (mean = -0.12 [-], s.e. = 0.002), excluding the Great Plains and Eastern Temperate Forests (0.053 [-], s.e. = 0.001). With its capability of estimating regional-scale satellite bias, the SMAR-EnKF system can predict root zone soil moisture over broad extents and has applications in drought predictions and other operational hydrologic modeling purposes.

Protein osmotic pressure gradients and microvascular reflection coefficients.

PubMed

Drake, R E; Dhother, S; Teague, R A; Gabel, J C

1997-08-01

Microvascular membranes are heteroporous, so the mean osmotic reflection coefficient for a microvascular membrane (sigma d) is a function of the reflection coefficient for each pore. Investigators have derived equations for sigma d based on the assumption that the protein osmotic pressure gradient across the membrane (delta II) does not vary from pore to pore. However, for most microvascular membranes, delta II probably does vary from pore to pore. In this study, we derived a new equation for sigma d. According to our equation, pore-to-pore differences in delta II increase the effect of small pores and decrease the effect of large pores on the overall membrane osmotic reflection coefficient. Thus sigma d for a heteroporous membrane may be much higher than previously derived equations indicate. Furthermore, pore-to-pore delta II differences increase the effect of plasma protein osmotic pressure to oppose microvascular fluid filtration.

Kick frequency affects the energy cost of aquatic locomotion in elite monofin swimmers.

PubMed

Boitel, Guillaume; Vercruyssen, Fabrice; Alberty, Morgan; Nesi, Xavier; Bourdon, Lionel; Brisswalter, Jeanick

2010-08-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of kick frequency (K(F)) on the energy cost of aquatic locomotion in elite monofin (Mf) swimmers at the surface. Eight subjects of international calibre (4 females, 4 males) were requested to perform in a 50-m outdoor swimming pool: (1) a continuous multi-stage incremental test to determine maximal physiological responses and (2) a submaximal exercise composed of five constant Mf-swimming tests (600-m exercise, 5-min rest) at an intensity corresponding to 90% of the velocity at the maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max). The first submaximal Mf-swimming test was systematically conducted at a freely chosen K(F) (FCK(F)) and the other tests were performed at FCK(F) - 15%, FCK(F) - 10%, FCK(F) + 10% and FCK(F) + 20% in a random order. No significant effect of K(F) on ventilation, heart rate and blood lactate concentration was observed throughout the submaximal Mf-swimming tests. However, mean values in Ec or fraction of VO2max were significantly lower during the FCK(F) + 10% condition as compared to those observed during the FCK(F) - 15% (-11.5 and -9.6%, respectively, P < 0.05) and FCK(F) - 10% (-10.4 and -9.3%, respectively, P < 0.05) conditions. In conclusion, the lack of significant differences between FCK(F) + 10% and FCK(F) or FCK(F) + 20% does not allow to identify a specific trend, but suggests the occurrence of an energetically optimal K(F) close to that freely chosen by the Mf swimmers. Variations in muscle activity level and active drag have been hypothesized to explain the observed differences in Ec consecutive to the selection of various K(F).

Sequential assimilation of volcanic monitoring data to quantify eruption potential: Application to Kerinci volcano

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhan, Yan; Gregg, Patricia M.; Chaussard, Estelle; Aoki, Yosuke

2017-12-01

Quantifying the eruption potential of a restless volcano requires the ability to model parameters such as overpressure and calculate the host rock stress state as the system evolves. A critical challenge is developing a model-data fusion framework to take advantage of observational data and provide updates of the volcanic system through time. The Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) uses a Monte Carlo approach to assimilate volcanic monitoring data and update models of volcanic unrest, providing time-varying estimates of overpressure and stress. Although the EnKF has been proven effective to forecast volcanic deformation using synthetic InSAR and GPS data, until now, it has not been applied to assimilate data from an active volcanic system. In this investigation, the EnKF is used to provide a “hindcast” of the 2009 explosive eruption of Kerinci volcano, Indonesia. A two-sources analytical model is used to simulate the surface deformation of Kerinci volcano observed by InSAR time-series data and to predict the system evolution. A deep, deflating dike-like source reproduces the subsiding signal on the flanks of the volcano, and a shallow spherical McTigue source reproduces the central uplift. EnKF predicted parameters are used in finite element models to calculate the host-rock stress state prior to the 2009 eruption. Mohr-Coulomb failure models reveal that the shallow magma reservoir is trending towards tensile failure prior to 2009, which may be the catalyst for the 2009 eruption. Our results illustrate that the EnKF shows significant promise for future applications to forecasting the eruption potential of restless volcanoes and hind-cast the triggering mechanisms of observed eruptions.

Assessing sequential data assimilation techniques for integrating GRACE data into a hydrological model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khaki, M.; Hoteit, I.; Kuhn, M.; Awange, J.; Forootan, E.; van Dijk, A. I. J. M.; Schumacher, M.; Pattiaratchi, C.

2017-09-01

The time-variable terrestrial water storage (TWS) products from the Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment (GRACE) have been increasingly used in recent years to improve the simulation of hydrological models by applying data assimilation techniques. In this study, for the first time, we assess the performance of the most popular data assimilation sequential techniques for integrating GRACE TWS into the World-Wide Water Resources Assessment (W3RA) model. We implement and test stochastic and deterministic ensemble-based Kalman filters (EnKF), as well as Particle filters (PF) using two different resampling approaches of Multinomial Resampling and Systematic Resampling. These choices provide various opportunities for weighting observations and model simulations during the assimilation and also accounting for error distributions. Particularly, the deterministic EnKF is tested to avoid perturbing observations before assimilation (that is the case in an ordinary EnKF). Gaussian-based random updates in the EnKF approaches likely do not fully represent the statistical properties of the model simulations and TWS observations. Therefore, the fully non-Gaussian PF is also applied to estimate more realistic updates. Monthly GRACE TWS are assimilated into W3RA covering the entire Australia. To evaluate the filters performances and analyze their impact on model simulations, their estimates are validated by independent in-situ measurements. Our results indicate that all implemented filters improve the estimation of water storage simulations of W3RA. The best results are obtained using two versions of deterministic EnKF, i.e. the Square Root Analysis (SQRA) scheme and the Ensemble Square Root Filter (EnSRF), respectively, improving the model groundwater estimations errors by 34% and 31% compared to a model run without assimilation. Applying the PF along with Systematic Resampling successfully decreases the model estimation error by 23%.

Estimating the soil moisture profile by assimilating near-surface observations with the ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Shuwen; Li, Haorui; Zhang, Weidong; Qiu, Chongjian; Li, Xin

2005-11-01

The paper investigates the ability to retrieve the true soil moisture profile by assimilating near-surface soil moisture into a soil moisture model with an ensemble Kaiman filter (EnKF) assimilation scheme, including the effect of ensemble size, update interval and nonlinearities in the profile retrieval, the required time for full retrieval of the soil moisture profiles, and the possible influence of the depth of the soil moisture observation. These questions are addressed by a desktop study using synthetic data. The “true” soil moisture profiles are generated from the soil moisture model under the boundary condition of 0.5 cm d-1 evaporation. To test the assimilation schemes, the model is initialized with a poor initial guess of the soil moisture profile, and different ensemble sizes are tested showing that an ensemble of 40 members is enough to represent the covariance of the model forecasts. Also compared are the results with those from the direct insertion assimilation scheme, showing that the EnKF is superior to the direct insertion assimilation scheme, for hourly observations, with retrieval of the soil moisture profile being achieved in 16 h as compared to 12 days or more. For daily observations, the true soil moisture profile is achieved in about 15 days with the EnKF, but it is impossible to approximate the true moisture within 18 days by using direct insertion. It is also found that observation depth does not have a significant effect on profile retrieval time for the EnKF. The nonlinearities have some negative influence on the optimal estimates of soil moisture profile but not very seriously.

Suboptimal schemes for atmospheric data assimilation based on the Kalman filter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Todling, Ricardo; Cohn, Stephen E.

1994-01-01

This work is directed toward approximating the evolution of forecast error covariances for data assimilation. The performance of different algorithms based on simplification of the standard Kalman filter (KF) is studied. These are suboptimal schemes (SOSs) when compared to the KF, which is optimal for linear problems with known statistics. The SOSs considered here are several versions of optimal interpolation (OI), a scheme for height error variance advection, and a simplified KF in which the full height error covariance is advected. To employ a methodology for exact comparison among these schemes, a linear environment is maintained, in which a beta-plane shallow-water model linearized about a constant zonal flow is chosen for the test-bed dynamics. The results show that constructing dynamically balanced forecast error covariances rather than using conventional geostrophically balanced ones is essential for successful performance of any SOS. A posteriori initialization of SOSs to compensate for model - data imbalance sometimes results in poor performance. Instead, properly constructed dynamically balanced forecast error covariances eliminate the need for initialization. When the SOSs studied here make use of dynamically balanced forecast error covariances, the difference among their performances progresses naturally from conventional OI to the KF. In fact, the results suggest that even modest enhancements of OI, such as including an approximate dynamical equation for height error variances while leaving height error correlation structure homogeneous, go a long way toward achieving the performance of the KF, provided that dynamically balanced cross-covariances are constructed and that model errors are accounted for properly. The results indicate that such enhancements are necessary if unconventional data are to have a positive impact.

Statistical analysis and digital processing of the Mössbauer spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prochazka, Roman; Tucek, Pavel; Tucek, Jiri; Marek, Jaroslav; Mashlan, Miroslav; Pechousek, Jiri

2010-02-01

This work is focused on using the statistical methods and development of the filtration procedures for signal processing in Mössbauer spectroscopy. Statistical tools for noise filtering in the measured spectra are used in many scientific areas. The use of a pure statistical approach in accumulated Mössbauer spectra filtration is described. In Mössbauer spectroscopy, the noise can be considered as a Poisson statistical process with a Gaussian distribution for high numbers of observations. This noise is a superposition of the non-resonant photons counting with electronic noise (from γ-ray detection and discrimination units), and the velocity system quality that can be characterized by the velocity nonlinearities. The possibility of a noise-reducing process using a new design of statistical filter procedure is described. This mathematical procedure improves the signal-to-noise ratio and thus makes it easier to determine the hyperfine parameters of the given Mössbauer spectra. The filter procedure is based on a periodogram method that makes it possible to assign the statistically important components in the spectral domain. The significance level for these components is then feedback-controlled using the correlation coefficient test results. The estimation of the theoretical correlation coefficient level which corresponds to the spectrum resolution is performed. Correlation coefficient test is based on comparison of the theoretical and the experimental correlation coefficients given by the Spearman method. The correctness of this solution was analyzed by a series of statistical tests and confirmed by many spectra measured with increasing statistical quality for a given sample (absorber). The effect of this filter procedure depends on the signal-to-noise ratio and the applicability of this method has binding conditions.

KF addition to Cu2SnS3 thin films prepared by sulfurization process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakashima, Mitsuki; Fujimoto, Junya; Yamaguchi, Toshiyuki; Sasano, Junji; Izaki, Masanobu

2017-04-01

Cu2SnS3 thin films were fabricated by sulfurization with KF addition and applied to photovoltaic devices. Two methods, two-stage annealing and the use of four-layer precursors, were employed, and the quantity of NaF and KF and the annealing temperature were changed. By electron probe microanalysis (EPMA), the Cu/Sn mole ratio was found to range from 0.81 to 1.51. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns and Raman spectra indicated that the fabricated thin films had a monoclinic Cu2SnS3 structure. The Cu2SnS3 thin films fabricated by two-stage annealing had a close-packed structure and a pinhole-free surface morphology. The best solar cell in this study showed V oc of 293 mV, which surpassed the previously reported value.

Ensemble Data Assimilation for Streamflow Forecasting: Experiments with Ensemble Kalman Filter and Particle Filter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hirpa, F. A.; Gebremichael, M.; Hopson, T. M.; Wojick, R.

2011-12-01

We present results of data assimilation of ground discharge observation and remotely sensed soil moisture observations into Sacramento Soil Moisture Accounting (SACSMA) model in a small watershed (1593 km2) in Minnesota, the Unites States. Specifically, we perform assimilation experiments with Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) and Particle Filter (PF) in order to improve streamflow forecast accuracy at six hourly time step. The EnKF updates the soil moisture states in the SACSMA from the relative errors of the model and observations, while the PF adjust the weights of the state ensemble members based on the likelihood of the forecast. Results of the improvements of each filter over the reference model (without data assimilation) will be presented. Finally, the EnKF and PF are coupled together to further improve the streamflow forecast accuracy.

Facile preparation of highly pure KF-ZrF4 molten salt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zong, Guoqiang; Cui, Zhen-Hua; Zhang, Zhi-Bing; Zhang, Long; Xiao, Ji-Chang

2018-03-01

The preparation of highly pure KF-ZrF4 (FKZr) molten salt, a potential secondary coolant in molten salt reactors, was realized simply by heating a mixture of (NH4)2ZrF6 and KF. X-ray diffraction analysis indicated that the FKZr molten salt was mainly composed of KZrF5 and K2ZrF6. The melting point of the prepared FKZr molten salt was 420-422 °C under these conditions. The contents of all metal impurities were lower than 20 ppm, and the content of oxygen was lower than 400 ppm. This one-step protocol avoids the need for a tedious procedure to prepare ZrF4 and for an additional purification process to remove oxide impurities, and is therefore a convenient, efficient and economic preparation method for high-purity FKZr molten salt.

Study of the quaternary Na+, K+//F-, Br-, NO 3 - reciprocal system using an innovative methodology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morgunova, O. E.; Ukhanov, A. S.; Katasonova, E. A.; Trunin, A. S.; Surinskii, K. D.

2016-08-01

The topological structure of the quaternary Na+, K+//F-, Br-, NO 3 - system is studied using a computer-assisted research system. A tree of phases is constructed, and the eutectic characteristics of the secant triangle NaNO3-KBr-NaF, (equiv. %) 84.6 NaNO3-9.1 KBr-6.3 NaF, at 255.3°C are determined.

An ensemble Kalman filter with a high-resolution atmosphere-ocean coupled model for tropical cyclone forecasts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kunii, M.; Ito, K.; Wada, A.

2015-12-01

An ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) using a regional mesoscale atmosphere-ocean coupled model was developed to represent the uncertainties of sea surface temperature (SST) in ensemble data assimilation strategies. The system was evaluated through data assimilation cycle experiments over a one-month period from July to August 2014, during which a tropical cyclone as well as severe rainfall events occurred. The results showed that the data assimilation cycle with the coupled model could reproduce SST distributions realistically even without updating SST and salinity during the data assimilation cycle. Therefore, atmospheric variables and radiation applied as a forcing to ocean models can control oceanic variables to some extent in the current data assimilation configuration. However, investigations of the forecast error covariance estimated in EnKF revealed that the correlation between atmospheric and oceanic variables could possibly lead to less flow-dependent error covariance for atmospheric variables owing to the difference in the time scales between atmospheric and oceanic variables. A verification of the analyses showed positive impacts of applying the ocean model to EnKF on precipitation forecasts. The use of EnKF with the coupled model system captured intensity changes of a tropical cyclone better than it did with an uncoupled atmosphere model, even though the impact on the track forecast was negligibly small.

Experimental indication for band gap widening of chalcopyrite solar cell absorbers after potassium fluoride treatment

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

Pistor, P., E-mail: paul.pistor@physik.uni-halle.de; Greiner, D.; Kaufmann, C. A.

2014-08-11

The implementation of potassium fluoride treatments as a doping and surface modification procedure in chalcopyrite absorber preparation has recently gained much interest since it led to new record efficiencies for this kind of solar cells. In the present work, Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2} absorbers have been evaporated on alkali containing Mo/soda-lime glass substrates. We report on compositional and electronic changes of the Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2} absorber surface as a result of a post deposition treatment with KF (KF PDT). In particular, by comparing standard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and synchrotron-based hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HAXPES), we are able to confirm a strong Cu depletionmore » in the absorbers after the KF PDT which is limited to the very near surface region. As a result of the Cu depletion, we find a change of the valence band structure and a shift of the valence band onset by approximately 0.4 eV to lower binding energies which is tentatively explained by a band gap widening as expected for Cu deficient compounds. The KF PDT increased the open circuit voltage by 60–70 mV compared to the untreated absorbers, while the fill factor deteriorated.« less

Soluble Fiber with High Water-Binding Capacity, Swelling Capacity, and Fermentability Reduces Food Intake by Promoting Satiety Rather Than Satiation in Rats.

PubMed

Tan, Chengquan; Wei, Hongkui; Zhao, Xichen; Xu, Chuanhui; Zhou, Yuanfei; Peng, Jian

2016-10-02

To understand whether soluble fiber (SF) with high water-binding capacity (WBC), swelling capacity (SC) and fermentability reduces food intake and whether it does so by promoting satiety or satiation or both, we investigated the effects of different SFs with these properties on the food intake in rats. Thirty-two male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized to four equal groups and fed the control diet or diet containing 2% konjac flour (KF), pregelatinized waxy maize starch (PWMS) plus guar gum (PG), and PWMS starch plus xanthan gum (PX) for three weeks, with the measured values of SF, WBC, and SC in the four diets following the order of PG > KF > PX > control. Food intake, body weight, meal pattern, behavioral satiety sequence, and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in cecal content were evaluated. KF and PG groups reduced the food intake, mainly due to the decreased feeding behavior and increased satiety, as indicated by decreased meal numbers and increased inter-meal intervals. Additionally, KF and PG groups increased concentrations of acetate acid, propionate acid, and SCFAs in the cecal contents. Our results indicate that SF with high WBC, SC, and fermentability reduces food intake-probably by promoting a feeling of satiety in rats to decrease their feeding behavior.

Soluble Fiber with High Water-Binding Capacity, Swelling Capacity, and Fermentability Reduces Food Intake by Promoting Satiety Rather Than Satiation in Rats

PubMed Central

Tan, Chengquan; Wei, Hongkui; Zhao, Xichen; Xu, Chuanhui; Zhou, Yuanfei; Peng, Jian

2016-01-01

To understand whether soluble fiber (SF) with high water-binding capacity (WBC), swelling capacity (SC) and fermentability reduces food intake and whether it does so by promoting satiety or satiation or both, we investigated the effects of different SFs with these properties on the food intake in rats. Thirty-two male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized to four equal groups and fed the control diet or diet containing 2% konjac flour (KF), pregelatinized waxy maize starch (PWMS) plus guar gum (PG), and PWMS starch plus xanthan gum (PX) for three weeks, with the measured values of SF, WBC, and SC in the four diets following the order of PG > KF > PX > control. Food intake, body weight, meal pattern, behavioral satiety sequence, and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in cecal content were evaluated. KF and PG groups reduced the food intake, mainly due to the decreased feeding behavior and increased satiety, as indicated by decreased meal numbers and increased inter-meal intervals. Additionally, KF and PG groups increased concentrations of acetate acid, propionate acid, and SCFAs in the cecal contents. Our results indicate that SF with high WBC, SC, and fermentability reduces food intake—probably by promoting a feeling of satiety in rats to decrease their feeding behavior. PMID:27706095

Vibration Noise Modeling for Measurement While Drilling System Based on FOGs

PubMed Central

Zhang, Chunxi; Wang, Lu; Gao, Shuang; Lin, Tie; Li, Xianmu

2017-01-01

Aiming to improve survey accuracy of Measurement While Drilling (MWD) based on Fiber Optic Gyroscopes (FOGs) in the long period, the external aiding sources are fused into the inertial navigation by the Kalman filter (KF) method. The KF method needs to model the inertial sensors’ noise as the system noise model. The system noise is modeled as white Gaussian noise conventionally. However, because of the vibration while drilling, the noise in gyros isn’t white Gaussian noise any more. Moreover, an incorrect noise model will degrade the accuracy of KF. This paper developed a new approach for noise modeling on the basis of dynamic Allan variance (DAVAR). In contrast to conventional white noise models, the new noise model contains both the white noise and the color noise. With this new noise model, the KF for the MWD was designed. Finally, two vibration experiments have been performed. Experimental results showed that the proposed vibration noise modeling approach significantly improved the estimated accuracies of the inertial sensor drifts. Compared the navigation results based on different noise model, with the DAVAR noise model, the position error and the toolface angle error are reduced more than 90%. The velocity error is reduced more than 65%. The azimuth error is reduced more than 50%. PMID:29039815

Vibration Noise Modeling for Measurement While Drilling System Based on FOGs.

PubMed

Zhang, Chunxi; Wang, Lu; Gao, Shuang; Lin, Tie; Li, Xianmu

2017-10-17

Aiming to improve survey accuracy of Measurement While Drilling (MWD) based on Fiber Optic Gyroscopes (FOGs) in the long period, the external aiding sources are fused into the inertial navigation by the Kalman filter (KF) method. The KF method needs to model the inertial sensors' noise as the system noise model. The system noise is modeled as white Gaussian noise conventionally. However, because of the vibration while drilling, the noise in gyros isn't white Gaussian noise any more. Moreover, an incorrect noise model will degrade the accuracy of KF. This paper developed a new approach for noise modeling on the basis of dynamic Allan variance (DAVAR). In contrast to conventional white noise models, the new noise model contains both the white noise and the color noise. With this new noise model, the KF for the MWD was designed. Finally, two vibration experiments have been performed. Experimental results showed that the proposed vibration noise modeling approach significantly improved the estimated accuracies of the inertial sensor drifts. Compared the navigation results based on different noise model, with the DAVAR noise model, the position error and the toolface angle error are reduced more than 90%. The velocity error is reduced more than 65%. The azimuth error is reduced more than 50%.

Enriching and Separating Primary Copper Impurity from Pb-3 Mass Pct Cu Melt by Super-Gravity Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Yuhou; Song, Bo; Song, Gaoyang; Yang, Zhanbing; Xin, Wenbin

2016-10-01

In this study, super-gravity technology was introduced in the lead bullion-refining process to investigate the enriching and separating laws of copper impurity from Pb-3 mass pct Cu melt. With the gravity coefficient G = 700 at the cooling rate of ν = 5 K min-1, the entire copper phase gathers at the upper area of the sample, and it is hard to find any copper particles at the bottom area of the sample. The floatation movement of copper phase was greatly intensified by super gravity and the mass pct of copper in tailing lead is up to 8.631 pct, while that in the refined lead is only 0.113 pct. The refining rate of lead bullion reached up to 94.27 pct. Copper-phase impurity can be separated effectively from Pb-3 mass pct Cu melt by filtration method in super-gravity field, and the separation efficiency increased with the increasing gravity coefficient in the range of G ≥ 10. After filtration at 613 K (340 °C) with gravity coefficient G = 100 for 10 minutes, the refined lead, with just 0.157 mass pct copper impurity, was separated to the bottom of the crucible, and the copper dross containing only 23.56 mass pct residual lead was intercepted by the carbon fiber felt, leading to the separation efficiency up to 96.18 pct (meaning a great reduction in metal loss).

Simultaneous determination of dextrose, sucrose, maltose, and lactose in sausage products by liquid chromatography.

PubMed

Ali, M S

1988-01-01

A liquid chromatographic (LC) method for the simultaneous determination of dextrose, sucrose, maltose, and lactose in sausage products has been developed. Dextrose, sucrose, maltose, and lactose are extracted from comminuted meat products with 52% ethanol. After filtration, the extracts are purified by passing them through a C18 Sep-Pak cartridge and 2 ion exchange resin Econo-columns in series. After concentration and filtration, extracts are analyzed by LC using a normal phase amino column and a differential refractometer detector. Homogeneously ground samples of cooked and fresh sausages are fortified with dextrose, sucrose, maltose, and lactose at 4 different concentrations. Average recovery for dextrose, sucrose, maltose, and lactose at all 4 levels of fortification was greater than 80% with a coefficient of variation less than 10%.

Finite Element and Molecular Dynamics Modeling and Simulation of Thermal Properties

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-06-01

dots represent the experimental results of the normalized conductivity data ke/kf (ke is κ of the composite, kf is κ of the fluid) CNT in oil ...individual Single Walled Nanotube to four centimeters in length. [4] 6 Carbon based materials, in-plane pyrolytic graphite and diamonds, have the...conductivity of nanocomposites has not yet been achieved. A 2001 experiment studied the thermal conductivity of oil with CNT in suspension. The results

Prevalence and molecular characterization of Hepatozoon canis in dogs from urban and rural areas in Southeast Brazil.

PubMed

de Miranda, R L; O'Dwyer, L H; de Castro, J R; Metzger, B; Rubini, A S; Mundim, A V; Eyal, O; Talmi-Frank, D; Cury, M C; Baneth, G

2014-10-01

The objective of this survey was to investigate the prevalence of Hepatozoon infection in dogs in the rural and urban areas of Uberlândia, Brazil by PCR and molecular characterization. DNA was obtained from blood samples collected from 346 local dogs from both genders and various ages. Seventeen PCR products from positive blood samples of urban dogs and 13 from the rural dogs were sequenced. Partial sequences of the 18S rRNA gene indicated that all 30 dogs were infected with Hepatozoon canis similar in sequence to H. canis from southern Europe. Four local dog sequences were submitted to GenBank (accessions JN835188; KF692038; KF692039; KF692040). This study indicates that H. canis is the cause of canine hepatozoonosis in Uberlândia and that infection is similarly widespread in rural and urban dogs. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Effect of single flame retardant aluminum tri-hydroxide and boric acid against inflammability and biodegradability of recycled PP/KF composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suharty, Neng Sri; Dihardjo, Kuncoro; Handayani, Desi Suci; Firdaus, Maulidan

2016-03-01

Composites rPP/DVB/AA/KF had been reactively synthesized in melt using starting material: recycled polypropylene (rPP), kenaf fiber (KF), multifunctional compound acrylic acid (AA), compatibilizer divinyl benzene (DVB). To improve the inflammability of composites, single flame retardant aluminum tri-hydroxide (ATH) and boric acid (BA) as an additive was added. The inflammability of the composites was tested according to ASTM D635. By using 20% ATH and 5% BA additive in the composites it is effectively inhibiting its time to ignition (TTI). Its burning rate (BR) can be reduced and its heat realease (%HR) decreases. The biodegradability of composites was quantified by its losing weight (LW) of composites after buried for 4 months in the media with rich cellulolytic bacteria. The result shows that the LW of composites in the presence 20% ATH and 5% BA is 6.3%.

Separating DDTs in edible animal fats using matrix solid-phase dispersion extraction with activated carbon filter, Toyobo-KF.

PubMed

Furusawa, Naoto

2006-09-01

A technique is presented for the economical, routine, and quantitative analysis of contamination by dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethanes (DDTs) [pp'-DDT, pp'-dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethylene, and pp'-dichlorodiphenyl dichloreothane in beef tallow and chicken fat samples, based on their separation using matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) extraction with Toyobo-KF, an activated carbon fiber. Toyobo-KF is a newly applied MSPD sorbent, and it is followed by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with a photodiode array detector. The resulting analytical performance parameters [recoveries of spiked DDTs (0.1, 0.2, and 0.4 microg/g) > or = 81%, with relative standard deviations of < or = 8% (n = 5), and quantitation limits < or = 0.03 microg/g], with minimal handling and cost-efficiency, indicate that the present MSPD-HPLC method may be a useful tool for routine monitoring of DDT contamination in meat.

Ensemble-based simultaneous state and parameter estimation for treatment of mesoscale model error: A real-data study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Xiao-Ming; Zhang, Fuqing; Nielsen-Gammon, John W.

2010-04-01

This study explores the treatment of model error and uncertainties through simultaneous state and parameter estimation (SSPE) with an ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) in the simulation of a 2006 air pollution event over the greater Houston area during the Second Texas Air Quality Study (TexAQS-II). Two parameters in the atmospheric boundary layer parameterization associated with large model sensitivities are combined with standard prognostic variables in an augmented state vector to be continuously updated through assimilation of wind profiler observations. It is found that forecasts of the atmosphere with EnKF/SSPE are markedly improved over experiments with no state and/or parameter estimation. More specifically, the EnKF/SSPE is shown to help alleviate a near-surface cold bias and to alter the momentum mixing in the boundary layer to produce more realistic wind profiles.

The Impact of Ensemble Kalman Filter Assimilation of Near-Surface Observations on the Predictability of Atmospheric Conditions over Complex Terrain: Results from Recent MATERHORN Field Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pu, Z.; Zhang, H.

2013-12-01

Near-surface atmospheric observations are the main conventional observations for weather forecasts. However, in modern numerical weather prediction, the use of surface observations, especially those data over complex terrain, remains a unique challenge. There are fundamental difficulties in assimilating surface observations with three-dimensional variational data assimilation (3DVAR). In our early study[1] (Pu et al. 2013), a series of observing system simulation experiments was performed with the ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) and compared with 3DVAR for its ability to assimilate surface observations with 3DVAR. Using the advanced research version of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model, results demonstrate that the EnKF can overcome some fundamental limitations that 3DVAR has in assimilating surface observations over complex terrain. Specifically, through its flow-dependent background error term, the EnKF produces more realistic analysis increments over complex terrain in general. Over complex terrain, the EnKF clearly performs better than 3DVAR, because it is more capable of handling surface data in the presence of terrain misrepresentation. With this presentation, we further examine the impact of EnKF data assimilation on the predictability of atmospheric conditions over complex terrain with the WRF model and the observations obtained from the most recent field experiments of the Mountain Terrain Atmospheric Modeling and Observations (MATERHORN) Program. The MATERHORN program provides comprehensive observations over mountainous regions, allowing the opportunity to study the predictability of atmospheric conditions over complex terrain in great details. Specifically, during fall 2012 and spring 2013, comprehensive observations were collected of soil states, surface energy budgets, near-surface atmospheric conditions, and profiling measurements from multiple platforms (e.g., balloon, lidar, radiosondes, etc.) over Dugway Proving Ground (DPG), Utah. With the near-surface observations and sounding data obtained during the MATERHORN fall 2012 field experiment, a month-long cycled EnKF analysis and forecast was produced with the WRF model and an advanced EnKF data assimilation system. Results are compared with the WRF near real-time forecasting during the same month and a set of analysis with 3DVAR data assimilation. Overall evaluation suggests some useful insights on the impacts of different data assimilation methods, surface and soil states, terrain representation on the predictability of atmospheric conditions over mountainous terrain. Details will be presented. References [1] Pu, Z., H. Zhang, and J. A. Anderson,. 'Ensemble Kalman filter assimilation of near-surface observations over complex terrain: Comparison with 3DVAR for short-range forecasts.' Tellus A, vol. 65,19620. 2013. http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/tellusa.v65i0. 19620.

Physical characteristics of the gonadotropin receptor-hormone complexes formed in vivo and in vitro.

PubMed Central

Dufau, M L; Podesta, E J; Catt, K J

1975-01-01

The physical properties of detergent-solubilized gonadotropin receptor-hormone complexes, determined by density gradient centrifugation and gel filtration, were compared after in vivo and in vitro labeling of specific ovarian binding sites with radioiodinated human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Following intravenous administration of biologically active 125I-labeled hCG, up to 50% of the gonadotropin tracer was bound to the luteinized ovaries of immature female rats treated with pregnant mare serum/human chorionic gonadotropin. Comparable binding of 125I-labeled hCG was observed after equilibration of ovarian particles with the labeled hormone in vitro. The sedimentation properties of the solubilized receptor-hormone complexes formed in vivo were identical with those derived for the corresponding complexes formed in vitro and extracted with Triton X-100 and Lubrol PX, with sedimentation constants of 8.8 S for the Triton-solubilized complex and 7.0 S for the complex extracted with Lubrol PX. During analytical gel filtration of the Triton-solubilized receptor-hormone complex on Sepharose 6B in 0.1% Triton X-100, the partition coefficient (Kav) of the "in vivo" complex (0.32) was not significantly different from that of the complex formed in vitro (0.29). Gel filtration of the Lubrol-solubilized ovarian particles on Sepharose 6B in 0.5% Lubrol PX gave Kav values for the "in vivo" and "in vitro" labeled complexes of 0.36 and 0.32, respectively. These findings demonstrate that the physical properties of size and shape which determine the partition coefficient and sedimentation characteristics of detergent-solubilized gonadotropin receptor-hormone complexes formed in vitro are not distinguishable from those of the complexes extracted after specific interaction of the ovarian gonadotropin receptors with radioiodinated hCG in vivo. PMID:165502

Comparison between Different Measures of Body Fat with Kidney Function Decline and Incident CKD.

PubMed

Madero, Magdalena; Katz, Ronit; Murphy, Rachel; Newman, Anne; Patel, Kushang; Ix, Joachim; Peralta, Carmen; Satterfield, Suzanne; Fried, Linda; Shlipak, Michael; Sarnak, Mark

2017-06-07

Although anthropometric measures of body fat are associated with development of CKD, they may not be able to distinguish between various forms of fat and therefore may be less accurate than computed tomography (CT) measures. We compared the association of CT and anthropometric measures of obesity with kidney outcomes in the Health Aging and Body Composition Study. Participants were recruited from March of 1997 through July of 1998. CT measures included visceral abdominal fat (VAT), subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), and intermuscular fat area (IMAT), whereas anthropometric measures included waist circumference (WC) and body mass index (BMI). Kidney outcomes included kidney function (KF) decline (30% decrease in eGFR cysC in follow-up at either year 3 or 10) or incident CKD (follow-up eGFR cysC ≤60 ml/min per 1.73 m 2 in individuals with baseline GFR>60 ml/min per 1.73 m 2 ). Multivariable logistic regression models and Poisson regression models were used to evaluate the association with decline in KF and incident kidney disease, respectively. We also assessed for the independent associations among the exposure measures by including them in the same model. Two-thousand four-hundred and eighty-nine individuals were included. Mean age was 74±3 years, 49% were men, 39% were black, 59% were hypertensive, and 15% were diabetic. KF decline occurred in 17% of the population, whereas incident CKD also occurred in 17% of those at risk. In continuous models, SAT, VAT, IMAT, BMI, and WC (per SD increase) were all significantly associated with KF decline. There was a significant interaction between VAT and CKD with regard to KF decline ( P =0.01). Only VAT, BMI, and WC were associated with incident CKD. Only VAT remained a significant risk factor for incident CKD when other exposure variables were included in the same model. There was no association between any measure of obesity and kidney outcomes when creatinine values at years 3 and 10 were used to estimate changes in eGFR. Anthropometric measures of body fat appear to provide as consistent estimates of KF decline risk as CT measures in elders. Copyright © 2017 by the American Society of Nephrology.

Can we use photography to estimate radiation interception by a crop canopy?

PubMed

Chakwizira, E; Meenken, E D; George, M J; Fletcher, A L

2015-03-01

Accuracy of determining radiation interception, and hence radiation use efficiency, depends on the method of measuring photosynthetically active radiation intercepted. Methods vary, from expensive instruments such as Sunfleck ceptometers to simple methods such as digital photography. However, before universal use of digital photography there is need to determine its reliability and compare it with conventional, but expensive, methods. In a series of experiments at Lincoln, New Zealand, canopy development for barley, wheat, white clover and four forage brassica species was determined using both digital photographs and Sunfleck ceptometer. Values obtained were used to calculate conversion coefficient (Kf/Ki) ratios between the two methods. Digital photographs were taken at 45° and 90° for barley, wheat and white clover and at only 90° for brassicas. There was an interaction of effects of crop and cultivar for the cereal crops. Barley closed canopies earlier than wheat, and 'Emir' barley and 'Stettler' wheat had consistently higher canopy cover than 'Golden Promise' and 'HY459', respectively. Canopy cover was consistently larger at 45° than 90° for cereals. However, for white clover, the angle of digital photography was not important. There was also an interaction between effects of species and method of determining canopy cover for brassicas. Photographs gave higher cover values than ceptometer for forage rape and turnip, but the relationship was variable for forage kale and swede. Kf/Ki ratios of 1.0-1.10 for cereals, white clover and forage rape and turnip show that digital photographs can be used to estimated radiation interception, in place of Sunfleck ceptometer, for these crops. © 2014 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

Adsorption and desorption of glyphosate in Mollisols and Ultisols soils of Argentina

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gomez Ortiz, Ana Maria; Okada, Elena; Costa, Jose Luis; Bedmar, Francisco

2017-04-01

Glyphosate is the most used pesticide in Argentina. About 200 million liters of its commercial product are annually applied, representing nearly 60% of the total amount of the commercialized pesticides. This massive use is attributed to the widespread adoption of no-till management combined with genetically modified crops that are glyphosate resistant (e.g. soybean, maize, cotton). In this way, the use of glyphosate has created great concern regarding the potential negative impacts it may have in the environment. The adsorption-desorption process of glyphosate was studied in three Argentinean soils (two Mollisols and one Ultisol) with contrasting properties: organic carbon (1.3-3.4%), clay (14.7-78.5%), pH (5.4-6.3), P Bray (7.6-29.6 mg/kg), total Fe (0.81-8.4%), and Al3+ (0.11-0.69 meq/100 g). Glyphosate adsorption isotherms were modeled using the Freundlich equation to estimate the adsorption coefficient (Kf). In general, glyphosate adsorption was high and the Kf values varied from 115.6 to 1612 (R2 = 0.94-0.99). The main factors controlling adsorption were clay content, total Fe, Al3+, P Bray and soil pH. Decreased hysteresis desorption was found in one of the Mollisols soils with the lowest contents of Al3+, Fe, and clay, as well as high pH and P Bray. In that soil, 12.2% of glyphosate was desorbed after three washing steps indicating a higher potential environmental risk. Results of this study contribute to the knowledge about glyphosate retention in soils and allows the identification of behavior patterns of this extensively applied herbicide in different edaphic scenarios. This is of major importance for the development of decision making tools and criteria to reduce the potential negative impacts on soil and groundwater resources.

Adsorption and leaching behaviour of bispyribac-sodium in soils.

PubMed

Singh, Neera; Singh, S B

2015-01-01

Adsorption-desorption of the herbicide bispyribac-sodium was studied in four Indian soil types. Bispyribac-sodium was poorly adsorbed in the four soils and adsorption decreased with an increase in the herbicide concentration in solution. Freundlich adsorption coefficient (Kf) values for bispyribac-sodium ranged between 0.37 and 0.87. Slope (1/n) values varied from 0.2 to 0.31 suggesting that bispyribac-sodium adsorption was highly dependent on its initial concentration in solution. Bispyribac-sodium adsorption showed a positive correlation with soil pH (r = 0.809) and clay content (r = 0.699) while no correlation was observed with the organic carbon (r = 0.063) content. Sorbed herbicide was completely desorbed during a single desorption step suggesting that the herbicide was bound by weak adsorptive forces. Leaching studies of herbicide in soil 1 packed column indicated complete loss of soil applied herbicide under a simulated rainfall equivalent to 162 mm.

[Simulation of cropland soil moisture based on an ensemble Kalman filter].

PubMed

Liu, Zhao; Zhou, Yan-Lian; Ju, Wei-Min; Gao, Ping

2011-11-01

By using an ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) to assimilate the observed soil moisture data, the modified boreal ecosystem productivity simulator (BEPS) model was adopted to simulate the dynamics of soil moisture in winter wheat root zones at Xuzhou Agro-meteorological Station, Jiangsu Province of China during the growth seasons in 2000-2004. After the assimilation of observed data, the determination coefficient, root mean square error, and average absolute error of simulated soil moisture were in the ranges of 0.626-0.943, 0.018-0.042, and 0.021-0.041, respectively, with the simulation precision improved significantly, as compared with that before assimilation, indicating the applicability of data assimilation in improving the simulation of soil moisture. The experimental results at single point showed that the errors in the forcing data and observations and the frequency and soil depth of the assimilation of observed data all had obvious effects on the simulated soil moisture.

The role of model dynamics in ensemble Kalman filter performance for chaotic systems

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ng, G.-H.C.; McLaughlin, D.; Entekhabi, D.; Ahanin, A.

2011-01-01

The ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) is susceptible to losing track of observations, or 'diverging', when applied to large chaotic systems such as atmospheric and ocean models. Past studies have demonstrated the adverse impact of sampling error during the filter's update step. We examine how system dynamics affect EnKF performance, and whether the absence of certain dynamic features in the ensemble may lead to divergence. The EnKF is applied to a simple chaotic model, and ensembles are checked against singular vectors of the tangent linear model, corresponding to short-term growth and Lyapunov vectors, corresponding to long-term growth. Results show that the ensemble strongly aligns itself with the subspace spanned by unstable Lyapunov vectors. Furthermore, the filter avoids divergence only if the full linearized long-term unstable subspace is spanned. However, short-term dynamics also become important as non-linearity in the system increases. Non-linear movement prevents errors in the long-term stable subspace from decaying indefinitely. If these errors then undergo linear intermittent growth, a small ensemble may fail to properly represent all important modes, causing filter divergence. A combination of long and short-term growth dynamics are thus critical to EnKF performance. These findings can help in developing practical robust filters based on model dynamics. ?? 2011 The Authors Tellus A ?? 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Mass size distribution of particle-bound water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Canepari, S.; Simonetti, G.; Perrino, C.

2017-09-01

The thermal-ramp Karl-Fisher method (tr-KF) for the determination of PM-bound water has been applied to size-segregated PM samples collected in areas subjected to different environmental conditions (protracted atmospheric stability, desert dust intrusion, urban atmosphere). This method, based on the use of a thermal ramp for the desorption of water from PM samples and the subsequent analysis by the coulometric KF technique, had been previously shown to differentiate water contributes retained with different strength and associated to different chemical components in the atmospheric aerosol. The application of the method to size-segregated samples has revealed that water showed a typical mass size distribution in each one of the three environmental situations that were taken into consideration. A very similar size distribution was shown by the chemical PM components that prevailed during each event: ammonium nitrate in the case of atmospheric stability, crustal species in the case of desert dust, road-dust components in the case of urban sites. The shape of the tr-KF curve varied according to the size of the collected particles. Considering the size ranges that better characterize the event (fine fraction for atmospheric stability, coarse fraction for dust intrusion, bi-modal distribution for urban dust), this shape is coherent with the typical tr-KF shape shown by water bound to the chemical species that predominate in the same PM size range (ammonium nitrate, crustal species, secondary/combustion species - road dust components).

A novel dual vector coexpressing PhiX174 lysis E gene and staphylococcal nuclease A gene on the basis of lambda promoter pR and pL, respectively.

PubMed

Fu, Lixia; Lu, Chengping

2013-06-01

Bacterial ghost is a novel vaccine platform, and its safe and efficient production depends largely upon a suitable and functional vector. In this study, a series of temperature-inducible plasmids, carrying Phix174 lysis gene E and/or staphylococcal nuclease A (SNA) gene, were constructed and evaluated in Escherichia coli. The results showed that the direct product of SNA (pBV220-SNA) could degrade the plasmid and genomic DNA of E. coli while the fusion product of gene E and partial Cro gene (pKF396M-2) lost the ability to lyse the host strain. The insertion of enhancer T7g10 elements and Shine-Dalgarno box (ESD) between them (pKF396M-3) could resume the function of gene E. Using plasmid pKF396M-4 with gene E and SNA, respectively, under the immediate control of promoter pR and pL, the remnant plasmids and genomic DNA of E. coli were eliminated, and the rates of inactivation increased by two orders of magnitude over that obtained with the exclusive use of E-mediated lysis plasmid. By substituting these two genes with customized multiple cloning sites sequences, the plasmid could be modified to a dual expression vector (pKF396M-5).

Ensemble Kalman Filter versus Ensemble Smoother for Data Assimilation in Groundwater Modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, L.; Cao, Z.; Zhou, H.

2017-12-01

Groundwater modeling calls for an effective and robust integrating method to fill the gap between the model and data. The Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF), a real-time data assimilation method, has been increasingly applied in multiple disciplines such as petroleum engineering and hydrogeology. In this approach, the groundwater models are sequentially updated using measured data such as hydraulic head and concentration data. As an alternative to the EnKF, the Ensemble Smoother (ES) was proposed with updating models using all the data together, and therefore needs a much less computational cost. To further improve the performance of the ES, an iterative ES was proposed for continuously updating the models by assimilating measurements together. In this work, we compare the performance of the EnKF, the ES and the iterative ES using a synthetic example in groundwater modeling. The hydraulic head data modeled on the basis of the reference conductivity field are utilized to inversely estimate conductivities at un-sampled locations. Results are evaluated in terms of the characterization of conductivity and groundwater flow and solute transport predictions. It is concluded that: (1) the iterative ES could achieve a comparable result with the EnKF, but needs a less computational cost; (2) the iterative ES has the better performance than the ES through continuously updating. These findings suggest that the iterative ES should be paid much more attention for data assimilation in groundwater modeling.

Effects of dietary fibers with high water-binding capacity and swelling capacity on gastrointestinal functions, food intake and body weight in male rats.

PubMed

Tan, Chengquan; Wei, Hongkui; Zhao, Xichen; Xu, Chuanhui; Peng, Jian

2017-01-01

Objective : The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of supplementation of dietary soluble fibers with high water-binding capacity (WBC) and swelling capacity (SC) on gastrointestinal tract mass, physicochemical properties of digesta, gastrointestinal mean retention time (MRT), body weight, and food intake in male rats. Methods : Thirty-two male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized to four equal groups and fed the control diet or diet containing 2% konjac flour (KF), pregelatinized waxy maize starch plus guar gum (PWMS+GG), andPWMS plus xanthan gum (PWMS+XG) for three weeks. Results : WBC and SC of diets followed the order of PWMS+GG > KF > PWMS + XG > control. PWMS+GG and KF groups had a lower average daily food intake than the control group, but all the groups showed no difference in final body weightand the weight gain rate. The high WBC and SC of the PWMS+GG and KF groupsled to an increase of WBC and SC in the stomach digesta, and a gain of the cecal digesta weight, due to increased cecal moisture content. Conclusion : The inclusion of the novel fiber, PWMS+GG, in the diet of male rats appears to facilitate the modulation of WBC and SC of stomach digesta and the reduction of food intake.

Supporting Operational Data Assimilation Capabilities to the Research Community

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shao, H.; Hu, M.; Stark, D. R.; Zhou, C.; Beck, J.; Ge, G.

2017-12-01

The Developmental Testbed Center (DTC), in partnership with the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) and other operational and research institutions, provides operational data assimilation capabilities to the research community and helps transition research advances to operations. The primary data assimilation system supported currently by the DTC is the Gridpoint Statistical Interpolation (GSI) system and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) system. GSI is a variational based system being used for daily operations at NOAA, NCEP, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and other operational agencies. Recently, GSI has evolved into a four-dimensional EnVar system. Since 2009, the DTC has been releasing the GSI code to the research community annually and providing user support. In addition to GSI, the DTC, in 2015, began supporting the ensemble based EnKF data assimilation system. EnKF shares the observation operator with GSI and therefore, just as GSI, can assimilate both conventional and non-conventional data (e.g., satellite radiance). Currently, EnKF is being implemented as part of the GSI based hybrid EnVar system for NCEP Global Forecast System operations. This paper will summarize the current code management and support framework for these two systems. Following that is a description of available community services and facilities. Also presented is the pathway for researchers to contribute their development to the daily operations of these data assimilation systems.

Deriving adaptive operating rules of hydropower reservoirs using time-varying parameters generated by the EnKF

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Maoyuan; Liu, Pan; Guo, Shenglian; Shi, Liangsheng; Deng, Chao; Ming, Bo

2017-08-01

Operating rules have been used widely to decide reservoir operations because of their capacity for coping with uncertain inflow. However, stationary operating rules lack adaptability; thus, under changing environmental conditions, they cause inefficient reservoir operation. This paper derives adaptive operating rules based on time-varying parameters generated using the ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF). A deterministic optimization model is established to obtain optimal water releases, which are further taken as observations of the reservoir simulation model. The EnKF is formulated to update the operating rules sequentially, providing a series of time-varying parameters. To identify the index that dominates the variations of the operating rules, three hydrologic factors are selected: the reservoir inflow, ratio of future inflow to current available water, and available water. Finally, adaptive operating rules are derived by fitting the time-varying parameters with the identified dominant hydrologic factor. China's Three Gorges Reservoir was selected as a case study. Results show that (1) the EnKF has the capability of capturing the variations of the operating rules, (2) reservoir inflow is the factor that dominates the variations of the operating rules, and (3) the derived adaptive operating rules are effective in improving hydropower benefits compared with stationary operating rules. The insightful findings of this study could be used to help adapt reservoir operations to mitigate the effects of changing environmental conditions.

Predicting membrane flux decline from complex mixtures using flow-field flow fractionation measurements and semi-empirical theory.

PubMed

Pellegrino, J; Wright, S; Ranvill, J; Amy, G

2005-01-01

Flow-Field Flow Fractionation (FI-FFF) is an idealization of the cross flow membrane filtration process in that, (1) the filtration flux and crossflow velocity are constant from beginning to end of the device, (2) the process is a relatively well-defined laminar-flow hydrodynamic condition, and (3) the solutes are introduced as a pulse-input that spreads due to interactions with each other and the membrane in the dilute-solution limit. We have investigated the potential for relating FI-FFF measurements to membrane fouling. An advection-dispersion transport model was used to provide 'ideal' (defined as spherical, non-interacting solutes) solute residence time distributions (RTDs) for comparison with 'real' RTDs obtained experimentally at different cross-field velocities and solution ionic strength. An RTD moment analysis based on a particle diameter probability density function was used to extract "effective" characteristic properties, rather than uniquely defined characteristics, of the standard solute mixture. A semi-empirical unsteady-state, flux decline model was developed that uses solute property parameters. Three modes of flux decline are included: (1) concentration polarization, (2) cake buildup, and (3) adsorption on/in pores, We have used this model to test the hypothesis-that an analysis of a residence time distribution using FI-FFF can describe 'effective' solute properties or indices that can be related to membrane flux decline in crossflow membrane filtration. Constant flux filtration studies included the changes of transport hydrodynamics (solvent flux to solute back diffusion (J/k) ratios), solution ionic strength, and feed water composition for filtration using a regenerated cellulose ultrafiltration membrane. Tests of the modeling hypothesis were compared with experimental results from the filtration measurements using several correction parameters based on the mean and variance of the solute RTDs. The corrections used to modify the boundary layer mass transfer coefficient and the specific resistance of cake or adsorption layers demonstrated that RTD analysis is potentially useful technique to describe colloid properties but requires improvements.

Clinical Relevance of Differences in Glomerular Filtration Rate Estimations in Frail Older People by Creatinine- vs. Cystatin C-Based Formulae.

