A Measurement Feedback System (MFS) Is Necessary to Improve Mental Health Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bickman, Leonard

2008-01-01

The importance of measurement feedback system (MFS) for the improvement of mental health services for youths is discussed. As feedback obtained from clients and families is subject to distortions, a standardized MFS including clinical processes, contexts, outcomes, and feedback to clinicians and supervisors is necessary for improvement in quality…

Observation of Majorana fermions in the vortex on topological insulator-superconductor heterostructure Bi2Te3/NbSe2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jia, Jinfeng

Majorana fermion (MF) zero modes have been predicted in a wide variety of condensed matter systems and proposed as a potential building block for fault-tolerant quantum computer. Signatures of the MFs have been reported in the form of zero-energy conductance peak in various systems. As predicted, MFs appear as zero-energy vortex core modes with distinctive spatial profile in proximity-induced superconducting surface states of topological insulators. Furthermore, MFs can induce spin selective Andreev reflection (SSAR), a unique signature of MFs. We report the observation of all the three features for the MFs inside vortices in Bi2Te3/NbSe2 hetero-structure, in which proximity-induced superconducting gap on topological surface states was previously established. Especially, by using spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (STM/STS), we observed the spin dependent tunneling effect, and fully supported by theoretical analyses, which is a direct evidence for the SSAR from MFs. More importantly, all evidences are self-consistent. Our work provides definitive evidences of MFs and will stimulate the MFs research on their novel physical properties, hence a step towards their non-Abelian statistics and application in quantum computing.

Abnormal Morphology of Fibrillin Microfibrils in Fibroblast Cultures from Patients with Neonatal Marfan Syndrome

PubMed Central

Godfrey, Maurice; Raghunath, Michael; Cisler, Jason; Bevins, Charles L.; DePaepe, Anne; Di Rocco, Maja; Gregoritch, Jane; Imaizumi, Kiyoshi; Kaplan, Paige; Kuroki, Yoshikazu; Silberbach, Michael; Superti-Furga, Andrea; Van Thienen, Marie-Noëlle; Vetter, Ulrich; Steinmann, Beat

1995-01-01

The Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a connective tissue disorder manifested by variable and pleiotropic features in the skeletal, ocular, and cardiovascular systems. The average life span in MFS is about 35 years. A group with much more severe cardiovascular disease and a mean life span of approximately I year also exists. We refer to this latter group as “neonatal Marfan syndrome” (nMFS). Fibrillin defects are now known to be the cause of MFS and nMFS. Immunofluorescence studies were the first to demonstrate this association. Here we describe immunofluorescence studies in a series of 10 neonates and summarize their salient clinical features. In vitro accumulation of fibrillin reactive fibers was assayed using monoclonal antibodies to fibrillin in hyperconfluent fibroblast cultures. As was previously observed in MFS, fibroblast cultures from nMFS patients showed an apparent decrease in accumulation of immunostainable fibrillin. Significantly, however, the morphology of the immunostained fibrils in the nMFS cultures were abnormal and differed not only from control cultures, but also from those seen in cultures of MFS fibroblasts. The nMFS fibrils appeared short, fragmented, and frayed, characteristics that are not seen in MFS. Both the clinical and fibrillin morphology data provide evidence to suggest a useful subclassification of nMFS in the spectrum of MFS. ImagesFigure 1Figure 2 PMID:7778680

The circulation in the Levantine Basin as inferred from in-situ data and numerical modelling (1995-2013)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zodiatis, George; Radhakrishnan, Hari; Lardner, Robin; Hayes, Daniel; Gertman, Isaac; Menna, Milena; Poulain, Pierre-Marie

2014-05-01

The general anticlockwise circulation along the coastline of the Eastern Mediterranean Levantine Basin was first proposed by Nielsen in 1912. Half a century later the schematic of the circulation in the area was enriched with sub-basin flow structures. In late 1980s, a more detailed picture of the circulation composed of eddies, gyres and coastal-offshore jets was defined during the POEM cruises. In 2005, Millot and Taupier-Letage have used SST satellite imagery to argue for a simpler pattern similar to the one proposed almost a century ago. During the last decade, renewed in-situ multi-platforms investigations under the framework of CYBO, CYCLOPS, NEMED, GROOM, HaiSec and PERSEUS projects, as well the development of the operational ocean forecasts and hindcasts in the framework of the MFS, ECOOP, MERSEA and MyOcean projects, have made possible to obtain an improved, higher spatial and temporal resolution picture of the circulation in the area. After some years of scientific disputes on the circulation pattern of the region, the new in-situ data sets and the operational numerical simulations confirm the relevant POEM results. The existing POM-based Cyprus Coastal Ocean Forecasting System (CYCOFOS), downscaling the MyOcean MFS, has been providing operational forecasts in the Eastern Mediterranean Levantine Basin region since early 2002. Recently, Radhakrishnan et al. (2012) parallelized the CYCOFOS hydrodynamic flow model using MPI to improve the accuracy of predictions while reducing the computational time. The parallel flow model is capable of modeling the Eastern Mediterranean Levantine Basin flow at a resolution of 500 m. The model was run in hindcast mode during which the innovations were computed using the historical data collected using gliders and cruises. Then, DD-OceanVar (D'Amore et al., 2013), a data assimilation tool based on 3DVAR developed by CMCC was used to compute the temperature and salinity field corrections. Numerical modeling results after the data assimilation will be presented.

Validation of an ocean shelf model for the prediction of mixed-layer properties in the Mediterranean Sea west of Sardinia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Onken, Reiner

2017-04-01

The Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) has been employed to explore the sensitivity of the forecast skill of mixed-layer properties to initial conditions, boundary conditions, and vertical mixing parameterisations. The initial and lateral boundary conditions were provided by the Mediterranean Forecasting System (MFS) or by the MERCATOR global ocean circulation model via one-way nesting; the initial conditions were additionally updated through the assimilation of observations. Nowcasts and forecasts from the weather forecast models COSMO-ME and COSMO-IT, partly melded with observations, served as surface boundary conditions. The vertical mixing was parameterised by the GLS (generic length scale) scheme Umlauf and Burchard (2003) in four different set-ups. All ROMS forecasts were validated against the observations which were taken during the REP14-MED survey to the west of Sardinia. Nesting ROMS in MERCATOR and updating the initial conditions through data assimilation provided the best agreement of the predicted mixed-layer properties with the time series from a moored thermistor chain. Further improvement was obtained by the usage of COSMO-ME atmospheric forcing, which was melded with real observations, and by the application of the k-ω vertical mixing scheme with increased vertical eddy diffusivity. The predicted temporal variability of the mixed-layer temperature was reasonably well correlated with the observed variability, while the modelled variability of the mixed-layer depth exhibited only agreement with the observations near the diurnal frequency peak. For the forecasted horizontal variability, reasonable agreement was found with observations from a ScanFish section, but only for the mesoscale wave number band; the observed sub-mesoscale variability was not reproduced by ROMS.

Microfluidic Systems for Biosensing

PubMed Central

Liu, Kuo-Kang; Wu, Ren-Guei; Chuang, Yun-Ju; Khoo, Hwa Seng; Huang, Shih-Hao; Tseng, Fan-Gang

2010-01-01

In the past two decades, Micro Fluidic Systems (MFS) have emerged as a powerful tool for biosensing, particularly in enriching and purifying molecules and cells in biological samples. Compared with conventional sensing techniques, distinctive advantages of using MFS for biomedicine include ultra-high sensitivity, higher throughput, in-situ monitoring and lower cost. This review aims to summarize the recent advancements in two major types of micro fluidic systems, continuous and discrete MFS, as well as their biomedical applications. The state-of-the-art of active and passive mechanisms of fluid manipulation for mixing, separation, purification and concentration will also be elaborated. Future trends of using MFS in detection at molecular or cellular level, especially in stem cell therapy, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, are also prospected. PMID:22163570

In vitro assessment of the immunity of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators to magnetic fields of 50/60 Hz.

PubMed

Katrib, J; Nadi, M; Kourtiche, D; Magne, I; Schmitt, P; Souques, M; Roth, P

2013-10-01

Public concern for the compatibility of electromagnetic (EM) sources with active implantable medical devices (AIMD) has prompted the development of new systems that can perform accurate exposure studies. EM field interference with active cardiac implants (e.g. implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs)) can be critical. This paper describes a magnetic field (MF) exposure system and the method developed for testing the immunity of ICD to continuous-wave MFs. The MFs were created by Helmholtz coils, housed in a Faraday cage. The coils were able to produce highly uniform MFs up to 4000 µT at 50 Hz and 3900 µT at 60 Hz, within the test space. Four ICDs were tested. No dysfunctions were found in the generated MFs. These results confirm that the tested ICDs were immune to low frequency MFs.

Characterization of a major facilitator superfamily transporter in Shiraia bambusicola.

PubMed

Deng, Huaxiang; Gao, Ruijie; Liao, Xiangru; Cai, Yujie

2017-09-01

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by photo-activated hypocrellin from Shiraia bambusicola are detrimental to cellular macromolecules. However, S. bambusicola can still maintain excellent morphology during continuous hypocrellin production, indicating an extraordinary autoresistance system that protects against the harmful ROS. In this study, a major facilitator superfamily transporter (MFS) was isolated from S. bambusicola and deleted using the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat sequences (CRISPR)/Cas9 system. The ΔMFS mutant abolished hypocrellin production and was slightly sensitive to 40-μM hypocrellin, while the ΔMFS compliment strain restored hypocrellin production and resistance. Hypocrellin treatment also enhanced the relative expression of MFS in wild-type S. bambusicola. Subsequent pathogenicity assays showed that MFS deletion reduced damage to bamboo leaves. By contrast, restoration of hypocrellin production in the MFS compliment strain generated similar necrotic lesions on bamboo leaves to those observed with the wild-type strain. These results revealed that the identified MFS is involved in efflux of hypocrellin from cells, which reduces the hypocrellin toxicity. Furthermore, hypocrellin contributed to the virulence of S. bambusicola on bamboo leaves. These findings could help to reduce plant loss by disrupting hypocrellin biosynthesis in S. bambusicola, or overexpressing the associated resistance gene in transgenic plants. Copyright © 2017 Institut Pasteur. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Corneal Curvature, Astigmatism, and Aberrations in Marfan Syndrome with Lens Subluxation: Evaluation by Pentacam HR System.

PubMed

Chen, Jiahui; Jing, Qinghe; Tang, Yating; Qian, Dongjin; Lu, Yi; Jiang, Yongxiang

2018-03-06

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is associated with abnormalities of corneal biometric characteristics. We conducted a retrospective case-control study including 55 eyes of the MFS patients with lens subluxation and 53 normal eyes of the control subjects to evaluate the corneal curvature, astigmatism and aberrations using a rotating Scheimpflug camera (Pentacam HR). Compared with the control group, the anterior, posterior, and total corneal curvature were flatter in the MFS group. The anterior and total corneal astigmatism were higher in the MFS patients, whereas the posterior corneal astigmatism was not significantly different between the two groups. Regarding the total corneal aberrations, the root mean square (RMS) aberrations, RMS higher-order aberrations and RMS lower-order aberrations increased, whereas the spherical aberration decreased in the MFS patients. Corneal parameters had potential diagnostic values for MFS patients with lens subluxation and the more reasonable cutoffs were the values of corneal curvature <41.35 D, corneal astigmatism >0.85 D and spherical aberration <0.188 μm. Corneal biometric characteristics of MFS patients with lens subluxation include decreased corneal curvature, higher corneal astigmatism, larger corneal aberrations, and lower spherical aberration. Corneal curvature, corneal astigmatism, and spherical aberration are better diagnostic tools for suspicious MFS.

Probing the non-locality of Majorana fermions via quantum correlations

PubMed Central

Li, Jun; Yu, Ting; Lin, Hai-Qing; You, J. Q.

2014-01-01

Majorana fermions (MFs) are exotic particles that are their own anti-particles. Recently, the search for the MFs occurring as quasi-particle excitations in solid-state systems has attracted widespread interest, because of their fundamental importance in fundamental physics and potential applications in topological quantum computation based on solid-state devices. Here we study the quantum correlations between two spatially separate quantum dots induced by a pair of MFs emerging at the two ends of a semiconductor nanowire, in order to develop a new method for probing the MFs. We find that without the tunnel coupling between these paired MFs, quantum entanglement cannot be induced from an unentangled (i.e., product) state, but quantum discord is observed due to the intrinsic nonlocal correlations of the paired MFs. This finding reveals that quantum discord can indeed demonstrate the intrinsic non-locality of the MFs formed in the nanowire. Also, quantum discord can be employed to discriminate the MFs from the regular fermions. Furthermore, we propose an experimental setup to measure the onset of quantum discord due to the nonlocal correlations. Our approach provides a new, and experimentally accessible, method to study the Majorana bound states by probing their intrinsic non-locality signature. PMID:24816484

76 FR 62470 - MFS Series Trust I, et al.

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-07

...] MFS Series Trust I, et al.; Notice of Application September 30, 2011. AGENCY: Securities and Exchange... Series Trust I, MFS Series Trust II, MFS Series Trust III, MFS Series Trust IV, MFS Series Trust V, MFS Series Trust VI, MFS Series Trust VII, MFS Series Trust VIII, MFS Series Trust IX, MFS Series Trust X...

Facilitators and Barriers of Implementing a Measurement Feedback System in Public Youth Mental Health.

PubMed

Kotte, Amelia; Hill, Kaitlin A; Mah, Albert C; Korathu-Larson, Priya A; Au, Janelle R; Izmirian, Sonia; Keir, Scott S; Nakamura, Brad J; Higa-McMillan, Charmaine K

2016-11-01

This study examines implementation facilitators and barriers of a statewide roll-out of a measurement feedback system (MFS) in a youth public mental health system. 76 % of all state care coordinators (N = 47) completed interviews, which were coded via content analysis until saturation. Facilitators (e.g., recognition of the MFS's clinical utility) and barriers (e.g., MFS's reliability and validity) emerged paralleling the Exploration, Adoption/Preparation, Implementation, and Sustainment framework outlined by Aarons et al. (Adm Policy Mental Health Mental Health Serv Res, 38:4-23, 2011). Sustainment efforts may leverage innovation fit, individual adopter, and system related facilitators.

Microparticle Flow Sensor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morrison, Dennis R.

2005-01-01

The microparticle flow sensor (MFS) is a system for identifying and counting microscopic particles entrained in a flowing liquid. The MFS includes a transparent, optoelectronically instrumented laminar-flow chamber (see figure) and a computer for processing instrument-readout data. The MFS could be used to count microparticles (including micro-organisms) in diverse applications -- for example, production of microcapsules, treatment of wastewater, pumping of industrial chemicals, and identification of ownership of liquid products.

Early onset marfan syndrome: Atypical clinical presentation of two cases

PubMed Central

Ozyurt, A; Baykan, A; Argun, M; Pamukcu, O; Halis, H; Korkut, S; Yuksel, Z; Gunes, T; Narin, N

2015-01-01

Early onset Marfan Syndrome (eoMFS) is a rare, severe form of Marfan Syndrome (MFS). The disease has a poor prognosis and most patients present with resistance to heart failure treatment during the newborn period. This report presents two cases of eoMFS with similar clinical features diagnosed in the newborn period and who died at an early age due to the complications related to the involvement of the cardiovascular system. PMID:26929908

Topological superfluids with finite-momentum pairing and Majorana fermions.

PubMed

Qu, Chunlei; Zheng, Zhen; Gong, Ming; Xu, Yong; Mao, Li; Zou, Xubo; Guo, Guangcan; Zhang, Chuanwei

2013-01-01

Majorana fermions (MFs), quantum particles that are their own antiparticles, are not only of fundamental importance in elementary particle physics and dark matter, but also building blocks for fault-tolerant quantum computation. Recently MFs have been intensively studied in solid state and cold atomic systems. These studies are generally based on superconducting pairing with zero total momentum. On the other hand, finite total momentum Cooper pairings, known as Fulde-Ferrell (FF) Larkin-Ovchinnikov (LO) states, were widely studied in many branches of physics. However, whether FF and LO superconductors can support MFs has not been explored. Here we show that MFs can exist in certain types of gapped FF states, yielding a new quantum matter: topological FF superfluids/superconductors. We demonstrate the existence of such topological FF superfluids and the associated MFs using spin-orbit-coupled degenerate Fermi gases and derive their parameter regions. The implementation of topological FF superconductors in semiconductor/superconductor heterostructures is also discussed.

Heterozygous TGFBR2 mutations in Marfan syndrome

PubMed Central

Mizuguchi, Takeshi; Collod-Beroud, Gwenaëlle; Akiyama, Takushi; Abifadel, Marianne; Harada, Naoki; Morisaki, Takayuki; Allard, Delphine; Varret, Mathilde; Claustres, Mireille; Morisaki, Hiroko; Ihara, Makoto; Kinoshita, Akira; Yoshiura, Koh-ichiro; Junien, Claudine; Kajii, Tadashi; Jondeau, Guillaume; Ohta, Tohru; Kishino, Tatsuya; Furukawa, Yoichi; Nakamura, Yusuke; Niikawa, Norio; Boileau, Catherine; Matsumoto, Naomichi

2004-01-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is an extracellular matrix disorder with cardinal manifestations in the eye, skeleton, and cardiovascular systems and associated with defects in the fibrillin gene (FBN1) at 15q21.1 1. We previously mapped the second locus for MFS (MFS type 2, MFS2, OMIM *154705), at 3p24.2-p25 in a large French family (MS1)2. Identification of a 3p24.1 chromosomal breakpoint disrupting the TGF-beta receptor 2 gene (TGFBR2) in a Japanese MFS patient led us to consider TGFBR2 as the MSF2 gene. We found a Q508Q mutation of TGFBR2 that resulted in abnormal splicing and segregated with MFS2 in MS1. Three other missense mutations were found in four unrelated probands and were shown by luciferase-assays to lead to loss of function of the TGF-β signaling activity on extracellular matrix formation. These results show that heterozygous mutations in TGFBR2, a putative tumor suppressor gene implicated in several malignancies, are also associated with inherited connective-tissue disorders. PMID:15235604

Comparison and evaluation of mitotic figures in oral epithelial dysplasia using crystal violet and Feulgen stain.

PubMed

Rao, Roopa S; Patil, Shankargouda; Agarwal, Anveeta

2014-05-01

Routine staining procedures often pose a problem in differentiating a mitotic cell from an apoptotic cell, deteriorating the reliability of histology grading. Although various new methods have been recommended for identifying mitotic figures (MFs) in tissues, the time factor and cost makes them less feasible. Thus, an attempt was made to evaluate the efficacy of crystal violet and Feulgen reaction in identifying MFs and also to see for any variation in the number of MFs in various grades of Epithelial dysplasia. 1. Using crystal violet and Feulgen stain in the identification and counting of MFs on diagnosed cases of epithelial dysplasia and thereby to evaluate their efficacy. 2. To evaluate the variation in the number of MFs in various grades of epithelial dysplasia. The study sample includes retrieval of 30 formalin fixed paraffin embedded tissue sections diagnosed for different grades of epithelial dysplasia (WHO grading system, 2005) from the archives, Department of Oral Pathology, MSRDC, Bengaluru. Ten tissue sections each of mild, moderate and severe epithelial dysplasia were stained with H&E, Feulgen and 1% crystal violet stains and the number of MFs were counted. Five cases of cervical carcinoma were taken as control. Stained sections were compared, and data obtained was statistically analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test. A significant increase in the number of MFs (p = 0.02) was observed in Feulgen stained sections as compared to H&E stain. Feulgen stain can be considered as a simple, reliable, cost-effective and reproducible method of staining MFs.

Marfan syndrome associated aortic disease in neonates and children: a clinical-morphologic review.

PubMed

Ware, Adam L; Miller, Dylan V; Erickson, Lance K; Menon, Shaji C

2016-01-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a multisystem connective tissue disorder that can lead to aortic dilation requiring aortic root replacement. Neonatal MFS (nMFS) is a rare and severe form of MFS compared to classic MFS (cMFS). Aortic root histology in MFS is thought to demonstrate predominantly medial degeneration (MD) of a translamellar mucoid extracellular matrix accumulation (MEMA-T) vs. the intralamellar mucoid extracellular matrix accumulation (MEMA-I) seen in other aortopathies. The objective of this study was to describe the clinical and histopathologic features of nMFS and cMFS patients undergoing aortic root replacement. Children with MFS who underwent aortic root replacement between 2000 and 2012 at a single institution were included. Medical records including clinical details, aortic dimensions (Z scores), and histology including MD type were obtained. Statistics were descriptive with univariate analysis of age at surgery and type of MD. Eleven patients, 3 (27%) with nMFS, were included. Root dilation at time of surgery was greater in nMFS compared to cMFS (Z=12.8 vs. 7.6, P=.005), and nMFS patients were younger at time of surgery (7.3 vs. 18.8 years, P=.002). Histology in the nMFS group demonstrated MEMA-I in one and no MD in two. In the cMFS group, there were three with MEMA-T, four with MEMA-I, and one with both types. In summary, nMFS has earlier root dilation often in the absence of MD. Both forms of MD were present in our cohort, and there was no correlation between age at surgery and type of MD. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Glutathione system participation in thoracic aneurysms from patients with Marfan syndrome.

PubMed

Zúñiga-Muñoz, Alejandra María; Pérez-Torres, Israel; Guarner-Lans, Verónica; Núñez-Garrido, Elías; Velázquez Espejel, Rodrigo; Huesca-Gómez, Claudia; Gamboa-Ávila, Ricardo; Soto, María Elena

2017-05-01

Aortic dilatation in Marfan syndrome (MFS) is progressive. It is associated with oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction that contribute to the early acute dissection of the vessel and can result in rupture of the aorta and sudden death. We evaluated the participation of the glutathione (GSH) system, which could be involved in the mechanisms that promote the formation and progression of the aortic aneurysms in MFS patients. Aortic aneurysm tissue was obtained during chest surgery from eight control subjects and 14 MFS patients. Spectrophotometrical determination of activity of glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), glutathione reductase (GR), lipid peroxidation (LPO) index, carbonylation, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and concentration of reduced and oxidized glutathione (GSH and GSSG respectively), was performed in the homogenate from aortic aneurysm tissue. LPO index, carbonylation, TGF-β1, and GR activity were increased in MFS patients (p < 0.04), while TAC, GSH/GSSG ratio, GPx, and GST activity were significantly decreased (p < 0.04). The depletion of GSH, in spite of the elevated activity of GR, not only diminished the activity of GSH-depend GST and GPx, but increased LPO, carbonylation and decreased TAC. These changes could promote the structural and functional alterations in the thoracic aorta of MFS patients.

Glycomacropeptide for nutritional management of phenylketonuria: a randomized, controlled, crossover trial12

PubMed Central

Stroup, Bridget M; Clayton, Murray K; Murali, Sangita G; Rice, Gregory M; Rohr, Frances; Levy, Harvey L

2016-01-01

Background: To prevent cognitive impairment, phenylketonuria requires lifelong management of blood phenylalanine (Phe) concentration with a low-Phe diet. The diet restricts intake of Phe from natural proteins in combination with traditional amino acid medical foods (AA-MFs) or glycomacropeptide medical foods (GMP-MFs) that contain primarily intact protein and a small amount of Phe. Objective: We investigated the efficacy and safety of a low-Phe diet combined with GMP-MFs or AA-MFs providing the same quantity of protein equivalents in free-living subjects with phenylketonuria. Design: This 2-stage, randomized crossover trial included 30 early-treated phenylketonuria subjects (aged 15–49 y), 20 with classical and 10 with variant phenylketonuria. Subjects consumed, in random order for 3 wk each, their usual low-Phe diet combined with AA-MFs or GMP-MFs. The treatments were separated by a 3-wk washout with AA-MFs. Fasting plasma amino acid profiles, blood Phe concentrations, food records, and neuropsychological tests were obtained. Results: The frequency of medical food intake was higher with GMP-MFs than with AA-MFs. Subjects rated GMP-MFs as more acceptable than AA-MFs and noted improved gastrointestinal symptoms and less hunger with GMP-MFs. ANCOVA indicated no significant mean ± SE increase in plasma Phe (62 ± 40 μmol/L, P = 0.136), despite a significant increase in Phe intake from GMP-MFs (88 ± 6 mg Phe/d, P = 0.026). AA-MFs decreased plasma Phe (−85 ± 40 μmol/L, P = 0.044) with stable Phe intake. Blood concentrations of Phe across time were not significantly different (AA-MFs = 444 ± 34 μmol/L, GMP-MFs = 497 ± 34 μmol/L), suggesting similar Phe control. Results of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function were not significantly different. Conclusions: GMP-MFs provide a safe and acceptable option for the nutritional management of phenylketonuria. The greater acceptability and fewer side effects noted with GMP-MFs than with AA-MFs may enhance dietary adherence for individuals with phenylketonuria. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01428258. PMID:27413125

Glycomacropeptide for nutritional management of phenylketonuria: a randomized, controlled, crossover trial.

PubMed

Ney, Denise M; Stroup, Bridget M; Clayton, Murray K; Murali, Sangita G; Rice, Gregory M; Rohr, Frances; Levy, Harvey L

2016-08-01

To prevent cognitive impairment, phenylketonuria requires lifelong management of blood phenylalanine (Phe) concentration with a low-Phe diet. The diet restricts intake of Phe from natural proteins in combination with traditional amino acid medical foods (AA-MFs) or glycomacropeptide medical foods (GMP-MFs) that contain primarily intact protein and a small amount of Phe. We investigated the efficacy and safety of a low-Phe diet combined with GMP-MFs or AA-MFs providing the same quantity of protein equivalents in free-living subjects with phenylketonuria. This 2-stage, randomized crossover trial included 30 early-treated phenylketonuria subjects (aged 15-49 y), 20 with classical and 10 with variant phenylketonuria. Subjects consumed, in random order for 3 wk each, their usual low-Phe diet combined with AA-MFs or GMP-MFs. The treatments were separated by a 3-wk washout with AA-MFs. Fasting plasma amino acid profiles, blood Phe concentrations, food records, and neuropsychological tests were obtained. The frequency of medical food intake was higher with GMP-MFs than with AA-MFs. Subjects rated GMP-MFs as more acceptable than AA-MFs and noted improved gastrointestinal symptoms and less hunger with GMP-MFs. ANCOVA indicated no significant mean ± SE increase in plasma Phe (62 ± 40 μmol/L, P = 0.136), despite a significant increase in Phe intake from GMP-MFs (88 ± 6 mg Phe/d, P = 0.026). AA-MFs decreased plasma Phe (-85 ± 40 μmol/L, P = 0.044) with stable Phe intake. Blood concentrations of Phe across time were not significantly different (AA-MFs = 444 ± 34 μmol/L, GMP-MFs = 497 ± 34 μmol/L), suggesting similar Phe control. Results of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function were not significantly different. GMP-MFs provide a safe and acceptable option for the nutritional management of phenylketonuria. The greater acceptability and fewer side effects noted with GMP-MFs than with AA-MFs may enhance dietary adherence for individuals with phenylketonuria. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01428258. © 2016 American Society for Nutrition.

Does altered aortic flow in marfan syndrome relate to aortic root dilatation?

PubMed

Wang, Hung-Hsuan; Chiu, Hsin-Hui; Tseng, Wen-Yih Isaac; Peng, Hsu-Hsia

2016-08-01

To examine possible hemodynamic alterations in adolescent to adult Marfan syndrome (MFS) patients with aortic root dilatation. Four-dimensional flow MRI was performed in 20 MFS patients and 12 age-matched normal subjects with a 3T system. The cross-sectional areas of 10 planes along the aorta were segmented for calculating the axial and circumferential wall shear stress (WSSaxial , WSScirc ), oscillatory shear index (OSIaxial , OSIcirc ), and the nonroundness (NR), presenting the asymmetry of segmental WSS. Pearson's correlation analysis was performed to present the correlations between the quantified indices and the body surface area (BSA), aortic root diameter (ARD), and Z score of the ARD. P < 0.05 indicated statistical significance. Patients exhibited lower WSSaxial in the aortic root and the WSScirc in the arch (P < 0.05-0.001). MFS patients exhibited higher OSIaxial and OSIcirc in the sinotubular junction and arch, but lower OSIcirc in the descending aorta (all P < 0.05). The NR values were lower in patients (P < 0.05). The WSSaxial or WSScirc exhibited moderate to strong correlations with BSA, ARD, or Z score (R(2)  = 0.50-0.72) in MFS patients. The significant differences in the quantified indices, which were associated with BSA, ARD, or Z score, in MFS were opposite to previous reports for younger MFS patients, indicating that altered flows in MFS patients may depend on the disease progress. The possible time dependency of hemodynamic alterations in MFS patients strongly suggests that longitudinal follow-up of 4D Flow is needed to comprehend disease progress. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2016;44:500-508. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Does altered aortic flow in marfan syndrome relate to aortic root dilatation?

PubMed Central

Wang, Hung‐Hsuan; Chiu, Hsin‐Hui; Tseng, Wen‐Yih Isaac

2016-01-01

Purpose To examine possible hemodynamic alterations in adolescent to adult Marfan syndrome (MFS) patients with aortic root dilatation. Materials and Methods Four‐dimensional flow MRI was performed in 20 MFS patients and 12 age‐matched normal subjects with a 3T system. The cross‐sectional areas of 10 planes along the aorta were segmented for calculating the axial and circumferential wall shear stress (WSSaxial, WSScirc), oscillatory shear index (OSIaxial, OSIcirc), and the nonroundness (NR), presenting the asymmetry of segmental WSS. Pearson's correlation analysis was performed to present the correlations between the quantified indices and the body surface area (BSA), aortic root diameter (ARD), and Z score of the ARD. P < 0.05 indicated statistical significance. Results Patients exhibited lower WSSaxial in the aortic root and the WSScirc in the arch (P < 0.05–0.001). MFS patients exhibited higher OSIaxial and OSIcirc in the sinotubular junction and arch, but lower OSIcirc in the descending aorta (all P < 0.05). The NR values were lower in patients (P < 0.05). The WSSaxial or WSScirc exhibited moderate to strong correlations with BSA, ARD, or Z score (R2 = 0.50–0.72) in MFS patients. Conclusion The significant differences in the quantified indices, which were associated with BSA, ARD, or Z score, in MFS were opposite to previous reports for younger MFS patients, indicating that altered flows in MFS patients may depend on the disease progress. The possible time dependency of hemodynamic alterations in MFS patients strongly suggests that longitudinal follow‐up of 4D Flow is needed to comprehend disease progress. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2016;44:500–508. PMID:26854646

Safety of High Speed Guided Ground Transportation Systems - The Biological Effects of Maglev Magnetic Field Exposures

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1993-08-01

This report describes selected biological effects on transformed human cell lines and on rats from exposure to simulated : maglev magnetic fields (MFs). Rats (n = 6 per group) were exposed at various times throughout the 24-h day to MFs : simulating ...

A pilot study on the reproductive risks of maternal exposure to magnetic fields from electronic article surveillance systems.

PubMed

Khan, Muhammad Waseem; Roivainen, Päivi; Herrala, Mikko; Tiikkaja, Maria; Sallmén, Markku; Hietanen, Maila; Juutilainen, Jukka

2018-02-26

We investigated the feasibility of a large-scale epidemiological study on reproductive effects of intermediate frequency (IF) magnetic field (MF) exposure among cashiers working near electronic article surveillance (EAS) systems. The study cohort included 4157 women who had worked as cashiers in supermarkets with EAS devices (considered as exposed) or grocery stores without EAS devices (considered as unexposed) between 2008 and 2015. 536 births and 38 miscarriages occurred among these women during the study period, based on information from nationwide health registries. Measurements were also performed to characterize the MF exposure of cashiers. Cashiers were found to be exposed to 8.2 MHz MFs only when passing by the gates at short distance. Static fields of about 0.1 mT were observed at cashier's seat. Extremely low frequency MFs were higher at stores without EAS devices. No differences on the risk of miscarriage, reduced birth weight or preterm birth were observed between cashiers in different store types. Any further studies should attempt to include study subjects working near EAS systems that produce stronger IF MFs at kHz frequencies. Exposure to ELF MFs should be assessed as a possible confounding factor.

Biometric and structural ocular manifestations of Marfan syndrome.

PubMed

Gehle, Petra; Goergen, Barbara; Pilger, Daniel; Ruokonen, Peter; Robinson, Peter N; Salchow, Daniel J

2017-01-01

To study biometric and structural ocular manifestations of Marfan syndrome (MFS). Observational, retrospective, comparative cohort study in a tertiary referral center on 285 MFS patients and 267 controls. Structural and biometric ocular characteristic were compared. MFS eyes were longer (axial length 24.25 ± 1.74 mm versus 23.89 ± 1.31 mm, p < 0.001) and had a flatter cornea than control eyes (mean keratometry 41.78 ± 1.80 diopters (D) versus 43.05 ± 1.51 D, p < 0.001). Corneal astigmatism was greater and the central cornea was thinner in MFS eyes (530.14 ± 41.31 μm versus 547.02 ± 39.18 μm, p < 0.001). MFS eyes were more myopic than control eyes (spherical equivalent -2.16 ± 3.75 D versus -1.17 ± 2.58 D, p < 0.001). Visual acuity was reduced (0.13 ± 0.25 logMAR versus 0.05 ± 0.18 logMAR, p < 0.001) and intraocular pressure was lower in MFS eyes (14.6 ± 3.4 mmHg versus 15.1 ± 3.2 mmHg, p = 0.01). Iris transillumination defects (ITD) were significantly more common in MFS eyes (odds ratio for MFS in the presence of ITD, 3.7). Ectopia lentis (EL) was only present in MFS eyes (33.4%). History of retinal detachment was significantly more common in MFS eyes. Glaucoma was equally common in both groups. ITD and EL are most characteristic findings in MFS. ITD and corneal curvature should be studied as diagnostic criteria for MFS. Visual acuity is reduced in MFS. MFS patients need regular eye exams to identify serious ocular complications.

Perspectives on the revised Ghent criteria for the diagnosis of Marfan syndrome

PubMed Central

von Kodolitsch, Yskert; De Backer, Julie; Schüler, Helke; Bannas, Peter; Behzadi, Cyrus; Bernhardt, Alexander M; Hillebrand, Mathias; Fuisting, Bettina; Sheikhzadeh, Sara; Rybczynski, Meike; Kölbel, Tilo; Püschel, Klaus; Blankenberg, Stefan; Robinson, Peter N

2015-01-01

Three international nosologies have been proposed for the diagnosis of Marfan syndrome (MFS): the Berlin nosology in 1988; the Ghent nosology in 1996 (Ghent-1); and the revised Ghent nosology in 2010 (Ghent-2). We reviewed the literature and discussed the challenges and concepts of diagnosing MFS in adults. Ghent-1 proposed more stringent clinical criteria, which led to the confirmation of MFS in only 32%–53% of patients formerly diagnosed with MFS according to the Berlin nosology. Conversely, both the Ghent-1 and Ghent-2 nosologies diagnosed MFS, and both yielded similar frequencies of MFS in persons with a causative FBN1 mutation (90% for Ghent-1 versus 92% for Ghent-2) and in persons not having a causative FBN1 mutation (15% versus 13%). Quality criteria for diagnostic methods include objectivity, reliability, and validity. However, the nosology-based diagnosis of MFS lacks a diagnostic reference standard and, hence, quality criteria such as sensitivity, specificity, or accuracy cannot be assessed. Medical utility of diagnosis implies congruency with the historical criteria of MFS, as well as with information about the etiology, pathogenesis, diagnostic triggers, prognostic triggers, and potential complications of MFS. In addition, social and psychological utilities of diagnostic criteria include acceptance by patients, patient organizations, clinicians and scientists, practicability, costs, and the reduction of anxiety. Since the utility of a diagnosis or exclusion of MFS is context-dependent, prioritization of utilities is a strategic decision in the process of nosology development. Screening tests for MFS should be used to identify persons with MFS. To confirm the diagnosis of MFS, Ghent-1 and Ghent-2 perform similarly, but Ghent-2 is easier to use. To maximize the utility of the diagnostic criteria of MFS, a fair and transparent process of nosology development is essential. PMID:26124674

Biometric and structural ocular manifestations of Marfan syndrome

PubMed Central

Gehle, Petra; Goergen, Barbara; Pilger, Daniel; Ruokonen, Peter; Robinson, Peter N.

2017-01-01

Background To study biometric and structural ocular manifestations of Marfan syndrome (MFS). Methods Observational, retrospective, comparative cohort study in a tertiary referral center on 285 MFS patients and 267 controls. Structural and biometric ocular characteristic were compared. Results MFS eyes were longer (axial length 24.25 ± 1.74 mm versus 23.89 ± 1.31 mm, p < 0.001) and had a flatter cornea than control eyes (mean keratometry 41.78 ± 1.80 diopters (D) versus 43.05 ± 1.51 D, p < 0.001). Corneal astigmatism was greater and the central cornea was thinner in MFS eyes (530.14 ± 41.31 μm versus 547.02 ± 39.18 μm, p < 0.001). MFS eyes were more myopic than control eyes (spherical equivalent -2.16 ± 3.75 D versus -1.17 ± 2.58 D, p < 0.001). Visual acuity was reduced (0.13 ± 0.25 logMAR versus 0.05 ± 0.18 logMAR, p < 0.001) and intraocular pressure was lower in MFS eyes (14.6 ± 3.4 mmHg versus 15.1 ± 3.2 mmHg, p = 0.01). Iris transillumination defects (ITD) were significantly more common in MFS eyes (odds ratio for MFS in the presence of ITD, 3.7). Ectopia lentis (EL) was only present in MFS eyes (33.4%). History of retinal detachment was significantly more common in MFS eyes. Glaucoma was equally common in both groups. Conclusions ITD and EL are most characteristic findings in MFS. ITD and corneal curvature should be studied as diagnostic criteria for MFS. Visual acuity is reduced in MFS. MFS patients need regular eye exams to identify serious ocular complications. PMID:28931008

Substrate-bound structure of the E. coli multidrug resistance transporter MdfA

PubMed Central

Heng, Jie; Zhao, Yan; Liu, Ming; Liu, Yue; Fan, Junping; Wang, Xianping; Zhao, Yongfang; Zhang, Xuejun C

2015-01-01

Multidrug resistance is a serious threat to public health. Proton motive force-driven antiporters from the major facilitator superfamily (MFS) constitute a major group of multidrug-resistance transporters. Currently, no reports on crystal structures of MFS antiporters in complex with their substrates exist. The E. coli MdfA transporter is a well-studied model system for biochemical analyses of multidrug-resistance MFS antiporters. Here, we report three crystal structures of MdfA-ligand complexes at resolutions up to 2.0 Å, all in the inward-facing conformation. The substrate-binding site sits proximal to the conserved acidic residue, D34. Our mutagenesis studies support the structural observations of the substrate-binding mode and the notion that D34 responds to substrate binding by adjusting its protonation status. Taken together, our data unveil the substrate-binding mode of MFS antiporters and suggest a mechanism of transport via this group of transporters. PMID:26238402

Corneal curvature, pachymetry, and endothelial cell density in Marfan syndrome.

PubMed

Konradsen, Tiina R; Koivula, Annemari; Kugelberg, Maria; Zetterström, Charlotta

2012-06-01

To evaluate corneal curvature, pachymetry, and endothelial cell density (ECD) in Marfan syndrome (MFS). A case-control study in which K values, pachymetry, and ECD were compared in 39 MFS eyes and 40 control eyes matched for age and refraction was conducted. MFS eyes with lens subluxation also were compared with eyes without subluxation. The mean K(med) value in MFS eyes was lower than in the control eyes, 42.2 ± 1.9 versus 43.4 ± 1.4 dioptres (D), respectively (p = 0.02). Fifteen MFS eyes (38%) and three control eyes (8%) had K(med) values below 41.5 D (p = 0.0012). MFS eyes had generally more corneal astigmatism than control eyes, 1.1 ± 0.9 versus 0.8 ± 0.4 D (p = 0.035), and MFS eyes with lens subluxation had more corneal astigmatism than those without, 1.6 ± 1.1 versus 0.6 ± 0.3 D (p = 0.0002). Nine MFS eyes with corneal astigmatism exceeding 1.5 D also had a subluxated lens. No eyes had keratoconus. The mean pachymetry value was lower in MFS eyes compared to the controls, 485 ± 54.5 versus 514 ± 37.3 μm (p = 0.007); 24 MFS eyes (62%) and 10 control eyes (25%) had measurements below 500 μm (p = 0.01). The mean ECD values were similar in MFS and control eyes, 2815 ± 430 versus 2858 ± 458 cells/mm(2) (p = 0.66). The mean K value, pachymetry, and ECD values did not differ between MFS eyes with and without lens subluxation. Decreased K values and pachymetry could indicate MFS regardless of subluxation. High corneal astigmatism is associated with subluxation in MFS. Subluxation should be identified in MFS eyes with high corneal astigmatism. © 2010 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2010 Acta Ophthalmol.

Recurrent Guillain-Barré syndrome, Miller Fisher syndrome and Bickerstaff brainstem encephalitis.