PubMed

Jacobs, Anne; Benraad, Carolien; Wetzels, Jack; Rikkert, Marcel Olde; Kramers, Cornelis

2017-06-01

The risk of incorrect medication dosing is high in frail older people. Therefore, accurate assessment of the glomerular filtration rate is important. The objective of this study was to compare the estimated glomerular filtration rate using creatinine- and cystatin C-based formulae, the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) equations, in frail older people. We hypothesized that frailty determines the difference between the creatinine- and cystatin C-based formulae. The mean difference between CKD-EPI creatinine and cystatin C was determined using (cross-sectional) data of 55 patients (mean age 73 years) admitted to a psychiatric ward for older adults. The level of agreement of these estimations was assessed by a Bland-Altman analysis. In all patients, the Rockwood's Frailty Index was derived and correlated with the mean difference between CKD-EPI creatinine and cystatin C. The mean difference between CKD-EPI creatinine (mean 71.2 mL/min/1.73 m 2 ) and CKD-EPI cystatin C (mean 57.6 mL/min/1.73 m 2 ) was 13.6 mL/min/1.73 m 2 (p < 0.0001). The two standard deviation limit in the Bland-Altman plot was large (43.2 mL/min/1.73 m 2 ), which represents a low level of agreement. The Frailty Index did not correlate with the mean difference between the creatinine- and cystatin C-based glomerular filtration rate (Pearson correlation coefficient 0.182, p = 0.184). There was a significant gap between a creatinine- and cystatin C-based estimation of glomerular filtration rate, irrespective of frailty. The range of differences between the commonly used estimated glomerular filtration rate formulae might result in clinically relevant differences in drug prescription and differences in chronic kidney disease staging.

[Development and evaluation of a dance-based exercise therapy for patients with haemophilia].

PubMed

Czepa, D; van Ravenstein, S; Stäuber, F; Hilberg, T

2013-01-01

So far, the use of methods derived from creative arts has not been considered in the haemophilia treatment. The AIM was to investigate the expectations for a dance-based exercise therapy for patients with haemophilia and the extent of its acceptance. The one-hour dance-based exercise therapy was offered to 30 haemophilia patients (HI30) (49 ± 11, 30-67 years). For the evaluation of expectations, questionnaires were created and filled out by participants before and after the intervention. Additionally, 19 haemophilia patients (HF) and 20 controls without haemophilia (KF) who did not participate in the intervention were also questioned. The RESULTS show that haemophilia patients have more experience in dance than controls (HI30:62%, HF:74%, KF:45%). In contrast, the proportion of those who are currently dancing is higher in controls without haemophilia (HI30: 17%, HF: 10%, KF:26%). The termination of dance activity in patients with haemophilia who were part of the intervention was mainly due to pain (HI30: 40%, HF: 29%, KF: 0%), whereby controls without intervention terminated the dance activity mainly due to lack of time (HI30: 30%, HF: 57%, KF: 56%). Ultimately, 24 out of 30 patients with haemophilia (HI24) completed the intervention. All HI24 met their expectations. 38% felt limited by haemophilia while carrying out the exercises. The majority of the participants were able to follow the exercises well (96%) and were did not overstrain physically (92%) nor mentally (87%), also 79% did not have pain. 23 of HI24 (96%) can envision a continuation of the dance-based exercise therapy. The experience with the dance-based exercise therapy was predominantly positive. It represents an alternative sports therapy programme for patients with haemophilia. Further studies are needed in order to make statements concerning the long-term use of such training.

Impact of 10-Minute Interval Roller Massage on Performance and Active Range of Motion.

PubMed

Hodgson, D D; Quigley, P J; Whitten, J H D; Reid, J C; Behm, David G

2017-11-16

Hodgson, DD, Quigley, PJ, Whitten, JHD, Reid, JC, and Behm, DG. Impact of 10-minute interval roller massage on performance and active range of motion. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2017-Roller massage (RM) has been shown to increase range of motion (ROM) without subsequent performance deficits. However, prolonged static stretching (SS) can induce performance impairments. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of combining SS and RM with and without subsequent RM on ROM and neuromuscular performance. Subjects (n = 12) participated in 5 sessions: (a) SS only (SS_rest), (b) SS + RM (SS + RM_rest), (c) SS with RM at 10 and 20 minutes after stretch (SS_RM), (d) SS + RM with RM at 10 and 20 minutes after stretch (SS + RM_RM), and (e) control. For the SS conditions, the quadriceps and hamstrings received passive SS for 2 × 30 seconds each. For the SS + RM conditions, SS was applied to the quadriceps and hamstrings for 30 seconds each, and RM was performed for 30 seconds per muscle. SS_RM and SS + RM_RM conditions received an additional 30-second RM at 10 and 20 minutes after warm-up, whereas sessions without additional RM rested for the same duration. Testing measures included hip flexion (HF) and knee flexion (KF) active and passive ROM, hurdle jump height and contact time, countermovement jump height, and maximal voluntary isometric contraction force. Initial KF and HF ROM improvements provided by SS_RM and SS + RM_RM were sustained up to 30 minutes after intervention. Furthermore, SS_RM exhibited greater ROM compared with sessions lacking additional RM in active and passive HF as well as active and passive KF. Similarly, SS + RM_RM elicited greater KF and HF ROM improvements than SS_rest. In conclusion, active KF and HF ROM improvements were prolonged by additional RM, whereas neuromuscular performance remained relatively unaffected.

A5 region modulation of the cardiorespiratory responses evoked from parabrachial cell bodies in the anaesthetised rat.

PubMed

Dawid Milner, M S; Lara, J P; López de Miguel, M P; López-González, M V; Spyer, K M; González-Barón, S

2003-08-22

We have examined the importance of the A5 region modulating cardiorespiratory responses evoked from the parabrachial complex (PB) in spontaneously breathing rats. Cardiorespiratory changes were analyzed in response to electrical stimulation and glutamate microinjections into the PB (10-20 nl, 1-2 nmol) before and after ipsilateral microinjection of muscimol (50 nl, 0.25 nmol) or lidocaine (50 nl, 0.5 nmol) within the A5 region. Stimulation of medial parabrachial and Kölliker-Fuse nuclei (mPB-KF) evoked a decrease in respiratory rate (P<0.001) with a rise in blood pressure (P<0.001) and heart rate (P<0.05). After muscimol or lidocaine microinjections within the A5 region, the pressor and heart rate responses to mPB-KF stimulation were reduced (P<0.05, both cases). Muscimol within the A5 region altered the respiratory response to glutamate stimulation of mPB-KF, evoking an increase in respiratory rate (P<0.05). Lidocaine abolished the respiratory response to mPB-KF stimulation. Stimulation of the lateral parabrachial nuclei (lPB) caused an increase in respiratory rate (P<0.001) with a rise in blood pressure (P<0.001) and heart rate (P<0.05). Muscimol or lidocaine microinjections within A5 region decreased heart rate (P<0.05) and pressor responses (P<0.05) evoked from lPB. The increase of respiratory rate persisted unchanged. To confirm functional interactions between A5 and PB, extracellular recordings of putative A5 neurones were obtained during PB stimulation. Eighty-three A5 cells were recorded, 35 were activated from the mPB-KF (42%). The results indicate that neurones of the A5 region participate in the cardiorespiratory response evoked from the different regions of the PB complex. The possible mechanisms involved in these interactions are discussed.

Constraining the Protolith of Large, Macroscopically Layered Kyanite-bearing Eclogite Xenoliths from the Kaapvaal Craton, South Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rebelo, C. C.; Gurney, J. J.; Richardson, S. H.; Shaw-Kahle, B.

2015-12-01

We describe the geochemistry of a suite of ten layered, kyanite-bearing eclogites from the Roberts Victor kimberlite, Kaapvaal Craton, South Africa. All samples are characterized by clear zonation corresponding to the presence or absence of kyanite and the state of preservation of clinopyroxene. The sampled zones are defined as KF (free of kyanite, with well-preserved garnet and clinopyroxene), KZ (preserved clinopyroxene is absent; garnet occurs with kyanite); and TZ (partially preserved clinopyroxene and more altered garnet; kyanite may or may not be present). We report on results of petrographic observations, mineral chemistry, and trace element and oxygen isotope analyses for the different zones. Results from adjacent zones are presented as geochemical transects perpendicular to the layering for each xenolith. We use the results to infer the geochemical evolution of likely protoliths for the various samples. Mineral chemistry of garnets across the different zones shows decreasing FeO*, Cr2O3, MgO and MnO and increasing in CaO from KF into KZ. Clinopyroxene shows increasing in Al2O3 and Na2O from KF into KZ. Clinopyroxenes approach a more jadeitic composition towards the KZ and are more diopsidic in KF. Trace element analyses were conducted with laser ablation ICP-MS on hand-picked mineral separates. Garnets show subchondritic LREE depletion and superchondritic HREE enrichment in both KF and KZ. Positive europium anomalies in garnet are present in all zones, with relatively larger anomalies in garnet grains from KZ. Preserved clinopyroxenes show complementary REE patterns to garnet grains, with superchondritic LREEs and subchondritic HREEs. For the suite of xenoliths, results from mass spectrometry on oxygen extracted by laser fluorination on mineral separates show that δ18O values are above the accepted mantle value and fall within the range of hydrothermally altered oceanic crustal material. At this stage of the research, the bulk protolith is interpreted to be of crustal origin.

Serum Creatinine: Not So Simple!

PubMed

Delanaye, Pierre; Cavalier, Etienne; Pottel, Hans

2017-01-01

Measuring serum creatinine is cheap and commonly done in daily practice. However, interpretation of serum creatinine results is not always easy. In this review, we will briefly remind the physiological limitations of serum creatinine due notably to its tubular secretion and the influence of muscular mass or protein intake on its concentration. We mainly focus on the analytical limitations of serum creatinine, insisting on important concept such as reference intervals, standardization (and IDMS traceability), analytical interferences, analytical coefficient of variation (CV), biological CV and critical difference. Because the relationship between serum creatinine and glomerular filtration rate is hyperbolic, all these CVs will impact not only the precision of serum creatinine but still more the precision of different creatinine-based equations, especially in low or normal-low creatinine levels (or high or normal-high glomerular filtration rate range). © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Performance of the chronic kidney disease-epidemiology study equations for estimating glomerular filtration rate before and after nephrectomy.

PubMed

Lane, Brian R; Demirjian, Sevag; Weight, Christopher J; Larson, Benjamin T; Poggio, Emilio D; Campbell, Steven C

2010-03-01

Accurate renal function determination before and after nephrectomy is essential for proper prevention and management of chronic kidney disease due to nephron loss and ischemic injury. We compared the estimated glomerular filtration rate using several serum creatinine based formulas against the measured rate based on (125)I-iothalamate clearance to determine which most accurately reflects the rate in this setting. Of 7,611 patients treated at our institution since 1975 the measured glomerular filtration rate was selectively determined before and after nephrectomy in 268 and 157, respectively. Performance of the Cockcroft-Gault, Modification of Diet in Renal Disease Study, re-expressed Modification of Diet in Renal Disease Study and Chronic Kidney Disease-Epidemiology Study equations, each of which estimates the glomerular filtration rate, were determined using serum creatinine, age, gender, weight and body surface area. The performance of serum creatinine, reciprocal serum creatinine and the 4 formulas was compared with the measured rate using Pearson's correlation, Lin's concordance coefficient and residual plots. Median serum creatinine was 1.4 mg/dl and the median measured glomerular filtration rate was 50 ml per minute per 1.73 m(2). The correlation between serum creatinine and the measured rate was poor (-0.66) compared with that of reciprocal serum creatinine (0.78) and the 4 equations (0.82 to 0.86). The Chronic Kidney Disease-Epidemiology Study equation performed with greatest precision and accuracy, and least bias of all equations. Stage 3 or greater chronic kidney disease ((125)I-iothalamate glomerular filtration rate 60 ml per minute per 1.73 m(2) or less) was present in 44% of patients with normal serum creatinine (1.4 mg/dl or less) postoperatively. Such missed diagnoses of chronic kidney disease decreased 42% using the Chronic Kidney Disease-Epidemiology Study equation. Glomerular filtration rate estimation equations outperform serum creatinine and better identify patients with perinephrectomy compromised renal function. The newly developed, serum creatinine based, Chronic Kidney Disease-Epidemiology Study equation has sufficient accuracy to render direct glomerular filtration rate measurement unnecessary before and after nephrectomy for cause in most circumstances. 2010 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Operational aspects of asynchronous filtering for improved flood forecasting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rakovec, Oldrich; Weerts, Albrecht; Sumihar, Julius; Uijlenhoet, Remko

2014-05-01

Hydrological forecasts can be made more reliable and less uncertain by recursively improving initial conditions. A common way of improving the initial conditions is to make use of data assimilation (DA), a feedback mechanism or update methodology which merges model estimates with available real world observations. The traditional implementation of the Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF; e.g. Evensen, 2009) is synchronous, commonly named a three dimensional (3-D) assimilation, which means that all assimilated observations correspond to the time of update. Asynchronous DA, also called four dimensional (4-D) assimilation, refers to an updating methodology, in which observations being assimilated into the model originate from times different to the time of update (Evensen, 2009; Sakov 2010). This study investigates how the capabilities of the DA procedure can be improved by applying alternative Kalman-type methods, e.g., the Asynchronous Ensemble Kalman Filter (AEnKF). The AEnKF assimilates observations with smaller computational costs than the original EnKF, which is beneficial for operational purposes. The results of discharge assimilation into a grid-based hydrological model for the Upper Ourthe catchment in Belgian Ardennes show that including past predictions and observations in the AEnKF improves the model forecasts as compared to the traditional EnKF. Additionally we show that elimination of the strongly non-linear relation between the soil moisture storage and assimilated discharge observations from the model update becomes beneficial for an improved operational forecasting, which is evaluated using several validation measures. In the current study we employed the HBV-96 model built within a recently developed open source modelling environment OpenStreams (2013). The advantage of using OpenStreams (2013) is that it enables direct communication with OpenDA (2013), an open source data assimilation toolbox. OpenDA provides a number of algorithms for model calibration and assimilation and is suitable to be connected to any kind of environmental model. This setup is embedded in the Delft Flood Early Warning System (Delft-FEWS, Werner et al., 2013) for making all simulations and forecast runs and handling of all hydrological and meteorological data. References: Evensen, G. (2009), Data Assimilation: The Ensemble Kalman Filter, Springer, doi:10.1007/978-3-642-03711-5. OpenDA (2013), The OpenDA data-assimilation toolbox, www.openda.org, (last access: 1 November 2013). OpenStreams (2013), OpenStreams, www.openstreams.nl, (last access: 1 November 2013). Sakov, P., G. Evensen, and L. Bertino (2010), Asynchronous data assimilation with the EnKF, Tellus, Series A: Dynamic Meteorology and Oceanography, 62(1), 24-29, doi:10.1111/j.1600-0870.2009.00417.x. Werner, M., J. Schellekens, P. Gijsbers, M. van Dijk, O. van den Akker, and K. Heynert (2013), The Delft-FEWS flow forecasting system, Environ. Mod. & Soft., 40(0), 65-77, doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2012.07.010.

The effect of natural and anthropogenic factors on sorption of copper in chernozem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bauer, Tatiana; Minkina, Tatiana; Mandzhieva, Saglara; Pinskii, David; Linnik, Vitaly; Sushkova, Svetlana

2016-04-01

The aim of this work was to study the effect of the attendant anions and particle-size distribution on the adsorption of copper by ordinary chernozem. Solutions of HM nitrates, acetates, chlorides, and sulfates were used to study the effect of the chemical composition of added copper salts on the adsorption of copper by an ordinary chernozem. Samples of the soil sieved through a 1-mm sieve in the natural ionic form and soil fraction with different particle size (clay - the particle with size < 1μm and physical clay < 10 μm) were treated with solutions of the corresponding copper salts at a soil : solution ratio of 1:10. The concentrations of the initial copper solutions were 0.02, 0.05, 0.08, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, and 1.0 mM/L. The range of Cu2+ concentrations in the studied system covers different geochemical situations corresponding to the actual levels of soil contamination with the metal under study. The suspensions were shaken for 1 h, left to stand for 24 h, and then filtered. The contents of the HM in the filtrates were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). The contents of the adsorbed copper cations were calculated from the difference between the metal concentrations in the initial and equilibrium solutions. The isotherms of copper adsorption from the metal nitrate, chloride, and sulfate solutions have near linear shapes and, hence, can be satisfactorily described by a Henry or Freundlich equation: Cads = KH •Ceq.(1) Cads = KF •Ceqn,(2) where Cadsis the content of the adsorbed cations, mM/kg soil;Ceq is the concentration of copper in the equilibrium solution, mM/L; KH and KF denote the Henry and Freundlich adsorption coefficients, respectively, kg/L. The isotherm of Cu2+ adsorption by ordinary chernozem from acetate solutions is described by the Langmuir equation: Cads = C∞ÊLC / (1 + ÊLC), (3) where Cadsis the content of the adsorbed cations, mM/kg soil;C∞ is the maximum adsorption of the HM, mM/kg soil; ÊL is the affinity constant, L/mM; C is the concentration of the HM in the equilibrium solution, mM/L. According to the values of KH, the binding strength of the copper cations adsorbed from different salt solutions decreases in the series: Cu(Ac)2(1880,5± 76,2) > CuCl2(1442,8±113,5) > Cu(NO3)2(911,4 ± 31,1) >> CuSO4(165,3 ± 12,9). Thus, copper is most strongly adsorbed from the acetate solution and least strongly from the sulfate solution. The adsorption of copper by clay and physical clay fractions from the ordinary chernozem was of limited character and followed the (3) equation. In the particle-size fractions separated from the soils, the concentrations of copper decreased with the decreasing particle size. The values of ÊL and C∞characterizing the HM adsorption by the chernozem and its particle-size fractions formed the following sequence: clay (80,20±20,29 and 28,45±0,46 > physical clay (58,20±14,54 and 22,15±1,22) > entire soil (38,80±12,33 and 17,58±3,038). This work was supported by the Russian Ministry of Education and Science, project no. 5.885.2014/K, Russian Foundation for Basic Research, projects no. 14-05-00586 À

Time Dependent Tomography of the Solar Corona in Three Spatial Dimensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Butala, M. D.; Frazin, R. A.; Kamalabadi, F.

2006-12-01

The combination of the soon to be launched STEREO mission with SOHO will provide scientists with three simultaneous space-borne views of the Sun. The increase in available measurements will reduce the data acquisition time necessary to obtain 3D coronal electron density (N_e) estimates from coronagraph images using a technique called solar rotational tomography (SRT). However, the data acquisition period will still be long enough for the corona to dynamically evolve, requiring time dependent solar tomography. The Kalman filter (KF) would seem to be an ideal computational method for time dependent SRT. Unfortunately, the KF scales poorly with problem size and is, as a result, inapplicable. A Monte Carlo approximation to the KF called the localized ensemble Kalman filter was developed for massive applications and has the promise of making the time dependent estimation of the 3D coronal N_e possible. We present simulations showing that this method will make time dependent tomography in three spatial dimensions computationally feasible.

Dynamic calibration of agent-based models using data assimilation.

PubMed

Ward, Jonathan A; Evans, Andrew J; Malleson, Nicolas S

2016-04-01

A widespread approach to investigating the dynamical behaviour of complex social systems is via agent-based models (ABMs). In this paper, we describe how such models can be dynamically calibrated using the ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF), a standard method of data assimilation. Our goal is twofold. First, we want to present the EnKF in a simple setting for the benefit of ABM practitioners who are unfamiliar with it. Second, we want to illustrate to data assimilation experts the value of using such methods in the context of ABMs of complex social systems and the new challenges these types of model present. We work towards these goals within the context of a simple question of practical value: how many people are there in Leeds (or any other major city) right now? We build a hierarchy of exemplar models that we use to demonstrate how to apply the EnKF and calibrate these using open data of footfall counts in Leeds.

A Prototype Regional GSI-based EnKF-Variational Hybrid Data Assimilation System for the Rapid Refresh Forecasting System: Dual-Resolution Implementation and Testing Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, Yujie; Xue, Ming; Zhu, Kefeng; Wang, Mingjun

2018-05-01

A dual-resolution (DR) version of a regional ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF)-3D ensemble variational (3DEnVar) coupled hybrid data assimilation system is implemented as a prototype for the operational Rapid Refresh forecasting system. The DR 3DEnVar system combines a high-resolution (HR) deterministic background forecast with lower-resolution (LR) EnKF ensemble perturbations used for flow-dependent background error covariance to produce a HR analysis. The computational cost is substantially reduced by running the ensemble forecasts and EnKF analyses at LR. The DR 3DEnVar system is tested with 3-h cycles over a 9-day period using a 40/˜13-km grid spacing combination. The HR forecasts from the DR hybrid analyses are compared with forecasts launched from HR Gridpoint Statistical Interpolation (GSI) 3D variational (3DVar) analyses, and single LR hybrid analyses interpolated to the HR grid. With the DR 3DEnVar system, a 90% weight for the ensemble covariance yields the lowest forecast errors and the DR hybrid system clearly outperforms the HR GSI 3DVar. Humidity and wind forecasts are also better than those launched from interpolated LR hybrid analyses, but the temperature forecasts are slightly worse. The humidity forecasts are improved most. For precipitation forecasts, the DR 3DEnVar always outperforms HR GSI 3DVar. It also outperforms the LR 3DEnVar, except for the initial forecast period and lower thresholds.

Comparison of the Birth Statistics between Multi-cultural and Korean Families in Korea (2015)

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Since 2002, the number of marriages, births, and family members among multi-cultural families (MCFs) has increased. Beginning in 2006, the government initiated a planned management for such families and has implemented the MCF policy basic plan since 2010. In 2015, with multiple socio-economic and medical support initiatives for MCF being available, we analyzed the statistics for several factors related to birth, to determine whether there are significant adverse birth outcomes in MCF. We analyzed the birth data of MCFs in 2015, from Statistics Korea. This study compared the birth data of MCF and Korean families (KF) by geography, neonatal birth weight (BW), gestational age (GA), birth order of the neonates, place of delivery, cohabitation period of parents before the first child, and parental education level. The distribution of BW and the prevalence of low BW (< 2,500 g) or very low BW (< 1,500 g) were similar between both groups. The incidence of preterm birth was lower in the MCF group (6.5% vs. 7.0%, P = 0.015) than in the KF group. In the MCF group, parental education level was lower, and incidence of out-of-hospital births was higher than that of the KF group. Adverse birth outcomes, such as preterm birth and low BW in MCF are similar or better than KF. This study could be a good basis to present the status of MCF birth and newborn care in 2015. PMID:28665068

Efficient Data Assimilation Algorithms for Bathymetry Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghorbanidehno, H.; Kokkinaki, A.; Lee, J. H.; Farthing, M.; Hesser, T.; Kitanidis, P. K.; Darve, E. F.

2016-12-01

Information on the evolving state of the nearshore zone bathymetry is crucial to shoreline management, recreational safety, and naval operations. The high cost and complex logistics of using ship-based surveys for bathymetry estimation have encouraged the use of remote sensing monitoring. Data assimilation methods combine monitoring data and models of nearshore dynamics to estimate the unknown bathymetry and the corresponding uncertainties. Existing applications have been limited to the basic Kalman Filter (KF) and the Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF). The former can only be applied to low-dimensional problems due to its computational cost; the latter often suffers from ensemble collapse and uncertainty underestimation. This work explores the use of different variants of the Kalman Filter for bathymetry applications. In particular, we compare the performance of the EnKF to the Unscented Kalman Filter and the Hierarchical Kalman Filter, both of which are KF variants for non-linear problems. The objective is to identify which method can better handle the nonlinearities of nearshore physics, while also having a reasonable computational cost. We present two applications; first, the bathymetry of a synthetic one-dimensional cross section normal to the shore is estimated from wave speed measurements. Second, real remote measurements with unknown error statistics are used and compared to in situ bathymetric survey data collected at the USACE Field Research Facility in Duck, NC. We evaluate the information content of different data sets and explore the impact of measurement error and nonlinearities.

Different hydraulic traits of woody plants from tropical forests with contrasting soil water availability.

PubMed

Zhu, Shi-Dan; Chen, Ya-Jun; Fu, Pei-Li; Cao, Kun-Fang

2017-11-01

In southwestern China, tropical karst forests (KF) and non-karst rain forests (NKF) have different species composition and forest structure owing to contrasting soil water availability, but with a few species that occur in both forests. Plant hydraulic traits are important for understanding the species' distribution patterns in these two forest types, but related studies are rare. In this study, we investigated hydraulic conductivity, vulnerability to drought-induced cavitation and wood anatomy of 23 abundant and typical woody species from a KF and a neighboring NKF, as well as two Bauhinia liana species common to both forests. We found that the KF species tended to have higher sapwood density, smaller vessel diameter, lower specific hydraulic conductivity (ks) and leaf to sapwood area ratio, and were more resistant to cavitation than NKF species. Across the 23 species distinctly occurring in either KF or NKF, there was a significant tradeoff between hydraulic efficiency and safety, which might be an underlying mechanism for distributions of these species across the two forests. Interestingly, by possessing rather large and long vessels, the two Bauhinia liana species had extremely high ks but were also high resistance to cavitation (escaping hydraulic tradeoff). This might be partially due to their distinctly dimorphic vessels, but contribute to their wide occurrence in both forests. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Comparison of the Birth Statistics between Multi-cultural and Korean Families in Korea (2015).

PubMed

Chung, Sung Hoon; Bae, Chong Woo

2017-08-01

Since 2002, the number of marriages, births, and family members among multi-cultural families (MCFs) has increased. Beginning in 2006, the government initiated a planned management for such families and has implemented the MCF policy basic plan since 2010. In 2015, with multiple socio-economic and medical support initiatives for MCF being available, we analyzed the statistics for several factors related to birth, to determine whether there are significant adverse birth outcomes in MCF. We analyzed the birth data of MCFs in 2015, from Statistics Korea. This study compared the birth data of MCF and Korean families (KF) by geography, neonatal birth weight (BW), gestational age (GA), birth order of the neonates, place of delivery, cohabitation period of parents before the first child, and parental education level. The distribution of BW and the prevalence of low BW (< 2,500 g) or very low BW (< 1,500 g) were similar between both groups. The incidence of preterm birth was lower in the MCF group (6.5% vs. 7.0%, P = 0.015) than in the KF group. In the MCF group, parental education level was lower, and incidence of out-of-hospital births was higher than that of the KF group. Adverse birth outcomes, such as preterm birth and low BW in MCF are similar or better than KF. This study could be a good basis to present the status of MCF birth and newborn care in 2015. © 2017 The Korean Academy of Medical Sciences.

A Physical Interpretation of the Phenomenological Coefficients of Membrane Permeability

PubMed Central

Kedem, O.; Katchalsky, A.

1961-01-01

A "translation" of the phenomenological permeability coefficients into friction and distribution coefficients amenable to physical interpretation is presented. Expressions are obtained for the solute permeability coefficient ω and the reflection coefficient σ for both non-electrolytic and electrolytic permeants. An analysis of the coefficients is given for loose membranes as well as for dense natural membranes where transport may go through capillaries or by solution in the lipoid parts of the membrane. Water diffusion and filtration and the relation between these and capillary pore radius of the membrane are discussed. For the permeation of ions through the charged membranes equations are developed for the case of zero electrical current in the membrane. The correlation of σ with ω and Lp for electrolytes resembles that for non-electrolytes. In this case ω and σ depend markedly on ion concentration and on the charge density of the membrane. The reflection coefficient may assume negative values indicating anomalous osmosis. An analysis of the phenomena of anomalous osmosis was carried out for the model of Teorell and Meyer and Sievers and the results agree with the experimental data of Loeb and of Grim and Sollner. A set of equations and reference curves are presented for the evaluation of ω and σ in the transport of polyvalent ions through charged membranes. PMID:13752127

Scalable and balanced dynamic hybrid data assimilation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kauranne, Tuomo; Amour, Idrissa; Gunia, Martin; Kallio, Kari; Lepistö, Ahti; Koponen, Sampsa

2017-04-01

Scalability of complex weather forecasting suites is dependent on the technical tools available for implementing highly parallel computational kernels, but to an equally large extent also on the dependence patterns between various components of the suite, such as observation processing, data assimilation and the forecast model. Scalability is a particular challenge for 4D variational assimilation methods that necessarily couple the forecast model into the assimilation process and subject this combination to an inherently serial quasi-Newton minimization process. Ensemble based assimilation methods are naturally more parallel, but large models force ensemble sizes to be small and that results in poor assimilation accuracy, somewhat akin to shooting with a shotgun in a million-dimensional space. The Variational Ensemble Kalman Filter (VEnKF) is an ensemble method that can attain the accuracy of 4D variational data assimilation with a small ensemble size. It achieves this by processing a Gaussian approximation of the current error covariance distribution, instead of a set of ensemble members, analogously to the Extended Kalman Filter EKF. Ensemble members are re-sampled every time a new set of observations is processed from a new approximation of that Gaussian distribution which makes VEnKF a dynamic assimilation method. After this a smoothing step is applied that turns VEnKF into a dynamic Variational Ensemble Kalman Smoother VEnKS. In this smoothing step, the same process is iterated with frequent re-sampling of the ensemble but now using past iterations as surrogate observations until the end result is a smooth and balanced model trajectory. In principle, VEnKF could suffer from similar scalability issues as 4D-Var. However, this can be avoided by isolating the forecast model completely from the minimization process by implementing the latter as a wrapper code whose only link to the model is calling for many parallel and totally independent model runs, all of them implemented as parallel model runs themselves. The only bottleneck in the process is the gathering and scattering of initial and final model state snapshots before and after the parallel runs which requires a very efficient and low-latency communication network. However, the volume of data communicated is small and the intervening minimization steps are only 3D-Var, which means their computational load is negligible compared with the fully parallel model runs. We present example results of scalable VEnKF with the 4D lake and shallow sea model COHERENS, assimilating simultaneously continuous in situ measurements in a single point and infrequent satellite images that cover a whole lake, with the fully scalable VEnKF.

Comparison of Knee and Ankle Dynamometry between NASA's X1 Exoskeleton and Biodex System 4

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

English, K. L.; Newby, N. J.; Hackney, K. J.; DeWitt, J. K.; Beck, C. E.; Rovekamp, R. N.; Rea, R. L.; Ploutz-Snyder, L. L.

2014-01-01

Pre- and post-flight dynamometry is performed on International Space Station crewmembers to characterize microgravity-induced strength changes. Strength is not assessed in flight due to hardware limitations and there is poor understanding of the time course of in-flight changes. PURPOSE: To assess the reliability of a prototype dynamometer, the X1 Exoskeleton (EXO) and its agreement with a Biodex System 4 (BIO). METHODS: Eight subjects (4 M/4 F) completed 2 counterbalanced testing sessions of knee extension/flexion (KE/KF), 1 with BIO and 1 with EXO, with repeated measures within each session in normal gravity. Test-retest reliability (test 1 and 2) and device agreement (BIO vs. EXO) were evaluated. Later, to assess device agreement for ankle plantarflexion (PF), 10 subjects (4 M/6 F) completed 3 test conditions (BIO, EXO, and BIOEXO); BIOEXO was a hybrid condition comprised of the Biodex dynamometer motor and the X1 footplate and ankle frame. Ankle comparisons were: BIO vs. BIOEXO (footplate differences), BIOEXO vs. EXO (motor differences), and BIO vs. EXO (all differences). Reliability for KE/KF was determined by intraclass correlation (ICC). Device agreement was assessed with: 1) repeated measures ANOVA, 2) a measure of concordance (rho), and 3) average difference. RESULTS: ICCs for KE/KF were 0.99 for BIO and 0.96 to 0.99 for EXO. Agreement was high for KE (concordance: 0.86 to 0.95; average differences: -7 to +9 Nm) and low to moderate for KF (concordance: 0.64 to 0.78; average differences: -4 to -29 Nm, P<0.05). BIO vs. BIOEXO PF concordance ranged from 0.89 to 0.92 and mean differences ranged from -9 to +3 Nm (BIO < BIOEXO). BIOEXO vs. EXO PF concordance ranged from 0.73 to 0.80 while mean differences were -18 to -36 Nm (BIOEXO < EXO, P<0.05). PF concordance for BIO vs. EXO was slightly lower (0.61 to 0.84) and mean differences were greater (-27 to -33 Nm; BIO < EXO, P<0.05). CONCLUSION: BIO and EXO were similarly reliable for KE and KF. KE measures produced high agreement between devices; KF did not. For ankle PF, torque differences due to the two footplates were small. However, the X1 motor reports greater torques than the Biodex motor during PF. This first prototype provides proof of concept for a reliable, robotic-based exoskeleton to perform portable dynamometry for large muscle groups of the lower body.

Insights about data assimilation frameworks for integrating GRACE with hydrological models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schumacher, Maike; Kusche, Jürgen; Van Dijk, Albert I. J. M.; Döll, Petra; Schuh, Wolf-Dieter

2016-04-01

Improving the understanding of changes in the water cycle represents a challenging objective that requires merging information from various disciplines. Debates exist on selecting an appropriate assimilation technique to integrate GRACE-derived terrestrial water storage changes (TWSC) into hydrological models in order to downscale and disaggregate GRACE TWSC, overcome model limitations, and improve monitoring and forecast skills. Yet, the effect of the specific data assimilation technique in conjunction with ill-conditioning, colored noise, resolution mismatch between GRACE and model, and other complications is still unclear. Due to its simplicity, ensemble Kalman filters or smoothers (EnKF/S) are often applied. In this study, we show that modification of the filter approach might open new avenues to improve the integration process. Particularly, we discuss an improved calibration and data assimilation (C/DA) framework (Schumacher et al., 2016), which is based on the EnKF and was extended by the square root analysis scheme (SQRA) and the singular evolutive interpolated Kalman (SEIK) filter. In addition, we discuss an off-line data blending approach (Van Dijk et al., 2014) that offers the chance to merge multi-model ensembles with GRACE observations. The investigations include: (i) a theoretical comparison, focusing on similarities and differences of the conceptual formulation of the filter algorithms, (ii) a practical comparison, for which the approaches were applied to an ensemble of runs of the WaterGAP Global Hydrology Model (WGHM), as well as (iii) an impact assessment of the GRACE error structure on C/DA results. First, a synthetic experiment over the Mississippi River Basin (USA) was used to gain insights about the C/DA set-up before applying it to real data. The results indicated promising performances when considering alternative methods, e.g. applying the SEIK algorithm improved the correlation coefficient and root mean square error (RMSE) of TWSC by 0.1 and 6 mm, with respect to the EnKF. We successfully transferred our framework to the Murray-Darling Basin (Australia), one of the largest and driest river basins over the world. Finally, we provide recommendations on an optimal C/DA strategy for real GRACE data integrations. Schumacher M, Kusche J, Döll P (2016): A Systematic Impact Assessment of GRACE Error Correlation on Data Assimilation in Hydrological Models. J Geod Van Dijk AIJM, Renzullo LJ, Wada Y, Tregoning P (2014): A global water cycle reanalysis (2003-2012) merging satellite gravimetry and altimetry observations with a hydrological multi-model ensemble. Hydrol Earth Syst Sci

Pleural effusions and diseases of the pleura.

PubMed

Noone, K E

1985-09-01

There are four factors that govern fluid movement to or from the pleural space: hydrostatic pressure, colloid osmotic pressure, filtration coefficient, and lymphatic function. When any of these factors are altered, fluid accumulates within the pleural space. Congestive heart failure, pancreatitis, neoplasia, hypoalbuminemia, and pulmonary thromboembolism can evoke pleural effusions by altering normal fluid transport mechanisms. This approach to pleural effusion helps to explain fluid accumulation. Chylothorax, hemothorax, and empyema are also covered in the article.

Computing the shape of brain networks using graph filtration and Gromov-Hausdorff metric.

PubMed

Lee, Hyekyoung; Chung, Moo K; Kang, Hyejin; Kim, Boong-Nyun; Lee, Dong Soo

2011-01-01

The difference between networks has been often assessed by the difference of global topological measures such as the clustering coefficient, degree distribution and modularity. In this paper, we introduce a new framework for measuring the network difference using the Gromov-Hausdorff (GH) distance, which is often used in shape analysis. In order to apply the GH distance, we define the shape of the brain network by piecing together the patches of locally connected nearest neighbors using the graph filtration. The shape of the network is then transformed to an algebraic form called the single linkage matrix. The single linkage matrix is subsequently used in measuring network differences using the GH distance. As an illustration, we apply the proposed framework to compare the FDG-PET based functional brain networks out of 24 attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) children, 26 autism spectrum disorder (ASD) children and 11 pediatric control subjects.

Permanent draft genome sequence of Comamonas testosteroni KF-1

PubMed Central

Weiss, Michael; Kesberg, Anna I.; LaButti, Kurt M.; Pitluck, Sam; Bruce, David; Hauser, Loren; Copeland, Alex; Woyke, Tanja; Lowry, Stephen; Lucas, Susan; Land, Miriam; Goodwin, Lynne; Kjelleberg, Staffan; Cook, Alasdair M.; Buhmann, Matthias; Thomas, Torsten; Schleheck, David

2013-01-01

Comamonas testosteroni KF-1 is a model organism for the elucidation of the novel biochemical degradation pathways for xenobiotic 4-sulfophenylcarboxylates (SPC) formed during biodegradation of synthetic 4-sulfophenylalkane surfactants (linear alkylbenzenesulfonates, LAS) by bacterial communities. Here we describe the features of this organism, together with the complete genome sequence and annotation. The 6,026,527 bp long chromosome (one sequencing gap) exhibits an average G+C content of 61.79% and is predicted to encode 5,492 protein-coding genes and 114 RNA genes. PMID:23991256

Non-consumable anode and lining for aluminum electrolytic reduction cell

DOEpatents

Beck, Theodore R.; Brooks, Richard J.

1994-01-01

An oxidation resistant, non-consumable anode, for use in the electrolytic reduction of alumina to aluminum, has a composition comprising copper, nickel and iron. The anode is part of an electrolytic reduction cell comprising a vessel having an interior lined with metal which has the same composition as the anode. The electrolyte is preferably composed of a eutectic of AlF.sub.3 and either (a) NaF or (b) primarily NaF with some of the NaF replaced by an equivalent molar amount of KF or KF and LiF.

A multi-data stream assimilation framework for the assessment of volcanic unrest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gregg, Patricia M.; Pettijohn, J. Cory

2016-01-01

Active volcanoes pose a constant risk to populations living in their vicinity. Significant effort has been spent to increase monitoring and data collection campaigns to mitigate potential volcano disasters. To utilize these datasets to their fullest extent, a new generation of model-data fusion techniques is required that combine multiple, disparate observations of volcanic activity with cutting-edge modeling techniques to provide efficient assessment of volcanic unrest. The purpose of this paper is to develop a data assimilation framework for volcano applications. Specifically, the Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) is adapted to assimilate GPS and InSAR data into viscoelastic, time-forward, finite element models of an evolving magma system to provide model forecasts and error estimations. Since the goal of this investigation is to provide a methodological framework, our efforts are focused on theoretical development and synthetic tests to illustrate the effectiveness of the EnKF and its applicability in physical volcanology. The synthetic tests provide two critical results: (1) a proof of concept for using the EnKF for multi dataset assimilation in investigations of volcanic activity; and (2) the comparison of spatially limited, but temporally dense, GPS data with temporally limited InSAR observations for evaluating magma chamber dynamics during periods of volcanic unrest. Results indicate that the temporally dense information provided by GPS observations results in faster convergence and more accurate model predictions. However, most importantly, the synthetic tests illustrate that the EnKF is able to swiftly respond to data updates by changing the model forecast trajectory to match incoming observations. The synthetic results demonstrate a great potential for utilizing the EnKF model-data fusion method to assess volcanic unrest and provide model forecasts. The development of these new techniques provides: (1) a framework for future applications of rapid data assimilation and model development during volcanic crises; (2) a method for hind-casting to investigate previous volcanic eruptions, including potential eruption triggering mechanisms and precursors; and (3) an approach for optimizing survey designs for future data collection campaigns at active volcanic systems.

Efficient Ensemble State-Parameters Estimation Techniques in Ocean Ecosystem Models: Application to the North Atlantic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El Gharamti, M.; Bethke, I.; Tjiputra, J.; Bertino, L.

2016-02-01

Given the recent strong international focus on developing new data assimilation systems for biological models, we present in this comparative study the application of newly developed state-parameters estimation tools to an ocean ecosystem model. It is quite known that the available physical models are still too simple compared to the complexity of the ocean biology. Furthermore, various biological parameters remain poorly unknown and hence wrong specifications of such parameters can lead to large model errors. Standard joint state-parameters augmentation technique using the ensemble Kalman filter (Stochastic EnKF) has been extensively tested in many geophysical applications. Some of these assimilation studies reported that jointly updating the state and the parameters might introduce significant inconsistency especially for strongly nonlinear models. This is usually the case for ecosystem models particularly during the period of the spring bloom. A better handling of the estimation problem is often carried out by separating the update of the state and the parameters using the so-called Dual EnKF. The dual filter is computationally more expensive than the Joint EnKF but is expected to perform more accurately. Using a similar separation strategy, we propose a new EnKF estimation algorithm in which we apply a one-step-ahead smoothing to the state. The new state-parameters estimation scheme is derived in a consistent Bayesian filtering framework and results in separate update steps for the state and the parameters. Unlike the classical filtering path, the new scheme starts with an update step and later a model propagation step is performed. We test the performance of the new smoothing-based schemes against the standard EnKF in a one-dimensional configuration of the Norwegian Earth System Model (NorESM) in the North Atlantic. We use nutrients profile (up to 2000 m deep) data and surface partial CO2 measurements from Mike weather station (66o N, 2o E) to estimate different biological parameters of phytoplanktons and zooplanktons. We analyze the performance of the filters in terms of complexity and accuracy of the state and parameters estimates.

Effects of Constant Flow vs. Constant Pressure Perfusion on Fluid Filtration in Severe Hypothermic Isolated Blood-Perfused Rat Lungs.

PubMed

Halsøy, Kathrine; Kondratiev, Timofey; Tveita, Torkjel; Bjertnaes, Lars J

2016-01-01

Victims of severe accidental hypothermia are prone to fluid extravasation but rarely develop lung edema. We hypothesize that combined hypothermia-induced increase in pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) and a concomitant fall in cardiac output protect the lungs against edema development. Our aim was to explore in hypothermic-isolated blood-perfused rat lungs whether perfusion at constant pressure influences fluid filtration differently from perfusion at constant flow. Isolated blood-perfused rat lungs were hanging freely in a weight transducer for measuring weight changes (ΔW). Fluid filtration coefficient (Kfc), was determined by transiently elevating left atrial pressure (Pla) by 5.8 mmHg two times each during normothermia (37°C) and during hypothermia (15°C). The lung preparations were randomized to two groups. One group was perfused with constant flow (Constant flow group) and the other group with constant pulmonary artery pressure (Constant PPA group). Microvascular pressure (Pmv) was determined before and during elevation of Pla (ΔPmv) by means of the double occlusion technique. Kfc was calculated with the formula Kfc = ΔW/ΔPmv/min. All Kfc values were normalized to predicted lung weight (P LW ), which was based on body weight (BW) according to the formula: P LW  = 0.0053 BW - 0.48 and presented as Kfc PLW in mg/min/mmHg/g. At cessation, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid/perfusate protein concentration (B/P) ratio was determined photometrically. Data were analyzed with parametric or non-parametric tests as appropriate. p  < 0.05 considered as significant. Perfusate flow remained constant in the Constant flow group, but was more than halved during hypothermia in the Constant PPA group concomitant with a more fold increase in PVR. In the Constant flow group, Kfc PLW and B/P ratio increased significantly by more than 10-fold during hypothermia concerted by visible signs of edema in the trachea. Hemoglobin and hematocrit increased within the Constant flow group and between the groups at cessation of the experiments. In hypothermic rat lungs perfused at constant flow, fluid filtration coefficient per gram P LW and B/P ratio increased more than 10-fold concerted by increased hemoconcentration, but the changes were less in hypothermic lungs perfused at constant PPA.

An Artificial Neural Network Embedded Position and Orientation Determination Algorithm for Low Cost MEMS INS/GPS Integrated Sensors

PubMed Central

Chiang, Kai-Wei; Chang, Hsiu-Wen; Li, Chia-Yuan; Huang, Yun-Wen

2009-01-01

Digital mobile mapping, which integrates digital imaging with direct geo-referencing, has developed rapidly over the past fifteen years. Direct geo-referencing is the determination of the time-variable position and orientation parameters for a mobile digital imager. The most common technologies used for this purpose today are satellite positioning using Global Positioning System (GPS) and Inertial Navigation System (INS) using an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU). They are usually integrated in such a way that the GPS receiver is the main position sensor, while the IMU is the main orientation sensor. The Kalman Filter (KF) is considered as the optimal estimation tool for real-time INS/GPS integrated kinematic position and orientation determination. An intelligent hybrid scheme consisting of an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and KF has been proposed to overcome the limitations of KF and to improve the performance of the INS/GPS integrated system in previous studies. However, the accuracy requirements of general mobile mapping applications can’t be achieved easily, even by the use of the ANN-KF scheme. Therefore, this study proposes an intelligent position and orientation determination scheme that embeds ANN with conventional Rauch-Tung-Striebel (RTS) smoother to improve the overall accuracy of a MEMS INS/GPS integrated system in post-mission mode. By combining the Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) INS/GPS integrated system and the intelligent ANN-RTS smoother scheme proposed in this study, a cheaper but still reasonably accurate position and orientation determination scheme can be anticipated. PMID:22574034

Calibration of a Land Subsidence Model Using InSAR Data via the Ensemble Kalman Filter.

PubMed

Li, Liangping; Zhang, Meijing; Katzenstein, Kurt

2017-11-01

The application of interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) has been increasingly used to improve capabilities to model land subsidence in hydrogeologic studies. A number of investigations over the last decade show how spatially detailed time-lapse images of ground displacements could be utilized to advance our understanding for better predictions. In this work, we use simulated land subsidences as observed measurements, mimicking InSAR data to inversely infer inelastic specific storage in a stochastic framework. The inelastic specific storage is assumed as a random variable and modeled using a geostatistical method such that the detailed variations in space could be represented and also that the uncertainties of both characterization of specific storage and prediction of land subsidence can be assessed. The ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF), a real-time data assimilation algorithm, is used to inversely calibrate a land subsidence model by matching simulated subsidences with InSAR data. The performance of the EnKF is demonstrated in a synthetic example in which simulated surface deformations using a reference field are assumed as InSAR data for inverse modeling. The results indicate: (1) the EnKF can be used successfully to calibrate a land subsidence model with InSAR data; the estimation of inelastic specific storage is improved, and uncertainty of prediction is reduced, when all the data are accounted for; and (2) if the same ensemble is used to estimate Kalman gain, the analysis errors could cause filter divergence; thus, it is essential to include localization in the EnKF for InSAR data assimilation. © 2017, National Ground Water Association.

New eco-friendly animal bone meal catalysts for preparation of chalcones and aza-Michael adducts

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Abstract Two efficient reactions were successfully carried out using Animal Bone Meal (ABM) and potassium fluoride or sodium nitrate doped ABMs as new heterogeneous catalysts under very mild conditions. After preparation and characterization of the catalysts, we first report their use in a simple and convenient synthesis of various chalcones by Claisen–Schmidt condensation and then in an aza-Michael addition involving several synthesized chalcones with aromatic amines. All the reactions were carried out at room temperature in methanol; the chalcone synthesis was also achieved in water environment under microwave irradiation. Doping ABM enhances the rate and yield at each reaction. Catalytic activities are discussed and the ability to re-use the ABM is demonstrated. Results For Claisen–Schmidt the use of ABM alone, yields never exceeded 17%. In each entry, KF/ABM and NaNO3/ABM (79-97%) gave higher yields than using ABM alone under thermic condition. Also the reaction proceeded under microwave irradiation in good yields (72-94% for KF/ABM and 81-97% for NaNO3/ABM) and high purity. For aza-Michael addition the use of ABM doped with KF or NaNO3 increased the catalytic activity remarkably. The very high yields could be noted (84-95% for KF/ABM and 81-94% for NaNO3/ABM). Conclusion The present method is an efficient and selective procedure for the synthesis of chalcones an aza-Michael adducts. The ABM and doped ABMs are a new, inexpensive and attractive solid supports which can contribute to the development of catalytic processes and reduced environmental problems. PMID:22721409

Time course of salinity adaptation in a strongly euryhaline estuarine teleost, fundulus heteroclitus: A multivariable approach

USGS Publications Warehouse

Marshall, W.S.; Emberley, T.R.; Singer, T.D.; Bryson, S.E.; McCormick, S.D.

1999-01-01

Freshwater-adapted killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus) were transferred directly from soft fresh water to full-strength sea water for periods of 1h, 3h, 8h and 1, 2, 7, 14 and 30 days. Controls were transferred to fresh water for 24 h. Measured variables included: blood [Na+], osmolality, glucose and cortisol levels, basal and stimulated rates of ion transport and permeability of in vitro opercular epithelium, gill Na+/K+-ATPase and citrate synthase activity and chloride cell ultrastructure. These data were compared with previously published killifish cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (kfCFTR) expression in the gills measured over a similar time course. Plasma cortisol levels peaked at 1 h, coincident with a rise in plasma [Na+]. At 8 h after transfer to sea water, a time at which previous work has shown kfCFTR expression to be elevated, blood osmolality and [Na+] were high, and cortisol levels and opercular membrane short-circuit current (I(SC); a measure of Cl- secretion rate) were low. The 24h group, which showed the highest level of kfCFTR expression, had the highest plasma [Na+] and osmolality, elevated plasma cortisol levels, significantly lower opercular membrane resistance, an increased opercular membrane ion secretion rate and collapsed tubule inclusions in mitochondria-rich cells, but no change in gill Na+/K+-ATPase and citrate synthase activity or plasma glucose levels. Apparently, killifish have a rapid (<1h) cortisol response to salinity coupled to subsequent (8-48 h) expression of kfCFTR anion channel proteins in existing mitochondria-rich cells that convert transport from ion uptake to ion secretion.

ESI-MS measurements for the equilibrium constants of copper(II)-insulin complexes.

PubMed

Gülfen, Mustafa; Özdemir, Abdil; Lin, Jung-Lee; Chen, Chung-Hsuan

2018-06-01

Trace elements regulate many biological reactions in the body. Copper(II) is known as one of trace elements and capable of binding to proteins. Insulin is a blood glucose-lowering peptide hormone and it is secreted by the pancreatic β-cells. In this study, Cu(II)-insulin complexes were investigated by using ESI-MS method. Insulin molecule gives ESI-MS peaks at +4, +5, +6 and +7 charged states. Cu(II)-insulin complexes can be monitored and quantified on the ESI-MS spectra as the shifted peaks according to insulin peaks. The solutions of Cu(II)-insulin complexes at different pHs and mole ratios of Cu(II) ions to insulin molecule were measured on the ESI-MS. The highest complex formation ratio for Cu(II)-insulin were found at pH 7. The multiple bindings of Cu(II) ions to insulin molecule was observed. The formation equilibrium constants of Cu(II)-insulin complexes were calculated as Kf 1 : 3.34 × 10 4 , Kf 2 : 2.99 × 10 4 , Kf 3 : 7.00 × 10 3 and Kf 4 :2.86 × 10 3 . The specific binding property of Cu(II) ions was controlled by using different spray ion sources including electrospray and nano-electrospray. The binding property of Cu(II) also investigated by MS/MS fragmentation. It was concluded from the ESI-MS measurements that Cu(II) ion has a high affinity to insulin molecules to form stable complexes. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Benchmarking the Algorithms to Detect Seasonal Signals Under Different Noise Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klos, A.; Bogusz, J.; Bos, M. S.