PubMed

Ishii, Junko; Yuki, Nobuhiro; Kawamoto, Michi; Yoshimura, Hajime; Kusunoki, Susumu; Kohara, Nobuo

2016-05-15

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS), and Bickerstaff brainstem encephalitis (BBE) are usually monophasic, but some patients experience recurrences after long asymptomatic intervals. We aimed to investigate clinical features of recurrent GBS, MFS, and BBE at a single hospital. Records from 97 consecutive patients with GBS, MFS or BBE who were admitted to a tertiary hospital between 2001 and 2013 were reviewed. Clinical and laboratory features of patients with recurrent GBS, MFS, or BBE were investigated. Patients included 55 (32 males) with GBS, 34 (22 males) with MFS, and 8 (6 males) with BBE. Recurrent cases occurred in 2 (4%) of the 55 patients with GBS, 4 (12%) of the 34 patients with MFS, and 2 (25%) of the 8 patients with BBE. Patients with recurrent MFS had a tendency to be younger at the first episode than patients with non-recurrent MFS (median, 22 versus 37years old). Symptoms and signs were less severe during relapses than during the initial episode in recurrent patients. Recurrences occurred more frequently in patients with MFS or BBE compared with those with GBS. Patients with recurrent MFS might be younger than those with non-recurrent MFS. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Water Quality and Biological Characteristics of the Middle Fork of the Saline River, Arkansas, 2003-06

USGS Publications Warehouse

Galloway, Joel M.; Petersen, James C.; Shelby, Erica L.; Wise, Jim A.

2008-01-01

The Middle Fork of the Saline River has many qualities that have been recognized by State and Federal agencies. The Middle Fork provides habitat for several rare aquatic species and is part of a larger stream system (the Upper Saline River) that is known for relatively high levels of species richness and relatively high numbers of species of concern. Water-quality samples were collected and streamflow was measured by the U.S. Geological Survey at three sites in the Middle Fork Basin between October 2003 and October 2006. The Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality collected discrete synoptic water-quality samples from eight sites between January 2004 and October 2006. The Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality also sampled fish (September-October 2003) and benthic macroinvertebrate communities (September 2003-December 2005) at five sites. Streamflow varied annually among the three streamflow sites from October 2003 to October 2006. The mean annual streamflow for Brushy Creek near Jessieville (MFS06) was 0.72 cubic meters per second for water years 2004-2006. The Middle Fork below Jessieville (MFS05) had a mean annual streamflow of 1.11 cubic meters per second for water years 2004-2006. The Middle Fork near Owensville (MFS02), the most downstream site, had a mean annual streamflow of 3.01 cubic meters per second. The greatest streamflows at the three sites generally occurred in the winter and spring and the least in the summer. Nutrient dynamics in the Middle Fork are controlled by activities in the basin and processes that occur in the stream. Point sources and nonpoint sources of nutrients occur in the Middle Fork Basin that could affect the water-quality. Nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations generally were greatest in Mill Creek (MFS04E) and in the Middle Fork immediately downstream from the confluence with Mill Creek (MFS04) with decreasing concentrations at sites farther downstream in Middle Fork. The site in Mill Creek is located downstream from a wastewater-treatment plant discharge and concentrations at sites farther downstream probably had lesser concentrations because of dilution effects and from algal uptake. Nutrient concentrations generally were significantly greater during high-flow conditions compared to base-flow conditions. Flow-weighted nutrient concentrations were computed for the three streamflow sites and were compared to 82 relatively undeveloped sites identified across the Nation, to the Alum Fork of the Saline River near Reform, Arkansas, and to the Illinois River south of Siloam Springs, Arkansas, a site influenced by numerous point and nonpoint sources of nutrients. Annual flow-weighted nutrient concentrations for MFS06, MFS05, and MFS02 were greater than relatively undeveloped sites, but were substantially less than the Illinois River south of Siloam Springs. Fecal indicator bacteria concentrations were slightly greater at MFS06 and MFS05 compared to concentrations at MFS02 for October 2003 to October 2006. MFS05 had the greatest E.coli concentrations and MFS06 had the greatest fecal coliform concentrations. Overall, fecal indicator bacteria concentrations were significantly greater for samples collected during high-flow conditions compared to samples collected during low-flow conditions at all three sites. Suspended-sediment concentrations did not vary significantly among MFS06, MFS05, and MFS02 for all the samples collected from October 2003 to October 2006. Suspended-sediment concentrations were significantly greater in samples collected during high-flow conditions compared to samples collected during base-flow conditions. Synoptic samples indicated varied total suspended-solids distributions from upstream to downstream in the Middle Fork between January 2004 and October 2006. Overall, total suspended-solids values were the greatest at site MFS02 and decreased at sites upstream and downstream. Turbidity measured when water-quality samples were

A review of multifunctional structure technology for aerospace applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sairajan, K. K.; Aglietti, G. S.; Mani, K. M.

2016-03-01

The emerging field of multifunctional structure (MFS) technologies enables the design of systems with reduced mass and volume, thereby improving their overall efficiency. It requires developments in different engineering disciplines and their integration into a single system without degrading their individual performances. MFS is particularly suitable for aerospace applications where mass and volume are critical to the cost of the mission. This article reviews the current state of the art of multifunctional structure technologies relevant to aerospace applications.

Biomechanical properties of the thoracic aorta in Marfan patients

PubMed Central

Sulejmani, Fatiesa; Pokutta-Paskaleva, Anastassia; Ziganshin, Bulat; Leshnower, Bradley; Iannucci, Glen; Elefteriades, John

2017-01-01

Background Marfan syndrome (MFS), a genetic disorder of the connective tissue, has been strongly linked to dilation of the thoracic aorta, among other cardiovascular complications. As a result, MFS patients frequently suffer from aortic dissection and rupture, contributing to the high rate of mortality and morbidity among MFS patients. Despite the significant effort devoted to the investigation of mechanical and structural properties of aneurysmal tissue, studies on Marfan aneurysmal biomechanics are scarce. Ex vivo mechanical characterization of MFS aneurysmal tissue can provide a better insight into tissue strength outside the physiologic loading range and serve as a basis for improved risk assessment and failure prediction. Methods The mechanical and microstructural properties of MFS aneurysmal thoracic aorta (MFS, n=15, 39.5±3.91 years), non-MFS aneurysmal thoracic aorta (TAA, n=8, 52.8±4.9 years), healthy human thoracic aorta (HH, n=8, 75.4±6.1 years), and porcine thoracic aorta (n=10) are investigated. Planar biaxial tensile testing and uniaxial failure testing were utilized to characterize the mechanical and failure properties of the tissue, respectively. Verhoeff-Van Gieson (VVG) and PicroSirius Red stains were utilized to visualize the elastin and collagen fiber architecture, respectively. Results MFS tissue was found to have age-dependent but diameter-independent mechanical, structural, and morphological properties, also showing extensive elastin fiber degradation. Non-MFS thoracic aneurysmal aorta was thicker and stiffer than age-matched MFS tissue. Moreover, non-MFS thoracic aneurysmal mechanics resembled closely the mechanics of older healthy human tissue. Younger MFS tissue (<40 years) exhibited similar mechanical and structural properties to aged porcine tissue. Conclusions Both age and aneurysmal presence were found to be factors associated with increased stiffness in aortic tissue, and aortic diameter was not a significant determinant of mechanical property deterioration. Additionally, the presence of MFS was found to induce stiffening of the thoracic aorta, although not to the extent of the non-MFS aneurysm. PMID:29270373

Implications of Mycobacterium Major Facilitator Superfamily for Novel Measures against Tuberculosis.

PubMed

Wang, Rui; Zhang, Zhen; Xie, Longxiang; Xie, Jianping

2015-01-01

Major facilitator superfamily (MFS) is an important secondary membrane transport protein superfamily conserved from prokaryotes to eukaryotes. The MFS proteins are widespread among bacteria and are responsible for the transfer of substrates. Pathogenic Mycobacterium MFS transporters, their distribution, function, phylogeny, and predicted crystal structures were studied to better understand the function of MFS and to discover specific inhibitors of MFS for better tuberculosis control.

Miltefosine has post-antifungal effect and induces apoptosis in Cryptococcus yeasts.

PubMed

Spadari, Cristina de Castro; Vila, Taissa; Rozental, Sonia; Ishida, Kelly

2018-05-29

Cryptococcus spp. are common opportunistic fungal pathogens, particularly in HIV patients. The approved drug miltefosine (MFS) has potential as an alternative antifungal against cryptococcosis; however, the mechanism of action of MFS in Cryptococcus is poorly understood. Here, we examined the effects of MFS on C. neoformans and C. gattii yeasts (planktonic and biofilm lifestyles), to clarify its mechanism of action. MFS presented inhibitory and fungicidal effects against planktonic Cryptococcus cells, with similar activity against dispersion biofilm cells, while sessile biofilm cells were less sensitive to MFS. Interestingly, MFS had post-antifungal effect on Cryptococcus , with a proliferation delay of up to 8.15 h after short exposure to fungicidal doses. MFS at fungicidal concentrations increased plasma membrane permeability, likely due to direct interaction with ergosterol, as suggested by competition assays with exogenous ergosterol. Moreover, MFS reduced the mitochondrial membrane potential, increased ROS production, and induced DNA fragmentation and condensation, all of which are hallmarks of apoptosis. Transmission electron microscopy analysis showed that MFS-treated yeasts had a reduced mucopolysaccharide capsule (confirmed by morphometry in light microscopy), plasma membrane irregularities, mitochondrial swelling and a less conspicuous cell wall. Our results suggest that MFS increases plasma membrane permeability in Cryptococcus via interaction with ergosterol, and also affects the mitochondrial membrane, eventually leading to apoptosis, in line with its fungicidal activity. These findings confirm the potential of MFS as an antifungal against C. neoformans and C. gattii, and warrants further studies to establish clinical protocols for MFS use against cryptococcosis. Copyright © 2018 American Society for Microbiology.

The organization of the actin cytoskeleton in vertical and graviresponding primary roots of maize

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blancaflor, E. B.; Hasenstein, K. H.

1997-01-01

To determine whether actin microfilament (MF) organization is correlated with differential elongation, primary roots of Zea mays cv Merit maintained vertically or reoriented horizontally for 15 to 120 min were stained with rhodamine phalloidin and examined with a confocal microscope. Root curvature was measured with a computer-controlled video digitizer. In vertical roots bundles of MFs in the elongation and maturation zone were oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis of cells. MFs in the vascular parenchyma cells were more abundant than in the cortex and epidermis. Epidermal and proendodermal cells in the meristematic region contained transverse cortical MFs. The organization of MFs of graviresponding roots was similar to that of vertical roots. Application of cytochalasin B or cytochalasin D resulted in extensive disruption of MFs in the cortex and epidermis, but only partially affected MFs in the stele. Despite the cytochalasin B-induced depolymerization of MFs, gravicurvature exceeded that of controls. In contrast, the auxin transport inhibitor N-1 naphthylphthalamic acid suppressed root curvature but had no observable effect on the integrity of the MFs. The data indicate that MFs may not be involved in the graviresponse of maize roots.

Effect of the Antioxidant Lipoic Acid in Aortic Phenotype in a Marfan Syndrome Mouse Model.

PubMed

Guido, Maria C; Debbas, Victor; Salemi, Vera M; Tavares, Elaine R; Meirelles, Thayna; Araujo, Thaís L S; Nolasco, Patricia; Ferreira-Filho, Julio C A; Takimura, Celso K; Pereira, Lygia V; Laurindo, Francisco R

2018-01-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) cardiovascular manifestations such as aortic aneurysms and cardiomyopathy carry substantial morbidity/mortality. We investigated the effects of lipoic acid, an antioxidant, on ROS production and aortic remodeling in a MFS mgΔ loxPneo mouse model. MFS and WT (wild-type) 1-month-old mice were allocated to 3 groups: untreated, treated with losartan, and treated with lipoic acid. At 6 months old, echocardiography, ROS production, and morphological analysis of aortas were performed. Aortic ROS generation in 6-month-old MFS animals was higher at advanced stages of disease in MFS. An unprecedented finding in MFS mice analyzed by OCT was the occurrence of focal inhomogeneous regions in the aortic arch, either collagen-rich extremely thickened or collagen-poor hypotrophic regions. MFS animals treated with lipoic acid showed markedly reduced ROS production and lower ERK1/2 phosphorylation; meanwhile, aortic dilation and elastic fiber breakdown were unaltered. Of note, lipoic acid treatment associated with the absence of focal inhomogeneous regions in MFS animals. Losartan reduced aortic dilation and elastic fiber breakdown despite no change in ROS generation. In conclusion, oxidant generation by itself seems neutral with respect to aneurysm progression in MFS; however, lipoic acid-mediated reduction of inhomogeneous regions may potentially associate with less anisotropy and reduced chance of dissection/rupture.

Block modeling of crustal deformation in Tierra del Fuego from GNSS velocities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mendoza, L.; Richter, A.; Fritsche, M.; Hormaechea, J. L.; Perdomo, R.; Dietrich, R.

2015-05-01

The Tierra del Fuego (TDF) main island is divided by a major transform boundary between the South America and Scotia tectonic plates. Using a block model, we infer slip rates, locking depths and inclinations of active faults in TDF from inversion of site velocities derived from Global Navigation Satellite System observations. We use interseismic velocities from 48 sites, obtained from field measurements spanning 20 years. Euler vectors consistent with a simple seismic cycle are estimated for each block. In addition, we introduce far-field information into the modeling by applying constraints on Euler vectors of major tectonic plates. The difference between model and observed surface deformation near the Magallanes Fagnano Fault System (MFS) is reduced by considering finite dip in the forward model. For this tectonic boundary global plate circuits models predict relative movements between 7 and 9 mm yr- 1, while our regional model indicates that a strike-slip rate of 5.9 ± 0.2 mm yr- 1 is accommodated across the MFS. Our results indicate faults dipping 66- 4+ 6° southward, locked to a depth of 11- 5+ 5 km, which are consistent with geological models for the MFS. However, normal slip also dominates the fault perpendicular motion throughout the eastern MFS, with a maximum rate along the Fagnano Lake.

Muscle and Bone Impairment in Children With Marfan Syndrome: Correlation With Age and FBN1 Genotype.

PubMed

Haine, Elsa; Salles, Jean-Pierre; Khau Van Kien, Philippe; Conte-Auriol, Françoise; Gennero, Isabelle; Plancke, Aurélie; Julia, Sophie; Dulac, Yves; Tauber, Maithé; Edouard, Thomas

2015-08-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a rare connective tissue disorder caused by mutation in the gene encoding the extracellular matrix protein fibrillin-1 (FBN1), leading to transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) signaling dysregulation. Although decreased axial and peripheral bone mineral density (BMD) has been reported in adults with MFS, data about the evolution of bone mass during childhood and adolescence are limited. The aim of the present study was to evaluate bone and muscle characteristics in children, adolescents, and young adults with MFS. The study population included 48 children and young adults (22 girls) with MFS with a median age of 11.9 years (range 5.3 to 25.2 years). The axial skeleton was analyzed at the lumbar spine using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), whereas the appendicular skeleton (hand) was evaluated using the BoneXpert system (with the calculation of the Bone Health Index). Muscle mass was measured by DXA. Compared with healthy age-matched controls, bone mass at the axial and appendicular levels and muscle mass were decreased in children with MFS and worsened from childhood to adulthood. Vitamin D deficiency (<50 nmol/L) was found in about a quarter of patients. Serum vitamin D levels were negatively correlated with age and positively correlated with lumbar spine areal and volumetric BMD. Lean body mass (LBM) Z-scores were positively associated with total body bone mineral content (TB-BMC) Z-scores, and LBM was an independent predictor of TB-BMC values, suggesting that muscle hypoplasia could explain at least in part the bone loss in MFS. Patients with a FBN1 premature termination codon mutation had a more severe musculoskeletal phenotype than patients with an inframe mutation, suggesting the involvement of TGF-β signaling dysregulation in the pathophysiologic mechanisms. In light of these results, we recommend that measurement of bone mineral status should be part of the longitudinal clinical investigation of MFS children. © 2015 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

Multistage Computerized Adaptive Testing with Uniform Item Exposure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Michael C.; Flora, David B.; Thissen, David

2012-01-01

This article describes a computerized adaptive test (CAT) based on the uniform item exposure multi-form structure (uMFS). The uMFS is a specialization of the multi-form structure (MFS) idea described by Armstrong, Jones, Berliner, and Pashley (1998). In an MFS CAT, the examinee first responds to a small fixed block of items. The items comprising…

Histopathology of aortic complications in bicuspid aortic valve versus Marfan syndrome: relevance for therapy?

PubMed

Grewal, Nimrat; Franken, Romy; Mulder, Barbara J M; Goumans, Marie-José; Lindeman, Johannes H N; Jongbloed, Monique R M; DeRuiter, Marco C; Klautz, Robert J M; Bogers, Ad J J C; Poelmann, Robert E; Groot, Adriana C Gittenberger-de

2016-05-01

Patients with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) and patients with Marfan syndrome (MFS) are more prone to develop aortic dilation and dissection compared to persons with a tricuspid aortic valve (TAV). To elucidate potential common and distinct pathways of clinical relevance, we compared the histopathological substrates of aortopathy. Ascending aortic wall biopsies were divided in five groups: BAV (n = 36) and TAV (n = 23) without and with dilation and non-dilated MFS (n = 8). General histologic features, apoptosis, the expression of markers for vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) maturation, markers predictive for ascending aortic dilation in BAV, and expression of fibrillin-1 were investigated. Both MFS and BAV showed an altered distribution and decreased fibrillin-1 expression in the aorta and a significantly lower level of differentiated VSMC markers. Interestingly, markers predictive for aortic dilation in BAV were not expressed in the MFS aorta. The aorta in MFS was similar to the aorta in dilated TAV with regard to the presence of medial degeneration and apoptosis, while other markers for degeneration and aging like inflammation and progerin expression were low in MFS, comparable to BAV. Both MFS and BAV aortas have immature VSMCs, while MFS and TAV patients have a similar increased rate of medial degeneration. However, the mechanism leading to apoptosis is expected to be different, being fibrillin-1 mutation induced increased angiotensin-receptor-pathway signaling in MFS and cardiovascular aging and increased progerin in TAV. Our findings could explain why angiotensin inhibition is successful in MFS and less effective in TAV and BAV patients.

Work participation in adults with Marfan syndrome: Demographic characteristics, MFS related health symptoms, chronic pain, and fatigue.

PubMed

Velvin, Gry; Bathen, Trine; Rand-Hendriksen, Svend; Geirdal, Amy Østertun

2015-12-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a severe autosomal dominant connective tissue disorder that might influence peoples work ability. This cross sectional study aims to investigate work participation in adults with verified MFS diagnosis and to explore how the health related consequences of MFS and other factors might influence work participation. The prevalence of health problems in young adults compared to older adults with MFS was examined in association to work participation. A postal questionnaire including questions about work participation, demographic characteristics, MFS related health problems, chronic pain, and fatigue was sent to 117 adults with verified MFS (Ghent 1), and 62% answered. Fifty-nine percent were employed or students, significantly lower work participation than the General Norwegian Population (GNP), but higher than the Norwegian population of people with disability. Most young adults worked full-time despite extensive health problems, but the average age for leaving work was low. Few had received any work adaptations prior to retiring from work. In multiple logistic regression analysis, only age, lower educational level and severe fatigue were significantly associated with low work participation; not MFS related health problems or chronic pain. Fatigue appears to be the most challenging health problem to deal with in work, but the covariance is complex. Focus on vocational guidance early in life, more appropriate work adaptations, and psychosocial support might improve the possibility for sustaining in work for adults with MFS. More research about work challenges in adults with MFS is needed. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Landslide susceptibility mapping using a neuro-fuzzy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, S.; Choi, J.; Oh, H.

2009-12-01

This paper develops and applied an adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) based on a geographic information system (GIS) environment using landslide-related factors and location for landslide susceptibility mapping. A neuro-fuzzy system is based on a fuzzy system that is trained by a learning algorithm derived from the neural network theory. The learning procedure operates on local information, and causes only local modifications in the underlying fuzzy system. The study area, Boun, suffered much damage following heavy rain in 1998 and was selected as a suitable site for the evaluation of the frequency and distribution of landslides. Boun is located in the central part of Korea. Landslide-related factors such as slope, soil texture, wood type, lithology, and density of lineament were extracted from topographic, soil, forest, and lineament maps. Landslide locations were identified from interpretation of aerial photographs and field surveys. Landslide-susceptible areas were analyzed by the ANFIS method and mapped using occurrence factors. In particular, we applied various membership functions (MFs) and analysis results were verified using the landslide location data. The predictive maps using triangular, trapezoidal, and polynomial MFs were the best individual MFs for modeling landslide susceptibility maps (84.96% accuracy), proving that ANFIS could be very effective in modeling landslide susceptibility mapping. Various MFs were used in this study, and after verification, the difference in accuracy according to the MFs was small, between 84.81% and 84.96%. The difference was just 0.15% and therefore the choice of MFs was not important in the study. Also, compared with the likelihood ratio model, which showed 84.94%, the accuracy was similar. Thus, the ANFIS could be applied to other study areas with different data and other study methods such as cross-validation. The developed ANFIS learns the if-then rules between landslide-related factors and landslide location for generalization and prediction. It is easy to understand and interpret, therefore it is a good choice for modeling landslide susceptibility mapping, which are also of great help for planners and engineers in selecting highly susceptible areas for further detail surveys and suitable locations to implement development. Although they may be less useful at the site-specific scale, where local geological and geographic heterogeneities may prevail, the results herein may be used as basic data to assist slope management and land use planning. For the method to be more generally applied, more landslide data are needed and more case studies should be conducted.

Effect of the Antioxidant Lipoic Acid in Aortic Phenotype in a Marfan Syndrome Mouse Model

PubMed Central

Debbas, Victor; Salemi, Vera M.; Tavares, Elaine R.; Meirelles, Thayna; Ferreira-Filho, Julio C. A.; Takimura, Celso K.; Pereira, Lygia V.; Laurindo, Francisco R.

2018-01-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) cardiovascular manifestations such as aortic aneurysms and cardiomyopathy carry substantial morbidity/mortality. We investigated the effects of lipoic acid, an antioxidant, on ROS production and aortic remodeling in a MFS mgΔloxPneo mouse model. MFS and WT (wild-type) 1-month-old mice were allocated to 3 groups: untreated, treated with losartan, and treated with lipoic acid. At 6 months old, echocardiography, ROS production, and morphological analysis of aortas were performed. Aortic ROS generation in 6-month-old MFS animals was higher at advanced stages of disease in MFS. An unprecedented finding in MFS mice analyzed by OCT was the occurrence of focal inhomogeneous regions in the aortic arch, either collagen-rich extremely thickened or collagen-poor hypotrophic regions. MFS animals treated with lipoic acid showed markedly reduced ROS production and lower ERK1/2 phosphorylation; meanwhile, aortic dilation and elastic fiber breakdown were unaltered. Of note, lipoic acid treatment associated with the absence of focal inhomogeneous regions in MFS animals. Losartan reduced aortic dilation and elastic fiber breakdown despite no change in ROS generation. In conclusion, oxidant generation by itself seems neutral with respect to aneurysm progression in MFS; however, lipoic acid-mediated reduction of inhomogeneous regions may potentially associate with less anisotropy and reduced chance of dissection/rupture. PMID:29765495

Magnetic fields: how is plant growth and development impacted?

PubMed

da Silva, Jaime A Teixeira; Dobránszki, Judit

2016-03-01

This review provides detailed insight on the effects of magnetic fields on germination, growth, development, and yield of plants focusing on ex vitro growth and development and discussing the possible physiological and biochemical responses. The MFs considered in this review range from the nanoTesla (nT) to geomagnetic levels, up to very strong MFs greater than 15 Tesla (T) and also super-weak MFs (near 0 T). The theoretical bases of the action of MFs on plant growth, which are complex, are not discussed here and thus far, there is limited mathematical background about the action of MFs on plant growth. MFs can positively influence the morphogenesis of several plants which allows them to be used in practical situations. MFs have thus far been shown to modify seed germination and affect seedling growth and development in a wide range of plants, including field, fodder, and industrial crops; cereals and pseudo-cereals; grasses; herbs and medicinal plants; horticultural crops (vegetables, fruits, ornamentals); trees; and model crops. This is important since MFs may constitute a non-residual and non-toxic stimulus. In addition to presenting and summarizing the effects of MFs on plant growth and development, we also provide possible physiological and biochemical explanations for these responses including stress-related responses of plants, explanations based on dia-, para-, and ferromagnetism, oriented movements of substances, and cellular and molecular changes.

Health Information Technologies-Academic and Commercial Evaluation (HIT-ACE) methodology: description and application to clinical feedback systems.

PubMed

Lyon, Aaron R; Lewis, Cara C; Melvin, Abigail; Boyd, Meredith; Nicodimos, Semret; Liu, Freda F; Jungbluth, Nathaniel

2016-09-22

Health information technologies (HIT) have become nearly ubiquitous in the contemporary healthcare landscape, but information about HIT development, functionality, and implementation readiness is frequently siloed. Theory-driven methods of compiling, evaluating, and integrating information from the academic and commercial sectors are necessary to guide stakeholder decision-making surrounding HIT adoption and to develop pragmatic HIT research agendas. This article presents the Health Information Technologies-Academic and Commercial Evaluation (HIT-ACE) methodology, a structured, theory-driven method for compiling and evaluating information from multiple sectors. As an example demonstration of the methodology, we apply HIT-ACE to mental and behavioral health measurement feedback systems (MFS). MFS are a specific class of HIT that support the implementation of routine outcome monitoring, an evidence-based practice. HIT-ACE is guided by theories and frameworks related to user-centered design and implementation science. The methodology involves four phases: (1) coding academic and commercial materials, (2) developer/purveyor interviews, (3) linking putative implementation mechanisms to hit capabilities, and (4) experimental testing of capabilities and mechanisms. In the current demonstration, phase 1 included a systematic process to identify MFS in mental and behavioral health using academic literature and commercial websites. Using user-centered design, implementation science, and feedback frameworks, the HIT-ACE coding system was developed, piloted, and used to review each identified system for the presence of 38 capabilities and 18 additional characteristics via a consensus coding process. Bibliometic data were also collected to examine the representation of the systems in the scientific literature. As an example, results are presented for the application of HIT-ACE phase 1 to MFS wherein 49 separate MFS were identified, reflecting a diverse array of characteristics and capabilities. Preliminary findings demonstrate the utility of HIT-ACE to represent the scope and diversity of a given class of HIT beyond what can be identified in the academic literature. Phase 2 data collection is expected to confirm and expand the information presented and phases 3 and 4 will provide more nuanced information about the impact of specific HIT capabilities. In all, HIT-ACE is expected to support adoption decisions and additional HIT development and implementation research.

Detection of the effect of nanoparticles on myelin figures growth using a compact digital holographic microscope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ebrahimi, Samira; Soltani, Peyman; Moradi, Ali-Reza; Tayebi, Lobat

2013-11-01

Digital holographic microscopy (DHM) is an effective and non-destructive technique for quantitative phase contrast imaging of biological samples and living organelles. In this paper, using a simple and stable common-path DHM setup we study lipid bilayer dynamics and detect their morphological changes. Stacks of lipid amphiphilic molecules in excess water and at the presence of an external stimulus, stress, or force have great capability for the formation of multilamellar cylindrical tubes that are called myelin figures(MFs). MFs can be found in various healthy and diseased living cells and their formation and dynamics in various conditions involve mysterious configurations that have been of high interest. We utilized nanoparticles solved in water with different concentrations as an external stimulus for MFs of POPC lipid. The nanoparticles are injected into the sample container via a microinjection pump in a constant rate and MFs growth rate and their volume changes are measured by a compact digital holographic system. The setup is based on a binocular conventional microscope making the setup very stable against vibrations and noises. The recorded holograms are then computationally reconstructed. The measurements and investigations are performed by analyzing the reconstruction process. We showed that nanoparticles increase the growth rate of MFs during the first few seconds. However, after few seconds, the growth rate does not alter significantly comparing to the absence of nanoparticles.

Infusion of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. Modulates Oxidative Stress in Patients with Marfan Syndrome.

PubMed

Soto, María Elena; Zuñiga-Muñoz, Alejandra; Guarner Lans, Verónica; Duran-Hernández, Erendira Janet; Pérez-Torres, Israel

2016-01-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is associated with progressive aortic dilatation, endothelial dysfunction, and oxidative stress that contribute to the early acute dissection of the vessel and can end up in rupture of the aorta and sudden death. Many studies have described that the organic acids from Hibiscus sabdariffa Linne (HSL) calyces increase cellular antioxidant capacity and decrease oxidative stress. Here we evaluate if the antioxidant properties of HSL infusion improve oxidative stress in MFS patients. Activities of extra cellular super oxide dismutase (ECSOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), glutathione reductase (GSSG-R), glutathione (GSH), lipid peroxidation (LPO) index, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and ascorbic acid were determined in plasma from MFS patients. Values before and after 3 months of the treatment with 2% HSL infusion were compared in control and MFS subjects. After treatment, there was a significant decrease in ECSOD (p = 0.03), EGPx (p = 0.04), GST (p = 0.03), GSH (p = 0.01), and TAC and ascorbic acid (p = 0.02) but GSSG-R activity (p = 0.04) and LPO (p = 0.02) were increased in MFS patients in comparison to patients receiving the HSL treatment and C subjects. Therefore, the infusion of HSL calyces has antioxidant properties that allow an increase in antioxidant capacity of both the enzymatic and nonenzymatic systems, in the plasma of the MSF patients.

Infusion of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. Modulates Oxidative Stress in Patients with Marfan Syndrome

PubMed Central

Soto, María Elena; Zuñiga-Muñoz, Alejandra; Guarner Lans, Verónica; Duran-Hernández, Erendira Janet; Pérez-Torres, Israel

2016-01-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is associated with progressive aortic dilatation, endothelial dysfunction, and oxidative stress that contribute to the early acute dissection of the vessel and can end up in rupture of the aorta and sudden death. Many studies have described that the organic acids from Hibiscus sabdariffa Linne (HSL) calyces increase cellular antioxidant capacity and decrease oxidative stress. Here we evaluate if the antioxidant properties of HSL infusion improve oxidative stress in MFS patients. Activities of extra cellular super oxide dismutase (ECSOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), glutathione reductase (GSSG-R), glutathione (GSH), lipid peroxidation (LPO) index, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and ascorbic acid were determined in plasma from MFS patients. Values before and after 3 months of the treatment with 2% HSL infusion were compared in control and MFS subjects. After treatment, there was a significant decrease in ECSOD (p = 0.03), EGPx (p = 0.04), GST (p = 0.03), GSH (p = 0.01), and TAC and ascorbic acid (p = 0.02) but GSSG-R activity (p = 0.04) and LPO (p = 0.02) were increased in MFS patients in comparison to patients receiving the HSL treatment and C subjects. Therefore, the infusion of HSL calyces has antioxidant properties that allow an increase in antioxidant capacity of both the enzymatic and nonenzymatic systems, in the plasma of the MSF patients. PMID:27413258

Periodontal conditions in patients with Marfan syndrome - a multicenter case control study.

PubMed

Staufenbiel, Ingmar; Hauschild, Christian; Kahl-Nieke, Bärbel; Vahle-Hinz, Eva; von Kodolitsch, Yskert; Berner, Maike; Bauss, Oskar; Geurtsen, Werner; Rahman, Alexander

2013-10-28

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a disorder of the connective tissues. Alterations of the elastic fibers may manifest in different tissues especially in the skeletal, cardiovascular and ocular system. Oral manifestations like orthodontic or skeletal anomalies and fragility of the temporomandibular joint have been well described by various authors. However, no data are available regarding a possible periodontal involvement of MFS. Hence, the aim of the present study was to investigate for the first time if MFS may increase the susceptibility to periodontitis. A comprehensive periodontal examination including documentation of probing pocket depth, gingival recession, clinical attachment level, and bleeding on probing was conducted in all patients. In addition, dental conditions were assessed by determining the Index for Decayed, Missing and Filled Teeth (DMFT) and a self-administered questionnaire was filled out by patients. For statistical analysis, the unpaired t-Test was applied (level of significance: p < 0.05). Both groups were matched concerning well known periodontal risk factors like age, gender and smoking habits. 82 participants, 51 patients with MFS (30 female and 21 male, mean age: 40.20 ± 15.35 years) and 31 sound controls (17 female and 14 male, mean age: 40.29 ± 13.94 years), were examined. All assessed periodontal and dental parameters were not significantly different between groups. Based on our data, patients with MFS did not reveal a higher prevalence of periodontitis compared to the control group. However, Marfan patients showed a tendency to more inflammation signs, which can be explained by the crowded teeth. Therefore, a regular professional cleaning of the teeth is recommendable (i.e., 6 months intervals) in order to reduce the bacterial biofilm in the oral cavity and thus resulting in a decreased risk of systemic diseases, specifically endocarditis.

Cardiac remodeling in the mouse model of Marfan syndrome develops into two distinctive phenotypes

PubMed Central

Tae, Hyun-Jin; Marshall, Shannon; Krawczyk, Melissa; Talan, Mark

2015-01-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a systemic disorder of connective tissue caused by mutations in fibrillin-1. Cardiac dysfunction in MFS has not been characterized halting the development of therapies of cardiac complication in MFS. We aimed to study the age-dependent cardiac remodeling in the mouse model of MFS FbnC1039G+/− mouse [Marfan heterozygous (HT) mouse] and its association with valvular regurgitation. Marfan HT mice of 2–4 mo demonstrated a mild hypertrophic cardiac remodeling with predominant decline of diastolic function and increased transforming growth factor-β canonical (p-SMAD2/3) and noncanonical (p-ERK1/2 and p-p38 MAPK) signaling and upregulation of hypertrophic markers natriuretic peptides atrium natriuretic peptide and brain natriuretic peptide. Among older HT mice (6–14 mo), cardiac remodeling was associated with two distinct phenotypes, manifesting either dilated or constricted left ventricular chamber. Dilatation of left ventricular chamber was accompanied by biochemical evidence of greater mechanical stress, including elevated ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK phosphorylation and higher brain natriuretic peptide expression. The aortic valve regurgitation was registered in 20% of the constricted group and 60% of the dilated group, whereas mitral insufficiency was observed in 40% of the constricted group and 100% of the dilated group. Cardiac dysfunction was not associated with the increase of interstitial fibrosis and nonmyocyte proliferation. In the mouse model fibrillin-1, haploinsufficiency results in the early onset of nonfibrotic hypertrophic cardiac remodeling and dysfunction, independently from valvular abnormalities. MFS heart is vulnerable to stress-induced cardiac dilatation in the face of valvular regurgitation, and stress-activated MAPK signals represent a potential target for cardiac management in MFS. PMID:26566724

Cardiac remodeling in the mouse model of Marfan syndrome develops into two distinctive phenotypes.

PubMed

Tae, Hyun-Jin; Petrashevskaya, Natalia; Marshall, Shannon; Krawczyk, Melissa; Talan, Mark

2016-01-15

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a systemic disorder of connective tissue caused by mutations in fibrillin-1. Cardiac dysfunction in MFS has not been characterized halting the development of therapies of cardiac complication in MFS. We aimed to study the age-dependent cardiac remodeling in the mouse model of MFS FbnC1039G+/- mouse [Marfan heterozygous (HT) mouse] and its association with valvular regurgitation. Marfan HT mice of 2-4 mo demonstrated a mild hypertrophic cardiac remodeling with predominant decline of diastolic function and increased transforming growth factor-β canonical (p-SMAD2/3) and noncanonical (p-ERK1/2 and p-p38 MAPK) signaling and upregulation of hypertrophic markers natriuretic peptides atrium natriuretic peptide and brain natriuretic peptide. Among older HT mice (6-14 mo), cardiac remodeling was associated with two distinct phenotypes, manifesting either dilated or constricted left ventricular chamber. Dilatation of left ventricular chamber was accompanied by biochemical evidence of greater mechanical stress, including elevated ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK phosphorylation and higher brain natriuretic peptide expression. The aortic valve regurgitation was registered in 20% of the constricted group and 60% of the dilated group, whereas mitral insufficiency was observed in 40% of the constricted group and 100% of the dilated group. Cardiac dysfunction was not associated with the increase of interstitial fibrosis and nonmyocyte proliferation. In the mouse model fibrillin-1, haploinsufficiency results in the early onset of nonfibrotic hypertrophic cardiac remodeling and dysfunction, independently from valvular abnormalities. MFS heart is vulnerable to stress-induced cardiac dilatation in the face of valvular regurgitation, and stress-activated MAPK signals represent a potential target for cardiac management in MFS.

Genetic testing of the FBN1 gene in Chinese patients with Marfan/Marfan-like syndrome.

PubMed

Yang, Hang; Luo, Mingyao; Chen, Qianlong; Fu, Yuanyuan; Zhang, Jing; Qian, Xiangyang; Sun, Xiaogang; Fan, Yuxin; Zhou, Zhou; Chang, Qian

2016-08-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is an autosomal dominant connective tissue disorder typically involving the ocular, skeletal and cardiovascular systems, and aortic aneurysms/dissection mainly contributes to its mortality. Here, we performed genetic testing of the FBN1 gene in 39 Chinese probands with Marfan/Marfan-like syndrome and their related family members by Sanger sequencing. In total, 29 pathogenic/likely pathogenic FBN1 mutations, including 17 novel ones, were identified. In addition, most MFS patients with aortic disease (62%) had a truncating or splicing mutation. These results expand the FBN1 mutation spectrum and enrich our knowledge of genotype-phenotype correlations. Genetic testing for MFS and its related aortic diseases is increasingly important for early intervention and treatment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Measuring underreporting and under-ascertainment in infectious disease datasets: a comparison of methods

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Efficient and reliable surveillance and notification systems are vital for monitoring public health and disease outbreaks. However, most surveillance and notification systems are affected by a degree of underestimation (UE) and therefore uncertainty surrounds the 'true’ incidence of disease affecting morbidity and mortality rates. Surveillance systems fail to capture cases at two distinct levels of the surveillance pyramid: from the community since not all cases seek healthcare (under-ascertainment), and at the healthcare-level, representing a failure to adequately report symptomatic cases that have sought medical advice (underreporting). There are several methods to estimate the extent of under-ascertainment and underreporting. Methods Within the context of the ECDC-funded Burden of Communicable Diseases in Europe (BCoDE)-project, an extensive literature review was conducted to identify studies that estimate ascertainment or reporting rates for salmonellosis and campylobacteriosis in European Union Member States (MS) plus European Free Trade Area (EFTA) countries Iceland, Norway and Switzerland and four other OECD countries (USA, Canada, Australia and Japan). Multiplication factors (MFs), a measure of the magnitude of underestimation, were taken directly from the literature or derived (where the proportion of underestimated, under-ascertained, or underreported cases was known) and compared for the two pathogens. Results MFs varied between and within diseases and countries, representing a need to carefully select the most appropriate MFs and methods for calculating them. The most appropriate MFs are often disease-, country-, age-, and sex-specific. Conclusions When routine data are used to make decisions on resource allocation or to estimate epidemiological parameters in populations, it becomes important to understand when, where and to what extent these data represent the true picture of disease, and in some instances (such as priority setting) it is necessary to adjust for underestimation. MFs can be used to adjust notification and surveillance data to provide more realistic estimates of incidence. PMID:24517715

Aortopathy in a Mouse Model of Marfan Syndrome Is Not Mediated by Altered Transforming Growth Factor β Signaling.

PubMed

Wei, Hao; Hu, Jie Hong; Angelov, Stoyan N; Fox, Kate; Yan, James; Enstrom, Rachel; Smith, Alexandra; Dichek, David A

2017-01-24

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is caused by mutations in the gene encoding fibrillin-1 (FBN1); however, the mechanisms through which fibrillin-1 deficiency causes MFS-associated aortopathy are uncertain. Recently, attention was focused on the hypothesis that MFS-associated aortopathy is caused by increased transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling in aortic medial smooth muscle cells (SMC). However, there are many reasons to doubt that TGF-β signaling drives MFS-associated aortopathy. We used a mouse model to test whether SMC TGF-β signaling is perturbed by a fibrillin-1 variant that causes MFS and whether blockade of SMC TGF-β signaling prevents MFS-associated aortopathy. MFS mice (Fbn1 C1039G/+ genotype) were genetically modified to allow postnatal SMC-specific deletion of the type II TGF-β receptor (TBRII; essential for physiologic TGF-β signaling). In young MFS mice with and without superimposed deletion of SMC-TBRII, we measured aortic dimensions, histopathology, activation of aortic SMC TGF-β signaling pathways, and changes in aortic SMC gene expression. Young Fbn1 C1039G/+ mice had ascending aortic dilation and significant disruption of aortic medial architecture. Both aortic dilation and disrupted medial architecture were exacerbated by superimposed deletion of TBRII. TGF-β signaling was unaltered in aortic SMC of young MFS mice; however, SMC-specific deletion of TBRII in Fbn1 C1039G/+ mice significantly decreased activation of SMC TGF-β signaling pathways. In young Fbn1 C1039G/+ mice, aortopathy develops in the absence of detectable alterations in SMC TGF-β signaling. Loss of physiologic SMC TGF-β signaling exacerbates MFS-associated aortopathy. Our data support a protective role for SMC TGF-β signaling during early development of MFS-associated aortopathy. © 2017 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley Blackwell.

Satisfaction with life in adults with Marfan syndrome (MFS): associations with health-related consequences of MFS, pain, fatigue, and demographic factors.

PubMed

Velvin, Gry; Bathen, Trine; Rand-Hendriksen, Svend; Geirdal, Amy Østertun

2016-07-01

The objective with this study was to explore satisfaction with life (SWL) among adults with Marfan syndrome (MFS) compared to the general Norwegian population and other patient groups and further to examine the associations between SWL and demographic factors, contact with social and health services, MFS-related health problems, chronic pain, and fatigue. This is a cross-sectional study with postal questionnaire, including the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), questions on demographic factors, health-related aspects of MFS, and validated instruments measuring chronic pain (Standardized Nordic Questionnaire) and fatigue (Fatigue Severity Scale). One hundred and seventeen adults with MFS were invited to participate, and 73 (62 %) participated. The SWLS mean score in adults with MFS was significantly lower than that reported for the general Norwegian population, but similar to or higher than that reported for other patient groups. Only fatigue, aortic dissection, and having regular contact with psychologist showed significant unique contribution to the SWLS score in the hierarchical multiple linear analyses. The total variance explained by the model was 45.2 % p ≤ 0.000, confirming that the combination of independent variables significantly predicted SWLS. The results reflect that MFS influences people's SWL and that particularly severe fatigue, aortic dissection, and psychological aspects are associated with lower SWL. This is important to take into account in the clinical work with people with MFS. Further investigation is needed, especially on larger sample groups. Studies with combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches are recommended to obtain more comprehensive and accurate knowledge about the consequences of MFS on satisfaction with life.

Rice SPX-Major Facility Superfamily3, a Vacuolar Phosphate Efflux Transporter, Is Involved in Maintaining Phosphate Homeostasis in Rice1[OPEN

PubMed Central

Ying, Yinghui; Wang, Shoudong; Secco, David; Liu, Yu; Whelan, James; Tyerman, Stephen D.; Shou, Huixia

2015-01-01

To maintain a stable cytosol phosphate (Pi) concentration, plant cells store Pi in their vacuoles. When the Pi concentration in the cytosol decreases, Pi is exported from the vacuole into the cytosol. This export is mediated by Pi transporters on the tonoplast. In this study, we demonstrate that SYG1, PHO81, and XPR1 (SPX)-Major Facility Superfamily (MFS) proteins have a similar structure with yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) low-affinity Pi transporters Phosphatase87 (PHO87), PHO90, and PHO91. OsSPX-MFS1, OsSPX-MFS2, and OsSPX-MFS3 all localized on the tonoplast of rice (Oryza sativa) protoplasts, even in the absence of the SPX domain. At high external Pi concentration, OsSPX-MFS3 could partially complement the yeast mutant strain EY917 under pH 5.5, which lacks all five Pi transporters present in yeast. In oocytes, OsSPX-MFS3 was shown to facilitate Pi influx or efflux depending on the external pH and Pi concentrations. In contrast to tonoplast localization in plants cells, OsSPX-MFS3 was localized to the plasma membrane when expressed in both yeast and oocytes. Overexpression of OsSPX-MFS3 results in decreased Pi concentration in the vacuole of rice tissues. We conclude that OsSPX-MFS3 is a low-affinity Pi transporter that mediates Pi efflux from the vacuole into cytosol and is coupled to proton movement. PMID:26424157

Kid-Short Marfan Score (Kid-SMS) Is a Useful Diagnostic Tool for Stratifying the Pre-Test Probability of Marfan Syndrome in Childhood

PubMed Central

Stark, Veronika C.; Arndt, Florian; Harring, Gesa; von Kodolitsch, Yskert; Kozlik-Feldmann, Rainer; Mueller, Goetz C.; Steiner, Kristoffer J.; Mir, Thomas S.

2015-01-01

Due to age dependent organ manifestation, diagnosis of Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a challenge, especially in childhood. It is important to identify children at risk of MFS as soon as possible to direct those to appropriate treatment but also to avoid stigmatization due to false diagnosis. We published the Kid-Short Marfan Score (Kid-SMS) in 2012 to stratify the pre-test probability of MFS in childhood. Hence we now evaluate the predictive performance of Kid-SMS in a new cohort of children. We prospectively investigated 106 patients who were suspected of having MFS. At baseline, children were examined according to Kid-SMS. At baseline and follow-up visit, diagnosis of MFS was established or rejected using standard current diagnostic criteria according to the revised Ghent Criteria (Ghent-2). At baseline 43 patients were identified with a risk of MFS according to Kid-SMS whereas 21 patients had Ghent-2 diagnosis of MFS. Sensitivity was 100%, specificity 77%, negative predictive value 100% and Likelihood ratio of Kid-SMS 4.3. During follow-up period, three other patients with a stratified risk for MFS were diagnosed according to Ghent-2. We confirm very good predictive performance of Kid-SMS with excellent sensitivity and negative predictive value but restricted specificity. Kid-SMS avoids stigmatization due to diagnosis of MFS and thus restriction to quality of life. Especially outpatient pediatricians and pediatric cardiologists can use it for primary assessment. PMID:28943606

Kid-Short Marfan Score (Kid-SMS) Is a Useful Diagnostic Tool for Stratifying the Pre-Test Probability of Marfan Syndrome in Childhood.

PubMed

Stark, Veronika C; Arndt, Florian; Harring, Gesa; von Kodolitsch, Yskert; Kozlik-Feldmann, Rainer; Mueller, Goetz C; Steiner, Kristoffer J; Mir, Thomas S

2015-03-12

Due to age dependent organ manifestation, diagnosis of Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a challenge, especially in childhood. It is important to identify children at risk of MFS as soon as possible to direct those to appropriate treatment but also to avoid stigmatization due to false diagnosis. We published the Kid-Short Marfan Score (Kid-SMS) in 2012 to stratify the pre-test probability of MFS in childhood. Hence we now evaluate the predictive performance of Kid-SMS in a new cohort of children. We prospectively investigated 106 patients who were suspected of having MFS. At baseline, children were examined according to Kid-SMS. At baseline and follow-up visit, diagnosis of MFS was established or rejected using standard current diagnostic criteria according to the revised Ghent Criteria (Ghent-2). At baseline 43 patients were identified with a risk of MFS according to Kid-SMS whereas 21 patients had Ghent-2 diagnosis of MFS. Sensitivity was 100%, specificity 77%, negative predictive value 100% and Likelihood ratio of Kid-SMS 4.3. During follow-up period, three other patients with a stratified risk for MFS were diagnosed according to Ghent-2. We confirm very good predictive performance of Kid-SMS with excellent sensitivity and negative predictive value but restricted specificity. Kid-SMS avoids stigmatization due to diagnosis of MFS and thus restriction to quality of life. Especially outpatient pediatricians and pediatric cardiologists can use it for primary assessment.

The association between maternal perception of her child weight and maternal feeding styles

PubMed

Flores-Peña, Yolanda; Acuña-Blanco, América; Cárdenas-Villarreal, Velia M; Amaro-Hinojosa, Marily D; Pérez-Campa, María E; Elenes-Rodríguez, Jesús R

2017-02-01

Introduction: Mothers do not recognize when their child is overweight or obese (OW-OB), and the evidence suggests a relationship between inadequate maternal perception of her child weight (MPCW), and maternal feeding style (MFS). Objectives: a) To assess the reliability of the Caregiver Feeding Style Questionnaire (CFSQ); b) to verify association between MPCW and child’ nutritional status; c) to describe the MFS; d) to verify differences between MPCW and child’s body mass index (BMI); e) and to verify the association between MPCW and MFS. Methods: 566 dyads participated (mother/preschool child). Mothers circle the image that more resembled their child (MPCW), and answered the CFSQ. Cronbach alpha coeffi cient was calculated. V Cramer, ANOVA and Chi-square were applied. Results: The internal consistency of CFSQ was 0.88. The 8.4% (n = 12) mothers of children are OW-OB had adequate MPCW (V = 0.26, p = 0.001). The most frequent MFS was authoritarian (34.5%, n = 195), MFS uninvolved presented the highest child’ BMI (F = 3.91, p < 0.05). When mothers perceive her child is OW-OB have a MFS uninvolved (χ2 = 15,384, df = 6, p < 0.05). Conclusions: Mothers of children with OW-OB have an inadequate MPCW and more frequently have a MFS authoritarian. When the mother perceive their child is OW-OB has MFS uninvolved. Interventions to help the mothers to recognize their child is OW-OB and teaching strategies that promote MFS authoritative are recommended.

Choice of tracks, microtubules and/or actin filaments for chloroplast photo-movement is differentially controlled by phytochrome and a blue light receptor.

PubMed

Sato, Y; Wada, M; Kadota, A

2001-01-01

Light induced chloroplast movement has been studied as a model system for photoreception and actin microfilament (MF)-based intracellular motilities in plants. Chloroplast photo-accumulation and -avoidance movement is mediated by phytochrome as well as blue light (BL) receptor in the moss Physcomitrella patens. Here we report the discovery of an involvement of a microtubule (MT)-based system in addition to an MF-based system in photorelocation of chloroplasts in this moss. In the dark, MTs provided tracks for rapid movement of chloroplasts in a longitudinal direction and MFs contributed the tracks for slow movement in any direction. We found that phytochrome responses utilized only the MT-based system, while BL responses had an alternative way of moving, either along MTs or MFs. MT-based systems were mediated by both photoreceptors, but chloroplasts showed movements with different velocity and pattern between them. No apparent difference in the behavior of chloroplast movement between the accumulation and avoidance movement was detected in phytochrome responses or BL responses, except for the direction of the movement. The results presented here demonstrate that chloroplasts use both MTs and MFs for motility and that phytochrome and a BL receptor control directional photo-movement of chloroplasts through the differential regulation of these motile systems.

Tuning magnetofluidic spreading in microchannels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zhaomeng; Varma, V. B.; Wang, Z. P.; Ramanujan, R. V.

2015-12-01

Magnetofluidic spreading (MFS) is a phenomenon in which a uniform magnetic field is used to induce spreading of a ferrofluid core cladded by diamagnetic fluidic streams in a three-stream channel. Applications of MFS include micromixing, cell sorting and novel microfluidic lab-on-a-chip design. However, the relative importance of the parameters which govern MFS is still unclear, leading to non-optimal control of MFS. Hence, in this work, the effect of various key parameters on MFS was experimentally and numerically studied. Our multi-physics model, which combines magnetic and fluidic analysis, showed excellent agreement between theory and experiment. It was found that spreading was mainly due to cross-sectional convection induced by magnetic forces, and can be enhanced by tuning various parameters. Smaller flow rate ratio, higher magnetic field, higher core stream or lower cladding stream dynamic viscosity, and larger magnetic particle size can increase MFS. These results can be used to tune magnetofluidic spreading in microchannels.

Identification of fibrillin 1 gene mutations in patients with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) without Marfan syndrome

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is the most frequent congenital heart disease with frequent involvement in thoracic aortic dilatation, aneurysm and dissection. Although BAV and Marfan syndrome (MFS) share some clinical features, and some MFS patients with BAV display mutations in FBN1, the gene encoding fibrillin-1, the genetic background of isolated BAV is poorly defined. Methods Ten consecutive BAV patients [8 men, age range 24–42 years] without MFS were clinically characterized. BAV phenotype and function, together with evaluation of aortic morphology, were comprehensively assessed by Doppler echocardiography. Direct sequencing of each FBN1 exon with flanking intron sequences was performed on eight patients. Results We detected three FBN1 mutations in two patients (aged 24 and 25 years) displaying aortic root aneurysm ≥50 mm and moderate aortic regurgitation. In particular, one patient had two mutations (p.Arg2726Trp and p.Arg636Gly) one of which has been previously associated with variable Marfanoid phenotypes. The other patient showed a pArg529Gln substitution reported to be associated with an incomplete MFS phenotype. Conclusions The present findings enlarge the clinical spectrum of isolated BAV to include patients with BAV without MFS who have involvement of FBN1 gene. These results underscore the importance of accurate phenotyping of BAV aortopathy and of clinical characterization of BAV patients, including investigation of systemic connective tissue manifestations and genetic testing. PMID:24564502

Differences in the Thoracic Aorta by Region and Sex in a Murine Model of Marfan Syndrome.

PubMed

Jiménez-Altayó, Francesc; Siegert, Anna-Maria; Bonorino, Fabio; Meirelles, Thayna; Barberà, Laura; Dantas, Ana P; Vila, Elisabet; Egea, Gustavo

2017-01-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a hereditary disorder of the connective tissue that causes life-threatening aortic aneurysm, which initiates at the aortic root and can progress into the ascending portion. However, analysis of ascending aorta reactivity in animal models of MFS has remained elusive. Epidemiologic evidence suggests that although MFS is equally prevalent in men and women, men are at a higher risk of aortic complications than non-pregnant women. Nevertheless, there is no experimental evidence to support this hypothesis. The aim of this study was to explore whether there are regional and sex differences in the thoracic aorta function of mice heterozygous for the fibrillin 1 ( Fbn1 ) allele encoding a missense mutation ( Fbn1 C1039G/+ ), the most common class of mutation in MFS. Ascending and descending thoracic aorta reactivity was evaluated by wire myography. Ascending aorta mRNA and protein levels, and elastic fiber integrity were assessed by qRT-PCR, Western blotting, and Verhoeff-Van Gieson histological staining, respectively. MFS differently altered reactivity in the ascending and descending thoracic aorta by either increasing or decreasing phenylephrine contractions, respectively. When mice were separated by sex, contractions to phenylephrine increased progressively from 3 to 6 months of age in MFS ascending aortas of males, whereas contractions in females were unchanged. Endothelium-dependent relaxation was unaltered in the MFS ascending aorta of either sex; an effect related to augmented endothelium-dependent hyperpolarization-type dilations. In MFS males, the non-selective cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitor indomethacin prevented the MFS-induced enhancement of phenylephrine contractions linked to increased COX-2 expression. In MFS mice of both sexes, the non-selective nitric oxide synthase inhibitor L-NAME revealed negative feedback of nitric oxide on phenylephrine contractions, which was associated with upregulation of eNOS in females. Finally, MFS ascending aortas showed a greater number of elastic fiber breaks than the wild-types, and males exhibited more breaks than females. These results show regional and sex differences in Fbn1 C1039G/+ mice thoracic aorta contractility and aortic media injuries. The presence of more pronounced aortic alterations in male mice provides experimental evidence to support that male MFS patients are at increased risk of suffering aortic complications.

Differences in the Thoracic Aorta by Region and Sex in a Murine Model of Marfan Syndrome

PubMed Central

Jiménez-Altayó, Francesc; Siegert, Anna-Maria; Bonorino, Fabio; Meirelles, Thayna; Barberà, Laura; Dantas, Ana P.; Vila, Elisabet; Egea, Gustavo

2017-01-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a hereditary disorder of the connective tissue that causes life-threatening aortic aneurysm, which initiates at the aortic root and can progress into the ascending portion. However, analysis of ascending aorta reactivity in animal models of MFS has remained elusive. Epidemiologic evidence suggests that although MFS is equally prevalent in men and women, men are at a higher risk of aortic complications than non-pregnant women. Nevertheless, there is no experimental evidence to support this hypothesis. The aim of this study was to explore whether there are regional and sex differences in the thoracic aorta function of mice heterozygous for the fibrillin 1 (Fbn1) allele encoding a missense mutation (Fbn1C1039G/+), the most common class of mutation in MFS. Ascending and descending thoracic aorta reactivity was evaluated by wire myography. Ascending aorta mRNA and protein levels, and elastic fiber integrity were assessed by qRT-PCR, Western blotting, and Verhoeff-Van Gieson histological staining, respectively. MFS differently altered reactivity in the ascending and descending thoracic aorta by either increasing or decreasing phenylephrine contractions, respectively. When mice were separated by sex, contractions to phenylephrine increased progressively from 3 to 6 months of age in MFS ascending aortas of males, whereas contractions in females were unchanged. Endothelium-dependent relaxation was unaltered in the MFS ascending aorta of either sex; an effect related to augmented endothelium-dependent hyperpolarization-type dilations. In MFS males, the non-selective cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitor indomethacin prevented the MFS-induced enhancement of phenylephrine contractions linked to increased COX-2 expression. In MFS mice of both sexes, the non-selective nitric oxide synthase inhibitor L-NAME revealed negative feedback of nitric oxide on phenylephrine contractions, which was associated with upregulation of eNOS in females. Finally, MFS ascending aortas showed a greater number of elastic fiber breaks than the wild-types, and males exhibited more breaks than females. These results show regional and sex differences in Fbn1C1039G/+ mice thoracic aorta contractility and aortic media injuries. The presence of more pronounced aortic alterations in male mice provides experimental evidence to support that male MFS patients are at increased risk of suffering aortic complications. PMID:29187826

Applying the method of fundamental solutions to harmonic problems with singular boundary conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valtchev, Svilen S.; Alves, Carlos J. S.

2017-07-01

The method of fundamental solutions (MFS) is known to produce highly accurate numerical results for elliptic boundary value problems (BVP) with smooth boundary conditions, posed in analytic domains. However, due to the analyticity of the shape functions in its approximation basis, the MFS is usually disregarded when the boundary functions possess singularities. In this work we present a modification of the classical MFS which can be applied for the numerical solution of the Laplace BVP with Dirichlet boundary conditions exhibiting jump discontinuities. In particular, a set of harmonic functions with discontinuous boundary traces is added to the MFS basis. The accuracy of the proposed method is compared with the results form the classical MFS.

Ocular manifestation in Marfan syndrome: corneal biomechanical properties relate to increased systemic score points.

PubMed

Scheibenberger, Dido; Frings, Andreas; Steinberg, Johannes; Schüler, Helke; Druchkiv, Vasyl; Katz, Toam; von Kodolitsch, Yskert; Linke, Stephan

2018-06-01

To evaluate corneal deformation to an air puff as a new noninvasive tool to document disease status in Marfan syndrome (MFS) METHODS: Prospective observational cohort study. We included patients diagnosed with MFS who had their routine cardiovascular follow-up and applied the revised Ghent nosology to define two subgroups according to a high (≥ 7) and a low (< 7 points) systemic score. Dynamic Scheimpflug-based biomechanical analyses (CorvisST® [CST; Oculus GmbH]) were performed. The main outcome measure was the displacement of the corneal apex as given by the parameters highest concavity (HC; in ms), peak distance (PD; in mm), and highest concavity deformation amplitude (DA; mm). Forty-three eyes of 43 individuals (19 female, 24 male; mean age 42.0 ± 12.0 years, range 18-67 years) diagnosed with MFS were included. Applying the Ghent criteria, 21 patients had an advanced systemic score of ≥ 7, and 22 had score points < 7. There were no differences in age or sex between both groups. In contrast, HC was faster (P = 0.004), and PD (P < 0.001) was longer in those individuals with systemic score ≥ 7; maximum DA did not result in a statistically significant difference between the groups (P = 0.250). In vivo noninvasive biomechanical analyses with CST offer a new, non-invasive method to identify pathologic corneal deformation responses in adults with MFS. In the future, corneal deformation to an air puff could thus assist early identification of patients with high Ghent score as an adjunct to existing diagnostic tests.

Age Differences in Axial Length, Corneal Curvature, and Corneal Astigmatism in Marfan Syndrome with Ectopia Lentis

PubMed Central

Jing, Qinghe; Tang, Yating; Qian, Dongjin

2018-01-01

Purpose To investigate the differences in axial length, corneal curvature, and corneal astigmatism with age in patients with Marfan syndrome (MFS) and ectopia lentis. Methods A retrospective case series study was conducted. MFS patients with ectopia lentis were divided into groups according to age. Axial length, corneal curvature, and corneal astigmatism were measured. Results This study included 114 MFS patients (215 eyes) with a mean age of 19.0 ± 13.9 years. Axial length differed significantly across age groups in MFS patients (P < 0.001), whereas corneal curvature did not (P = 0.767). Corneal astigmatism was statistically significant throughout the MFS cohort (P = 0.009), but no significant difference was found in young MFS patients (P = 0.838). With increasing age, the orientation of the corneal astigmatism changed from with-the-rule astigmatism to against-the-rule or oblique astigmatism (P < 0.001). A linear correlation analysis showed weak correlations between age and axial length for both eyes and with corneal astigmatism for the left eye, but there was no correlation between age and corneal curvature. Conclusions In MFS, axial length varies with age, corneal curvature remains stable, and corneal astigmatism is higher in young patients and tends to shift toward against-the-rule or oblique astigmatism. Therefore, it is important to consider age when diagnosing MFS with ocular biometric data. PMID:29854424

Myxofibrosarcoma primary cultures: molecular and pharmacological profile

PubMed Central

De Vita, Alessandro; Recine, Federica; Mercatali, Laura; Miserocchi, Giacomo; Liverani, Chiara; Spadazzi, Chiara; Casadei, Roberto; Bongiovanni, Alberto; Pieri, Federica; Riva, Nada; Amadori, Dino; Ibrahim, Toni

2017-01-01

Background: Myxofibrosarcoma (MFS), formerly considered as a myxoid variant of malignant fibrous histiocytoma, is the most common sarcoma of the extremities in adults and is characterized by a high frequency of local recurrence. The clinical behavior of MFS is unpredictable and the efficacy of chemotherapy is still not well documented. Furthermore, given the relatively recent recognition of MFS as a distinct pathologic entity its cellular and molecular biology has still not been extensively studied in patient-derived preclinical models. We examined the molecular biology and treatment outcomes of high-grade, patient-derived MFS primary cultures. Methods: A total of three patient-derived MFS primary cultures were analyzed. We evaluated the role of CD109 expression and also looked for a correlation between transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) expression and sensitivity of the primary cultures to different drugs. Results: CD109 was a promising marker for the identification of more aggressive high-grade MFS and a potential therapeutic target. The results also highlighted the potential role of TGF-β in chemoresistance. Pharmacological analysis confirmed the sensitivity of the cultures to chemotherapy. The most active treatments were epirubicin alone and epirubicin in combination with ifosfamide, the latter representing the current standard of care for soft tissue sarcomas (STSs), including MFS. Conclusions: Our results provide a starting point for further research aimed at improving the management of MFS patients undergoing chemotherapy. PMID:29449896

Electrophysiological evidence of cerebellar fiber system involvement in the Miller Fisher syndrome.

PubMed

Lo, Y L; Fook-Chong, S; Chan, L L; Ong, W Y; Ratnagopal, P

2010-01-15

In the Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS), ataxia may be due involvement of Ia afferents and the cerebellum. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) over the cerebellum is known to interfere transiently with normal function. In this study, we utilized a previously described TMS protocol over the cerebellum in combination with ballistic movements to investigate cerebellar dysfunction in MFS patients. The agonist (biceps) reaction time in MFS patients during a motor cancellation task was not significantly reduced during the initial TMS study. However, during the repeat TMS study, significant reduction was seen for all patients, in tandem with clinical recovery. There was significant correlation between anti-GQ1b IgG titers and change in agonist reaction time between the initial and repeat TMS studies. TMS likely affected horizontally orientated parallel fibers in the cerebellar molecular layer. During disease onset, antibody binding may have interfered with facilitation of reaction time during motor cancellation tasks seen in normal subjects. Normalization of reaction time facilitation corresponded to resolution of antibody-mediated interference in the molecular layer. Our study has provided evidence suggesting parallel fiber involvement in MFS, and suggested a role of anti-GQ1b IgG antibody in these changes.

Marfan syndrome and cardiovascular complications: results of a family investigation.

PubMed

Sarr, Simon Antoine; Djibrilla, Siddikatou; Aw, Fatou; Bodian, Malick; Babaka, Kana; Ngaidé, Aliou Alassane; Dioum, Momar; Ba, Serigne Abdou

2017-07-19

Cardiovascular complications in Marfan syndrome (MFS) make all its seriousness. Taking as a basis the Ghent criteria, we conducted a family screening from an index case. The objective was to describe the clinical characteristics of MFS anomalies and to detect cardiovascular complications in our patients. Six subjects were evaluated. Patients had to be in the same uterine siblings of the index case or be a descendant. The objective was to search for MFS based on the diagnostic criteria of Ghent and, subsequently, detecting cardiovascular damage. The average age was 24 years. The examination revealed three cases of sudden death in a context of chest pain. Five subjects had systemic involvement with a score ≥ 7 that allowed to the diagnosis of MFS. Two patients had simultaneously ectopia lentis and myopia. In terms of cardiovascular damage, there were three cases of dilatation of the aortic root, two cases of aortic dissection of Stanford's type A with severe aortic regurgitation in one case and moderate in the other. There were three patients with moderate mitral regurgitation with a case by valve prolapse. The family screening is crucial in Marfan syndrome. It revealed serious cardiovascular complications including sudden death and aortic dissection.

Autonomous Control of Fluids in a Wide Surface Tension Range in Microfluidics.

PubMed

Ge, Peng; Wang, Shuli; Liu, Yongshun; Liu, Wendong; Yu, Nianzuo; Zhang, Jianglei; Shen, Huaizhong; Zhang, Junhu; Yang, Bai

2017-07-25

In this paper, we report the preparation of anisotropic wetting surfaces that could control various wetting behaviors of liquids in a wide surface tension range (from water to oil), which could be employed as a platform for controlling the flow of liquids in microfluidics (MFs). The anisotropic wetting surfaces are chemistry-asymmetric "Janus" silicon cylinder arrays, which are fabricated via selecting and regulating the functional groups on the surface of each cylinder unit. Liquids (in a wide surface tension range) wet in a unidirectional manner along the direction that was modified by the group with large surface energy. Through introducing the Janus structure into a T-shaped pattern and integrating it with an identical T-shaped poly(dimethylsiloxane) microchannel, the as-prepared chips can be utilized to perform as a surface tension admeasuring apparatus or a one-way valve for liquids in a wide surface tension range, even oil. Furthermore, because of the excellent ability in controlling the flowing behavior of liquids in a wide surface tension range in an open system or a microchannel, the anisotropic wetting surfaces are potential candidates to be applied both in open MFs and conventional MFs, which would broaden the application fields of MFs.

Trends in residential exposure to electromagnetic fields from 2006 to 2009.

PubMed

Tomitsch, J; Dechant, E

2012-05-01

After measuring extremely low frequency electric and magnetic fields (ELF-EFs, ELF-MFs) and radio frequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMFs) in 2006, a follow-up investigation was done in 2009. Overall, 130 measurements in bedrooms at identical and 83 at changed locations within the same or a neighbouring building were performed. The median of ELF-EFs decreased from 25.15 to 17.35 V m(-1) from 2006 to 2009. The median of all-night ELF-MFs from power supply decreased from 16.86 to 12.76 nT, whereas the arithmetic mean was almost unchanged (+0.1%). No difference in the medians of all-night ELF-MFs of railway current was observed. RF-EMFs increased from 41.35 to 59.56 µW m(-2). Increases primarily occurred in the frequency ranges of Global System for Mobile 900 MHz, Universal Mobile Telecommunications System and Wireless Local Area Network. Television changeover from analogue to digital resulted in a reduction within the Ultra-high Frequency-band from 0.47 to 0.35 µW m(-2). The base stations of the recently established terrestrial trunked radio system caused a median of 0.05 µW m(-2).

Fifty hertz extremely low-frequency magnetic field exposure elicits redox and trophic response in rat-cortical neurons.

PubMed

Di Loreto, Silvia; Falone, Stefano; Caracciolo, Valentina; Sebastiani, Pierluigi; D'Alessandro, Antonella; Mirabilio, Alessandro; Zimmitti, Vincenzo; Amicarelli, Fernanda

2009-05-01

Large research activity has raised around the mechanisms of interaction between extremely low-frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MFs) and biological systems. ELF-MFs may interfere with chemical reactions involving reactive oxygen species (ROS), thus facilitating oxidative damages in living cells. Cortical neurons are particularly susceptible to oxidative stressors and are also highly dependent on the specific factors and proteins governing neuronal development, activity and survival. The aim of the present work was to investigate the effects of exposures to two different 50 Hz sinusoidal ELF-MFs intensities (0.1 and 1 mT) in maturing rat cortical neurons' major anti-oxidative enzymatic and non-enzymatic cellular protection systems, membrane peroxidative damage, as well as growth factor, and cytokine expression pattern. Briefly, our results showed that ELF-MFs affected positively the cell viability and concomitantly reduced the levels of apoptotic death in rat neuronal primary cultures, with no significant effects on the main anti-oxidative defences. Interestingly, linear regression analysis suggested a positive correlation between reduced glutathione (GSH) and ROS levels in 1 mT MF-exposed cells. On this basis, our hypothesis is that GSH could play an important role in the antioxidant defence towards the ELF-MF-induced redox challenge. Moreover, the GSH-based cellular response was achieved together with a brain-derived neurotrophic factor over-expression as well as with the interleukin 1beta-dependent regulation of pro-survival signaling pathways after ELF-MF exposure.

Cardiovascular outcomes of pregnancy in Marfan's syndrome patients: A literature review.

PubMed

Kim, So Yeon; Wolfe, Diana S; Taub, Cynthia C

2018-03-01

Pregnancy in patients with Marfan's syndrome (MFS) carries an increased risk of cardiovascular complications, resulting in increased maternal and fetal mortality and morbidity. Literature on MFS pregnant patients is relatively sparse, and there has yet to be a concrete consensus on the management of this unique patient population. The purpose of our paper is to provide a literature review of case reports and studies on MFS during pregnancy (published between 2005 and 2015) and to explore cardiovascular outcomes of patients with MFS. Of the 852 women in our review, there were 1112 pregnancies, with an aortic dissection rate of 7.9% and mortality of 1.2%. Data demonstrated a trend that patients whose aortic diameter ≥40 mm had a greater rate of dissection than MFS patients whose aortic diameter <40 mm (Fisher's exact test, P = .0504). Fetal outcome included a 5.6% mortality rate and 41% of births were cesarean deliveries and of those reported, 75% secondary to cardiac emergencies. Patients with MFS, especially those whose initial aortic diameters ≥40 mm, planning a pregnancy or currently pregnant should be carefully counseled about the maternal and fetal risks throughout pregnancy. MFS patients whose aortic diameters ≥40 mm should be advised to ideally await pregnancy until prophylactic aortic surgery. As MFS varies in its phenotypic expression, each patient's risk of adverse cardiac events should be assessed individually through a joint Maternal Fetal Medicine and Cardiology Center. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Differences in manifestations of Marfan syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and Loeys-Dietz syndrome.

PubMed

Meester, Josephina A N; Verstraeten, Aline; Schepers, Dorien; Alaerts, Maaike; Van Laer, Lut; Loeys, Bart L

2017-11-01

Many different heritable connective tissue disorders (HCTD) have been described over the past decades. These syndromes often affect the connective tissue of various organ systems, including heart, blood vessels, skin, joints, bone, eyes, and lungs. The discovery of these HCTD was followed by the identification of mutations in a wide range of genes encoding structural proteins, modifying enzymes, or components of the TGFβ-signaling pathway. Three typical examples of HCTD are Marfan syndrome (MFS), Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), and Loeys-Dietz syndrome (LDS). These syndromes show some degree of phenotypical overlap of cardiovascular, skeletal, and cutaneous features. MFS is typically characterized by cardiovascular, ocular, and skeletal manifestations and is caused by heterozygous mutations in FBN1 , coding for the extracellular matrix (ECM) protein fibrillin-1. The most common cardiovascular phenotype involves aortic aneurysm and dissection at the sinuses of Valsalva. LDS is caused by mutations in TGBR1/2 , SMAD2/3 , or TGFB2/3 , all coding for components of the TGFβ-signaling pathway. LDS can be distinguished from MFS by the unique presence of hypertelorism, bifid uvula or cleft palate, and widespread aortic and arterial aneurysm and tortuosity. Compared to MFS, LDS cardiovascular manifestations tend to be more severe. In contrast, no association is reported between LDS and the presence of ectopia lentis, a key distinguishing feature of MFS. Overlapping features between MFS and LDS include scoliosis, pes planus, anterior chest deformity, spontaneous pneumothorax, and dural ectasia. EDS refers to a group of clinically and genetically heterogeneous connective tissue disorders and all subtypes are characterized by variable abnormalities of skin, ligaments and joints, blood vessels, and internal organs. Typical presenting features include joint hypermobility, skin hyperextensibility, and tissue fragility. Up to one quarter of the EDS patients show aortic aneurysmal disease. The latest EDS nosology distinguishes 13 subtypes. Many phenotypic features show overlap between the different subtypes, which makes the clinical diagnosis rather difficult and highlights the importance of molecular diagnostic confirmation.

Differences in manifestations of Marfan syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and Loeys-Dietz syndrome

PubMed Central

Meester, Josephina A. N.; Verstraeten, Aline; Schepers, Dorien; Alaerts, Maaike; Van Laer, Lut

2017-01-01

Many different heritable connective tissue disorders (HCTD) have been described over the past decades. These syndromes often affect the connective tissue of various organ systems, including heart, blood vessels, skin, joints, bone, eyes, and lungs. The discovery of these HCTD was followed by the identification of mutations in a wide range of genes encoding structural proteins, modifying enzymes, or components of the TGFβ-signaling pathway. Three typical examples of HCTD are Marfan syndrome (MFS), Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), and Loeys-Dietz syndrome (LDS). These syndromes show some degree of phenotypical overlap of cardiovascular, skeletal, and cutaneous features. MFS is typically characterized by cardiovascular, ocular, and skeletal manifestations and is caused by heterozygous mutations in FBN1, coding for the extracellular matrix (ECM) protein fibrillin-1. The most common cardiovascular phenotype involves aortic aneurysm and dissection at the sinuses of Valsalva. LDS is caused by mutations in TGBR1/2, SMAD2/3, or TGFB2/3, all coding for components of the TGFβ-signaling pathway. LDS can be distinguished from MFS by the unique presence of hypertelorism, bifid uvula or cleft palate, and widespread aortic and arterial aneurysm and tortuosity. Compared to MFS, LDS cardiovascular manifestations tend to be more severe. In contrast, no association is reported between LDS and the presence of ectopia lentis, a key distinguishing feature of MFS. Overlapping features between MFS and LDS include scoliosis, pes planus, anterior chest deformity, spontaneous pneumothorax, and dural ectasia. EDS refers to a group of clinically and genetically heterogeneous connective tissue disorders and all subtypes are characterized by variable abnormalities of skin, ligaments and joints, blood vessels, and internal organs. Typical presenting features include joint hypermobility, skin hyperextensibility, and tissue fragility. Up to one quarter of the EDS patients show aortic aneurysmal disease. The latest EDS nosology distinguishes 13 subtypes. Many phenotypic features show overlap between the different subtypes, which makes the clinical diagnosis rather difficult and highlights the importance of molecular diagnostic confirmation. PMID:29270370

Homozygous and compound heterozygous mutations in the FBN1 gene: unexpected findings in molecular diagnosis of Marfan syndrome.

PubMed

Arnaud, Pauline; Hanna, Nadine; Aubart, Mélodie; Leheup, Bruno; Dupuis-Girod, Sophie; Naudion, Sophie; Lacombe, Didier; Milleron, Olivier; Odent, Sylvie; Faivre, Laurence; Bal, Laurence; Edouard, Thomas; Collod-Beroud, Gwenaëlle; Langeois, Maud; Spentchian, Myrtille; Gouya, Laurent; Jondeau, Guillaume; Boileau, Catherine

2017-02-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is an autosomal-dominant connective tissue disorder usually associated with heterozygous mutations in the gene encoding fibrillin-1 (FBN1). Homozygous and compound heterozygous cases are rare events and have been associated with a clinical severe presentation. Report unexpected findings of homozygosity and compound heterozygosity in the course of molecular diagnosis of heterozygous MFS and compare the findings with published cases. In the context of molecular diagnosis of heterozygous MFS, systematic sequencing of the FBN1 gene was performed in 2500 probands referred nationwide. 1400 probands carried a heterozygous mutation in this gene. Unexpectedly, among them four homozygous cases (0.29%) and five compound heterozygous cases (0.36%) were identified (total: 0.64%). Interestingly, none of these cases carried two premature termination codon mutations in the FBN1 gene. Clinical features for these carriers and their families were gathered and compared. There was a large spectrum of severity of the disease in probands carrying two mutated FBN1 alleles, but none of them presented extremely severe manifestations of MFS in any system compared with carriers of only one mutated FBN1 allele. This observation is not in line with the severe clinical features reported in the literature for four homozygous and three compound heterozygous probands. Homozygotes and compound heterozygotes were unexpectedly identified in the course of molecular diagnosis of MFS. Contrary to previous reports, the presence of two mutated alleles was not associated with severe forms of MFS. Although homozygosity and compound heterozygosity are rarely found in molecular diagnosis, they should not be overlooked, especially among consanguineous families. However, no predictive evaluation of severity should be provided. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Microfluctuations in accommodation: an update on their characteristics and possible role.

PubMed

Charman, W Neil; Heron, Gordon

2015-09-01

Following the recognition, some 80 years ago, that the accommodation of the eye is not stable but fluctuates over a range of about ±0.5 D, mainly at frequencies of up to a few Hz, there has been a continuing interest in the characteristics of these microfluctuations (MFs) and their possible role in the control of accommodation. This paper reviews relevant work carried out since 1988, when we previously reviewed the same topic (Charman WN, Heron G. Fluctuations in accommodation: a review. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt 1988; 8: 153-164). Studies relating to the effects on the MFs of stimulus form, luminance and vergence are described, together with those of pupil diameter, age and ametropia. Important advances in the understanding of the links between the characteristics of the MFs and those of the cardiopulmonary system, higher-order aberrations and ocular depth-of-focus are outlined. Only limited progress has been made in understanding the role of MFs in accommodation control. While the dependence of the characteristics of the MFs in relation to observing conditions is now reasonably well understood, their involvement in accommodation control still needs clarification. The current consensus appears to be that any role is more likely to be concerned with maintaining an appropriate response, rather than in initiating responses to abrupt changes in stimulus vergence. Fluctuations at lower temporal frequencies (<0.6 Hz) are probably important to the control process, which may make use of the associated changes in the contrast and spatial frequency spectrum of the retinal image. © 2015 The Authors Ophthalmic & Physiological Optics © 2015 The College of Optometrists.

A membrane film sensor with encapsulated fluorescent dyes towards express freshness monitoring of packaged food.

PubMed

Kiryukhin, Maxim V; Lau, Hooi Hong; Goh, Seok Hong; Teh, Cathleen; Korzh, Vladimir; Sadovoy, Anton

2018-05-15

A new Membrane Film Sensor (MFS) has been developed to measure pH of fluids. MFS comprises a polyelectrolyte multilayer film with uniformly distributed compartments (microchambers) where a fluorescent sensing dye is encapsulated. Fabricated film is sealed onto a polyethylene film for a future use. MFS was applied to report changes in golden pomfret fillet upon its storage at 5 °C. MFS pH readings were correlated to bacteriological analysis of fish samples. A hike in pH of fish juices happens after 10 days of storage signaling bacterial spoilage of fish. The design of developed MFS allows easy integration with transparent packaging materials for future development of "SMART" packaging sensing food freshness. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

MARSnet: Mission-aware Autonomous Radar Sensor Network for Future Combat Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-07-31

Deviation Consider the case of a Gaussian primary MF having a fixed mean, ml, and an uncertain standard deviation that takes on values in [ai, 2]’ i.e...fuzzy set, so thatR k --* AXk (k = 1,... ,p), the upper and lower MFs of Pkk merge into one MF, AXk (Xk), in which case Theorem 1 simplifies to: Corollary...the upper and lower MFs of A k(Xk) merge into one crisp value, namely 1, in which case Theorem 1 simplifies further to: Corollary 2 In a favor weak

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

Gelinck, G. H., E-mail: Gerwin.Gelinck@tno.nl; Department of Applied Physics, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven; Breemen, A. J. J. M. van

Ferroelectric polarization switching of poly(vinylidene difluoride-trifluoroethylene) is investigated in different thin-film device structures, ranging from simple capacitors to dual-gate thin-film transistors (TFT). Indium gallium zinc oxide, a high mobility amorphous oxide material, is used as semiconductor. We find that the ferroelectric can be polarized in both directions in the metal-ferroelectric-semiconductor (MFS) structure and in the dual-gate TFT under certain biasing conditions, but not in the single-gate thin-film transistors. These results disprove the common belief that MFS structures serve as a good model system for ferroelectric polarization switching in thin-film transistors.

Macrophages Modulate Migration and Invasion of Human Tongue Squamous Cell Carcinoma

PubMed Central

Pirilä, Emma; Väyrynen, Otto; Sundquist, Elias; Päkkilä, Kaisa; Nyberg, Pia; Nurmenniemi, Sini; Pääkkönen, Virve; Pesonen, Paula; Dayan, Dan; Vered, Marilena; Uhlin-Hansen, Lars; Salo, Tuula

2015-01-01

Oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC) has a high mortality rate and the incidence is rising worldwide. Despite advances in treatment, the disease lacks specific prognostic markers and treatment modality. The spreading of OTSCC is dependent on the tumor microenvironment and involves tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). Although the presence of TAMs is associated with poor prognosis in OTSCC, the specific mechanisms underlying this are still unknown. The aim here was to investigate the effect of macrophages (Mfs) on HSC-3 tongue carcinoma cells and NF-kappaB activity. We polarized THP-1 cells to M1 (inflammatory), M2 (TAM-like) and R848 (imidazoquinoline-treated) type Mfs. We then investigated the effect of Mfs on HSC-3 cell migration and NF-kappaB activity, cytokine production and invasion using several different in vitro migration models, a human 3D tissue invasion model, antibody arrays, confocal microscopy, immunohistochemistry and a mouse invasion model. We found that in co-culture studies all types of Mfs fused with HSC-3 cells, a process which was partially due to efferocytosis. HSC-3 cells induced expression of epidermal growth factor and transforming growth factor-beta in co-cultures with M2 Mfs. Direct cell-cell contact between M2 Mfs and HSC-3 cells induced migration and invasion of HSC-3 cells while M1 Mfs reduced HSC-3 cell invasion. M2 Mfs had an excess of NF-kappaB p50 subunit and a lack of p65 subunits both in the presence and absence of HSC-3 cells, indicating dysregulation and pro-tumorigenic NF-kappaB activation. TAM-like cells were abundantly present in close vicinity to carcinoma cells in OTSCC patient samples. We conclude that M2 Mfs/TAMs have an important role in OTSCC regulating adhesion, migration, invasion and cytokine production of carcinoma cells favouring tumor growth. These results demonstrate that OTSCC patients could benefit from therapies targeting TAMs, polarizing TAM-like M2 Mfs to inflammatory macrophages and modulating NF-kappaB activity. PMID:25811194

Effects of separation of resources on behaviour, physical condition and production of laying hens in furnished cages.