2017-12-01

Global Positioning System (GPS) position time series contain seasonal signals. Among the others, annual and semi-annual are the most powerful. Widely, these oscillations are modelled as curves with constant amplitudes, using the Weighted Least-Squares (WLS) algorithm. However, in reality, the seasonal signatures vary over time, as their geophysical causes are not constant. Different algorithms have been already used to cover this time-variability, as Wavelet Decomposition (WD), Singular Spectrum Analysis (SSA), Chebyshev Polynomial (CP) or Kalman Filter (KF). In this research, we employed 376 globally distributed GPS stations which time series contributed to the newest International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF2014). We show that for c.a. 20% of stations the amplitudes of seasonal signal varies over time of more than 1.0 mm. Then, we compare the WD, SSA, CP and KF algorithms for a set of synthetic time series to quantify them under different noise conditions. We show that when variations of seasonal signals are ignored, the power-law character is biased towards flicker noise. The most reliable estimates of the variations were found to be given by SSA and KF. These methods also perform the best for other noise levels while WD, and to a lesser extend also CP, have trouble in separating the seasonal signal from the noise which leads to an underestimation in the spectral index of power-law noise of around 0.1. For real ITRF2014 GPS data we discovered, that SSA and KF are capable to model 49-84% and 77-90% of the variance of the true varying seasonal signals, respectively.

Pesticide adsorption in relation to soil properties and soil type distribution in regional scale.

PubMed

Kodešová, Radka; Kočárek, Martin; Kodeš, Vít; Drábek, Ondřej; Kozák, Josef; Hejtmánková, Kateřina

2011-02-15

Study was focused on the evaluation of pesticide adsorption in soils, as one of the parameters, which are necessary to know when assessing possible groundwater contamination caused by pesticides commonly used in agriculture. Batch sorption tests were performed for 11 selected pesticides and 13 representative soils. The Freundlich equations were used to describe adsorption isotherms. Multiple-linear regressions were used to predict the Freundlich adsorption coefficients from measured soil properties. Resulting functions and a soil map of the Czech Republic were used to generate maps of the coefficient distribution. The multiple linear regressions showed that the K(F) coefficient depended on: (a) combination of OM (organic matter content), pH(KCl) and CEC (cation exchange capacity), or OM, SCS (sorption complex saturation) and salinity (terbuthylazine), (b) combination of OM and pH(KCl), or OM, SCS and salinity (prometryne), (c) combination of OM and pH(KCl), or OM and ρ(z) (metribuzin), (d) combination of OM, CEC and clay content, or clay content, CEC and salinity (hexazinone), (e) combination of OM and pH(KCl), or OM and SCS (metolachlor), (f) OM or combination of OM and CaCO(3) (chlorotoluron), (g) OM (azoxystrobin), (h) combination of OM and pH(KCl) (trifluralin), (i) combination of OM and clay content (fipronil), (j) combination of OM and pH(KCl), or OM, pH(KCl) and CaCO(3) (thiacloprid), (k) combination of OM, pH(KCl) and CEC, or sand content, pH(KCl) and salinity (chlormequat chloride). Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

KNT-artificial neural network model for flux prediction of ultrafiltration membrane producing drinking water.

PubMed

Oh, H K; Yu, M J; Gwon, E M; Koo, J Y; Kim, S G; Koizumi, A

2004-01-01

This paper describes the prediction of flux behavior in an ultrafiltration (UF) membrane system using a Kalman neuro training (KNT) network model. The experimental data was obtained from operating a pilot plant of hollow fiber UF membrane with groundwater for 7 months. The network was trained using operating conditions such as inlet pressure, filtration duration, and feed water quality parameters including turbidity, temperature and UV254. Pre-processing of raw data allowed the normalized input data to be used in sigmoid activation functions. A neural network architecture was structured by modifying the number of hidden layers, neurons and learning iterations. The structure of KNT-neural network with 3 layers and 5 neurons allowed a good prediction of permeate flux by 0.997 of correlation coefficient during the learning phase. Also the validity of the designed model was evaluated with other experimental data not used during the training phase and nonlinear flux behavior was accurately estimated with 0.999 of correlation coefficient and a lower error of prediction in the testing phase. This good flux prediction can provide preliminary criteria in membrane design and set up the proper cleaning cycle in membrane operation. The KNT-artificial neural network is also expected to predict the variation of transmembrane pressure during filtration cycles and can be applied to automation and control of full scale treatment plants.

Measurement of the filtration coefficient (Kfc) in the lung of Gallus domesticus and the effects of increased microvascular permeability.

PubMed

Weidner, W Jeffrey; Waddell, David S; Furlow, J David

2006-08-01

The filtration coefficient (Kfc) is a sensitive measure of microvascular hydraulic conductivity and has been reported for the alveolar lungs of many mammalian species, but not for the parabronchial avian lung. This study reports the Kfc in the isolated lungs of normal chickens and in the lungs of chickens given the edemogenic agents oleic acid (OA) or dimethyl amiloride (DMA). The control Kfc =0.04+/-0.01 ml min(-1) kPa(-1) g(-1). This parameter increased significantly following the administration of both OA (0.12+/-0.02 ml min(-1) kPa(-1) g(-1)) and DMA (0.07+/-0.01 ml min kPa(-1) g(-1)). As endothelial cadherins are thought to play a role in the dynamic response to acute lung injury, we utilized Western blot analysis to assess lung cadherin content and Northern blot analysis to assess pulmonary vascular endothelial (VE) cadherin expression following drug administration. Lung cadherin content decreases markedly following DMA, but not OA administration. VE cadherin expression increases as a result of DMA treatment, but is unchanged following OA. Our results suggest that the permeability characteristics of the avian lung are more closely consistent with those of the mammalian rather than the reptilian lung, and, that cadherins may play a significant role in the response to acute increases in avian pulmonary microvascular permeability.

The effect of adhesion molecule blockade on pulmonary reperfusion injury.

PubMed

Levine, Adrian J; Parkes, Karen; Rooney, Stephen J; Bonser, Robert S

2002-04-01

Selectins are the molecules involved in the initial adhesion of the activated neutrophil on pulmonary endothelium. We investigated the efficacy of selectin blockade in a selective (monoclonal antibody RMP-1) and nonselective (Fucoidin) manner in pulmonary reperfusion injury. Groups of six rat lungs were flushed with University of Wisconsin solution then stored at 4 degrees C for 4 hours. They then underwent sanguinous reperfusion for 30 minutes during which functional measures (gas exchange, pulmonary artery pressure, and airway pressure) of lung performance were made. After reperfusion we estimated their capillary filtration coefficient (Kfc units g/cm water/minute/g wet lung tissue) using a gravimetric technique. Four groups were studied: group I had no reperfusion, group II had 30 minutes of reperfusion, group III had infusion of 20 mg/kg Fucoidin before reperfusion, and group IV had infusion of 20 microg/mL RMP-1 before reperfusion. Reperfusion injury was found between groups I and II by an increase in capillary filtration coefficient (1.048 +/- 0.316 to 3.063 +/- 0.466, p < 0.01). Groups III and IV had a significantly lower Kfc than group II (0.967 +/- 0.134 and 1.205 +/- 0.164, respectively, p < 0.01). There was no significant functional difference between groups II, III, and IV. Reperfusion-induced hyperpermeability was ameliorated by selective (RMP-1) and nonselective (Fucoidin) selectin blockade.

Ischemia and reperfusion of the lung tissues induced increase of lung permeability and lung edema is attenuated by dimethylthiourea (PP69).

PubMed

Chen, K H; Chao, D; Liu, C F; Chen, C F; Wang, D

2010-04-01

This study sought to determine whether oxygen radical scavengers of dimethylthiourea (DMTU), superoxide dismutase (SOD), or catalase (CAT) pretreatment attenuated ischemia-reperfusion (I/R)-induced lung injury. After isolation from a Sprague-Dawley rat, the lungs were perfused through the pulmonary artery cannula with rat whole blood diluted 1:1 with a physiological salt solution. An acute lung injury was induced by 10 minutes of hypoxia with 5% CO2-95% N2 followed by 65 minutes of ischemia and then 65 minutes of reperfusion. I/R significantly increased microvascular permeability as measured by the capillary filtration coefficient (Kfc), lung weight-to-body weight ratio (LW/BW), and protein concentration in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (PCBAL). DMTU pretreatment significantly attenuated the acute lung injury. The capillary filtration coefficient (P<.01), LW/BW (P<.01) and PCBAL (P<.05) were significantly lower among the DMTU-treated rats than hosts pretreated with SOD or CAT. The possible mechanisms of the protective effect of DMTU in I/R-induced lung injury may relate to the permeability of the agent allowing it to scavenge intracellular hydroxyl radicals. However, whether superoxide dismutase or catalase antioxidants showed protective effects possibly due to their impermeability of the cell membrane not allowing scavenging of intracellular oxygen radicals. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Kalman filtered MR temperature imaging for laser induced thermal therapies.

PubMed

Fuentes, D; Yung, J; Hazle, J D; Weinberg, J S; Stafford, R J

2012-04-01

The feasibility of using a stochastic form of Pennes bioheat model within a 3-D finite element based Kalman filter (KF) algorithm is critically evaluated for the ability to provide temperature field estimates in the event of magnetic resonance temperature imaging (MRTI) data loss during laser induced thermal therapy (LITT). The ability to recover missing MRTI data was analyzed by systematically removing spatiotemporal information from a clinical MR-guided LITT procedure in human brain and comparing predictions in these regions to the original measurements. Performance was quantitatively evaluated in terms of a dimensionless L(2) (RMS) norm of the temperature error weighted by acquisition uncertainty. During periods of no data corruption, observed error histories demonstrate that the Kalman algorithm does not alter the high quality temperature measurement provided by MR thermal imaging. The KF-MRTI implementation considered is seen to predict the bioheat transfer with RMS error < 4 for a short period of time, ∆t < 10 s, until the data corruption subsides. In its present form, the KF-MRTI method currently fails to compensate for consecutive for consecutive time periods of data loss ∆t > 10 sec.

A Probabilistic Collocation Based Iterative Kalman Filter for Landfill Data Assimilation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qiang, Z.; Zeng, L.; Wu, L.

2016-12-01

Due to the strong spatial heterogeneity of landfill, uncertainty is ubiquitous in gas transport process in landfill. To accurately characterize the landfill properties, the ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) has been employed to assimilate the measurements, e.g., the gas pressure. As a Monte Carlo (MC) based method, the EnKF usually requires a large ensemble size, which poses a high computational cost for large scale problems. In this work, we propose a probabilistic collocation based iterative Kalman filter (PCIKF) to estimate permeability in a liquid-gas coupling model. This method employs polynomial chaos expansion (PCE) to represent and propagate the uncertainties of model parameters and states, and an iterative form of Kalman filter to assimilate the current gas pressure data. To further reduce the computation cost, the functional ANOVA (analysis of variance) decomposition is conducted, and only the first order ANOVA components are remained for PCE. Illustrated with numerical case studies, this proposed method shows significant superiority in computation efficiency compared with the traditional MC based iterative EnKF. The developed method has promising potential in reliable prediction and management of landfill gas production.

Robust Kalman filtering cooperated Elman neural network learning for vision-sensing-based robotic manipulation with global stability.

PubMed

Zhong, Xungao; Zhong, Xunyu; Peng, Xiafu

2013-10-08

In this paper, a global-state-space visual servoing scheme is proposed for uncalibrated model-independent robotic manipulation. The scheme is based on robust Kalman filtering (KF), in conjunction with Elman neural network (ENN) learning techniques. The global map relationship between the vision space and the robotic workspace is learned using an ENN. This learned mapping is shown to be an approximate estimate of the Jacobian in global space. In the testing phase, the desired Jacobian is arrived at using a robust KF to improve the ENN learning result so as to achieve robotic precise convergence of the desired pose. Meanwhile, the ENN weights are updated (re-trained) using a new input-output data pair vector (obtained from the KF cycle) to ensure robot global stability manipulation. Thus, our method, without requiring either camera or model parameters, avoids the corrupted performances caused by camera calibration and modeling errors. To demonstrate the proposed scheme's performance, various simulation and experimental results have been presented using a six-degree-of-freedom robotic manipulator with eye-in-hand configurations.

Generation of monoclonal antibodies specific for ORF68 of koi herpesvirus.

PubMed

Aoki, Takashi; Takano, Tomokazu; Unajak, Sasimnanas; Takagi, Madoka; Kim, Young Rim; Park, Seong Bin; Kondo, Hidehiro; Hirono, Ikuo; Saito-Taki, Tatsuo; Hikima, Jun-Ichi; Jung, Tae Sung

2011-05-01

Outbreaks of koi herpesvirus (KHV) infection in carp are still a serious problem worldwide. KHV is closely related to other two cyprinid herpesviruses, pox herpesvirus (CHV) and haematopoietic necrosis herpesvirus (CyHV-2) in goldfish. In this study, two major KHV antigenic proteins (ORF62 and ORF68) were identified by immunoscreening using a KHV-specific polyclonal antibody, and then monoclonal antibodies were generated for immunodiagnostic studies. After screening hybridoma cells, one mAb against ORF68 (mAb-7C6) was obtained but no mAbs against ORF62. mAb-7C6 specifically reacted with a lysate of KHV-infected koi fin cells (KF-1 cells) but not with lysates of CHV- or CyHV-2-infected KF-1 cells in an immuno-blotting analysis. Similar results were shown in the following tests: (1) a indirect fluorescent antibody test using infected KF-1 cells and (2) an immunohistochemical investigation by fast red stain (infected liver) or FITC detection (infected spleen). These results suggested that mAb-7C6 specifically reacts with KHV ORF68 protein. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Solubility of Aluminum in Cryolite-Based Electrolyte-Containing KF

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yu; Yu, Jiangyu; Gao, Bingliang; Liu, Yibai; Hu, Xianwei; Shi, Zhongning; Wang, Zhaowen

2016-04-01

The solubility of aluminum in NaF-AlF3-CaF2-KF-A12O3 electrolyte system at 1253 K (980 °C) has been measured by the analysis of quenched samples saturated with aluminum. The content of the dissolved metal in the quenched melt was determined by collecting the volume of hydrogen gas when a finely crushed sample is treated with HCl. Addition of 0 to 5 pct KF has no obvious effect on the solubility of aluminum in cryolite-based melts with molar ratio of NaF/AlF3 (cryolite ratio) ranging from 2.2 to 3.0. The solubility of aluminum increases from 0.015 to 0.026 wt pct with cryolite ratio increases from 2.2 to 4.0 in the NaF-AlF3-5 wt pct CaF2-3 wt pct A12O3 electrolyte at 1253 K (980 °C). Aluminum solubility was affected by both chemical replacement reaction of Al + 3NaF = AlF3 + 3Na and physical dissolution.

Fibrinogen Reduction During Selective Plasma Exchange due to Membrane Fouling.

PubMed

Ohkubo, Atsushi; Okado, Tomokazu; Miyamoto, Satoko; Hashimoto, Yurie; Komori, Shigeto; Yamamoto, Motoki; Maeda, Takuma; Itagaki, Ayako; Yamamoto, Hiroko; Seshima, Hiroshi; Kurashima, Naoki; Iimori, Soichiro; Naito, Shotaro; Sohara, Eisei; Uchida, Shinichi; Rai, Tatemitsu

2017-06-01

Fibrinogen is substantially reduced by most plasmapheresis modalities but retained in selective plasma exchange using Evacure EC-4A10 (EC-4A). Although EC-4A's fibrinogen sieving coefficient is 0, a session of selective plasma exchange reduced fibrinogen by approximately 19%. Here, we investigated sieving coefficient in five patients. When the mean processed plasma volume was 1.15 × plasma volume, the mean reduction of fibrinogen during selective plasma exchange was approximately 15%. Fibrinogen sieving coefficient was 0 when the processed plasma volume was 1.0 L, increasing to 0.07 when the processed plasma volume was 3.0 L, with a mean of 0.03 during selective plasma exchange. When fibrinogen sieving coefficient was 0, selective plasma exchange reduced fibrinogen by approximately 10%. Scanning electron microscopy images revealed internal fouling of EC-4A's hollow fiber membrane by substances such as fibrinogen fibrils. Thus, fibrinogen reduction by selective plasma exchange may be predominantly caused by membrane fouling rather than filtration. © 2017 International Society for Apheresis, Japanese Society for Apheresis, and Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy.

Waste to wealth concept: Disposable RGO filter paper for flexible temperature sensor applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neella, Nagarjuna; Kedambaimoole, Vaishakh; Gaddam, Venkateswarlu; Nayak, M. M.; Rajanna, K.

2018-04-01

We have developed a flexible reduced graphene oxide (RGO) temperature sensor on filter paper based cellulose substrate using vacuum filtration method. One of the most commonly used synthesized methods for RGO thin films is vacuum filtration process. It has several advantages such as simple operation and good controllability. The structural analysis was carried out by FE-SEM, in which the surface morphology images confirm the formation of RGO nanostructures on the filter paper substrate. It was observed that the pores of the filter paper were completely filled with the RGO material during the filtration process, subsequently the formation of continuous RGO thin films. As a results, the RGO films exhibits a piezoresistive property. The resulted RGO based films on the filter paper reveals the semiconducting behavior having sensitivity of 0.278 Ω /°C and negative temperature coefficient (NTC) about -0.00254 Ω/ Ω / °C. Thus, we demonstrate a simplified way for the fabrication of RGO films on filter paper that possesses better and easier measurable macroscopic electrical properties. Our approach is for easy way of electronics, cost-effective and environment friendly fabrication route for flexible conducting graphene films on filter paper. This will enable for the potential applications in flexible electronics in various fields including biomedical, automobile and aerospace engineering.

Effects of incubation time and filtration method on Kd of indigenous selenium and iodine in temperate soils.

PubMed

Almahayni, T; Bailey, E; Crout, N M J; Shaw, G

2017-10-01

In this study, the effects of incubation time and the method of soil solution extraction and filtration on the empirical distribution coefficient (K d ) obtained by de-sorbing indigenous selenium (Se) and iodine (I) from arable and woodland soils under temperate conditions were investigated. Incubation time had a significant soil- and element-dependent effect on the K d values, which tended to decrease with the incubation time. Generally, a four-week period was sufficient for the desorption K d value to stabilise. Concurrent solubilisation of soil organic matter (OM) and release of organically-bound Se and I was probably responsible for the observed decrease in K d with time. This contrasts with the conventional view of OM as a sink for Se and I in soils. Selenium and I K d values were not significantly affected by the method of soil solution extraction and filtration. The results suggest that incubation time is a key criterion when selecting Se and I K d values from the literature for risk assessments. Values derived from desorption of indigenous soil Se and I might be most appropriate for long-term assessments since they reflect the quasi-equilibrium state of their partitioning in soils. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Determination of permeability of ultra-fine cupric oxide aerosol through military filters and protective filters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kellnerová, E.; Večeřa, Z.; Kellner, J.; Zeman, T.; Navrátil, J.

2018-03-01

The paper evaluates the filtration and sorption efficiency of selected types of military combined filters and protective filters. The testing was carried out with the use of ultra-fine aerosol containing cupric oxide nanoparticles ranging in size from 7.6 nm to 299.6 nm. The measurements of nanoparticles were carried out using a scanning mobility particle sizer before and after the passage through the filter and a developed sampling device at the level of particle number concentration approximately 750000 particles·cm-3. The basic parameters of permeability of ultra-fine aerosol passing through the tested material were evaluated, in particular particle size, efficiency of nanoparticle capture by filter, permeability coefficient and overall filtration efficiency. Results indicate that the military filter and particle filters exhibited the highest aerosol permeability especially in the nanoparticle size range between 100–200 nm, while the MOF filters had the highest permeability in the range of 200 to 300 nm. The Filter Nuclear and the Health and Safety filter had 100% nanoparticle capture efficiency and were therefore the most effective. The obtained measurement results have shown that the filtration efficiency over the entire measured range of nanoparticles was sufficient; however, it was different for particular particle sizes.

Copper-Mediated Radiofluorination of Arylstannanes with [18F]KF

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

A copper-mediated nucleophilic radiofluorination of aryl- and vinylstannanes with [18F]KF is described. This method is fast, uses commercially available reagents, and is compatible with both electron-rich and electron-deficient arene substrates. This method has been applied to the manual synthesis of a variety of clinically relevant radiotracers including protected [18F]F-phenylalanine and [18F]F-DOPA. In addition, an automated synthesis of [18F]MPPF is demonstrated that delivers a clinically validated dose of 200 ± 20 mCi with a high specific activity of 2400 ± 900 Ci/mmol. PMID:27718581

An Extension to the Kalman Filter for an Improved Detection of Unknown Behavior

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Benazera, Emmanuel; Narasimhan, Sriram

2005-01-01

The use of Kalman filter (KF) interferes with fault detection algorithms based on the residual between estimated and measured variables, since the measured values are used to update the estimates. This feedback results in the estimates being pulled closer to the measured values, influencing the residuals in the process. Here we present a fault detection scheme for systems that are being tracked by a KF. Our approach combines an open-loop prediction over an adaptive window and an information-based measure of the deviation of the Kalman estimate from the prediction to improve fault detection.

Bibliography of Aircraft Gust Measurements in Australia and of Some Related Topics,

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-09-01

Kf 1972a BUREAU OF METEOROLOGY f/Kf 1972b BUREAU OF METEOROLOGY I/K 1975 BUREAU OF METEOROLOGY f/ T 1977 BUREAU OF METEOROLOGY 1968 BURNHAM, J . 1973...I/Bf 1967 FODEN, P.J. 1977 FREEMAN, W. B. Jr I/RI 1970 FUJITA, T . T . f/Sf 1972 FUJITA, T . T . I/Sf 1977 GARRATT, J.R. f/W/Xf 1969 GENTILLI, J . I/Mf...1956 TROUP, A.J. 1964 KAMIKO, T . 1969 GENTILLI, J . 1970 BERSON, F.A. & LAMOND, M.H. 1972a WARNER, J . 1975 WALKER, D.R. 1976 CHRISTIE, D.R., MUIRHEAr

Supernova 2009kf: An Ultraviolet Bright Type IIP Supernova Discovered With Pan-Starrs 1 and Galex

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-07-01

The 7 deg2 camera and 1.8 m aperture could allow IIP SNe to be used as cosmological probes at z ∼ 0.2 and the brightest events to be found out to z...ultraviolet (NUV). We discuss the implication of this rare SN for understanding the explosions and the use of Type IIP events for probing cosmology and...SFR at high redshifts. We adopt the cosmological parameters H0 = 70 km s−1 Mpc−1, ΩM = 0.3, ΩΛ = 0.7. 2. DISCOVERY AND OBSERVATIONAL DATA SN 2009kf

Copper-Mediated Radiofluorination of Arylstannanes with [ 18F]KF

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

Makaravage, Katarina J.; Brooks, Allen F.; Mossine, Andrew V.

In this article, a copper-mediated nucleophilic radiofluorination of aryl- and vinylstannanes with [ 18F]KF is described. This method is fast, uses commercially available reagents, and is compatible with both electron-rich and electron-deficient arene substrates. This method has been applied to the manual synthesis of a variety of clinically relevant radiotracers including protected [ 18F]F-phenylalanine and [ 18F]F-DOPA. In addition, an automated synthesis of [ 18F]MPPF is demonstrated that delivers a clinically validated dose of 200 ± 20 mCi with a high specific activity of 2400 ± 900 Ci/mmol.

Copper-Mediated Radiofluorination of Arylstannanes with [ 18F]KF

DOE PAGES

Makaravage, Katarina J.; Brooks, Allen F.; Mossine, Andrew V.; ...

2016-10-10

In this article, a copper-mediated nucleophilic radiofluorination of aryl- and vinylstannanes with [ 18F]KF is described. This method is fast, uses commercially available reagents, and is compatible with both electron-rich and electron-deficient arene substrates. This method has been applied to the manual synthesis of a variety of clinically relevant radiotracers including protected [ 18F]F-phenylalanine and [ 18F]F-DOPA. In addition, an automated synthesis of [ 18F]MPPF is demonstrated that delivers a clinically validated dose of 200 ± 20 mCi with a high specific activity of 2400 ± 900 Ci/mmol.

Kirchhoff index of linear hexagonal chains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Yujun; Zhang, Heping

The resistance distance rij between vertices i and j of a connected (molecular) graph G is computed as the effective resistance between nodes i and j in the corresponding network constructed from G by replacing each edge of G with a unit resistor. The Kirchhoff index Kf(G) is the sum of resistance distances between all pairs of vertices. In this work, according to the decomposition theorem of Laplacian polynomial, we obtain that the Laplacian spectrum of linear hexagonal chain Ln consists of the Laplacian spectrum of path P2n+1 and eigenvalues of a symmetric tridiagonal matrix of order 2n + 1. By applying the relationship between roots and coefficients of the characteristic polynomial of the above matrix, explicit closed-form formula for Kirchhoff index of Ln is derived in terms of Laplacian spectrum. To our surprise, the Krichhoff index of Ln is approximately to one half of its Wiener index. Finally, we show that holds for all graphs G in a class of graphs including Ln.0

Filtration rate dependence of hyaluronan reflection by joint-to-lymph barrier: evidence for concentration polarisation

PubMed Central

Sabaratnam, S; Mason, RM; Levick, JR

2004-01-01

Hyaluronan (HA), a component of synovial fluid, buffers fluid loss from joints. To explain this, a quantitative theory for HA concentration polarisation at a partially sieving synovial lining was developed. The theory predicts a fall in HA reflected fraction R with increased filtration rate. To test this, knees of anaesthetised rabbits were infused with HA and fluorescein–dextran (FD) at constant trans-synovial filtration rates of 6–89 μl min−1. Samples of femoral lymph, mixed intra-articular fluid and subsynovial fluid after ≥ 3 h were analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography. R was calculated as (1 – downstream/upstream concentration), using [FD] to adjust for joint lymph dilution in femoral lymph. Intra-articular HA concentration after ≥ 3 h, 0.47 ± 0.02 mg ml−1 (mean ±s.e.m., n = 31), exceeded the infusate concentration, 0.20 mg ml−1, while subsynovial and lymph [HA] were reduced relative to [FD]. The changes in [HA] demonstrated synovial molecular sieving of HA. R from cavity to lymph (Rlymph) fell monotonically from 0.93 at 6 μl min−1 to 0.14 at 89 μl min−1 (P < 0.0001, regression analysis, n = 33). R values calculated from the intra-articular HA accumulation (Rasp) or the low subsynovial concentrations (Rsyn) were similar negative functions of filtration rate. R for lymphatic capillary endothelium (Rendo), calculated from lymph/subsynovial concentration ratios, was effectively zero (−0.03 ± 0.18, n = 21), confirming that synovium, not initial lymphatic endothelium, is the reflection site. Logarithmic linearisation of the results evaluated the synovial HA reflection coefficient as 0.91. In conclusion, the existence of concentration polarisation during joint fluid drainage was supported by the demonstration of a negative relation between filtration rate and Rlymph, Rasp and Rsyn. PMID:15073278

Investigating On-Orbit Attitude Determination Anomalies for the Solar Dynamics Observatory Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vess, Melissa F.; Starin, Scott R.; Chia-Kuo, Alice Liu

2011-01-01

The Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) was launched on February 11, 2010 from Kennedy Space Center on an Atlas V launch vehicle into a geosynchronous transfer orbit. SDO carries a suite of three scientific instruments, whose observations are intended to promote a more complete understanding of the Sun and its effects on the Earth's environment. After a successful launch, separation, and initial Sun acquisition, the launch and flight operations teams dove into a commissioning campaign that included, among other things, checkout and calibration of the fine attitude sensors and checkout of the Kalman filter (KF) and the spacecraft s inertial pointing and science control modes. In addition, initial calibration of the science instruments was also accomplished. During that process of KF and controller checkout, several interesting observations were noticed and investigated. The SDO fine attitude sensors consist of one Adcole Digital Sun Sensor (DSS), two Galileo Avionica (GA) quaternion-output Star Trackers (STs), and three Kearfott Two-Axis Rate Assemblies (hereafter called inertial reference units, or IRUs). Initial checkout of the fine attitude sensors indicated that all sensors appeared to be functioning properly. Initial calibration maneuvers were planned and executed to update scale factors, drift rate biases, and alignments of the IRUs. After updating the IRU parameters, the KF was initialized and quickly reached convergence. Over the next few hours, it became apparent that there was an oscillation in the sensor residuals and the KF estimation of the IRU bias. A concentrated investigation ensued to determine the cause of the oscillations, their effect on mission requirements, and how to mitigate them. The ensuing analysis determined that the oscillations seen were, in fact, due to an oscillation in the IRU biases. The low frequencies of the oscillations passed through the KF, were well within the controller bandwidth, and therefore the spacecraft was actually following the oscillating biases, resulting in movement of the spacecraft on the order of plus or minus 20 arcsec. Though this level of error met the ACS attitude knowledge requirement of [35, 70, 70] arcsec, 3 sigma, the desire of the ACS and instrument teams was to remove as much of the oscillation as possible. The Kearfott IRUs have an internal temperature controller, designed to maintain the IRU temperature at a constant temperature of approximately 70 C, thus minimizing the change in the bias drift and scale factors of the mechanical gyros. During ground testing of the observatory, it was discovered that the 83-Hz control cycle of the IRU heaters put a tremendous amount of stress on the spacecraft battery. Analysis by the power systems team indicated that the constant charge/discharge on the battery due to the IRU thermal control cycle could potentially limit the life of the battery. After much analysis, the decision was made not to run the internal IRU heaters. Analysis of on orbit data revealed that the oscillations in the IRU bias had a connection to the temperature of the IRU; changes in IRU temperature resulted in changes in the amplitude and period of the IRU biases. Several mitigating solutions were investigated, the result of which was to tune the KF with larger IRU noise assumptions which allows the KF to follow and correct for the time-varying IRU biases.

Resistance to pyridine-based inhibitor KF116 reveals an unexpected role of integrase in HIV-1 Gag-Pol polyprotein proteolytic processing.

PubMed

Hoyte, Ashley C; Jamin, Augusta V; Koneru, Pratibha C; Kobe, Matthew J; Larue, Ross C; Fuchs, James R; Engelman, Alan N; Kvaratskhelia, Mamuka

2017-12-01

The pyridine-based multimerization selective HIV-1 integrase (IN) inhibitors (MINIs) are a distinct subclass of allosteric IN inhibitors. MINIs potently inhibit HIV-1 replication during virion maturation by inducing hyper- or aberrant IN multimerization but are largely ineffective during the early steps of viral replication. Here, we investigated the mechanism for the evolution of a triple IN substitution (T124N/V165I/T174I) that emerges in cell culture with a representative MINI, KF116. We show that HIV-1 NL4-3(IN T124N/V165I/T174I) confers marked (>2000-fold) resistance to KF116. Two IN substitutions (T124N/T174I) directly weaken inhibitor binding at the dimer interface of the catalytic core domain but at the same time markedly impair HIV-1 replication capacity. Unexpectedly, T124N/T174I IN substitutions inhibited proteolytic processing of HIV-1 polyproteins Gag and Gag-Pol, resulting in immature virions. Strikingly, the addition of the third IN substitution (V165I) restored polyprotein processing, virus particle maturation, and significant levels of replication capacity. These results reveal an unanticipated role of IN for polyprotein proteolytic processing during virion morphogenesis. The complex evolutionary pathway for the emergence of resistant viruses, which includes the need for the compensatory V165I IN substitution, highlights a relatively high genetic barrier exerted by MINI KF116. Additionally, we have solved the X-ray structure of the drug-resistant catalytic core domain protein, which provides means for rational development of second-generation MINIs. © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

EnKF OSSE Experiments Assessing the Impact of HIRAD Wind Speed and HIWRAP Radial Velocity Data on Analysis of Hurricane Karl (2010)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Albers, Cerese; Sippel, Jason A.; Braun, Scott A.; Miller, Timothy

2012-01-01

Previous studies (e.g., Zhang et al. 2009, Weng et al. 2011) have shown that radial velocity data from airborne and ground-based radars can be assimilated into ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) systems to produce accurate analyses of tropical cyclone vortices, which can reduce forecast intensity error. Recently, wind speed data from SFMR technology has also been assimilated into the same types of systems and has been shown to improve the forecast intensity of mature tropical cyclones. Two instruments that measure these properties were present during the NASA Genesis and Rapid Intensification Processes (GRIP) field experiment in 2010 which sampled Hurricane Karl, and will next be co-located on the same aircraft for the subsequent NASA HS3 experiment. The High Altitude Wind and Rain Profiling Radar (HIWRAP) is a conically scanning Doppler radar mounted upon NASAs Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle, and the usefulness of its radial velocity data for assimilation has not been previously examined. Since the radar scans from above with a fairly large fixed elevation angle, it observes a large component of the vertical wind, which could degrade EnKF analyses compared to analyses with data taken from lesser elevation angles. The NASA Hurricane Imaging Radiometer (HIRAD) is a passive microwave radiometer similar to SFMR, and measures emissivity and retrieves hurricane surface wind speeds and rain rates over a much wider swath. Thus, this study examines the impact of assimilating simulated HIWRAP radial velocity data into an EnKF system, simulated HIRAD wind speed, and HIWRAP+HIRAD with the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model and compares the results to no data assimilation and also to the Truth from which the data was simulated for both instruments.

Multisource data assimilation in a Richards equation-based integrated hydrological model: a real-world application to an experimental hillslope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Camporese, M.; Botto, A.

2017-12-01

Data assimilation is becoming increasingly popular in hydrological and earth system modeling, as it allows for direct integration of multisource observation data in modeling predictions and uncertainty reduction. For this reason, data assimilation has been recently the focus of much attention also for integrated surface-subsurface hydrological models, whereby multiple terrestrial compartments (e.g., snow cover, surface water, groundwater) are solved simultaneously, in an attempt to tackle environmental problems in a holistic approach. Recent examples include the joint assimilation of water table, soil moisture, and river discharge measurements in catchment models of coupled surface-subsurface flow using the ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF). Although the EnKF has been specifically developed to deal with nonlinear models, integrated hydrological models based on the Richards equation still represent a challenge, due to strong nonlinearities that may significantly affect the filter performance. Thus, more studies are needed to investigate the capabilities of EnKF to correct the system state and identify parameters in cases where the unsaturated zone dynamics are dominant. Here, the model CATHY (CATchment HYdrology) is applied to reproduce the hydrological dynamics observed in an experimental hillslope, equipped with tensiometers, water content reflectometer probes, and tipping bucket flow gages to monitor the hillslope response to a series of artificial rainfall events. We assimilate pressure head, soil moisture, and subsurface outflow with EnKF in a number of assimilation scenarios and discuss the challenges, issues, and tradeoffs arising from the assimilation of multisource data in a real-world test case, with particular focus on the capability of DA to update the subsurface parameters.

Lactococcus lactis Metabolism and Gene Expression during Growth on Plant Tissues

PubMed Central

Golomb, Benjamin L.

2014-01-01

Lactic acid bacteria have been isolated from living, harvested, and fermented plant materials; however, the adaptations these bacteria possess for growth on plant tissues are largely unknown. In this study, we investigated plant habitat-specific traits of Lactococcus lactis during growth in an Arabidopsis thaliana leaf tissue lysate (ATL). L. lactis KF147, a strain originally isolated from plants, exhibited a higher growth rate and reached 7.9-fold-greater cell densities during growth in ATL than the dairy-associated strain L. lactis IL1403. Transcriptome profiling (RNA-seq) of KF147 identified 853 induced and 264 repressed genes during growth in ATL compared to that in GM17 laboratory culture medium. Genes induced in ATL included those involved in the arginine deiminase pathway and a total of 140 carbohydrate transport and metabolism genes, many of which are involved in xylose, arabinose, cellobiose, and hemicellulose metabolism. The induction of those genes corresponded with L. lactis KF147 nutrient consumption and production of metabolic end products in ATL as measured by gas chromatography-time of flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOF/MS) untargeted metabolomic profiling. To assess the importance of specific plant-inducible genes for L. lactis growth in ATL, xylose metabolism was targeted for gene knockout mutagenesis. Wild-type L. lactis strain KF147 but not an xylA deletion mutant was able to grow using xylose as the sole carbon source. However, both strains grew to similarly high levels in ATL, indicating redundancy in L. lactis carbohydrate metabolism on plant tissues. These findings show that certain strains of L. lactis are well adapted for growth on plants and possess specific traits relevant for plant-based food, fuel, and feed fermentations. PMID:25384484

Assimilation of flood extent data with 2D flood inundation models for localised intense rainfall events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neal, J. C.; Wood, M.; Bermúdez, M.; Hostache, R.; Freer, J. E.; Bates, P. D.; Coxon, G.

2017-12-01

Remote sensing of flood inundation extent has long been a potential source of data for constraining and correcting simulations of floodplain inundation. Hydrodynamic models and the computing resources to run them have developed to the extent that simulation of flood inundation in two-dimensional space is now feasible over large river basins in near real-time. However, despite substantial evidence that there is useful information content within inundation extent data, even from low resolution SAR such as that gathered by Envisat ASAR in wide swath mode, making use of the information in a data assimilation system has proved difficult. He we review recent applications of the Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) and Particle Filter for assimilating SAR data, with a focus on the River Severn UK and compare these with complementary research that has looked at the internal error sources and boundary condition errors using detailed terrestrial data that is not available in most locations. Previous applications of the EnKF to this reach have focused on upstream boundary conditions as the source of flow error, however this description of errors was too simplistic for the simulation of summer flood events where localised intense rainfall can be substantial. Therefore, we evaluate the introduction of uncertain lateral inflows to the ensemble. A further limitation of the existing EnKF based methods is the need to convert flood extent to water surface elevations by intersecting the shoreline location with a high quality digital elevation model (e.g. LiDAR). To simplify this data processing step, we evaluate a method to directly assimilate inundation extent as a EnKF model state rather than assimilating water heights, potentially allowing the scheme to be used where high-quality terrain data are sparse.

The impact of covariance localization on the performance of an ocean EnKF system assimilating glider data in the Ligurian Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Falchetti, Silvia; Alvarez, Alberto

2018-04-01

Data assimilation through an ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) is not exempt from deficiencies, including the generation of long-range unphysical correlations that degrade its performance. The covariance localization technique has been proposed and used in previous research to mitigate this effect. However, an evaluation of its performance is usually hindered by the sparseness and unsustained collection of independent observations. This article assesses the performance of an ocean prediction system composed of a multivariate EnKF coupled with a regional configuration of the Regional Ocean Model System (ROMS) with a covariance localization solution and data assimilation from an ocean glider that operated over a limited region of the Ligurian Sea. Simultaneous with the operation of the forecast system, a high-quality data set was repeatedly collected with a CTD sensor, i.e., every day during the period from 5 to 20 August 2013 (approximately 4 to 5 times the synoptic time scale of the area), located on board the NR/V Alliance for model validation. Comparisons between the validation data set and the forecasts provide evidence that the performance of the prediction system with covariance localization is superior to that observed using only EnKF assimilation without localization or using a free run ensemble. Furthermore, it is shown that covariance localization also increases the robustness of the model to the location of the assimilated data. Our analysis reveals that improvements are detected with regard to not only preventing the occurrence of spurious correlations but also preserving the spatial coherence in the updated covariance matrix. Covariance localization has been shown to be relevant in operational frameworks where short-term forecasts (on the order of days) are required.

Sequential data assimilation for a distributed hydrologic model considering different time scale of internal processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noh, S.; Tachikawa, Y.; Shiiba, M.; Kim, S.

2011-12-01

Applications of the sequential data assimilation methods have been increasing in hydrology to reduce uncertainty in the model prediction. In a distributed hydrologic model, there are many types of state variables and each variable interacts with each other based on different time scales. However, the framework to deal with the delayed response, which originates from different time scale of hydrologic processes, has not been thoroughly addressed in the hydrologic data assimilation. In this study, we propose the lagged filtering scheme to consider the lagged response of internal states in a distributed hydrologic model using two filtering schemes; particle filtering (PF) and ensemble Kalman filtering (EnKF). The EnKF is one of the widely used sub-optimal filters implementing an efficient computation with limited number of ensemble members, however, still based on Gaussian approximation. PF can be an alternative in which the propagation of all uncertainties is carried out by a suitable selection of randomly generated particles without any assumptions about the nature of the distributions involved. In case of PF, advanced particle regularization scheme is implemented together to preserve the diversity of the particle system. In case of EnKF, the ensemble square root filter (EnSRF) are implemented. Each filtering method is parallelized and implemented in the high performance computing system. A distributed hydrologic model, the water and energy transfer processes (WEP) model, is applied for the Katsura River catchment, Japan to demonstrate the applicability of proposed approaches. Forecasted results via PF and EnKF are compared and analyzed in terms of the prediction accuracy and the probabilistic adequacy. Discussions are focused on the prospects and limitations of each data assimilation method.

Postoperative pain after manual and mechanical glide path: a randomized clinical trial.

PubMed

Pasqualini, Damiano; Mollo, Livio; Scotti, Nicola; Cantatore, Giuseppe; Castellucci, Arnaldo; Migliaretti, Giuseppe; Berutti, Elio

2012-01-01

This prospective randomized clinical trial evaluated the incidence of postoperative pain after glide path performed with PathFile (PF) (Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland) versus stainless-steel K-file (KF). In 149 subjects, the mechanical glide path was performed with nickel-titanium (NiTi) rotary PF; in 146 subjects, the manual glide path was performed with stainless-steel KFs. Postoperative pain, analgesics consumption, and the number of days to complete pain resolution were evaluated in the following 7 days. An analysis of variance model for repeated measures was used to compare the variation of pain-scale values (P < .05). The Student's t test for continuous variables normally distributed, the nonparametric Mann-Whitney U test for the nonnormally distributed variables, and the chi-square test for dichotomous variables were used (P < .05). Despite homogeneous baseline conditions at diagnosis, tooth type, pain prevalence, and scores, the postoperative pain prevalence curves in PF group evidenced a more favorable trend in terms of time to pain resolution compared with the KF group (P = .004). The difference was also evident in the model adjusted for analgesics consumption in both groups (P = .012). The mean analgesics intake per subject was significantly higher in the KF group (3.7 ± 2.2) compared with the PF group (2 ± 1.7) (P < .001). Mean pain stop values were also significantly higher in the KF group (2.7) compared with the PF group (1.7) (P = .001). The glide path with NiTi Rotary PF leads to less postoperative pain and faster symptom resolution. Copyright © 2012 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sorption and speciation of iodine in groundwater system: The roles of organic matter and organic-mineral complexes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Junxia; Zhou, Hailing; Wang, Yanxin; Xie, Xianjun; Qian, Kun

2017-06-01

Characterizing the properties of main host of iodine in soil/sediment and the geochemical behaviors of iodine species are critical to understand the mechanisms of iodine mobilization in groundwater systems. Four surface soil and six subsurface sediment samples were collected from the iodine-affected area of Datong basin in northern China to conduct batch experiments and to evaluate the effects of NOM and/or organic-mineral complexes on iodide/iodate geochemical behaviors. The results showed that both iodine contents and kf-iodate values had positive correlations with solid TOC contents, implying the potential host of NOM for iodine in soil/sediment samples. The results of chemical removal of easily extracted NOM indicated that the NOM of surface soils is mainly composed of surface embedded organic matter, while sediment NOM mainly occurs in the form of organic-mineral complexes. After the removal of surface sorbed NOM, the decrease in kf-iodate value of treated surface soils indicates that surface sorbed NOM enhances iodate adsorption onto surface soil. By contrast, kf-iodate value increases in several H2O2-treated sediment samples, which was considered to result from exposed rod-like minerals rich in Fe/Al oxyhydroxide/oxides. After chemical removal of organic-mineral complexes, the lowest kf-iodate value for both treated surface soils and sediments suggests the dominant role of organic-mineral complexes on controlling the iodate geochemical behavior. In comparison with iodate, iodide exhibited lower affinities on all (un)treated soil/sediment samples. The understanding of different geochemical behaviors of iodine species helps to explain the occurrence of high iodine groundwater with iodate and iodide as the main species in shallow (oxidizing conditions) and deep (reducing conditions) groundwater.

Estimation of water level and steam temperature using ensemble Kalman filter square root (EnKF-SR)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herlambang, T.; Mufarrikoh, Z.; Karya, D. F.; Rahmalia, D.

2018-04-01

The equipment unit which has the most vital role in the steam-powered electric power plant is boiler. Steam drum boiler is a tank functioning to separate fluida into has phase and liquid phase. The existence in boiler system has a vital role. The controlled variables in the steam drum boiler are water level and the steam temperature. If the water level is higher than the determined level, then the gas phase resulted will contain steam endangering the following process and making the resulted steam going to turbine get less, and the by causing damages to pipes in the boiler. On the contrary, if less than the height of determined water level, the resulted height will result in dry steam likely to endanger steam drum. Thus an error was observed between the determined. This paper studied the implementation of the Ensemble Kalman Filter Square Root (EnKF-SR) method in nonlinear model of the steam drum boiler equation. The computation to estimate the height of water level and the temperature of steam was by simulation using Matlab software. Thus an error was observed between the determined water level and the steam temperature, and that of estimated water level and steam temperature. The result of simulation by Ensemble Kalman Filter Square Root (EnKF-SR) on the nonlinear model of steam drum boiler showed that the error was less than 2%. The implementation of EnKF-SR on the steam drum boiler r model comprises of three simulations, each of which generates 200, 300 and 400 ensembles. The best simulation exhibited the error between the real condition and the estimated result, by generating 400 ensemble. The simulation in water level in order of 0.00002145 m, whereas in the steam temperature was some 0.00002121 kelvin.

Integration of Physical, Genetic, and Cytogenetic Mapping Data for Cellulose Synthase (CesA) Genes in Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.).

PubMed

Yurkevich, Olga Y; Kirov, Ilya V; Bolsheva, Nadezhda L; Rachinskaya, Olga A; Grushetskaya, Zoya E; Zoschuk, Svyatoslav A; Samatadze, Tatiana E; Bogdanova, Marina V; Lemesh, Valentina A; Amosova, Alexandra V; Muravenko, Olga V

2017-01-01

Flax, Linum usitatissimum L., is a valuable multi-purpose plant, and currently, its genome is being extensively investigated. Nevertheless, mapping of genes in flax genome is still remaining a challenging task. The cellulose synthase ( CesA ) multigene family involving in the process of cellulose synthesis is especially important for metabolism of this fiber crop. For the first time, fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH)-based chromosomal localization of the CesA conserved fragment (KF011584.1), 5S, and 26S rRNA genes was performed in landrace, oilseed, and fiber varieties of L. usitatissimum . Intraspecific polymorphism in chromosomal distribution of KF011584.1 and 5S DNA loci was revealed, and the generalized chromosome ideogram was constructed. Using BLAST analysis, available data on physical/genetic mapping and also whole-genome sequencing of flax, localization of KF011584.1, 45S, and 5S rRNA sequences on genomic scaffolds, and their anchoring to the genetic map were conducted. The alignment of the results of FISH and BLAST analyses indicated that KF011584.1 fragment revealed on chromosome 3 could be anchored to linkage group (LG) 11. The common LG for 45S and 5S rDNA was not found probably due to the polymorphic localization of 5S rDNA on chromosome 1. Our findings indicate the complexity of integration of physical, genetic, and cytogenetic mapping data for multicopy gene families in plants. Nevertheless, the obtained results can be useful for future progress in constructing of integrated physical/genetic/cytological maps in L. usitatissimum which are essential for flax breeding.

Integration of Physical, Genetic, and Cytogenetic Mapping Data for Cellulose Synthase (CesA) Genes in Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.)

PubMed Central

Yurkevich, Olga Y.; Kirov, Ilya V.; Bolsheva, Nadezhda L.; Rachinskaya, Olga A.; Grushetskaya, Zoya E.; Zoschuk, Svyatoslav A.; Samatadze, Tatiana E.; Bogdanova, Marina V.; Lemesh, Valentina A.; Amosova, Alexandra V.; Muravenko, Olga V.

2017-01-01

Flax, Linum usitatissimum L., is a valuable multi-purpose plant, and currently, its genome is being extensively investigated. Nevertheless, mapping of genes in flax genome is still remaining a challenging task. The cellulose synthase (CesA) multigene family involving in the process of cellulose synthesis is especially important for metabolism of this fiber crop. For the first time, fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH)-based chromosomal localization of the CesA conserved fragment (KF011584.1), 5S, and 26S rRNA genes was performed in landrace, oilseed, and fiber varieties of L. usitatissimum. Intraspecific polymorphism in chromosomal distribution of KF011584.1 and 5S DNA loci was revealed, and the generalized chromosome ideogram was constructed. Using BLAST analysis, available data on physical/genetic mapping and also whole-genome sequencing of flax, localization of KF011584.1, 45S, and 5S rRNA sequences on genomic scaffolds, and their anchoring to the genetic map were conducted. The alignment of the results of FISH and BLAST analyses indicated that KF011584.1 fragment revealed on chromosome 3 could be anchored to linkage group (LG) 11. The common LG for 45S and 5S rDNA was not found probably due to the polymorphic localization of 5S rDNA on chromosome 1. Our findings indicate the complexity of integration of physical, genetic, and cytogenetic mapping data for multicopy gene families in plants. Nevertheless, the obtained results can be useful for future progress in constructing of integrated physical/genetic/cytological maps in L. usitatissimum which are essential for flax breeding. PMID:28878799

Sorption of selected pharmaceuticals and pesticides on different river sediments.

PubMed

Radović, Tanja T; Grujić, Svetlana D; Kovačević, Srđan R; Laušević, Mila D; Dimkić, Milan A

2016-12-01

In the present work, the sorption ability of 17 pharmaceutical compounds, two metabolites, and 15 pesticides (34 target compounds in total) onto four different river sediments was investigated separately. Selected compounds present the most frequently prescribed pharmaceuticals in human and animal medicine and the most frequently used pesticides in agriculture. Their presence into the surface, ground, and waste waters was confirmed into the numerous papers in literature, as well as their presence into the river sediments (for some of them). However, investigations of their sorption onto the river sediments, as major natural protection from potential pollution of ground water by them is missing. Sorption in this study was investigated onto river sediments taken from rivers in the Republic of Serbia, where only less than 10 % of total generated waste water passes through mainly basic treatment processes. Experiments were based on batch equilibrium procedures and obtained solutions were analyzed by previously developed and validated sensitive high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) analytical methods. All results were modeled by Freundlich isotherms. Obtained results have shown that Kf coefficient values are in correlation with organic carbon content. Kd sorption coefficient values were relatively low and ranged in wide ranges for almost all compounds and sediments. That implicates on the conclusion that capacities of the investigated sorbents are not large for those compounds.

Non-steady state simulation of BOM removal in drinking water biofilters: model development.

PubMed

Hozalski, R M; Bouwer, E J

2001-01-01

A numerical model was developed to simulate the non-steady-state behavior of biologically-active filters used for drinking water treatment. The biofilter simulation model called "BIOFILT" simulates the substrate (biodegradable organic matter or BOM) and biomass (both attached and suspended) profiles in a biofilter as a function of time. One of the innovative features of BIOFILT compared to previous biofilm models is the ability to simulate the effects of a sudden loss in attached biomass or biofilm due to filter backwash on substrate removal performance. A sensitivity analysis of the model input parameters indicated that the model simulations were most sensitive to the values of parameters that controlled substrate degradation and biofilm growth and accumulation including the substrate diffusion coefficient, the maximum rate of substrate degradation, the microbial yield coefficient, and a dimensionless shear loss coefficient. Variation of the hydraulic loading rate or other parameters that controlled the deposition of biomass via filtration did not significantly impact the simulation results.

[Effects of soil trituration size on adsorption of oxytetracycline on soils].

PubMed

Qi, Rui-Huan; Li, Zhao-Jun; Long, Jian; Fan, Fei-Fei; Liang, Yong-Chao

2011-02-01

In order to understand the effects of soil trituration size on adsorption of oxytetracycline (OTC) on soils, two contrasting soils including moisture soil and purplish soil were selected to investigate adsorption of OTC on these soils, at the scales of no more than 0.20 mm, 0.84 mm, 0.25 mm and 0.15 mm, using the method of batch equilibrium experiments respectively. The results presented as the following: (1) Adsorption amount of OTC on moisture soil and purplish soil increased with the sampling time, and reached to equilibration at 24 h. First-order kinetic model, second-order kinetic model, parabolic-diffusion kinetic model, Elovich kinetic model, and two-constant kinetic model could be used to fit the changes in adsorption on soils with sampling time. Adsorption of OTC on two soils consisted of two processes such as quick adsorption and slow adsorption. Quick adsorption process happened during the period of 0-0.5 h. The adsorption rates of OTC on soils were higher at the small trituration size than those at the large trituration size, and at the same trituration size, the k(f) of purplish soil was about two times higher than those of moisture soil. (2) Adsorption isotherms of OTC on two soils with different trituration sizes were deviated from the linear model. The data were fitted well to Freundlich and Langmuir models, with the correlation coefficients between 0.956 and 0.999. The values of k(f) and q(m) for purplish soil were higher than those for moisture soil. At the same soil, adsorption amount of OTC increased with the decreases of soil trituration size. The results suggested that it is important to select the appropriate trituration size, based on the physical and chemical properties such as soil particle composition and so on, when the fate of antibiotics on soils was investigated.

Effects of pH and phosphate on glyphosate adsorption to Argentina soils.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Geronimo, Eduardo; Aparicio, Virginia; Costa, José Luis

2017-04-01

Glyphosate is a non-selective, post-emergence herbicide that is widely used in Argentina. Due to the similar molecular structures, glyphosate and phosphate compete for the same adsorption sites in soil. Soil pH has a strong influence in glyphosate and phosphate adsorption since it modifies the net charge of the molecules and, consequently, the force of the electrostatic interaction between these molecules and soil components. Glyphosate adsorption generally decreases as the soil pH was increased, although there were exceptions. In this work, we study the effects of pH and the presence of phosphate on the adsorption of glyphosate on six different types of Argentina soils. Batch equilibrium technique was employed to study the adsorption of glyphosate onto soils at different pH values (from 3 to 9) and phosphate content (0.5 and 1 mM). Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis was applied to obtain a relationship between the sorption parameters and soil properties. The results indicated that Freundlich equations used to simulate glyphosate adsorption isotherms gave high correlation coefficients with Kf values range from 24.9 to 397.4. Clay contents and soil pH were found to be the most significant soil factors affecting the glyphosate adsorption process. The presence of phosphate significantly decreased the adsorption of glyphosate to soils. The Kf values obtained for all six soils decreased a 40% at 0.5 mM of phosphate and a 55% at 1 mM of phosphate. On the other hand, the affinity parameters of glyphosate to soils varied with changes in pH. A general trend of decrease in glyphosate adsorption with increase in pH was observed for all six studied soils. In turn, there appears to be a maximum glyphosate adsorption at pH close to 6 for most soils when the net charge of the molecule at this pH was approximately -1.7.

A Ground-Based Comparison of the Muscle Atrophy Research and Exercise System (MARES) and a Standard Isokinetic Dynamometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hackney, K. J.; English, K. L.; Redd, E.; DeWitt, J. K.; Ploutz-Snyder, R.; Ploutz-Snyder, L. L.

2010-01-01

PURPOSE: 1) To compare the test-to-test reliability of Muscle Atrophy Research and Exercise System (MARES) with a standard laboratory isokinetic dynamometer (ISOK DYN) and; 2) to determine if measures of peak torque and total work differ between devices. METHODS: Ten subjects (6M, 4F) completed two trials on both MARES and an ISOK DYN in a counterbalanced order. Peak torque values at 60 deg & 180 deg / s were obtained from five maximal repetitions of knee extension (KE) and knee flexion (KF). Total work at 180 deg / s was determined from the area under the torque vs. displacement curve during twenty maximal repetitions of KE and KF. Reliability of measures within devices was interpreted from the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and compared between devices using the ratio of the within-device standard deviations. Indicators of agreement for the two devices were evaluated from: 1) a calculation of concordance (rho) and; 2) the correlation between the mean of measures versus the delta difference between measures (m u vs delta). RESULTS: For all outcome measures ICCs were high for both the ISOK DYN (0.95-0.99) and MARES (0.90-0.99). However, ratios of the within-device standard deviation were 1.3 to 4.3 times higher on MARES. On average, a wide range (3.3 to 1054 Nm) of differences existed between the values obtained. Only KE peak torque measured at 60 deg & 180 deg / s showed similarities between devices (rho = 0.91 & 0.87; Pearson's r for m u vs delta = -0.22 & -0.37, respectively). CONCLUSION: Although MARES was designed for use in microgravity it was quite reliable during ground-based testing. However, MARES was consistently more variable than an ISOK DYN. Future longitudinal studies evaluating a change in isokinetic peak torque or total work should be limited within one device.

Adhesion of bacterial pathogens to soil colloidal particles: influences of cell type, natural organic matter, and solution chemistry.

PubMed

Zhao, Wenqiang; Walker, Sharon L; Huang, Qiaoyun; Cai, Peng

2014-04-15

Bacterial adhesion to granular soil particles is well studied; however, pathogen interactions with naturally occurring colloidal particles (<2 μm) in soil has not been investigated. This study was developed to identify the interaction mechanisms between model bacterial pathogens and soil colloids as a function of cell type, natural organic matter (NOM), and solution chemistry. Specifically, batch adhesion experiments were conducted using NOM-present, NOM-stripped soil colloids, Streptococcus suis SC05 and Escherichia coli WH09 over a wide range of solution pH (4.0-9.0) and ionic strength (IS, 1-100 mM KCl). Cell characterization techniques, Freundlich isotherm, and Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) theory (sphere-sphere model) were utilized to quantitatively determine the interactions between cells and colloids. The adhesion coefficients (Kf) of S. suis SC05 to NOM-present and NOM-stripped soil colloids were significantly higher than E. coli WH09, respectively. Similarly, Kf values of S. suis SC05 and E. coli WH09 adhesion to NOM-stripped soil colloids were greater than those colloids with NOM-present, respectively, suggesting NOM inhibits bacterial adhesion. Cell adhesion to soil colloids declined with increasing pH and enhanced with rising IS (1-50 mM). Interaction energy calculations indicate these adhesion trends can be explained by DLVO-type forces, with S. suis SC05 and E. coli WH09 being weakly adhered in shallow secondary energy minima via polymer bridging and charge heterogeneity. S. suis SC05 adhesion decreased at higher IS 100 mM, which is attributed to the change of hydrophobic effect and steric repulsion resulted from the greater presence of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) on S. suis SC05 surface as compared to E. coli WH09. Hence, pathogen adhesion to the colloidal material is determined by a combination of DLVO, charge heterogeneity, hydrophobic and polymer interactions as a function of solution chemistry. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A ground-based comparison of the Muscle Atrophy Research and Exercise System (MARES) and a commercially available isokinetic dynamometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

English, Kirk L.; Hackney, Kyle J.; De Witt, John K.; Ploutz-Snyder, Robert J.; Goetchius, Elizabeth L.; Ploutz-Snyder, Lori L.

2013-11-01

IntroductionInternational Space Station (ISS) crewmembers perform muscle strength and endurance testing pre- and postflight to assess the physiologic adaptations associated with long-duration exposure to microgravity. However, a reliable and standardized method to document strength changes in-flight has not been established. To address this issue, a proprietary dynamometer, the Muscle Atrophy Research and Exercise System (MARES) has been developed and flown aboard the ISS. The aims of this ground-based investigation were to: (1) evaluate the test-retest reliability of MARES and (2) determine its agreement with a commercially available isokinetic dynamometer previously used for pre- and postflight medical testing. MethodsSix males (179.5±4.7 cm; 82.0±8.7 kg; 31.3±4.0 yr) and four females (163.2±7.3 cm; 63.2±1.9 kg; 32.3±6.8 yr) completed two testing sessions on a HUMAC NORM isokinetic dynamometer (NORM) and two sessions on MARES using a randomized, counterbalanced, cross-over design. Peak torque values at 60° and 180° s-1 were calculated from five maximal repetitions of knee extension (KE) and knee flexion (KF) for each session. Total work at 180° s-1 was determined from the area under the torque versus displacement curve during 20 maximal repetitions of KE and KF. ResultsIntraclass correlation coefficients were relatively high for both devices (0.90-0.99). Only one dependent measure, KE peak torque at 60° s-1 exhibited good concordance between devices (ρ=0.92) and a small average difference (0.9±17.3 N m). ConclusionMARES demonstrated acceptable test-retest reliability and thus should serve as a good tool to monitor in-flight strength changes. However, due to poor agreement with NORM, it is not advisable to compare absolute values obtained on these devices.

Evaluating and Understanding Parameterized Convective Processes and Their Role in the Development of Mesoscale Precipitation Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fritsch, J. Michael; Kain, John S.

1996-01-01

Research efforts focused on numerical simulations of two convective systems with the Penn State/NCAR mesoscale model. The first of these systems was tropical cyclone Irma, which occurred in 1987 in Australia's Gulf of Carpentaria during the AMEX field program. Comparison simulations of this system were done with two different convective parameterization schemes (CPS's), the Kain-Fritsch (KF) and the Betts-Miller (BM) schemes. The second system was the June 10-11, 1985 squall line simulation, which occurred over the Kansas-Oklahoma region during the PRE-STORM experiment. Simulations of this system using the KF scheme were examined in detail.

Novel Kalman Filter Algorithm for Statistical Monitoring of Extensive Landscapes with Synoptic Sensor Data

PubMed Central

Czaplewski, Raymond L.

2015-01-01

Wall-to-wall remotely sensed data are increasingly available to monitor landscape dynamics over large geographic areas. However, statistical monitoring programs that use post-stratification cannot fully utilize those sensor data. The Kalman filter (KF) is an alternative statistical estimator. I develop a new KF algorithm that is numerically robust with large numbers of study variables and auxiliary sensor variables. A National Forest Inventory (NFI) illustrates application within an official statistics program. Practical recommendations regarding remote sensing and statistical issues are offered. This algorithm has the potential to increase the value of synoptic sensor data for statistical monitoring of large geographic areas. PMID:26393588

Production and storage stability of formulated chicken nuggets using konjac flour and shiitake mushrooms.

PubMed

Akesowan, Adisak

2016-10-01

Formulated chicken nuggets which are low in fat and, high in dietary fiber and free from phosphate were developed by adding various levels of a konjac flour/xanthan gum (KF/XG) (3:1) mixture (0.2-1.5 %, w/w) and shiitake powder (SP) (1-4 %, w/w). A central composite rotatable design was used to investigate the influence of variables on the physical and sensory properties of nuggets and to optimize the formulated nugget formulation. The addition of the KF/XG mixture and SP was effective in improving nugget firmness and increasing hedonic scores for color, taste, flavor and overall acceptability. The nugget became darker with more SP was added. Optimal nuggets with 0.39 % KF/XG mixture and 1.84 % SP had reduced fat, higher dietary fiber and amino acids. After frozen (-18 ± 2 °C) storage, optimal formulated nuggets showed slower decreased in moisture, hardness and chewiness compared to standard nuggets. Konjac flour and SP also lowered lipid oxidation in frozen formulated nuggets. A slight change in sensory score was observed in both nuggets were microbiologically safe after frozen storage for 75 days.

Kalman Filtered MR Temperature Imaging for Laser Induced Thermal Therapies

PubMed Central

Fuentes, D.; Yung, J.; Hazle, J. D.; Weinberg, J. S.; Stafford, R. J.

2013-01-01

The feasibility of using a stochastic form of Pennes bioheat model within a 3D finite element based Kalman filter (KF) algorithm is critically evaluated for the ability to provide temperature field estimates in the event of magnetic resonance temperature imaging (MRTI) data loss during laser induced thermal therapy (LITT). The ability to recover missing MRTI data was analyzed by systematically removing spatiotemporal information from a clinical MR-guided LITT procedure in human brain and comparing predictions in these regions to the original measurements. Performance was quantitatively evaluated in terms of a dimensionless L2 (RMS) norm of the temperature error weighted by acquisition uncertainty. During periods of no data corruption, observed error histories demonstrate that the Kalman algorithm does not alter the high quality temperature measurement provided by MR thermal imaging. The KF-MRTI implementation considered is seen to predict the bioheat transfer with RMS error < 4 for a short period of time, Δt < 10sec, until the data corruption subsides. In its present form, the KF-MRTI method currently fails to compensate for consecutive for consecutive time periods of data loss Δt > 10sec. PMID:22203706

Adaptive probabilistic collocation based Kalman filter for unsaturated flow problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Man, J.; Li, W.; Zeng, L.; Wu, L.

2015-12-01

The ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) has gained popularity in hydrological data assimilation problems. As a Monte Carlo based method, a relatively large ensemble size is usually required to guarantee the accuracy. As an alternative approach, the probabilistic collocation based Kalman filter (PCKF) employs the Polynomial Chaos to approximate the original system. In this way, the sampling error can be reduced. However, PCKF suffers from the so called "cure of dimensionality". When the system nonlinearity is strong and number of parameters is large, PCKF is even more computationally expensive than EnKF. Motivated by recent developments in uncertainty quantification, we propose a restart adaptive probabilistic collocation based Kalman filter (RAPCKF) for data assimilation in unsaturated flow problem. During the implementation of RAPCKF, the important parameters are identified and active PCE basis functions are adaptively selected. The "restart" technology is used to alleviate the inconsistency between model parameters and states. The performance of RAPCKF is tested by unsaturated flow numerical cases. It is shown that RAPCKF is more efficient than EnKF with the same computational cost. Compared with the traditional PCKF, the RAPCKF is more applicable in strongly nonlinear and high dimensional problems.

An Ensemble Recentering Kalman Filter with an Application to Argo Temperature Data Assimilation into the NASA GEOS-5 Coupled Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keppenne, Christian L.

2013-01-01

A two-step ensemble recentering Kalman filter (ERKF) analysis scheme is introduced. The algorithm consists of a recentering step followed by an ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) analysis step. The recentering step is formulated such as to adjust the prior distribution of an ensemble of model states so that the deviations of individual samples from the sample mean are unchanged but the original sample mean is shifted to the prior position of the most likely particle, where the likelihood of each particle is measured in terms of closeness to a chosen subset of the observations. The computational cost of the ERKF is essentially the same as that of a same size EnKF. The ERKF is applied to the assimilation of Argo temperature profiles into the OGCM component of an ensemble of NASA GEOS-5 coupled models. Unassimilated Argo salt data are used for validation. A surprisingly small number (16) of model trajectories is sufficient to significantly improve model estimates of salinity over estimates from an ensemble run without assimilation. The two-step algorithm also performs better than the EnKF although its performance is degraded in poorly observed regions.

Quantitative Correlation of 7B04 Aluminum Alloys Pitting Corrosion Morphology Characteristics with Stress Concentration Factor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Zhiguo; Yan, Guangyao; Mu, Zhitao; Li, Xudong

2018-01-01

The accelerated pitting corrosion test of 7B04 aluminum alloy specimen was carried out according to the spectrum which simulated airport environment, and the corresponding pitting corrosion damage was obtained and was defined through three parameters A and B and C which respectively denoted the corrosion pit surface length and width and corrosion pit depth. The ratio between three parameters could determine the morphology characteristics of corrosion pits. On this basis the stress concentration factor of typical corrosion pit morphology under certain load conditions was quantitatively analyzed. The research shows that the corrosion pits gradually incline to be ellipse in surface and moderate in depth, and most value of B/A and C/A lies in 1 between 4 and few maximum exceeds 4; The stress concentration factor Kf of corrosion pits is obviously affected by the its morphology, the value of Kf increases with corrosion pits depth increasement under certain corrosion pits surface geometry. Also, the value of Kf decreases with surface width increasement under certain corrosion pits depth. The research conclusion can set theory basis for corrosion fatigue life analysis of aircraft aluminum alloy structure.

Validation and Parameter Sensitivity Tests for Reconstructing Swell Field Based on an Ensemble Kalman Filter

PubMed Central

Wang, Xuan; Tandeo, Pierre; Fablet, Ronan; Husson, Romain; Guan, Lei; Chen, Ge

2016-01-01

The swell propagation model built on geometric optics is known to work well when simulating radiated swells from a far located storm. Based on this simple approximation, satellites have acquired plenty of large samples on basin-traversing swells induced by fierce storms situated in mid-latitudes. How to routinely reconstruct swell fields with these irregularly sampled observations from space via known swell propagation principle requires more examination. In this study, we apply 3-h interval pseudo SAR observations in the ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) to reconstruct a swell field in ocean basin, and compare it with buoy swell partitions and polynomial regression results. As validated against in situ measurements, EnKF works well in terms of spatial–temporal consistency in far-field swell propagation scenarios. Using this framework, we further address the influence of EnKF parameters, and perform a sensitivity analysis to evaluate estimations made under different sets of parameters. Such analysis is of key interest with respect to future multiple-source routinely recorded swell field data. Satellite-derived swell data can serve as a valuable complementary dataset to in situ or wave re-analysis datasets. PMID:27898005

Efficiency of methods for Karl Fischer determination of water in oils based on oven evaporation and azeotropic distillation.

PubMed

Larsson, William; Jalbert, Jocelyn; Gilbert, Roland; Cedergren, Anders

2003-03-15

The efficiency of azeotropic distillation and oven evaporation techniques for trace determination of water in oils has recently been questioned by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), on the basis of measurements of the residual water found after the extraction step. The results were obtained by volumetric Karl Fischer (KF) titration in a medium containing a large excess of chloroform (> or = 65%), a proposed prerequisite to ensure complete release of water from the oil matrix. In this work, the extent of this residual water was studied by means of a direct zero-current potentiometric technique using a KF medium containing more than 80% chloroform, which is well above the concentration recommended by NIST. A procedure is described that makes it possible to correct the results for dilution errors as well as for chemical interference effects caused by the oil matrix. The corrected values were found to be in the range of 0.6-1.5 ppm, which should be compared with the 12-34 ppm (uncorrected values) reported by NIST for the same oils. From this, it is concluded that the volumetric KF method used by NIST gives results that are much too high.

Single Molecule Bioelectronics and Their Application to Amplification-Free Measurement of DNA Lengths.

PubMed

Gül, O Tolga; Pugliese, Kaitlin M; Choi, Yongki; Sims, Patrick C; Pan, Deng; Rajapakse, Arith J; Weiss, Gregory A; Collins, Philip G

2016-06-24

As biosensing devices shrink smaller and smaller, they approach a scale in which single molecule electronic sensing becomes possible. Here, we review the operation of single-enzyme transistors made using single-walled carbon nanotubes. These novel hybrid devices transduce the motions and catalytic activity of a single protein into an electronic signal for real-time monitoring of the protein's activity. Analysis of these electronic signals reveals new insights into enzyme function and proves the electronic technique to be complementary to other single-molecule methods based on fluorescence. As one example of the nanocircuit technique, we have studied the Klenow Fragment (KF) of DNA polymerase I as it catalytically processes single-stranded DNA templates. The fidelity of DNA polymerases makes them a key component in many DNA sequencing techniques, and here we demonstrate that KF nanocircuits readily resolve DNA polymerization with single-base sensitivity. Consequently, template lengths can be directly counted from electronic recordings of KF's base-by-base activity. After measuring as few as 20 copies, the template length can be determined with <1 base pair resolution, and different template lengths can be identified and enumerated in solutions containing template mixtures.

The efficiency of utilization of metabolizable energy and apparent absorption of amino acids in sheep given spring- and autumn-harvested dried grass.

PubMed

Macrae, J C; Smith, J S; Dewey, P J; Brewer, A C; Brown, D S; Walker, A

1985-07-01

Three experiments were conducted with sheep given spring-harvested dried grass (SHG) and autumn-harvested dried grass (AHG). The first was a calorimetric trial to determine the metabolizable energy (ME) content of each grass and the efficiency with which sheep utilize their extra ME intakes above the maintenance level of intake. The second examined the relative amounts of extra non-ammonia-nitrogen (NAN) and individual amino acids absorbed from the small intestine per unit extra ME intake as the level of feeding was raised from energy equilibrium (M) to approximately 1.5 M. The third was a further calorimetric trial to investigate the effect of an abomasal infusion of 30 g casein/d on the efficiency of utilization of AHG. The ME content of the SHG (11.8 MJ/kg dry matter (DM] was higher than that of AHG (10.0 MJ/kg DM). The efficiency of utilization of ME for productive purposes (i.e. above the M level of intake; kf) was higher when given SHG (kf 0.54 between M and 2 M) than when given AHG (kf 0.43 between M and 2 M). As the level of intake of each grass was raised from M to 1.5 M there was a greater increment in the amounts of NAN (P less than 0.001) and the total amino acid (P less than 0.05) absorbed from the small intestines when sheep were given the SHG (NAN absorption, SHG 5.4 g/d, AHG 1.5 g/d, SED 0.54; total amino acid absorption SHG 31.5 g/d, AHG 14.3 g/d, SED 5.24). Infusion of 30 g casein/d per abomasum of sheep given AHG at M and 1.5 M levels of intake increased (P less than 0.05) the efficiency of utilization of the herbage from kf 0.45 to kf 0.57. Consideration is given to the possibility that the higher efficiency of utilization of ME in sheep given SHG may be related to the amounts of extra glucogenic amino acids absorbed from the small intestine which provide extra reducing equivalents (NADPH) and glycerol phosphate necessary for the conversion of acetate into fatty acids.

Geochronologic Constraints on Duration of Magma Emplacement and Heat Transfer in the Deep Crust: new data from the Ivrea Zone, Western Alps, Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peressini, G.; Quick, J. E.; Poller, U.; Todt, W.; Mayer, A.; Sinigoi, S.; Hofmann, A. W.

2002-12-01

The Mafic Complex (MC) of the Ivrea Zone is one of the largest gabbro bodies in the Alps (ca 8 km thick and 30 km long); it intruded the already metamorphic volcano-sedimentary sequence of the Kinzigite Formation (KF) at a depth of more than 20 km during the Late Paleozoic. New geochronologic data constrain the duration of the intrusion. The crustal section, uplifted, tilted and exposed in Alpine time, is tectonically bounded, but essentially undisturbed by Alpine tectonics; the internal structure of the MC and its relations with the KF are well preserved. Intrusion of the MC in extending continental crust is suggested by pre-Triassic, high-T, extensional shear zones in the Ivrea Zone, and is consistent with the internal arcuate structure of the MC, which is defined by high-T foliation and banding, that are discordant to the roof of the intrusion. Rocks in the roof of the MC attain upper-amphibolite grade and show evidence of partial melting within about 2 km of the MC. The country rock was melted as a consequence of heat released by the crystallizing mafic body; the chemistry of the mafic rocks was affected by up to 30% crustal contamination that occurred partially in situ, by mixing of the basaltic melts with anatectic melts derived from depleted crustal rocks. A thin (less than 20 m) seam of leucogranite crystallized from anatectic melt is present at the MC-KF contact. Syntectonic intrusion of leucogranite along shear zones within the KF demonstrates migration of anatectic melts to higher crustal levels. U/Pb SHRIMP ages on magmatic zircons range from 295+4 and 287+4 Ma for the MC, and 280+4 Ma for syntectonic leucogranites in the KF. Thus, intrusion of the MC may have taken as long as 10-15 Ma. Nd-Sm mineral isochrones for the MC range from 244 to 274, indicating that the Complex cooled to temperatures below 750C within about 40 Ma of final crystallization. The heat of crystallization of the MC was accommodated by anatexis and assimilation, and syntectonic migration of anatectic melts transferred heat to higher crustal levels.

Using measured 30-150 kVp polychromatic tungsten x-ray spectra to determine ion chamber calibration factors, Nx (Gy C(-1)).

PubMed

Mercier, J R; Kopp, D T; McDavid, W D; Dove, S B; Lancaster, J L; Tucker, D M

2000-10-01

Two methods for determining ion chamber calibration factors (Nx) are presented for polychromatic tungsten x-ray beams whose spectra differ from beams with known Nx. Both methods take advantage of known x-ray fluence and kerma spectral distributions. In the first method, the x-ray tube potential is unchanged and spectra of differing filtration are measured. A primary standard ion chamber with known Nx for one beam is used to calculate the x-ray fluence spectrum of a second beam. Accurate air energy absorption coefficients are applied to the x-ray fluence spectra of the second beam to calculate actual air kerma and Nx. In the second method, two beams of differing tube potential and filtration with known Nx are used to bracket a beam of unknown Nx. A heuristically derived Nx interpolation scheme based on spectral characteristics of all three beams is described. Both methods are validated. Both methods improve accuracy over the current half value layer Nx estimating technique.

Membrane fouling related to microbial community and extracellular polymeric substances at different temperatures.

PubMed

Gao, Da-Wen; Wen, Zhi-Dan; Li, Bao; Liang, Hong

2013-09-01

An anoxic-aerobic membrane bioreactor was established to investigate the role of microorganisms and microbial metabolites in membrane fouling at different temperatures. The results showed that the membrane fouling cycle at 303, 293, and 283 K were 30, 29, and 5.5 days, respectively. Polysaccharides dominated the extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and soluble microbial products (SMP) at 303 and 293 K, instead, proteins was the predominant composition of metabolites at 283 K. The correlation coefficient (r(2)) was calculated to identify the relationship between temperature (T), filtration resistance (R) and compositions of EPS and SMP. In biocake, the EPS polysaccharides (EPSc) was the most correlative factor to temperature (T) and filtration resistance (R); in mixed liquor, the ratio of SMP polysaccharides to proteins (SMPc/p) was the most correlative factor. The microbial community structure and the dominant species was the major reason causing the change of EPS and SMP composition. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of boundary conditions on the cleaning efficiency of riverbank filtration and artificial groundwater recharge systems regarding bulk parameters and trace pollutants.

PubMed

Storck, Florian R; Schmidt, Carsten K; Wülser, Richard; Brauch, Heinz-Jürgen

2012-01-01

Drinking water is often produced from surface water by riverbank filtration (RBF) or artificial groundwater recharge (AGR). In this study, an AGR system was exemplarily investigated and results were compared with those of RBF systems, in which the effects of redox milieu, temperature and surface water discharge on the cleaning efficiency were evaluated. Besides bulk parameters such as DOC (dissolved organic carbon), organic trace pollutants including iodinated X-ray contrast media, personal care products, complexing agents, and pharmaceuticals were investigated. At all studied sites, levels of TOC (total organic carbon), DOC, AOX (adsorbable organic halides), SAC (spectral absorption coefficient at 254 nm), and turbidity were reduced significantly. DOC removal was stimulated at higher groundwater temperatures during AGR. Several substances were generally easily removable during both AGR and RBF, regardless of the site, season, discharge or redox regime. For some more refractory substances, however, removal efficiency turned out to be significantly influenced by redox conditions.

Some properties of electrolyte solutions in nanoconfinement revealed by the measurement of transient filtration potential after pressure switch off.

PubMed

Yaroshchuk, Andriy E; Boiko, Yuriy P; Makovetskiy, Alexandre L

2005-08-16

We have demonstrated that with a composite nanoporous ceramic membrane in a batch membrane cell it is technically feasible to switch off the trans-membrane hydrostatic pressure difference within tens of milliseconds. That enabled us to resolve practically the whole time evolution of transient filtration potential. Measurements of the latter have been complemented by measurements of steady-state salt rejection by the composite membrane and by measurements of the streaming potential and hydraulic permeability of membrane supports available separately. A theory has been developed in terms of network thermodynamics for the electrical response of a bilayer membrane to a pressure perturbation. In combination with the results of salt rejection measurements, from the time transients of filtration potential we could determine the ion transport numbers within the nanoporous layer. Besides that, from the dependence of steady-state salt rejection on the trans-membrane volume flow, we have determined the diffusion permeability of and the salt reflection coefficient in the nanoporous layer. This has enabled us to estimate the contributions of Donnan and non-Donnan mechanisms to the rejection of ions by the nanoporous membrane used in this study. It has been unexpectedly found that the Donnan exclusion played only a secondary role. Our hypothesis is that the non-Donnan exclusion of ions from the nanopores might be caused by changes in water properties in nanoconfinement. Proceeding from the results of steady-state filtration experiments with the membrane and the support, we also concluded that the nanoporous layer was imperfection-free and had a quite narrow pore size distribution, which made it a suitable object for fundamental studies of ion transfer mechanisms in nanopores.

Prevalence of and risk factors for reduced serum bicarbonate in chronic kidney disease.

PubMed

Raphael, Kalani L; Zhang, Yingying; Ying, Jian; Greene, Tom

2014-10-01

The prevalence of metabolic acidosis increases as glomerular filtration rate falls. However, most patients with stage 4 chronic kidney disease have normal serum bicarbonate concentration while some with stage 3 chronic kidney disease have low serum bicarbonate, suggesting that other factors contribute to generation of acidosis. The purpose of this study is to identify risk factors, other than reduced glomerular filtration rate, for reduced serum bicarbonate in chronic kidney disease. This is a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort Study. Multivariable logistic and linear regression models were used to relate predictor variables to the odds of low serum bicarbonate (< 22 mM) compared with normal serum bicarbonate (22-30 mM) and the coefficients of Δ serum bicarbonate concentration. The prevalence of low serum bicarbonate at baseline was 17.3%. Lower estimated glomerular filtration rate had the strongest relationship with low serum bicarbonate. Factors associated with higher odds of low serum bicarbonate, independent of estimated glomerular filtration rate, were urinary albumin/creatinine ≥ 10 mg/g, smoking, anaemia, hyperkalaemia, non-diuretic use and higher serum albumin. These and younger age, higher waist circumference, and use of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers associated with negative Δ serum bicarbonate in linear regression models. Several factors not typically considered to associate with reduced serum bicarbonate in chronic kidney disease were identified including albuminuria ≥ 10 mg/g, anaemia, smoking, higher serum albumin, higher waist circumference, and use of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers. Future studies should explore the longitudinal effect of these factors on serum bicarbonate concentration. © 2014 Asian Pacific Society of Nephrology.

Filtration stability of living brush mattresses at navigable waterways

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sokopp, Manuel

2017-04-01

According to the guidelines of the Federal Waterways Engineering and Research Institute in Germany, waterway construction buildings, which include soil bioengineering structures, must be stable against soil displacements. Therefore, willow brush mattresses were tested for their filtration stability in a specially developed process which is based on the testing of geotextiles and armourstones used for navigable waterway constructions. In March 2016 willow brush mattresses made of white (Salix alba L.) or basket willows (Salix viminalis L.) were planted in 16 sample boxes, each with a cross-section area of 30x30 cm. For the tests on filtration stability, the upper 20 cm of the box were separated and placed upside down into a device in which the sample box could be flowed through from below. When a water column of 50 cm above the sample was reached, the water outlet was opened so the water flowed through the sample in the opposite direction, thus simulating drawdown. By the measurements of the pressure sensors above and below the sample, the coefficient of permeability k of the rooted soil during drawdown could be calculated. After this hydropeaking cycle, the soil material that was rinsed out through the willow branches was collected, weighed after drying until weight constancy, and compared with the dry mass of the retained soil material to calculate the share of the total mass. These filtration stability tests were carried out directly after planting the sample boxes, as well as one, three and six months afterwards, each test series with four reruns per willow species. Over time, the increasing root penetration resulted in a significant reduction in the permeability and in more retained soil material.

Produced water re-injection in a non-fresh water aquifer with geochemical reaction, hydrodynamic molecular dispersion and adsorption kinetics controlling: model development and numerical simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Obe, Ibidapo; Fashanu, T. A.; Idialu, Peter O.; Akintola, Tope O.; Abhulimen, Kingsley E.

2017-06-01

An improved produced water reinjection (PWRI) model that incorporates filtration, geochemical reaction, molecular transport, and mass adsorption kinetics was developed to predict cake deposition and injectivity performance in hydrocarbon aquifers in Nigeria oil fields. Thus, the improved PWRI model considered contributions of geochemical reaction, adsorption kinetics, and hydrodynamic molecular dispersion mechanism to alter the injectivity and deposition of suspended solids on aquifer wall resulting in cake formation in pores during PWRI and transport of active constituents in hydrocarbon reservoirs. The injectivity decline and cake deposition for specific case studies of hydrocarbon aquifers in Nigeria oil fields were characterized with respect to its well geometry, lithology, and calibrations data and simulated in COMSOL multiphysics software environment. The PWRI model was validated by comparisons to assessments of previous field studies based on data and results supplied by operator and regulator. The results of simulation showed that PWRI performance was altered because of temporal variations and declinations of permeability, injectivity, and cake precipitation, which were observed to be dependent on active adsorption and geochemical reaction kinetics coupled with filtration scheme and molecular dispersion. From the observed results and findings, transition time t r to cake nucleation and growth were dependent on aquifer constituents, well capacity, filtration coefficients, particle-to-grain size ratio, water quality, and more importantly, particle-to-grain adsorption kinetics. Thus, the results showed that injectivity decline and permeability damage were direct contributions of geochemical reaction, hydrodynamic molecular diffusion, and adsorption kinetics to the internal filtration mechanism, which are largely dependent on the initial conditions of concentration of active constituents of produced water and aquifer capacity.

Measurement of glomerular filtration rate using dynamic magnetic resonance imaging in patients with chronic kidney disease.

PubMed

Artunc, Ferruh; Yildiz, Serdar; Boss, Andreas; Frenzel, Thomas; Schlemmer, Heinz-Peter; Schick, Fritz; Risler, Teut; Häring, Hans-Ulrich; Rossi, Cristina

2011-01-01

Determination of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) using plasma disappearance curves requires the injection of a filtration marker and repeated timed blood collections. Gadolinium-containing contrast media are excreted exclusively by glomerular filtration and could provide a novel approach to quantifying GFR using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the feasibility of measuring GFR by the clearance of gadolinium-containing contrast medium in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Informed consent was obtained from stable CKD patients in stages 1, 2 or 3 (n=16; 5 women, 11 men; median age 54 years). GFR was measured after a bolus injection of gadobutrol (4 mL, approximately 0.05 mmol/kg) and calculated from the washout of the signal intensity obtained over the liver. The obtained MR-GFR was compared with simultaneously measured plasma clearance of inulin and gadobutrol. Technical failure occurred in 2 patients. The mean obtained MR-GFR was 71 ± 25 (SD) mL/min per 1.73 m² and agreed well with the mean inulin-GFR (70 ± 24 mL/min per 1.73 m²). Pearson's correlation coefficient was r=0.91. The mean of the paired differences was 1 ± 10 mL/min per 1.73 m² and not significantly different from zero. GFR obtained from gadobutrol plasma clearance also agreed well with inulin-GFR and MR-GFR (r=0.92 and r=0.75, respectively). We describe a novel method of determining GFR from MR imaging using a low dose of gadobutrol in patients with reduced GFR that enables the absolute quantification of GFR after routine contrast-enhanced MR imaging.

Catchment Tomography - Joint Estimation of Surface Roughness and Hydraulic Conductivity with the EnKF

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baatz, D.; Kurtz, W.; Hendricks Franssen, H. J.; Vereecken, H.; Kollet, S. J.

2017-12-01

Parameter estimation for physically based, distributed hydrological models becomes increasingly challenging with increasing model complexity. The number of parameters is usually large and the number of observations relatively small, which results in large uncertainties. A moving transmitter - receiver concept to estimate spatially distributed hydrological parameters is presented by catchment tomography. In this concept, precipitation, highly variable in time and space, serves as a moving transmitter. As response to precipitation, runoff and stream discharge are generated along different paths and time scales, depending on surface and subsurface flow properties. Stream water levels are thus an integrated signal of upstream parameters, measured by stream gauges which serve as the receivers. These stream water level observations are assimilated into a distributed hydrological model, which is forced with high resolution, radar based precipitation estimates. Applying a joint state-parameter update with the Ensemble Kalman Filter, the spatially distributed Manning's roughness coefficient and saturated hydraulic conductivity are estimated jointly. The sequential data assimilation continuously integrates new information into the parameter estimation problem, especially during precipitation events. Every precipitation event constrains the possible parameter space. In the approach, forward simulations are performed with ParFlow, a variable saturated subsurface and overland flow model. ParFlow is coupled to the Parallel Data Assimilation Framework for the data assimilation and the joint state-parameter update. In synthetic, 3-dimensional experiments including surface and subsurface flow, hydraulic conductivity and the Manning's coefficient are efficiently estimated with the catchment tomography approach. A joint update of the Manning's coefficient and hydraulic conductivity tends to improve the parameter estimation compared to a single parameter update, especially in cases of biased initial parameter ensembles. The computational experiments additionally show to which degree of spatial heterogeneity and to which degree of uncertainty of subsurface flow parameters the Manning's coefficient and hydraulic conductivity can be estimated efficiently.

DISSOLUTION OF PLUTONIUM METAL IN 8-10 M NITRIC ACID

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

Rudisill, T. S.; Pierce, R. A.

2012-07-02

The H-Canyon facility will be used to dissolve Pu metal for subsequent purification and conversion to plutonium dioxide (PuO{sub 2}) using Phase II of HB-Line. To support the new mission, the development of a Pu metal dissolution flowsheet which utilizes concentrated (8-10 M) nitric acid (HNO{sub 3}) solutions containing potassium fluoride (KF) is required. Dissolution of Pu metal in concentrated HNO{sub 3} is desired to eliminate the need to adjust the solution acidity prior to purification by anion exchange. The preferred flowsheet would use 8-10 M HNO{sub 3}, 0.015-0.07 M KF, and 0.5-1.0 g/L Gd to dissolve the Pu upmore » to 6.75 g/L. An alternate flowsheet would use 8-10 M HNO{sub 3}, 0.05-0.2 M KF, and 1-2 g/L B to dissolve the Pu. The targeted average Pu metal dissolution rate is 20 mg/min-cm{sup 2}, which is sufficient to dissolve a “standard” 2250-g Pu metal button in 24 h. Plutonium metal dissolution rate measurements showed that if Gd is used as the nuclear poison, the optimum dissolution conditions occur in 10 M HNO{sub 3}, 0.04-0.05 M KF, and 0.5-1.0 g/L Gd at 112 to 116 °C (boiling). These conditions will result in an estimated Pu metal dissolution rate of ~11-15 mg/min-cm{sup 2} and will result in dissolution times of 36-48 h for standard buttons. The recommended minimum and maximum KF concentrations are 0.03 M and 0.07 M, respectively. The data also indicate that lower KF concentrations would yield dissolution rates for B comparable to those observed with Gd at the same HNO{sub 3} concentration and dissolution temperature. To confirm that the optimal conditions identified by the dissolution rate measurements can be used to dissolve Pu metal up to 6.75 g/L in the presence of representative concentrations of Fe and Gd or B, a series of experiments was performed to demonstrate the flowsheets. In three of the five experiments, the offgas generation rate during the dissolution was measured and samples were analyzed for hydrogen gas (H{sub 2}). The use of 10 M HNO{sub 3} containing 0.03-0.05 M KF, 0.5-1.0 g/L Gd, and 1.9 g/L Fe resulted in complete dissolution of the metal in 2.0-3.5 h. When B was used as the neutron poison, 10 M HNO{sub 3} solutions containing 0.05-0.1 M KF, 1.9 g/L Fe, and 1 g/L B resulted in complete dissolution of the metal in 0.75-2.0 h. Dissolution rates estimated using data from the flowsheet demonstrations agreed reasonably well with the measured rates; although, a discrepancy was observed in the Gd system. The presence of 1 g/L Gd or B in the dissolving solution had about the same effect on the dissolution rate. The predominant Pu valence in the dissolving solution was Pu(IV). The concentration of Pu(VI) was evaluated by UV-visible spectroscopy and was estimated to be significantly less than 1 wt %. The offgas generation rates and H{sub 2} concentrations measured in the offgas from experiments performed using 10 M HNO{sub 3} containing 0.05 M KF, 1.9 g/L Fe and either 1 g/L Gd or B were approximately the same. These data support the conclusion that the presence of either 1 g/L Gd or B had the same general effect on the dissolution rate. The calculated offgas generation during the dissolutions was 0.6 mol offgas/mol of Pu. The H{sub 2} concentration measured in the offgas from the dissolution using Gd as the neutron poison was approximately 0.5 vol %. In the B system, the H{sub 2} ranged from nominally 0.8 to 1 vol % which is about the same as measured in the Gd system within the uncertainty of the analysis. The offgas generation rate for the dissolution performed using 10 M HNO{sub 3} containing 0.03 M KF, 0.5 g/L Gd, and 1.9 g/L Fe was approximately a factor of two less than produced in the other dissolutions; however, the concentration of H{sub 2} measured in the offgas was higher. The adjusted concentration ranged from 2.7 to 8.8 vol % as the dissolution proceeded. Higher concentrations of H{sub 2} occur when the Pu dissolution proceeds by a metal/acid reaction rather than nitrate oxidation. The higher H{sub 2} concentration could be attributed to the reduced activity of the fluoride due to complexation with Pu as the dissolution progressed. Dissolution of Pu metal at 20 °C in 10 M HNO{sub 3} containing 0.05 M KF showed that the Pu metal dissolves slowly without any visible gas generation. As the Pu metal dissolves, it forms a more-dense Pu-bearing solution which sank to the bottom of the dissolution vessel. The dissolved Pu did not form a boundary layer around the sample and failed to distribute homogeneously due to minimal (thermally-induced) mixing. This indicates that in the H-Canyon dissolver insert, the Pu will diffuse out of the insert into the bulk dissolver solution where it will disperse. At 35 °C, the Pu metal dissolved without visible gas generation. However, due to thermal currents caused by maintaining the solution at 35 °C, the dissolved Pu distributed evenly throughout the dissolver solution. It did not form a boundary layer around the sample.« less

Proximal Tubules Have the Capacity to Regulate Uptake of Albumin.

PubMed

Wagner, Mark C; Campos-Bilderback, Silvia B; Chowdhury, Mahboob; Flores, Brittany; Lai, Xianyin; Myslinski, Jered; Pandit, Sweekar; Sandoval, Ruben M; Wean, Sarah E; Wei, Yuan; Satlin, Lisa M; Wiggins, Roger C; Witzmann, Frank A; Molitoris, Bruce A

2016-02-01

Evidence from multiple studies supports the concept that both glomerular filtration and proximal tubule (PT) reclamation affect urinary albumin excretion rate. To better understand these roles of glomerular filtration and PT uptake, we investigated these processes in two distinct animal models. In a rat model of acute exogenous albumin overload, we quantified glomerular sieving coefficients (GSC) and PT uptake of Texas Red-labeled rat serum albumin using two-photon intravital microscopy. No change in GSC was observed, but a significant decrease in PT albumin uptake was quantified. In a second model, loss of endogenous albumin was induced in rats by podocyte-specific transgenic expression of diphtheria toxin receptor. In these albumin-deficient rats, exposure to diphtheria toxin induced an increase in albumin GSC and albumin filtration, resulting in increased exposure of the PTs to endogenous albumin. In this case, PT albumin reabsorption was markedly increased. Analysis of known albumin receptors and assessment of cortical protein expression in the albumin overload model, conducted to identify potential proteins and pathways affected by acute protein overload, revealed changes in the expression levels of calreticulin, disabled homolog 2, NRF2, angiopoietin-2, and proteins involved in ATP synthesis. Taken together, these results suggest that a regulated PT cell albumin uptake system can respond rapidly to different physiologic conditions to minimize alterations in serum albumin level. Copyright © 2016 by the American Society of Nephrology.

Proximal Tubules Have the Capacity to Regulate Uptake of Albumin

PubMed Central

Wagner, Mark C.; Campos-Bilderback, Silvia B.; Chowdhury, Mahboob; Flores, Brittany; Lai, Xianyin; Myslinski, Jered; Pandit, Sweekar; Sandoval, Ruben M.; Wean, Sarah E.; Wei, Yuan; Satlin, Lisa M.; Wiggins, Roger C.; Witzmann, Frank A.

2016-01-01

Evidence from multiple studies supports the concept that both glomerular filtration and proximal tubule (PT) reclamation affect urinary albumin excretion rate. To better understand these roles of glomerular filtration and PT uptake, we investigated these processes in two distinct animal models. In a rat model of acute exogenous albumin overload, we quantified glomerular sieving coefficients (GSC) and PT uptake of Texas Red-labeled rat serum albumin using two-photon intravital microscopy. No change in GSC was observed, but a significant decrease in PT albumin uptake was quantified. In a second model, loss of endogenous albumin was induced in rats by podocyte-specific transgenic expression of diphtheria toxin receptor. In these albumin-deficient rats, exposure to diphtheria toxin induced an increase in albumin GSC and albumin filtration, resulting in increased exposure of the PTs to endogenous albumin. In this case, PT albumin reabsorption was markedly increased. Analysis of known albumin receptors and assessment of cortical protein expression in the albumin overload model, conducted to identify potential proteins and pathways affected by acute protein overload, revealed changes in the expression levels of calreticulin, disabled homolog 2, NRF2, angiopoietin-2, and proteins involved in ATP synthesis. Taken together, these results suggest that a regulated PT cell albumin uptake system can respond rapidly to different physiologic conditions to minimize alterations in serum albumin level. PMID:26054544

Distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in southern Chesapeake Bay surface water: Evaluation of three methods for determining freely dissolved water concentrations

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

Gustafson, K.E.; Dickhut, R.M.

1997-03-01

Gas sparging, semipermeable-membrane devices (SPMDs), and filtration with sorption of dissolved polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) to XAD-2 resin were evaluated for determining the concentrations of freely dissolved PAHs in estuarine waters of southern Chesapeake Bay at sites ranging from rural to urban and highly industrialized. Gas sparging had significant sampling artifacts due to particle scavenging by rising bubbles, and SPMDs were kinetically limited for four-ring and larger PAHs relative to short-term temporal changes in water concentrations. Filtration with sorption of the dissolved contaminant fraction to XAD-2 resin was found to be the most accurate and feasible method for determining concentrationsmore » of freely dissolved PAHs in estuarine water. Concentrations and distribution coefficients of dissolved and particulate PAHs were measured using the filtration/XAD-2 method. Concentrations of PAHs in surface waters of southern Chesapeake Bay were higher than those reported for the northern bay; concentrations in the Elizabeth River were elevated relative to all other sites. A gradient for particulate PAHs was observed from urban to remote sites. No seasonal trends were observed in dissolved or particle-bound PAH fractions at any site. Distributions of dissolved and particulate PAHs in surface waters of the Chesapeake Bay are near equilibrium at all locations and during all seasons.« less

Experimentally determined spectral optimization for dedicated breast computed tomography.

PubMed

Prionas, Nicolas D; Huang, Shih-Ying; Boone, John M

2011-02-01

The current study aimed to experimentally identify the optimal technique factors (x-ray tube potential and added filtration material/thickness) to maximize soft-tissue contrast, microcalcification contrast, and iodine contrast enhancement using cadaveric breast specimens imaged with dedicated breast computed tomography (bCT). Secondarily, the study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of phantom materials as tissue surrogates and to characterize the change in accuracy with varying bCT technique factors. A cadaveric breast specimen was acquired under appropriate approval and scanned using a prototype bCT scanner. Inserted into the specimen were cylindrical inserts of polyethylene, water, iodine contrast medium (iodixanol, 2.5 mg/ml), and calcium hydroxyapatite (100 mg/ml). Six x-ray tube potentials (50, 60, 70, 80, 90, and 100 kVp) and three different filters (0.2 mm Cu, 1.5 mm Al, and 0.2 mm Sn) were tested. For each set of technique factors, the intensity (linear attenuation coefficient) and noise were measured within six regions of interest (ROIs): Glandular tissue, adipose tissue, polyethylene, water, iodine contrast medium, and calcium hydroxyapatite. Dose-normalized contrast to noise ratio (CNRD) was measured for pairwise comparisons among the six ROIs. Regression models were used to estimate the effect of tube potential and added filtration on intensity, noise, and CNRD. Iodine contrast enhancement was maximized using 60 kVp and 0.2 mm Cu. Microcalcification contrast and soft-tissue contrast were maximized at 60 kVp. The 0.2 mm Cu filter achieved significantly higher CNRD for iodine contrast enhancement than the other two filters (p = 0.01), but microcalcification contrast and soft-tissue contrast were similar using the copper and aluminum filters. The average percent difference in linear attenuation coefficient, across all tube potentials, for polyethylene versus adipose tissue was 1.8%, 1.7%, and 1.3% for 0.2 mm Cu, 1.5 mm Al, and 0.2 mm Sn, respectively. For water versus glandular tissue, the average percent difference was 2.7%, 3.9%, and 4.2% for the three filter types. Contrast-enhanced bCT, using injected iodine contrast medium, may be optimized for maximum contrast of enhancing lesions at 60 kVp with 0.2 mm Cu filtration. Soft-tissue contrast and microcalcification contrast may also benefit from lower tube potentials (60 kVp). The linear attenuation coefficients of water and polyethylene slightly overestimate the values of their corresponding tissues, but the reported differences may serve as guidance for dosimetry and quality assurance using tissue equivalent phantoms.