PubMed

Shimmura, T; Azuma, T; Eguchi, Y; Uetake, K; Tanaka, T

2009-01-01

1. Based on our previous studies, we designed a medium-sized furnished cage with a dust bath and nest box on both sides of the cage (MFS) and evaluated its usefulness. 2. We used 180 White Leghorn layers. At the age of 17 weeks, the birds were distributed at random into one of the 4 cage designs: conventional cages (CC; 6 cages and 5 hens per cage), small (SF; 6 cages and 5 hens per cage) and medium furnished cages (MFL; 6 cages and 10 hens per cage) with a 'localised' dust bath and nest box on one side of the cage, and MFS (6 cages and 10 hens per cage). The total allocation of resources per bird was similar for all furnished cage designs. Behaviour, physical condition and production were measured in each cage. 3. Moving was more frequent in MFS and MFL than in CC and SF. The proportion of hens performing aggressive pecking and severe feather pecking was higher in MFL than CC and SF. These aggressive interactions occurred frequently in the dust bath area in MFL; however, these tendencies were not found in MFS. Egg production and egg mass were lower in MFL than in SF, while the production in MFS was similar to those in CC and SF. MFS hens laid eggs on the cage floor more often than in MFL. 4. In conclusion, these results demonstrate the possible usefulness of MFS. However, some inconsistent results and ways of improving MFS design were also identified.

Discoidin, CUB and LCCL domain-containing protein 2 (DCBLD2) is a novel biomarker of myxofibrosarcoma invasion identified by global protein expression profiling.

PubMed

Kikuta, Kazutaka; Kubota, Daisuke; Yoshida, Akihiko; Qiao, Zhiwei; Morioka, Hideo; Nakamura, Masaya; Matsumoto, Morio; Chuman, Hirokazu; Kawai, Akira; Kondo, Tadashi

2017-09-01

Myxofibrosarcoma (MFS) is a mesenchymal malignancy characterized by frequent recurrence even after radical wide resection. To optimize therapy for MFS patients, we aimed to identify candidate tissue biomarkers of MFS invasion potential. Invasion characteristics of MFS were evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging and protein expression profiling of primary tumor tissues performed using two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE). Protein expression profiles were compared between invasive and non-invasive tumors surgically resected from 11 patients. Among the 3453 protein spots observed, 59 demonstrated statistically significant difference in intensity (≥2-fold) between invasive and non-invasive tumors (p<0.01 by Wilkoxon test), and were identified by mass spectrometry as 47 individual proteins. Among them, we further focused on discoidin, CUB and LCCL domain-containing protein 2 (DCBLD2), a receptor tyrosine kinase with aberrant expression in malignant tumors. Immunohistochemistry analysis of 21 additional MFS cases revealed that higher DCBLD2 expression was significantly associated with invasive properties of tumor cells. DCBLD2 sensitivity and specificity, and positive and negative predictive values for MFS invasion were 69.2%, 87.5%, 90%, and 63.6%, respectively. The expression level of DCBLD2 was consistent in different portions of tumor tissues. Thus, DCBLD2 expression can be a useful biomarker to evaluate invasive properties of MFS. Further validation studies based on multi-institutional collaboration and comprehensive analysis of DCBLD2 biological functions in MFS are required to confirm its prognostic utility for clinical application. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Modulation of the pupil function of microscope objective lens for multifocal multi-photon microscopy using a spatial light modulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matsumoto, Naoya; Okazaki, Shigetoshi; Takamoto, Hisayoshi; Inoue, Takashi; Terakawa, Susumu

2014-02-01

We propose a method for high precision modulation of the pupil function of a microscope objective lens to improve the performance of multifocal multi-photon microscopy (MMM). To modulate the pupil function, we adopt a spatial light modulator (SLM) and place it at the conjugate position of the objective lens. The SLM can generate an arbitrary number of spots to excite the multiple fluorescence spots (MFS) at the desired positions and intensities by applying an appropriate computer-generated hologram (CGH). This flexibility allows us to control the MFS according to the photobleaching level of a fluorescent protein and phototoxicity of a specimen. However, when a large number of excitation spots are generated, the intensity distribution of the MFS is significantly different from the one originally designed due to misalignment of the optical setup and characteristics of the SLM. As a result, the image of a specimen obtained using laser scanning for the MFS has block noise segments because the SLM could not generate a uniform MFS. To improve the intensity distribution of the MFS, we adaptively redesigned the CGH based on the observed MFS. We experimentally demonstrate an improvement in the uniformity of a 10 × 10 MFS grid using a dye solution. The simplicity of the proposed method will allow it to be applied for calibration of MMM before observing living tissue. After the MMM calibration, we performed laser scanning with two-photon excitation to observe a real specimen without detecting block noise segments.

Comparison of Dynamical Behaviors Between Monofunctional and Bifunctional Two-Component Signaling Modules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Xiyan; Wu, Yahao; Yuan, Zhanjiang

2015-06-01

Two-component signaling modules exist extensively in bacteria and microbes. These modules can be, based on their distinct network structures, divided into two types: the monofunctional system (denoted by MFS) where the sensor kinase (SK) modulates only phosphorylation of the response regulator (RR), and the bifunctional system (denoted by BFS) where the SK catalyzes both phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of the RR. Here, we analyze dynamical behaviors of these two systems based on stability theory, focusing on differences between them. The analysis of the deterministic behavior indicates that there is no difference between the two modules, that is, each system has the unique stable steady state. However, there are significant differences in stochastic behavior between them. Specifically, if the mean phosphorylated SK level is kept the same for the two modules, then the variance and the Fano factor for the phosphorylated RR in the BFS are always no less than those in the MFS, indicating that bifunctionality always enhances fluctuations. The correlation between the phosphorylated SK and the phosphorylated RR in the BFS is always positive mainly due to competition between system components, but this correlation in the MFS may be positive, almost zero, or negative, depending on the ratio between two rate constants. Our overall analysis indicates that differences between dynamical behaviors of monofunctional and bifunctional signaling modules are mainly in the stochastic rather than deterministic aspect.

Proposal to probe quantum nonlocality of Majorana fermions in tunneling experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sau, Jay D.; Swingle, Brian; Tewari, Sumanta

2015-07-01

Topological Majorana fermion (MF) quasiparticles have been recently suggested to exist in semiconductor quantum wires with proximity induced superconductivity and a Zeeman field. Although the experimentally observed zero bias tunneling peak and a fractional ac-Josephson effect can be taken as necessary signatures of MFs, neither of them constitutes a sufficient "smoking gun" experiment. Since one pair of Majorana fermions share a single conventional fermionic degree of freedom, MFs are in a sense fractionalized excitations. Based on this fractionalization we propose a tunneling experiment that furnishes a nearly unique signature of end state MFs in semiconductor quantum wires. In particular, we show that a "teleportation"-like experiment is not enough to distinguish MFs from pairs of MFs, which are equivalent to conventional zero energy states, but our proposed tunneling experiment, in principle, can make this distinction.

Seasonal and clonal variation in cellulose microfibril orientation during cell wall formation of tracheids in Cryptomeria japonica.

PubMed

Jyske, Tuula; Fujiwara, Takeshi; Kuroda, Katsushi; Iki, Taiichi; Zhang, Chunhua; Jyske, Tuomas K; Abe, Hisashi

2014-08-01

To investigate the biological mechanism by which trees control the changes in microfibril (MF) orientation among secondary cell wall layers of conifer tracheids, we studied seasonal variation in the orientation of newly deposited MFs during tracheid cell wall development in Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica D. Don) trees growing in Central Japan (36°36'N, 140°39'E). Sample blocks were repeatedly collected from four 16-year-old clones of different origins during the growing season of 2010 to investigate the hypotheses that changes in cellulose MF orientation between wall layers exhibited seasonal and clonal differences. The progressive change in the orientation of newly deposited MFs on the primary and secondary cell wall layers of tracheids was detected by field-emission-scanning electron microscopy. Tracheid production and differentiation was studied by light microscopy. We observed a decreasing trend in the orientation of deposited MFs from earlywood to latewood in the S2 and S1 layers, where MFs appeared in a Z-helix. In contrast, no seasonal pattern in the orientation of the MFs in the S-helix was observed. Minor clonal variation was observed in the phenology of tracheid production and differentiation. We concluded that a seasonal decreasing trend in the orientation of the MFs in the Z-helix in S1 and S2 was present, whereas the MFs in other layers exhibited minor random variations. Thus, the orientation of the MFs in S2 was affected by seasonal factors, whereas the MFs in other layers were more intrinsically controlled. The within-ring variations in the MF orientation and thus the resulting average MF angle might also be related to genotypic differences in the tracheid production and differentiation rate. However, our results do not exclude other intrinsic and environmental regulations in the change in MF orientation, which remains a topic for future studies. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Accelerated partial breast irradiation for elderly women with early breast cancer: A compromise between whole breast irradiation and omission of radiotherapy.

PubMed

Sumodhee, Shakeel; Levy, Johan; Chamorey, Emmanuel; Lam Cham Kee, Daniel; Chand, Marie-Eve; Gautier, Mathieu; Peyrottes, Isabelle; Barranger, Emmanuel; Hannoun-Levi, Jean-Michel

Regarding adjuvant radiation therapy making decision for elderly women, Albert (2013) published a nomogram predicting the mastectomy-free survival (MFS) rate with or without adjuvant irradiation. Based on this approach, we proposed to investigate the use of accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) vs. whole breast irradiation (WBI) or endocrine therapy alone in elderly low-risk breast cancer patients. For each elderly woman treated by conserving surgery and APBI (multicatheter interstitial high-dose-rate brachytherapy), 5- and 10-year MFS rates were calculated. For each treated patient, using the Albert nomogram, we calculated the estimated MFS rates at 5 and 10 years, with and without WBI. Then, we compared the estimated MFS rates after no irradiation and WBI vs. observed MFS rates after APBI. From 2005 to 2016, 79 patients were treated. Median followup was 96.8 months [68.6-104.9], median age was 77 years [66-89]. Expected 5- and 10-year mastectomy rates calculated with the Albert nomogram without WBI were 2.95% and 7.25%, respectively, leading to a 10-year MFS rate of 92.7%. Expected 5- and 10-year mastectomy rates after WBI were 1.41% and 3.66%, respectively, leading to a 10-year MFS rate of 96.3%. Regarding observed MFS rate, 1 pt (1.3%) experienced a salvage mastectomy. The 10-year MFS rate after APBI was 97.4% vs. 96.3% after WBI (p = 1) and 92.7% after no irradiation (p = 0.27). No toxicity Grade 3 or more was observed. APBI seems to be an attractive compromise between WBI and no irradiation for elderly women with early stage breast cancer as far as local control, quality of life and cost benefit is concerned. Copyright © 2017 American Brachytherapy Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Early Impairment of Lung Mechanics in a Murine Model of Marfan Syndrome

PubMed Central

Uriarte, Juan J.; Meirelles, Thayna; Gorbenko del Blanco, Darya; Nonaka, Paula N.; Campillo, Noelia; Sarri, Elisabet; Navajas, Daniel; Egea, Gustavo; Farré, Ramon

2016-01-01

Early morbidity and mortality in patients with Marfan syndrome (MFS) -a connective tissue disease caused by mutations in fibrillin-1 gene- are mainly caused by aorta aneurysm and rupture. However, the increase in the life expectancy of MFS patients recently achieved by reparatory surgery promotes clinical manifestations in other organs. Although some studies have reported respiratory alterations in MFS, our knowledge of how this connective tissue disease modifies lung mechanics is scarce. Hence, we assessed whether the stiffness of the whole lung and of its extracellular matrix (ECM) is affected in a well-characterized MFS mouse model (FBN1C1039G/+). The stiffness of the whole lung and of its ECM were measured by conventional mechanical ventilation and atomic force microscopy, respectively. We studied 5-week and 9-month old mice, whose ages are representative of early and late stages of the disease. At both ages, the lungs of MFS mice were significantly more compliant than in wild type (WT) mice. By contrast, no significant differences were found in local lung ECM stiffness. Moreover, histopathological lung evaluation showed a clear emphysematous-like pattern in MFS mice since alveolar space enlargement was significantly increased compared with WT mice. These data suggest that the mechanism explaining the increased lung compliance in MFS is not a direct consequence of reduced ECM stiffness, but an emphysema-like alteration in the 3D structural organization of the lung. Since lung alterations in MFS are almost fully manifested at an early age, it is suggested that respiratory monitoring could provide early biomarkers for diagnosis and/or follow-up of patients with the Marfan syndrome. PMID:27003297

Distinct Immunoglobulin Class and Immunoglobulin G Subclass Patterns against Ganglioside GQ1b in Miller Fisher Syndrome following Different Types of Infection

PubMed Central

Schwerer, Beatrix; Neisser, Andrea; Bernheimer, Hanno

1999-01-01

We studied serum antibodies against gangliosides GQ1b and GM1 in 13 patients with Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS) and in 18 patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) with cranial nerve involvement. Anti-GQ1b titers were elevated in all patients with MFS cases (immunoglobulin G [IgG] > IgA, IgM), and in 8 of the 18 with GBS. Lower frequencies of increased anti-GM1 titers were observed in MFS patients (3 of 13), as well as in GBS patients (5 of 18). During the course of MFS, anti-GQ1b titers of all Ig classes decreased within 3 weeks after onset. By contrast, anti-GM1 titers (mainly IgM) transiently increased during the course of MFS in five of six patients, suggesting a nonspecific secondary immune response. In patients with MFS following respiratory infections, IgG was the major anti-GQ1b Ig class (six of six patients) and IgG3 was the major subclass (five of six). In contrast, four of five patients with MFS following gastrointestinal infections showed predominance of anti-GQ1b IgA or IgM over IgG and predominance of the IgG2 subclass; anti-GQ1b IgG (IgG3) prevailed in one patient only. These distinct Ig patterns strongly suggest that different infections may trigger different mechanisms of anti-GQ1b production, such as via T-cell-dependent as opposed to T-cell-independent pathways. Thus, the origin of antibodies against GQ1b in MFS may be determined by the type of infectious agent that precipitates the disease. PMID:10225903

Stationary organization of the actin cytoskeleton in Vallisneria: the role of stable microfilaments at the end walls.

PubMed

Ryu, J H; Takagi, S; Nagai, R

1995-04-01

In mesophyll cells of the aquatic angiosperm Vallisneria gigantea, bundles of microfilaments (MFs) serve as tracks for the rotational streaming of the cytoplasm, which occurs along the two longer side walls and the two shorter end walls. The stationary organization of these bundles has been shown to depend on the association of the bundles with the plasma membrane at the end walls. To identify the sites of such association, the effects of cytochalasin B (CB) on the configuration of the bundles of MFs were examined. In the case of the side walls, MFs were completely disrupted after treatment with CB at 100 micrograms/ml for 24 hours. By contrast, in the case of the end walls, a number of partially disrupted MFs remained even after 48 hours of treatment. After removal of CB, a completely normal arrangement of bundles of MFs was once again evident within 24 hours after a rather complicated process of reassembly. When reassembly had been completed, the direction of cytoplasmic streaming was reversed only in a small fraction of the treated cells, suggesting that bundles of MFs are anchored and stabilized at the end walls of each cell and that the polarity of reorganized bundles and, therefore, the direction of the cytoplasmic streaming is determined in a manner that depends on the original polarity of MFs that remained in spite of the disruptive action of CB. By contrast, the direction of reinitiated cytoplasmic streaming was reversed in 50% of cells in which the bundles of MFs had been completely disrupted by exogenously applied trypsin prior treatment with CB.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Marfan syndrome: An eyesight of syndrome☆

PubMed Central

Kumar, Ashok; Agarwal, Sarita

2014-01-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS), a relatively common autosomal dominant hereditary disorder of connective tissue with prominent manifestations in the skeletal, ocular, and cardiovascular systems, is caused by mutations in the glycoprotein gene fibrillin-1 (FBN1). Aortic root dilation and mitral valve prolapse are the main presentations among the cardiovascular malformations of MFS. The revised Ghent diagnostics nosology of Marfan syndrome is established in accordance with a combination of major and minor clinical manifestations in various organ systems and the family history. The pathogenesis of Marfan syndrome has not been fully elucidated. However, fibrillin-1 gene mutations are believed to exert a dominant negative effect. The treatment includes prophylactic β-blockers and angiotensin II-receptor blockers in order to slow down the dilation of the ascending aorta and prophylactic aortic surgery. Importantly, β-blocker therapy may reduce TGF-β activation, which has been recognized as a contributory factor in MFS. The identification of a mutation allows for early diagnosis, prognosis, genetic counseling, preventive management of carriers and reassurance for unaffected relatives. The importance of knowing in advance the location of the putative family mutation is highlighted by its straightforward application to prenatal and postnatal screening. The present article aims to provide an overview of this rare hereditary disorder. PMID:25606393

Development and Initial Validation of the Medical Fear Survey-Short Version

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olatunji, Bunmi O.; Ebesutani, Chad; Sawchuk, Craig N.; McKay, Dean; Lohr, Jeffrey M.; Kleinknecht, Ronald A.

2012-01-01

The present investigation employs item response theory (IRT) to develop an abbreviated Medical Fear Survey (MFS). Application of IRT analyses in Study 1 (n = 931) to the original 50-item MFS resulted in a 25-item shortened version. Examination of the location parameters also resulted in a reduction of the Likert-type scaling of the MFS by removing…

Manganese-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging detects mossy fiber sprouting in the pilocarpine model of epilepsy

PubMed Central

Malheiros, Jackeline M.; Polli, Roberson S.; Paiva, Fernando F.; Longo, Beatriz M.; Mello, Luiz E.; Silva, Afonso C.; Tannús, Alberto; Covolan, Luciene

2012-01-01

Summary Purpose Mossy fiber sprouting (MFS) is a frequent finding following status epilepticus (SE). The present study aimed to test the feasibility of using manganese-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MEMRI) to detect MFS in the chronic phase of the well-established pilocarpine (Pilo) rat model of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Methods To modulate MFS, cycloheximide (CHX), a protein synthesis inhibitor, was co-administered with Pilo in a sub-group of animals. In vivo MEMRI was performed 3 months after induction of SE and compared to the neo-Timm histological labeling of zinc mossy fiber terminals in the dentate gyrus (DG). Key findings Chronically epileptic rats displaying MFS as detected by neo-Timm histology had a hyperintense MEMRI signal in the DG, while chronically epileptic animals that did not display MFS had minimal MEMRI signal enhancement compared to non-epileptic control animals. A strong correlation (r = 0.81, P<0.001) was found between MEMRI signal enhancement and MFS. Significance This study shows that MEMRI is an attractive non-invasive method to detect mossy fiber sprouting in vivo and can be used as an evaluation tool in testing therapeutic approaches to manage chronic epilepsy. PMID:22642664

Systematic review of chronic pain in persons with Marfan syndrome.

PubMed

Velvin, G; Bathen, T; Rand-Hendriksen, S; Geirdal, A Ø

2016-06-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the literature on chronic pain in adults with Marfan syndrome (MFS), critically appraising and synthesizing relevant literature. A systematic review was conducted by searching the published literature databases using available medical, physical, psychological, social databases and other sources. All studies that addressed pain in MFS, published in peer-reviewed journals were assessed. Of 351 search results, 18 articles satisfied the eligibility criteria. All studies were cross-sectional and quantitative; no randomized controlled trials or intervention studies were found. Most studies had small sample sizes, low response rates and mainly dealt with other aspects of the diagnosis than pain. Only one article dealt mainly with pain. The research on chronic pain in MFS is limited in size and quality. Despite these limitations, studies describe that the prevalence of pain in patients with MFS is high, varying from 47 to 92% and affecting several anatomic sites. In addition, chronic pain limits daily function and few studies describe treatment options for pain in patients with MFS. Research is needed to obtain more evidence-based knowledge for developing more appropriate rehabilitation programs for people with MFS. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Nitric oxide mediates aortic disease in mice deficient in the metalloprotease Adamts1 and in a mouse model of Marfan syndrome.

PubMed

Oller, Jorge; Méndez-Barbero, Nerea; Ruiz, E Josue; Villahoz, Silvia; Renard, Marjolijn; Canelas, Lizet I; Briones, Ana M; Alberca, Rut; Lozano-Vidal, Noelia; Hurlé, María A; Milewicz, Dianna; Evangelista, Arturo; Salaices, Mercedes; Nistal, J Francisco; Jiménez-Borreguero, Luis Jesús; De Backer, Julie; Campanero, Miguel R; Redondo, Juan Miguel

2017-02-01

Heritable thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections (TAAD), including Marfan syndrome (MFS), currently lack a cure, and causative mutations have been identified for only a fraction of affected families. Here we identify the metalloproteinase ADAMTS1 and inducible nitric oxide synthase (NOS2) as therapeutic targets in individuals with TAAD. We show that Adamts1 is a major mediator of vascular homeostasis, given that genetic haploinsufficiency of Adamts1 in mice causes TAAD similar to MFS. Aortic nitric oxide and Nos2 levels were higher in Adamts1-deficient mice and in a mouse model of MFS (hereafter referred to as MFS mice), and Nos2 inactivation protected both types of mice from aortic pathology. Pharmacological inhibition of Nos2 rapidly reversed aortic dilation and medial degeneration in young Adamts1-deficient mice and in young or old MFS mice. Patients with MFS showed elevated NOS2 and decreased ADAMTS1 protein levels in the aorta. These findings uncover a possible causative role for the ADAMTS1-NOS2 axis in human TAAD and warrant evaluation of NOS2 inhibitors for therapy.

Difficulties in diagnosing Marfan syndrome using current FBN1 databases.

PubMed

Groth, Kristian A; Gaustadnes, Mette; Thorsen, Kasper; Østergaard, John R; Jensen, Uffe Birk; Gravholt, Claus H; Andersen, Niels H

2016-01-01

The diagnostic criteria of Marfan syndrome (MFS) highlight the importance of a FBN1 mutation test in diagnosing MFS. As genetic sequencing becomes better, cheaper, and more accessible, the expected increase in the number of genetic tests will become evident, resulting in numerous genetic variants that need to be evaluated for disease-causing effects based on database information. The aim of this study was to evaluate genetic variants in four databases and review the relevant literature. We assessed background data on 23 common variants registered in ESP6500 and classified as causing MFS in the Human Gene Mutation Database (HGMD). We evaluated data in four variant databases (HGMD, UMD-FBN1, ClinVar, and UniProt) according to the diagnostic criteria for MFS and compared the results with the classification of each variant in the four databases. None of the 23 variants was clearly associated with MFS, even though all classifications in the databases stated otherwise. A genetic diagnosis of MFS cannot reliably be based on current variant databases because they contain incorrectly interpreted conclusions on variants. Variants must be evaluated by time-consuming review of the background material in the databases and by combining these data with expert knowledge on MFS. This is a major problem because we expect even more genetic test results in the near future as a result of the reduced cost and process time for next-generation sequencing.Genet Med 18 1, 98-102.

Overexpression of GAP-43 reveals unexpected properties of hippocampal mossy fibers.

PubMed

Rekart, Jerome L; Routtenberg, Aryeh

2010-01-01

The mossy fiber (MF) system targets the apical dendrites of CA3 pyramidal cells in the stratum lucidum (SL). In mice overexpressing the growth-associated protein GAP-43 there is an apparent ectopic growth of these MFs into the stratum oriens (SO) targeting the basal dendrites of these same pyramidal cells (Aigner et al. (1995) Cell 83:269-278). This is the first evidence to our knowledge that links increased GAP-43 expression with growth of central axons. Here we studied the Aigner et al. transgenic mice but were unable to confirm such growth into SO. However, using quantitative methods we did observe enhanced growth within the regions normally targeted by MFs, for example, the SL in the CA3a region. These contrasting results led us to study MFs with double-immunostaining using an immunohistochemical marker for MFs, the zinc transporter, ZnT3, to visualize the colocalization of transgenic GAP-43 within MFs. Unexpectedly, using both fluorescence and confocal microscopy, we were unable to detect colocalization of GAP-43-positive axons with ZnT3-positive MF axons within the MF pathways, either in the region of the MF axons or in the SL, where MF terminals are abundant. In contrast, the plasma membrane-associated presynaptic marker SNAP-25 did colocalize with transgenic GAP-43-positive terminals in the SL. Synaptophysin, the vesicle-associated presynaptic terminal marker, colocalized with ZnT3 but did not appear to colocalize with GAP-43. The present findings raise important questions about the properties of granule cells and the MF mechanisms that differentially regulate axonal remodeling in the adult hippocampus: (1) Because there appears to be at least two populations of granule cells defined by their differential protein expression, this points to the existence of an intrinsic heterogeneity of granule cell expression beyond that contributed by adult neurogenesis; (2) Giventhe present evidence that growth is induced in mice overexpressing GAP-43 in adjacent non-GAP-43 containing MFs, the potential exists for a heretofore unexplored interaxonal communication mechanism. Copyright 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Pregnancy and Marfan syndrome

PubMed Central

Goland, Sorel

2017-01-01

Pregnancy in women with Marfan syndrome (MFS) presents challenges to the clinician and the patient due to the increased incidence of maternal complications and involvement of the fetus, and deserves special consideration. The leading cause of morbidity and mortality in MFS is aortic dissection. This article presents an extensive review of available clinical information and provides recommendations for the management of patients with MFS during pregnancy. PMID:29270376

Aortic microcalcification is associated with elastin fragmentation in Marfan syndrome.

PubMed

Wanga, Shaynah; Hibender, Stijntje; Ridwan, Yanto; van Roomen, Cindy; Vos, Mariska; van der Made, Ingeborg; van Vliet, Nicole; Franken, Romy; van Riel, Luigi Amjg; Groenink, Maarten; Zwinderman, Aeilko H; Mulder, Barbara Jm; de Vries, Carlie Jm; Essers, Jeroen; de Waard, Vivian

2017-11-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a connective tissue disorder in which aortic rupture is the major cause of death. MFS patients with an aortic diameter below the advised limit for prophylactic surgery (<5 cm) may unexpectedly experience an aortic dissection or rupture, despite yearly monitoring. Hence, there is a clear need for improved prognostic markers to predict such aortic events. We hypothesize that elastin fragments play a causal role in aortic calcification in MFS, and that microcalcification serves as a marker for aortic disease severity. To address this hypothesis, we analysed MFS patient and mouse aortas. MFS patient aortic tissue showed enhanced microcalcification in areas with extensive elastic lamina fragmentation in the media. A causal relationship between medial injury and microcalcification was revealed by studies in vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs); elastin peptides were shown to increase the activity of the calcification marker alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and reduce the expression of the calcification inhibitor matrix GLA protein in human SMCs. In murine Fbn1 C1039G/+ MFS aortic SMCs, Alpl mRNA and activity were upregulated as compared with wild-type SMCs. The elastin peptide-induced ALP activity was prevented by incubation with lactose or a neuraminidase inhibitor, which inhibit the elastin receptor complex, and a mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase-1/2 inhibitor, indicating downstream involvement of extracellular signal-regulated kinase-1/2 (ERK1/2) phosphorylation. Histological analyses in MFS mice revealed macrocalcification in the aortic root, whereas the ascending aorta contained microcalcification, as identified with the near-infrared fluorescent bisphosphonate probe OsteoSense-800. Significantly, microcalcification correlated strongly with aortic diameter, distensibility, elastin breaks, and phosphorylated ERK1/2. In conclusion, microcalcification co-localizes with aortic elastin degradation in MFS aortas of humans and mice, where elastin-derived peptides induce a calcification process in SMCs via the elastin receptor complex and ERK1/2 activation. We propose microcalcification as a novel imaging marker to monitor local elastin degradation and thus predict aortic events in MFS patients. Copyright © 2017 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Exhumation History of an Oblique Plate Boundary: Investigating Kaikoura Mountain-building within the Marlborough Fault System, NE South Island New Zealand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Collett, C.; Duvall, A. R.; Flowers, R. M.; Tucker, G. E.

2015-12-01

The Kaikoura Mountains stand high as topographic anomalies in the oblique Pacific-Australian plate boundary zone known as the Marlborough Fault System (MFS), NE South Island New Zealand. The base of both the Inland and Seaward Kaikoura Ranges are bound on the SE by major, steeply NW-dipping, right lateral, active strike-slips (Clarence and Hope faults of the MFS, respectively). Previous geologic mapping, observations of predominantly horizontal fault slip at the surface from GPS and offset Quaternary deposits, and uplift of marine terraces, provide evidence for shortening and mountain-building via distributed deformation off of the main MFS strike-slip faults. However, quantitative estimates of the magnitude and spatial patterns of exhumation and of the timing of mountain-building in the Kaikouras are needed to understand more fully the nature of oblique deformation in the MFS. We present new apatite and zircon (U-Th)/He ages from opposite sides of the Hope and Clarence faults, spanning over 2 km of relief within the Kaikoura Mountains to identify spatial and temporal changes in exhumation rates in relation to the adjacent faults. Young (~3 Ma) apatite He ages and rapid (potentially > 1 mm/yr) exhumation rates from opposite sides of the faults are consistent with previously mentioned evidence of recent, regional, distributed deformation off of the main MFS faults. Moreover, early Miocene zircon He ages imply that parts of this region experienced an earlier phase of fault-related exhumation. Large changes in zircon He ages across the faults from ~20 Ma to > 100 Ma support hypotheses that portions of the Marlborough Faults may be re-activated, early Miocene thrusts. The zircon data are also consistent with the hypothesis of an early Miocene initiation of the oblique Pacific-Australian plate boundary in this region. Evidence for this comes from a change in sedimentation during this time from fine marine sediments to coarse, terrigenous conglomerates. Observing more than one phase of deformation in this active, oblique tectonic setting provides a new quantitative assessment of the evolution of the Pacific-Australian plate boundary in this region and how the accommodation of deformation may change over time.

Spreading of a ferrofluid core in three-stream micromixer channels

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

Wang, Zhaomeng; Varma, V. B.; Ramanujan, R. V., E-mail: ramanujan@ntu.edu.sg

2015-05-15

Spreading of a water based ferrofluid core, cladded by a diamagnetic fluid, in three-stream micromixer channels was studied. This spreading, induced by an external magnetic field, is known as magnetofluidic spreading (MFS). MFS is useful for various novel applications where control of fluid-fluid interface is desired, such as micromixers or micro-chemical reactors. However, fundamental aspects of MFS are still unclear, and a model without correction factors is lacking. Hence, in this work, both experimental and numerical analyses were undertaken to study MFS. We show that MFS increased for higher applied magnetic fields, slower flow speed of both fluids, smaller flowmore » rate of ferrofluid relative to cladding, and higher initial magnetic particle concentration. Spreading, mainly due to connective diffusion, was observed mostly near the channel walls. Our multi-physics model, which combines magnetic and fluidic analyses, showed, for the first time, excellent agreement between theory and experiment. These results can be useful for lab-on-a-chip devices.« less

Spreading of a ferrofluid core in three-stream micromixer channels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zhaomeng; Varma, V. B.; Xia, Huan Ming; Wang, Z. P.; Ramanujan, R. V.

2015-05-01

Spreading of a water based ferrofluid core, cladded by a diamagnetic fluid, in three-stream micromixer channels was studied. This spreading, induced by an external magnetic field, is known as magnetofluidic spreading (MFS). MFS is useful for various novel applications where control of fluid-fluid interface is desired, such as micromixers or micro-chemical reactors. However, fundamental aspects of MFS are still unclear, and a model without correction factors is lacking. Hence, in this work, both experimental and numerical analyses were undertaken to study MFS. We show that MFS increased for higher applied magnetic fields, slower flow speed of both fluids, smaller flow rate of ferrofluid relative to cladding, and higher initial magnetic particle concentration. Spreading, mainly due to connective diffusion, was observed mostly near the channel walls. Our multi-physics model, which combines magnetic and fluidic analyses, showed, for the first time, excellent agreement between theory and experiment. These results can be useful for lab-on-a-chip devices.

Differences in Contractile Function of Myofibrils within Human Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes vs. Adult Ventricular Myofibrils Are Related to Distinct Sarcomeric Protein Isoforms

PubMed Central

Iorga, Bogdan; Schwanke, Kristin; Weber, Natalie; Wendland, Meike; Greten, Stephan; Piep, Birgit; dos Remedios, Cristobal G.; Martin, Ulrich; Zweigerdt, Robert; Kraft, Theresia; Brenner, Bernhard

2018-01-01

Characterizing the contractile function of human pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hPSC-CMs) is key for advancing their utility for cellular disease models, promoting cell based heart repair, or developing novel pharmacological interventions targeting cardiac diseases. The aim of the present study was to understand whether steady-state and kinetic force parameters of β-myosin heavy chain (βMyHC) isoform-expressing myofibrils within human embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hESC-CMs) differentiated in vitro resemble those of human ventricular myofibrils (hvMFs) isolated from adult donor hearts. Contractile parameters were determined using the same micromechanical method and experimental conditions for both types of myofibrils. We identified isoforms and phosphorylation of main sarcomeric proteins involved in the modulation of force generation of both, chemically demembranated hESC-CMs (d-hESC-CMs) and hvMFs. Our results indicate that at saturating Ca2+ concentration, both human-derived contractile systems developed forces with similar rate constants (0.66 and 0.68 s−1), reaching maximum isometric force that was significantly smaller for d-hESC-CMs (42 kPa) than for hvMFs (94 kPa). At submaximal Ca2+-activation, where intact cardiomyocytes normally operate, contractile parameters of d-hESC-CMs and hvMFs exhibited differences. Ca2+ sensitivity of force was higher for d-hESC-CMs (pCa50 = 6.04) than for hvMFs (pCa50 = 5.80). At half-maximum activation, the rate constant for force redevelopment was significantly faster for d-hESC-CMs (0.51 s−1) than for hvMFs (0.28 s−1). During myofibril relaxation, kinetics of the slow force decay phase were significantly faster for d-hESC-CMs (0.26 s−1) than for hvMFs (0.21 s−1), while kinetics of the fast force decay were similar and ~20x faster. Protein analysis revealed that hESC-CMs had essentially no cardiac troponin-I, and partially non-ventricular isoforms of some other sarcomeric proteins, explaining the functional discrepancies. The sarcomeric protein isoform pattern of hESC-CMs had features of human cardiomyocytes at an early developmental stage. The study indicates that morphological and ultrastructural maturation of βMyHC isoform-expressing hESC-CMs is not necessarily accompanied by ventricular-like expression of all sarcomeric proteins. Our data suggest that hPSC-CMs could provide useful tools for investigating inherited cardiac diseases affecting contractile function during early developmental stages. PMID:29403388

Robotic System For Greenhouse Or Nursery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gill, Paul; Montgomery, Jim; Silver, John; Heffelfinger, Neil; Simonton, Ward; Pease, Jim

1993-01-01

Report presents additional information about robotic system described in "Robotic Gripper With Force Control And Optical Sensors" (MFS-28537). "Flexible Agricultural Robotics Manipulator System" (FARMS) serves as prototype of robotic systems intended to enhance productivities of agricultural assembly-line-type facilities in large commercial greenhouses and nurseries.

Positional cloning of a gene responsible for the cts mutation of the silkworm, Bombyx mori.

PubMed

Ito, Katsuhiko; Kidokoro, Kurako; Katsuma, Susumu; Shimada, Toru; Yamamoto, Kimiko; Mita, Kazuei; Kadono-Okuda, Keiko

2012-07-01

The larval head cuticle and anal plates of the silkworm mutant cheek and tail spot (cts) have chocolate-colored spots, unlike the entirely white appearance of the wild-type (WT) strain. We report the identification and characterization of the gene responsible for the cts mutation. Positional cloning revealed a cts candidate on chromosome 16, designated BmMFS, based on the high similarity of the deduced amino acid sequence between the candidate gene from the WT strain and the major facilitator superfamily (MFS) protein. BmMFS likely encodes a membrane protein with 11 putative transmembrane domains, while the putative structure deduced from the cts-type allele possesses only 10-pass transmembrane domains owing to a deletion in its coding region. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis showed that BmMFS mRNA was strongly expressed in the integument of the head and tail, where the cts phenotype is observed; expression markedly increased at the molting and newly ecdysed stages. These results indicate that the novel BmMFS gene is cts and the membrane structure of its protein accounts for the cts phenotype. These expression profiles and the cts phenotype are quite similar to those of melanin-related genes, such as Bmyellow-e and Bm-iAANAT, suggesting that BmMFS is involved in the melanin synthesis pathway.

Biventricular and atrial diastolic function assessment using conventional echocardiography and tissue-Doppler imaging in adults with Marfan syndrome.

PubMed

Kiotsekoglou, Anatoli; Moggridge, James C; Bijnens, Bart H; Kapetanakis, Venediktos; Alpendurada, Francisco; Mullen, Michael J; Saha, Samir; Nassiri, Dariush K; Camm, John; Sutherland, George R; Child, Anne H

2009-12-01

Previous studies provided evidence about left ventricular systolic and diastolic dysfunction in adults with Marfan syndrome (MFS). However, in the literature, data on right ventricular and bi-atrial diastolic function are limited. We aimed to investigate whether, in the absence of significant valvular disease, diastolic dysfunction is present not only in both ventricles but also in the atrial cavities. Seventy-two adult unoperated MFS patients and 73 controls without significant differences in age, sex, and body surface area from the patient group were studied using two-dimensional, pulsed, and colour-Doppler and tissue-Doppler imaging (TDI). Biventricular early filling measurements were significantly decreased in MFS patients when compared with controls (P < 0.001). Pulsed TDI early filling measurements obtained from five mitral annular regions and over the lateral tricuspid valve corner were significantly reduced in the patient group (P < 0.001). Indices reflecting atrial function at the reservoir, conduit and contractile phases were also significantly decreased in MFS patients (P < 0.001). This study demonstrated significant biventricular diastolic and biatrial systolic and diastolic dysfunction in MFS patients. Our findings suggest that MFS affects diastolic function independently. Diastolic abnormalities could be attributed to fibrillin-1 deficiency and dysregulation of transforming growth factor-beta activity in the cardiac extracellular matrix.

Genetic analysis of the contribution of LTBP-3 to thoracic aneurysm in Marfan syndrome

PubMed Central

Zilberberg, Lior; Phoon, Colin K. L.; Robertson, Ian; Dabovic, Branka; Ramirez, Francesco; Rifkin, Daniel B.

2015-01-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is an autosomal dominant disorder of connective tissue, caused by mutations of the microfibrillar protein fibrillin-1, that predisposes affected individuals to aortic aneurysm and rupture and is associated with increased TGFβ signaling. TGFβ is secreted from cells as a latent complex consisting of TGFβ, the TGFβ propeptide, and a molecule of latent TGFβ binding protein (LTBP). Improper extracellular localization of the latent complex can alter active TGFβ levels, and has been hypothesized as an explanation for enhanced TGFβ signaling observed in MFS. We previously reported the absence of LTBP-3 in matrices lacking fibrillin-1, suggesting that perturbed TGFβ signaling in MFS might be due to defective interaction of latent TGFβ complexes containing LTBP-3 with mutant fibrillin-1 microfibrils. To test this hypothesis, we genetically suppressed Ltbp3 expression in a mouse model of progressively severe MFS. Here, we present evidence that MFS mice lacking LTBP-3 have improved survival, essentially no aneurysms, reduced disruption and fragmentation of medial elastic fibers, and decreased Smad2/3 and Erk1/2 activation in their aortas. These data suggest that, in MFS, improper localization of latent TGFβ complexes composed of LTBP-3 and TGFβ contributes to aortic disease progression. PMID:26494287

The mid-fusiform sulcus: A landmark identifying both cytoarchitectonic and functional divisions of human ventral temporal cortex

PubMed Central

Weiner, Kevin S.; Golarai, Golijeh; Caspers, Julian; Chuapoco, Miguel R.; Mohlberg, Hartmut; Zilles, Karl; Amunts, Katrin; Grill-Spector, Kalanit

2014-01-01

Human ventral temporal cortex (VTC) plays a pivotal role in high-level vision. An under-studied macroanatomical feature of VTC is the mid-fusiform sulcus (MFS), a shallow longitudinal sulcus separating the lateral and medial fusiform gyrus (FG). Here, we quantified the morphological features of the MFS in 69 subjects (ages 7–40), and investigated its relationship to both cytoarchitectonic and functional divisions of VTC with four main findings. First, despite being a minor sulcus, we found that the MFS is a stable macroanatomical structure present in all 138 hemispheres with morphological characteristics developed by age 7. Second, the MFS is the locus of a lateral-medial cytoarchitechtonic transition within the posterior FG serving as the boundary between cytoarchitectonic regions FG1 and FG2. Third, the MFS predicts a lateral-medial functional transition in eccentricity bias representations in children, adolescents, and adults. Fourth, the anterior tip of the MFS predicts the location of a face-selective region, mFus-faces/FFA-2. These findings are the first to illustrate that a macroanatomical landmark identifies both cytoarchitectonic and functional divisions of high-level sensory cortex in humans and have important implications for understanding functional and structural organization in the human brain. PMID:24021838

A pragmatic approach to the diagnosis and treatment of mixed features in adults with mood disorders.