Evaluating and Understanding Parameterized Convective Processes and Their Role in the Development of Mesoscale Precipitation Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fritsch, J. Michael (Principal Investigator); Kain, John S.

1995-01-01

Research efforts during the first year focused on numerical simulations of two convective systems with the Penn State/NCAR mesoscale model. The first of these systems was tropical cyclone Irma, which occurred in 1987 in Australia's Gulf of Carpentaria during the AMEX field program. Comparison simulations of this system were done with two different convective parameterization schemes (CPS's), the Kain-Fritsch (1993 - KF) and the Betts-Miller (Betts 1986- BM) schemes. The second system was the June 10-11 1985 squall line simulation, which occurred over the Kansas-Oklahoma region during the PRE-STORM experiment. Simulations of this system using the KF scheme were examined in detail.

Noise Adaptation and Correlated Maneuver Gating of an Extended Kalman Filter

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-03-01

ay. 89 - (V) 2 + VY2,,o (A.11) v t E(A21 Y )(V’~2 + V 20r8 2 (A. 12) We also find that the covariance of ax and ay is E[axay] - E[ aya j - Vic) -Y G... Diary -- YES eval([’ diary ’,MatFilename]); end; 108 % System Information, in continuous time, for target, and initial guess A=[0 1 00 % x 0000 % xdot 000...Cleanup diary off; 114 D. KFBR.M function [Z,GI,Res,Pxy,xe] = kfbr(xobs,zobs,xO,IE,A,B,W,V,T,MD,P0,RAI,IL,IT,SG) * %KF BR % [Z,GI,Res,Pxy,xe] - kf__br

Adaptive Kalman filter for indoor localization using Bluetooth Low Energy and inertial measurement unit.

PubMed

Yoon, Paul K; Zihajehzadeh, Shaghayegh; Bong-Soo Kang; Park, Edward J

2015-08-01

This paper proposes a novel indoor localization method using the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and an inertial measurement unit (IMU). The multipath and non-line-of-sight errors from low-power wireless localization systems commonly result in outliers, affecting the positioning accuracy. We address this problem by adaptively weighting the estimates from the IMU and BLE in our proposed cascaded Kalman filter (KF). The positioning accuracy is further improved with the Rauch-Tung-Striebel smoother. The performance of the proposed algorithm is compared against that of the standard KF experimentally. The results show that the proposed algorithm can maintain high accuracy for position tracking the sensor in the presence of the outliers.

Efficient implementations of a pseudodynamical stochastic filtering strategy for static elastography.

PubMed

Banerjee, Biswanath; Roy, Debasish; Vasu, Ram Mohan

2009-08-01

A computationally efficient pseudodynamical filtering setup is established for elasticity imaging (i.e., reconstruction of shear modulus distribution) in soft-tissue organs given statically recorded and partially measured displacement data. Unlike a regularized quasi-Newton method (QNM) that needs inversion of ill-conditioned matrices, the authors explore pseudodynamic extended and ensemble Kalman filters (PD-EKF and PD-EnKF) that use a parsimonious representation of states and bypass explicit regularization by recursion over pseudotime. Numerical experiments with QNM and the two filters suggest that the PD-EnKF is the most robust performer as it exhibits no sensitivity to process noise covariance and yields good reconstruction even with small ensemble sizes.

Enhanced mechanical properties and increased corrosion resistance of a biodegradable magnesium alloy by plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO).

PubMed

White, Leon; Koo, Youngmi; Neralla, Sudheer; Sankar, Jagannathan; Yun, Yeoheung

2016-06-01

We report the enhanced mechanical properties of AZ31 magnesium alloys by plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) coating in NaOH, Na 2 SiO 3 , KF and NaH 2 PO 4 ·2H 2 O containing electrolytes. Mechanical properties including wear resistance, surface hardness and elastic modulus were increased for PEO-coated AZ31 Mg alloys (PEO-AZ31). DC polarization in Hank's solution indicating that the corrosion resistance significantly increased for PEO-coating in KF-contained electrolyte. Based on these results, the PEO coating method shows promising potential for use in biodegradable implant applications where tunable corrosion and mechanical properties are needed.

The effect of short-term workshop on improving clinical reasoning skill of medical students

PubMed Central

Yousefichaijan, Parsa; Jafari, Farshad; Kahbazi, Manijeh; Rafiei, Mohammad; Pakniyat, AbdolGhader

2016-01-01

Background: Clinical reasoning process leads clinician to get purposeful steps from signs and symptoms toward diagnosis and treatment. This research intends to investigate the effect of teaching clinical reasoning on problem-solving skills of medical students. Methods: This research is a semi-experimental study. Nineteen Medical student of the pediatric ward as case group participated in a two-day workshop for training clinical reasoning. Before the workshop, they filled out Diagnostic Thinking Inventory (DTI) questionnaires. Fifteen days after the workshop the DTI questionnaire completed and "key feature" (KF) test and "clinical reasoning problem" (CRP) test was held. 23 Medical student as the control group, without passing the clinical reasoning workshop DTI questionnaire completed, and KF test and CRP test was held. Results: The average score of the DTI questionnaire in the control group was 162.04 and in the case group before the workshop was 153.26 and after the workshop was 181.68. Compare the average score of the DTI questionnaire before and after the workshop there is a significant difference. The difference between average KF test scores in the control and the case group was not significant but between average CRP test scores was significant. Conclusion: Clinical reasoning workshop is effectiveness in promoting problem-solving skills of students. PMID:27579286

Massively Parallel Assimilation of TOGA/TAO and Topex/Poseidon Measurements into a Quasi Isopycnal Ocean General Circulation Model Using an Ensemble Kalman Filter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keppenne, Christian L.; Rienecker, Michele; Borovikov, Anna Y.; Suarez, Max

1999-01-01

A massively parallel ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF)is used to assimilate temperature data from the TOGA/TAO array and altimetry from TOPEX/POSEIDON into a Pacific basin version of the NASA Seasonal to Interannual Prediction Project (NSIPP)ls quasi-isopycnal ocean general circulation model. The EnKF is an approximate Kalman filter in which the error-covariance propagation step is modeled by the integration of multiple instances of a numerical model. An estimate of the true error covariances is then inferred from the distribution of the ensemble of model state vectors. This inplementation of the filter takes advantage of the inherent parallelism in the EnKF algorithm by running all the model instances concurrently. The Kalman filter update step also occurs in parallel by having each processor process the observations that occur in the region of physical space for which it is responsible. The massively parallel data assimilation system is validated by withholding some of the data and then quantifying the extent to which the withheld information can be inferred from the assimilation of the remaining data. The distributions of the forecast and analysis error covariances predicted by the ENKF are also examined.

Data assimilation for unsaturated flow models with restart adaptive probabilistic collocation based Kalman filter

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

Man, Jun; Li, Weixuan; Zeng, Lingzao

2016-06-01

The ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) has gained popularity in hydrological data assimilation problems. As a Monte Carlo based method, a relatively large ensemble size is usually required to guarantee the accuracy. As an alternative approach, the probabilistic collocation based Kalman filter (PCKF) employs the polynomial chaos to approximate the original system. In this way, the sampling error can be reduced. However, PCKF suffers from the so-called "curse of dimensionality". When the system nonlinearity is strong and number of parameters is large, PCKF could be even more computationally expensive than EnKF. Motivated by most recent developments in uncertainty quantification, we proposemore » a restart adaptive probabilistic collocation based Kalman filter (RAPCKF) for data assimilation in unsaturated flow problems. During the implementation of RAPCKF, the important parameters are identified and active PCE basis functions are adaptively selected. The "restart" technology is used to eliminate the inconsistency between model parameters and states. The performance of RAPCKF is tested with numerical cases of unsaturated flow models. It is shown that RAPCKF is more efficient than EnKF with the same computational cost. Compared with the traditional PCKF, the RAPCKF is more applicable in strongly nonlinear and high dimensional problems.« less

A Robust Self-Alignment Method for Ship's Strapdown INS Under Mooring Conditions

PubMed Central

Sun, Feng; Lan, Haiyu; Yu, Chunyang; El-Sheimy, Naser; Zhou, Guangtao; Cao, Tong; Liu, Hang

2013-01-01

Strapdown inertial navigation systems (INS) need an alignment process to determine the initial attitude matrix between the body frame and the navigation frame. The conventional alignment process is to compute the initial attitude matrix using the gravity and Earth rotational rate measurements. However, under mooring conditions, the inertial measurement unit (IMU) employed in a ship's strapdown INS often suffers from both the intrinsic sensor noise components and the external disturbance components caused by the motions of the sea waves and wind waves, so a rapid and precise alignment of a ship's strapdown INS without any auxiliary information is hard to achieve. A robust solution is given in this paper to solve this problem. The inertial frame based alignment method is utilized to adapt the mooring condition, most of the periodical low-frequency external disturbance components could be removed by the mathematical integration and averaging characteristic of this method. A novel prefilter named hidden Markov model based Kalman filter (HMM-KF) is proposed to remove the relatively high-frequency error components. Different from the digital filters, the HMM-KF barely cause time-delay problem. The turntable, mooring and sea experiments favorably validate the rapidness and accuracy of the proposed self-alignment method and the good de-noising performance of HMM-KF. PMID:23799492

The effect of short-term workshop on improving clinical reasoning skill of medical students.

PubMed

Yousefichaijan, Parsa; Jafari, Farshad; Kahbazi, Manijeh; Rafiei, Mohammad; Pakniyat, AbdolGhader

2016-01-01

Clinical reasoning process leads clinician to get purposeful steps from signs and symptoms toward diagnosis and treatment. This research intends to investigate the effect of teaching clinical reasoning on problem-solving skills of medical students. This research is a semi-experimental study. Nineteen Medical student of the pediatric ward as case group participated in a two-day workshop for training clinical reasoning. Before the workshop, they filled out Diagnostic Thinking Inventory (DTI) questionnaires. Fifteen days after the workshop the DTI questionnaire completed and "key feature" (KF) test and "clinical reasoning problem" (CRP) test was held. 23 Medical student as the control group, without passing the clinical reasoning workshop DTI questionnaire completed, and KF test and CRP test was held. The average score of the DTI questionnaire in the control group was 162.04 and in the case group before the workshop was 153.26 and after the workshop was 181.68. Compare the average score of the DTI questionnaire before and after the workshop there is a significant difference. The difference between average KF test scores in the control and the case group was not significant but between average CRP test scores was significant. Clinical reasoning workshop is effectiveness in promoting problem-solving skills of students.

Molten salt synthesis of La0.8Sr0.2MnO3 powders for SOFC cathode electrode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gu, Sin-il; Shin, Hyo-soon; Hong, Youn-woo; Yeo, Dong-hun; Kim, Jong-hee; Nahm, Sahn; Yoon, Sang-ok

2012-08-01

For La0.8Sr0.2MnO3 (LSM) perovskite, used as the cathode material for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC), it is known that the formation of a triple-phase-boundary is restrained due to the formation of a second phase at the YSZ/electrode interface at high temperature. To decrease the 2nd phase, lowering the sintering temperature has been used. LSM powder was synthesized by molten salt synthesis method to control its particle size, shape, and agglomeration. We have characterized the phase formation, particle size, shape, and sintering behavior of LSM in the synthesis using the variation of KCl, LiCl, KF and its mixed salts as raw materials. In the case of KCl and KCl-KF salts, the particle size and shape of the LSM was well controlled and synthesized. However, in the case of LiCl and KCl-LiCl salts, LiMnOx as 2nd phase and LSM were synthesized simultaneously. In the case of the mixed salt of KCl-KF, the growth mechanism of the LSM particle was changed from `diffusion-controlled' to `reaction-controlled' according to the amount of mixed salt. The sintering temperature can be decreased below 1000 °C by using the synthesized LSM powder.

Optimal Length Scale for a Turbulent Dynamo.

PubMed

Sadek, Mira; Alexakis, Alexandros; Fauve, Stephan

2016-02-19

We demonstrate that there is an optimal forcing length scale for low Prandtl number dynamo flows that can significantly reduce the required energy injection rate. The investigation is based on simulations of the induction equation in a periodic box of size 2πL. The flows considered are the laminar and turbulent ABC flows forced at different forcing wave numbers k_{f}, where the turbulent case is simulated using a subgrid turbulence model. At the smallest allowed forcing wave number k_{f}=k_{min}=1/L the laminar critical magnetic Reynolds number Rm_{c}^{lam} is more than an order of magnitude smaller than the turbulent critical magnetic Reynolds number Rm_{c}^{turb} due to the hindering effect of turbulent fluctuations. We show that this hindering effect is almost suppressed when the forcing wave number k_{f} is increased above an optimum wave number k_{f}L≃4 for which Rm_{c}^{turb} is minimum. At this optimal wave number, Rm_{c}^{turb} is smaller by more than a factor of 10 than the case forced in k_{f}=1. This leads to a reduction of the energy injection rate by 3 orders of magnitude when compared to the case where the system is forced at the largest scales and thus provides a new strategy for the design of a fully turbulent experimental dynamo.

Changes in Health-Related Quality of Life and Knee Function After Knee Injury in Young Female Athletes.

PubMed

McGuine, Timothy A; Winterstein, Andrew P; Carr, Kathleen; Hetzel, Scott

2014-04-01

Recent literature has called for greater attention to evidence-based practice in sports medicine with the documentation of overall status and impairments following injury. The prospective documentation of impairments associated with knee injuries in female athletes regarding their health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and knee function (KF) of high school and collegiate athletes is limited. Assessing the effect knee injuries have on young female athletes may allow clinicians to better understand the perspectives of the athletes who sustain these injuries. To document the changes over 12 months in self-reported HRQoL and KF in young females who have sustained a knee injury. Case series; Level of evidence, 4. A convenience sample of 242 females (mean age, 17.4 ± 2.4 years) who injured their knee participating in sport or recreational activities was utilized. Injuries were categorized as anterior cruciate ligament tears (ACL), anterior knee pain (AKP), patellar instability (PAT), meniscus tear (MNT), iliotibial band syndrome (ITB), collateral ligament sprain (COL), and other (OTH). HRQoL was assessed with the Short Form-12 v 2.0 survey (SF-12) physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS). KF was assessed with the 2000 International Knee Documentation Committee survey (IKDC). Dependent variables included the paired differences in the 2000 IKDC as well as SF-12 composite scores from preinjury through 12 months postdiagnosis. Paired differences were assessed with repeated-measures analyses of variance (P ≤ .05). IKDC scores were lower through 12 months for ACL, AKP, and PAT; through 6 months for MNT; and through 3 months for COL and OTH. HRQoL PCS and MCS scores were lower through 3 to 12 months depending on the type of injury classification. Knee injuries can negatively affect KF and HRQoL for up to 12 months in young females. Sports medicine providers need to be aware of these impacts as they work to effectively treat individuals with these injuries.

In vitro replication and thermodynamic studies of methylation and oxidation modifications of 6-thioguanine.

PubMed

Gu, Chunang; Wang, Yinsheng

2007-01-01

The cytotoxic effects of thiopurine drugs are mostly exerted through the formation of thioguanine nucleotide and its subsequent incorporation into DNA. The 6-thioguanine (6-TG) in DNA can be converted to S6-methylthio-2-aminopurine (2-AP-6-SCH3) and 2-aminopurine-6-sulfonic acid (2-AP-6-SO3H) upon reaction with S-adenosyl-L-methionine and irradiation with UVA light, respectively. Here we prepared oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) harboring a 6-TG, 2-AP-6-SCH3 or 2-AP-6-SO3H at a defined site and examined, by using LC-MS/MS, the in vitro replication of these substrates with yeast polymerase eta and Klenow fragment (KF-). Our results revealed that 2-AP-6-SCH3 could be bypassed by KF-, with significant misincorporation of thymine opposite the lesion. The 2-AP-6-SO3H, however, blocked markedly the nucleotide insertion by KF-. Yeast pol eta could bypass all three modified nucleosides; although dCMP was inserted preferentially, we found substantial misincorporation of dTMP and dAMP opposite 2-AP-6-SCH3 and 2-AP-6-SO3H, respectively. Moreover, both KF- and yeast pol eta induced a considerable amount of -2 frameshift products from the replication of 2-AP-6-SCH3- and 2-AP-6-SO3H-bearing substrates. Our results also underscored the importance of measuring the relative ionization efficiencies of replication products in the accurate quantification of these products by LC-MS/MS. Moreover, thermodynamic studies revealed that 2-AP-6-SCH3 and 2-AP-6-SO3H could cause more destabilization to duplex DNA than 6-TG. Taken together, the results from this study shed important new light on the biological implications of the two metabolites of 6-TG.

On the difficulty to optimally implement the Ensemble Kalman filter: An experiment based on many hydrological models and catchments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thiboult, A.; Anctil, F.

2015-10-01

Forecast reliability and accuracy is a prerequisite for successful hydrological applications. This aim may be attained by using data assimilation techniques such as the popular Ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF). Despite its recognized capacity to enhance forecasting by creating a new set of initial conditions, implementation tests have been mostly carried out with a single model and few catchments leading to case specific conclusions. This paper performs an extensive testing to assess ensemble bias and reliability on 20 conceptual lumped models and 38 catchments in the Province of Québec with perfect meteorological forecast forcing. The study confirms that EnKF is a powerful tool for short range forecasting but also that it requires a more subtle setting than it is frequently recommended. The success of the updating procedure depends to a great extent on the specification of the hyper-parameters. In the implementation of the EnKF, the identification of the hyper-parameters is very unintuitive if the model error is not explicitly accounted for and best estimates of forcing and observation error lead to overconfident forecasts. It is shown that performance are also related to the choice of updated state variables and that all states variables should not systematically be updated. Additionally, the improvement over the open loop scheme depends on the watershed and hydrological model structure, as some models exhibit a poor compatibility with EnKF updating. Thus, it is not possible to conclude in detail on a single ideal manner to identify an optimal implementation; conclusions drawn from a unique event, catchment, or model are likely to be misleading since transferring hyper-parameters from a case to another may be hazardous. Finally, achieving reliability and bias jointly is a daunting challenge as the optimization of one score is done at the cost of the other.

Constraining the ensemble Kalman filter for improved streamflow forecasting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maxwell, Deborah H.; Jackson, Bethanna M.; McGregor, James

2018-05-01

Data assimilation techniques such as the Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) are often applied to hydrological models with minimal state volume/capacity constraints enforced during ensemble generation. Flux constraints are rarely, if ever, applied. Consequently, model states can be adjusted beyond physically reasonable limits, compromising the integrity of model output. In this paper, we investigate the effect of constraining the EnKF on forecast performance. A "free run" in which no assimilation is applied is compared to a completely unconstrained EnKF implementation, a 'typical' hydrological implementation (in which mass constraints are enforced to ensure non-negativity and capacity thresholds of model states are not exceeded), and then to a more tightly constrained implementation where flux as well as mass constraints are imposed to force the rate of water movement to/from ensemble states to be within physically consistent boundaries. A three year period (2008-2010) was selected from the available data record (1976-2010). This was specifically chosen as it had no significant data gaps and represented well the range of flows observed in the longer dataset. Over this period, the standard implementation of the EnKF (no constraints) contained eight hydrological events where (multiple) physically inconsistent state adjustments were made. All were selected for analysis. Mass constraints alone did little to improve forecast performance; in fact, several were significantly degraded compared to the free run. In contrast, the combined use of mass and flux constraints significantly improved forecast performance in six events relative to all other implementations, while the remaining two events showed no significant difference in performance. Placing flux as well as mass constraints on the data assimilation framework encourages physically consistent state estimation and results in more accurate and reliable forward predictions of streamflow for robust decision-making. We also experiment with the observation error, which has a profound effect on filter performance. We note an interesting tension exists between specifying an error which reflects known uncertainties and errors in the measurement versus an error that allows "optimal" filter updating.

A Stopped-Flow Kinetics Experiment for Advanced Undergraduate Laboratories: Formation of Iron(III) Thiocyannate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clark, Charles R.

1997-10-01

A series of 15 stopped-flow kinetic experiments relating to the formation of iron(III)- thiocyanate at 25.0 °C and I = 1.0 M (NaClO4) is described. A methodology is given whereby solution preparation and data collection are able to be carried out within the time scale of a single laboratory period (3-4 h). Kinetic data are obtained using constant [SCN-], and at three H+ concentrations (0.10, 0.20, 0.30 M) for varying concentrations of Fe3+ (ca. 0.0025 - 0.020 M). Rate data (450 nm) are consistent with rate laws for the forward and reverse reactions: kf = (k1 + k2Ka1/[H+])[Fe3+] and kr = k-1 + k-2Ka2/[H+] respectively, with k1,k-1 corresponding to the rate constants for formation and decay of FeSCN2+, k2, k-2 to the rate constants for formation and decay of the FeSCN(OH)+ ion and Ka1,Ka2 to the acid dissociation constants (coordinated OH2 ionization) of Fe3+ and FeSCN2+. Using literature values for the latter two quantities ( Ka1 = 2.04 x 10-3 M, Ka2 = 6.5 x 10-5 M) allows values for the four rate constants to be obtained. A typical data set is analyzed to give k1 = 109(10) M-1s-1, k-1 = 0.79(0.10) s-1, k2= 8020(800) M-1s-1, k-2 = 2630(230) s-1. Absorbance change data for reaction (DeltaA) follow the expression: DeltaA = Alim.Kf.[Fe3+]/(1 + Kf.[Fe3+]), with Alim corresponding to the absorbance of fully formed FeSCN2+ (i.e. free SCN- absent) and Kf to the formation constant of this complex (value in the example 112(5) M-1, c.f. 138(29) M-1 from the kinetic data).

Performance Evaluation of EnKF-based Hydrogeological Site Characterization using Color Coherent Vectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moslehi, M.; de Barros, F.

2017-12-01

Complexity of hydrogeological systems arises from the multi-scale heterogeneity and insufficient measurements of their underlying parameters such as hydraulic conductivity and porosity. An inadequate characterization of hydrogeological properties can significantly decrease the trustworthiness of numerical models that predict groundwater flow and solute transport. Therefore, a variety of data assimilation methods have been proposed in order to estimate hydrogeological parameters from spatially scarce data by incorporating the governing physical models. In this work, we propose a novel framework for evaluating the performance of these estimation methods. We focus on the Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) approach that is a widely used data assimilation technique. It reconciles multiple sources of measurements to sequentially estimate model parameters such as the hydraulic conductivity. Several methods have been used in the literature to quantify the accuracy of the estimations obtained by EnKF, including Rank Histograms, RMSE and Ensemble Spread. However, these commonly used methods do not regard the spatial information and variability of geological formations. This can cause hydraulic conductivity fields with very different spatial structures to have similar histograms or RMSE. We propose a vision-based approach that can quantify the accuracy of estimations by considering the spatial structure embedded in the estimated fields. Our new approach consists of adapting a new metric, Color Coherent Vectors (CCV), to evaluate the accuracy of estimated fields achieved by EnKF. CCV is a histogram-based technique for comparing images that incorporate spatial information. We represent estimated fields as digital three-channel images and use CCV to compare and quantify the accuracy of estimations. The sensitivity of CCV to spatial information makes it a suitable metric for assessing the performance of spatial data assimilation techniques. Under various factors of data assimilation methods such as number, layout, and type of measurements, we compare the performance of CCV with other metrics such as RMSE. By simulating hydrogeological processes using estimated and true fields, we observe that CCV outperforms other existing evaluation metrics.

Designing hydrologic monitoring networks to maximize predictability of hydrologic conditions in a data assimilation system: a case study from South Florida, U.S.A

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flores, A. N.; Pathak, C. S.; Senarath, S. U.; Bras, R. L.

2009-12-01

Robust hydrologic monitoring networks represent a critical element of decision support systems for effective water resource planning and management. Moreover, process representation within hydrologic simulation models is steadily improving, while at the same time computational costs are decreasing due to, for instance, readily available high performance computing resources. The ability to leverage these increasingly complex models together with the data from these monitoring networks to provide accurate and timely estimates of relevant hydrologic variables within a multiple-use, managed water resources system would substantially enhance the information available to resource decision makers. Numerical data assimilation techniques provide mathematical frameworks through which uncertain model predictions can be constrained to observational data to compensate for uncertainties in the model forcings and parameters. In ensemble-based data assimilation techniques such as the ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF), information in observed variables such as canal, marsh and groundwater stages are propagated back to the model states in a manner related to: (1) the degree of certainty in the model state estimates and observations, and (2) the cross-correlation between the model states and the observable outputs of the model. However, the ultimate degree to which hydrologic conditions can be accurately predicted in an area of interest is controlled, in part, by the configuration of the monitoring network itself. In this proof-of-concept study we developed an approach by which the design of an existing hydrologic monitoring network is adapted to iteratively improve the predictions of hydrologic conditions within an area of the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD). The objective of the network design is to minimize prediction errors of key hydrologic states and fluxes produced by the spatially distributed Regional Simulation Model (RSM), developed specifically to simulate the hydrologic conditions in several intensively managed and hydrologically complex watersheds within the SFWMD system. In a series of synthetic experiments RSM is used to generate the notionally true hydrologic state and the relevant observational data. The EnKF is then used as the mechanism to fuse RSM hydrologic estimates with data from the candidate network. The performance of the candidate network is measured by the prediction errors of the EnKF estimates of hydrologic states, relative to the notionally true scenario. The candidate network is then adapted by relocating existing observational sites to unobserved areas where predictions of local hydrologic conditions are most uncertain and the EnKF procedure repeated. Iteration of the monitoring network continues until further improvements in EnKF-based predictions of hydrologic conditions are negligible.

Bioenergy residues as novel sorbents to clean up pesticide pollution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mukherjee, Santanu

2016-04-01

Worldwide, water contamination from agricultural use of pesticides has received increasing attention within the last decades. In general, sources of pesticide water pollution are categorized into diffuse (stemming from treated fields) and point sources (stemming from farmyards and spillages). Research has demonstrated that 40 to 90% of surface water pesticide contamination is due to point source pollution. To reduce point pollution from farm yards, where the spray equipment is washed, biobed or biofilter systems are used to treat the washing water. The organic material usually used in these systems is often not environmentally sustainable (e.g. peat) and incorporated organic material such as straw leads to a highly heterogeneous water flow, with negative effects on the retention and degradation behavior of the pesticides. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the suitability of alternative materials based on bioenergy residues (biochar and digestate) for use in biofilters. To this aim the sorption-desorption potential of three contrasting pesticides (bentazone, boscalid, and pyrimethanil) on mixtures of soil with digestate and/or biochar were investigated in laboratory batch equilibrium experiments. The results indicate that the mixture of digestate and biochar increased pesticide sorption potential, whereby in all cases, the Kd des / Kf des values were lower than the Kd ads / Kf ads values indicating that the retention of the pesticides was weak. Thus, as Kf des were lower than the Kf ads values and H values were below 1, it can be concluded that the biomixtures presented negative desorption (higher hysteresis) in those cases. A higher Kd (>78 L kg-1), Kf (>400 μM1-1/nf L1/nfkg-1) and KL (>40 L kg-1) was obtained for all pesticides for the digestate and biochar based mixtures, which had a higher organic matter content. However, lower sorption of the pesticides was observed in blank soil compared to the other biomixtures, which was attributed to the lower organic carbon content of the blank soil. Our results showed that boscalid and pyrimethanil are highly sorbed to the mixture of digestate and biochar. SUVA254 values justified the aromatic character of digestate (5%) and biochar (5%) mixture which showed highest Koc values among all mixtures for all pesticides. This mixture was found to be the most promising substrate amongst the tested ones for a biobed setup and can be used as an effective and alternative adsorbent for removing pesticides, because of its higher adsorption capacity.

Determination of solid-liquid partition coefficients (Kd) for the herbicides isoproturon and trifluralin in five UK agricultural soils.

PubMed

Cooke, Cindy M; Shaw, George; Collins, Chris D

2004-12-01

Isoproturon and trifluralin are herbicides of contrasting chemical characters and modes of action. Standard batch sorption procedures were carried out to investigate the individual sorption behaviour of 14C-isoproturon and 14C-trifluralin in five agricultural soils (1.8-4.2% OC), and the soil solid-liquid partition coefficients (Kd values) were determined. Trifluralin exhibited strong partitioning to the soil solid phase (Kd range 106-294) and low desorption potential, thus should not pose a threat to sensitive waters via leaching, although particle erosion and preferential flow pathways may facilitate transport. For isoproturon, soil adsorption was low (Kd range 1.96-5.75) and desorption was high, suggesting a high leaching potential, consistent with isoproturon being the most frequently found pesticide in UK surface waters. Soil partitioning was directly related to soil organic carbon (OC) content. Accumulation isotherms were modelled using a dual-phase adsorption model to estimate adsorption and desorption rate coefficients. Associations between herbicides and soil humic substances were also shown using gel filtration chromatography.

A novel pressure variation study on electronic structure, mechanical stability and thermodynamic properties of potassium based fluoroperovskite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erum, Nazia; Azhar Iqbal, Muhammad

2017-09-01

The effect of pressure variation on stability, structural parameters, elastic constants, mechanical, electronic and thermodynamic properties of cubic SrKF3 fluoroperovskite have been investigated by using the full-potential linearized augmented plane wave (FP-LAPW) method combined with Quasi-harmonic Debye model in which the phonon effects are considered. The calculated lattice parameters show a prominent decrease in lattice constant and bonds length with the increase in pressure. The application of pressure from 0 to 25 GPa reveals a predominant characteristic associated with widening of bandgap with GGA and GGA plus Tran-Blaha modified Becke-Johnson (TB-mBJ) potential. The influence of pressure on elastic constants and their related mechanical parameters have been discussed in detail. Apart of linear dependence of elastic coefficients, transition from brittle to ductile behavior is also observed at elevated pressure ranges. We have successfully computed variation of lattice constant, volume expansion, bulk modulus, Debye temperature and specific heat capacities at pressure and temperature in the range of 0-25 GPa and 0-600 K.

Removal of atrazine and four organophosphorus pesticides from environmental waters by diatomaceous earth-remediation method.

PubMed

Agdi, K; Bouaid, A; Esteban, A M; Hernando, P F; Azmani, A; Camara, C

2000-10-01

A new viable remediation technique based on the use of diatomaceous earth is proposed to improve the ecological system. Its ability to remove atrazine and the four organophosphorus pesticides parathion-methyl, chlorpyriphos, fenamiphos and methidathion from river and waste waters has been proven. A series of experiments including variable conditions, such as temperature, pH, contact time, pesticide concentration and adsorbent quantity, were performed to demonstrate the efficiency of pesticide removal from three different water samples. The batch experiments showed that diatomaceous earth was able to remove 95% of chlorpyriphos, 75% of methidathion and parathion-methyl and 55% of atrazine and fenamiphos from all types of waters tested. The individual adsorption of each pesticide on diatomaceous earth could be described by the Freundlich isotherm and a tentative adsorption mechanism was proposed. The Freundlich coefficient (Kf) and Freundlich constant (1/n) appeared to be closely related to the physicochemical properties (Kow, solubility) of the compounds. The actual results support the conclusion that diatomaceous earth has the potential to serve as an extractant in remediation techniques.

Development of high-speed balancing technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Demuth, R.; Zorzi, E.

1981-01-01

An investigation into laser material removal showed that laser burns act in a manner typical of mechanical stress raisers causing a reduction in fatigue strength; the fatigue strength is lowered relative to the smooth specimen fatigue strength. Laser-burn zones were studied for four materials: Alloy Steel 4340, Stainless Steel 17-4 PH, Inconel 718, and Aluminum Alloy 6061-T6. Calculations were made of stress concentration factors K, for laser-burn grooves of each material type. A comparison was then made to experimentally determine the fatigue strength reduction factor. These calculations and comparisons indicated that, except for the 17-4 PH material, good agreement (a ratio of close to 1.0) existed between Kt and Kf. The performance of the 17-4 PH material has been attributed to early crack initiation due to the lower fatigue resistance of the soft, unaged laser-affected zone. Also covered in this report is the development, implementation, and testing of an influence coefficient approach to balancing a long, slender shaft under applied-torque conditions. Excellent correlation existed between the analytically predicted results and those data obtained from testing.

Filtration coefficient of the axon membrane as measured with hydrostatic and osmotic methods.

PubMed

Vargas, F F

1968-01-01

The hydraulic conductivity of the membranes surrounding the giant axon of the squid, Dosidicus gigas, was measured. In some axons the axoplasm was partially removed by suction. Perfusion was then established by insertion of a second pipette. In other axons the axoplasm was left intact and only one pipette was inserted. In both groups hydrostatic pressure was applied by means of a water column in a capillary manometer. Displacement of the meniscus in time gave the rate of fluid flowing across the axon sheath. In both groups osmotic differences across the membrane were established by the addition of a test molecule to the external medium which was seawater. The hydraulic conductivity determined by application of hydrostatic pressure was 10.6 +/- 0.8.10(-8) cm/sec cm H(2)O in perfused axons and 3.2 +/- 0.6.10(-8) cm/sec cm H(2)O in intact axons. When the driving force was an osmotic pressure gradient the conductivity was 4.5 +/- 0.6 x 10(-10) cm/sec cm H(2)O and 4.8 +/- 0.9 x 10(-10) cm/sec cm H(2)O in perfused and intact axons, respectively. A comparable result was found when the internal solution was made hyperosmotic. The fluid flow was a linear function of the hydrostatic pressure up to 70 cm of water. Glycerol outflux and membrane conductance were increased 1.6 and 1.1 times by the application of hydrostatic pressure. These increments do not give an explanation of the difference between the filtration coefficients. Other possible explanations are suggested and discussed.

Comparative genomic analysis of novel bacteriophages infecting Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolated from western and southern coastal areas of Korea.

PubMed

Yu, Junhyeok; Lim, Jeong-A; Kwak, Su-Jin; Park, Jong-Hyun; Chang, Hyun-Joo

2018-05-01

Vibrio parahaemolyticus, a foodborne pathogen, has become resistant to antibiotics. Therefore, alternative bio-control agents such bacteriophage are urgently needed for its control. Six novel bacteriophages specific to V. parahaemolyticus (vB_VpaP_KF1~2, vB_VpaS_KF3~6) were characterized at the molecular level in this study. Genomic similarity analysis revealed that these six bacteriophages could be divided into two groups with different genomic features, phylogenetic grouping, and morphologies. Two groups of bacteriophages had their own genes with different mechanisms for infection, assembly, and metabolism. Our results could be used as a future reference to study phage genomics or apply phages in future bio-control studies.

All Prime Contract Awards by State or Country, Place and Contractor. Part 1. (Alexander City, Alabama-Sevier, Arkansas)

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-01-01

Kf 0-4 a -54 -4.4.4 -4 4 -0 w.4 (0 c 0 W.4 0(0c 0.4 Oafs Oafs 0o l- Kom 0 ene (04 Kn m0 m 00000000 C2,40-4 0cr 00 ON4 on 00 00 to (04t KfC 4C N N...0 m-4 CD-C C00 N on VN Nli00 410-IOCD N In 4N T10 N0 01 C- 004 or-, 0)0-4-400V) 004- 00 -4 Infin I I C -C1 I4N Nf r- CY) 00 N-4 1-’ M 00 CO COO -4

Autonomous space target recognition and tracking approach using star sensors based on a Kalman filter.

PubMed

Ye, Tao; Zhou, Fuqiang

2015-04-10

When imaged by detectors, space targets (including satellites and debris) and background stars have similar point-spread functions, and both objects appear to change as detectors track targets. Therefore, traditional tracking methods cannot separate targets from stars and cannot directly recognize targets in 2D images. Consequently, we propose an autonomous space target recognition and tracking approach using a star sensor technique and a Kalman filter (KF). A two-step method for subpixel-scale detection of star objects (including stars and targets) is developed, and the combination of the star sensor technique and a KF is used to track targets. The experimental results show that the proposed method is adequate for autonomously recognizing and tracking space targets.

Fluid and solute transfer characteristics in a dialyzer with a high-performance membrane.

PubMed

Mineshima, Michio

2011-01-01

To date, many types of high-flux dialyzers with high-performance membranes have been developed. They seem to have a higher internal filtration flow rate (Q(IF)) because of a higher ultrafiltration coefficient. In the health reimbursement system in Japan, commercially available dialyzers are categorized into five types based on their β(2)-microglobulin clearance (K(BMG)) values. Although the K(BMG) value was not correlated strongly with the Q(IF) value for 26 types of commercially available dialyzers, almost all the dialyzers with a higher Q(IF) value had a higher KBMG value. These dialyzers seem to have a higher convective transport because of internal filtration in addition to diffusive transport. We measured the blood flow velocity in a cross-sectional plane of the dialyzer using pulse Doppler ultra-sonography to evaluate QIF. It is a useful method for the bedside monitoring because it is noninvasive to the patient and produces reliable data with a higher reproducibility. On the other hand, membrane fouling occurs more easily in higher Q(IF) dialyzers, compared with conventional dialyzers, because of the higher degree of membrane fouling. Internal filtration-enhanced hemodialysis (IFEHD) using these dialyzers, therefore, has the advantage of increasing solute removal efficiency by enhancing convective transport and the simultaneous disadvantage of decreasing solute removal efficiency by causing membrane fouling. Thus, IFEHD treatment should be performed using a dialyzer with a high-performance membrane to ensure that the advantage is superior to the disadvantage. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Carotenoids concentration of Gac (Momordica cochinchinensis Spreng.) fruit oil using cross-flow filtration technology.

PubMed

Mai, Huỳnh Cang; Truong, Vinh; Debaste, Frédéric

2014-11-01

Gac (Momordica cochinchinensis Spreng.) fruit, a traditional fruit in Vietnam and other countries of eastern Asia, contains an oil rich in carotenoids, especially lycopene and β-carotene. Carotenoids in gac fruit oil were concentrated using cross-flow filtration. In total recycle mode, effect of membrane pore size, temperature, and transmembrane pressure (TMP) on permeate flux and on retention coefficients has been exploited. Resistance of membrane, polarization concentration, and fouling were also analyzed. Optimum conditions for a high permeate flux and a good carotenoids retention are 5 nm, 2 bars, and 40 °C of membrane pore size, TMP, and temperature, respectively. In batch mode, retentate was analyzed through index of acid, phospholipids, total carotenoids content (TCC), total antioxidant activity, total soluble solids, total solid content, color measurement, and viscosity. TCC in retentate is higher 8.6 times than that in feeding oil. Lipophilic antioxidant activities increase 6.8 times, while hydrophilic antioxidant activities reduce 40%. The major part of total resistance is due to polarization (55%) while fouling and intrinsic membrane contribute about 30% and 24%, respectively. © 2014 Institute of Food Technologists®

Adsorption and bioadsorption of granular activated carbon (GAC) for dissolved organic carbon (DOC) removal in wastewater.

PubMed

Xing, W; Ngo, H H; Kim, S H; Guo, W S; Hagare, P

2008-12-01

In this study, the performances of GAC adsorption and GAC bioadsorption in terms of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) removal were investigated with synthetic biologically treated sewage effluent (BTSE), synthetic primary treated sewage effluent (PTSE), real BTSE and real PTSE. The main aims of this study are to verify and compare the efficiency of DOC removal by GAC (adsorption) and acclimatized GAC (bioadsorption). The results indicated that the performance of bioadsorption was significantly better than that of adsorption in all cases, showing the practical use of biological granular activated carbon (BGAC) in filtration process. The most significance was observed at a real PTSE with a GAC dose of 5g/L, having 54% and 96% of DOC removal by adsorption and bioadsorption, respectively. In addition, it was found that GAC adsorption equilibrium was successfully predicted by a hybrid Langmuir-Freundlich model whilst integrated linear driving force approximation (LDFA)+hybrid isotherm model could describe well the adsorption kinetics. Both adsorption isotherm and kinetic coefficients determined by these models will be useful to model the adsorption/bioadsorption process in DOC removal of BGAC filtration system.

Water-use advantage for lianas over trees in tropical seasonal forests.

PubMed

Chen, Ya-Jun; Cao, Kun-Fang; Schnitzer, Stefan A; Fan, Ze-Xin; Zhang, Jiao-Lin; Bongers, Frans

2015-01-01

Lianas exhibit peak abundance in tropical forests with strong seasonal droughts, the eco-physiological mechanisms associated with lianas coping with water deficits are poorly understood. We examined soil water partitioning, sap flow, and canopy eco-physiological properties for 99 individuals of 15 liana and 34 co-occurring tree species in three tropical forests that differed in soil water availability. In the dry season, lianas used a higher proportion of deep soil water in the karst forest (KF; an area with severe seasonal soil water deficit (SSWD)) and in the tropical seasonal forest (TSF, moderate SSWD), permitting them to maintain a comparable leaf water status than trees in the TSF or a better status than trees in the KF. Lianas exhibited strong stomatal control to maximize carbon fixation while minimizing dry season water loss. During the dry period, lianas significantly decreased water consumption in the TSF and the KF. Additionally, lianas had a much higher maximum photosynthetic rates and sap flux density in the wet season and a lower proportional decline in photosynthesis in the dry season compared with those of trees. Our results indicated that access to deep soil water and strong physiological adjustments in the dry season together with active wet-season photosynthesis may explain the high abundance of lianas in seasonally dry forests. © 2014 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2014 New Phytologist Trust.

Knee microfracture surgery

MedlinePlus

... Almgvist KF, Bellemans J, Luyten FP. Five-year outcome of characterized chondrocyte implantation versus microfracture for symptomatic cartilage defects of the knee: early treatment matters. Am J Sports Med . 2011 Dec;39( ...

Increase of Total Nephron Albumin Filtration and Reabsorption in Diabetic Nephropathy.

PubMed

Mori, Keita P; Yokoi, Hideki; Kasahara, Masato; Imamaki, Hirotaka; Ishii, Akira; Kuwabara, Takashige; Koga, Kenichi; Kato, Yukiko; Toda, Naohiro; Ohno, Shoko; Kuwahara, Koichiro; Endo, Tomomi; Nakao, Kazuwa; Yanagita, Motoko; Mukoyama, Masashi; Mori, Kiyoshi

2017-01-01

The amount of albumin filtered through the glomeruli and reabsorbed at the proximal tubules in normal and in diabetic kidneys is debated. The megalin/cubilin complex mediates protein reabsorption, but genetic knockout of megalin is perinatally lethal. To overcome current technical problems, we generated a drug-inducible megalin-knockout mouse line, megalin(lox/lox);Ndrg1-CreER T2 (iMegKO), in which megalin expression can be shut off at any time by administration of tamoxifen (Tam). Tam administration in adult iMegKO mice decreased the expression of renal megalin protein by 92% compared with that in wild-type C57BL/6J mice and almost completely abrogated renal reabsorption of intravenously injected retinol-binding protein. Furthermore, urinary albumin excretion increased to 175 μg/d (0.46 mg albumin/mg creatinine) in Tam-treated iMegKO mice, suggesting that this was the amount of total nephron albumin filtration. By comparing Tam-treated, streptozotocin-induced diabetic iMegKO mice with Tam-treated nondiabetic iMegKO mice, we estimated that the development of diabetes led to a 1.9-fold increase in total nephron albumin filtration, a 1.8-fold increase in reabsorption, and a significant reduction in reabsorption efficiency (86% efficiency versus 96% efficiency in nondiabetic mice). Insulin treatment normalized these abnormalities. Akita;iMegKO mice, another model of type 1 diabetes, showed equivalent results. Finally, nondiabetic iMegKO mice had a glomerular sieving coefficient of albumin of 1.7×10 -5 , which approximately doubled in diabetic iMegKO mice. This study reveals actual values and changes of albumin filtration and reabsorption in early diabetic nephropathy in mice, bringing new insights to our understanding of renal albumin dynamics associated with the hyperfiltration status of diabetic nephropathy. Copyright © 2016 by the American Society of Nephrology.

Hepatic Warm Ischemia-Reperfusion-Induced Increase in Pulmonary Capillary Filtration Is Ameliorated by Administration of a Multidrug Resistance-Associated Protein 1 Inhibitor and Leukotriene D4 Antagonist (MK-571) Through Reducing Neutrophil Infiltration and Pulmonary Inflammation and Oxidative Stress in Rats.

PubMed

Yeh, D Y-W; Yang, Y-C; Wang, J-J

2015-05-01

Hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) is the major complication subsequent to liver ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) injury after resection or transplantation of liver. Hallmarks of HPS include increases in pulmonary leukotrienes and neutrophil recruitment and infiltrating across capillaries. We aimed to investigate the protective efficacy of MK-571, a multidrug resistance-associated protein 1 inhibitor and leukotriene D4 agonist, against hepatic I/R injury-associated change in capillary filtration. Eighteen Sprague-Dawley male rats were evenly divided into a sham-operated group, a hepatic I/R group, and an MK-571-treated I/R group. MK-571 was administered intraperitoneally 15 min before hepatic ischemia and every 12 hours during reperfusion. Ischemia was conducted by occluding the hepatic artery and portal vein for 30 min, followed by removing the clamps and closing the incision. Forty-eight hours after hepatic ischemia, we assessed the pulmonary capillary filtration coefficient (Kfc) through the use of in vitro-isolated, perfused rat lung preparation. We also measured the lung wet-to-dry weight ratio (W/D) and protein concentration in broncho-alveolar lavage fluid (PCBAL). Lung inflammation and oxidative stress were evaluated by use of tissue tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and malondialdehyde levels and lavage differential macrophage and neutrophil cell count. Hepatic I/R injury markedly increased Kfc, W/D, PCBAL, tissue TNF-α level, and differential neutrophil cell count (P < .05). MK-571 treatment reduced neutrophil infiltration and lung inflammation and improved pulmonary capillary filtration, collectively suggesting lung protection. Treatment with MK-571 before and during hepatic ischemia and reperfusion protects lung against pulmonary capillary barrier function impairment through decreasing pulmonary lung inflammation and lavage neutrophils. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Near real-time estimation of ionosphere vertical total electron content from GNSS satellites using B-splines in a Kalman filter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erdogan, Eren; Schmidt, Michael; Seitz, Florian; Durmaz, Murat

2017-02-01

Although the number of terrestrial global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receivers supported by the International GNSS Service (IGS) is rapidly growing, the worldwide rather inhomogeneously distributed observation sites do not allow the generation of high-resolution global ionosphere products. Conversely, with the regionally enormous increase in highly precise GNSS data, the demands on (near) real-time ionosphere products, necessary in many applications such as navigation, are growing very fast. Consequently, many analysis centers accepted the responsibility of generating such products. In this regard, the primary objective of our work is to develop a near real-time processing framework for the estimation of the vertical total electron content (VTEC) of the ionosphere using proper models that are capable of a global representation adapted to the real data distribution. The global VTEC representation developed in this work is based on a series expansion in terms of compactly supported B-spline functions, which allow for an appropriate handling of the heterogeneous data distribution, including data gaps. The corresponding series coefficients and additional parameters such as differential code biases of the GNSS satellites and receivers constitute the set of unknown parameters. The Kalman filter (KF), as a popular recursive estimator, allows processing of the data immediately after acquisition and paves the way of sequential (near) real-time estimation of the unknown parameters. To exploit the advantages of the chosen data representation and the estimation procedure, the B-spline model is incorporated into the KF under the consideration of necessary constraints. Based on a preprocessing strategy, the developed approach utilizes hourly batches of GPS and GLONASS observations provided by the IGS data centers with a latency of 1 h in its current realization. Two methods for validation of the results are performed, namely the self consistency analysis and a comparison with Jason-2 altimetry data. The highly promising validation results allow the conclusion that under the investigated conditions our derived near real-time product is of the same accuracy level as the so-called final post-processed products provided by the IGS with a latency of several days or even weeks.

40 CFR 141.73 - Filtration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... filtration. (1) For systems using diatomaceous earth filtration, the turbidity level of representative... PRIMARY DRINKING WATER REGULATIONS Filtration and Disinfection § 141.73 Filtration. A public water system... treatment or direct filtration. (1) For systems using conventional filtration or direct filtration, the...

40 CFR 141.73 - Filtration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... filtration. (1) For systems using diatomaceous earth filtration, the turbidity level of representative... PRIMARY DRINKING WATER REGULATIONS Filtration and Disinfection § 141.73 Filtration. A public water system... treatment or direct filtration. (1) For systems using conventional filtration or direct filtration, the...

40 CFR 141.73 - Filtration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... filtration. (1) For systems using diatomaceous earth filtration, the turbidity level of representative... PRIMARY DRINKING WATER REGULATIONS Filtration and Disinfection § 141.73 Filtration. A public water system... treatment or direct filtration. (1) For systems using conventional filtration or direct filtration, the...

A Facile and Efficient Synthesis of Diaryl Amines or Ethers under Microwave Irradiation at Presence of KF/Al2O3 without Solvent and Their Anti-Fungal Biological Activities against Six Phytopathogens

PubMed Central

Huang, Liang-Zhu; Han, Pan; Li, You-Qiang; Xu, Ying-Meng; Zhang, Tao; Du, Zhen-Ting

2013-01-01

A series of diaryl amines, ethers and thioethers were synthesized under microwave irradiation efficiently at presence of KF/Al2O3 in 83%–96% yields without any solvent. The salient characters of this method lie in short reaction time, high yields, general applicability to substrates and simple workup procedure. At the same time, their antifungal biological activities against six phytopathogen were evaluated. Most of the compounds (3b, 3c, 3g–o) are more potent than thiophannate-methyl against to Magnaporthe oryzae. This implies that diaryl amine or ether moiety may be helpful in finding a fungicide against Magnaporthe oryzae. PMID:24036444

Evaluation of the Correlation Coefficient of Polyethylene Glycol Treated and Direct Prolactin Results and Comparability with Different Assay System Results.

PubMed

Pal, Shyamali

2017-12-01

The presence of Macro prolactin is a significant cause of elevated prolactin resulting in misdiagnosis in all automated systems. Poly ethylene glycol (PEG) pretreatment is the preventive process but such process includes the probability of loss of a fraction of bioactive prolactin. Surprisingly, PEG treated EQAS & IQAS samples in Cobas e 411 are found out to be correlating with direct results of at least 3 immunoassay systems and treated and untreated Cobas e 411 results are comparable by a correlation coefficient. Comparison of EQAS, IQAS and patient samples were done to find out the trueness of such correlation factor. Study with patient's results have established the correlation coefficient is valid for very small concentration of prolactin also. EQAS, IQAS and 150 patient samples were treated with PEG and prolactin results of treated and untreated samples obtained from Roche Cobas e 411. 25 patient's results (treated) were compared with direct results in Advia Centaur, Architect I & Access2 systems. Correlation coefficient was obtained from trend line of the treated and untreated results. Two tailed p-value obtained from regression coefficient(r) and sample size. The correlation coefficient is in the range (0.761-0.771). Reverse correlation range is (1.289-1.301). r value of two sets of calculated results were 0.995. Two tailed p- value is zero approving dismissal of null hypothesis. The z-score of EQAS does not always assure authenticity of resultsPEG precipitation is correlated by the factor 0.761 even in very small concentrationsAbbreviationsGFCgel filtration chromatographyPEGpolyethylene glycolEQASexternal quality assurance systemM-PRLmacro prolactinPRLprolactinECLIAelectro-chemiluminescence immunoassayCLIAclinical laboratory improvement amendmentsIQASinternal quality assurance systemrregression coefficient.