PubMed

McIntyre, Roger S; Lee, Yena; Mansur, Rodrigo B

2016-12-01

Mixed features specifier (MFS) is a new nosological entity defined and operationalized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), 5th Edition. The impetus to introduce the MFS and supplant mixed states was protean, including the lack of ecological validity, high rates of misdiagnosis, and guideline discordant treatment for mixed states. Mixed features specifier identifies a phenotype in psychiatry with greater illness burden, as evidenced by earlier age at onset, higher episode frequency and chronicity, psychiatric and medical comorbidity, suicidality, and suboptimal response to conventional antidepressants. Mixed features in psychiatry have historical, conceptual, and nosological relevance; MFS according to DSM-5, is inherently neo-Kraepelinian insofar as individuals with either Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) or Bipolar Disorder (BD) may be affected by MFS. Clinicians are encouraged to screen all patients presenting with a major depressive episode (or hypomanic episode) for MFS. Although "overlapping symptoms" were excluded from the diagnostic criteria (eg, agitation, anxiety, irritability, insomnia), clinicians are encouraged to probe for these nonspecific symptoms as a possible proxy of co-existing MFS. In addition to conventional antidepressants, second generation antipsychotics and/or conventional mood stabilizers (eg, lithium) may be considered as first-line therapies for individuals with a depressive episode as part of MDD or BD with mixed features.

Clinical classification of 103 Japanese patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome.

PubMed

Wakerley, Benjamin R; Kokubun, N; Funakoshi, K; Nagashima, T; Hirata, K; Yuki, N

2016-10-15

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is the commonest cause of flaccid paralysis worldwide. Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS) is a variant of GBS characterized by ophthalmoplegia and ataxia. Together GBS and MFS form a continuum of discrete and overlapping subtypes, the frequency of which remains unknown. We retrospectively analysed the clinical features (antecedent symptoms, pattern of neurological weakness or ataxia, presence of hypersomnolence) of 103 patients at a single hospital in Japan. Patients were then classified according to new diagnostic criteria (Wakerley et al., 2014). Laboratory data (neurophysiology and anti-ganglioside antibody profiles) were also analysed. According to the new diagnostic criteria, the 103 patients could be classified as follows: classic GBS 73 (71%), pharyngeal-cervical-brachial weakness 2 (2%), acute pharyngeal weakness 0 (0%), paraparetic GBS 1 (1%), bifacial weakness with paraesthesias 1 (1%), polyneuritis cranialis 0 (0%), classic MFS 18 (17%), acute ophthalmoparesis 1 (1%), acute ptosis 0 (0%), acute mydriasis 0 (0%), acute ataxic neuropathy 1 (1%), Bickerstaff brainstem encephalitis 3 (3%), acute ataxic hypersomnolence 0 (0%), GBS and MFS overlap 1 (1%), GBS and Bickerstaff brainstem encephalitis overlap 1 (1%), MFS and pharyngeal-cervical-brachial weakness overlap 1 (1%). Application of the new clinical diagnostic criteria allowed accurate retrospective diagnosis and classification of GBS and MFS subtypes. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Chronobiology of Acute Aortic Dissection in the Marfan Syndrome (from the National Registry of Genetically Triggered Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms and Cardiovascular Conditions and the International Registry of Acute Aortic Dissection).

PubMed

Siddiqi, Hasan K; Luminais, Steven N; Montgomery, Dan; Bossone, Eduardo; Dietz, Harry; Evangelista, Arturo; Isselbacher, Eric; LeMaire, Scott; Manfredini, Roberto; Milewicz, Dianna; Nienaber, Christoph A; Roman, Mary; Sechtem, Udo; Silberbach, Michael; Eagle, Kim A; Pyeritz, Reed E

2017-03-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is an autosomal dominant connective tissue disease associated with acute aortic dissection (AAD). We used 2 large registries that include patients with MFS to investigate possible trends in the chronobiology of AAD in MFS. We queried the International Registry of Acute Aortic Dissection (IRAD) and the Genetically Triggered Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms and Cardiovascular Conditions (GenTAC) registry to extract data on all patients with MFS who had suffered an AAD. The group included 257 patients with MFS who suffered an AAD from 1980 to 2012. The chi-square tests were used for statistical testing. Mean subject age at time of AAD was 38 years, and 61% of subjects were men. AAD was more likely in the winter/spring season (November to April) than the other half of the year (57% vs 43%, p = 0.05). Dissections were significantly more likely to occur during the daytime hours, with 65% of dissections occurring from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. (p = 0.001). Men were more likely to dissect during the daytime hours (6 a.m. to 6 p.m.) than women (74% vs 51%, p = 0.01). These insights offer a glimpse of the times of greatest vulnerability for patients with MFS who suffer from this catastrophic event. In conclusion, the chronobiology of AAD in MFS reflects that of AAD in the general population. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A high resolution Adriatic-Ionian Sea circulation model for operational forecasting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ciliberti, Stefania Angela; Pinardi, Nadia; Coppini, Giovanni; Oddo, Paolo; Vukicevic, Tomislava; Lecci, Rita; Verri, Giorgia; Kumkar, Yogesh; Creti', Sergio

2015-04-01

A new numerical regional ocean model for the Italian Seas, with focus on the Adriatic-Ionian basin, has been implemented within the framework of Technologies for Situational Sea Awareness (TESSA) Project. The Adriatic-Ionian regional model (AIREG) represents the core of the new Adriatic-Ionian Forecasting System (AIFS), maintained operational by CMCC since November 2014. The spatial domain covers the Adriatic and the Ionian Seas, extending eastward until the Peloponnesus until the Libyan coasts; it includes also the Tyrrhenian Sea and extends westward, including the Ligurian Sea, the Sardinia Sea and part of the Algerian basin. The model is based on the NEMO-OPA (Nucleus for European Modeling of the Ocean - Ocean PArallelise), version 3.4 (Madec et al. 2008). NEMO has been implemented for AIREG at 1/45° resolution model in horizontal using 121 vertical levels with partial steps. It solves the primitive equations using the time-splitting technique for solving explicitly the external gravity waves. The model is forced by momentum, water and heat fluxes interactively computed by bulk formulae using the 6h-0.25° horizontal-resolution operational analysis and forecast fields from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecast (ECMWF) (Tonani et al. 2008, Oddo et al. 2009). The atmospheric pressure effect is included as surface forcing for the model hydrodynamics. The evaporation is derived from the latent heat flux, while the precipitation is provided by the Climate Prediction Centre Merged Analysis of Precipitation (CMAP) data. Concerning the runoff contribution, the model considers the estimate of the inflow discharge of 75 rivers that flow into the Adriatic-Ionian basin, collected by using monthly means datasets. Because of its importance as freshwater input in the Adriatic basin, the Po River contribution is provided using daily average observations from ARPA Emilia Romagna observational network. AIREG is one-way nested into the Mediterranean Forecasting System (MFS, http://medforecast.bo.ingv.it/) using daily means fields computed from daily outputs of the 1/16° general circulation model. One-way nesting is done by a novel pre-processing tool for an on-the-fly computation of boundary datasets compatible with BDY module provided by NEMO. It imposes the interpolation constraint and correction as in Pinardi et al. (2003) on the total velocity, ensuring that the total volume transport across boundaries is preserved after the interpolation procedures. In order to compute the lateral open boundary conditions, the model applies the Flow Relaxation Scheme (Engerdhal, 1995) for temperature, salinity and velocities and the Flather's radiation condition (Flather, 1976) for the depth-mean transport. Concerning the forecasting production cycle, AIFS produces 9-days forecast every day, producing hourly and daily means of temperature, salinity, surface currents, heat flux, water flux and shortwave radiation fields. AIREG model performances have been verified by using statistics (root mean square errors and BIAS) with respect to observed data (ARGO and CDT datasets)

Marfan Syndrome in an Iranian Family: A Case Series

PubMed Central

Davari, Mohammad Hossein; Kazemi, Toba

2014-01-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a genetic disorder which is inherited by autosomal dominant traits. In MFS, lens displacement and cardiovascular involvement are important causes of morbidity and mortality in the clinical course of the disease. In this case study, the ocular involvement in a family with severe penetration of MFS is reported. Twelve members of a family (father, two daughters, three sons, and six grandchildren) had MFS. Lens ectopia was the most common ophthalmic involvement among the family (100%). Other ocular involvements were as follows; Hypoplastic iris or ciliary’s muscle hypoplasia (50%), on gated eyeball (42%), flat cornea (30%), glaucoma and cataract (25%), retinal detachment (16%). Three members of the family underwent eye surgery including lens extraction, glaucoma surgery and retinal surgery. PMID:25031493

Manifestation of a neuro-fuzzy model to produce landslide susceptibility map using remote sensing data derived parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pradhan, Biswajeet; Lee, Saro; Buchroithner, Manfred

Landslides are the most common natural hazards in Malaysia. Preparation of landslide suscep-tibility maps is important for engineering geologists and geomorphologists. However, due to complex nature of landslides, producing a reliable susceptibility map is not easy. In this study, a new attempt is tried to produce landslide susceptibility map of a part of Cameron Valley of Malaysia. This paper develops an adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) based on a geographic information system (GIS) environment for landslide susceptibility mapping. To ob-tain the neuro-fuzzy relations for producing the landslide susceptibility map, landslide locations were identified from interpretation of aerial photographs and high resolution satellite images, field surveys and historical inventory reports. Landslide conditioning factors such as slope, plan curvature, distance to drainage lines, soil texture, lithology, and distance to lineament were extracted from topographic, soil, and lineament maps. Landslide susceptible areas were analyzed by the ANFIS model and mapped using the conditioning factors. Furthermore, we applied various membership functions (MFs) and fuzzy relations to produce landslide suscep-tibility maps. The prediction performance of the susceptibility map is checked by considering actual landslides in the study area. Results show that, triangular, trapezoidal, and polynomial MFs were the best individual MFs for modelling landslide susceptibility maps (86

Evolution of the stellar mass function in multiple-population globular clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vesperini, Enrico; Hong, Jongsuk; Webb, Jeremy J.; D'Antona, Franca; D'Ercole, Annibale

2018-05-01

We present the results of a survey of N-body simulations aimed at studying the effects of the long-term dynamical evolution on the stellar mass function (MF) of multiple stellar populations in globular clusters. Our simulations show that if first-(1G) and second-generation (2G) stars have the same initial MF (IMF), the global MFs of the two populations are affected similarly by dynamical evolution and no significant differences between the 1G and 2G MFs arise during the cluster's evolution. If the two populations have different IMFs, dynamical effects do not completely erase memory of the initial differences. Should observations find differences between the global 1G and 2G MFs, these would reveal the fingerprints of differences in their IMFs. Irrespective of whether the 1G and 2G populations have the same global IMF or not, dynamical effects can produce differences between the local (measured at various distances from the cluster centre) 1G and 2G MFs; these differences are a manifestation of the process of mass segregation in populations with different initial structural properties. In dynamically old and spatially mixed clusters, however, differences between the local 1G and 2G MFs can reveal differences between the 1G and 2G global MFs. In general, for clusters with any dynamical age, large differences between the local 1G and 2G MFs are more likely to be associated with differences in the global MF. Our study also reveals a dependence of the spatial mixing rate on the stellar mass, another dynamical consequence of the multiscale nature of multiple-population clusters.

Resveratrol Inhibits Aortic Root Dilatation in the Fbn1C1039G/+ Marfan Mouse Model.

PubMed

Hibender, Stijntje; Franken, Romy; van Roomen, Cindy; Ter Braake, Anique; van der Made, Ingeborg; Schermer, Edith E; Gunst, Quinn; van den Hoff, Maurice J; Lutgens, Esther; Pinto, Yigal M; Groenink, Maarten; Zwinderman, Aeilko H; Mulder, Barbara J M; de Vries, Carlie J M; de Waard, Vivian

2016-08-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a connective tissue disorder caused by mutations in the fibrillin-1 gene. Patients with MFS are at risk of aortic aneurysm formation and dissection. Usually, blood pressure-lowering drugs are used to reduce aortic events; however, this is not sufficient for most patients. In the aorta of smooth muscle cell-specific sirtuin-1-deficient mice, spontaneous aneurysm formation and senescence are observed. Resveratrol is known to enhance sirtuin-1 activity and to reduce senescence, which prompted us to investigate the effectiveness of resveratrol in inhibition of aortic dilatation in the Fbn1(C1039G/+) MFS mouse model. Aortic senescence strongly correlates with aortic root dilatation rate in MFS mice. However, although resveratrol inhibits aortic dilatation, it only shows a trend toward reduced aortic senescence. Resveratrol enhances nuclear localization of sirtuin-1 in the vessel wall and, in contrast to losartan, does not affect leukocyte infiltration nor activation of SMAD2 and extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2). Interestingly, specific sirtuin-1 activation (SRT1720) or inhibition (sirtinol) in MFS mice does not affect aortic root dilatation rate, although senescence is changed. Resveratrol reduces aortic elastin breaks and decreases micro-RNA-29b expression coinciding with enhanced antiapoptotic Bcl-2 expression and decreased number of terminal apoptotic cells. In cultured smooth muscle cells, the resveratrol effect on micro-RNA-29b downregulation is endothelial cell and nuclear factor κB-dependent. Resveratrol inhibits aortic root dilatation in MFS mice by promoting elastin integrity and smooth muscle cell survival, involving downregulation of the aneurysm-related micro-RNA-29b in the aorta. On the basis of these data, resveratrol holds promise as a novel intervention strategy for patients with MFS. © 2016 The Authors.

Resveratrol Inhibits Aortic Root Dilatation in the Fbn1C1039G/+ Marfan Mouse Model

PubMed Central

Hibender, Stijntje; Franken, Romy; van Roomen, Cindy; ter Braake, Anique; van der Made, Ingeborg; Schermer, Edith E.; Gunst, Quinn; van den Hoff, Maurice J.; Lutgens, Esther; Pinto, Yigal M.; Groenink, Maarten; Zwinderman, Aeilko H.; Mulder, Barbara J.M.; de Vries, Carlie J.M.

2016-01-01

Objective— Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a connective tissue disorder caused by mutations in the fibrillin-1 gene. Patients with MFS are at risk of aortic aneurysm formation and dissection. Usually, blood pressure–lowering drugs are used to reduce aortic events; however, this is not sufficient for most patients. In the aorta of smooth muscle cell–specific sirtuin-1–deficient mice, spontaneous aneurysm formation and senescence are observed. Resveratrol is known to enhance sirtuin-1 activity and to reduce senescence, which prompted us to investigate the effectiveness of resveratrol in inhibition of aortic dilatation in the Fbn1C1039G/+ MFS mouse model. Approach and Results— Aortic senescence strongly correlates with aortic root dilatation rate in MFS mice. However, although resveratrol inhibits aortic dilatation, it only shows a trend toward reduced aortic senescence. Resveratrol enhances nuclear localization of sirtuin-1 in the vessel wall and, in contrast to losartan, does not affect leukocyte infiltration nor activation of SMAD2 and extracellular signal–regulated kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2). Interestingly, specific sirtuin-1 activation (SRT1720) or inhibition (sirtinol) in MFS mice does not affect aortic root dilatation rate, although senescence is changed. Resveratrol reduces aortic elastin breaks and decreases micro-RNA-29b expression coinciding with enhanced antiapoptotic Bcl-2 expression and decreased number of terminal apoptotic cells. In cultured smooth muscle cells, the resveratrol effect on micro-RNA-29b downregulation is endothelial cell and nuclear factor κB-dependent. Conclusions— Resveratrol inhibits aortic root dilatation in MFS mice by promoting elastin integrity and smooth muscle cell survival, involving downregulation of the aneurysm-related micro-RNA-29b in the aorta. On the basis of these data, resveratrol holds promise as a novel intervention strategy for patients with MFS. PMID:27283746

Crystal violet stain as a selective stain for the assessment of mitotic figures in oral epithelial dysplasia and oral squamous cell carcinoma.

PubMed

Jadhav, Kiran B; Ahmed Mujib, B R; Gupta, Nidhi

2012-01-01

Assessment of mitotic figures (MFs) is routinely practiced as prognostic indicator in oral epithelial dysplasia (OED) and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), but identification of MFs poses a problem in terms of staining characteristics. To evaluate effectiveness of crystal violet stain for staining of MFs and its comparison with hematoxylin and eosin (H and E) stain. Study sample includes archival tissues embedded in paraffin blocks diagnosed as OED (n = 30) and OSCC (n = 30). The control group comprised of tissue specimen from oral mucosa of healthy volunteers (n = 30). Two serial sections of each tissue specimen were stained separately with H and E stain and 1% crystal violet stain. The stained sections were observed under microscope for identification and counting of MFs. Data obtained was statistically analyzed by using the Man-Whitney U test. A significant increase in number of MFs was observed in OED and OSCC in comparison with normal oral mucosa. There was a highly significant increase in number of MFs in crystal violet stained tissue sections when compared with H and E stain. Metaphase is the most commonly observed phase of mitosis in crystal violet stain when compared with H and E stain for all three groups. Crystal violet stain can be considered as selective stain for mitotic figures.

Neuritin reverses deficits in murine novel object associative recognition memory caused by exposure to extremely low-frequency (50 Hz) electromagnetic fields

PubMed Central

Zhao, Qian-Ru; Lu, Jun-Mei; Yao, Jin-Jing; Zhang, Zheng-Yu; Ling, Chen; Mei, Yan-Ai

2015-01-01

Animal studies have shown that electromagnetic field exposure may interfere with the activity of brain cells, thereby generating behavioral and cognitive disturbances. However, the underlying mechanisms and possible preventions are still unknown. In this study, we used a mouse model to examine the effects of exposure to extremely low-frequency (50 Hz) electromagnetic fields (ELF MFs) on a recognition memory task and morphological changes of hippocampal neurons. The data showed that ELF MFs exposure (1 mT, 12 h/day) induced a time-dependent deficit in novel object associative recognition memory and also decreased hippocampal dendritic spine density. This effect was observed without corresponding changes in spontaneous locomotor activity and was transient, which has only been seen after exposing mice to ELF MFs for 7-10 days. The over-expression of hippocampal neuritin, an activity-dependent neurotrophic factor, using an adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector significantly increased the neuritin level and dendritic spine density. This increase was paralleled with ELF MFs exposure-induced deficits in recognition memory and reductions of dendritic spine density. Collectively, our study provides evidence for the association between ELF MFs exposure, impairment of recognition memory, and resulting changes in hippocampal dendritic spine density. Neuritin prevented this ELF MFs-exposure-induced effect by increasing the hippocampal spine density. PMID:26138388

Neuritin reverses deficits in murine novel object associative recognition memory caused by exposure to extremely low-frequency (50 Hz) electromagnetic fields.

PubMed

Zhao, Qian-Ru; Lu, Jun-Mei; Yao, Jin-Jing; Zhang, Zheng-Yu; Ling, Chen; Mei, Yan-Ai

2015-07-03

Animal studies have shown that electromagnetic field exposure may interfere with the activity of brain cells, thereby generating behavioral and cognitive disturbances. However, the underlying mechanisms and possible preventions are still unknown. In this study, we used a mouse model to examine the effects of exposure to extremely low-frequency (50 Hz) electromagnetic fields (ELF MFs) on a recognition memory task and morphological changes of hippocampal neurons. The data showed that ELF MFs exposure (1 mT, 12 h/day) induced a time-dependent deficit in novel object associative recognition memory and also decreased hippocampal dendritic spine density. This effect was observed without corresponding changes in spontaneous locomotor activity and was transient, which has only been seen after exposing mice to ELF MFs for 7-10 days. The over-expression of hippocampal neuritin, an activity-dependent neurotrophic factor, using an adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector significantly increased the neuritin level and dendritic spine density. This increase was paralleled with ELF MFs exposure-induced deficits in recognition memory and reductions of dendritic spine density. Collectively, our study provides evidence for the association between ELF MFs exposure, impairment of recognition memory, and resulting changes in hippocampal dendritic spine density. Neuritin prevented this ELF MFs-exposure-induced effect by increasing the hippocampal spine density.

De Novo Paternal FBN1 Mutation Detected in Embryos Before Implantation.

PubMed

Wang, Shuling; Niu, Ziru; Wang, Hui; Ma, Minyue; Zhang, Wei; Fang Wang, Shu; Wang, Jun; Yan, Hong; Liu, Yifan; Duan, Na; Zhang, Xiandong; Yao, Yuanqing

2017-06-26

BACKGROUND Marfan syndrome (MFS) is an autosomal dominant disease caused by mutations in the Fibrillin (FBN)1 gene and characterized by disorders in the cardiovascular, skeletal, and visual systems. The diversity of mutations and phenotypic heterogeneity of MFS make prenatal molecular diagnoses difficult. In this study, we used pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) to identify the pathogenic mutation in a male patient with MFS and to determine whether his offspring would be free of the disease. MATERIAL AND METHODS The history and pedigree of the proband were analyzed. Mutation analysis was performed on the couple and immediate family members. The couple chose IVF treatment and 4 blastocysts were biopsied. PGD was carried out by targeted high-throughput sequencing of the FBN1 gene in the embryos, along with single-nucleotide polymorphism haplotyping. Sanger sequencing was used to confirm the causative mutation. RESULTS c.2647T>C (p.Trp883Arg) was identified as the de novo likely pathogenic mutation in the proband. Whole-genome amplification and sequencing of the 3 embryos revealed that they did not carry the mutation, and 1 blastocyst was transferred back to the uterus. The amniocentesis test result analyzed by Sanger sequencing confirmed the PGD. A premature but healthy infant free of heart malformations was born. CONCLUSIONS The de novo mutation c.2647T>C (p.Trp883Arg) in FBN1 was identified in a Chinese patient with MFS. Embryos without the mutation were identified by PGD and resulted in a successful pregnancy.

Identification of FBN1 gene mutations in patients with ectopia lentis and marfanoid habitus

PubMed Central

Comeglio, P; Evans, A L; Brice, G; Cooling, R J; Child, A H

2002-01-01

Background: Marfan syndrome (MFS), inherited as an autosomal dominant trait, typically affects the cardiovascular, skeletal, and ocular systems. Ectopia lentis (EL) is a clinical manifestation of MFS, with stretching or disruption of the lenticular zonular filaments, leading to displacement of the lenses. EL, with or without minor skeletal changes, exists as an independent autosomal dominant phenotype linked to the same FBN1 locus. Methods: A consecutive series of 11 patients, affected predominantly by EL, was analysed for FBN1 mutations using PCR, SSCA, and sequencing. Results: Six mutations were identified, of which three are novel and one is recurrent in two patients, thus establishing a mutation incidence in this group of 7/11 (63%). Conclusion: The FBN1 variants reported are clustered in the first 15 exons of the gene, while FBN1 mutations reported in the literature are distributed throughout the entire length of the gene. A different type of FBN1 mutation presents in this group of patients, compared with MFS, with arginine to cysteine substitutions appearing frequently. PMID:12446365

The complex nature of mixed farming systems requires multidimensional actions supported by integrative research and development efforts.

PubMed

González-García, E; Gourdine, J L; Alexandre, G; Archimède, H; Vaarst, M

2012-05-01

Mixed farming systems (MFS) have demonstrated some success by focusing on the use of integrative and holistic mechanisms, and rationally building on and using the natural and local resource base without exhausting it, while enhancing biodiversity, optimizing complementarities between crops and animal systems and finally increasing opportunities in rural livelihoods. Focusing our analysis and discussion on field experiences and empirical knowledge in the Caribbean islands, this paper discusses the opportunities for a change needed in current MFS research-development philosophy. The importance of shifting from fragile/specialized production systems to MFS under current global conditions is argued with an emphasis on the case of Small Islands Developing States (SIDS) and the Caribbean. Particular vulnerable characteristics as well as the potential and constraints of SIDS and their agricultural sectors are described, while revealing the opportunities for the 'richness' of the natural and local resources to support authentic and less dependent production system strategies. Examples are provided of the use of natural grasses, legumes, crop residues and agro-industrial by-products. We analyse the requirement for a change in research strategies and initiatives through the development of a complex but necessary multi-/inter-/trans-disciplinary teamwork spirit. We stress as essential the collaboration and active participation of local and regional actors, stakeholders and end-users in the identification of research priorities, as well as the generation, exchange and dissemination of knowledge and technology innovations, while strengthening the leadership roles in the conduct of integrative and participative research and development projects.

Development and Piloting of a Classroom-focused Measurement Feedback System

PubMed Central

Nadeem, Erum; Cappella, Elise; Holland, Sibyl; Coccaro, Candace; Crisonino, Gerard

2015-01-01

The present study used a community partnered research method to develop and pilot a classroom-focused measurement feedback system (MFS) for school mental health providers to support teachers’ use of effective universal and target classroom practices related to student emotional and behavioral issues. School personnel from seven urban elementary and middle school classrooms participated. Phase I involved development and refinement of the system through a baseline needs assessment and rapid-cycle feedback. Phase II involved detailed case study analysis of pre-to-post quantitative and implementation process data. Results suggest that teachers who used the dashboard along with consultation showed improvement in observed classroom organization and emotional support. Results also suggest that MFS use was tied closely to consultation dose, and that broader support at the school level was critical. Classroom-focused MFSs are a promising tool to support classroom improvement, and warrant future research focused on their effectiveness and broad applicability. PMID:25894312

Implementing for Sustainability: Promoting Use of a Measurement Feedback System for Innovation and Quality Improvement.

PubMed

Douglas, Susan; Button, Suzanne; Casey, Susan E

2016-05-01

Measurement feedback systems (MFSs) are increasingly recognized as evidence-based treatments for improving mental health outcomes, in addition to being a useful administrative tool for service planning and reporting. Promising research findings have driven practice administrators and policymakers to emphasize the incorporation of outcomes monitoring into electronic health systems. To promote MFS integrity and protect against potentially negative outcomes, it is vital that adoption and implementation be guided by scientifically rigorous yet practical principles. In this point of view, the authors discuss and provide examples of three user-centered and theory-based principles: emphasizing integration with clinical values and workflow, promoting administrative leadership with the 'golden thread' of data-informed decision-making, and facilitating sustainability by encouraging innovation. In our experience, enacting these principles serves to promote sustainable implementation of MFSs in the community while also allowing innovation to occur, which can inform improvements to guide future MFS research.

An unusual case of Miller Fisher syndrome presenting with proptosis and chemosis

PubMed Central

Waung, Maggie W.; Singer, Mike A.

2012-01-01

Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS), a rare variant of Guillan-Barré syndrome, is characterized by ophthalmoplegia, ataxia, and areflexia. In addition to this classic triad, symptoms may include bulbar palsy, weakness, and sensory loss. The anti-GQ1b IgG antibody is a sensitive and specific marker for MFS; it is found in more than 90% of affected patients. We describe an unusual case of MFS that presented with dramatic bilateral proptosis and chemosis. PMID:22499110

Aortic dilatation in Marfan syndrome: role of arterial stiffness and fibrillin-1 variants.

PubMed

Salvi, Paolo; Grillo, Andrea; Marelli, Susan; Gao, Lan; Salvi, Lucia; Viecca, Maurizio; Di Blasio, Anna Maria; Carretta, Renzo; Pini, Alessandro; Parati, Gianfranco

2018-01-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is an autosomal dominant genetic disorder characterized by aortic root dilation and dissection and an abnormal fibrillin-1 synthesis. In this observational study, we evaluated aortic stiffness in MFS and its association with ascending aorta diameters and fibrillin-1 genotype. A total of 116 Marfan adult patients without history of cardiovascular surgery, and 144 age, sex, blood pressure and heart rate matched controls were enrolled. All patients underwent arterial stiffness evaluation through carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) and central blood pressure waveform analysis (PulsePen tonometer). Fibrillin-1 mutations were classified based on the effect on the protein, into 'dominant negative' and 'haploinsufficient' mutations. PWV and central pulse pressure were significantly higher in MFS patients than in controls [respectively 7.31 (6.81-7.44) vs. 6.69 (6.52-6.86) m/s, P = 0.0008; 41.3 (39.1-43.5) vs. 34.0 (32.7-35.3) mmHg, P < 0.0001], with a higher age-related increase of PWV in MFS (β 0.062 vs. 0.036). Pressure amplification was significantly reduced in MFS [18.2 (15.9-20.5) vs. 33.4 (31.6-35.2)%, P < 0.0001]. Central pressure profile was altered even in MFS patients without aortic dilatation. Multiple linear regression models showed that PWV independently predicted aortic diameters at the sinuses of Valsalva (ß = 0.243, P = 0.002) and at the sinotubular junction (ß = 0.186, P = 0.048). PWV was higher in 'dominant negative' than 'haploinsufficient' fibrillin-1 mutations [7.37 (7.04-7.70) vs. 6.60 (5.97-7.23) m/s, P = 0.035], although this difference was not significant after adjustment. Aortic stiffness is increased in MFS, independently from fibrillin-1 genotype and is associated with diameters of ascending aorta. Alterations in central hemodynamics are present even when aortic diameter is within normal limits. Our findings suggest an accelerated arterial aging in MFS.

Rationale and design of a trial evaluating the effects of losartan vs. nebivolol vs. the association of both on the progression of aortic root dilation in Marfan syndrome with FBN1 gene mutations.

PubMed

Gambarin, Fabiana I; Favalli, Valentina; Serio, Alessandra; Regazzi, Mario; Pasotti, Michele; Klersy, Catherine; Dore, Roberto; Mannarino, Savina; Viganò, Mario; Odero, Attilio; Amato, Simona; Tavazzi, Luigi; Arbustini, Eloisa

2009-04-01

The major clinical problem of Marfan syndrome (MFS) is the aortic root aneurysm, with risk of dissection when the root diameter approximates 5 cm. In MFS, a key molecule, transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), normally bound to the extracellular matrix, is free and activated. In an experimental setting, TGF-beta blockade prevents the aortic root structural damage and dilatation. The angiotensin receptor 1 blockers (sartanics) exert an anti-TGF-beta effect; trials are now ongoing for evaluating the effect of losartan compared with atenolol in MFS. beta-Adrenergic blockers are the drugs most commonly used in MFS. The third-generation beta-adrenergic blocker nebivolol retains the beta-adrenergic blocker effects on heart rate and further exerts antistiffness effects, typically increased in MFS. The open-label phase III study will include 291 patients with MFS and proven FBN1 gene mutations, with aortic root dilation (z-score > or =2.5). The patients will be randomized to nebivolol, losartan and the combination of the two drugs. The primary end point is the comparative evaluation of the effects of losartan, nebivolol and the association of both on the progression of aortic root growth rate. Secondary end points include the pharmacokinetics of the two drugs, comparative evaluation of serum levels of total and active TGF-beta, quantitative assessment of the expression of the mutated gene (FBN1, both 5' and 3'), pharmacogenetic bases of drug responsiveness. The quality of life evaluation in the three groups will be assessed. Statistical evaluation includes an interim analysis at month 24 and conclusive analyses at month 48. The present study will add information about pharmacological therapy in MFS, supporting the new application of angiotensin receptor 1 blockers and finding beta-adrenergic blockers that may give more specific effects. Moreover, the study will further deepen understanding of the pathogenetic mechanisms that are active in Marfan syndrome through the pharmacogenomic and transcriptomic mechanisms that may explain MFS phenotype variability.

Ferroelectric switching of poly(vinylidene difluoride-trifluoroethylene) in metal-ferroelectric-semiconductor non-volatile memories with an amorphous oxide semiconductor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gelinck, G. H.; van Breemen, A. J. J. M.; Cobb, B.

2015-03-01

Ferroelectric polarization switching of poly(vinylidene difluoride-trifluoroethylene) is investigated in different thin-film device structures, ranging from simple capacitors to dual-gate thin-film transistors (TFT). Indium gallium zinc oxide, a high mobility amorphous oxide material, is used as semiconductor. We find that the ferroelectric can be polarized in both directions in the metal-ferroelectric-semiconductor (MFS) structure and in the dual-gate TFT under certain biasing conditions, but not in the single-gate thin-film transistors. These results disprove the common belief that MFS structures serve as a good model system for ferroelectric polarization switching in thin-film transistors.

Effect of Masked Regions on Weak-lensing Statistics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shirasaki, Masato; Yoshida, Naoki; Hamana, Takashi

2013-09-01

Sky masking is unavoidable in wide-field weak-lensing observations. We study how masks affect the measurement of statistics of matter distribution probed by weak gravitational lensing. We first use 1000 cosmological ray-tracing simulations to examine in detail the impact of masked regions on the weak-lensing Minkowski Functionals (MFs). We consider actual sky masks used for a Subaru Suprime-Cam imaging survey. The masks increase the variance of the convergence field and the expected values of the MFs are biased. The bias then compromises the non-Gaussian signals induced by the gravitational growth of structure. We then explore how masks affect cosmological parameter estimation. We calculate the cumulative signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) for masked maps to study the information content of lensing MFs. We show that the degradation of S/N for masked maps is mainly determined by the effective survey area. We also perform simple χ2 analysis to show the impact of lensing MF bias due to masked regions. Finally, we compare ray-tracing simulations with data from a Subaru 2 deg2 survey in order to address if the observed lensing MFs are consistent with those of the standard cosmology. The resulting χ2/n dof = 29.6/30 for three combined MFs, obtained with the mask effects taken into account, suggests that the observational data are indeed consistent with the standard ΛCDM model. We conclude that the lensing MFs are a powerful probe of cosmology only if mask effects are correctly taken into account.

Biosensing with Quantum Dots: A Microfluidic Approach

PubMed Central

Vannoy, Charles H.; Tavares, Anthony J.; Noor, M. Omair; Uddayasankar, Uvaraj; Krull, Ulrich J.

2011-01-01

Semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) have served as the basis for signal development in a variety of biosensing technologies and in applications using bioprobes. The use of QDs as physical platforms to develop biosensors and bioprobes has attracted considerable interest. This is largely due to the unique optical properties of QDs that make them excellent choices as donors in fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) and well suited for optical multiplexing. The large majority of QD-based bioprobe and biosensing technologies that have been described operate in bulk solution environments, where selective binding events at the surface of QDs are often associated with relatively long periods to reach a steady-state signal. An alternative approach to the design of biosensor architectures may be provided by a microfluidic system (MFS). A MFS is able to integrate chemical and biological processes into a single platform and allows for manipulation of flow conditions to achieve, by sample transport and mixing, reaction rates that are not entirely diffusion controlled. Integrating assays in a MFS provides numerous additional advantages, which include the use of very small amounts of reagents and samples, possible sample processing before detection, ultra-high sensitivity, high throughput, short analysis time, and in situ monitoring. Herein, a comprehensive review is provided that addresses the key concepts and applications of QD-based microfluidic biosensors with an added emphasis on how this combination of technologies provides for innovations in bioassay designs. Examples from the literature are used to highlight the many advantages of biosensing in a MFS and illustrate the versatility that such a platform offers in the design strategy. PMID:22163723

Improved inflammatory activity with peginterferon alfa-2b maintenance therapy in non-cirrhotic prior non-responders: a randomized study.

PubMed

Poynard, Thierry; Bruix, Jordi; Schiff, Eugene R; Diago, Moises; Berg, Thomas; Moreno-Otero, Ricardo; Lyra, Andre C; Carrilho, Flair; Griffel, Louis H; Boparai, Navdeep; Jiang, Ruiyun; Burroughs, Margaret; Brass, Clifford A; Albrecht, Janice K

2013-03-01

Therapeutic options for patients failing hepatitis C retreatment are limited. EPIC(3) included a prospective trial assessing long-term peginterferon alfa-2b (PegIFNα-2b) maintenance therapy in patients with METAVIR fibrosis scores (MFS) of F2 or F3 who previously failed hepatitis C retreatment. Patients with F2/F3 MFS who failed retreatment were randomized to PegIFNα-2b (0.5 μg/kg/week, n=270) or observation (n=270) for 36 months. Blinded liver biopsies obtained before retreatment and after maintenance therapy were evaluated using MFS and activity scores, and confirmatory testing was performed using FibroTest and ActiTest. In total, 348 patients had paired biopsies: 192 patients had missing post-treatment biopsies and were considered as having no change in fibrosis/activity scores. In total, 16% of patients receiving PegIFNα-2b and 11% of observation patients had improvement in MFS (p=0.32). More PegIFNα-2b than observation patients had improvement in activity score (20% vs. 9%; p <0.001). Among patients treated for >2.5 years, improvement in MFS or activity score was more common with PegIFNα-2b than observation (21% vs. 14%, p=0.08 and 26% vs. 10%, p <0.001). FibroTest and ActiTest evaluations indicated significant benefit associated with PegIFNα-2b in terms of reduced fibrosis progression and improved activity score. The safety profile of PegIFNα-2b was similar to previous studies. PegIFNα-2b did not significantly improve MFS estimated by biopsy compared with observation; however, activity scores were significantly improved and MFS trended toward increased improvement with treatment durations >2.5 years. Both FibroTest and ActiTest were significantly improved during maintenance therapy. Copyright © 2012 European Association for the Study of the Liver. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Redox stress in Marfan syndrome: Dissecting the role of the NADPH oxidase NOX4 in aortic aneurysm.

PubMed

Jiménez-Altayó, Francesc; Meirelles, Thayna; Crosas-Molist, Eva; Sorolla, M Alba; Del Blanco, Darya Gorbenko; López-Luque, Judit; Mas-Stachurska, Aleksandra; Siegert, Ana-Maria; Bonorino, Fabio; Barberà, Laura; García, Carolina; Condom, Enric; Sitges, Marta; Rodríguez-Pascual, Fernando; Laurindo, Francisco; Schröder, Katrin; Ros, Joaquim; Fabregat, Isabel; Egea, Gustavo

2018-04-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is characterized by the formation of ascending aortic aneurysms resulting from altered assembly of extracellular matrix fibrillin-containing microfibrils and dysfunction of TGF-β signaling. Here we identify the molecular targets of redox stress in aortic aneurysms from MFS patients, and investigate the role of NOX4, whose expression is strongly induced by TGF-β, in aneurysm formation and progression in a murine model of MFS. Working models included aortae and cultured vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) from MFS patients, and a NOX4-deficient Marfan mouse model (Fbn1 C1039G/+ -Nox4 -/- ). Increased tyrosine nitration and reactive oxygen species levels were found in the tunica media of human aortic aneurysms and in cultured VSMC. Proteomic analysis identified nitrated and carbonylated proteins, which included smooth muscle α-actin (αSMA) and annexin A2. NOX4 immunostaining increased in the tunica media of human Marfan aorta and was transcriptionally overexpressed in VSMC. Fbn1 C1039G/+ -Nox4 -/- mice aortas showed a reduction of fragmented elastic fibers, which was accompanied by an amelioration in the Marfan-associated enlargement of the aortic root. Increase in the contractile phenotype marker calponin in the tunica media of MFS mice aortas was abrogated in Fbn1 C1039G/+ -Nox4 -/- mice. Endothelial dysfunction evaluated by myography in the Marfan ascending aorta was prevented by the absence of Nox4 or catalase-induced H 2 O 2 decomposition. We conclude that redox stress occurs in MFS, whose targets are actin-based cytoskeleton members and regulators of extracellular matrix homeostasis. Likewise, NOX4 have an impact in the progression of the aortic dilation in MFS and in the structural organization of the aortic tunica media, the VSMC phenotypic modulation, and endothelial function. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Biometry Characteristics in Adults and Children With Marfan Syndrome: From the Marfan Eye Consortium of Chicago.

PubMed

Kinori, Michael; Wehrli, Sarah; Kassem, Iris S; Azar, Nathalie F; Maumenee, Irene H; Mets, Marilyn B

2017-05-01

To report on the biometric findings of adults and children with Marfan syndrome (MFS) recruited from 2 annual National Marfan Foundation conferences (2012 and 2015). Cross-sectional study. Subjects diagnosed with MFS by Ghent 2 nosology were included for analysis. Subjects were divided into "adults" (≥16 years of age) and "children" (5-15 years of age). Biometric data included values for refractive error, axial length (AL), corneal curvature, anterior chamber depth, lens thickness, and central corneal thickness. Of the 117 subjects evaluated, 74 (35 adults, 32 children, and 7 children <5 years of age) had a definite diagnosis of MFS and were included in the study. The AL was longer (25.25 ± 0.32 mm vs 24.24 ± 0.33 mm, P = .03) and the lens was thicker (3.94 ± 0.09 mm vs 3.62 ± 0.10 mm, P = .03) in adults. Both groups had flat corneas (average keratometry [K med ] of 41.59 ± 0.35 diopters [D] in adults vs 40.89 ± 0.36 D in children, P = .17). A negative correlation was found between AL and K med (-0.33, P < .001). The corneas of patients with MFS with ectopia lentis (EL) were significantly flatter and with higher degree of corneal astigmatism compared to patients without EL (K med of 40.68 ± 0.31 D vs 41.75 ± 0.28 D, P < .01 and corneal astigmatism of 1.68 ± 0.16 D vs 1.13 ± 0.14 D, P = .01). Children with established MFS have flat corneas at least to the same degree as adults. Corneas of patients with MFS with EL are flatter and have a higher degree of corneal astigmatism. We strongly suggest that corneal parameters should be measured if MFS is suspected, especially in children that may not yet have developed EL. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Biometry Characteristics in Adults and Children With Marfan Syndrome: From the Marfan Eye Consortium of Chicago

PubMed Central

KINORI, MICHAEL; WEHRLI, SARAH; KASSEM, IRIS S.; AZAR, NATHALIE F.; MAUMENEE, IRENE H.; METS, MARILYN B.