Recent Advances in High-Resolution Regional Climate Modeling at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alapaty, Kiran; Bullock, O. Russell; Herwehe, Jerold; Spero, Tanya; Nolte, Christopher; Mallard, Megan

2014-05-01

The Regional Climate Modeling Team at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has been improving the quality of regional climate fields generated by the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. Active areas of research include improving core physics within the WRF model and adapting the physics for regional climate applications, improving the representation of inland lakes that are unresolved by the driving fields, evaluating nudging strategies, and devising techniques to demonstrate value added by dynamical downscaling. These research efforts have been conducted using reanalysis data as driving fields, and then their results have been applied to downscale data from global climate models. The goals of this work are to equip environmental managers and policy/decision makers in the U.S. with science, tools, and data to inform decisions related to adapting to and mitigating the potential impacts of climate change on air quality, ecosystems, and human health. Our presentation will focus mainly on one area of the Team's research: Development and testing of a seamless convection parameterization scheme. For the continental U.S., one of the impediments to high-resolution (~3 to 15 km) climate modeling is related to the lack of a seamless convection parameterization that works across many scales. Since many convection schemes are not developed to work at those "gray scales", they often lead to excessive precipitation during warm periods (e.g., summer). The Kain-Fritsch (KF) convection parameterization in the WRF model has been updated such that it can be used seamlessly across spatial scales down to ~1 km grid spacing. First, we introduced subgrid-scale cloud and radiation interactions that had not been previously considered in the KF scheme. Then, a scaling parameter was developed to introduce scale-dependency in the KF scheme for use with various processes. In addition, we developed new formulations for: (1) convective adjustment timescale; (2) entrainment of environmental air; (3) impacts of convective updraft on grid-scale vertical velocity; (4) convective cloud microphysics; (5) stabilizing capacity; (6) elimination of double counting of precipitation; and (7) estimation of updraft mass flux at the lifting condensation level. Some of these scale-dependent formulations make the KF scheme operable at all scales up to about sub-kilometer grid resolution. In this presentation, regional climate simulations using the WRF model will be presented to demonstrate the effects of these changes to the KF scheme. Additionally, we briefly present results obtained from the improved representation of inland lakes, various nudging strategies, and added value of dynamical downscaling of regional climate. Requesting for a plenary talk for the session: "Regional climate modeling, including CORDEX" (session number CL6.4) at the EGU 2014 General Assembly, to be held 27 April - 2 May 2014 in Vienna, Austria.

Linking hydraulic properties of fire-affected soils to infiltration and water repellency

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moody, John A.; David Kinner,; Xavier Úbeda,

2009-01-01

Heat from wildfires can produce a two-layer system composed of extremely dry soil covered by a layer of ash, which when subjected to rainfall, may produce extreme floods. To understand the soil physics controlling runoff for these initial conditions, we used a small, portable disk infiltrometer to measure two hydraulic properties: (1) near-saturated hydraulic conductivity, Kf and (2) sorptivity, S(θi), as a function of initial soil moisture content, θi, ranging from extremely dry conditions (θi < 0.02 cm3 cm−3) to near saturation. In the field and in the laboratory replicate measurements were made of ash, reference soils, soils unaffected by fire, and fire-affected soils. Each has a different degrees of water repellency that influences Kf and S(θi).Values of Kf ranged from 4.5 × 10−3 to 53 × 10−3 cm s−1 for ash; from 0.93 × 10−3 to 130 × 10−3 cm s−1 for reference soils; and from 0.86 × 10−3 to 3.0 × 10−3 cm s−1, for soil unaffected by fire, which had the lowest values of Kf. Measurements indicated that S(θi) could be represented by an empirical non-linear function of θi with a sorptivity maximum of 0.18–0.20 cm s−0.5, between 0.03 and 0.08 cm3 cm−3. This functional form differs from the monotonically decreasing non-linear functions often used to represent S(θi) for rainfall–runoff modeling. The sorptivity maximum may represent the combined effects of gravity, capillarity, and adsorption in a transitional domain corresponding to extremely dry soil, and moreover, it may explain the observed non-linear behavior, and the critical soil-moisture threshold of water repellent soils. Laboratory measurements of Kf and S(θi) are the first for ash and fire-affected soil, but additional measurements are needed of these hydraulic properties for in situ fire-affected soils. They provide insight into water repellency behavior and infiltration under extremely dry conditions. Most importantly, they indicate how existing rainfall–runoff models can be modified to accommodate a possible two-layer system in extremely dry conditions. These modified models can be used to predict floods from burned watersheds under these initial conditions.

Numerical modeling of marine Gravity data for tsunami hazard zone mapping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Porwal, Nipun

2012-07-01

Tsunami is a series of ocean wave with very high wavelengths ranges from 10 to 500 km. Therefore tsunamis act as shallow water waves and hard to predict from various methods. Bottom Pressure Recorders of Poseidon class considered as a preeminent method to detect tsunami waves but Acoustic Modem in Ocean Bottom Pressure (OBP) sensors placed in the vicinity of trenches having depth of more than 6000m fails to propel OBP data to Surface Buoys. Therefore this paper is developed for numerical modeling of Gravity field coefficients from Bureau Gravimetric International (BGI) which do not play a central role in the study of geodesy, satellite orbit computation, & geophysics but by mathematical transformation of gravity field coefficients using Normalized Legendre Polynomial high resolution ocean bottom pressure (OBP) data is generated. Real time sea level monitored OBP data of 0.3° by 1° spatial resolution using Kalman filter (kf080) for past 10 years by Estimating the Circulation and Climate of the Ocean (ECCO) has been correlated with OBP data from gravity field coefficients which attribute a feasible study on future tsunami detection system from space and in identification of most suitable sites to place OBP sensors near deep trenches. The Levitus Climatological temperature and salinity are assimilated into the version of the MITGCM using the ad-joint method to obtain the sea height segment. Then TOPEX/Poseidon satellite altimeter, surface momentum, heat, and freshwater fluxes from NCEP reanalysis product and the dynamic ocean topography DOT_DNSCMSS08_EGM08 is used to interpret sea-bottom elevation. Then all datasets are associated under raster calculator in ArcGIS 9.3 using Boolean Intersection Algebra Method and proximal analysis tools with high resolution sea floor topographic map. Afterward tsunami prone area and suitable sites for set up of BPR as analyzed in this research is authenticated by using Passive microwave radiometry system for Tsunami Hazard Zone Mapping by network of seismometers. Thus using such methodology for early Tsunami Hazard Zone Mapping also increase accuracy and reduce time period for tsunami predictions. KEYWORDS:, Tsunami, Gravity Field Coefficients, Ocean Bottom Pressure, ECCO, BGI, Sea Bottom Temperature, Sea Floor Topography.

A method to differentiate the causes of stiff-knee gait in stroke patients.

PubMed

Campanini, I; Merlo, A; Damiano, B

2013-06-01

Stiff-knee gait (SKG) is a common abnormal gait pattern in patients after stroke characterized by insufficient knee flexion (KF) during swing. Overactivity of the rectus femoris (RF) is considered the primary cause of SKG. Inadequate push-off has been indicated as an additional cause in the recent literature, as KF depends on knee flexion velocity in preswing (KFV). We used the peak of vertical acceleration of the malleolus (PMVA) as a kinematic-based indirect measure of push-off and studied its relationship with KF and KFV in a sample of 20 healthy subjects walking fast (v = 95 ± 5%heights(-1)), at self-selected speed (v = 74 ± 5%heights(-1)), slow (v = 54 ± 6%heights(-1)) and very slow (v = 38 ± 5%heights(-1)) and in a sample of 52 stroke patients with SKG (age 60 ± 11, v = 20 ± 11%heights(-1)). In healthy subjects PMVA occurred before knee flexion acceleration (p<0.001) and hip flexion acceleration (p<0.001). KF appeared as a bottom-up mechanism driven by the ankle push-off. From a regression analysis, the PMVA-KFV cause-effect relationship resulted strictly linear, with R(2) = 0.967, KFV = 0+7.1×PMVA, P<0.0001. Data from SKG patients were compared to this normal cause-effect model. For 44/52 patients the reduced KFV was combined with lack of push-off. Data from 8/52 patients only were statistically outside the 95%CI of the model, thus requiring for a braking mechanism to explain KFV reduction. In stroke adults of our sample the push-off impairment (85% of cases) and not the inappropriate knee extension moment produced by the thigh muscles was the primary cause of SKG. This result could explain the low average efficacy (<10°) of focal and surgical treatments at the quadriceps. The presented model could be used to differentiate the primary cause of SKG between inadequate push-off and braking activity of the thigh muscles, thus increasing the effectiveness of the selected treatment. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Volcano Deformation and Eruption Forecasting using Data Assimilation: Building the Strategy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bato, M. G.; Pinel, V.; Yan, Y.

2016-12-01

In monitoring active volcanoes, the magma overpressure is one of the key parameters used in forecasting volcanic eruptions. This can be inferred from the ground displacements measured on the Earth's surface by applying inversion techniques. However, during the inversion, we lose the temporal characteristic along with huge amount of information about the behaviour of the volcano. Our work focuses on developing a strategy in order to better forecast the magma overpressure using data assimilation. Data assimilation is a sequential time-forward process that best combines models and observations, sometimes a priori information based on error statistics, to predict the state of a dynamical system. It has gained popularity in various fields of geoscience (e.g. ocean-weather forecasting, geomagnetism and natural resources exploration), but remains a new and emerging technique in the field of volcanology. With the increasing amount of geodetic data (i.e. InSAR and GPS) recorded on volcanoes nowadays, and the wide-range availability of dynamical models that can provide better understanding about the volcano plumbing system; developing a forecasting framework that can efficiently combine them is crucial. Here, we particularly built our strategy on the basis of the Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) [1]. We predict the temporal behaviours of the magma overpressures and surface deformations by adopting the two-magma chamber model proposed by Reverso et. al., 2014 [2] and by using synthetic GPS and/or InSAR data. Several tests are performed in order to answer the following: 1) know the efficiency of EnKF in forecasting volcanic unrests, 2) constrain unknown parameters of the model, 3) properly use GPS and/or InSAR during assimilation and 4) compare EnKF with classic inversion while using the same dynamical model. Results show that EnKF works well with the synthetic cases and there is a great potential in utilising the method for real-time monitoring of volcanic unrests. [1] Evensen, G., The Ensemble Kalman Filter: theoretical formulation and practical implementation. Ocean Dyn.,53, 343-367, 2003 [2] T. Reverso, J. Vandemeulebrouck, F. Jouanne, V. Pinel, T. Villemin, E. Sturkell, A two-magma chamber as a source of deformation at Grimsvötn volcano, Iceland, JGR, 2014

Indoor Pedestrian Localization Using iBeacon and Improved Kalman Filter.

PubMed

Sung, Kwangjae; Lee, Dong Kyu 'Roy'; Kim, Hwangnam

2018-05-26

The reliable and accurate indoor pedestrian positioning is one of the biggest challenges for location-based systems and applications. Most pedestrian positioning systems have drift error and large bias due to low-cost inertial sensors and random motions of human being, as well as unpredictable and time-varying radio-frequency (RF) signals used for position determination. To solve this problem, many indoor positioning approaches that integrate the user's motion estimated by dead reckoning (DR) method and the location data obtained by RSS fingerprinting through Bayesian filter, such as the Kalman filter (KF), unscented Kalman filter (UKF), and particle filter (PF), have recently been proposed to achieve higher positioning accuracy in indoor environments. Among Bayesian filtering methods, PF is the most popular integrating approach and can provide the best localization performance. However, since PF uses a large number of particles for the high performance, it can lead to considerable computational cost. This paper presents an indoor positioning system implemented on a smartphone, which uses simple dead reckoning (DR), RSS fingerprinting using iBeacon and machine learning scheme, and improved KF. The core of the system is the enhanced KF called a sigma-point Kalman particle filter (SKPF), which localize the user leveraging both the unscented transform of UKF and the weighting method of PF. The SKPF algorithm proposed in this study is used to provide the enhanced positioning accuracy by fusing positional data obtained from both DR and fingerprinting with uncertainty. The SKPF algorithm can achieve better positioning accuracy than KF and UKF and comparable performance compared to PF, and it can provide higher computational efficiency compared with PF. iBeacon in our positioning system is used for energy-efficient localization and RSS fingerprinting. We aim to design the localization scheme that can realize the high positioning accuracy, computational efficiency, and energy efficiency through the SKPF and iBeacon indoors. Empirical experiments in real environments show that the use of the SKPF algorithm and iBeacon in our indoor localization scheme can achieve very satisfactory performance in terms of localization accuracy, computational cost, and energy efficiency.

Seasonal variations on the residence times and partitioning of short-lived radionuclides (234Th, 7Be and 210Pb) and depositional fluxes of 7Be and 210Pb in Tampa Bay, Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Baskaran, M.; Swarzenski, P.W.

2007-01-01

Historically, Tampa Bay has been impacted heavily by a wide range of anthropogenic perturbations that may include, agricultural-, shipping-, phosphate mining/distribution-related activities, as well as a burgeoning coastal population. Due to the presence of U-rich underlying sediments, elevated activities of U- and Th-series daughter products may be naturally released into this system. This region is also known for summer thunderstorms and corresponding increases in precipitation and surface water runoff. Only limited work has been conducted on the partitioning of particle-reactive radionuclides (such as 7Be, 210Pb, and 234Th) in such a dynamic coastal system. We investigated both the removal residence time and partitioning of these radionuclides between filter-retained particulate matter (≥ 0.5 μm) and the filtrate ( Our results indicate that the partitioning of 7Be, 210Pb, and 234Th between filtrate and filter-retained phase is controlled foremost by enhanced bottom resuspension events during summer thunderstorms. As a consequence, no significant relationship exists between the distribution coefficients (Kd values) of these isotopes and the concentration of suspended particulate matter (SPM). Relatively faster recycling rates of atmospheric water vapor derived from the ocean results in lower atmospheric depositional fluxes of 210Pb to the study site than predicted. The relationship between 7Be and 210Pb in bulk (wet + dry) deposition is compared to their respective water column activities. The residence times of particulate and dissolved 234Th, 7Be and 210Pb, as well the distribution coefficients of these radionuclides, are then compared to values reported in other coastal systems.

Measurement of Murine Single-Kidney Glomerular Filtration Rate Using Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI.

PubMed

Jiang, Kai; Tang, Hui; Mishra, Prasanna K; Macura, Slobodan I; Lerman, Lilach O

2018-06-01

To develop and validate a method for measuring murine single-kidney glomerular filtration rate (GFR) using dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI). This prospective study was approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. A fast longitudinal relaxation time (T 1 ) measurement method was implemented to capture gadolinium dynamics (1 s/scan), and a modified two-compartment model was developed to quantify GFR as well as renal perfusion using 16.4T MRI in mice 2 weeks after unilateral renal artery stenosis (RAS, n = 6) or sham (n = 8) surgeries. This approach was validated by comparing model-derived GFR and perfusion to those obtained by fluorescein isothiocyanante (FITC)-inulin clearance and arterial spin labeling (ASL), respectively, using the Pearson's and Spearman's rank correlations and Bland-Altman analysis. The compartmental model provided a good fitting to measured gadolinium dynamics in both normal and RAS kidneys. The proposed DCE-MRI method offered assessment of single-kidney GFR and perfusion, comparable to the FITC-inulin clearance (Pearson's correlation coefficient r = 0.95 and Spearman's correlation coefficient ρ = 0.94, P < 0.0001, and mean difference -7.0 ± 11.0 μL/min) and ASL (r = 0.92 and ρ = 0.84, P < 0.0001, and mean difference 4.4 ± 66.1 mL/100 g/min) methods. The proposed DCE-MRI method may be useful for reliable noninvasive measurements of single-kidney GFR and perfusion in mice. Magn Reson Med 79:2935-2943, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Filtration Coefficient of the Axon Membrane As Measured with Hydrostatic and Osmotic Methods

PubMed Central

Vargas, Fernando F.

1968-01-01

The hydraulic conductivity of the membranes surrounding the giant axon of the squid, Dosidicus gigas, was measured. In some axons the axoplasm was partially removed by suction. Perfusion was then established by insertion of a second pipette. In other axons the axoplasm was left intact and only one pipette was inserted. In both groups hydrostatic pressure was applied by means of a water column in a capillary manometer. Displacement of the meniscus in time gave the rate of fluid flowing across the axon sheath. In both groups osmotic differences across the membrane were established by the addition of a test molecule to the external medium which was seawater. The hydraulic conductivity determined by application of hydrostatic pressure was 10.6 ± 0.8.10-8 cm/sec cm H2O in perfused axons and 3.2 ± 0.6.10-8 cm/sec cm H2O in intact axons. When the driving force was an osmotic pressure gradient the conductivity was 4.5 ± 0.6 x 10-10 cm/sec cm H2O and 4.8 ± 0.9 x 10-10 cm/sec cm H2O in perfused and intact axons, respectively. A comparable result was found when the internal solution was made hyperosmotic. The fluid flow was a linear function of the hydrostatic pressure up to 70 cm of water. Glycerol outflux and membrane conductance were increased 1.6 and 1.1 times by the application of hydrostatic pressure. These increments do not give an explanation of the difference between the filtration coefficients. Other possible explanations are suggested and discussed. PMID:5642470

[Concordance of glomerular filtration rate with creatinine clearance in 24-hour urine and Schwartz and Schwartz updated].

PubMed

Salazar-Gutiérrez, María Luisa; Ochoa-Ponce, Cristina; Lona-Reyes, Juan Carlos; Gutiérrez-Íñiguez, Sara Ivonne

Reference methods for the quantification of the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) are difficult to use in clinical practice; formulas for evaluating GFR based on serum creatinine (SCr) and/or creatinine clearance are used. The aim of this study was to quantify the correlation and concordance of GFR with creatinine clearance in 24-hour urine (GFR24) and Schwartz and Schwartz updated formulas. Cross-sectional study involving healthy pediatric patients and with chronic kidney disease (CKD) from 5 to 16.9 years. Linear correlation between GFR 24 and two formulas was evaluated with the Pearson correlation coefficient (r) and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). We studied 134 patients, of which 59.7% were male. Mean age was 10.8 years. The average GFR24 was 140.34ml/min/1.73m 2 ; 34.3% (n=46) had GFR <90ml/min/1.73m 2 . Moderate linear correlation between GFR24 and Schwartz (r= 0.63) and Schwartz updated (r= 0.65) formulas was observed. There was good concordance between the GFR24 and Schwartz (ICC= 0.77) and updated Schwartz (ICC= 0.77) formulas. Schwartz classical formula in patients with GFR24 ≥ 90ml/min/1.73m 2 estimated higher values, while Schwartz updated underestimated values. There is moderate correlation and good concordance between the GFR24 and Schwartz and Schwartz updated formulas. The concordance was better in patients with obesity and lower in women, patients with hyperfiltration and normal weight. Copyright © 2016 Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez. Publicado por Masson Doyma México S.A. All rights reserved.

Laser system for measuring small changes in plasma tracer concentrations.

PubMed

Klaesner, J W; Pou, N A; Parker, R E; Galloway, R L; Roselli, R J

1996-01-01

The authors developed a laser-diode system that can be used for on-line optical concentration measurements in physiologic systems. Previous optical systems applied to whole blood have been hampered by artifacts introduced by red blood cells (RBCs). The system introduced here uses a commercially available filter cartridge to separate RBCs from plasma before plasma concentration measurements are made at a single wavelength. The filtering characteristics of the Cellco filter cartridge (#4007-10, German-town, MD) were adequate for use in the on-line measurement system. The response time of the filter cartridge was less than 40 seconds, and the sieving characteristics of the filter for macromolecules were excellent, with filtrate-to-plasma albumin ratios of 0.98 +/- 0.11 for studies in sheep and 0.94 +/- 0.15 for studies in dogs. The 635-nm laser diode system developed was shown to be more sensitive than the spectrophotometer used in previous studies (Klaesner et al., Annals of Biomedical Engineering, 1994; 22, 660-73). The new system was used to measure the product of filtration coefficient (Kfc) and reflection coefficient for albumin (delta f) in an isolated canine lung preparation. The delta fKfc values [mL/(cmH2O.min.100 g dry lung weight)] measured with the laser diode system (0.33 +/- 0.22) compared favorably with the delta fKfc obtained using a spectrophotometer (0.27 +/- 0.20) and with the Kfc obtained using the blood-corrected gravimetric method (0.32 +/- 0.23). Thus, this new optical system was shown to accurately measure plasma concentration changes in whole blood for physiologic levels of Kfc. The same system can be used with different optical tracers and different source wavelengths to make optical plasma concentration measurements for other physiologic applications.

Estimating glomerular filtration rate in black South Africans by use of the modification of diet in renal disease and Cockcroft-Gault equations.

PubMed

van Deventer, Hendrick E; George, Jaya A; Paiker, Janice E; Becker, Piet J; Katz, Ivor J

2008-07-01

The 4-variable Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (4-v MDRD) and Cockcroft-Gault (CG) equations are commonly used for estimating glomerular filtration rate (GFR); however, neither of these equations has been validated in an indigenous African population. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of the 4-v MDRD and CG equations for estimating GFR in black South Africans against measured GFR and to assess the appropriateness for the local population of the ethnicity factor established for African Americans in the 4-v MDRD equation. We enrolled 100 patients in the study. The plasma clearance of chromium-51-EDTA ((51)Cr-EDTA) was used to measure GFR, and serum creatinine was measured using an isotope dilution mass spectrometry (IDMS) traceable assay. We estimated GFR using both the reexpressed 4-v MDRD and CG equations and compared it to measured GFR using 4 modalities: correlation coefficient, weighted Deming regression analysis, percentage bias, and proportion of estimated GFR within 30% of measured GFR (P(30)). The Spearman correlation coefficient between measured and estimated GFR for both equations was similar (4-v MDRD R(2) = 0.80 and CG R(2) = 0.79). Using the 4-v MDRD equation with the ethnicity factor of 1.212 as established for African Americans resulted in a median positive bias of 13.1 (95% CI 5.5 to 18.3) mL/min/1.73 m(2). Without the ethnicity factor, median bias was 1.9 (95% CI -0.8 to 4.5) mL/min/1.73 m(2). The 4-v MDRD equation, without the ethnicity factor of 1.212, can be used for estimating GFR in black South Africans.

Estimating equations for glomerular filtration rate in the era of creatinine standardization: a systematic review.

PubMed

Earley, Amy; Miskulin, Dana; Lamb, Edmund J; Levey, Andrew S; Uhlig, Katrin

2012-06-05

Clinical laboratories are increasingly reporting estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) by using serum creatinine assays traceable to a standard reference material. To review the performance of GFR estimating equations to inform the selection of a single equation by laboratories and the interpretation of estimated GFR by clinicians. A systematic search of MEDLINE, without language restriction, between 1999 and 21 October 2011. Cross-sectional studies in adults that compared the performance of 2 or more creatinine-based GFR estimating equations with a reference GFR measurement. Eligible equations were derived or reexpressed and validated by using creatinine measurements traceable to the standard reference material. Reviewers extracted data on study population characteristics, measured GFR, creatinine assay, and equation performance. Eligible studies compared the MDRD (Modification of Diet in Renal Disease) Study and CKD-EPI (Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration) equations or modifications thereof. In 12 studies in North America, Europe, and Australia, the CKD-EPI equation performed better at higher GFRs (approximately >60 mL/min per 1.73 m(2)) and the MDRD Study equation performed better at lower GFRs. In 5 of 8 studies in Asia and Africa, the equations were modified to improve their performance by adding a coefficient derived in the local population or removing a coefficient. Methods of GFR measurement and study populations were heterogeneous. Neither the CKD-EPI nor the MDRD Study equation is optimal for all populations and GFR ranges. Using a single equation for reporting requires a tradeoff to optimize performance at either higher or lower GFR ranges. A general practice and public health perspective favors the CKD-EPI equation. Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes.

Geochemical hosts of solubilized radionuclides in uranium mill tailings

USGS Publications Warehouse

Landa, E.R.; Bush, C.A.

1990-01-01

The solubilization and subsequent resorption of radionuclides by ore components or by reaction products during the milling of uranium ores may have both economic and environmental consequences. Particle-size redistribution of radium during milling has been demonstrated by previous investigators; however, the identification of sorbing components in the tailings has received little experimental attention. In this study, uranium-bearing sandstone ore was milled, on a laboratory scale, with sulfuric acid. At regular intervals, filtrate from this suspension was placed in contact with mixtures of quartz sand and various potential sorbents which occur as gangue in uranium ores; the potential sorbents included clay minerals, iron and aluminum oxides, feldspar, fluorspar, barite, jarosite, coal, and volcanic glass. After equilibration, the quartz sand-sorbent mixtures were separated from the filtrate and radioassayed by gamma-spectrometry to determine the quantities of 238U, 230Th, 226Ra, and 210Pb sorbed, and the radon emanation coefficients. Sorption of 238U was low in all cases, with maximal sorptions of 1-2% by the bentonite- and coal-bearing samples. 230Th sorption also was generally less than 1%; maximal sorption here was observed in the fluorspar-bearing sample and appears to be associated with the formation of gypsum during milling. 226Ra and 210 Pb generally showed higher sorption than the other nuclides - more than 60% of the 26Ra solubilized from the ore was sorbed on the barite-bearing sample. The mechanism (s) for this sorption by a wide variety of substrates is not yet understood. Radon emanation coefficients of the samples ranged from about 5 to 30%, with the coal-bearing samples clearly demonstrating an emanating power higher than any of the other materials. ?? 1990.

Genetics Home Reference: Williams syndrome

MedlinePlus

... Berman KF. Neural correlates of genetically abnormal social cognition in Williams syndrome. Nat Neurosci. 2005 Aug;8( ... syndrome: a unique window to genetic influences on cognition and behaviour. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2006 May;7( ...

Epilepsy - children

MedlinePlus

... overview. In: Swaiman KF, Ashwal S, Ferriero DM, Schor NF, eds. Swaiman's Pediatric Neurology: Principles and Practice. 5th ... Kliegman RM, Stanton BF, St. Geme JW, Schor NF, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 20th ed. Philadelphia, ...

Metachromatic leukodystrophy

MedlinePlus

... Kliegman RM, Stanton BF, St. Geme JW, Schor NF, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics . 20th ed. Philadelphia, ... diseases. In: Swaiman KF, Ashwal S, Ferriero DM, Schor NF, eds. Swaiman's Pediatric Neurology . 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: ...

Role of colloidal material in the removal of 234Th in the Canada basin of the Arctic Ocean

USGS Publications Warehouse

Baskaran, M.; Swarzenski, P.W.; Porcelli, D.

2003-01-01

The phase partitioning of 234Th between dissolved ( 200m, general equilibrium existed between total 234Th and 238U. The inventory of SPM and the specific activity of particulate 234Th in the Canada Basin was about an order of magnitude higher than the profile reported for the Alpha Ridge ice camp station. This higher concentration of SPM in the southwestern Canada Basin is likely derived from ice-rafted sedimentary particles. Inventories of nutrients, and dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen in the upper 100 m of the Canada Basin are comparable to the other estimates for the central Arctic Ocean. Comparison of the mass concentrations of colloidal and filter-retained particulate matter as well as the activity of 234Th in these phases indicates that only a very small component of the colloidal material is actively involved in Th scavenging. Lower values of the conditional partition coefficient between the colloidal and dissolved phase indicate that the Arctic colloids are less reactive than colloidal material from other regions. The conditional partition coefficient between the filter-retained and dissolved phases (Kf) is generally higher than that for other regions, which is attributed to the higher complexation capacity of glacio-marine sedimentary particles in these waters. The 234Th-derived export of POC for the shelf and deep Canada Basin ranges between 5.6 and 6.5 mmol m-2 d-1, and is in agreement with other estimates reported for the central Arctic Ocean and Beaufort Sea. ?? 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Superconductivity in engineered two-dimensional electron gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chubukov, Andrey V.; Kivelson, Steven A.

2017-11-01

We consider Kohn-Luttinger mechanism for superconductivity in a two-dimensional electron gas confined to a narrow well between two grounded metallic planes with two occupied subbands with Fermi momenta kF L>kF S . On the basis of a perturbative analysis, we conclude that non-s -wave superconductivity emerges even when the bands are parabolic. We analyze the conditions that maximize Tc as a function of the distance to the metallic planes, the ratio kF L/kF S , and rs, which measures the strength of Coulomb correlations. The largest attraction is in p -wave and d -wave channels, of which p wave is typically the strongest. For rs=O (1 ) we estimate that the dimensionless coupling λ ≈10-1 , but it likely continues increasing for larger rs (where we lose theoretical control).

Purification of nuclear grade Zr scrap as the high purity dense Zr deposits from Zirlo scrap by electrorefining in LiF-KF-ZrF4 molten fluorides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Kyoung Tae; Lee, Tae Hyuk; Jo, Nam Chan; Nersisyan, Hayk H.; Chun, Byong Sun; Lee, Hyuk Hee; Lee, Jong Hyeon

2013-05-01

Zirconium (Zr) has commonly been used as a cladding material of nuclear fuel. Moreover, it is regarded as the only material that can be used for nuclear fuel cladding because it has the lowest neutron capture cross section of any metal element and because it has high corrosion resistance and size stability. In this study, Hf-free Zr tubes (Zr-1Nb-1Sn-0.1Fe) were used as anode materials and electrorefining was performed in a LiF-KF eutectic 6 wt.% ZrF4 molten fluoride salt system. As a result of electrolysis, Zr scrap metal was recycled into pure Zr with low levels of impurities, and the size and density of the Zr deposit was controlled using applied current density.

A Global Carbon Assimilation System using a modified EnKF assimilation method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, S.; Zheng, X.; Chen, Z.; Dan, B.; Chen, J. M.; Yi, X.; Wang, L.; Wu, G.

2014-10-01

A Global Carbon Assimilation System based on Ensemble Kalman filter (GCAS-EK) is developed for assimilating atmospheric CO2 abundance data into an ecosystem model to simultaneously estimate the surface carbon fluxes and atmospheric CO2 distribution. This assimilation approach is based on the ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF), but with several new developments, including using analysis states to iteratively estimate ensemble forecast errors, and a maximum likelihood estimation of the inflation factors of the forecast and observation errors. The proposed assimilation approach is tested in observing system simulation experiments and then used to estimate the terrestrial ecosystem carbon fluxes and atmospheric CO2 distributions from 2002 to 2008. The results showed that this assimilation approach can effectively reduce the biases and uncertainties of the carbon fluxes simulated by the ecosystem model.

A Beacon Transmission Power Control Algorithm Based on Wireless Channel Load Forecasting in VANETs.

PubMed

Mo, Yuanfu; Yu, Dexin; Song, Jun; Zheng, Kun; Guo, Yajuan

2015-01-01

In a vehicular ad hoc network (VANET), the periodic exchange of single-hop status information broadcasts (beacon frames) produces channel loading, which causes channel congestion and induces information conflict problems. To guarantee fairness in beacon transmissions from each node and maximum network connectivity, adjustment of the beacon transmission power is an effective method for reducing and preventing channel congestion. In this study, the primary factors that influence wireless channel loading are selected to construct the KF-BCLF, which is a channel load forecasting algorithm based on a recursive Kalman filter and employs multiple regression equation. By pre-adjusting the transmission power based on the forecasted channel load, the channel load was kept within a predefined range; therefore, channel congestion was prevented. Based on this method, the CLF-BTPC, which is a transmission power control algorithm, is proposed. To verify KF-BCLF algorithm, a traffic survey method that involved the collection of floating car data along a major traffic road in Changchun City is employed. By comparing this forecast with the measured channel loads, the proposed KF-BCLF algorithm was proven to be effective. In addition, the CLF-BTPC algorithm is verified by simulating a section of eight-lane highway and a signal-controlled urban intersection. The results of the two verification process indicate that this distributed CLF-BTPC algorithm can effectively control channel load, prevent channel congestion, and enhance the stability and robustness of wireless beacon transmission in a vehicular network.

Identification of hydrological model parameter variation using ensemble Kalman filter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, Chao; Liu, Pan; Guo, Shenglian; Li, Zejun; Wang, Dingbao

2016-12-01

Hydrological model parameters play an important role in the ability of model prediction. In a stationary context, parameters of hydrological models are treated as constants; however, model parameters may vary with time under climate change and anthropogenic activities. The technique of ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) is proposed to identify the temporal variation of parameters for a two-parameter monthly water balance model (TWBM) by assimilating the runoff observations. Through a synthetic experiment, the proposed method is evaluated with time-invariant (i.e., constant) parameters and different types of parameter variations, including trend, abrupt change and periodicity. Various levels of observation uncertainty are designed to examine the performance of the EnKF. The results show that the EnKF can successfully capture the temporal variations of the model parameters. The application to the Wudinghe basin shows that the water storage capacity (SC) of the TWBM model has an apparent increasing trend during the period from 1958 to 2000. The identified temporal variation of SC is explained by land use and land cover changes due to soil and water conservation measures. In contrast, the application to the Tongtianhe basin shows that the estimated SC has no significant variation during the simulation period of 1982-2013, corresponding to the relatively stationary catchment properties. The evapotranspiration parameter (C) has temporal variations while no obvious change patterns exist. The proposed method provides an effective tool for quantifying the temporal variations of the model parameters, thereby improving the accuracy and reliability of model simulations and forecasts.

Kalman filters for assimilating near-surface observations in the Richards equation - Part 2: A dual filter approach for simultaneous retrieval of states and parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Medina, H.; Romano, N.; Chirico, G. B.

2012-12-01

We present a dual Kalman Filter (KF) approach for retrieving states and parameters controlling soil water dynamics in a homogenous soil column by using near-surface state observations. The dual Kalman filter couples a standard KF algorithm for retrieving the states and an unscented KF algorithm for retrieving the parameters. We examine the performance of the dual Kalman Filter applied to two alternative state-space formulations of the Richards equation, respectively differentiated by the type of variable employed for representing the states: either the soil water content (θ) or the soil matric pressure head (h). We use a synthetic time-series series of true states and noise corrupted observations and a synthetic time-series of meteorological forcing. The performance analyses account for the effect of the input parameters, the observation depth and the assimilation frequency as well as the relationship between the retrieved states and the assimilated variables. We show that the identifiability of the parameters is strongly conditioned by several factors, such as the initial guess of the unknown parameters, the wet or dry range of the retrieved states, the boundary conditions, as well as the form (h-based or θ-based) of the state-space formulation. State identifiability is instead efficient even with a relatively coarse time-resolution of the assimilated observation. The accuracy of the retrieved states exhibits limited sensitivity to the observation depth and the assimilation frequency.

Potassium fulvate-modified graft copolymer of acrylic acid onto cellulose as efficient chelating polymeric sorbent.

PubMed

Mohamed, Magdy F; Essawy, Hisham A; Ammar, Nabila S; Ibrahim, Hanan S

2017-01-01

Acrylic acid (AA) was graft copolymerized from cellulose (Cell) in presence of potassium fulvate (KF) in order to enhance the chemical activity of the resulting chelating polymer and the handling as well. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) proved that KF was efficiently inserted and became a permanent part of the network structure of the sorbent in parallel during the grafting copolymerization. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed intact homogeneous structure with uniform surface. This indicates improvement of the handling, however, it was not the case for the graft copolymer of acrylic acid onto cellulose in absence of KF, which is known to be brittle and lacks mechanical integrity. Effective insertion of this co-interpenetrating agent provided more functional groups, such as OH and COOH, which improved the chelating power of the produced sorbent as found for the removal of Cu 2+ ions from its aqueous solutions (the removal efficiency reached ∼98.9%). Different models were used to express the experimental data. The results corroborated conformity of the pseudo-second order kinetic model and Langmuir isotherm model to the sorption process, which translates into dominance of the chemisorption. Regeneration of the chelating polymers under harsh conditions did not affect the efficiency of copper ions uptake up to three successive cycles. A thermodynamic investigation ensured exothermic nature of the adsorption process that became less favourable at higher temperatures. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

3D soil water nowcasting using electromagnetic conductivity imaging and the ensemble Kalman filter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Jingyi; McBratney, Alex; Minasny, Budiman; Triantafilis, John

2017-04-01

Mapping and immediate forecasting of soil water content (θ) and its movement can be challenging. Although apparent electrical conductivity (ECa) measured by electromagnetic induction has been used, it is difficult to apply it along a transect or across a field. Across a 3.95-ha field with varying soil texture, an ensemble Kalman filter (EnFK) was used to monitor and nowcast θ dynamics in 2-d and 3-d over 16 days. The EnKF combined a physical model fitted with θ measured by soil moisture sensors and an Artificial Neural Network model comprising estimate of true electrical conductivity (σ) generated by inversions of DUALEM-421S ECa data. Results showed that the spatio-temporal variation in θ can be successfully modelled using the EnKF (Lin's concordance = 0.89). Soil water dried fast at the beginning of the irrigation and decreased with time and soil depth, which were consistent with the classical soil drying theory and experiments. It was also found that the soil dried fast in the loamy and duplex soils across the field, which was attributable to deep drainage and preferential flows. It was concluded that the EnKF approach can be used to better the irrigation practice so that variation in irrigation is minimised and irrigation efficiency is improved by applying variable rates of irrigation across the field. In addition, soil water status can be nowcasted using this method with weather forecast information, which will provide guidance to farmers for real-time irrigation management.

Tsunami Waves Joint Inversion Using Tsunami Inundation, Tsunami Deposits Distribution and Marine-Terrestrial Sediment Signal in Tsunami Deposit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, H.; WANG, J.

2017-12-01

Population living close to coastlines is increasing, which creates higher risks due to coastal hazards, such as the tsunami. However, the generation of a tsunami is not fully understood yet, especially for paleo-tsunami. Tsunami deposits are one of the concrete evidence in the geological record which we can apply for studying paleo-tsunami. The understanding of tsunami deposits has significantly improved over the last decades. There are many inversion models (e.g. TsuSedMod, TSUFLIND, and TSUFLIND-EnKF) to study the overland-flow characteristics based on tsunami deposits. However, none of them tries to reconstruct offshore tsunami wave characteristics (wave form, wave height, and length) based on tsunami deposits. Here we present a state-of-the-art inverse approach to reconstruct offshore tsunami wave based on the tsunami inundation data, the spatial distribution of tsunami deposits and Marine-terrestrial sediment signal in the tsunami deposits. Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) Method is used for assimilating both sediment transport simulations and the field observation data. While more computationally expensive, the EnKF approach potentially provides more accurate reconstructions for tsunami waveform. In addition to the improvement of inversion results, the ensemble-based method can also quantify the uncertainties of the results. Meanwhile, joint inversion improves the resolution of tsunami waves compared with inversions using any single data type. The method will be tested by field survey data and gauge data from the 2011 Tohoku tsunami on Sendai plain area.

A Beacon Transmission Power Control Algorithm Based on Wireless Channel Load Forecasting in VANETs

PubMed Central

Mo, Yuanfu; Yu, Dexin; Song, Jun; Zheng, Kun; Guo, Yajuan

2015-01-01

In a vehicular ad hoc network (VANET), the periodic exchange of single-hop status information broadcasts (beacon frames) produces channel loading, which causes channel congestion and induces information conflict problems. To guarantee fairness in beacon transmissions from each node and maximum network connectivity, adjustment of the beacon transmission power is an effective method for reducing and preventing channel congestion. In this study, the primary factors that influence wireless channel loading are selected to construct the KF-BCLF, which is a channel load forecasting algorithm based on a recursive Kalman filter and employs multiple regression equation. By pre-adjusting the transmission power based on the forecasted channel load, the channel load was kept within a predefined range; therefore, channel congestion was prevented. Based on this method, the CLF-BTPC, which is a transmission power control algorithm, is proposed. To verify KF-BCLF algorithm, a traffic survey method that involved the collection of floating car data along a major traffic road in Changchun City is employed. By comparing this forecast with the measured channel loads, the proposed KF-BCLF algorithm was proven to be effective. In addition, the CLF-BTPC algorithm is verified by simulating a section of eight-lane highway and a signal-controlled urban intersection. The results of the two verification process indicate that this distributed CLF-BTPC algorithm can effectively control channel load, prevent channel congestion, and enhance the stability and robustness of wireless beacon transmission in a vehicular network. PMID:26571042

Application of a data assimilation method via an ensemble Kalman filter to reactive urea hydrolysis transport modeling

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

Juxiu Tong; Bill X. Hu; Hai Huang

2014-03-01

With growing importance of water resources in the world, remediations of anthropogenic contaminations due to reactive solute transport become even more important. A good understanding of reactive rate parameters such as kinetic parameters is the key to accurately predicting reactive solute transport processes and designing corresponding remediation schemes. For modeling reactive solute transport, it is very difficult to estimate chemical reaction rate parameters due to complex processes of chemical reactions and limited available data. To find a method to get the reactive rate parameters for the reactive urea hydrolysis transport modeling and obtain more accurate prediction for the chemical concentrations,more » we developed a data assimilation method based on an ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) method to calibrate reactive rate parameters for modeling urea hydrolysis transport in a synthetic one-dimensional column at laboratory scale and to update modeling prediction. We applied a constrained EnKF method to pose constraints to the updated reactive rate parameters and the predicted solute concentrations based on their physical meanings after the data assimilation calibration. From the study results we concluded that we could efficiently improve the chemical reactive rate parameters with the data assimilation method via the EnKF, and at the same time we could improve solute concentration prediction. The more data we assimilated, the more accurate the reactive rate parameters and concentration prediction. The filter divergence problem was also solved in this study.« less

[Single-molecule detection and characterization of DNA replication based on DNA origami].

PubMed

Wang, Qi; Fan, Youjie; Li, Bin

2014-08-01

To investigate single-molecule detection and characterization of DNA replication. Single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) as the template of DNA replication was attached to DNA origami by a hybridization reaction based on the complementary base-pairing principle. DNA replication catalyzed by E.coli DNA polymerase I Klenow Fragment (KF) was detected using atomic force microscopy (AFM). The height variations between the ssDNA and the double-stranded DNA (dsDNA), the distribution of KF during DNA replication and biotin-streptavidin (BA) complexes on the DNA strand after replication were detected. Agarose gel electrophoresis was employed to analyze the changes in the DNA after replication. The designed ssDNA could be anchored on the target positions of over 50% of the DNA origami. The KF was capable of binding to the ssDNA fixed on DNA origami and performing its catalytic activities, and was finally dissociated from the DNA after replication. The height of DNA strand increased by about 0.7 nm after replication. The addition of streptavidin also resulted in an DNA height increase to about 4.9 nm due to the formation of BA complexes on the biotinylated dsDNA. The resulting dsDNA and BA complex were subsequently confirmed by agarose gel electrophoresis. The combination of AFM and DNA origami allows detection and characterization of DNA replication at the single molecule level, and this approach provides better insights into the mechanism of DNA polymerase and the factors affecting DNA replication.

Numerical simulation and analysis of the April 2013 Chicago floods

DOE PAGES

Campos, Edwin; Wang, Jiali

2015-09-08

The weather event associated to record Chicago floods on April 2013 is investigated by using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. Observations at Argonne National Laboratory and multi-sensor (weather radar and rain gauge) precipitation data from the National Weather Service were employed to evaluate the model’s performance. The WRF model captured the synoptic-scale atmospheric features well, but the simulated 24-h accumulated precipitation and short-period temporal evolution of precipitation over the heavy-rain region were less successful. To investigate the potential reasons for the model bias, four supplementary sensitivity experiments using various microphysics schemes and cumulus parameterizations were designed. Of themore » five tested parameterizations, the WRF Single-Moment 6-class (WSM6) graupel scheme and Kain-Fritsch (KF) cumulus parameterization outperformed the others, such as Grell-Dévényi (GD) cumulus parameterization, which underestimated the precipitation by 30–50% on a regional-average scale. Morrison microphysics and KF outperformed the others for the spatial patterns of 24-h accumulated precipitation. The spatial correlation between observation and Morrison-KF was 0.45, higher than those for other simulations. All of the simulations underestimated the precipitation over northeastern Illinois (especially at Argonne) during 0400–0800 UTC 18 April because of weak ascending motion or small moisture. In conclusion, all of the simulations except WSM6-GD also underestimated the precipitation during 1200–1600 UTC 18 April because of weak southerly flow.« less

Unexpected Dominance of Elusive Acidobacteria in Early Industrial Soft Coal Slags

PubMed Central

Wegner, Carl-Eric; Liesack, Werner

2017-01-01

Acid mine drainage (AMD) and mine tailing environments are well-characterized ecosystems known to be dominated by organisms involved in iron- and sulfur-cycling. Here we examined the microbiology of industrial soft coal slags that originate from alum leaching, an ecosystem distantly related to AMD environments. Our study involved geochemical analyses, bacterial community profiling, and shotgun metagenomics. The slags still contained high amounts of alum constituents (aluminum, sulfur), which mediated direct and indirect effects on bacterial community structure. Bacterial groups typically found in AMD systems and mine tailings were not present. Instead, the soft coal slags were dominated by uncharacterized groups of Acidobacteria (DA052 [subdivision 2], KF-JG30-18 [subdivision 13]), Actinobacteria (TM214), Alphaproteobacteria (DA111), and Chloroflexi (JG37-AG-4), which have previously been detected primarily in peatlands and uranium waste piles. Shotgun metagenomics allowed us to reconstruct 13 high-quality Acidobacteria draft genomes, of which two genomes could be directly linked to dominating groups (DA052, KF-JG30-18) by recovered 16S rRNA gene sequences. Comparative genomics revealed broad carbon utilization capabilities for these two groups of elusive Acidobacteria, including polysaccharide breakdown (cellulose, xylan) and the competence to metabolize C1 compounds (ribulose monophosphate pathway) and lignin derivatives (dye-decolorizing peroxidases). Equipped with a broad range of efflux systems for metal cations and xenobiotics, DA052 and KF-JG30-18 may have a competitive advantage over other bacterial groups in this unique habitat. PMID:28642744

Hey1- and p53-dependent TrkC proapoptotic activity controls neuroblastoma growth.

PubMed

Ménard, Marie; Costechareyre, Clélia; Ichim, Gabriel; Blachier, Jonathan; Neves, David; Jarrosson-Wuilleme, Loraine; Depping, Reinhard; Koster, Jan; Saintigny, Pierre; Mehlen, Patrick; Tauszig-Delamasure, Servane

2018-05-01

The neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) receptor tropomyosin receptor kinase C (TrkC/NTRK3) has been described as a dependence receptor and, as such, triggers apoptosis in the absence of its ligand NT-3. This proapoptotic activity has been proposed to confer a tumor suppressor activity to this classic tyrosine kinase receptor (RTK). By investigating interacting partners that might facilitate TrkC-induced cell death, we have identified the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor Hey1 and importin-α3 (karyopherin alpha 4 [KPNA4]) as direct interactors of TrkC intracellular domain, and we show that Hey1 is required for TrkC-induced apoptosis. We propose here that the cleaved proapoptotic portion of TrkC intracellular domain (called TrkC killer-fragment [TrkC-KF]) is translocated to the nucleus by importins and interacts there with Hey1. We also demonstrate that Hey1 and TrkC-KF transcriptionally silence mouse double minute 2 homolog (MDM2), thus contributing to p53 stabilization. p53 transcriptionally regulates the expression of TrkC-KF cytoplasmic and mitochondrial interactors cofactor of breast cancer 1 (COBRA1) and B cell lymphoma 2-associated X (BAX), which will subsequently trigger the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis. Of interest, TrkC was proposed to constrain tumor progression in neuroblastoma (NB), and we demonstrate in an avian model that TrkC tumor suppressor activity requires Hey1 and p53.

Head-to-head comparison of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and NT-proBNP in daily clinical practice.

PubMed

Mair, Johannes; Gerda, Falkensammer; Renate, Hiemetzberger; Ulmer, Hanno; Andrea, Griesmacher; Pachinger, Otmar

2008-02-29

B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP; Abbott Diagnostics) and N-terminal proBNP (NT-proBNP, Roche Diagnostics) were compared in consecutive samples of 458 patients (mean age 60 years+/-16 years; 159 female, 299 male) sent for NT-proBNP measurement to investigate influences on both markers. BNP and NT-proBNP showed a close correlation with each other (r=0.89, p<0.0001). Using age- and gender-adjusted upper reference values the inter-rater agreement of both parameters was satisfactory (83%, Cohen's kappa coefficient=0.7). The combination of normal BNP and elevated NT-proBNP was significantly more frequent than vice versa (61 vs. 16 patients), and a calculated glomerular filtration rate<60 ml/min/1.73 m(2) was found in 39% of these patients. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed a significant influence of a reduced ejection fraction (<50%), renal dysfunction (calculated glomerular filtration rate<60 ml/min/1.73 m(2)), anemia, hypertension, age, and gender on both BNP and NT-proBNP. In conclusion, despite a close correlation and a satisfactory agreement between both markers in classification, frequent discrepancies in individual patients demonstrate that both markers are clinically not completely equivalent.

Multiple Factors Influence Glomerular Albumin Permeability in Rats

PubMed Central

Sandoval, Ruben M.; Wagner, Mark C.; Patel, Monica; Campos-Bilderback, Silvia B.; Rhodes, George J.; Wang, Exing; Wean, Sarah E.; Clendenon, Sherry S.