2017-01-01

PURPOSE To report on the biometric findings of adults and children with Marfan syndrome (MFS) recruited from 2 annual National Marfan Foundation conferences (2012 and 2015). DESIGN Cross-sectional study. METHODS Subjects diagnosed with MFS by Ghent 2 nosology were included for analysis. Subjects were divided into “adults” (≥16 years of age) and “children” (5–15 years of age). Biometric data included values for refractive error, axial length (AL), corneal curvature, anterior chamber depth, lens thickness, and central corneal thickness. RESULTS Of the 117 subjects evaluated, 74 (35 adults, 32 children, and 7 children <5 years of age) had a definite diagnosis of MFS and were included in the study. The AL was longer (25.25 ± 0.32 mm vs 24.24 ± 0.33 mm, P [ .03) and the lens was thicker (3.94 ± 0.09 mm vs 3.62 ± 0.10 mm, P [ .03) in adults. Both groups had flat corneas (average keratometry [Kmed] of 41.59 ± 0.35 diopters [D] in adults vs 40.89 ± 0.36 D in children, P [ .17). A negative correlation was found between AL and Kmed (L0.33, P < .001). The corneas of patients with MFS with ectopia lentis (EL) were significantly flatter and with higher degree of corneal astigmatism compared to patients without EL (Kmed of 40.68 ± 0.31 D vs 41.75 ± 0.28 D, P < .01 and corneal astigmatism of 1.68 ± 0.16 D vs 1.13 ± 0.14 D, P =.01). CONCLUSIONS Children with established MFS have flat corneas at least to the same degree as adults. Corneas of patients with MFS with EL are flatter and have a higher degree of corneal astigmatism. We strongly suggest that corneal parameters should be measured if MFS is suspected, especially in children that may not yet have developed EL. PMID:28257833

The Decompensated Monofixation Syndrome (An American Ophthalmological Society Thesis)

PubMed Central

Siatkowski, R. Michael

2011-01-01

Purpose To describe the clinical features and response to treatment of patients with decompensated monofixation syndrome (MFS) and to propose a hypothesis for a decompensation mechanism in such patients. Methods Fourteen adults with MFS who had been symptomatically stable for a mean duration of 25 years developed diplopia in the absence of neurologic or orbital disease. After retrospective chart review, they underwent detailed orthoptic testing. Results from this cross-sectional analysis were compared with similar data from 16 control subjects with stable MFS. Results Compared to stable MFS patients, decompensated subjects had significantly poorer horizontal fusional amplitudes but greater torsional fusional amplitudes; they were also more likely to have a small vertical strabismus and to have received initial treatment later. Stable subjects, however, also had subnormal horizontal as well as torsional fusional amplitudes. There was no difference between groups with respect to refractive error, amblyopia, type or prior treatment of strabismus, stereoacuity, or angle of deviation. After treatment, all patients regained monofixational alignment, but up to one-third had continued diplopia. Symptoms recurred in two patients whose treatment was initially successful. Conclusions Patients with MFS lose fusional amplitudes over time. In some cases this results in development of sensory torsion with secondary decompensation and diplopia. The rate of decompensation averages 7% per year from ages 20 to 70. Treatment for decompensation offers excellent motor results, but sensory symptoms may persist and recurrent symptoms may develop. Monitoring and maintenance of fusional vergence amplitudes should be part of the routine care for patients with MFS. PMID:22253490

EFFECT OF MASKED REGIONS ON WEAK-LENSING STATISTICS

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

Shirasaki, Masato; Yoshida, Naoki; Hamana, Takashi, E-mail: masato.shirasaki@utap.phys.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp

2013-09-10

Sky masking is unavoidable in wide-field weak-lensing observations. We study how masks affect the measurement of statistics of matter distribution probed by weak gravitational lensing. We first use 1000 cosmological ray-tracing simulations to examine in detail the impact of masked regions on the weak-lensing Minkowski Functionals (MFs). We consider actual sky masks used for a Subaru Suprime-Cam imaging survey. The masks increase the variance of the convergence field and the expected values of the MFs are biased. The bias then compromises the non-Gaussian signals induced by the gravitational growth of structure. We then explore how masks affect cosmological parameter estimation.more » We calculate the cumulative signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) for masked maps to study the information content of lensing MFs. We show that the degradation of S/N for masked maps is mainly determined by the effective survey area. We also perform simple {chi}{sup 2} analysis to show the impact of lensing MF bias due to masked regions. Finally, we compare ray-tracing simulations with data from a Subaru 2 deg{sup 2} survey in order to address if the observed lensing MFs are consistent with those of the standard cosmology. The resulting {chi}{sup 2}/n{sub dof} = 29.6/30 for three combined MFs, obtained with the mask effects taken into account, suggests that the observational data are indeed consistent with the standard {Lambda}CDM model. We conclude that the lensing MFs are a powerful probe of cosmology only if mask effects are correctly taken into account.« less

Connective Tissue Disorders and Cardiovascular Complications: The indomitable role of Transforming Growth Factor-beta signaling

PubMed Central

Wheeler, Jason B.; Ikonomidis, John S.; Jones, Jeffrey A.

2015-01-01

Marfan Syndrome (MFS) and Loeys-Dietz Syndrome (LDS) represent heritable connective tissue disorders that cosegregate with a similar pattern of cardiovascular defects (thoracic aortic aneurysm, mitral valve prolapse/regurgitation, and aortic dilatation with regurgitation). This pattern of cardiovascular defects appears to be expressed along a spectrum of severity in many heritable connective tissue disorders and raises suspicion of a relationship between the normal development of connective tissues and the cardiovascular system. Given the evidence of increased transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) signaling in MFS and LDS, this signaling pathway may represent the common link in this relationship. To further explore this hypothetical link, this chapter will review the TGF-β signaling pathway, heritable connective tissue syndromes related to TGF-β receptor (TGFBR) mutations, and discuss the pathogenic contribution of TGF-β to these syndromes with a primary focus on the cardiovascular system. PMID:24443024

Simultaneous Occurrence of Duane Retraction Syndrome with Marfan Syndrome

PubMed Central

Kothari, Mihir; Manurung, Florence; Mithiya, Bhavesh

2011-01-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is an autosomal dominant disorder of connective tissue, while Duane retraction syndrome (DRS) is a congenital cranial dysinnervation disorder (CCDD) which can be transmitted as autosomal dominant disorder in 5–10% of patients. In this paper, we present an 8-year-old girl who presented with left eye DRS and bilateral subluxation of the lens associated with MFS in absence of familial involvement. To our knowledge this is the first case report of DRS with MFS. The occurrence of these syndromes together is very rare and appears to be coincidental. PMID:22606474

A novel major facilitator superfamily transporter in Penicillium digitatum (PdMFS2) is required for prochloraz resistance, conidiation and full virulence.

PubMed

Wu, Zhi; Wang, Shengqiang; Yuan, Yongze; Zhang, Tingfu; Liu, Jing; Liu, Deli

2016-08-01

To clone a novel major facilitator superfamily (MFS, a large protein family with diverse physiological functions in all kingdoms) transporter gene, Pdmfs2, and characterize its function in Penicillium digitatum. A novel MFS transporter gene, Pdmfs2, was isolated from P. digitatum. The full-length DNA of Pdmfs2 had a 1590 bp ORF encoding a full-size MFS transporter with 529 amino acids. In a prochloraz-resistant strain (PdHS-F6), Pdmfs2 transcript level was up-regulated compared with the prochloraz-sensitive strain (PdHS-E3) and could be induced by 7 μg prochloraz/ml. The deletion of Pdmfs2 (ΔPdmfs2) in PdHS-F6 led to increased susceptibility to prochloraz and lower EC50 value (the concentration of prochloraz producing 50 % growth inhibition) compared with the PdHS-F6 or complementation strain (COPdmfs2). The ΔPdmfs2 strain was defective in conidia yield and virulence towards citrus fruits, while the complementation of Pdmfs2 could restore the phenotypic features to a large extent. Pdmfs2 is the second MFS transporter gene in P. digitatum and is required for prochloraz resistance, conidiation and full virulence.

Lack of myeloid Fatp1 increases atherosclerotic lesion size in Ldlr-/- mice

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Altered metabolism is an important regulator of macrophage (MF) phenotype, which contributes to inflammatory diseases such as atherosclerosis. Broadly, pro-inflammatory, classically-activated MFs (CAM) are glycolytic while alternatively-activated MFs (AAM) oxidize fatty acids, although there is prof...

An integrative computational analysis provides evidence for FBN1-associated network deregulation in trisomy 21.

PubMed

Vilardell, Mireia; Civit, Sergi; Herwig, Ralf

2013-08-15

Although approximately 50% of Down Syndrome (DS) patients have heart abnormalities, they exhibit an overprotection against cardiac abnormalities related with the connective tissue, for example a lower risk of coronary artery disease. A recent study reported a case of a person affected by DS who carried mutations in FBN1, the gene causative for a connective tissue disorder called Marfan Syndrome (MFS). The fact that the person did not have any cardiac alterations suggested compensation effects due to DS. This observation is supported by a previous DS meta-analysis at the molecular level where we have found an overall upregulation of FBN1 (which is usually downregulated in MFS). Additionally, that result was cross-validated with independent expression data from DS heart tissue. The aim of this work is to elucidate the role of FBN1 in DS and to establish a molecular link to MFS and MFS-related syndromes using a computational approach. To reach that, we conducted different analytical approaches over two DS studies (our previous meta-analysis and independent expression data from DS heart tissue) and revealed expression alterations in the FBN1 interaction network, in FBN1 co-expressed genes and FBN1-related pathways. After merging the significant results from different datasets with a Bayesian approach, we prioritized 85 genes that were able to distinguish control from DS cases. We further found evidence for several of these genes (47%), such as FBN1, DCN, and COL1A2, being dysregulated in MFS and MFS-related diseases. Consequently, we further encourage the scientific community to take into account FBN1 and its related network for the study of DS cardiovascular characteristics.

Personal resources and satisfaction with life in Marfan syndrome patients with aortic pathology and in abdominal aortic aneurysm patients.

PubMed

Stanišić, Michał-Goran; Rzepa, Teresa; Gawrońska, Alicja; Kubaszewski, Przemysław; Putowski, Maciej; Stefaniak, Sebastian; Perek, Bartłomiej

2018-03-01

Whether or not the source of aortic pathology is Marfan syndrome (MFS) or other processes leading to development of abdominal aorta aneurysms (AAA), the awareness of pathology may lead to an emotional upset and low assessment of satisfaction with life. To assess, in regard to MFS patients with aortic pathology and to abdominal aortic aneurysm patients: 1) whether or not self-efficacy (SE) and health locus of control (HLoC) affect the patients' satisfaction with life; 2) whether the two groups of patients differ in terms of mental dispositions. The study population consisted of 16 MFS patients with aortic pathology and 16 AAA patients, 9 men and 7 women in each group. The mean age of the MFS patients was 28.5 ±8.214, and of the AAA patients 64.25 ±7.019. The following scales were applied: Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale, Satisfaction With Life Scale, Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale. Abdominal aorta aneurysms patients compared to MFS patients gave a higher rating for SE ( MD = 33.94 and MD = 29.56), internal health locus of control ( MD = 25.00 and MD = 21.13), external personal HL o C ( MD = 24.50 and MD = 19.25), external impersonal HLoC ( MD = 23.06 and MD = 18.25), and satisfaction with life ( M = 22.06 and M = 20.13). Internal and external HL o C were significantly lower in MFS patients compared to AAA patients. In patients with aortic diseases, special attention must be paid to the state of personal resources (PR). Interactions made by medical professionals should focus on enhancing PR supporting the patients' self-knowledge on their SE. This will help to improve their satisfaction with life and form a positive attitude to the illness.

Possible extracardiac predictors of aortic dissection in Marfan syndrome

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background According to previous studies, aortic diameter alone seems to be insufficient to predict the event of aortic dissection in Marfan syndrome (MFS). Determining the optimal schedule for preventive aortic root replacement (ARR) aortic growth rate is of importance, as well as family history, however, none of them appear to be decisive. Thus, the aim of this study was to search for potential predictors of aortic dissection in MFS. Methods A Marfan Biobank consisting of 79 MFS patients was established. Thirty-nine MFS patients who underwent ARR were assigned into three groups based on the indication for surgery (dissection, annuloaortic ectasia and prophylactic surgery). The prophylactic surgery group was excluded from the study. Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) serum levels were measured by ELISA, relative expression of c-Fos, matrix metalloproteinase 3 and 9 (MMP-3 and −9) were assessed by RT-PCR. Clinical parameters, including anthropometric variables - based on the original Ghent criteria were also analyzed. Results Among patients with aortic dissection, TGF-β serum level was elevated (43.78 ± 6.51 vs. 31.64 ± 4.99 ng/l, p < 0.0001), MMP-3 was up-regulated (Ln2α = 1.87, p = 0.062) and striae atrophicae were more common (92% vs. 41% p = 0.027) compared to the annuloaortic ectasia group. Conclusions We found three easily measurable parameters (striae atrophicae, TGF-β serum level, MMP-3) that may help to predict the risk of aortic dissection in MFS. Based on these findings a new classification of MFS, that is benign or malignant is also proposed, which could be taken into consideration in determining the timing of prophylactic ARR. PMID:24720641

NADPH oxidase 4 attenuates cerebral artery changes during the progression of Marfan syndrome.

PubMed

Onetti, Yara; Meirelles, Thayna; Dantas, Ana P; Schröder, Katrin; Vila, Elisabet; Egea, Gustavo; Jiménez-Altayó, Francesc

2016-05-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a connective tissue disorder that is often associated with the fibrillin-1 (Fbn1) gene mutation and characterized by cardiovascular alterations, predominantly ascending aortic aneurysms. Although neurovascular complications are uncommon in MFS, the improvement in Marfan patients' life expectancy is revealing other secondary alterations, potentially including neurovascular disorders. However, little is known about small-vessel pathophysiology in MFS. MFS is associated with hyperactivated transforming growth factor (TGF)-β signaling, which among numerous other downstream effectors, induces the NADPH oxidase 4 (Nox4) isoform of NADPH oxidase, a strong enzymatic source of H2O2 We hypothesized that MFS induces middle cerebral artery (MCA) alterations and that Nox4 contributes to them. MCA properties from 3-, 6-, or 9-mo-old Marfan (Fbn1(C1039G/+)) mice were compared with those from age/sex-matched wild-type littermates. At 6 mo, Marfan compared with wild-type mice developed higher MCA wall/lumen (wild-type: 0.081 ± 0.004; Marfan: 0.093 ± 0.002; 60 mmHg; P < 0.05), coupled with increased reactive oxygen species production, TGF-β, and Nox4 expression. However, wall stiffness and myogenic autoregulation did not change. To investigate the influence of Nox4 on cerebrovascular properties, we generated Marfan mice with Nox4 deficiency (Nox4(-/-)). Strikingly, Nox4 deletion in Marfan mice aggravated MCA wall thickening (cross-sectional area; Marfan: 6,660 ± 363 μm(2); Marfan Nox4(-/-): 8,795 ± 824 μm(2); 60 mmHg; P < 0.05), accompanied by decreased TGF-β expression and increased collagen deposition and Nox1 expression. These findings provide the first evidence that Nox4 mitigates cerebral artery structural changes in a murine model of MFS. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

Everyday attention lapses and memory failures: the affective consequences of mindlessness.

PubMed

Carriere, Jonathan S A; Cheyne, J Allan; Smilek, Daniel

2008-09-01

We examined the affective consequences of everyday attention lapses and memory failures. Significant associations were found between self-report measures of attention lapses (MAAS-LO), attention-related cognitive errors (ARCES), and memory failures (MFS), on the one hand, and boredom (BPS) and depression (BDI-II), on the other. Regression analyses confirmed previous findings that the ARCES partially mediates the relation between the MAAS-LO and MFS. Further regression analyses also indicated that the association between the ARCES and BPS was entirely accounted for by the MAAS-LO and MFS, as was that between the ARCES and BDI-II. Structural modeling revealed the associations to be optimally explained by the MAAS-LO and MFS influencing the BPS and BDI-II, contrary to current conceptions of attention and memory problems as consequences of affective dysfunction. A lack of conscious awareness of one's actions, signaled by the propensity to experience brief lapses of attention and related memory failures, is thus seen as having significant consequences in terms of long-term affective well-being.

X-ray studies of neutron stars and their magnetic fields

PubMed Central

MAKISHIMA, Kazuo

2016-01-01

Utilizing results obtained over the past quarter century mainly with Japanese X-ray astronomy satellites, a review is given to some aspects of neutron stars (NSs), with a particular emphasis on the magnetic fields (MFs) of mass-accreting NSs and magnetars. Measurements of electron cyclotron resonance features in binary X-ray pulsars, using the Ginga and Suzaku observatories, clarified that their surface MFs are concentrated in a narrow range of (1–7) × 108 T. Extensive studies of magnetars with Suzaku reinforced their nature as neutron stars with truly strong MFs, and revealed several important clues to their formation, evolution, and physical states. Taking all these results into account, a discussion is made on the origin and evolution of these strong MFs. One possible scenario is that the MF of NSs is a manifestation of some fundamental physics, e.g., neutron spin alignment or chirality violation, and the MF makes transitions from strong to weak states. PMID:27169348

The effects of Bi4Ti3O12 interfacial ferroelectric layer on the dielectric properties of Au/n-Si structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gökçen, Muharrem; Yıldırım, Mert

2015-06-01

Au/n-Si metal-semiconductor (MS) and Au/Bi4Ti3O12/n-Si metal-ferroelectric-semiconductor (MFS) structures were fabricated and admittance measurements were held between 5 kHz and 1 MHz at room temperature so that dielectric properties of these structures could be investigated. The ferroelectric interfacial layer Bi4Ti3O12 decreased the polarization voltage by providing permanent dipoles at metal/semiconductor interface. Depending on different mechanisms, dispersion behavior was observed in dielectric constant, dielectric loss and loss tangent versus bias voltage plots of both MS and MFS structures. The real and imaginary parts of complex modulus of MFS structure take smaller values than those of MS structure, because permanent dipoles in ferroelectric layer cause a large spontaneous polarization mechanism. While the dispersion in AC conductivity versus frequency plots of MS structure was observed at high frequencies, for MFS structure it was observed at lower frequencies.

Incremental slip rate and paleoseismic data from the eastern Hope fault, New Zealand: the Hossack and Green Burn sites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hatem, A. E.; Dolan, J. F.; Langridge, R.; Zinke, R. W.; McGuire, C. P.; Rhodes, E.; Van Dissen, R. J.

2016-12-01

We present incremental slip rate and paleo-earthquake data from the Conway segment of the eastern Hope fault, within the Marlborough Fault System (MFS) in the northern South Island of New Zealand. Our incremental slip rate site at Hossack Station is located near the western boundary of the Conway segment (near the Hanmer pull-apart basin), and preserves four offsets of the Hossack Stream channel that range in size from c. 11 to 190 m. Channel cut and fill deposits were exposed in several fault-parallel (channel perpendicular) trenches, and the initiation and abandonment of these offset channels are constrained by >60 radiocarbon ages, yielding four incremental slip rates spanning the Holocene. Our paleoseismologic trench at Green Burn, at the eastern end of the Conway segment near Kaikoura, was excavated across the 5-m-high fault scarp into the adjacent bog deposits. This fault-perpendicular trench revealed evidence for at least four paleo-earthquakes with age constraints provided by >40 radiocarbon dates. These results add to a growing body of slip rate and paleo-earthquake age and displacement data from all four main strike-slip faults that comprise the MFS. Collectively, these observations from the Hope fault are beginning to reveal the detailed system-level behavior of the four main faults in the MFS, with fundamental implications for, among other things, earthquake occurrence and behavior, as well as seismic hazard assessment.

Eddy-Current Inspection Of Graphite-Fiber Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Workman, G. L.; Bryson, C. C.

1993-01-01

NASA technical memorandum describes initial research on, and proposed development of, automated system for nondestructive eddy-current inspection of parts made of graphite-fiber/epoxy-matrix composite materials. Sensors in system E-shaped or U-shaped eddy-current probes like those described in "Eddy-Current Probes For Inspecting Graphite-Fiber Composites" (MFS-26129).

Dosimetry for infant exposures to electronic article surveillance system: posture, physical dimension and anatomy.

PubMed

Li, Congsheng; Wu, Tongning

2015-04-01

The use of electronic article surveillance (EAS) systems has become popular in many public sites. As a consequence, concern has risen about infant exposure to magnetic fields (MFs) from this kind of device. To evaluate infant exposure to MFs of an EAS system (operating at 125 kHz and 13.56 MHz), we numerically compared dosimetric results among adult, child and infant models. Results revealed that postures insignificantly influenced dosimetric results if there was a similar cross-sectional area under exposure. Although safety limits are unlikely to be exceeded, the infant has higher SAR values for brain and central nervous system tissues compared with adult (1.5x at 125 kHz and 112x at 13.56 MHz), which deserve further investigation. Infant's specific anatomy (e.g., non-proportionally large head and high fat content) did not induce higher SAR values. The numerical models developed in the study (stroller and postured infant models) could be freely used for nonprofit academic research. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Magnetosheath Filamentary Structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rojas-Castillo, D. I.; Blanco-Cano, X.; Omidi, N.; Kajdic, P.

2014-12-01

The terrestrial magnetosheath is full of highly perturbed plasma. The inhomogeneity of this region leads to temperature anisotropies that can originate waves; e.g, mirror mode and ion cyclotron waves. Other structures like the magnetosheath filamentary structures (MFS) can also be present. These are structures reported from results of global hybrid simulations by Omidi et al. (2014) that are formed in the quasi-parallel region of the bow shock and they are convected into the magnetosheath. The MFS are characterized by field aligned enhancements of density and temperature that are anti-correlated. In this work we analyze magnetic field and plasma data from the THEMIS mission to explore the possible existence of MFS.

Nonmyocyte ERK1/2 signaling contributes to load-induced cardiomyopathy in Marfan mice

PubMed Central

MacFarlane, Elena Gallo; Takimoto, Eiki; Chaudhary, Rahul; Nagpal, Varun; Rainer, Peter P.; Bindman, Julia G.; Gerber, Elizabeth E.; Bedja, Djahida; Schiefer, Christopher; Miller, Karen L.; Zhu, Guangshuo; Myers, Loretha; Amat-Alarcon, Nuria; Lee, Dong I.; Koitabashi, Norimichi; Judge, Daniel P.; Dietz, Harry C.

2017-01-01

Among children with the most severe presentation of Marfan syndrome (MFS), an inherited disorder of connective tissue caused by a deficiency of extracellular fibrillin-1, heart failure is the leading cause of death. Here, we show that, while MFS mice (Fbn1C1039G/+ mice) typically have normal cardiac function, pressure overload (PO) induces an acute and severe dilated cardiomyopathy in association with fibrosis and myocyte enlargement. Failing MFS hearts show high expression of TGF-β ligands, with increased TGF-β signaling in both nonmyocytes and myocytes; pathologic ERK activation is restricted to the nonmyocyte compartment. Informatively, TGF-β, angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R), or ERK antagonism (with neutralizing antibody, losartan, or MEK inhibitor, respectively) prevents load-induced cardiac decompensation in MFS mice, despite persistent PO. In situ analyses revealed an unanticipated axis of activation in nonmyocytes, with AT1R-dependent ERK activation driving TGF-β ligand expression that culminates in both autocrine and paracrine overdrive of TGF-β signaling. The full compensation seen in wild-type mice exposed to mild PO correlates with enhanced deposition of extracellular fibrillin-1. Taken together, these data suggest that fibrillin-1 contributes to cardiac reserve in the face of hemodynamic stress, critically implicate nonmyocytes in disease pathogenesis, and validate ERK as a therapeutic target in MFS-related cardiac decompensation. PMID:28768908

Nonmyocyte ERK1/2 signaling contributes to load-induced cardiomyopathy in Marfan mice.

PubMed

Rouf, Rosanne; MacFarlane, Elena Gallo; Takimoto, Eiki; Chaudhary, Rahul; Nagpal, Varun; Rainer, Peter P; Bindman, Julia G; Gerber, Elizabeth E; Bedja, Djahida; Schiefer, Christopher; Miller, Karen L; Zhu, Guangshuo; Myers, Loretha; Amat-Alarcon, Nuria; Lee, Dong I; Koitabashi, Norimichi; Judge, Daniel P; Kass, David A; Dietz, Harry C

2017-08-03

Among children with the most severe presentation of Marfan syndrome (MFS), an inherited disorder of connective tissue caused by a deficiency of extracellular fibrillin-1, heart failure is the leading cause of death. Here, we show that, while MFS mice (Fbn1C1039G/+ mice) typically have normal cardiac function, pressure overload (PO) induces an acute and severe dilated cardiomyopathy in association with fibrosis and myocyte enlargement. Failing MFS hearts show high expression of TGF-β ligands, with increased TGF-β signaling in both nonmyocytes and myocytes; pathologic ERK activation is restricted to the nonmyocyte compartment. Informatively, TGF-β, angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R), or ERK antagonism (with neutralizing antibody, losartan, or MEK inhibitor, respectively) prevents load-induced cardiac decompensation in MFS mice, despite persistent PO. In situ analyses revealed an unanticipated axis of activation in nonmyocytes, with AT1R-dependent ERK activation driving TGF-β ligand expression that culminates in both autocrine and paracrine overdrive of TGF-β signaling. The full compensation seen in wild-type mice exposed to mild PO correlates with enhanced deposition of extracellular fibrillin-1. Taken together, these data suggest that fibrillin-1 contributes to cardiac reserve in the face of hemodynamic stress, critically implicate nonmyocytes in disease pathogenesis, and validate ERK as a therapeutic target in MFS-related cardiac decompensation.

Transport behaviors of anionic azo dyes at interface between surfactant-modified flax shives and aqueous solution: Synchrotron infrared and adsorption studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Wenxia; Huang, Guohe; An, Chunjiang; Xin, Xiaying; Zhang, Yan; Liu, Xia

2017-05-01

From the viewpoint of sustainability, biomass adsorbent has a high potential in pollution control and there is an emerging interest to investigate the behaviors of pollutants at the interface between biomass adsorbent and solution. This study investigated the performance of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide surfactant-modified flax shives (MFS) for removal of anionic azo dyes from aqueous solution. The equilibrium and kinetic analysis for the adsorption of Acid Orange 7 (AO-7), Acid Red 18 (AR-18) and Acid Black 1 (AB-1) on MFS were conducted. The surface of MFS was characterized by synchrotron infrared and SEM analysis. The absorbed amount of three anionic azo dyes varied with the change of adsorbent dosage, pH and ionic strength. The adsorption isotherm data well fit to the Langmuir model. The adsorption process followed the pseudo-second-order kinetics and the liquid film diffusion models. Thermodynamic studies indicated that the adsorption of three anionic azo dyes was spontaneous. The adsorption of AR-18 and AB-1 onto MFS was endothermic while the adsorption of AO-7 was exothermic. The results can help better understand the behaviors of organic pollutants at biomass adsorbent-water interface. They also present the potential of using MFS as a suitable adsorbent for the removal of anionic azo dyes from wastewater.

Role of TGFBR1 and TGFBR2 genetic variants in Marfan syndrome.

PubMed

De Cario, Rosina; Sticchi, Elena; Lucarini, Laura; Attanasio, Monica; Nistri, Stefano; Marcucci, Rossella; Pepe, Guglielmina; Giusti, Betti

2017-08-25

Genetic variants in transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) receptors type 1 (TGFBR1) and type 2 (TGFBR2) genes have been associated with different hereditary connective tissue disorders sharing thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection (TAA/D). Mutations in both TGFBR1/2 genes have been described in patients with TAA/D and Marfan syndrome (MFS), and they are associated consistently with Loeys-Dietz syndrome. The existing literature shows discordant data resulting from mutational screening of TGFBR1/2 genes in patients with MFS. The aim of the study was to investigate the role of TGFBR1/2 genetic variants in determining and/or modulating MFS clinical phenotype. We investigated 75 unrelated patients with MFS referred to the Center for Marfan Syndrome and Related Disorders (Careggi University Hospital, Florence) who were subjected to FBN1 and TGFBR1/2 Sanger mutational screening. Forty-seven patients with MFS (63%) carried a pathogenetic FBN1 mutation. No pathogenetic mutations were detected in TGFBR1/2 genes. Ten common polymorphisms were identified in TGFBR2 and 6 in TGFBR1. Their association with cardiovascular manifestations was evaluated. Carriers of the A allele of rs11466512, delA allele of c.383delA or delT allele of c.1256-15del1T polymorphisms had a trend toward or significantly reduced z-scores (median [interquartile range (IQR)], 2.2 [1.13-4.77]; 2.1 [1.72-3.48]; 2.5 [1.85-3.86]) with respect to homozygous patients with wild-type MFS (median [IQR], 4.20 [2.39-7.25]; 3.9 [2.19-7.00]; 3.9 [2.14-6.93]). Carriers of the A allele of the rs2276767 polymorphism showed a trend toward increased z-score (median [IQR], 4.9 [2.14-7.16]) with respect to patients with wild-type MFS (median [IQR], 3.3 [1.75-5.45]). The protective effect of TGFBR1/2 genetic score including all the 4 variants was also evaluated. Patients with MFS with two or more protective alleles included in the score had statistically significant reduced aortic z-scores (median [IQR], 2.20 [1.48-3.37]) with respect to patients with 1 or no protective alleles (median [IQR], 4.20 [2.48-7.12]; P = .007). Patients with severe aortic manifestations (aortic z-score ≥ 2 or aortic surgery) showed a significantly lower prevalence of subjects with two or more protective alleles included in the genetic score (29.7%) than patients with no or milder cardiovascular involvement (63.6%; P = .029). The genetic score protective effect on global aortic manifestations severity (aortic z-score ≥ 2 or aortic surgery) was also observed at the logistic regression analysis adjusted for the presence of FBN1 gene mutations (odds ratio, 0.21; 95% CI, 0.05-0.84; P = .028). In conclusion, our data reappraise the role of TGFBR1 and TGFBR2 as major genes in patients with MFS, and suggest that TGFBR1/2 genetic variants (in particular when evaluated as a burden by score) might play a role in modulating the severity of cardiovascular manifestation in MFS. Copyright © 2017 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Neoadjuvant chemotherapy of osteosarcoma. Results of the cooperative studies COSS-80 and COSS-82 after 7 and 5 years].

PubMed

Bielack, S; Beck, J; Delling, G; Gerein, V; Grümayer, R; Hiddemann, W; Jobke, A; Jürgens, H; Kornhuber, G; Kotz, R

1989-01-01

The analysis of the results of two German Pediatric Oncology (GPO) cooperative, neoadjuvant chemotherapy trials after a followup of 7 (COSS-80) and 5 years (COSS-82) allows several conclusions concerning both systemic and local treatment of patients suffering from osteosarcoma. A metastasis free survival rate (MFS) of 59% was reached in the reduced study group of the first study, COSS-80. In addition to size of the primary tumor, the extent of chemotherapy induced devitalisation was very closely related to the probability of survival without systemic recurrence. Following this observation, it was the aim of the next study, COSS-82, to improve the MFS of patients with poorly responding tumors by altering their postoperative chemotherapy regimen. However, this "salvage" approach failed. Moreover, an effort to reduce treatment related toxicity by sparing some patients from the side effects of two particularly toxic drugs, adriamycin (ADR) and cisplatinum (CDDP), by only giving these postoperatively and only after insufficient tumor response to preoperative therapy, failed (MFS of the study arm of COSS-82 45% at 5 years vs. 68% for the control arm with primary use of ADR and CDDP, p less than 0.05). The value of an effective primary chemotherapy is further enhanced by the observation, that en bloc resection of tumors which were poor responders to preoperative therapy was associated with an increased risk of distant metastases when compared with amputation and rotation plasty, while this was not the case for good responders. In conclusion, both systemic tumor control and optimal local therapy require that all effects drugs are to be used as early as possible in the primary treatment of osteosarcoma, in order to enforce maximum tumor cell destruction and hence an optimistic outlook for the individual patient.

Eukaryotic major facilitator superfamily transporter modeling based on the prokaryotic GlpT crystal structure.

PubMed

Lemieux, M Joanne

2007-01-01

The major facilitator superfamily (MFS) of transporters represents the largest family of secondary active transporters and has a diverse range of substrates. With structural information for four MFS transporters, we can see a strong structural commonality suggesting, as predicted, a common architecture for MFS transporters. The rate for crystal structure determination of MFS transporters is slow, making modeling of both prokaryotic and eukaryotic transporters more enticing. In this review, models of eukaryotic transporters Glut1, G6PT, OCT1, OCT2 and Pho84, based on the crystal structures of the prokaryotic GlpT, based on the crystal structure of LacY are discussed. The techniques used to generate the different models are compared. In addition, the validity of these models and the strategy of using prokaryotic crystal structures to model eukaryotic proteins are discussed. For comparison, E. coli GlpT was modeled based on the E. coli LacY structure and compared to the crystal structure of GlpT demonstrating that experimental evidence is essential for accurate modeling of membrane proteins.

Serum antibodies against gangliosides and Campylobacter jejuni lipopolysaccharides in Miller Fisher syndrome.

PubMed Central

Neisser, A; Bernheimer, H; Berger, T; Moran, A P; Schwerer, B

1997-01-01

Seven patients with Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS), six in the acute phase and one in the recovery phase, were investigated for serum antibodies against gangliosides and purified lipopolysaccharides (LPS) from different strains of Campylobacter jejuni, including the MFS-associated serotypes O:2 and O:23. Immunoglobulin G antibodies against gangliosides GT1a and GQ1b were found in five of six patients in the acute phase of disease. Three of these patients also displayed antibodies to ganglioside GD2, a finding not previously reported for MFS. All anti-GT1a- and anti-GQ1b-seropositive patients showed antibody binding to C. jejuni LPS, predominantly to O:2 and O:23 LPS. Antibody cross-reactivity between gangliosides GT1a and GQ1b and O:2 and O:23 LPS was demonstrated by adsorption studies. This cross-reactivity between gangliosides and C.jejuni LPS, which is obviously due to oligosaccharide homologies, may be an important pathogenetic factor in the development of MFS after C. jejuni infection. PMID:9317004

Actin dynamics involved in gravity perception in Arabidopsis inflorescense stem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tasaka, Masao; Nakamura, Moritaka; Morita, Miyo T.

The amyloplasts sedimentation in the endodermal cells is important for gravity perception in Arabidopsis shoot. Our previous study suggests that SGR5(SHOOT GRAVITROPISM 5) and SGR9 are synergistically involved in regulation of amyloplast movement in these cells, and shows that sgr5 sgr9 double mutant completely loses gravitropic response. SGR5 encodes putative transcription factor and SGR9 encodes a ring finger containing protein, which surrounds amyloplasts. It has been reported that amyloplasts are surrounded by actin microfilaments (MFs), and that treatment with actin polymerization inhibitor enhances gravitropic organ curvature. However, not only the molecular link between amyolplasts and MFs, but also regulatory role of MFs in gravitropic response is still unclear. Here, we found that treatment with actin polymerization inhibitor restored gravitropic response of sgr5 sgr9 double mutant stems. The result suggests that abnormal amyloplasts movement in the double mutant could result from inhibition of MFs depolymerization, leading to abnormal gravitropism. We are investigating whether SGR5 and SGR9 are involved in amyloplasts movement by regulating actin remodeling in gravity perceptive cells.

Immunohistochemical evaluation of myofibroblast density in odontogenic cysts and tumors.

PubMed

Kouhsoltani, Maryam; Halimi, Monireh; Jabbari, Golchin

2016-01-01

Background. The aim of this study was to investigate myofibroblast (MF) density in a broad spectrum of odontogenic cysts and tumors and the relation between the density of MFs and the clinical behavior of these lesions. Methods. A total of 105 cases of odontogenic lesions, including unicystic ameloblastoma (UAM), solid ameloblastoma (SA), odontogenic keratocyst (OKC), dentigerous cyst (DC), radicular cyst (RC) (15 for each category), and odontogenic myxoma (OM), adenomatoid odontogenic tumor (AOT), calcifying odontogenic cyst (COC) (10 for each category), were immunohistochemically stained with anti-α-smooth muscle actin antibody. The mean percentage of positive cells in 10 high-power fields was considered as MF density for each case. Results. A statistically significant difference was observed in the mean scores between the study groups (P < 0.001). The intensity of MFs was significantly higher in odontogenic tumors compared to odontogenic cysts (P < 0.001). There was no statistically significant difference between odontogenic tumors, except between UAM and OM (P = 0.041). The difference between OKC and odontogenic tumors was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). The number of MFs was significantly higher in OKC and lower in COC compared to other odontogenic cysts (P = 0.007 and P = 0.045, respectively). Conclusion. The results of the present study suggest a role for MFs in the aggressive behavior of odontogenic lesions. MFs may represent an important target of therapy, especially for aggressive odontogenic lesions. Our findings support the classification of OKC in the category of odontogenic tumors.

Immunohistochemical evaluation of myofibroblast density in odontogenic cysts and tumors

PubMed Central

Kouhsoltani, Maryam; Halimi, Monireh; Jabbari, Golchin

2016-01-01

Background. The aim of this study was to investigate myofibroblast (MF) density in a broad spectrum of odontogenic cysts and tumors and the relation between the density of MFs and the clinical behavior of these lesions. Methods. A total of 105 cases of odontogenic lesions, including unicystic ameloblastoma (UAM), solid ameloblastoma (SA), odontogenic keratocyst (OKC), dentigerous cyst (DC), radicular cyst (RC) (15 for each category), and odontogenic myxoma (OM), adenomatoid odontogenic tumor (AOT), calcifying odontogenic cyst (COC) (10 for each category), were immunohistochemically stained with anti-α-smooth muscle actin antibody. The mean percentage of positive cells in 10 high-power fields was considered as MF density for each case. Results. A statistically significant difference was observed in the mean scores between the study groups (P < 0.001). The intensity of MFs was significantly higher in odontogenic tumors compared to odontogenic cysts (P < 0.001). There was no statistically significant difference between odontogenic tumors, except between UAM and OM (P = 0.041). The difference between OKC and odontogenic tumors was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). The number of MFs was significantly higher in OKC and lower in COC compared to other odontogenic cysts (P = 0.007 and P = 0.045, respectively). Conclusion. The results of the present study suggest a role for MFs in the aggressive behavior of odontogenic lesions. MFs may represent an important target of therapy, especially for aggressive odontogenic lesions. Our findings support the classification of OKC in the category of odontogenic tumors. PMID:27092213

Substrate transport pathway inside outward open conformation of EmrD: a molecular dynamics simulation study.

PubMed

Xianwei, Tan; Diannan, Lu; Boxiong, Wang

2016-07-19

The EmrD transporter, which is a classical major facilitator superfamily (MFS) protein, can extrude a range of drug molecules out of E. coil. The drug molecules transport through the channel of MFS in an outward open state, an important issue in research about bacterial drug resistance, which however, is still unknown. In this paper, we construct a starting outward-open model of the EmrD transporter using a state transition method. The starting model is refined by a conventional molecular dynamics simulation. Locally enhanced sampling simulation (LES) is used to validate the outward-open model of EmrD. In the locally enhanced sampling simulation, ten substrates are placed along the channel of the outward-open EmrD, and these substrates are sampled in the outward-open center cavity. It is found that the translocation pathway of these substrates from the inside to the outside of the cell through the EmrD transporter is composed of two sub-pathways, one sub-pathway, including H2, H4, and H5, and another sub-pathway, including H8, H10, and H11. The results give us have a further insight to the ways of substrate translocation of an MFS protein. The model method is based on common features of an MFS protein, so this modeling method can be used to construct various MFS protein models which have a desired state with other conformations not known in the alternating-access mechanism.

Losartan Attenuates Degradation of Aorta and Lung Tissue Micromechanics in a Mouse Model of Severe Marfan Syndrome.

PubMed

Lee, Jia-Jye; Galatioto, Josephine; Rao, Satish; Ramirez, Francesco; Costa, Kevin D

2016-10-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is an autosomal dominant disease of the connective tissue due to mutations in the fibrillin-1 gene (FBN1). This study aimed at characterizing microelastic properties of the ascending aortic wall and lung parenchyma tissues from wild type (WT) and age-matched Fbn1 hypomorphic mice (Fbn1(mgR/mgR) mice) to identify tissue-specific biomechanical effects of aging and disease in MFS. Atomic force microscopy was used to indent lung parenchyma and aortic wall tissues, using Hybrid Eshelby Decomposition analysis to extract layer-specific properties of the intima and media. The intima stiffened with age and was not different between WT and Fbn1(mgR/mgR) tissues, whereas the media layer of MFS aortas showed progressive structural and mechanical degradation with a modulus that was 50% softer than WT by 3.5 months of age. Similarly, MFS mice displayed progressive structural and mechanical deterioration of lung tissue, which was over 85% softer than WT by 3.5 months of age. Chronic treatment with the angiotensin type I receptor antagonist, losartan, attenuated the aorta and lung tissue degradation, resulting in structural and mechanical properties not significantly different from age-matched WT controls. By revealing micromechanical softening of elastin-rich aorta and lung tissues with disease progression in fibrillin-1 deficient mice, our findings support the use of losartan as a prophylactic treatment that may abrogate the life-threatening symptoms of MFS.