2012-01-01

Different laboratories recently reported incongruous results describing the quantification of albumin filtration using two-photon microscopy. We investigated the factors that influence the glomerular sieving coefficient for albumin (GSCA) in an effort to explain these discordant reports and to develop standard operating procedures for determining GSCA. Multiple factors influenced GSCA, including the kidney depth of image acquisition (10–20 μm was appropriate), the selection of fluorophore (probes emitting longer wavelengths were superior), the selection of plasma regions for fluorescence measurements, the size and molecular dispersion characteristics of dextran polymers if used, dietary status, and the genetic strain of rat. Fasting reduced the GSCA in Simonsen Munich Wistar rats from 0.035±0.005 to 0.016±0.004 (P<0.01). Frömter Munich Wistar rats had a much lower GSCA in both the fed and the fasted states. Finally, we documented extensive albumin transcytosis with vesicular and tubular delivery to and fusion with the basolateral membrane in S1 proximal tubule cells. In summary, these results help explain the previously conflicting microscopy and micropuncture data describing albumin filtration and highlight the dynamic nature of glomerular albumin permeability. PMID:22223875

Combination of nano-material enrichment and dead-end filtration for uniform and rapid sample preparation in matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Wu, Zengnan; Khan, Mashooq; Mao, Sifeng; Lin, Ling; Lin, Jin-Ming

2018-05-01

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) is a fast analysis tool for the detection of a wide range of analytes. However, heterogeneous distribution of matrix/analyte cocrystal, variation in signal intensity and poor experimental reproducibility at different locations of the same spot means difficulty in quantitative analysis. In this work, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were employed as adsorbent for analyte cum matrix on a conductive porous membrane as a novel mass target plate. The sample pretreatment step was achieved by enrichment and dead-end filtration and dried by a solid-liquid separation. This approach enables the homogeneous distribution of analyte in the matrix, good shot-to-shot reproducibility in signals and quantitative detection of peptide and protein at different concentrations with correlation coefficient (R 2 ) of 0.9920 and 0.9909, respectively. The simple preparation of sample in a short time, uniform distribution of analyte, easy quantitative detection, and high reproducibility makes this technique useful and may diversify the application of MALDI-MS for quantitative detection of a variety of proteins. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Wellbore stability in oil and gas drilling with chemical-mechanical coupling.

PubMed

Yan, Chuanliang; Deng, Jingen; Yu, Baohua

2013-01-01

Wellbore instability in oil and gas drilling is resulted from both mechanical and chemical factors. Hydration is produced in shale formation owing to the influence of the chemical property of drilling fluid. A new experimental method to measure diffusion coefficient of shale hydration is given, and the calculation method of experimental results is introduced. The diffusion coefficient of shale hydration is measured with the downhole temperature and pressure condition, then the penetration migrate law of drilling fluid filtrate around the wellbore is calculated. Furthermore, the changing rules of shale mechanical properties affected by hydration and water absorption are studied through experiments. The relationships between shale mechanical parameters and the water content are established. The wellbore stability model chemical-mechanical coupling is obtained based on the experimental results. Under the action of drilling fluid, hydration makes the shale formation softened and produced the swelling strain after drilling. This will lead to the collapse pressure increases after drilling. The study results provide a reference for studying hydration collapse period of shale.

Wellbore Stability in Oil and Gas Drilling with Chemical-Mechanical Coupling

PubMed Central

Deng, Jingen

2013-01-01

Wellbore instability in oil and gas drilling is resulted from both mechanical and chemical factors. Hydration is produced in shale formation owing to the influence of the chemical property of drilling fluid. A new experimental method to measure diffusion coefficient of shale hydration is given, and the calculation method of experimental results is introduced. The diffusion coefficient of shale hydration is measured with the downhole temperature and pressure condition, then the penetration migrate law of drilling fluid filtrate around the wellbore is calculated. Furthermore, the changing rules of shale mechanical properties affected by hydration and water absorption are studied through experiments. The relationships between shale mechanical parameters and the water content are established. The wellbore stability model chemical-mechanical coupling is obtained based on the experimental results. Under the action of drilling fluid, hydration makes the shale formation softened and produced the swelling strain after drilling. This will lead to the collapse pressure increases after drilling. The study results provide a reference for studying hydration collapse period of shale. PMID:23935430

Occurrence and fate of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in drinking water in southern China.

PubMed

Qiao, Tiejun; Yu, Zhengrong; Zhang, Xihui; Au, Doris W T

2011-11-01

Occurrence and fate of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in drinking water was investigated in southern China. Fifteen and twelve PPCPs were detected with concentrations of 0-36 ng L(-1) in source water and of 0-20 ng L(-1) in treated water, respectively. Four PPCPs were detected with concentrations of approximately 1 ng L(-1) in drinking water of distribution network. Conventional water treatment processes removed the types and average concentrations of PPCPs by 30% and above 50%, respectively. Advanced water treatment processes were more efficient in the removal of most PPCPs, with the types and concentrations reduced by 50% and approximately 90%, respectively. Molecular properties of PPCPs had an important influence on their behaviors during water treatment. pK(a) (acidity coefficient) and K(oc) (organic carbon partition coefficient) of PPCPs appeared to have a combined effect on PPCPs removal during coagulation and oxidation. Adsorption and biodegradation were two possible mechanisms responsible for PPCPs removal during sand filtration.

A simple spectrophotometric method for the determination of beta-blockers in dosage forms.

PubMed

Al-Ghannam, S M

2006-01-23

A simple, extraction-free spectrophotometric method is proposed for the analysis of some beta-blockers, namely atenolol, timolol and nadolol. The method is based on the interaction of the drugs in chloroform with 0.1% chloroformic solutions of acidic sulphophthalein dyes to form stable, yellow-coloured, ion-pair complexes peaking at 415 nm. The dyes used were bromophenol blue (BPB), bromothymol blue (BTB) and bromocresol purple (BCP). Under the optimum conditions, the three drugs could be assayed in the concentration range 1-10 microg ml(-1) with correlation coefficient (n = 5) more than 0.999 in all cases. The stoichiometry of the reaction was found to be 1:1 in all cases and the conditional stability constant (K(F)) of the complexes have been calculated. The free energy changes (DeltaG) were determined for all complexes formed. The interference likely to be introduced from co-formulated drugs was studied and their tolerance limits were determined. The proposed method was then applied to dosage-forms the percentage recoveries ranges from 99.12-100.95, and the results obtained were compared favorably with those given with the official methods.

Raman-Assisted Passively Mode-Locked Fiber Laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Lei; Yao, Pei-Jun; Gu, Chun; Xu, Li-Xin

2018-04-01

Not Available Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No 61675188, and the Open Fund of Key Laboratory Pulse Power Laser Technology of China under Grant No SKL2016KF03.

40 CFR 141.173 - Filtration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... treatment, direct filtration, slow sand filtration, or diatomaceous earth filtration. A public water system... PRIMARY DRINKING WATER REGULATIONS Enhanced Filtration and Disinfection-Systems Serving 10,000 or More People § 141.173 Filtration. A public water system subject to the requirements of this subpart that does...

40 CFR 141.173 - Filtration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... treatment, direct filtration, slow sand filtration, or diatomaceous earth filtration. A public water system... PRIMARY DRINKING WATER REGULATIONS Enhanced Filtration and Disinfection-Systems Serving 10,000 or More People § 141.173 Filtration. A public water system subject to the requirements of this subpart that does...

40 CFR 141.173 - Filtration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... treatment, direct filtration, slow sand filtration, or diatomaceous earth filtration. A public water system... PRIMARY DRINKING WATER REGULATIONS Enhanced Filtration and Disinfection-Systems Serving 10,000 or More People § 141.173 Filtration. A public water system subject to the requirements of this subpart that does...

40 CFR 141.173 - Filtration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... treatment, direct filtration, slow sand filtration, or diatomaceous earth filtration. A public water system... PRIMARY DRINKING WATER REGULATIONS Enhanced Filtration and Disinfection-Systems Serving 10,000 or More People § 141.173 Filtration. A public water system subject to the requirements of this subpart that does...

Fluoride release from glass ionomer restorative materials and the effects of surface coating.

PubMed

Hattab, F N; Amin, W M

2001-06-01

This in vitro study on fluoride (F) release from conventional and metal-reinforced glass ionomer investigated the following: (1) the release of F in deionized water compared to artificial saliva, (2) the effect of various surface coatings on F release, (3) the uptake of released F by hydroxyapatite, (4) the expression of the release data in a mathematical model, (5) F content in the powders and set materials, and (6) surface morphology of varnished and resin-coated specimens. Glass ionomer Ketac-Fil (KF), Fuji II (FJ), and Ketac-Silver (KS) were mixed according to the manufacturers' instructions, and prepared into specimens of 137.8 mm2 surface area. All three specimens were suspended in 50 ml of deionized water, artificial saliva, or aqueous solution of hydroxyapatite and submitted to constant agitation at 37 degrees C. In a separate experiment, the specimens were coated with varnish or light-cured bonding resin and tested for F release in solutions similar to those for uncoated specimens. The release of F occurred for 28 days. The concentration of F was measured with F-ion-specific electrode. All tested products showed a strong initial rate of F release which decreased with time until it reached a relatively steady rate after two weeks. The F released from KF and FJ was comparable in both pattern and magnitude. They released approximately four times more F than KS. In all cases, the release of F in artificial saliva was significantly (p < 0.001) less than in deionized water. Surface coating the specimens significantly reduced the F release ( p < 0.05 top < 0.001, depending on the product and type of coating). The inhibitory effect of coating markedly decreased with time. Resin coating reduced F release more than varnish in KF and KS, but not for FJ. Essentially, all F released in aqueous solution was taken up by the hydroxyapatite, with FJ ranking the highest in increasing hydroxyapatite F concentration. Over the 28 days, the quantities of F released from FJ, KF, and KS were, respectively, 3.8, 2.3, and 1.0% of the total F content in the specimens. The F concentration in the set KS was 53.9 and 72.5% of that found in KF and FJ, respectively. The release data as a function of time were best described by the power curve. Micromorphological examinations revealed remnants of surface coatings on specimens after 14 days storage in artificial saliva. Glass ionomer cements released significantly less F in artificial saliva than in deionized water. Surface coating the specimens substantially reduced F release. These clinically relevant factors were not considered by many in vitro release studies which overestimate the F availability from glass ionomers. A recall appointment 24 h after the placement of glass ionomer restoration should be given for surface finishing.

Upscaling of nanoparticle transport in porous media under unfavorable conditions: Pore scale to Darcy scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seetha, N.; Raoof, Amir; Mohan Kumar, M. S.; Majid Hassanizadeh, S.

2017-05-01

Transport and deposition of nanoparticles in porous media is a multi-scale problem governed by several pore-scale processes, and hence, it is critical to link the processes at pore scale to the Darcy-scale behavior. In this study, using pore network modeling, we develop correlation equations for deposition rate coefficients for nanoparticle transport under unfavorable conditions at the Darcy scale based on pore-scale mechanisms. The upscaling tool is a multi-directional pore-network model consisting of an interconnected network of pores with variable connectivities. Correlation equations describing the pore-averaged deposition rate coefficients under unfavorable conditions in a cylindrical pore, developed in our earlier studies, are employed for each pore element. Pore-network simulations are performed for a wide range of parameter values to obtain the breakthrough curves of nanoparticle concentration. The latter is fitted with macroscopic 1-D advection-dispersion equation with a two-site linear reversible deposition accounting for both equilibrium and kinetic sorption. This leads to the estimation of three Darcy-scale deposition coefficients: distribution coefficient, kinetic rate constant, and the fraction of equilibrium sites. The correlation equations for the Darcy-scale deposition coefficients, under unfavorable conditions, are provided as a function of measurable Darcy-scale parameters, including: porosity, mean pore throat radius, mean pore water velocity, nanoparticle radius, ionic strength, dielectric constant, viscosity, temperature, and surface potentials of the particle and grain surfaces. The correlation equations are found to be consistent with the available experimental results, and in qualitative agreement with Colloid Filtration Theory for all parameters, except for the mean pore water velocity and nanoparticle radius.

Hereditary urea cycle abnormality

MedlinePlus

Nagamani SCS, Lichter-Konecki U. Inborn errors of urea synthesis. In: Swaiman KF, Ashwal S, Ferriero DM, et al, ... Elsevier; 2017:chap 38. Rezvani I, Yudkoff M. Urea cycle and ... errors of metabolism. In: Martin RJ, Fanaroff AA, Walsh MC, eds. ...

Patient's Guide to Living Confidently with Chronic Heart Failure

MedlinePlus

... GG , Adams KF Jr . , Dupree CS , Bensimhon DR , Johnson KS , Trivedi R , Bowers M , Christenson RH , O’ ... Boineau R , Domanski M , Troutman C , Anderson J , Johnson G , McNulty SE , Clapp-Channing N , Davidson-Ray ...

Gallium(III)/4-(2-pyridylazo)resorcinol system in water and SDS solution: kinetics and thermodynamics.

PubMed

Biver, T; Boggioni, A; Secco, F; Venturini, M

2008-01-01

The equilibria and kinetics of the complex formation and dissociation reaction between gallium(III) and PAR [4-(2-pyridylazo)resorcinol] have been investigated in water and in the presence of SDS micelles. The reactive form of Ga(III) is GaOH2+ in both cases. The addition of SDS results in an increase of both the binding affinity and velocity, the maximum accelerating effect being observed just above the cmc value of SDS that, under the conditions of the experiments, is 5.6 x 10-3 M. At pH = 3.2, the maximum value of the equilibrium constant ratio Kapp(SDS)/Kapp(H2O) is 27.4, whereas that of the binding rate constants kf(SDS)/kf(H2O) is 16. The results are interpreted in terms of increased concentrations of the reactants on the micelle surface and on competition of PAR and SDS for GaOH2+.

Effective vortex mass from microscopic theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Jung Hoon; Kim, June Seo; Kim, Min Jae; Ao, Ping

2005-03-01

We calculate the effective mass of a single quantized vortex in the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer superconductor at finite temperature. Based on effective action approach, we arrive at the effective mass of a vortex as integral of the spectral function J(ω) divided by ω3 over frequency. The spectral function is given in terms of the quantum-mechanical transition elements of the gradient of the Hamiltonian between two Bogoliubov-deGennes (BdG) eigenstates. Based on self-consistent numerical diagonalization of the BdG equation we find that the effective mass per unit length of vortex at zero temperature is of order m(kfξ0)2 ( kf=Fermi momentum, ξ0=coherence length), essentially equaling the electron mass displaced within the coherence length from the vortex core. Transitions between the core states are responsible for most of the mass. The mass reaches a maximum value at T≈0.5Tc and decreases continuously to zero at Tc .

Phase separation and long-wavelength charge instabilities in spin-orbit coupled systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seibold, G.; Bucheli, D.; Caprara, S.; Grilli, M.

2015-01-01

We investigate a two-dimensional electron model with Rashba spin-orbit interaction where the coupling constant g=g(n) depends on the electronic density. It is shown that this dependence may drive the system unstable towards a long-wavelength charge density wave (CDW) where the associated second-order instability occurs in close vicinity to global phase separation. For very low electron densities the CDW instability is nesting-induced and the modulation follows the Fermi momentum kF. At higher density the instability criterion becomes independent of kF and the system may become unstable in a broad momentum range. Finally, upon filling the upper spin-orbit split band, finite momentum instabilities disappear in favor of phase separation alone. We discuss our results with regard to the inhomogeneous phases observed at the LaAlO3/SrTiO3 or LaTiO3/SrTiO3 interfaces.

Fuzzy State Transition and Kalman Filter Applied in Short-Term Traffic Flow Forecasting

PubMed Central

Ming-jun, Deng; Shi-ru, Qu

2015-01-01

Traffic flow is widely recognized as an important parameter for road traffic state forecasting. Fuzzy state transform and Kalman filter (KF) have been applied in this field separately. But the studies show that the former method has good performance on the trend forecasting of traffic state variation but always involves several numerical errors. The latter model is good at numerical forecasting but is deficient in the expression of time hysteretically. This paper proposed an approach that combining fuzzy state transform and KF forecasting model. In considering the advantage of the two models, a weight combination model is proposed. The minimum of the sum forecasting error squared is regarded as a goal in optimizing the combined weight dynamically. Real detection data are used to test the efficiency. Results indicate that the method has a good performance in terms of short-term traffic forecasting. PMID:26779258

Dynamic State Estimation and Parameter Calibration of DFIG based on Ensemble Kalman Filter

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

Fan, Rui; Huang, Zhenyu; Wang, Shaobu

2015-07-30

With the growing interest in the application of wind energy, doubly fed induction generator (DFIG) plays an essential role in the industry nowadays. To deal with the increasing stochastic variations introduced by intermittent wind resource and responsive loads, dynamic state estimation (DSE) are introduced in any power system associated with DFIGs. However, sometimes this dynamic analysis canould not work because the parameters of DFIGs are not accurate enough. To solve the problem, an ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) method is proposed for the state estimation and parameter calibration tasks. In this paper, a DFIG is modeled and implemented with the EnKFmore » method. Sensitivity analysis is demonstrated regarding the measurement noise, initial state errors and parameter errors. The results indicate this EnKF method has a robust performance on the state estimation and parameter calibration of DFIGs.« less

Alterations of the in vivo torque-velocity relationship of human skeletal muscle following 30 days exposure to simulated microgravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dudley, Gary A.; Duvoisin, Marc; Convertino, Victor A.; Buchanan, Paul

1989-01-01

The effect of a continuous 30-d-long 6-deg headdown bedrest (BR) on the force output ability of skeletal muscles was investigated in human subjects by measuring peak angle specific torque of the knee extensor (KE) and knee flexor (KF) muscle groups of both limbs during unilateral efforts at four speeds (0.52. 1.74, 2.97, and 4.19 rad/sec) during eccentric action. It was found that, for the KE muscle group, the headdown BR resulted in decreases, by 19 percent on the average, of peak angle specific torque; on the other hand, the strength of the KF muscles was not altered significantly. A post-BR recovery for 30 days was found to restore muscle strength of the KE muscle group to about 92 percent of the pre-BR values. Changes of strength were not affected by the type of speed of muscle action.

Fuzzy State Transition and Kalman Filter Applied in Short-Term Traffic Flow Forecasting.

PubMed

Deng, Ming-jun; Qu, Shi-ru

2015-01-01

Traffic flow is widely recognized as an important parameter for road traffic state forecasting. Fuzzy state transform and Kalman filter (KF) have been applied in this field separately. But the studies show that the former method has good performance on the trend forecasting of traffic state variation but always involves several numerical errors. The latter model is good at numerical forecasting but is deficient in the expression of time hysteretically. This paper proposed an approach that combining fuzzy state transform and KF forecasting model. In considering the advantage of the two models, a weight combination model is proposed. The minimum of the sum forecasting error squared is regarded as a goal in optimizing the combined weight dynamically. Real detection data are used to test the efficiency. Results indicate that the method has a good performance in terms of short-term traffic forecasting.

Study of the effect of surface treatment of kenaf fibre on mechanical properties of kenaf filled unsaturated polyester composite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salem, I. A. S.; Rozyanty, A. R.; Betar, B. O.; Adam, T.; Mohammed, M.; Mohammed, A. M.

2017-10-01

In this research, unsaturated polyester/kenaf fiber (UP/KF) composites was prepared by using hand lay-up process. The effect of surface treatment of kenaf fiber on mechanical properties of kenaf filled unsaturated polyester composites were studied. Different concentrationsof stearic acid (SA) were applied, i.e. 0, 0.4, and 0.8 wt%. Tensile strength of untreated UP/KF composites was found to be higher for 40 wt% loading of kenaf fiber. The highest tensile strength value was obtained after treatment with 0.4 wt% concentration of stearic acid at 56 MPa and tensile modulus was at 2409 MPa. From the flexural strength result obtained, it is clearly seen that 40 wt% loading of kenaf fiber and treatment with 0.4 wt% concentration of stearic acid give the highest value at 72 MPa and flexural modulus at 3929 MPa.

Enhanced performance of crumb rubber filtration for ballast water treatment.

PubMed

Tang, Zhijian; Butkus, Michael A; Xie, Yuefeng F

2009-03-01

Waste-tire-derived crumb rubber was utilized as filter media to develop an efficient filter for ballast water treatment. In this study, the effects of coagulation, pressure filtration and dual-media (gravity) filtration on the performance of the crumb rubber filtration were investigated. The removal efficiencies of turbidity, phytoplankton and zooplankton, and head loss development were monitored during the filtration process. The addition of a coagulant enhanced the removal efficiencies of all targeted matter, but resulted in substantial increase of head loss. Pressure filtration increased filtration rates to 220 m(3)h(-1)m(-2) for 8-h operation and improved the zooplankton removal. Dual-media (crumb rubber/sand) gravity filtration also improved the removal efficiencies of phytoplankton and zooplankton over mono-media gravity crumb rubber filtration. However, these filtration techniques alone did not meet the criteria for removing indigenous organisms from ballast water. A combination of filtration and disinfection is suggested for future studies.

Monolith filter apparatus and membrane apparatus, and method using same

DOEpatents

Goldsmith, Robert L [Wayland, MA

2012-04-03

A filtration apparatus that separates a liquid feedstock mixed with a gas into filtrate and retentate, the apparatus including at least one filtration device comprised of at least one monolith segment of porous material that defines a plurality of passageways extending longitudinally from a feed face of the structure to a retentate end face. The filtration device contains at least one filtrate conduit within it for carrying filtrate toward a filtrate collection zone, the filtrate conduit providing a path of lower flow resistance than that of alternative flow paths through the porous material of the device. The filtration device can also be utilized as a membrane support for a device for microfiltration, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, reverse osmosis, or pervaporation. Also disclosed is a method for using such a filtration apparatus.

Performance in Measurement of Serum Cystatin C by Laboratories Participating in the College of American Pathologists 2014 CYS Survey.

PubMed

Eckfeldt, John H; Karger, Amy B; Miller, W Greg; Rynders, Gregory P; Inker, Lesley A

2015-07-01

Cystatin C is becoming an increasingly popular biomarker for estimating glomerular filtration rate, and accurate measurements of cystatin C concentrations are necessary for accurate estimates of glomerular filtration rate. To assess the accuracy of cystatin C concentration measurements in laboratories participating in the College of American Pathologists CYS Survey. Two fresh frozen serum pools, the first from apparently healthy donors and the second from patients with chronic kidney disease, were prepared and distributed to laboratories participating in the CYS Survey along with the 2 usual processed human plasma samples. Target values were established for each pool by using 2 immunoassays and ERM DA471/IFCC international reference material. For the normal fresh frozen pool (ERM-DA471/IFCC-traceable target of 0.960 mg/L), the all-method mean (SD, % coefficient of variation [CV]) reported by all of the 123 reporting laboratories was 0.894 mg/L (0.128 mg/L, 14.3%). For the chronic kidney disease pool (ERM-DA471/IFCC-traceable target of 2.37 mg/L), the all-method mean (SD, %CV) was 2.258 mg/L (0.288 mg/L, 12.8%). There were substantial method-specific biases (mean milligram per liter reported for the normal pool was 0.780 for Siemens, 0.870 for Gentian, 0.967 for Roche, 1.061 for Diazyme, and 0.970 for other/not specified reagents; and mean milligram per liter reported for the chronic kidney disease pool was 2.052 for Siemens, 2.312 for Gentian, 2.247 for Roche, 2.909 for Diazyme, and 2.413 for other/not specified reagents). Manufacturers need to improve the accuracy of cystatin C measurement procedures if cystatin C is to achieve its full potential as a biomarker for estimating glomerular filtration rate.

Optimizing techniques to capture and extract environmental DNA for detection and quantification of fish.

PubMed

Eichmiller, Jessica J; Miller, Loren M; Sorensen, Peter W

2016-01-01

Few studies have examined capture and extraction methods for environmental DNA (eDNA) to identify techniques optimal for detection and quantification. In this study, precipitation, centrifugation and filtration eDNA capture methods and six commercially available DNA extraction kits were evaluated for their ability to detect and quantify common carp (Cyprinus carpio) mitochondrial DNA using quantitative PCR in a series of laboratory experiments. Filtration methods yielded the most carp eDNA, and a glass fibre (GF) filter performed better than a similar pore size polycarbonate (PC) filter. Smaller pore sized filters had higher regression slopes of biomass to eDNA, indicating that they were potentially more sensitive to changes in biomass. Comparison of DNA extraction kits showed that the MP Biomedicals FastDNA SPIN Kit yielded the most carp eDNA and was the most sensitive for detection purposes, despite minor inhibition. The MoBio PowerSoil DNA Isolation Kit had the lowest coefficient of variation in extraction efficiency between lake and well water and had no detectable inhibition, making it most suitable for comparisons across aquatic environments. Of the methods tested, we recommend using a 1.5 μm GF filter, followed by extraction with the MP Biomedicals FastDNA SPIN Kit for detection. For quantification of eDNA, filtration through a 0.2-0.6 μm pore size PC filter, followed by extraction with MoBio PowerSoil DNA Isolation Kit was optimal. These results are broadly applicable for laboratory studies on carps and potentially other cyprinids. The recommendations can also be used to inform choice of methodology for field studies. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Tangential Flow Filtration of Hemoglobin

PubMed Central

Sun, Guoyong; Harris, David R.

2009-01-01

Bovine and human hemoglobin (bHb and hHb, respectively) was purified from bovine and human red blood cells (bRBCs and hRBCs, respectively) via tangential flow filtration (TFF) in four successive stages. TFF is a fast and simple method to purify Hb from RBCs using filtration through hollow fiber (HF) membranes. Most of the Hb was retained in stage III (100 kDa HF membrane) and displayed methemoglobin levels less than 1%, yielding final concentrations of 318 and 300 mg/mL for bHb and hHb, respectively. Purified Hb exhibited much lower endotoxin levels than their respective RBCs. The purity of Hb was initially assessed via SDS-PAGE, and showed tiny impurity bands for the stage III retentate. The oxygen affinity (P50), and cooperativity coefficient (n) were regressed from the measured oxygen-RBC/Hb equilibrium curves of RBCs and purified Hb. These results suggest that TFF yielded oxygen affinities of bHb and hHb that are comparable to values in the literature. LC-MS was used to measure the molecular weight of the alpha (α) and beta (β) globin chains of purified Hb. No impurity peaks were present in the HPLC chromatograms of purified Hb. The mass of the molecular ions corresponding to the α and β globin chains agreed well with the calculated theoretical mass of the α-and β-globin chains. Taken together, our results demonstrate that HPLC grade Hb can be generated via TFF. In general, this method can be more broadly applied to purify Hb from any source of RBCs. This work is significant, since it outlines a simple method for generating Hb for synthesis and/or formulation of Hb-based oxygen carriers (HBOCs). PMID:19224583

3D soil water nowcasting using electromagnetic conductivity imaging and the ensemble Kalman filter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Jingyi; McBratney, Alex B.; Minasny, Budiman; Triantafilis, John

2017-06-01

Mapping and immediate forecasting of soil water content (θ) and its movement can be challenging. Although inversion of apparent electrical conductivity (ECa) measured by electromagnetic induction to calculate depth-specific electrical conductivity (σ) has been used, it is difficult to apply it across a field. In this paper we use a calibration established along a transect, across a 3.94-ha field with varying soil texture, using an ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) to monitor and nowcast the 3-dimensional θ dynamics on 16 separate days over a period of 38 days. The EnKF combined a physical model fitted with θ measured by soil moisture sensors and an Artificial Neural Network model comprising σ generated by quasi-3d inversions of DUALEM-421S ECa data. Results showed that the distribution of θ was controlled by soil texture, topography, and vegetation. Soil water dried fastest at the beginning after the initial irrigation event and decreased with time and soil depth, which was consistent with classical soil drying theory and experiments. It was also found that the soil dried fastest in the loamy and duplex soils present in the field, which was attributable to deep drainage and preferential flow. It was concluded that the EnKF approach can be used to improve the irrigation efficiency by applying variable irrigation rates across the field. In addition, soil water status can be nowcasted across large spatial extents using this method with weather forecast information, which will provide guidance to farmers for real-time irrigation management.

New molten salt systems for high temperature molten salt batteries: Ternary and quaternary molten salt systems based on LiF-LiCl, LiF-LiBr, and LiCl-LiBr

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujiwara, Syozo; Inaba, Minoru; Tasaka, Akimasa

Using a new simulative technique developed by us, we systematically investigated new ternary or quaternary molten salt systems, which are based on LiF-LiCl, LiF-LiBr, and LiCl-LiBr binary systems, for use as electrolytes in thermal batteries, and evaluated their ionic conductivities and melting points experimentally. It was confirmed experimentally that LiF-LiBr-KF (melting point: 425 °C, ionic conductivity at 500 °C: 2.52 S cm -1), LiCl-LiBr-KF (405 °C, 2.56 S cm -1), LiCl-LiBr-NaF-KF (425 °C, 3.11 S cm -1), LiCl-LiBr-NaCl-KCl (420 °C, 2.73 S cm -1), and LiCl-LiBr-NaBr-KBr (420 °C, 2.76 S cm -1) meet our targets for both melting point (350-430 °C) and ionic conductivity (2.0 S cm -1 and higher at 500 °C). A single cell using the newly developed LiCl-LiBr-NaCl-KCl molten salt as an electrolyte was prepared, and the DC-IR of the cell decreased by 20% than that of a single cell using the conventional LiCl-KCl molten salt. It was therefore concluded that the use of new quaternary molten salt systems can improve the discharge rate-capability in practical battery applications because of their high ionic conductivities.

Three-dimensional lithospheric S wave velocity model of the NE Tibetan Plateau and western North China Craton

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xingchen; Li, Yonghua; Ding, Zhifeng; Zhu, Lupei; Wang, Chunyong; Bao, Xuewei; Wu, Yan

2017-08-01

We present a new 3-D lithospheric Vs model for the NE Tibetan Plateau (NETP) and the western North China Craton (NCC). First, high-frequency receiver functions (RFs) were inverted using the neighborhood algorithm to estimate the sedimentary structure beneath each station. Then a 3D Vs model with unprecedented resolution was constructed by jointly inverting RFs and Rayleigh wave dispersions. A low-velocity sedimentary layer with thicknesses varying from 2 to 10 km is present in the Yinchuan-Hetao graben, Ordos block, and western Alxa block. Velocities from the middle-lower crust to the uppermost mantle are generally high in the Ordos block and low in the Alxa block, indicating that the Alxa block is not part of the NCC. The thickened crust in southwestern Ordos block and western Alxa block suggests that they have been modified. Two crustal low-velocity zones (LVZs) were detected beneath the Kunlun Fault (KF) zone and western Qilian Terrane (QLT). The origin of the LVZ beneath the KF zone may be the combined effect of shear heating, localized asthenosphere upwelling, and crustal radioactivity. The LVZ in the western QLT, representing an early stage of the LVZ that has developed in the KF zone, acts as a decollement to decouple the deformation between the upper and lower crust and plays a key role in seismogenesis. We propose that the crustal deformation beneath the NETP is accommodated by a combination of shear motion, thickening of the upper-middle crust, and removal of lower crust.

Evidence for transbilayer, tail-to-tail cholesterol dimers in dipalmitoylglycerophosphocholine liposomes.

PubMed

Harris, J S; Epps, D E; Davio, S R; Kézdy, F J

1995-03-21

The behavior of multilamellar liposomes of 2,3-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-1-phosphocholine (DPPC) was studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) in the presence of < or = 5 mol % of the amphiphilic solutes methyl oleate, cholesterol, pregnenolone, and dehydroandrosterone. The DSC thermograms indicate that the solutes are miscible only with the liquid-disordered (Id) phase, and not with the solid-ordered (so) phase. The slopes of the Tm vs solute concentration curves confirm this conclusion: It appears that the so-1d phase transition of DPPC, which corresponds to the melting of the phospholipid chains, can be treated as a simple melting process and, thus, could be used as a cryoscopic system. In that case, its melting point depression constant, Kf, can be calculated a priori from the experimentally measured heat of fusion per gram of DPPC, lf, and the temperature of the phase transition of pure DPPC, T(o), by the equation Kf = RTo2/(1000lf) = 12.3 +/- 0.9 K g M-1 cm3. With methyl oleate as the solute, the Tm vs methyl oleate concentration plot is linear, and from the slope we calculate Kf = 12.9 +/- 0.8 K g M-1 cm3. Thus, methyl oleate appears to form an ideal cryoscopic system with dipalmitoyllecithin liposomes: It is fully miscible with the 1d phase but is apparently insoluble in the s(o) phase. Pregnenolone and dehydroandrosterone also form ideal cryoscopic systems with dipalmitoyllecithin liposomes: The Tm vs solute concentration plots are linear and yield the correct MWs for these solutes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

On the incidence of meteorological and hydrological processors: Effect of resolution, sharpness and reliability of hydrological ensemble forecasts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abaza, Mabrouk; Anctil, François; Fortin, Vincent; Perreault, Luc

2017-12-01

Meteorological and hydrological ensemble prediction systems are imperfect. Their outputs could often be improved through the use of a statistical processor, opening up the question of the necessity of using both processors (meteorological and hydrological), only one of them, or none. This experiment compares the predictive distributions from four hydrological ensemble prediction systems (H-EPS) utilising the Ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) probabilistic sequential data assimilation scheme. They differ in the inclusion or not of the Distribution Based Scaling (DBS) method for post-processing meteorological forecasts and the ensemble Bayesian Model Averaging (ensemble BMA) method for hydrological forecast post-processing. The experiment is implemented on three large watersheds and relies on the combination of two meteorological reforecast products: the 4-member Canadian reforecasts from the Canadian Centre for Meteorological and Environmental Prediction (CCMEP) and the 10-member American reforecasts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), leading to 14 members at each time step. Results show that all four tested H-EPS lead to resolution and sharpness values that are quite similar, with an advantage to DBS + EnKF. The ensemble BMA is unable to compensate for any bias left in the precipitation ensemble forecasts. On the other hand, it succeeds in calibrating ensemble members that are otherwise under-dispersed. If reliability is preferred over resolution and sharpness, DBS + EnKF + ensemble BMA performs best, making use of both processors in the H-EPS system. Conversely, for enhanced resolution and sharpness, DBS is the preferred method.

Definition of high-performance membranes - from the clinical point of view.

PubMed

Saito, Akira

2011-01-01

Global knowledge of the molecular target of uremic toxins (UTs) was significantly different in the 1980s than it is now. In 1971, Babb et al. hypothesized that UTs such as neurotoxin existed in mid-sized molecules ranging from 300 to 3,000 Da. In the 1980s, larger molecular weight substances > 5,000 Da were targeted for removal, as well as small and medium size toxins in Japan, while urea was considered a surrogate marker of UTs, and Kt/V for urea was used as a measure of dialysis dose in the USA. In Japan, albumin-bound toxins in addition to low-molecular-weight proteins were targeted for removal as glomerular filtration in the normal kidney. As binding capacity of albumin is significantly lowered and, on the other hand, the α-helical content of albumin also lowered in uremic patients because of binding of UTs to albumin, a small amount of albumin should be removed to stimulate the synthesis of new albumin. KF101 C-2 (EVAL) used as a high-performance dialysis membrane (HPM) at the first step, in which approximately 7 g of albumin is removed per dialysis session. It resulted in lowered plasma albumin levels in hemodialysis patients, although accumulated levels of low-molecular-weight proteins were significantly lowered. Therefore, the Japanese Society of Dialysis Therapy has recommended limitation of albumin removal to < 3 g/session by the second generation of HPMs. Many different HPMs have been developed since the Japanese Society of HPM was first organized in 1985. Approximately 98% of the dialyzers used in Japan employ HPMs. New technology is required to suppress fouling on the surface and in the pores of HPMs. This would maintain permeation of inflammatory cytokines during dialysis sessions. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Many-objective Groundwater Monitoring Network Design Using Bias-Aware Ensemble Kalman Filtering and Evolutionary Optimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kollat, J. B.; Reed, P. M.

2009-12-01

This study contributes the ASSIST (Adaptive Strategies for Sampling in Space and Time) framework for improving long-term groundwater monitoring decisions across space and time while accounting for the influences of systematic model errors (or predictive bias). The ASSIST framework combines contaminant flow-and-transport modeling, bias-aware ensemble Kalman filtering (EnKF) and many-objective evolutionary optimization. Our goal in this work is to provide decision makers with a fuller understanding of the information tradeoffs they must confront when performing long-term groundwater monitoring network design. Our many-objective analysis considers up to 6 design objectives simultaneously and consequently synthesizes prior monitoring network design methodologies into a single, flexible framework. This study demonstrates the ASSIST framework using a tracer study conducted within a physical aquifer transport experimental tank located at the University of Vermont. The tank tracer experiment was extensively sampled to provide high resolution estimates of tracer plume behavior. The simulation component of the ASSIST framework consists of stochastic ensemble flow-and-transport predictions using ParFlow coupled with the Lagrangian SLIM transport model. The ParFlow and SLIM ensemble predictions are conditioned with tracer observations using a bias-aware EnKF. The EnKF allows decision makers to enhance plume transport predictions in space and time in the presence of uncertain and biased model predictions by conditioning them on uncertain measurement data. In this initial demonstration, the position and frequency of sampling were optimized to: (i) minimize monitoring cost, (ii) maximize information provided to the EnKF, (iii) minimize failure to detect the tracer, (iv) maximize the detection of tracer flux, (v) minimize error in quantifying tracer mass, and (vi) minimize error in quantifying the moment of the tracer plume. The results demonstrate that the many-objective problem formulation provides a tremendous amount of information for decision makers. Specifically our many-objective analysis highlights the limitations and potentially negative design consequences of traditional single and two-objective problem formulations. These consequences become apparent through visual exploration of high-dimensional tradeoffs and the identification of regions with interesting compromise solutions. The prediction characteristics of these compromise designs are explored in detail, as well as their implications for subsequent design decisions in both space and time.

Kalman filters for assimilating near-surface observations into the Richards equation - Part 2: A dual filter approach for simultaneous retrieval of states and parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Medina, H.; Romano, N.; Chirico, G. B.

2014-07-01

This study presents a dual Kalman filter (DSUKF - dual standard-unscented Kalman filter) for retrieving states and parameters controlling the soil water dynamics in a homogeneous soil column, by assimilating near-surface state observations. The DSUKF couples a standard Kalman filter for retrieving the states of a linear solver of the Richards equation, and an unscented Kalman filter for retrieving the parameters of the soil hydraulic functions, which are defined according to the van Genuchten-Mualem closed-form model. The accuracy and the computational expense of the DSUKF are compared with those of the dual ensemble Kalman filter (DEnKF) implemented with a nonlinear solver of the Richards equation. Both the DSUKF and the DEnKF are applied with two alternative state-space formulations of the Richards equation, respectively differentiated by the type of variable employed for representing the states: either the soil water content (θ) or the soil water matric pressure head (h). The comparison analyses are conducted with reference to synthetic time series of the true states, noise corrupted observations, and synthetic time series of the meteorological forcing. The performance of the retrieval algorithms are examined accounting for the effects exerted on the output by the input parameters, the observation depth and assimilation frequency, as well as by the relationship between retrieved states and assimilated variables. The uncertainty of the states retrieved with DSUKF is considerably reduced, for any initial wrong parameterization, with similar accuracy but less computational effort than the DEnKF, when this is implemented with ensembles of 25 members. For ensemble sizes of the same order of those involved in the DSUKF, the DEnKF fails to provide reliable posterior estimates of states and parameters. The retrieval performance of the soil hydraulic parameters is strongly affected by several factors, such as the initial guess of the unknown parameters, the wet or dry range of the retrieved states, the boundary conditions, as well as the form (h-based or θ-based) of the state-space formulation. Several analyses are reported to show that the identifiability of the saturated hydraulic conductivity is hindered by the strong correlation with other parameters of the soil hydraulic functions defined according to the van Genuchten-Mualem closed-form model.

Structure prediction of nanoclusters; a direct or a pre-screened search on the DFT energy landscape?

PubMed

Farrow, M R; Chow, Y; Woodley, S M

2014-10-21

The atomic structure of inorganic nanoclusters obtained via a search for low lying minima on energy landscapes, or hypersurfaces, is reported for inorganic binary compounds: zinc oxide (ZnO)n, magnesium oxide (MgO)n, cadmium selenide (CdSe)n, and potassium fluoride (KF)n, where n = 1-12 formula units. The computational cost of each search is dominated by the effort to evaluate each sample point on the energy landscape and the number of required sample points. The effect of changing the balance between these two factors on the success of the search is investigated. The choice of sample points will also affect the number of required data points and therefore the efficiency of the search. Monte Carlo based global optimisation routines (evolutionary and stochastic quenching algorithms) within a new software package, viz. Knowledge Led Master Code (KLMC), are employed to search both directly and after pre-screening on the DFT energy landscape. Pre-screening includes structural relaxation to minimise a cheaper energy function - based on interatomic potentials - and is found to improve significantly the search efficiency, and typically reduces the number of DFT calculations required to locate the local minima by more than an order of magnitude. Although the choice of functional form is important, the approach is robust to small changes to the interatomic potential parameters. The computational cost of initial DFT calculations of each structure is reduced by employing Gaussian smearing to the electronic energy levels. Larger (KF)n nanoclusters are predicted to form cuboid cuts from the rock-salt phase, but also share many structural motifs with (MgO)n for smaller clusters. The transition from 2D rings to 3D (bubble, or fullerene-like) structures occur at a larger cluster size for (ZnO)n and (CdSe)n. Differences between the HOMO and LUMO energies, for all the compounds apart from KF, are in the visible region of the optical spectrum (2-3 eV); KF lies deep in the UV region at 5 eV and shows little variation. Extrapolating the electron affinities found for the clusters with respect to size results in the qualitatively correct work functions for the respective bulk materials.

Sorption-desorption of imidacloprid onto a lacustrine Egyptian soil and its clay and humic acid fractions.

PubMed

Kandil, Mahrous M; El-Aswad, Ahmed F; Koskinen, William C

2015-01-01

Sorption-desorption of the insecticide imidacloprid 1-[(6-chloro-3-pyridinyl)-methyl]-N-nitro-2-imidazolidinimine onto a lacustrine sandy clay loam Egyptian soil and its clay and humic acid (HA) fractions was investigated in 24-h batch equilibrium experiments. Imidacloprid (IMDA) sorption-desorption isotherms onto the three sorbents were found to belong to a non-linear L-type and were best described by the Freundlich model. The value of the IMDA adsorption distribution coefficient, Kd(ads), varied according to its initial concentration and was ranged 40-84 for HA, 14-58 for clay and 1.85-4.15 for bulk soil. Freundlich sorption coefficient, Kf(ads), values were 63.0, 39.7 and 4.0 for HA, clay and bulk soil, respectively. The normalized soil Koc value for imidacloprid sorption was ∼800 indicating its slight mobility in soils. Nonlinear sorption isotherms were indicated by 1/n(ads) values <1 for all sorbents. Values of the hysteresis index (H) were <1, indicating the irreversibility of imidacloprid sorption process with all tested sorbents. Gibbs free energy (ΔG) values indicated a spontaneous and physicosorption process for IMDA and a more favorable sorption to HA than clay and soil. In conclusion, although the humic acid fraction showed the highest capacity and affinity for imidacloprid sorption, the clay fraction contributed to approximately 95% of soil-sorbed insecticide. Clay and humic acid fractions were found to be the major two factors controlling IMDA sorption in soils. The slight mobility of IMDA in soils and the hysteresis phenomenon associated with the irreversibility of its sorption onto, mainly, clay and organic matter of soils make its leachability unlikely to occur.

Dynamic Heterogeneous Multiscale Filtration Model: Probing Micro- and Macroscopic Filtration Characteristics of Gasoline Particulate Filters.

PubMed

Gong, Jian; Viswanathan, Sandeep; Rothamer, David A; Foster, David E; Rutland, Christopher J

2017-10-03

Motivated by high filtration efficiency (mass- and number-based) and low pressure drop requirements for gasoline particulate filters (GPFs), a previously developed heterogeneous multiscale filtration (HMF) model is extended to simulate dynamic filtration characteristics of GPFs. This dynamic HMF model is based on a probability density function (PDF) description of the pore size distribution and classical filtration theory. The microstructure of the porous substrate in a GPF is resolved and included in the model. Fundamental particulate filtration experiments were conducted using an exhaust filtration analysis (EFA) system for model validation. The particulate in the filtration experiments was sampled from a spark-ignition direct-injection (SIDI) gasoline engine. With the dynamic HMF model, evolution of the microscopic characteristics of the substrate (pore size distribution, porosity, permeability, and deposited particulate inside the porous substrate) during filtration can be probed. Also, predicted macroscopic filtration characteristics including particle number concentration and normalized pressure drop show good agreement with the experimental data. The resulting dynamic HMF model can be used to study the dynamic particulate filtration process in GPFs with distinct microstructures, serving as a powerful tool for GPF design and optimization.

8. OBLIQUE INTERIOR VIEW OF FILTRATION ROOM IN FILTRATION PLANT ...

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

8. OBLIQUE INTERIOR VIEW OF FILTRATION ROOM IN FILTRATION PLANT (#1773), LOOKING SOUTHWEST, SHOWING MEZZANINE WITH FILTER TANKS AT REAR - Presidio Water Treatment Plant, Filtration Plant, East of Lobos Creek at Baker Beach, San Francisco, San Francisco County, CA

7. OBLIQUE INTERIOR VIEW OF FILTRATION ROOM IN FILTRATION PLANT ...

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

7. OBLIQUE INTERIOR VIEW OF FILTRATION ROOM IN FILTRATION PLANT (#1773), LOOKING NORTHEAST, SHOWING PUMP NO. 1 AND METERING EQUIPMENT - Presidio Water Treatment Plant, Filtration Plant, East of Lobos Creek at Baker Beach, San Francisco, San Francisco County, CA

78 FR 33339 - Notice of Petitions by Firms for Determination of Eligibility To Apply for Trade Adjustment...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-04

... Firm manufacturers metal parts for IN 46350. air compressors from sheet metal, aluminum and stainless... 17406. as spacers, washers, bushings and pins on multi-spindle automatic screw machines. K&F Electronics...

Remarks on non-maximal integral elements of the Cartan plane in jet spaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bächtold, M.; Moreno, G.

2014-11-01

There is a natural filtration on the space of degree-k homogeneous polynomials in n independent variables with coefficients in the algebra of smooth functions on the Grassmannian Gr (n,s), determined by the tautological bundle. In this paper we show that the space of s-dimensional integral elements of a Cartan plane on J(E,n), with dimE=n+m, has an affine bundle structure modeled by the so-obtained bundles over Gr (n,s), and we study a natural distribution associated with it. As an example, we show that a third-order nonlinear PDE of Monge-Ampère type is not contact-equivalent to a quasi-linear one.

Preliminary evaluation of fungicidal and termiticidal activities of filtrates from biomass slurry fuel production.

PubMed

Kartal, S N; Imamura, Y; Tsuchiya, F; Ohsato, K

2004-10-01

Biomass slurry fuel (BSF) production has recently been developed as a natural energy for the conversion of solid biomass into fuel. In addition to using fuel, filtrates from BSF production may also serve a chemical source with several organic compounds. There is an increasing interest in the research and application of biomass-based filtrates. In this study, fungicidal and termiticidal properties of filtrates from BSF production using sugi (Cryptomeria japonica) and acacia (Acacia mangium) wood were evaluated in laboratory decay and termite resistance tests. Wood blocks treated with the filtrates showed increased resistance against brown-rot fungus, Fomitopsis palustris. However the filtrates from sugi wood processed at 270 degrees C which contained less phenolic compounds than the other filtrates were effective against white-rot fungus, Trametes versicolor. Phenolic compounds of filtrates seemed to play a role in the decay resistance tests however the filtrates did not increase the durability of the wood blocks against subterranean termites Coptotermes formosanus. Despite high acetic and lactic acid content of the filtrates, vanillin content of the filtrates may have served as an additional food source and promoted termite attack. It can be concluded that filtrates with phenolic compounds from lignin degradation during BSF production can be considered for targeted inhibition of brown-rot.

Effects of plasma proteins on sieving of tracer macromolecules in glomerular basement membrane.

PubMed

Lazzara, M J; Deen, W M

2001-11-01

It was found previously that the sieving coefficients of Ficoll and Ficoll sulfate across isolated glomerular basement membrane (GBM) were greatly elevated when BSA was present at physiological levels, and it was suggested that most of this increase might have been the result of steric interactions between BSA and the tracers (5). To test this hypothesis, we extended the theory for the sieving of macromolecular tracers to account for the presence of a second, abundant solute. Increasing the concentration of an abundant solute is predicted to increase the equilibrium partition coefficient of a tracer in a porous or fibrous membrane, thereby increasing the sieving coefficient. The magnitude of this partitioning effect depends on solute size and membrane structure. The osmotic reduction in filtrate velocity caused by an abundant, mostly retained solute will also tend to elevate the tracer sieving coefficient. The osmotic effect alone explained only about one-third of the observed increase in the sieving coefficients of Ficoll and Ficoll sulfate, whereas the effect of BSA on tracer partitioning was sufficient to account for the remainder. At physiological concentrations, predictions for tracer sieving in the presence of BSA were found to be insensitive to the assumed shape of the protein (sphere or prolate spheroid). For protein mixtures, the theoretical effect of 6 g/dl BSA on the partitioning of spherical tracers was indistinguishable from that of 3 g/dl BSA and 3 g/dl IgG. This suggests that for partitioning and sieving studies in vitro, a good experimental model for plasma is a BSA solution with a mass concentration matching that of total plasma protein. The effect of plasma proteins on tracer partitioning is expected to influence sieving not only in isolated GBM but also in intact glomerular capillaries in vivo.

ASCAT soil moisture data assimilation through the Ensemble Kalman Filter for improving streamflow simulation in Mediterranean catchments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loizu, Javier; Massari, Christian; Álvarez-Mozos, Jesús; Casalí, Javier; Goñi, Mikel

2016-04-01

Assimilation of Surface Soil Moisture (SSM) observations obtained from remote sensing techniques have been shown to improve streamflow prediction at different time scales of hydrological modeling. Different sensors and methods have been tested for their application in SSM estimation, especially in the microwave region of the electromagnetic spectrum. The available observation devices include passive microwave sensors such as the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer - Earth Observation System (AMSR-E) onboard the Aqua satellite and the Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) mission. On the other hand, active microwave systems include Scatterometers (SCAT) onboard the European Remote Sensing satellites (ERS-1/2) and the Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT) onboard MetOp-A satellite. Data assimilation (DA) include different techniques that have been applied in hydrology and other fields for decades. These techniques include, among others, Kalman Filtering (KF), Variational Assimilation or Particle Filtering. From the initial KF method, different techniques were developed to suit its application to different systems. The Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF), extensively applied in hydrological modeling improvement, shows its capability to deal with nonlinear model dynamics without linearizing model equations, as its main advantage. The objective of this study was to investigate whether data assimilation of SSM ASCAT observations, through the EnKF method, could improve streamflow simulation of mediterranean catchments with TOPLATS hydrological complex model. The DA technique was programmed in FORTRAN, and applied to hourly simulations of TOPLATS catchment model. TOPLATS (TOPMODEL-based Land-Atmosphere Transfer Scheme) was applied on its lumped version for two mediterranean catchments of similar size, located in northern Spain (Arga, 741 km2) and central Italy (Nestore, 720 km2). The model performs a separated computation of energy and water balances. In those balances, the soil is divided into two layers, the upper Surface Zone (SZ), and the deeper Transmission Zone (TZ). In this study, the SZ depth was fixed to 5 cm, for adequate assimilation of observed data. Available data was distributed as follows: first, the model was calibrated for the 2001-2007 period; then the 2007-2010 period was used for satellite data rescaling purposes. Finally, data assimilation was applied during the validation (2010-2013) period. Application of the EnKF required the following steps: 1) rescaling of satellite data, 2) transformation of rescaled data into Soil Water Index (SWI) through a moving average filter, where a T = 9 calibrated value was applied, 3) generation of a 50 member ensemble through perturbation of inputs (rainfall and temperature) and three selected parameters, 4) validation of the ensemble through the compliance of two criteria based on ensemble's spread, mean square error and skill and, 5) Kalman Gain calculation. In this work, comparison of three satellite data rescaling techniques: 1) cumulative distribution Function (CDF) matching, 2) variance matching and 3) linear least square regression was also performed. Results obtained in this study showed slight improvements of hourly Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) in both catchments, with the different rescaling methods evaluated. Larger improvements were found in terms of seasonal simulated volume error reduction.