The importance of genotype-phenotype correlation in the clinical management of Marfan syndrome.

PubMed

Becerra-Muñoz, Víctor Manuel; Gómez-Doblas, Juan José; Porras-Martín, Carlos; Such-Martínez, Miguel; Crespo-Leiro, María Generosa; Barriales-Villa, Roberto; de Teresa-Galván, Eduardo; Jiménez-Navarro, Manuel; Cabrera-Bueno, Fernando

2018-01-22

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a disorder of autosomal dominant inheritance, in which aortic root dilation is the main cause of morbidity and mortality. Fibrillin-1 (FBN-1) gene mutations are found in more than 90% of MFS cases. The aim of our study was to summarise variants in FBN-1 and establish the genotype-phenotype correlation, with particular interest in the onset of aortic events, in a broad population of patients with an initial clinical suspicion of MFS. This single centre prospective cohort study included all patients presenting variants in the FBN-1 gene who visited a Hereditary Aortopathy clinic between September 2010 and October 2016. The study included 90 patients with FBN-1 variants corresponding to 58 non-interrelated families. Of the 57 FBN-1 variants found, 25 (43.9%) had previously been described, 23 of which had been identified as associated with MFS, while the the remainder are described for the first time. For 84 patients (93.3%), it was possible to give a definite diagnosis of Marfan syndrome in accordance with Ghent criteria. 44 of them had missense mutations, 6 of whom had suffered an aortic event (with either prophylactic surgery for aneurysm or dissection), whereas 20 of the 35 patients with truncating mutations had suffered an event (13.6% vs. 57.1%, p < 0.001). These events tended to occur at earlier ages in patients with truncating compared to those with missense mutations, although not significantly (41.33 ± 3.77 vs. 37.5 ± 9.62 years, p = 0.162). Patients with MFS and truncating variants in FBN-1 presented a higher proportion of aortic events, compared to a more benign course in patients with missense mutations. Genetic findings could, therefore, have importance not only in the diagnosis, but also in risk stratification and clinical management of patients with suspected MFS.

Sex, pregnancy and aortic disease in Marfan syndrome.

PubMed

Renard, Marjolijn; Muiño-Mosquera, Laura; Manalo, Elise C; Tufa, Sara; Carlson, Eric J; Keene, Douglas R; De Backer, Julie; Sakai, Lynn Y

2017-01-01

Sex-related differences as well as the adverse effect of pregnancy on aortic disease outcome are well-established phenomena in humans with Marfan syndrome (MFS). The underlying mechanisms of these observations are largely unknown. In an initial (pilot) step we aimed to confirm the differences between male and female MFS patients as well as between females with and without previous pregnancy. We then sought to evaluate whether these findings are recapitulated in a pre-clinical model and performed in-depth cardiovascular phenotyping of mutant male and both nulliparous and multiparous female Marfan mice. The effect of 17β-estradiol on fibrillin-1 protein synthesis was compared in vitro using human aortic smooth muscle cells and fibroblasts. Our small retrospective study of aortic dimensions in a cohort of 10 men and 20 women with MFS (10 pregnant and 10 non-pregnant) confirmed that aortic root growth was significantly increased in the pregnant group compared to the non-pregnant group (0.64mm/year vs. 0.12mm/year, p = 0.018). Male MFS patients had significantly larger aortic root diameters compared to the non-pregnant and pregnant females at baseline and follow-up (p = 0.002 and p = 0.007, respectively), but no significant increase in aortic root growth was observed compared to the females after follow-up (p = 0.559 and p = 0.352). In the GT-8/+ MFS mouse model, multiparous female Marfan mice showed increased aortic diameters when compared to nulliparous females. Aortic dilatation in multiparous females was comparable to Marfan male mice. Moreover, increased aortic diameters were associated with more severe fragmentation of the elastic lamellae. In addition, 17β-estradiol was found to promote fibrillin-1 production by human aortic smooth muscle cells. Pregnancy-related changes influence aortic disease severity in otherwise protected female MFS mice and patients. There may be a role for estrogen in the female sex protective effect.

Herpetofaunal diversity of Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, North Carolina

USGS Publications Warehouse

Meyers, J.M.; Pike, D.A.

2006-01-01

In the past century, habitat alteration and fragmentation have increased dramatically, which increases the need for improving our understanding of how species and biological communities react to these modifications. A national strategy on biological diversity has focused attention on how these habitat modifications affect species, especially herpetofauna (i.e., changes in species richness, community evenness and similarity, and dominant/rare species). As part of this strategy, we surveyed Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, a coastal, mixed second-growth forested swamp (MFS) and pocosin wetland (PW), in North Carolina for amphibians and reptiles from September 2000 to August 2001. We randomly selected three sites (3 x 3 km) in two major habitat types (MFS, PW) and completed random surveys and trapping using transects, quadrats, nighttime aural road surveys, drift fences, canal transects, coverboards, incidental captures, and evening road surveys. We also collected herpetofauna opportunistically throughout the refuge to establish an updated species list. For analysis, we used Shannon-Weiner species diversity (H'), evenness (1'), species richness and species detectability (COMDYN4), and community percent similarity index to determine herpetofaunal community differences. We estimated 39 species in MFS and 32 species in PW (P < 0.10). Species detectability was similar between habitats (0.84 to 0.86). More reptilian species (+ 31 %) inhabited MFS than PW, but estimated amphibian species richness was identical (17 spp.). H' was higher (P < 0.000 I) for PW (2.6680) than for MFS (2.1535) because of lower J' in the latter (0.6214 vs. 0.8010). Dominance of three Rana species caused lower J' and H' in MFS. Similarity between the communities was 56.6%; we estimated 22-24 species in common for each habitat (95% CI = 18 to 31 spp.). We verified 49 of the 52 herpetofaunal species on the refuge that were known to exist in the area. Restoration of natural water flows may affect herpetofaunal diversity, which may be monitored during a restoration project. Currently, the refuge retains historical levels of herpetofaunal diversity for the region.

PEO CS&CSS 2011: Advanced Planning Brief to Industry

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-10-28

technologically-advanced, proven equipment to enable and support the projection of Forces worldwide. • Modular Fuel Systems (MFS) • JAB • Fort Devens ... Fort Devens Base Camp Integration Lab Force Sustainment Systems 28 OCT 2011 22 PEO CS&CSS - APBI Force Sustainment Systems • Lifecycle Challenges...searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments

Effect of water temperature on biofouling development in reverse osmosis membrane systems.

PubMed

Farhat, N M; Vrouwenvelder, J S; Van Loosdrecht, M C M; Bucs, Sz S; Staal, M

2016-10-15

Understanding the factors that determine the spatial and temporal biofilm development is a key to formulate effective control strategies in reverse osmosis membrane systems for desalination and wastewater reuse. In this study, biofilm development was investigated at different water temperatures (10, 20, and 30 °C) inside a membrane fouling simulator (MFS) flow cell. The MFS studies were done at the same crossflow velocity with the same type of membrane and spacer materials, and the same feed water type and nutrient concentration, differing only in water temperature. Spatially resolved biofilm parameters such as oxygen decrease rate, biovolume, biofilm spatial distribution, thickness and composition were measured using in-situ imaging techniques. Pressure drop (PD) increase in time was used as a benchmark as to when to stop the experiments. Biofilm measurements were performed daily, and experiments were stopped once the average PD increased to 40 mbar/cm. The results of the biofouling study showed that with increasing feed water temperature (i) the biofilm activity developed faster, (ii) the pressure drop increased faster, while (iii) the biofilm thickness decreased. At an average pressure drop increase of 40 mbar/cm over the MFS for the different feed water temperatures, different biofilm activities, structures, and quantities were found, indicating that diagnosis of biofouling of membranes operated at different or varying (seasonal) feed water temperatures may be challenging. Membrane installations with a high temperature feed water are more susceptible to biofouling than installations fed with low temperature feed water. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of intense magnetic fields on sedimentation pattern and gene expression profile in budding yeast

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ikehata, Masateru; Iwasaka, Masakazu; Miyakoshi, Junji; Ueno, Shoogo; Koana, Takao

2003-05-01

Effects of magnetic fields (MFs) on biological systems are usually investigated using biological indices such as gene expression profiles. However, to precisely evaluate the biological effects of MF, the effects of intense MFs on systematic material transport processes including experimental environment must be seriously taken into consideration. In this study, a culture of the budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, was used as a model for an in vitro biological test system. After exposure to 5 T static vertical MF, we found a difference in the sedimentation pattern of cells depending on the location of the dish in the magnet bore. Sedimented cells were localized in the center of the dish when they were placed in the lower part of the magnet bore while the sedimentation of the cells was uniform in dishes placed in the upper part of the bore because of the diamagnetic force. Genome wide gene expression profile of the yeast cells after exposure to 5 T static MF for 2 h suggested that the MF did not affect the expression level of any gene in yeast cells although the sedimentation pattern was altered. In addition, exposure to 10 T for 1 h and 5 T for 24 h also did not affect the gene expression. On the other hand, a slight change in expressions of several genes which are related to respiration was observed by exposure to a 14 T static MF for 24 h. The necessity of estimating the indirect effects of MFs on a study of its biological effect of MF in vitro will be discussed.

Foot strike patterns of runners at the 15-km point during an elite-level half marathon.

PubMed

Hasegawa, Hiroshi; Yamauchi, Takeshi; Kraemer, William J

2007-08-01

There are various recommendations by many coaches regarding foot landing techniques in distance running that are meant to improve running performance and prevent injuries. Several studies have investigated the kinematic and kinetic differences between rearfoot strike (RFS), midfoot strike (MFS), and forefoot strike (FFS) patterns at foot landing and their effects on running efficiency on a treadmill and over ground conditions. However, little is known about the actual condition of the foot strike pattern during an actual road race at the elite level of competition. The purpose of the present study was to document actual foot strike patterns during a half marathon in which elite international level runners, including Olympians, compete. Four hundred fifteen runners were filmed by 2 120-Hz video cameras in the height of 0.15 m placed at the 15.0-km point and obtained sagittal foot landing and taking off images for 283 runners. Rearfoot strike was observed in 74.9% of all analyzed runners, MFS in 23.7%, and FFS in 1.4%. The percentage of MFS was higher in the faster runners group, when all runners were ranked and divided into 50 runner groups at the 15.0-km point of the competition. In the top 50, which included up to the 69th place runner in actual order who passed the 15-km point at 45 minutes, 53 second (this speed represents 5.45 m x s(-1), or 15 minutes, 17 seconds per 5 km), RFS, MFS, and FFS were 62.0, 36.0, and 2.0%, respectively. Contact time (CT) clearly increased for the slower runners, or the placement order increased (r = 0.71, p < or = 0.05). The CT for RFS + FFS for every 50 runners group significantly increased with increase of the placement order. The CT for RFS was significantly longer than MFS + FFS (200.0 +/- 21.3 vs. 183.0 +/- 16 millisecond). Apparent inversion (INV) of the foot at the foot strike was observed in 42% of all runners. The percentage of INV for MFS was higher than for RFS and FFS (62.5, 32.0, and 50%, respectively). The CT with INV for MFS + FFS was significantly shorter than the CT with and without INV for RFS. Furthermore, the CT with INV was significantly shorter than push-off time without INV for RFS. The findings of this study indicate that foot strike patterns are related to running speed. The percentage of RFS increases with the decreasing of the running speed; conversely, the percentage of MFS increases as the running speed increases. A shorter contact time and a higher frequency of inversion at the foot contact might contribute to higher running economy.

Self-Surveillance by Adolescents and Young Adults Transitioning to Self-Management of a Chronic Genetic Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Giarelli, Ellen; Bernhardt, Barbara A.; Pyeritz, Reed E.

2010-01-01

Adolescents and young adults with Marfan syndrome (MFS) use information from self-surveillance to manage their disorder. Thirty-seven male and female adolescents with MFS aged 14 to 21 years were interviewed. They identified 58 distinct self-surveillance behaviors that fell into four categories and multiple subcategories (SCs): tracking phenotype…

Tapered fluorotellurite microstructured fibers for broadband supercontinuum generation.

PubMed

Wang, Fang; Wang, Kangkang; Yao, Chuanfei; Jia, Zhixu; Wang, Shunbin; Wu, Changfeng; Qin, Guanshi; Ohishi, Yasutake; Qin, Weiping

2016-02-01

Fluorotellurite microstructured fibers (MFs) based on TeO2-BaF2-Y2O3 glasses are fabricated by using a rod-in-tube method. Tapered fluorotellurite MFs with varied transition region lengths are prepared by employing an elongation machine. By using a tapered fluorotellurite MF with a transition region length of ∼3.3  cm as the nonlinear medium and a 1560 nm femtosecond fiber laser as the pump source, broadband supercontinuum generation covering from 470 to 2770 nm is obtained. The effects of the transition region length of the tapered fluorotellurite MF on supercontinuum generation are also investigated. Our results show that tapered fluorotellurite MFs are promising nonlinear media for generating broadband supercontinuum light expanding from visible to mid-infrared spectral region.

Evaluation of the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio as a prognostic indicator in a European cohort of patients with prostate cancer treated with radiotherapy.

PubMed

Langsenlehner, Tanja; Pichler, Martin; Thurner, Eva-Maria; Krenn-Pilko, Sabine; Stojakovic, Tatjana; Gerger, Armin; Langsenlehner, Uwe

2015-05-01

Recent evidence suggests that the presence of a systemic inflammatory response plays an important role in the progression of several solid tumors. The platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) has been proposed as an easily assessable marker of systemic inflammation and has been shown to represent a prognostic marker in different cancer entities. To evaluate the prognostic value of the PLR in prostate cancer, we performed the present study. Data from 374 consecutive patients with prostate cancer, treated with 3D conformal radiotherapy from 1999 to 2007, were analyzed. Distant metastases-free survival (MFS), cancer-specific survival (CSS), overall survival (OS), biochemical disease-free survival, and time to salvage systemic therapy were assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Cox proportional hazards analysis was performed to calculate hazard ratio (HR) and 95% CI. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed to adjust for other covariates. Using receiver operating characteristics analysis, the optimal cutoff level for the PLR was 190. Kaplan-Meier analyses revealed that PLR≥190 was a prognostic factor for decreased MFS (P = 0.004), CSS (P = 0.004), and OS (P = 0.024) whereas a significant association of an elevated PLR with biochemical disease-free survival (P = 0.740) and time to salvage systemic therapy (P = 0.063) was not detected. In multivariate analysis, an increased PLR remained a significant prognostic factor for poor MFS (HR = 2.24, 95% CI: 1.06-4.76, P = 0.036), CSS (HR = 3.99, 95% CI: 1.19-13.4, P = 0.025), and OS (HR = 1.87, 95% CI: 1.02-3.42, P = 0.044). Our findings indicate that the PLR may predict prognosis in patients with prostate cancer and may contribute to future individual risk assessment in them. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sequence stratigraphy in the middle Ordovician shale successions, mid-east Korea: Stratigraphic variations and preservation potential of organic matter within a sequence stratigraphic framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Byun, Uk Hwan; Lee, Hyun Suk; Kwon, Yi Kyun

2018-02-01

The Jigunsan Formation is the middle Ordovician shale-dominated transgressive succession in the Taebaeksan Basin, located in the eastern margin of the North China platform. The total organic carbon (TOC) content and some geochemical properties of the succession exhibit a stratigraphically distinct distribution pattern. The pattern was closely associated with the redox conditions related to decomposition, bulk sedimentation rate (dilution), and productivity. To explain the distinct distribution pattern, this study attempted to construct a high-resolution sequence stratigraphic framework for the Jigunsan Formation. The shale-dominated Jigunsan Formation comprises a lower layer of dark gray shale, deposited during transgression, and an upper layer of greenish gray siltstone, deposited during highstand and falling stage systems tracts. The concept of a back-stepped carbonate platform is adopted to distinguish early and late transgressive systems tracts (early and late TST) in this study, whereas the highstand systems tracts and falling stage systems tracts can be divided by changes in stacking patterns from aggradation to progradation. The late TST would be initiated on a rapidly back-stepping surface of sediments and, just above the surface, exhibits a high peak in TOC content, followed by a gradually upward decrease. This trend of TOC distribution in the late TST continues to the maximum flooding surface (MFS). The perplexing TOC distribution pattern within the late TST most likely resulted from both a gradual reduction in productivity during the late TST and a gradual increase in dilution effect near the MFS interval. The reduced production of organic matter primarily incurred decreasing TOC content toward the MFS when the productivity was mainly governed by benthic biota because planktonic organisms were not widespread in the Ordovician. Results of this study will help improve the understanding of the source rock distribution in mixed carbonate-siliciclastic successions within a stratigraphic framework, particularly for unconventional shale reservoirs.

[Detection of pathogenic mutations in Marfan syndrome by targeted next-generation semiconductor sequencing].

PubMed

Lu, Chaoxia; Wu, Wei; Xiao, Jifang; Meng, Yan; Zhang, Shuyang; Zhang, Xue

2013-06-01

To detect pathogenic mutations in Marfan syndrome (MFS) using an Ion Torrent Personal Genome Machine (PGM) and to validate the result of targeted next-generation semiconductor sequencing for the diagnosis of genetic disorders. Peripheral blood samples were collected from three MFS patients and a normal control with informed consent. Genomic DNA was isolated by standard method and then subjected to targeted sequencing using an Ion Ampliseq(TM) Inherited Disease Panel. Three multiplex PCR reactions were carried out to amplify the coding exons of 328 genes including FBN1, TGFBR1 and TGFBR2. DNA fragments from different samples were ligated with barcoded sequencing adaptors. Template preparation and emulsion PCR, and Ion Sphere Particles enrichment were carried out using an Ion One Touch system. The ion sphere particles were sequenced on a 318 chip using the PGM platform. Data from the PGM runs were processed using an Ion Torrent Suite 3.2 software to generate sequence reads. After sequence alignment and extraction of SNPs and indels, all the variants were filtered against dbSNP137. DNA sequences were visualized with an Integrated Genomics Viewer. The most likely disease-causing variants were analyzed by Sanger sequencing. The PGM sequencing has yielded an output of 855.80 Mb, with a > 100 × median sequencing depth and a coverage of > 98% for the targeted regions in all the four samples. After data analysis and database filtering, one known missense mutation (p.E1811K) and two novel premature termination mutations (p.E2264X and p.L871FfsX23) in the FBN1 gene were identified in the three MFS patients. All mutations were verified by conventional Sanger sequencing. Pathogenic FBN1 mutations have been identified in all patients with MFS, indicating that the targeted next-generation sequencing on the PGM sequencers can be applied for accurate and high-throughput testing of genetic disorders.

Dimorphic effects of transforming growth factor-β signaling during aortic aneurysm progression in mice suggest a combinatorial therapy for Marfan syndrome.

PubMed

Cook, Jason R; Clayton, Nicholas P; Carta, Luca; Galatioto, Josephine; Chiu, Emily; Smaldone, Silvia; Nelson, Carol A; Cheng, Seng H; Wentworth, Bruce M; Ramirez, Francesco

2015-04-01

Studies of mice with mild Marfan syndrome (MFS) have correlated the development of thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) with improper stimulation of noncanonical (Erk-mediated) TGFβ signaling by the angiotensin type I receptor (AT1r). This correlation was largely based on comparable TAA modifications by either systemic TGFβ neutralization or AT1r antagonism. However, subsequent investigations have called into question some key aspects of this mechanism of arterial disease in MFS. To resolve these controversial points, here we made a head-to-head comparison of the therapeutic benefits of TGFβ neutralization and AT1r antagonism in mice with progressively severe MFS (Fbn1(mgR/mgR) mice). Aneurysm growth, media degeneration, aortic levels of phosphorylated Erk and Smad proteins and the average survival of Fbn1(mgR/mgR) mice were compared after a ≈3-month-long treatment with placebo and either the AT1r antagonist losartan or the TGFβ-neutralizing antibody 1D11. In contrast to the beneficial effect of losartan, TGFβ neutralization either exacerbated or mitigated TAA formation depending on whether treatment was initiated before (postnatal day 16; P16) or after (P45) aneurysm formation, respectively. Biochemical evidence-related aneurysm growth with Erk-mediated AT1r signaling, and medial degeneration with TGFβ hyperactivity that was in part AT1r dependent. Importantly, P16-initiated treatment with losartan combined with P45-initiated administration of 1D11 prevented death of Fbn1(mgR/mgR) mice from ruptured TAA. By demonstrating that promiscuous AT1r and TGFβ drive partially overlapping processes of arterial disease in MFS mice, our study argues for a therapeutic strategy against TAA that targets both signaling pathways although sparing the early protective role of TGFβ. © 2015 American Heart Association, Inc.

Influence of magnetic field strength and image registration strategy on voxel-based morphometry in a study of Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Marchewka, Artur; Kherif, Ferath; Krueger, Gunnar; Grabowska, Anna; Frackowiak, Richard; Draganski, Bogdan

2014-05-01

Multi-centre data repositories like the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) offer a unique research platform, but pose questions concerning comparability of results when using a range of imaging protocols and data processing algorithms. The variability is mainly due to the non-quantitative character of the widely used structural T1-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) images. Although the stability of the main effect of Alzheimer's disease (AD) on brain structure across platforms and field strength has been addressed in previous studies using multi-site MR images, there are only sparse empirically-based recommendations for processing and analysis of pooled multi-centre structural MR data acquired at different magnetic field strengths (MFS). Aiming to minimise potential systematic bias when using ADNI data we investigate the specific contributions of spatial registration strategies and the impact of MFS on voxel-based morphometry in AD. We perform a whole-brain analysis within the framework of Statistical Parametric Mapping, testing for main effects of various diffeomorphic spatial registration strategies, of MFS and their interaction with disease status. Beyond the confirmation of medial temporal lobe volume loss in AD, we detect a significant impact of spatial registration strategy on estimation of AD related atrophy. Additionally, we report a significant effect of MFS on the assessment of brain anatomy (i) in the cerebellum, (ii) the precentral gyrus and (iii) the thalamus bilaterally, showing no interaction with the disease status. We provide empirical evidence in support of pooling data in multi-centre VBM studies irrespective of disease status or MFS. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

(DARPA) Topologically Protected Quantum Information Processing In Spin-Orbit Compled Semiconductors

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-12-17

expression for the disorder suppression of the superconducting quasiparticle gap in the topological superconducting states carrying MFs. Our principle...assisted electron transfer amplitude (derived from the fractionalization property of the MFs) the quasiparticle tunneling from to through the...mesoscopic rings, the energy-level of such a quasiparticle excitation spectrum in the ring is expected to develop a periodic dependence on

Redshift Evolution of Non-Gaussianity in Cosmic Large-Scale Structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sullivan, James; Wiegand, Alexander; Eisenstein, Daniel

2018-01-01

We probe the higher-order galaxy clustering in the final data release (DR12) of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey using germ-grain Minkowski Functionals (MFs). Our data selection contains 979,430 BOSS galaxies from both the northern and southern galactic caps over the redshift range 0.2 - 0.6. We extract the higher-order parts of the MFs and find deviations from the case without higher order MFs with chi-squared values of order 1000 for 24 degrees of freedom across the entire data selection. We show the MFs to be sensitive to contributions up to the five-point correlation function across the entire data selection. We measure significant redshift evolution in the higher-order functionals for the first time, with a percentage growth between redshift bins of approximately 20 % in both galactic caps. This is a nearly a factor of 2 greater than similar growth in the two-point correlation function and will allow for tests of non-linear structure growth by comparing the three-point and higher-order parts to their expected theoretical values. The SAO REU program is funded by the National Science Foundation REU and Department of Defense ASSURE programs under NSF Grant AST-1659473, and by the Smithsonian Institution.

A magnetic fluid seal for rotary blood pumps: Behaviors of magnetic fluids in a magnetic fluid seal.

PubMed

Mitamura, Yoshinori; Yano, Tetsuya; Nakamura, Wataru; Okamoto, Eiji

2013-01-01

A magnetic fluid (MF) seal has excellent durability. The performance of an MF seal, however, has been reported to decrease in liquids (several days). We have developed an MF seal that has a shield mechanism. The seal was perfect for 275 days in water. To investigate the effect of a shield, behaviors of MFs in a seal in water were studied both experimentally and computationally. (a) Two kinds of MF seals, one with a shield and one without a shield, were installed in a centrifugal pump. Behaviors of MFs in the seals in water were observed with a video camera and high-speed microscope. In the seal without a shield, the surface of the water in the seal waved and the turbulent flow affected behaviors of the MFs. In contrast, MFs rotated stably in the seal with a shield in water even at high rotational speeds. (b) Computational fluid dynamics analysis revealed that a stationary secondary flow pattern in the seal and small velocity difference between magnetic fluid and water at the interface. These MF behaviors prolonged the life of an MF seal in water.

A magnetic fluid seal for rotary blood pumps: image and computational analyses of behaviors of magnetic fluids.

PubMed

Mitamura, Yoshinori; Yano, Tetsuya; Okamoto, Eiji

2013-01-01

A magnetic fluid (MF) seal has excellent durability. The performance of an MF seal, however, has been reported to decrease in liquids (several days). We have developed an MF seal that has a shield mechanism. The seal was perfect for 275 days in water. To investigate the effect of a shield, behaviors of MFs in a seal in water were studied both experimentally and computationally. (a) Two kinds of MF seals, one with a shield and one without a shield, were installed in a centrifugal pump. Behaviors of MFs in the seals in water were observed with a video camera and high-speed microscope. In the seal without a shield, the surface of the water in the seal waved and the turbulent flow affected behaviors of the MFs. In contrast, MFs rotated stably in the seal with a shield in water even at high rotational speeds. (b) Computational fluid dynamics analysis revealed that a stationary secondary flow pattern in the seal and small velocity difference between magnetic fluid and water at the interface. These MF behaviors prolonged the life of an MF seal in water.

Modular Flooring System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thate, Robert

2012-01-01

The modular flooring system (MFS) was developed to provide a portable, modular, durable carpeting solution for NASA fs Robotics Alliance Project fs (RAP) outreach efforts. It was also designed to improve and replace a modular flooring system that was too heavy for safe use and transportation. The MFS was developed for use as the flooring for various robotics competitions that RAP utilizes to meet its mission goals. One of these competitions, the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC), currently uses two massive rolls of broadloom carpet for the foundation of the arena in which the robots are contained during the competition. The area of the arena is approximately 30 by 72 ft (approximately 9 by 22 m). This carpet is very cumbersome and requires large-capacity vehicles, and handling equipment and personnel to transport and deploy. The broadloom carpet sustains severe abuse from the robots during a regular three-day competition, and as a result, the carpet is not used again for competition. Similarly, broadloom carpets used for trade shows at convention centers around the world are typically discarded after only one use. This innovation provides a green solution to this wasteful practice. Each of the flooring modules in the previous system weighed 44 lb (.20 kg). The improvements in the overall design of the system reduce the weight of each module by approximately 22 lb (.10 kg) (50 %), and utilize an improved "module-to-module" connection method that is superior to the previous system. The MFS comprises 4-by-4-ft (.1.2-by- 1.2-m) carpet module assemblies that utilize commercially available carpet tiles that are bonded to a lightweight substrate. The substrate surface opposite from the carpeted surface has a module-to-module connecting interface that allows for the modules to be connected, one to the other, as the modules are constructed. This connection is hidden underneath the modules, creating a smooth, co-planar flooring surface. The modules are stacked and strapped onto durable, commercially available drywall carts for storage and/or transportation. This method of storage and transportation makes it very convenient and safe when handling large quantities of modules.

Drop-Out in Schools in India: Minor Field Studies in Orissa 1990. Educational and Psychological Interactions. No. 112.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ekstrand, Gudrun, Ed.

This document consists of a report on the Minor Field Studies (MFS) program of the Swedish International Development Authority (SIDA) and contains two MFS papers by teacher trainees at the Malmo School of Education in Sweden. The papers presented are "Drop-outs in Orissa," by Elisabeth Rosen, and "Education in India: A Study of…

Regarding the influence of heating and the Soret effect on a magnetic fluid seal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krakov, M. S.; Nikiforov, I. V.

2017-06-01

The influence of a temperature gradient and the Soret effect on the distribution of particles in a magnetic fluid seal (MFS) is studied. The heating of the MFS is found to be an effective method of homogenizing the magnetic fluid in the seal; in addition, the influence of the Soret effect on this process is found to be essential.

Pretreatment subcutaneous adipose tissue predicts the outcomes of patients with head and neck cancer receiving definitive radiation and chemoradiation in Taiwan.

PubMed

Pai, Ping Ching; Chuang, Chi Cheng; Chuang, Wen Ching; Tsang, Ngan Ming; Tseng, Chen Kan; Chen, Kuan Hung; Yen, Tzu Chen; Lin, Chien Yu; Chang, Kai Ping; Lei, Kin Fong

2018-05-01

We aimed to determine whether body composition assessment before treatment can predict outcomes in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC). All 881 patients with locoregional head and neck cancer treated with curative intent radiotherapy (RT) between 2005 and 2012 were retrospectively investigated. Body composition was analyzed via pre-RT planning computed tomography (CT) images. Subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) and skeletal muscle (SM) indices were measured cross-sectionally at the level of the third thoracic vertebra. Overall survival (OS), locoregional control (LRC), and distant metastasis-free survival (MFS) were analyzed by body composition index and body mass index (BMI). Survivors were followed up for a median of 4.68 years. The SAT indices in female patients were significantly higher than those in males (P < 0.001). The median SAT and muscle indices were 18.6 and 34.3 cm 2 /m 2 for women and 6.19 and 51.74 cm 2 /m 2 for men, respectively. The 5- and 10-year MFS, LRC, and OS rates were 83% and 82.1%, 73.4% and 71.4%, and 66.4 and 57.6%, respectively. Higher pretreatment SAT index was associated with MFS (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.65; P = 0.015), LRC (HR: 0.758; P = 0.047), and OS (HR: 0.604; P < 0.001). Higher pretreatment BMI was associated with MFS (HR: 0.642; P = 0.031) and OS (HR: 0.615; P < 0.001). The pretreatment SM index had no significant effect on MFS, LRC, and OS. Multivariate analysis revealed that T-stage, N-stage, lesion sites, age, and RT treatment days are independent factors associated with OS; T-stage, N-stage, and lesion sites are independent factors associated with MFS; and N-stage, smoking history, and betel quid chewing history are independent factors associated with LRC. A higher CT-assessed SAT index predicts superior MSF, LCR, and OS in patients with curative HNC, whereas SM does not predict survival or locoregional control. © 2018 The Authors. Cancer Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Computer Programs For Automated Welding System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Agapakis, John E.

1993-01-01

Computer programs developed for use in controlling automated welding system described in MFS-28578. Together with control computer, computer input and output devices and control sensors and actuators, provide flexible capability for planning and implementation of schemes for automated welding of specific workpieces. Developed according to macro- and task-level programming schemes, which increases productivity and consistency by reducing amount of "teaching" of system by technician. System provides for three-dimensional mathematical modeling of workpieces, work cells, robots, and positioners.

The application of artificial intelligence in the optimal design of mechanical systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poteralski, A.; Szczepanik, M.

2016-11-01

The paper is devoted to new computational techniques in mechanical optimization where one tries to study, model, analyze and optimize very complex phenomena, for which more precise scientific tools of the past were incapable of giving low cost and complete solution. Soft computing methods differ from conventional (hard) computing in that, unlike hard computing, they are tolerant of imprecision, uncertainty, partial truth and approximation. The paper deals with an application of the bio-inspired methods, like the evolutionary algorithms (EA), the artificial immune systems (AIS) and the particle swarm optimizers (PSO) to optimization problems. Structures considered in this work are analyzed by the finite element method (FEM), the boundary element method (BEM) and by the method of fundamental solutions (MFS). The bio-inspired methods are applied to optimize shape, topology and material properties of 2D, 3D and coupled 2D/3D structures, to optimize the termomechanical structures, to optimize parameters of composites structures modeled by the FEM, to optimize the elastic vibrating systems to identify the material constants for piezoelectric materials modeled by the BEM and to identify parameters in acoustics problem modeled by the MFS.

The Design and Development of a Computerized Tool Support for Conducting Senior Projects in Software Engineering Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Chung-Yang; Teng, Kao-Chiuan

2011-01-01

This paper presents a computerized tool support, the Meetings-Flow Project Collaboration System (MFS), for designing, directing and sustaining the collaborative teamwork required in senior projects in software engineering (SE) education. Among many schools' SE curricula, senior projects serve as a capstone course that provides comprehensive…

Documenting the light sensitivity of Spanish Levantine rock art paintings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

del Hoyo-Meléndez, J. M.; Lerma, J. L.; López-Montalvo, E.; Villaverde, V.

2015-08-01

A case study to evaluate the use of microfading spectrometry (MFS) for the study of colored systems found in prehistoric rock art paintings was conducted in the Cova Remígia rock-shelter, Castellón (Spain). This rock shelter is part of the rock art sites of the Mediterranean basin on the Iberian Peninsula included in UNESCO's World Heritage List. Some of the paintings belonging to this group are exposed to environmental factors including natural daylight, wind and rain, depending on the time of the day and the season of the year. Therefore, their preservation is a major concern to stakeholders and researchers responsible for protecting and studying these prehistoric paintings. The experimental work in Cova Remigia focused on measuring the reflectance curves (400-700 nm) and determining the photostability of various areas containing red and black pigments on the rock art paintings. The preliminary results indicate that MFS is a suitable technique for studying the response to light of rock/pigment systems found in rock art sites. The advantages and limitations of the technique are discussed.

Recurrent Somatic PDGFRB Mutations in Sporadic Infantile/Solitary Adult Myofibromas But Not in Angioleiomyomas and Myopericytomas.

PubMed

Agaimy, Abbas; Bieg, Matthias; Michal, Michael; Geddert, Helene; Märkl, Bruno; Seitz, Jan; Moskalev, Evgeny A; Schlesner, Matthias; Metzler, Markus; Hartmann, Arndt; Wiemann, Stefan; Michal, Michal; Mentzel, Thomas; Haller, Florian

2017-02-01

Infantile myofibroma (MF) is an uncommon benign myofibroblastic tumor of infancy and childhood. Solitary adult MF shares similar features with infantile MF. The lesions occur in 3 clinicopathologic settings: solitary, multicentric, and generalized and can be either sporadic or familial. Traditionally, infantile MF has been included in the spectrum of infantile hemangiopericytoma. The recent World Health Organization classification listed MF, angioleiomyoma, and myopericytoma under the general heading of perivascular tumors in the sense of a morphologic spectrum of perivascular myoid cell neoplasms. Although activating germline PDGFRB mutations have recently been linked to familial infantile MF, the molecular pathogenesis of sporadic infantile and adult solitary MF remained unclear. In this study, we analyzed 25 solitary MFs without evidence of familial disease (9 infantile and 16 adult MFs) to address the question whether somatic PDGFRB mutations might be responsible for the sporadic form of the disease. Given the presumed histogenetic link of MF to myopericytoma and angioleiomyoma, we additionally analyzed a control group of 6 myopericytomas and 9 angioleiomyomas for PDGFRB mutations. We detected PDGFRB mutations in 6/8 (75%) analyzable infantile and in 11/16 (69%) adult MFs but in none of the angioleiomyomas or myopericytomas. In 2 infantile MFs, additional sequencing of the germline confirmed the somatic nature of PDGFRB mutations. To our knowledge, this is the first study reporting apparently somatic recurrent PDGFRB mutations as molecular driver events in the majority of sporadic infantile and adult solitary MFs. Our results suggest molecular distinctness of MF as compared with angioleiomyoma/myopericytoma. Investigation of more cases including those with atypical and worrisome features, as well as other mimickers in the heterogenous morphologic spectrum of MF, is mandatory for validating the potential diagnostic value of PDGFRB mutation testing as a possible surrogate in difficult-to-classify lesions.

Prognostic value of depressed midwall systolic function in cardiac light-chain amyloidosis.

PubMed

Perlini, Stefano; Salinaro, Francesco; Musca, Francesco; Mussinelli, Roberta; Boldrini, Michele; Raimondi, Ambra; Milani, Paolo; Foli, Andrea; Cappelli, Francesco; Perfetto, Federico; Palladini, Giovanni; Rapezzi, Claudio; Merlini, Giampaolo

2014-05-01

Cardiac amyloidosis represents an archetypal form of restrictive heart disease, characterized by profound diastolic dysfunction. As ejection fraction is preserved until the late stage of the disease, the majority of patients do fulfill the definition of diastolic heart failure, that is, heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). In another clinical model of HFpEF, that is, pressure-overload hypertrophy, depressed midwall fractional shortening (mFS) has been shown to be a powerful prognostic factor. To assess the potential prognostic role of mFS in cardiac light-chain amyloidosis with preserved ejection fraction, we enrolled 221 consecutive untreated patients, in whom a first diagnosis of cardiac light-chain amyloidosis was concluded between 2008 and 2010. HFpEF was present in 181 patients. Patients in whom cardiac involvement was excluded served as controls (n = 121). Prognosis was assessed after a median follow-up of 561 days. When compared with light-chain amyloidosis patients without myocardial involvement, cardiac light-chain amyloidosis was characterized by increased wall thickness (P <0.001), reduced end-diastolic left ventricular volumes (P <0.001), and diastolic dysfunction (P <0.001). In patients with preserved ejection fraction, mFS was markedly depressed [10.6% (8.7-13.5) vs. 17.8% (15.9-19.5) P <0.001]. At multivariable analysis, mFS, troponin I, and NT-pro-brain natriuretic peptide were the only significant prognostic determinants (P <0.001), whereas other indices of diastolic (E/E' ratio, transmitral and pulmonary vein flow velocities) and systolic function (tissue Doppler systolic indices, ejection fraction), or the presence/absence of congestive heart failure did not enter the model. In cardiac light-chain amyloidosis with normal ejection fraction, depressed circumferential mFS, a marker of myocardial contractile dysfunction, is a powerful predictor of survival.

A new method to estimate left ventricular circumferential midwall systolic function by standard echocardiography: Concordance between models and validation by speckle tracking.

PubMed

Ballo, Piercarlo; Nistri, Stefano; Bocelli, Arianna; Mele, Donato; Dini, Frank L; Galderisi, Maurizio; Zuppiroli, Alfredo; Mondillo, Sergio

2016-01-15

Assessment of left ventricular circumferential (LVcirc) systolic function by standard echocardiography can be performed by estimating midwall fractional shortening (mFS) and stress-corrected mFS (ScmFS). Their determination is based on spherical or cylindrical LV geometric models, which often yield discrepant values. We developed a new model based on a more realistic truncated ellipsoid (TE) LV shape, and explored the concordance between models among hypertensive patients. We also compared the relationships of different mFS and ScmFS estimates with indexes of LVcirc systolic strain. In 364 hypertensive subjects, mFS was determined using the spherical (mFSspher), cylindrical (mFScyl), and TE model (mFSTE). Corresponding values of ScmFSspher, ScmFScyl, and ScmFSTE were obtained. Global circumferential strain (GCS) and systolic strain rate (GCSR) were also measured by speckle tracking. The three models showed poor concordance for the estimation of mFS, with average differences ranging between 11% and 30% and wide limits of agreement. Similar results were found for ScmFS, where reclassification rates for the identification of abnormal LVcirc systolic function ranged between 18% and 29%. When tested against strain indexes, mFSTE and ScmFSTE showed the best correlations (R=0.81 and R=0.51, p<0.0001 for both) with GCS and GCSR. Multivariable analysis confirmed that mFSTE and ScmFSTE showed the strongest independent associations with LVcirc strain measures. Substantial discrepancies in LVcirc midwall systolic indexes exist between different models, supporting the need of model-specific normative data. The use of the TE model might provide indexes that show the best associations with established strain measures of LVcirc systolic function. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Whole exome sequencing is an efficient, sensitive and specific method of mutation detection in osteogenesis imperfecta and Marfan syndrome

PubMed Central

McInerney-Leo, Aideen M; Marshall, Mhairi S; Gardiner, Brooke; Coucke, Paul J; Van Laer, Lut; Loeys, Bart L; Summers, Kim M; Symoens, Sofie; West, Jennifer A; West, Malcolm J; Paul Wordsworth, B; Zankl, Andreas; Leo, Paul J; Brown, Matthew A; Duncan, Emma L

2013-01-01

Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) and Marfan syndrome (MFS) are common Mendelian disorders. Both conditions are usually diagnosed clinically, as genetic testing is expensive due to the size and number of potentially causative genes and mutations. However, genetic testing may benefit patients, at-risk family members and individuals with borderline phenotypes, as well as improving genetic counseling and allowing critical differential diagnoses. We assessed whether whole exome sequencing (WES) is a sensitive method for mutation detection in OI and MFS. WES was performed on genomic DNA from 13 participants with OI and 10 participants with MFS who had known mutations, with exome capture followed by massive parallel sequencing of multiplexed samples. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and small indels were called using Genome Analysis Toolkit (GATK) and annotated with ANNOVAR. CREST, exomeCopy and exomeDepth were used for large deletion detection. Results were compared with the previous data. Specificity was calculated by screening WES data from a control population of 487 individuals for mutations in COL1A1, COL1A2 and FBN1. The target capture of five exome capture platforms was compared. All 13 mutations in the OI cohort and 9/10 in the MFS cohort were detected (sensitivity=95.6%) including non-synonymous SNPs, small indels (<10 bp), and a large UTR5/exon 1 deletion. One mutation was not detected by GATK due to strand bias. Specificity was 99.5%. Capture platforms and analysis programs differed considerably in their ability to detect mutations. Consumable costs for WES were low. WES is an efficient, sensitive, specific and cost-effective method for mutation detection in patients with OI and MFS. Careful selection of platform and analysis programs is necessary to maximize success. PMID:24501682

Statistical and systematic errors in the measurement of weak-lensing Minkowski functionals: Application to the Canada-France-Hawaii Lensing Survey

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

Shirasaki, Masato; Yoshida, Naoki, E-mail: masato.shirasaki@utap.phys.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp

2014-05-01

The measurement of cosmic shear using weak gravitational lensing is a challenging task that involves a number of complicated procedures. We study in detail the systematic errors in the measurement of weak-lensing Minkowski Functionals (MFs). Specifically, we focus on systematics associated with galaxy shape measurements, photometric redshift errors, and shear calibration correction. We first generate mock weak-lensing catalogs that directly incorporate the actual observational characteristics of the Canada-France-Hawaii Lensing Survey (CFHTLenS). We then perform a Fisher analysis using the large set of mock catalogs for various cosmological models. We find that the statistical error associated with the observational effects degradesmore » the cosmological parameter constraints by a factor of a few. The Subaru Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC) survey with a sky coverage of ∼1400 deg{sup 2} will constrain the dark energy equation of the state parameter with an error of Δw {sub 0} ∼ 0.25 by the lensing MFs alone, but biases induced by the systematics can be comparable to the 1σ error. We conclude that the lensing MFs are powerful statistics beyond the two-point statistics only if well-calibrated measurement of both the redshifts and the shapes of source galaxies is performed. Finally, we analyze the CFHTLenS data to explore the ability of the MFs to break degeneracies between a few cosmological parameters. Using a combined analysis of the MFs and the shear correlation function, we derive the matter density Ω{sub m0}=0.256±{sub 0.046}{sup 0.054}.« less

New scheme for braiding Majorana fermions.