Environmental fate and behavior of acesulfame in laboratory experiments.

PubMed

Storck, Florian R; Skark, Christian; Remmler, Frank; Brauch, Heinz-Jürgen

2016-12-01

Acesulfame is a widely used artificial sweetener. It can be discharged into surface water by domestic wastewater due to its incomplete retention during wastewater treatment. Concentrations may reach up to 10 μg/L for smaller rivers. State-of-the-art analysis allows the determination of acesulfame traces (0.01 μg/L) and thus a potential tracking of the presence of wastewater in riverbank filtrate. To evaluate the behavior of acesulfame in the aquatic environment, biodegradation and sorption of acesulfame were tested. Batch experiments yielded low sorption for several soils (estimated solid-water distribution coefficient of acesulfame <0.1 L/kg). Biodegradation in a fixed-bed reactor was not observed at environmental concentrations of 9 μg/L in aqueous compost and soil extract (observation period 56 days). Only in diluted effluent of a wastewater treatment plant did biodegradation start, after 17 days of operation, and acesulfame completely fade, within 28 days. Flow-through column experiments indicated conservative behavior of acesulfame (recovery >83%) and long-term observations at different concentration levels yielded no biodegradation. Overall, laboratory experiments demonstrated a conservative behavior of acesulfame under conditions typical for riverbank filtration. However, there are hints for certain settings which favor an adaptation of the microbial community and facilitate a rapid biodegradation of acesulfame.

Analysis of sulfonamides, tilmicosin and avermectins residues in typical animal matrices with multi-plug filtration cleanup by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry detection.

PubMed

Qin, Yuhong; Jatamunua, Freedom; Zhang, Jingru; Li, Yanjie; Han, Yongtao; Zou, Nan; Shan, Jihao; Jiang, Yanbin; Pan, Canping

2017-05-15

The frequent use of various veterinary drugs could lead to residue bioaccumulation in animal tissues, which could cause dietary risks to human health. In order to quickly analyze the residues, a liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed for detecting Sulfonamides, Tilmicosin and Avermectins (AVMs) residues in animal samples. For sample preparation, modified QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe) and ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) methods were used. For sample cleanup, n-Hexane delipidation and multi-plug filtration cleanup (m-PFC) method based on primary-secondary amine (PSA) and octadecyl-silica (C18) were used, followed by LC-MS/MS analysis. It was validated on 7 animal matrices (bovine, caprine, swine meat and their kidneys, milk) at two fortified concentration levels of 5 and 100μg/kg. The recoveries ranged from 82 to 107% for all analytes with relative standard deviations (RSDs) less than 15%. Matrix-matched calibrations were performed with coefficients of determination above 0.998 for all analytes within concentration levels of 5-500μg/kg. The developed method was successfully used to analysis veterinary drugs of real animal samples from local markets. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Removal of nickel from aqueous solution using supported zeolite-Y hollow fiber membranes.

PubMed

Muhamad, Norfazilah; Abdullah, Norfazliana; Rahman, Mukhlis A; Abas, Khairul Hamimah; Aziz, Azian Abd; Othman, Mohd Hafiz Dzarfan; Jaafar, Juhana; Ismail, Ahmad Fauzi

2018-05-02

This work describes the development of supported zeolite-Y membranes, prepared using the hydrothermal method, for the removal of nickel from an aqueous solution. Alumina hollow fibers prepared using the phase inversion and sintering technique were used as an inert support. The supported zeolite-Y membranes were characterized using the field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and the water permeation and rejection test. The performance of the supported zeolite-Y membranes for heavy metal removal using batch adsorption and filtration test was studied using the atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). The adsorption study shows that the removal of nickel was pH-dependent but affected by the presence of α-alumina. The seeded zeolite-Y membrane gave the highest adsorption capacity which was 126.2 mg g -1 . This enabled the membrane to remove 63% of nickel ions from the aqueous solution within 180 min of contact time. The adsorption mechanism of nickel onto the zeolite-Y membrane was best fitted to the Freundlich isotherm. The kinetic study concluded that the adsorption was best fitted to pseudo-second-order model with higher correlation coefficient (R 2  = 0.9996). The filtration study proved that the zeolite-Y membrane enabled to reduce the concentration of heavy metal at parts per billion level.

Effect of picric acid and enzymatic creatinine on the efficiency of the glomerular filtration rate predicator formula.

PubMed

Qiu, Ling; Guo, Xiuzhi; Zhu, Yan; Shou, Weilin; Gong, Mengchun; Zhang, Lin; Han, Huijuan; Quan, Guoqiang; Xu, Tao; Li, Hang; Li, Xuewang

2013-01-01

To investigate the impact of serum creatinine measurement on the applicability of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) evaluation equations. 99mTc-DTPA plasma clearance rate was used as GFR reference (rGFR) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Serum creatinine was measureded using enzymatic or picric acid creatinine reagent. The GFR of the patients were estimated using the Cockcroft-Gault equation corrected for body surface area, simplified Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) equation, simplified MDRD equation corrected to isotopes dilution mass spectrometry, the CKD epidemiology collaborative research equation, and two Chinese simplified MDRD equations. Significant differences in the eGFR results estimated through enzymatic and picric acid methods were observed for the same evaluation equation. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of eGFR when the creatinine was measured by the picric acid method was significantly lower than that of the enzymatic method. The assessment accuracy of every equation using the enzymatic method to measure creatinine was significantly higher than that measured by the picric acid method when rGFR was > or = 60 mL/min/1.73m2. A significant difference was demonstrated in the same GFR evaluation equation using the picric acid and enzymatic methods. The enzymatic creatinine method was better than the picric acid method.

PROCESS OF EXTRACTING URANIUM AND RADIUM FROM ORES

DOEpatents

Sawyer, C.W.; Handley, R.W.

1959-07-14

A process is presented for extracting uranium and radium values from a uranium ore which comprises leaching the ore with a ferric chloride solution at an elevated temperature of above 50 deg C and at a pH less than 4; separating the ore residue from the leaching solution by filtration; precipitating the excess ferric iron present at a pH of less than 5 by adding CaCO/sub 3/ to the filtrate; separating the precipitate by filtration; precipitating the uranium present in the filtrate at a Ph less than 6 by adding BaCO/sub 3/ to the filtrate; separating the precipitate by filtration; and precipitating the radium present in the filtrate by adding H/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ to the filtrate.

The response of maize (Zea mays L.) plant assisted with bacterial consortium and fertilizer under oily sludge.

PubMed

Shahzad, Asim; Saddiqui, Samina; Bano, Asghari

2016-01-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the role of PGPR consortium and fertilizer alone and in combination on the physiology of maize grown under oily sludge stress environment as well on the soil nutrient status. Consortium was prepared from Bacillus cereus (Acc KR232400), Bacillus altitudinis (Acc KF859970), Comamonas (Delftia) belonging to family Comamonadacea (Acc KF859971) and Stenotrophomonasmaltophilia (Acc KF859973). The experiment was conducted in pots with complete randomized design with four replicates and kept in field. Oily sludge was mixed in ml and Ammonium nitrate and Diammonium phosphate (DAP) were added at 70 ug/g and 7 ug/g at sowing. The plant was harvested at 21 d for estimation of protein, proline and antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD). To study the degradation, total petroleum hydrocarbon was extracted by soxhelt extraction and extract was analyzed by GC-FID at different period after incubation. Combined application of consortium and fertilizer enhanced the germination %, protein and, proline content by 90,130 and 99% higher than untreated maize plants. Bioavailability of macro and micro nutrient was also enhanced with consortium and fertilizer in oily sludge. The consortium and fertilizer in combined treatment decreased the superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase dismutase (POD) of the maize leaves grown in oily sludge. Degradation of total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPHs) was 59% higher in combined application of consortium and fertilizer than untreated maize at 3 d. The bacterial consortium can enhanced the maize tolerance to oily sludge and enhanced degradation of total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPHs). The maize can be considered as tolerant plant species to remediate oily sludge contaminated soils.

Community trees: Identifying codiversification in the Páramo dipteran community.

PubMed

Carstens, Bryan C; Gruenstaeudl, Michael; Reid, Noah M

2016-05-01

Groups of codistributed species that responded in a concerted manner to environmental events are expected to share patterns of evolutionary diversification. However, the identification of such groups has largely been based on qualitative, post hoc analyses. We develop here two methods (posterior predictive simulation [PPS], Kuhner-Felsenstein [K-F] analysis of variance [ANOVA]) for the analysis of codistributed species that, given a group of species with a shared pattern of diversification, allow empiricists to identify those taxa that do not codiversify (i.e., "outlier" species). The identification of outlier species makes it possible to jointly estimate the evolutionary history of co-diversifying taxa. To evaluate the approaches presented here, we collected data from Páramo dipterans, identified outlier species, and estimated a "community tree" from species that are identified as having codiversified. Our results demonstrate that dipteran communities from different Páramo habitats in the same mountain range are more closely related than communities in other ranges. We also conduct simulation testing to evaluate this approach. Results suggest that our approach provides a useful addition to comparative phylogeographic methods, while identifying aspects of the analysis that require careful interpretation. In particular, both the PPS and K-F ANOVA perform acceptably when there are one or two outlier species, but less so as the number of outliers increases. This is likely a function of the corresponding degradation of the signal of community divergence; without a strong signal from a codiversifying community, there is no dominant pattern from which to detect an outlier species. For this reason, both the magnitude of K-F distance distribution and outside knowledge about the phylogeographic history of each putative member of the community should be considered when interpreting the results. © 2016 The Author(s). Evolution © 2016 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Response of infaunal organisms represented by trace fossils to sea-level changes in the Ordovician Black River and Trenton Group limestones, upstate New York

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

Tegan, J.R.; Curran, H.A.

Small-scale fluctuations in sea level were revealed by detailed analysis of trace fossil assemblages formed by infaunal organisms within the Lowville (Black River Grp.), Napanee, and Kings Falls limestones (Trenton Grp.) at Ingham Mills. The paleodepositional environment of the Lowville Limestone (LL) is interpreted as peritidal, representing the high intertidal to shallow subtidal zones. The trace fossil assemblages define clearly several fluctuations within this environment. Large, well-formed specimens of the trace fossil Beaconites barretti occur within tidal channel and levee beds of the LL. In other regions this trace fossil has consistently been associated with channel and levee beds, mostmore » commonly in fluvial settings. The occurrence of Beaconites in the LL extends the age range of this ichnogenus to Ordovician time (oldest previous record is Silurian) and broadens its paleoenvironment range. The Napanee (Np) and lower Kings Falls (KF), limestones have most commonly been described as being deposited in a lagoonal setting. Both formations contain well-preserved trace fossils; the primary difference being that the Np exhibits much lower trace and body fossil diversities than the KF. The low diversity of trace fossils in the Np was most likely the result of limiting environmental conditions such as low oxygen and/or hypersalinity. The higher diversity of trace fossils in the KF indicates that the ancient lagoon became increasingly controlled by normal marine conditions, and, therefore, hospitable to a more diverse group of organisms. The trace fossil assemblages of the Black River and Trenton Group limestones indicate that the infaunal organisms of these Ordovician communities were highly sensitive to small-scale sea-level fluctuations.« less

Skill (or lack thereof) of data-model fusion techniques to provide an early warning signal for an approaching tipping point.

PubMed

Singh, Riddhi; Quinn, Julianne D; Reed, Patrick M; Keller, Klaus

2018-01-01

Many coupled human-natural systems have the potential to exhibit a highly nonlinear threshold response to external forcings resulting in fast transitions to undesirable states (such as eutrophication in a lake). Often, there are considerable uncertainties that make identifying the threshold challenging. Thus, rapid learning is critical for guiding management actions to avoid abrupt transitions. Here, we adopt the shallow lake problem as a test case to compare the performance of four common data assimilation schemes to predict an approaching transition. In order to demonstrate the complex interactions between management strategies and the ability of the data assimilation schemes to predict eutrophication, we also analyze our results across two different management strategies governing phosphorus emissions into the shallow lake. The compared data assimilation schemes are: ensemble Kalman filtering (EnKF), particle filtering (PF), pre-calibration (PC), and Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) estimation. While differing in their core assumptions, each data assimilation scheme is based on Bayes' theorem and updates prior beliefs about a system based on new information. For large computational investments, EnKF, PF and MCMC show similar skill in capturing the observed phosphorus in the lake (measured as expected root mean squared prediction error). EnKF, followed by PF, displays the highest learning rates at low computational cost, thus providing a more reliable signal of an impending transition. MCMC approaches the true probability of eutrophication only after a strong signal of an impending transition emerges from the observations. Overall, we find that learning rates are greatest near regions of abrupt transitions, posing a challenge to early learning and preemptive management of systems with such abrupt transitions.

Skill (or lack thereof) of data-model fusion techniques to provide an early warning signal for an approaching tipping point

PubMed Central

Quinn, Julianne D.; Reed, Patrick M.; Keller, Klaus

2018-01-01

Many coupled human-natural systems have the potential to exhibit a highly nonlinear threshold response to external forcings resulting in fast transitions to undesirable states (such as eutrophication in a lake). Often, there are considerable uncertainties that make identifying the threshold challenging. Thus, rapid learning is critical for guiding management actions to avoid abrupt transitions. Here, we adopt the shallow lake problem as a test case to compare the performance of four common data assimilation schemes to predict an approaching transition. In order to demonstrate the complex interactions between management strategies and the ability of the data assimilation schemes to predict eutrophication, we also analyze our results across two different management strategies governing phosphorus emissions into the shallow lake. The compared data assimilation schemes are: ensemble Kalman filtering (EnKF), particle filtering (PF), pre-calibration (PC), and Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) estimation. While differing in their core assumptions, each data assimilation scheme is based on Bayes’ theorem and updates prior beliefs about a system based on new information. For large computational investments, EnKF, PF and MCMC show similar skill in capturing the observed phosphorus in the lake (measured as expected root mean squared prediction error). EnKF, followed by PF, displays the highest learning rates at low computational cost, thus providing a more reliable signal of an impending transition. MCMC approaches the true probability of eutrophication only after a strong signal of an impending transition emerges from the observations. Overall, we find that learning rates are greatest near regions of abrupt transitions, posing a challenge to early learning and preemptive management of systems with such abrupt transitions. PMID:29389938

First results from different investigations on MHD flow in multichannel U-Bends

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

Reimann, J.; Barleon, L.; Molokov, S.

1995-04-01

In electrically coupled multichannel ducts with a U-bend geometry, MHD effects can result in strongly non-uniform distributions of flow rates Q{sub i} and pressure drops {Delta}p{sub i} in the individual channels. A multichannel U-bend geometry is part of the KfK self-cooled Pb-17Li blanket design for a fusion reactor (radial-toroidal-radial channels). However, inserts are proposed which decouple electrically the radial channels. The multi-channel effects (MCDs) were investigated by (i) Screening test with InGaSn at LAS, Riga, and (ii) more detailed experiments with NaK at KfK, Karlsruhe. Different flow channel geometries and channel numbers between 1 and 5 were used. Hartmann numbersmore » and interaction parameters were varied between O {le} M {le} 2300 and O {le} N {le} 40000. In parallel, a theoretical analysis was performed, based on the method of core flow approximation (CFA) which is valid for M {r_arrow} {infinity} and N {r_arrow} {infinity}. Significant MCEs occur in all ducts with totally electrically coupled channels. For the mode {Delta}p{sub i} = const, the flow rates in the outer channels can become significantly larger than those in the inner channels. For Q{sub i} = const, the highest pressure drop occurs in the middle channel and the lowest in the outer channels. The CFA predicts correctly the ratios of the pressure drops of the single channels but gives lower values than observed experimentally. No marked MCE was found for flow geometry which is similar to the KfK design, i.e., a fairly uniform flow rate and pressure drop distribution was observed for all values of M and N.« less

Acetone-butanol-ethanol production from substandard and surplus dates by Egyptian native Clostridium strains.

PubMed

Abd-Alla, Mohamed Hemida; Zohri, Abdel-Naser Ahmed; El-Enany, Abdel-Wahab Elsadek; Ali, Shimaa Mohamed

2015-04-01

One hundred and seven mesophilic isolates of Clostridium were isolated from agricultural soils cultivated with different plants in Assuit Governorate, Egypt. Eighty isolates (out of 107) showed the ability to produce ABE (Acetone, butanol and ethanol) on T6 medium ranging from 0.036 to 31.89 g/L. The highest numbers of ABE producing isolates were obtained from soil samples of potato contributing 27 isolates, followed by 18 isolates from wheat and 10 isolates from onion. On the other hand, there were three native isolates that produced ABE more than those produced by the reference isolate Clostridium acetobutylicum ATCC 824 (11.543 g/L). The three isolates were identified based on phenotypic and gene encoding 16S rRNA as Clostridium beijerinckii ASU10 (KF372577), Clostridium chauvoei ASU55 (KF372580) and Clostridium roseum ASU58 (KF372581). The highest ABE level from substandard and surplus dates was produced by C. beijerinckii ASU10 (24.07 g/L) comprising butanol 67.15% (16.16 g/L), acetone 30.73% (7.4 g/L) and ethanol 2.12% (0.51 g/L), while C. roseum ASU58 and C. chauvoei ASU55 produced ABE contributing 20.20 and 13.79 g/L, respectively. ABE production by C. acetobutylicum ATCC 824 was 15.01 g/L. This study proved that the native strains C. beijerinckii ASU10 and C. roseum ASU58 have high competitive efficacy on ABE production from economical substrate as substandard and surplus date fruits. Additionally, using this substrate without any nutritional components is considered to be a commercial substrate for desired ABE production. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Seismotectonics of the trans-Himalaya, Eastern Ladakh, India: constraints from Moment Tensor Solutions of local earthquake data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paul, A.

2017-12-01

The eastern Ladakh-Karakoram zone, the northwest part of the Trans-Himalayan belt, bears signature of this collisional process in the form of suture zones, exhumed blocks that underwent deeper subduction and also intra-continental fault zones. The seismotectonic scenario of northwest part of India-Asia collision zone is studied by analyzing the local earthquake data (M 1.4-4.3) recorded by a broadband seismological network consisting of 14 stations. Focal Mechanism Solution (FMS) of 13 selected earthquakes were computed through waveform inversion of three-component broadband records. Depth distribution of the earthquakes and FMS of local earthquakes obtained through waveform inversion reveal the kinematics of the major fault zones present in Eastern Ladakh. The most pronounced cluster of seismicity is observed in the Karakoram Fault (KF) zone up to a depth of 65 km (Fig.1). The FMS reveals transpressive environment with the strike of inferred fault plane roughly parallel to the KF. It is inferred that the KF at least penetrates up to the lower crust and is a manifestation of active under thrusting of Indian lower crust beneath Tibet. Two clusters of micro seismicity is observed at a depth range of 5-20 km at north western and southeastern fringe of the Tso Morari gneiss dome which can be correlated to the activities along the Zildat fault and Karzok fault respectively. The FMSs estimated for representative earthquakes show thrust fault solutions for the Karzok fault and normal fault solution for the Zildat fault. It is inferred that the Zildat fault is acting as detachment, facilitating the exhumation of the Tso Morari dome. On the other hand, the Tso Morari dome is underthrusting the Karzok ophiolite on its southern margin along the Karzok fault, due to gravity collapse.

Seismotectonics of the Trans-Himalaya, Eastern Ladakh, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paul, A.

2016-12-01

The eastern Ladakh-Karakoram zone is the northwest part of the trans-Himalayan belt which bears signature of the India-Asia collision process in the form of suture zones and exhumed blocks that underwent deep subduction and intra-continental crustal scale fault zones.The seismotectonic scenario of northwest part of India-Asia collision zone has been studied by analyzing the local earthquake data (M 1.4-4.3) recorded by a broadband seismological network consisting of 14 stations. Focal Mechanism Solution (FPS) of 13 selected earthquakes were computed through waveform inversion of three-component broadband records. Depth distribution of the earthquakes and FPS of local earthquakes obtained through waveform inversion reveal the kinematics of the major fault zones present in Eastern Ladakh. The most pronounced cluster of seismicity is observed in the Karakoram Fault (KF) zone up to a depth of 65 km. The FPS reveals transpressive environment with the strike of inferred fault plane roughly parallel to the KF. It is inferred that the KF at least penetrates up to the lower crust and is a manifestation of active under thrusting of Indian lower crust beneath Tibet. Two clusters of micro seismicity is observed at a depth range of 5-20 km at north western and southeastern fringe of the Tso Morari gneiss dome which can be correlated to the activities along the Zildat fault and Karzok fault respectively. The FPSs estimated for representative earthquakes show thrust fault solutions for the Karzok fault and normal fault solution for the Zildat fault. It is inferred that the Zildat fault is acting as detachment, facilitating the exhumation of the Tso Morari dome. On the other hand, the Tso Morari dome is thrusting over the Karzok ophiolite on its southern margin along the Karzokfault, due to gravity collapse.

Role of the parabrachial complex in the cardiorespiratory response evoked from hypothalamic defense area stimulation in the anesthetized rat.

PubMed

Díaz-Casares, Amelia; López-González, Manuel Víctor; Peinado-Aragonés, Carlos Antonio; Lara, José Pablo; González-Barón, Salvador; Dawid-Milner, Marc Stefan

2009-07-07

To analyze the role of parabrachial complex (PBc) in the modulation of cardiorespiratory response evoked from the hypothalamic defense area (HDA), cardiorespiratory changes were analyzed in spontaneously breathing anesthetised rats in response to electrical stimulation of the HDA (1 ms pulses, 30-50 microA, 100 Hz for 5 s) before and after the microinjection of muscimol (50 nl, 0.25 nmol, 5 s) within the PBc. HDA stimulation evoked an inspiratory facilitatory response, consisting of an increase in respiratory rate (p<0.001) due to a decrease in expiratory time (p<0.01). The respiratory response was accompanied by a pressor (p<0.001) and a tachycardic (p<0.001) response. Muscimol microinjection within the lateral parabrachial region (lPB) abolished the respiratory response to HDA stimulation (p<0.01) and decreased the pressor response (p<0.05). Muscimol within the medial parabrachial region and Kölliker-Fuse (mPB-KF) decreased the magnitude of the pressor (p<0.01) and tachycardic (p<0.05) responses to HDA stimulation. The respiratory response persisted unchanged. Finally, extracellular recording of putative neurons from these regions were obtained during HDA stimulation to confirm functional interaction between HDA and parabrachial regions. 105 pontine cells were recorded during HDA stimulation, 57 from the lPB and 48 from the mPB-KF. In mPB-KF 34/48 (71%) and in lPB 38/57 (67%) cells were influenced from HDA. The results indicate that neurons from different regions of the PBc have an important function in mediating the cardiorespiratory response evoked from the HDA. The possible mechanisms involved in these interactions are discussed.

Interactions of triclosan, gemfibrozil and galaxolide with biosolid-amended soils: Effects of the level and nature of soil organic matter.

PubMed

Usyskin, Alla; Bukhanovsky, Nadezhda; Borisover, Mikhail

2015-11-01

Triclosan, gemfibrozil and galaxolide, representing acidic and non-ionized hydrophobic organic compounds, are biologically active and can be accumulated during wastewater treatment in sewage sludge. The interactions of these substances with the soils amended by sewage sludge-originating biosolids may control their environmental fate. Therefore, the sorption of three organic compounds was studied in dune sand, loess soil, clay soil and mixtures of these media with three different sewage sludge-originating biosolids that were incubated under aerobic conditions for 6 months. For each compound, 15 sorption isotherms were produced at pH 7.8-8.0. The sorption of triclosan and gemfibrozil on sand-containing sorbents was examined also under acidic conditions. In some soil series, the compound's Freundlich constants (KF) are linearly related to the soil organic carbon (OC) content. Notably, for a given OC content, the sand-containing sorbents tend to demonstrate enhanced interactions with triclosan and galaxolide. This may be related with more hydrophobic and/or less rigid soil organic matter (SOM) as compared with the clay-containing soils, implying indirect effects of minerals. Generally the OC-normalized KF vary among different soil-biosolid combinations which is explained by the differences in the composition and properties of SOM, and is also contributed by the non-zero intercepts of the linear KF upon soil OC dependencies. The negative intercepts suggest that below a certain OC level no considerable organic compound-soil interactions would occur. Interactions of molecular and anionic forms of triclosan with a sand-containing sorbent may be comparable, but interactions involving gemfibrozil molecules could be stronger than interactions involving its anion. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cystatin C-Based Equation Does Not Accurately Estimate the Glomerular Filtration in Japanese Living Kidney Donors.

PubMed

Tsujimura, Kazuma; Ota, Morihito; Chinen, Kiyoshi; Adachi, Takayuki; Nagayama, Kiyomitsu; Oroku, Masato; Nishihira, Morikuni; Shiohira, Yoshiki; Iseki, Kunitoshi; Ishida, Hideki; Tanabe, Kazunari

2017-06-23

BACKGROUND Precise evaluation of a living donor's renal function is necessary to ensure adequate residual kidney function after donor nephrectomy. Our aim was to evaluate the feasibility of estimating glomerular filtration rate (GFR) using serum cystatin-C prior to kidney transplantation. MATERIAL AND METHODS Using the equations of the Japanese Society of Nephrology, we calculated the GFR using serum creatinine (eGFRcre) and cystatin C levels (eGFRcys) for 83 living kidney donors evaluated between March 2010 and March 2016. We compared eGFRcys and eGFRcre values against the creatinine clearance rate (CCr). RESULTS The study population included 27 males and 56 females. The mean eGFRcys, eGFRcre, and CCr were, 91.4±16.3 mL/min/1.73 m² (range, 59.9-128.9 mL/min/1.73 m²), 81.5±14.2 mL/min/1.73 m² (range, 55.4-117.5 mL/min/1.73 m²) and 108.4±21.6 mL/min/1.73 m² (range, 63.7-168.7 mL/min/1.73 m²), respectively. eGFRcys was significantly lower than CCr (p<0.001). The correlation coefficient between eGFRcys and CCr values was 0.466, and the mean difference between the two values was -17.0 (15.7%), with a root mean square error of 19.2. Thus, eGFRcre was significantly lower than CCr (p<0.001). The correlation coefficient between eGFRcre and CCr values was 0.445, and the mean difference between the two values was -26.9 (24.8%), with a root mean square error of 19.5. CONCLUSIONS Although eGFRcys provided a better estimation of GFR than eGFRcre, eGFRcys still did not provide an accurate measure of kidney function in Japanese living kidney donors.

Experimental and Modeling Study on Detachment of Silver Nanoparticles in Saturated Granular Media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, I.; Jeon, C. H.; Lawler, D. F.

2017-12-01

The detachment of citrate-capped silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) previously captured in a column packed with 350-μm glass beads was investigated either by increasing the hydrodynamic force (filtration velocity) or by reducing electrosteric attraction. Overall, the physical enforcement showed negligible (0.4 0.7%) release of attached AgNPs while the chemically-driven force resulted in the noticeable release up to 25.5% of attached AgNPs. Among the chemical parameters tested in this study, Na ionic strength reduction clearly demonstrated the reversible deposition in the secondary energy minimum of classical DLVO theory, yielding the most significant release of the attached AgNPs. The immediate and transient AgNP release after the ionic strength reduction further corroborated the weak deposition. However, an insignificant release was observed with Ca ionic strength reduction due to the strong Ca-citrate complexation and the subsequent deposition in the primary energy minimum; calculations indicated that the depth of the secondary energy minimum was only 1/10 that of the Na ion case. The natural organic matter (NOM) coating on both AgNPs and granular media resulted in approximately 6.1% greater AgNP release compared to the case without NOM coating, indicating additional weak deposition due to the reduced steric attraction between AgNPs and granular media. A modified filtration model in agreement with the experimental data provided the estimated detachment coefficient as a transient AgNP releasing capacity independent of the amount of attached AgNPs. The marginal difference between the detachment coefficients from Na ionic strength reduction and NOM coating indicates the release potential by NOM coating was possibly underestimated in the experimental study due to a lesser amount of the initially attached AgNPs. The findings provide insights into chemical factors on possible reentrainment behavior of the engineered nanoparticles in soil and groundwater contamination.

Experimental study of the effect of polyanionic cellulose on process of filtrate loss of low-solids drilling fluid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

yang, P.

2013-12-01

Experimental study of the effect of polyanionic cellulose on process of filtrate loss of low-solids drilling fluid Ping Yang 1,2, Min-hui Wu2, Xue-wen Zhu2, Tao Deng2, Xue-qing Sun2 1. Key Laboratory of Geotechnical and Underground Engineering of Ministry of Education, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092,China 2. Department of Geotechnical Engineering,Tongji University,Shanghai 200092,China Abstract The process of filtrate loss of low-solids drilling fluid was tested by changing the polyanionic cellulose content in low-solids drilling fluid. The effect of polyanionic cellulose on process of filtrate loss of low-solids drilling fluid was analyzed. The test results showed that when time of filtration is same, the volume of filtrate loss decreases linearly with increasing polyanionic cellulose content. When polyanionic cellulose content is same, the rate of filtrate loss decreases nonlinearly with increasing time and the rate of filtrate loss will reach a stable value.The volume of filtrate loss in 7 to 8 minutes can reaches half of the total volume of filtrate loss. At the same time, the rate of filtrate loss of drilling fluid decreases nonlinearly with increasing viscosity.When the apparent viscosity is between 3.5~4.15 MPa.s, decrease speed of rate of filtrate loss of drilling fluid is quick. The results are helpful for characteristics evaluation of filtrate loss of drilling fluid and control of filtrate loss. Keyword Polyanionic Cellulose,Drilling Fluid,Process of Filtrate Loss Acknowledgments This investigation was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (projects No. 41002093 and 41072205); the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities; the Shanghai Leading Academic Discipline Project (project No. B308), Tongji University; and the Program for Young Excellent Talents, Tongji University. The authors are extremely grateful for the financial support from these five organizations.

Functional principal component analysis of glomerular filtration rate curves after kidney transplant.

PubMed

Dong, Jianghu J; Wang, Liangliang; Gill, Jagbir; Cao, Jiguo

2017-01-01

This article is motivated by some longitudinal clinical data of kidney transplant recipients, where kidney function progression is recorded as the estimated glomerular filtration rates at multiple time points post kidney transplantation. We propose to use the functional principal component analysis method to explore the major source of variations of glomerular filtration rate curves. We find that the estimated functional principal component scores can be used to cluster glomerular filtration rate curves. Ordering functional principal component scores can detect abnormal glomerular filtration rate curves. Finally, functional principal component analysis can effectively estimate missing glomerular filtration rate values and predict future glomerular filtration rate values.

Giant Suppression of Photobleaching for Single Molecule Detection via the Purcell Effect

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-11-18

the molecule dissipates energy to emit another photon (spontaneous emission, or fluorescence, with rate kf) or to heat (intrinsic nonradiative process...enhancement gives rise to both enhanced radiation and enhanced nonradiation (energy dissipation due to Ohmic losses). The enhancement of

Characteristic of molten fluoride salt system LiF-BeF2 (Flibe) and LiF-NaF-KF (Flinak) as coolant and fuel carrier in molten salt reactor (MSR)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bahri, Che Nor Aniza Che Zainul; Al-Areqi, Wadee'ah Mohd; Ruf, Mohd'Izzat Fahmi Mohd; Majid, Amran Ab.

2017-01-01

Interest of fluoride salts have recently revived due to the high temperature application in nuclear reactors. Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) was designed to operate at high temperature in range 700 - 800°C and its fuel is dissolved in a circulating molten fluoride salt mixture. Molten fluoride salts are stable at high temperature, have good heat transfer properties and can dissolve high concentration of actinides and fission product. The aim of this paper was to discuss the physical properties (melting temperature, density and heat capacity) of two systems fluoride salt mixtures i.e; LiF-BeF2 (Flibe) and LiF-NaF-KF (Flinak) in terms of their application as coolant and fuel solvent in MSR. Both of these salts showed almost same physical properties but different applications in MSR. The advantages and the disadvantages of these fluoride salt systems will be discussed in this paper.

Prime Contract Awards Alphabetically by Contractor, by State or Country, and Place. Part 19 (Swanda Brothers Incorporated-TRT Telecommunications Corp)

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-01-01

0000000000 400c 00) -4000C20 (400000 N44V 010 "- K W Io0-4 Kfc oc a c In00000 i4 00 oo %nw 00 000000 0000 (30 Ji K a 1 0-4 KH00000000000 -W4C4- CD0 anw000...44440444444UUU44444 Kf I W-ONO KIf KfC t -4 -4N K. N K I M-40410 K11 K I 00-4iri4I &, mO &n o In in in in 0 In o inY) )ofIn in in o In In 0 DIn 0oIn In...44444444444444 N44 4 *ON co a 4 .- c) in di n I n t t i i An in t mnam bfIn wi wi wmi wa w) wI In in Infin in in In0 S doaN w4 4’m 113(’ a C) VMmmMV MI

Prime Contract Awards Alphabetically by Contractor, State or Country, and Place. Part 13 (NCR Media Products Division, Rockville, Maryland - Picker International Inc, San Francisco, California), FY1991

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-01-01

report. the research , or credited with the content of the report. If editor or compiler, this should follow the name(s). Block 15. Number of Pages...10000 .4(0(0(0 >.FC.JNNNNNN-NN NNN M D(4a(01 r ,r c7 01l KfC I (0(04 4) .- 4 00 4 x0 c. M400(0)0 Xɘ)0 id >4 D4>(O0004 : r : ofK U q -4 (0# N l C-1...0)0 -I m-4-4 qw4 f- -It w 0 wNNNNw N0000 ww- 4C.5 - N0 , 1 I-41 0)I -4 II CI0 "" acwwn L)04)fL~OOOCOO~lfI0 0 0. if 𔃻 I 0).4 KfC )C )C C DL)I n6 C>~ C

Multivariate localization methods for ensemble Kalman filtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roh, S.; Jun, M.; Szunyogh, I.; Genton, M. G.

2015-05-01

In ensemble Kalman filtering (EnKF), the small number of ensemble members that is feasible to use in a practical data assimilation application leads to sampling variability of the estimates of the background error covariances. The standard approach to reducing the effects of this sampling variability, which has also been found to be highly efficient in improving the performance of EnKF, is the localization of the estimates of the covariances. One family of localization techniques is based on taking the Schur (entry-wise) product of the ensemble-based sample covariance matrix and a correlation matrix whose entries are obtained by the discretization of a distance-dependent correlation function. While the proper definition of the localization function for a single state variable has been extensively investigated, a rigorous definition of the localization function for multiple state variables has been seldom considered. This paper introduces two strategies for the construction of localization functions for multiple state variables. The proposed localization functions are tested by assimilating simulated observations experiments into the bivariate Lorenz 95 model with their help.

First- and third-party ground truth for key frame extraction from consumer video clips

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Costello, Kathleen; Luo, Jiebo

2007-02-01

Extracting key frames (KF) from video is of great interest in many applications, such as video summary, video organization, video compression, and prints from video. KF extraction is not a new problem. However, current literature has been focused mainly on sports or news video. In the consumer video space, the biggest challenges for key frame selection from consumer videos are the unconstrained content and lack of any preimposed structure. In this study, we conduct ground truth collection of key frames from video clips taken by digital cameras (as opposed to camcorders) using both first- and third-party judges. The goals of this study are: (1) to create a reference database of video clips reasonably representative of the consumer video space; (2) to identify associated key frames by which automated algorithms can be compared and judged for effectiveness; and (3) to uncover the criteria used by both first- and thirdparty human judges so these criteria can influence algorithm design. The findings from these ground truths will be discussed.

Ensemble-marginalized Kalman filter for linear time-dependent PDEs with noisy boundary conditions: application to heat transfer in building walls

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iglesias, Marco; Sawlan, Zaid; Scavino, Marco; Tempone, Raúl; Wood, Christopher

2018-07-01

In this work, we present the ensemble-marginalized Kalman filter (EnMKF), a sequential algorithm analogous to our previously proposed approach (Ruggeri et al 2017 Bayesian Anal. 12 407–33, Iglesias et al 2018 Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer 116 417–31), for estimating the state and parameters of linear parabolic partial differential equations in initial-boundary value problems when the boundary data are noisy. We apply EnMKF to infer the thermal properties of building walls and to estimate the corresponding heat flux from real and synthetic data. Compared with a modified ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) that is not marginalized, EnMKF reduces the bias error, avoids the collapse of the ensemble without needing to add inflation, and converges to the mean field posterior using or less of the ensemble size required by EnKF. According to our results, the marginalization technique in EnMKF is key to performance improvement with smaller ensembles at any fixed time.

Tandem intramolecular silylformylation and silicon-assisted cross-coupling reactions. synthesis of geometrically defined alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes.

PubMed

Denmark, Scott E; Kobayashi, Tetsuya

2003-06-27

The palladium- and copper-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions of cyclic silyl ethers with aryl iodides are reported. Silyl ethers 3 were readily prepared by intramolecular silylformylation of homopropargyl silyl ethers 2 under a carbon monoxide atmosphere. The reaction of cyclic silyl ethers 3with various aryl iodides 7 in the presence of [(allyl)PdCl](2), CuI, a hydrosilane, and KF.2H(2)O in DMF at room temperature provided the alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehyde coupling products 8 in high yields. The need for copper in this process suggested that transmetalation from silicon to copper is an important step in the mechanism. Although siloxane 3 and the product 8 are not stable under basic conditions, KF.2H(2)O provided the appropriate balance of reactivity toward silicon and reduced basicity. The addition of a hydrosilane to [(allyl)PdCl](2) was needed to reduce the palladium(II) to the active palladium(0) form.

Anisotropic Surface State Mediated RKKY Interaction Between Adatoms on a Hexagonal Lattice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Einstein, Theodore; Patrone, Paul

2012-02-01

Motivated by recent numerical studies of Ag on Pt(111), we derive a far-field expression for the RKKY interaction mediated by surface states on a (111) FCC surface, considering the effect of anisotropy in the Fermi edge. The main contribution to the interaction comes from electrons whose Fermi velocity vF is parallel to the vector R connecting the interacting adatoms; we show that in general, the corresponding Fermi wave-vector kF is not parallel to R. The interaction is oscillatory; the amplitude and wavelength of oscillations have angular dependence arising from the anisotropy of the surface state band structure. The wavelength, in particular, is determined by the component of the aforementioned kF that is parallel to R. Our analysis is easily generalized to other systems. For Ag on Pt(111), our results indicate that the RKKY interaction between pairs of adatoms should be nearly isotropic and so cannot account for the anisotropy found in the studies motivating our work.

Effects of F-treatment on degradation of Mg 2Ni electrode fabricated by mechanical alloying

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Jun Sung; Lee, Chang Rae; Choi, Jae Woong; Kang, Sung Goon

The effects of surface fluorination on the electrochemical charge-discharge properties of a Mg 2Ni electrode, prepared by mechanical alloying in Ni-MH batteries are investigated. After 20 h milling, Mg and Ni powder form nanocrystalline Mg 2Ni. The discharge capacity of this alloy increases greatly on the initial cycle but, due to the formation of a Mg(OH) 2 passive layer, displays rapid degradation in alkaline solution within 10 cycles. In a 6 M KOH+ x M KF electrolyte ( x=0.5, 1, and 2), a continuous and stable fluorinated layer is formed and the durability of the Mg 2Ni electrode increases marketly and a high rate discharge capability is obtained (90-100 mAh/g). Addition of 2 M KF leads to the highest durability of all the electrodes tested. The improvement is due to a thin MgF 2—flourinated layer, which reduces the charge-transfer resistance and protects the Mg 2Ni electrode from forming a Mg(OH) 2 layer.

An overview of distributed microgrid state estimation and control for smart grids.

PubMed

Rana, Md Masud; Li, Li

2015-02-12

Given the significant concerns regarding carbon emission from the fossil fuels, global warming and energy crisis, the renewable distributed energy resources (DERs) are going to be integrated in the smart grid. This grid can spread the intelligence of the energy distribution and control system from the central unit to the long-distance remote areas, thus enabling accurate state estimation (SE) and wide-area real-time monitoring of these intermittent energy sources. In contrast to the traditional methods of SE, this paper proposes a novel accuracy dependent Kalman filter (KF) based microgrid SE for the smart grid that uses typical communication systems. Then this article proposes a discrete-time linear quadratic regulation to control the state deviations of the microgrid incorporating multiple DERs. Therefore, integrating these two approaches with application to the smart grid forms a novel contributions in green energy and control research communities. Finally, the simulation results show that the proposed KF based microgrid SE and control algorithm provides an accurate SE and control compared with the existing method.

Strongly anisotropic RKKY interaction in monolayer black phosphorus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zare, Moslem; Parhizgar, Fariborz; Asgari, Reza

2018-06-01

We theoretically study the Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida (RKKY) interaction in two-dimensional black phosphorus, phosphorene. The RKKY interaction enhances significantly for the low levels of hole doping owing to the nearly valence flat band. Remarkably, for the hole-doped phosphorene, the highest RKKY interaction occurs when two impurities located along the zigzag direction and it tends to a minimum value with changing the direction from the zigzag to the armchair direction. We show that the interaction is highly anisotropic and the magnetic ground-state of two magnetic adatoms can be tuned by changing the rotational configuration of impurities. Owing to the anisotropic band dispersion, the oscillatory behavior with respect to the angle of the rotation and the distance of two magnetic impurities, R is well-described by sin (2kF R) , where the Fermi wavelength kF changes in different directions. We also find that the tail of the RKKY oscillations falls off as 1 /R2 at large distances.

An integrated uncertainty analysis and data assimilation approach for improved streamflow predictions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hogue, T. S.; He, M.; Franz, K. J.; Margulis, S. A.; Vrugt, J. A.

2010-12-01

The current study presents an integrated uncertainty analysis and data assimilation approach to improve streamflow predictions while simultaneously providing meaningful estimates of the associated uncertainty. Study models include the National Weather Service (NWS) operational snow model (SNOW17) and rainfall-runoff model (SAC-SMA). The proposed approach uses the recently developed DiffeRential Evolution Adaptive Metropolis (DREAM) to simultaneously estimate uncertainties in model parameters, forcing, and observations. An ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) is configured with the DREAM-identified uncertainty structure and applied to assimilating snow water equivalent data into the SNOW17 model for improved snowmelt simulations. Snowmelt estimates then serves as an input to the SAC-SMA model to provide streamflow predictions at the basin outlet. The robustness and usefulness of the approach is evaluated for a snow-dominated watershed in the northern Sierra Mountains. This presentation describes the implementation of DREAM and EnKF into the coupled SNOW17 and SAC-SMA models and summarizes study results and findings.

Importance of filter’s microstructure in dynamic filtration modeling of gasoline particulate filters (GPFs): Inhomogeneous porosity and pore size distribution

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

Gong, Jian; Stewart, Mark L.; Zelenyuk, Alla

The state-of-the-art multiscale modeling of GPFs including channel scale, wall scale, and pore scale is described. The microstructures of two GPFs were experimentally characterized. The pore size distributions of the GPFs were determined by mercury porosimetry. The porosity was measured by X-ray computed tomography (CT) and found to be inhomogeneous across the substrate wall. The significance of pore size distribution with respect to filtration performance was analyzed. The predictions of filtration efficiency were improved by including the pore size distribution in the filtration model. A dynamic heterogeneous multiscale filtration (HMF) model was utilized to simulate particulate filtration on a singlemore » channel particulate filter with realistic particulate emissions from a spark-ignition direct-injection (SIDI) gasoline engine. The dynamic evolution of filter’s microstructure and macroscopic filtration characteristics including mass- and number-based filtration efficiencies and pressure drop were predicted and discussed. The microstructure of the GPF substrate including inhomogeneous porosity and pore size distribution is found to significantly influence local particulate deposition inside the substrate and macroscopic filtration performance and is recommended to be resolved in the filtration model to simulate and evaluate the filtration performance of GPFs.« less

State-space modeling of the relationship between air quality and mortality.

PubMed

Murray, C J; Nelson, C R

2000-07-01

A portion of a population is assumed to be at risk, with the mortality hazard varying with atmospheric conditions including total suspended particulates (TSP). This at-risk population is not observed and the hazard function is unknown; we wish to estimate these from mortality count and atmospheric variables. Consideration of population dynamics leads to a state-space representation, allowing the Kalman Filter (KF) to be used for estimation. A harvesting effect is thus implied; high mortality is followed by lower mortality until the population is replenished by new arrivals. The model is applied to daily data for Philadelphia, PA, 1973-1990. The estimated hazard function rises with the level of TSP and at extremes of temperature and also reflects a positive interaction between TSP and temperature. The estimated at-risk population averages about 480 and varies seasonally. We find that lags of TSP are statistically significant, but the presence of negative coefficients suggests their role may be partially statistical rather than biological. In the population dynamics framework, the natural metric for health damage from air pollution is its impact on life expectancy. The range of hazard rates over the sample period is 0.07 to 0.085, corresponding to life expectancies of 14.3 and 11.8 days, respectively.

Vibrating membrane filtration as improved technology for microalgae dewatering.

PubMed

Nurra, Claudia; Clavero, Ester; Salvadó, Joan; Torras, Carles

2014-04-01

The effect of shear-enhanced filtration by vibratory process in microalgae dewatering is presented in this paper. The aim of this research was to investigate the technical performance and improvement of vibrating membrane filtration compared with conventional tangential cross-flow filtration in microalgae concentration. An industrial-scale available commercial set-up was used. Several membrane materials as polyethersulfone, polyacrylonitrile, etc., and mean pore sizes (from 7000Da to 0.2μm) were tested and compared in both filtration set-ups. Experiments were carried-out with Nannochloropsis gaditana and Phaeodactylum tricornutum microalgae. It has been demonstrated that, even if the choice of the membrane depends on its cut-off, its material and the type of microalgae filtrated, dynamic filtration is always the best technology over a conventional one. If with conventional filtration permeability values were in the vicinity of 10L/h/m(2)/bar in steady state phase, with dynamic filtration these values increased to 30L/h/m(2)/bar or more. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Rotary filtration system

DOEpatents

Herman, David T [Aiken, SC; Maxwell, David N [Aiken, SC

2011-04-19

A rotary filtration apparatus for filtering a feed fluid into permeate is provided. The rotary filtration apparatus includes a container that has a feed fluid inlet. A shaft is at least partially disposed in the container and has a passageway for the transport of permeate. A disk stack made of a plurality of filtration disks is mounted onto the shaft so that rotation of the shaft causes rotation of the filtration disks. The filtration disks may be made of steel components and may be welded together. The shaft may penetrate a filtering section of the container at a single location. The rotary filtration apparatus may also incorporate a bellows seal to prevent leakage along the shaft, and an around the shaft union rotary joint to allow for removal of permeate. Various components of the rotary filtration apparatus may be removed as a single assembly.

Effects of aluminum-copper alloy filtration on photon spectra, air kerma rate and image contrast.

PubMed

Gonçalves, Andréa; Rollo, João Manuel Domingos de Almeida; Gonçalves, Marcelo; Haiter Neto, Francisco; Bóscolo, Frab Norberto

2004-01-01

This study evaluated the performance of aluminum-copper alloy filtration, without the original aluminum filter, for dental radiography in terms of x-ray energy spectrum, air kerma rate and image quality. Comparisons of various thicknesses of aluminum-copper alloy in three different percentages were made with aluminum filtration. Tests were conducted on an intra-oral dental x-ray machine and were made on mandible phantom and on step-wedge. Depending on the thickness of aluminum-copper alloy filtration, the beam could be hardened and filtrated. The use of the aluminum-copper alloy filter resulted in reductions in air kerma rate from 8.40% to 47.33%, and indicated the same image contrast when compared to aluminum filtration. Aluminum-copper alloy filtration may be considered a good alternative to aluminum filtration.

Uptake of wheel-filtration among clients of a supervised injecting facility: Can structured education work?

PubMed

Steele, Maureen; Silins, Edmund; Flaherty, Ian; Hiley, Sarah; van Breda, Nick; Jauncey, Marianne

2018-01-01

Wheel-filtration of pharmaceutical opioid tablets is a recognised harm reduction strategy, but uptake of the practice among people who inject drugs is low. The study aimed to: (i) examine perceptions of filtration practices; (ii) provide structured education on wheel-filtration; and (iii) assess uptake of the practice. Frequent opioid tablet injectors (n = 30) attending a supervised injecting facility in Sydney, Australia, received hands-on instruction on wheel-filtration based on recommended practice. Pre-education, post-education and follow-up questionnaires were administered. Wheel-filtration was generally regarded as better than cotton-filtration (the typical method) in terms of perceived effects on health, ease of use and overall drug effect. Sixty-eight percent of those who said they would try wheel-filtration after the education had actually done so. Of those who usually used cotton-filtration, over half (60%) had used wheel-filtration two weeks later. Uptake of safer preparation methods for pharmaceutical opioid tablets increases after structured education in wheel-filtration. Findings suggest that SIFs are an effective site for this kind of education. Supervised injecting facility workers are uniquely positioned to provide harm reduction education at the time of injection. [Steele M, Silins E, Flaherty I, Hiley S, van Breda N, Jauncey M. Uptake of wheel-filtration among clients of a supervised injecting facility: Can structured education work? Drug Alcohol Rev 2018;37:116-120]. © 2017 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.

Four years experience with filtration systems in commercial nurseries for eliminating Phytophthora species from recirculation water

Treesearch

T. Ufer; M. Posner; H.-P. Wessels; S. Wagner; K. Kaminski; T. Brand; Werres S.

2008-01-01

In a four year project, three different filtration systems were tested under commercial nursery conditions to eliminate Phytophthora spp. from irrigation water. Five nurseries were involved in the project. Slow sand filtration systems were tested in three nurseries. In the fourth nursery, a filtration system with lava grains (Shieer® Bio filtration)...