PubMed

Wu, Long-Hua; Liang, Qi-Feng; Hu, Xiao

2014-12-01

Non-Abelian statistics can be achieved by exchanging two vortices in topological superconductors with each grabbing a Majorana fermion (MF) as zero-energy quasi-particle at the cores. However, in experiments it is difficult to manipulate vortices. In the present work, we propose a way to braid MFs without moving vortices. The only operation required in the present scheme is to turn on and off local gate voltages, which liberates a MF from its original host vortex and transports it along the prepared track. We solve the time-dependent Bogoliubov-de Gennes equation numerically, and confirm that the MFs are protected provided the switching of gate voltages for exchanging MFs are adiabatic, which takes only several nano seconds given reasonable material parameters. By monitoring the time evolution of MF wave-functions, we show that non-Abelian statistics is achieved.

Structure of the periplasmic adaptor protein from a major facilitator superfamily (MFS) multidrug efflux pump.

PubMed

Hinchliffe, Philip; Greene, Nicholas P; Paterson, Neil G; Crow, Allister; Hughes, Colin; Koronakis, Vassilis

2014-08-25

Periplasmic adaptor proteins are key components of bacterial tripartite efflux pumps. The 2.85 Å resolution structure of an MFS (major facilitator superfamily) pump adaptor, Aquifex aeolicus EmrA, shows linearly arranged α-helical coiled-coil, lipoyl, and β-barrel domains, but lacks the fourth membrane-proximal domain shown in other pumps to interact with the inner membrane transporter. The adaptor α-hairpin, which binds outer membrane TolC, is exceptionally long at 127 Å, and the β-barrel contains a conserved disordered loop. The structure extends the view of adaptors as flexible, modular components that mediate diverse pump assembly, and suggests that in MFS tripartite pumps a hexamer of adaptors could provide a periplasmic seal. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Solution of Grad-Shafranov equation by the method of fundamental solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nath, D.; Kalra, M. S.; Kalra

2014-06-01

In this paper we have used the Method of Fundamental Solutions (MFS) to solve the Grad-Shafranov (GS) equation for the axisymmetric equilibria of tokamak plasmas with monomial sources. These monomials are the individual terms appearing on the right-hand side of the GS equation if one expands the nonlinear terms into polynomials. Unlike the Boundary Element Method (BEM), the MFS does not involve any singular integrals and is a meshless boundary-alone method. Its basic idea is to create a fictitious boundary around the actual physical boundary of the computational domain. This automatically removes the involvement of singular integrals. The results obtained by the MFS match well with the earlier results obtained using the BEM. The method is also applied to Solov'ev profiles and it is found that the results are in good agreement with analytical results.

Sharp magnetic structures from dynamos with density stratification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jabbari, Sarah; Brandenburg, Axel; Kleeorin, Nathan; Rogachevskii, Igor

2017-05-01

Recent direct numerical simulations (DNS) of large-scale turbulent dynamos in strongly stratified layers have resulted in surprisingly sharp bipolar structures at the surface. Here, we present new DNS of helically and non-helically forced turbulence with and without rotation and compare with corresponding mean-field simulations (MFS) to show that these structures are a generic outcome of a broader class of dynamos in density-stratified layers. The MFS agree qualitatively with the DNS, but the period of oscillations tends to be longer in the DNS. In both DNS and MFS, the sharp structures are produced by converging flows at the surface and might be driven in non-linear stage of evolution by the Lorentz force associated with the large-scale dynamo-driven magnetic field if the dynamo number is at least 2.5 times supercritical.

Evaluation of oxfendazole in the treatment of zoonotic Onchocerca lupi infection in dogs

PubMed Central

Colella, Vito; Maia, Carla; Pereira, André; Gonçalves, Nuno; Caruso, Marta; Martin, Coralie; Cardoso, Luís; Campino, Lenea; Scandale, Ivan

2018-01-01

The genus Onchocerca encompasses parasitic nematodes including Onchocerca volvulus, causative agent of river blindness in humans, and the zoonotic Onchocerca lupi infecting dogs and cats. In dogs, O. lupi adult worms cause ocular lesions of various degrees while humans may bear the brunt of zoonotic onchocercosis with patients requiring neurosurgical intervention because of central nervous system localization of nematodes. Though the zoonotic potential of O. lupi has been well recognized from human cases in Europe, the United States and the Middle East, a proper therapy for curing this parasitic infection in dogs is lacking. To evaluate the efficacy of oxfendazole, 11 out of the 21 client-owned dogs (21/123; 17.1%) positive for skin-dwelling O. lupi microfilariae (mfs), were enrolled in the efficacy study and were treated with oxfendazole (50 mg/kg) per OS once a day for 5 (G2) or 10 (G3) consecutive days or were left untreated (G1). The efficacy of oxfendazole in the reduction of O. lupi mfs was evaluated by microfilarial count and by assessing the percentage of mfs reduction and mean microfilaricidal efficacy, whereas the efficacy in the reduction of ocular lesions was evaluated by ultrasound imaging. All dogs where subjected to follow-ups at 30 (D30), 90 (D90) and 180 (D180) days post-treatment. The percentage of reduction of mfs was 78% for G2 and 12.5% for G3 at D180. The mean microfilaricidal efficacy of oxfendazole in the treatment of canine onchocercosis by O. lupi at D30, D90 and D180 was 41%, 81% and 90%, in G2 and 40%, 65% and 70%, in G3, respectively. Retrobulbar lesions did not reduce from D0 to D180 in control group (dogs in G1), whereas all treated dogs (in G2 and G3) had slightly decreased ocular lesions. Percentage of reduction of ocular lesions by ultrasound examination was 50% and 47.5% in G2 and G3 at D180, respectively. Despite the decrease in ocular lesions in all treated dogs (G2 and G3), oxfendazole was ineffective in reducing ocular lesions and skin-dwelling O. lupi mfs in treated dogs (G2 and G3) in a six-month follow-up period. Here we discuss the need for more reliable diagnostic techniques and efficient treatment protocols to better plan future intervention strategies. PMID:29377880

Hints of hybridizing Majorana fermions in a nanowire coupled to superconducting leads

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Finck, A. D. K.; van Harlingen, D. J.; Mohseni, P. K.; Jung, K.; Li, X.

2013-03-01

It has been proposed that a nanowire with strong spin-orbit coupling that is contacted with a conventional superconductor and subjected to a large magnetic field can be driven through a topological phase transition. In this regime, the two ends of the nanowire together host a pair of quasi-particles known as Majorana fermions (MFs). A key feature of MFs is that they are pinned to zero energy when the topological nanowire is long enough such that the wave functions of the two MFs do not overlap significantly, resulting in a zero bias anomaly (ZBA). It has been recently predicted that changes in external parameters can vary the wave function overlap and cause the MFs to hybridize in an oscillatory fashion. This would lead to a non-monotonic splitting or broadening of the ZBA and help distinguish MF transport signatures from a Kondo effect. Here, we present transport studies of an InAs nanowire contacted with niobium nitride leads in high magnetic fields. We observe a number of robust ZBAs that can persist for a wide range of back gate bias and magnetic field strength. Under certain conditions, we find that the height and width of the ZBA can oscillate with back gate bias or magnetic field. This work was supported by Microsoft Project Q.

Disruption of the actin cytoskeleton results in the promotion of gravitropism in inflorescence stems and hypocotyls of Arabidopsis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yamamoto, Kazuyoshi; Kiss, John Z.

2002-01-01

The actin cytoskeleton is hypothesized to play a major role in gravity perception and transduction mechanisms in roots of plants. To determine whether actin microfilaments (MFs) are involved in these processes in stem-like organs, we studied gravitropism in Arabidopsis inflorescence stems and hypocotyls. Localization studies using Alexa Fluor-phalloidin in conjugation with confocal microscopy demonstrated a longitudinally and transversely oriented actin MF network in endodermal cells of stems and hypocotyls. Latrunculin B (Lat-B) treatment of hypocotyls caused depolymerization of actin MFs in endodermal cells and a significant reduction of hypocotyl growth rates. Actin MFs in Lat-B-treated inflorescence stems also were disrupted, but growth rates were not affected. Despite disruption of the actin cytoskeleton in these two organs, Lat-B-treated stems and hypocotyls exhibited a promotion of gravitropic curvature in response to reorientation. In contrast, Lat-B reduced gravitropic curvature in roots but also reduced the growth rate. Thus, in contrast to prevailing hypotheses, our results suggest that actin MFs are not a necessary component of gravitropism in inflorescence stems and hypocotyls. Furthermore, this is the first study to demonstrate a prominent actin MF network in endodermal cells in the putative gravity-perceiving cells in stems.

Disruption of the Actin Cytoskeleton Results in the Promotion of Gravitropism in Inflorescence Stems and Hypocotyls of Arabidopsis1

PubMed Central

Yamamoto, Kazuyoshi; Kiss, John Z.

2002-01-01

The actin cytoskeleton is hypothesized to play a major role in gravity perception and transduction mechanisms in roots of plants. To determine whether actin microfilaments (MFs) are involved in these processes in stem-like organs, we studied gravitropism in Arabidopsis inflorescence stems and hypocotyls. Localization studies using Alexa Fluor-phalloidin in conjugation with confocal microscopy demonstrated a longitudinally and transversely oriented actin MF network in endodermal cells of stems and hypocotyls. Latrunculin B (Lat-B) treatment of hypocotyls caused depolymerization of actin MFs in endodermal cells and a significant reduction of hypocotyl growth rates. Actin MFs in Lat-B-treated inflorescence stems also were disrupted, but growth rates were not affected. Despite disruption of the actin cytoskeleton in these two organs, Lat-B-treated stems and hypocotyls exhibited a promotion of gravitropic curvature in response to reorientation. In contrast, Lat-B reduced gravitropic curvature in roots but also reduced the growth rate. Thus, in contrast to prevailing hypotheses, our results suggest that actin MFs are not a necessary component of gravitropism in inflorescence stems and hypocotyls. Furthermore, this is the first study to demonstrate a prominent actin MF network in endodermal cells in the putative gravity-perceiving cells in stems. PMID:11842170

Demyelinating Guillain-Barré syndrome recurs more frequently than axonal subtypes.

PubMed

Notturno, Francesca; Kokubun, Norito; Sekiguki, Yukari; Nagashima, Takahide; De Lauretis, Angelo; Yuki, Nobuhiro; Kuwabara, Satoshi; Uncini, Antonino

2016-06-15

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is considered a monophasic disorder yet recurrences occur in up to 6% of patients. We retrospectively studied an Italian-Japanese population of 236 GBS and 73 Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS) patients and searched for factors which may be associated with recurrence. A recurrent patient was defined as having at least two episodes that fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for GBS and MFS with an identifiable recovery after each episode and a minimum of 2months between episodes. Preceding Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) infection and antiganglioside antibodies were also assessed. Seven (3%) recurrent GBS and one (1.4%) recurrent MFS patients were identified. In the individual patient the clinical features during episodes were usually similar varying in severity whereas the preceding infection differed. None of the patients had GBS in one episode and MFS in the recurrence or vice versa. Recurrent GBS patients, compared with monophasic GBS, did not have preceding diarrhea at the first episode and considering the electrophysiological subtypes, acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathies recurred more frequently than axonal GBS (6.5% vs 0.9%, p=0.04). In conclusion in a GBS population with a balanced number of demyelinating and axonal subtypes less frequent diarrhea and demyelination at electrophysiology were associated with recurrence. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Contrasting Holocene sedimentary geologies of lower Daly River, northern Australia, and lower Sepik-Ramu, Papua New Guinea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chappell, John

1993-03-01

The estuarine plain of the macrotidal Daly River, in monsoonal northern Australia, is underlain by extensive mid-Holocene mangrove swamp sediments which accumulated during the last stages of Post-glacial sea-level rise. Sediment yield from the catchment is too low to account for the volume which accumulated during sea-level rise, and onshore transport is invoked. This is supported by radiocarbon ages and facies analysis of the transgressive sediment tract beneath the maximum flooding surface (MFS), and of the tract of vertical sedimentation which extends from the MFS to the surface of estuarine/fluvial transition (the EFT). The EFT occurred about 5000 to 6000 BP throughout the estuarine plain. A contrasting situation exists in the lowland Holocene basin of the microtidal Sepik and Ramu rivers in Papua New Guinea, which derive sediment from highly tectonic catchments. A tectonic basin, which was a shallow brackish inland sea after Post-glacial transgression, is separated by a low divide from a deltaic plain. Progradation of the deltaic plain commenced about 3500 BP after regressive sedimentation eclipsed the inland sea in the tectonic basin. Contrasting organic facies, mangrove in the Daly and freshwater swamp deposits in the Sepik-Ramu, highlight differences between facies models of the two systems. Differences between fluvio-tidal regimes are reflected by the EFT, which is synchronous in the Daly and diachronous in the Sepik-Ramu, and possibly by the MFS which is diachronous in the Daly and may be synchronous in the Sepik-Ramu.

Medical Treatment of Aortic Aneurysms in Marfan Syndrome and other Heritable Conditions

PubMed Central

Jost, Christine H. Attenhofer; Greutmann, Matthias; Connolly, Heidi M.; Weber, Roland; Rohrbach, Marianne; Oxenius, Angela; Kretschmar, Oliver; Luscher, Thomas F.; Matyas, Gabor

2014-01-01

Thoracic aortic aneurysms can be triggered by genetic disorders such as Marfan syndrome (MFS) and related aortic diseases as well as by inflammatory disorders such as giant cell arteritis or atherosclerosis. In all these conditions, cardiovascular risk factors, such as systemic arterial hypertension, may contribute to faster rate of aneurysm progression. Optimal medical management to prevent progressive aortic dilatation and aortic dissection is unknown. β-blockers have been the mainstay of medical treatment for many years despite limited evidence of beneficial effects. Recently, losartan, an angiotensin II type I receptor antagonist (ARB), has shown promising results in a mouse model of MFS and subsequently in humans with MFS and hence is increasingly used. Several ongoing trials comparing losartan to β-blockers and/or placebo will better define the role of ARBs in the near future. In addition, other medications, such as statins and tetracyclines have demonstrated potential benefit in experimental aortic aneurysm studies. Given the advances in our understanding of molecular mechanisms triggering aortic dilatation and dissection, individualized management tailored to the underlying genetic defect may be on the horizon of individualized medicine. We anticipate that ongoing research will address the question whether such genotype/pathogenesis-driven treatments can replace current phenotype/syndrome-driven strategies and whether other forms of aortopathies should be treated similarly. In this work, we review currently used and promising medical treatment options for patients with heritable aortic aneurysmal disorders. PMID:24527681

Retardation of Listeria monocytogenes growth in mozzarella cheese using antimicrobial sachets containing rosemary oil and thyme oil.

PubMed

Han, Jung H; Patel, Dhaval; Kim, Jung Eun; Min, Sea C

2014-11-01

An antimicrobial sachet containing microcellular foam starch (MFS) with embedded rosemary oil and thyme oil was developed to reduce bacterial growth in shredded mozzarella cheese. The efficacy of the volatiles of oils at various concentrations in reducing Listeria monocytogenes as well as the release of the oils from the MFS have been also determined in this study. The cheese, inoculated with a cocktail of 5 strains of L. monocytogenes (approximately 3 log CFU/g), was packaged in a Nylon/EVOH/PE bag. A paper sachet containing MFS embedded with rosemary oil and thyme oil, separately or together, was inserted into the bag. Rosemary and thyme oil volatiles released from the sachet restricted the growth of L. monocytogenes, resulting in a 2.5 log CFU/g reduction on day 9 at 10 °C. The volatile oils also showed inhibitory effects on the growth of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and total aerobic bacteria (TAB). After 15 d at 10 °C, the numbers of LAB and TAB in the samples containing the sachet with both oils experienced a 1.2 and 1.4 log CFU/g reduction, respectively, compared to untreated samples. Nonetheless, the sachet treatment produced a distinct odor, unfavorably received by the panelists. The results suggest the potential for application of the sachet system for the reduction of growth of L. monocytogenes, LAB, and TAB in food products. © 2014 Institute of Food Technologists®

Motor impairment predicts falls in specialized Alzheimer care units.

PubMed

Camicioli, Richard; Licis, Lisa

2004-01-01

We sought to identify clinical risk factors for falls in people with advanced Alzheimer disease (AD) in a prospective longitudinal observational study set in specialized AD care units. Forty-two patients with probable or possible AD were recruited. Age, sex, Mini-Mental Status Examination, Clinical Dementia Rating Scale, Neuropsychiatric Inventory/Nursing Home, Morse Fall Scale (MFS), modified Unified Parkinson's Rating Scale (mUPDRS), and gait parameters using a GAITRite Gold Walkway System with and without dual-task performance were examined. Time to a first fall was the primary outcome measure, and independent risk factors were identified. Participating subjects were old (non-fallers age, 82.3 +/- 6.7 years; fallers: 83.1 +/- 9.6 years; p = 0.76) and predominantly women (36 female/6 male). Fallers did not differ from non-fallers on any parameter except the MFS (non-fallers: 35.6 +/- 26.1; fallers: 54.4 +/- 29.8; p = 0.04), the UPDRS (non-fallers: 4.75 +/- 3.98; fallers: 7.61 +/- 4.3, p = 0.03) and cadence (steps per minute: non-fallers: 102.3 +/- 12.3; fallers: 91.7 +/- 16, p = 0.02). Fallers and non-fallers were equally affected by dual-task performance. The hazard ratios for MFS, UPDRS, and cadence were not affected by adjusting for age, sex, MMSE, or NPI scores. In conclusion, falls in advanced AD can be predicted using simple clinical measures of motor impairment or cadence. These measures may be useful for targeting interventions.

Physician Risk Tolerance and Head Computed Tomography Use for Patients with Isolated Headaches.

PubMed

Huang, Yi-Syun; Syue, Yuan-Jhen; Yen, Yung-Lin; Wu, Chien-Hung; Ho, Yu-Ni; Cheng, Fu-Jen

2016-11-01

Headaches are one of the most common afflictions in adults and reasons for emergency department (ED) visits. We sought to determine the association between physician risk tolerance and head computed tomography (CT) use in patients with headaches in the ED. We performed a retrospective study of patients with nontraumatic isolated headaches in the ED and then administered two instruments (Risk-Taking subscale [RTS] of the Jackson Personality Index and a Malpractice Fear Scale [MFS]) to attending physicians who had evaluated these patients and made decisions regarding head CT scans. Outcomes were head CT use during ED evaluation and hospital admission. A hierarchical logistic regression was used to determine the effect of risk scales on head CT use. Of the 1328 patients with headaches, 521 (39.2%) received brain CTs and 83 (6.9%) were admitted; 33 (2.5%) patients received a final diagnosis that the central nervous system was the origin of the disease. Among the 17 emergency physicians (EPs), the median of the MFS and RTS was 23 (interquartile range [IQR] 19-25) and 21 (IQR 20-23), respectively. EPs who were relatively risk-averse and those who possessed a higher level of malpractice fear were not more likely to order brain CTs for patients with isolated headaches. Individual EP risk tolerance, as measured by RTS, and malpractice concerns, measured by MFS, were not predictive of CT use in patients with isolated headaches. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Distribution and dynamics of the cytoskeleton in graviresponding protonemata and rhizoids of characean algae: exclusion of microtubules and a convergence of actin filaments in the apex suggest an actin-mediated gravitropism.

PubMed

Braun, M; Wasteneys, G O

1998-05-01

The organization of the microtubule (MT) and actin microfilament (MF) cytoskeleton of tip-growing rhizoids and protonemata of characean green algae was examined by confocal laser scanning microscopy. This analysis included microinjection of fluorescent tubulin and phallotoxins into living cells, as well as immunofluorescence labeling of fixed material and fluorescent phallotoxin labeling of unfixed material. Although the morphologically very similar positively gravitropic (downward growing) rhizoids and negatively gravitropic (upward growing) protonemata show opposite gravitropic responses, no differences were detected in the extensive three-dimensional distribution of actin MFs and MTs in both cell types. Tubulin microinjection revealed that in contrast to internodal cells, fluorescent tubulin incorporated very slowly into the MT arrays of rhizoids, suggesting that MT dynamics are very different in tip-growing and diffusely expanding cells. Microtubules assembled from multiple sites at the plasma membrane in the basal zone, and a dense subapical array emerged from a diffuse nucleation centre on the basal side of the nuclear envelope. Immunofluorescence confirmed these distribution patterns but revealed more extensive MT arrays. In the basal zone, short branching clusters of MTs form two cortical hemicylinders. Subapical, axially oriented MTs are distributed in equal density throughout the peripheral and inner cytoplasm and are closely associated with subapical organelles. Microtubules, however, are completely absent from the apical zones of rhizoids and protonemata. Actin MFs were found in all zones of rhizoids and protonemata including the apex. Two files of axially oriented bundles of subcortical actin MFs and ring-like actin structures in the streaming endoplasm of rhizoids were detected in the basal zones by microinjection or rhodamine-phalloidin labeling. The subapical zone contains a dense array of mainly axially oriented actin MFs that co-distribute with the subapical MT array. In the apex, actin MFs form thicker bundles that converge into a remarkably distinct actin patch in the apical dome, whose position coincides with the position of the endoplasmic reticulum aggregate in the centre of the Spitzenkörper. Actin MFs radiate from the actin patch towards the apical membrane. Together with results from previous inhibitor studies (Braun and Sievers, 1994, Eur J Cell Biol 63: 289-298), these results suggest that MTs have a stabilizing function in maintaining the polar cytoplasmic and cytoskeletal organization. The motile processes, however, are mediated by actin. In particular, the actin cytoskeleton appears to be involved in the structural and functional organization of the Spitzenkörper and thus is responsible for controlling cell shape and growth direction. Despite the similar structural arrangements of the actin cytoskeleton, major differences in the function of actin MFs have been observed in rhizoids and protonemata. Since actin MFs are more directly involved in the gravitropic response of protonemata than of rhizoids, the opposite gravitropsim in the two cell types seems to be based mainly on different properties and activities of the actin cytoskeleton.

Firefighting Trainer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1984-01-01

Firefighting trainees conduct fire control exercises using a prototype simulator known as the Emergency Management Computer Aided Training System (EMCAT). Developed by Marshall Space Flight Center (MFS) in response to a request from the Huntsville (AL) Fire Department, EMCAT enables a trainee to assume the role of fireground commander and make quick decisions on best use of his fire fighting personnel and equipment.

Splanchnic preganglionic neurons in man. III. Morphometry of myelinated fibers of rami communicantes.

PubMed

Low, P A; Dyck, P J

1978-01-01

The myelinated fiber (MF) composition of T6-T8 Rami Communicantes were obtained in 9 healthy persons of various ages. The textbook picture that distal rami (DR) contain all of the myelinated fibers and therefore are white, while proximal rami (PR) contain none of them and therefore are grey must be modified. We found that DR usually contained abundant MFs and that PR concordance was found between segmental numbers of intermediolateral nuclei cytons, ventral root small myelinated fibers (SMFs), and rami total small MFs to suggest that both rami probably contain the distal myelinated axons of preganglionic autonomic fibers. Finally, there was an attrition of total MFs of rami with age, similar to what we had previously found for ILC cytons and for root SMFs. The decrease in number of pre-ganglionic autonomic neurons with age is thought to be of sufficient magnitude to account for the dysautonomia of the elderly.

Gating Topology of the Proton-Coupled Oligopeptide Symporters

PubMed Central

Fowler, Philip W.; Orwick-Rydmark, Marcella; Radestock, Sebastian; Solcan, Nicolae; Dijkman, Patricia M.; Lyons, Joseph A.; Kwok, Jane; Caffrey, Martin; Watts, Anthony; Forrest, Lucy R.; Newstead, Simon

2015-01-01

Summary Proton-coupled oligopeptide transporters belong to the major facilitator superfamily (MFS) of membrane transporters. Recent crystal structures suggest the MFS fold facilitates transport through rearrangement of their two six-helix bundles around a central ligand binding site; how this is achieved, however, is poorly understood. Using modeling, molecular dynamics, crystallography, functional assays, and site-directed spin labeling combined with double electron-electron resonance (DEER) spectroscopy, we present a detailed study of the transport dynamics of two bacterial oligopeptide transporters, PepTSo and PepTSt. Our results identify several salt bridges that stabilize outward-facing conformations and we show that, for all the current structures of MFS transporters, the first two helices of each of the four inverted-topology repeat units form half of either the periplasmic or cytoplasmic gate and that these function cooperatively in a scissor-like motion to control access to the peptide binding site during transport. PMID:25651061

Effects of Wind Chill Factor, Temperature and Other Meteorological Parameters on the Incidence of Bell's Palsy: Results Based on a Retrospective, 7-Year Long, Greek Population Study.

PubMed

Kokotis, Panagiotis; Katsavos, Serafeim

2015-01-01

The etiology of Bell's palsy (BP), the most common type of dysfunction of the facial nerve, remains unclear despite vigorous research. Data concerning the effects of meteorological factors (MFs) on its appearance are inconclusive. The aim of our study was to examine the demographics of a convenience sample of patients with BP and to determine the effects of several MFs in the recorded number of cases per month (cpm). We retrospectively reviewed 568 files of BP patients and concomitant data of MFs during an 84-month observation period. Information collected included age, gender, diabetic status, number of cpm (months further categorized as winter or summer), mean daily and monthly temperatures and wind speeds and monthly values of wind chill factor (WCF), a measure dependent on both temperature and wind speed. Potential correlations were estimated by univariate analyses (p = 0.05). Demographics were in line with previous research regarding age and diabetic status, but indicative of slight male preponderance. Summer months and mean monthly temperatures showed significant negative correlations with cpm (p = 0.002 and <0.000, respectively) and strong positive correlation with WCF (p < 0.000). MFs can substantially influence the possibility for BP appearance. We propose WCF as a novel, reliable estimator of the overall MF-derived risk. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

The Kid-Short Marfan Score (Kid-SMS) - an easy executable risk score for suspected paediatric patients with Marfan syndrome.

PubMed

Mueller, Goetz C; Stark, Veronika; Steiner, Kristoffer; Weil, Jochen; von Kodolitsch, Yskert; Mir, Thomas S

2013-02-01

Due to age-dependent manifestations, diagnosis of Marfan syndrome (MFS) in children and adolescents is sophisticated. Although revised Ghent criteria is a major step forward, its utility in children is still restricted due to expensive and technically advanced diagnostics. As early diagnosis submits long-term benefits concerning prognosis, the need of an appropriate diagnostic tool for risk stratification of suspected paediatric patients with Marfan is justified. Sixty paediatric patients with Marfan were subject to a standardized diagnostic programme. All clinical symptoms of the revised Ghent nosology were analysed concerning age at first clinical manifestation, prevalence and likelihood ratio for MFS. Symptoms with early onset, high prevalence and high positive likelihood ratio were identified and combined for a risk score called Kid-Short Marfan Score (Kid-SMS). Three risk categories for suspicion of Marfan syndrome were developed. Finally, the Kid-SMS was operated in 130 paediatric patients with suspected MFS. Kid-SMS identified significantly more suspected patients with Marfan compared with Ghent nosology, revised Ghent and genetics alone without oversensitivity. Whereas diagnosis of MFS in childhood is sophisticated, Kid-SMS is a useful tool for risk stratification of suspected paediatric patients with Marfan by easy executable diagnostics, especially for paediatricians and paediatric cardiologists. ©2012 The Author(s)/Acta Paediatrica ©2012 Foundation Acta Paediatrica.

Modelling and numerical simulation of the in vivo mechanical response of the ascending aortic aneurysm in Marfan syndrome.

PubMed

García-Herrera, Claudio M; Celentano, Diego J; Herrera, Emilio A

2017-03-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a genetic disorder that affects connective tissue, impairing cardiovascular structures and function, such as heart valves and aorta. Thus, patients with Marfan disease have a higher risk of developing circulatory problems associated with mitral and aortic valves prolapse, manifested as dilated aorta and aortic aneurysm. However, little is known about the biomechanical characteristics of these structures affected with MFS. This study presents the modelling and simulation of the mechanical response of human ascending aortic aneurysms in MFS under in vivo conditions with intraluminal pressures within normotensive and hypertensive ranges. We obtained ascending aortic segments from five adults with MFS subjected to a vascular prosthesis implantation replacing an aortic aneurysm. We characterised the arterial samples via ex vivo tensile test measurements that enable fitting the material parameters of a hyperelastic isotropic constitutive model. Then, these material parameters were used in a numerical simulation of an ascending aortic aneurysm subjected to in vivo normotensive and hypertensive conditions. In addition, we assessed different constraints related to the movement of the aortic root. Overall, our results provide not only a realistic description of the mechanical behaviour of the vessel, but also useful data about stress/stretch-based criteria to predict vascular rupture. This knowledge may be included in the clinical assessment to determine risk and indicate surgical intervention.

Feasibility, Validity, and Reliability of the Italian Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Multidimensional Fatigue Scale for Adults in Inpatients with Severe Obesity

PubMed Central

Manzoni, Gian Mauro; Rossi, Alessandro; Marazzi, Nicoletta; Agosti, Fiorenza; De Col, Alessandra; Pietrabissa, Giada; Castelnuovo, Gianluca; Molinari, Enrico; Sartorio, Allessandro

2018-01-01

Objective This study was aimed to examine the feasibility, validity, and reliability of the Italian Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Multidimensional Fatigue Scale (PedsQL™ MFS) for adult inpatients with severe obesity. Methods 200 inpatients (81% females) with severe obesity (BMI ≥ 35 kg/m2) completed the PedsQL MFS (General Fatigue, Sleep/Rest Fatigue and Cognitive Fatigue domains), the Fatigue Severity Scale, and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale immediately after admission to a 3-week residential body weight reduction program. A randomized subsample of 48 patients re-completed the PedsQL MFS after 3 days. Results Confirmatory factor analysis showed that a modified hierarchical model with two items moved from the Sleep/Rest Fatigue domain to the General Fatigue domain and a second-order latent factor best fitted the data. Internal consistency and test-retest reliabilities were acceptable to high in all scales, and small to high statistically significant correlations were found with all convergent measures, with the exception of BMI. Significant floor effects were found in two scales (Cognitive Fatigue and Sleep/Rest Fatigue). Conclusion The Italian modified PedsQL MFS for adults showed to be a valid and reliable tool for the assessment of fatigue in inpatients with severe obesity. Future studies should assess its discriminant validity as well as its responsiveness to weight reduction. PMID:29402854

Recurrence of Marfan syndrome as a result of parental germ-line mosaicism for an FBN1 mutation.

PubMed Central

Rantamäki, T; Kaitila, I; Syvänen, A C; Lukka, M; Peltonen, L

1999-01-01

Mutations in the FBN1 gene cause Marfan syndrome (MFS), a dominantly inherited connective tissue disease. Almost all the identified FBN1mutations have been family specific, and the rate of new mutations is high. We report here a de novo FBN1mutation that was identified in two sisters with MFS born to clinically unaffected parents. The paternity and maternity were unequivocally confirmed by genotyping. Although one of the parents had to be an obligatory carrier for the mutation, we could not detect the mutation in the leukocyte DNA of either parent. To identify which parent was a mosaic for the mutation we analyzed several tissues from both parents, with a quantitative and sensitive solid-phase minisequencing method. The mutation was not, however, detectable in any of the analyzed tissues. Although the mutation could not be identified in a sperm sample from the father or in samples of multiple tissue from the mother, we concluded that the mother was the likely mosaic parent and that the mutation must have occurred during the early development of her germ-line cells. Mosaicism confined to germ-line cells has rarely been reported, and this report of mosaicism for the FBN1 mutation in MFS represents an important case, in light of the evaluation of the recurrence risk in genetic counseling of families with MFS. PMID:10090884

Effects of Single and Repeated Exposure to a 50-Hz 2-mT Electromagnetic Field on Primary Cultured Hippocampal Neurons.

PubMed

Zeng, Ying; Shen, Yunyun; Hong, Ling; Chen, Yanfeng; Shi, Xiaofang; Zeng, Qunli; Yu, Peilin

2017-06-01

The prevalence of domestic and industrial electrical appliances has raised concerns about the health risk of extremely low-frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MFs). At present, the effects of ELF-MFs on the central nervous system are still highly controversial, and few studies have investigated its effects on cultured neurons. Here, we evaluated the biological effects of different patterns of ELF-MF exposure on primary cultured hippocampal neurons in terms of viability, apoptosis, genomic instability, and oxidative stress. The results showed that repeated exposure to 50-Hz 2-mT ELF-MF for 8 h per day after different times in culture decreased the viability and increased the production of intracellular reactive oxidative species in hippocampal neurons. The mechanism was potentially related to the up-regulation of Nox2 expression. Moreover, none of the repeated exposure patterns had significant effects on DNA damage, apoptosis, or autophagy, which suggested that ELF-MF exposure has no severe biological consequences in cultured hippocampal neurons.

Beyond cellular detoxification: a plethora of physiological roles for MDR transporter homologs in plants

PubMed Central

Remy, Estelle; Duque, Paula

2014-01-01

Higher plants possess a multitude of Multiple Drug Resistance (MDR) transporter homologs that group into three distinct and ubiquitous families—the ATP-Binding Cassette (ABC) superfamily, the Major Facilitator Superfamily (MFS), and the Multidrug And Toxic compound Extrusion (MATE) family. As in other organisms, such as fungi, mammals, and bacteria, MDR transporters make a primary contribution to cellular detoxification processes in plants, mainly through the extrusion of toxic compounds from the cell or their sequestration in the central vacuole. This review aims at summarizing the currently available information on the in vivo roles of MDR transporters in plant systems. Taken together, these data clearly indicate that the biological functions of ABC, MFS, and MATE carriers are not restricted to xenobiotic and metal detoxification. Importantly, the activity of plant MDR transporters also mediates biotic stress resistance and is instrumental in numerous physiological processes essential for optimal plant growth and development, including the regulation of ion homeostasis and polar transport of the phytohormone auxin. PMID:24910617

Spaceborne Processor Array

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chow, Edward T.; Schatzel, Donald V.; Whitaker, William D.; Sterling, Thomas

2008-01-01

A Spaceborne Processor Array in Multifunctional Structure (SPAMS) can lower the total mass of the electronic and structural overhead of spacecraft, resulting in reduced launch costs, while increasing the science return through dynamic onboard computing. SPAMS integrates the multifunctional structure (MFS) and the Gilgamesh Memory, Intelligence, and Network Device (MIND) multi-core in-memory computer architecture into a single-system super-architecture. This transforms every inch of a spacecraft into a sharable, interconnected, smart computing element to increase computing performance while simultaneously reducing mass. The MIND in-memory architecture provides a foundation for high-performance, low-power, and fault-tolerant computing. The MIND chip has an internal structure that includes memory, processing, and communication functionality. The Gilgamesh is a scalable system comprising multiple MIND chips interconnected to operate as a single, tightly coupled, parallel computer. The array of MIND components shares a global, virtual name space for program variables and tasks that are allocated at run time to the distributed physical memory and processing resources. Individual processor- memory nodes can be activated or powered down at run time to provide active power management and to configure around faults. A SPAMS system is comprised of a distributed Gilgamesh array built into MFS, interfaces into instrument and communication subsystems, a mass storage interface, and a radiation-hardened flight computer.

Application of an adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system to ground subsidence hazard mapping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Inhye; Choi, Jaewon; Jin Lee, Moung; Lee, Saro

2012-11-01

We constructed hazard maps of ground subsidence around abandoned underground coal mines (AUCMs) in Samcheok City, Korea, using an adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) and a geographical information system (GIS). To evaluate the factors related to ground subsidence, a spatial database was constructed from topographic, geologic, mine tunnel, land use, and ground subsidence maps. An attribute database was also constructed from field investigations and reports on existing ground subsidence areas at the study site. Five major factors causing ground subsidence were extracted: (1) depth of drift; (2) distance from drift; (3) slope gradient; (4) geology; and (5) land use. The adaptive ANFIS model with different types of membership functions (MFs) was then applied for ground subsidence hazard mapping in the study area. Two ground subsidence hazard maps were prepared using the different MFs. Finally, the resulting ground subsidence hazard maps were validated using the ground subsidence test data which were not used for training the ANFIS. The validation results showed 95.12% accuracy using the generalized bell-shaped MF model and 94.94% accuracy using the Sigmoidal2 MF model. These accuracy results show that an ANFIS can be an effective tool in ground subsidence hazard mapping. Analysis of ground subsidence with the ANFIS model suggests that quantitative analysis of ground subsidence near AUCMs is possible.

Bottle-feeding practices during early infancy and eating behaviors at 6 years of age.

PubMed

Li, Ruowei; Scanlon, Kelley S; May, Ashleigh; Rose, Chelsea; Birch, Leann

2014-09-01

Evidence suggests an association of breastfeeding with a maternal feeding style (MFS) that is less controlling than formula feeding, which, in turn, may improve a child's self-regulation of eating. This study examines associations of bottle-feeding practices during infancy with MFS and children's eating behavior (CEB) at 6 years old. We linked data from the Infant Feeding Practices Study II to the Year 6 Follow-Up, which include 8 MFS and CEB measures adapted from previous validated instruments. Bottle-feeding practices during the first 6 months estimated by using the Infant Feeding Practices Study II were bottle-feeding intensity (BFI), mother's encouragement of infant to finish milk in the bottle, and infant finishing all milk in the bottle. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) for associations of bottle-feeding practices with MFS and CEB at 6 years old were calculated by using multivariable logistic regressions controlling for sociodemographic characteristics and other feeding practices (N = 1117). Frequent bottle emptying encouraged by mothers during infancy increased odds of mothers encouraging their child to eat all the food on their plate (aOR: 2.37; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.65-3.41] and making sure their child eats enough (aOR: 1.62; 95% CI: 1.14-2.31) and of children eating all the food on their plate at 6 years old (aOR: 2.01; 95% CI: 1.05-3.83). High BFI during early infancy also increased the odds of mothers being especially careful to ensure their 6-year-old eats enough. Bottle-feeding practices during infancy may have long-term effects on MFS and CEB. Frequent bottle emptying encouraged by mothers and/or high BFI during early infancy increased the likelihood of mothers pressuring their 6-year-old child to eat and children's low satiety responsiveness. Copyright © 2014 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Valve-sparing aortic root replacement in patients with Marfan syndrome enrolled in the National Registry of Genetically Triggered Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms and Cardiovascular Conditions.

PubMed

Song, Howard K; Preiss, Liliana R; Maslen, Cheryl L; Kroner, Barbara; Devereux, Richard B; Roman, Mary J; Holmes, Kathryn W; Tolunay, H Eser; Desvigne-Nickens, Patrice; Asch, Federico M; Milewski, Rita K; Bavaria, Joseph; LeMaire, Scott A

2014-05-01

The long-term outcomes of aortic valve-sparing (AVS) root replacement in Marfan syndrome (MFS) patients remain uncertain. The study aim was to determine the utilization and outcomes of AVS root replacement in MFS patients enrolled in the Registry of Genetically Triggered Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms and Cardiovascular Conditions (GenTAC). At the time of this analysis, 788 patients with MFS were enrolled in the GenTAC Registry, of whom 288 had undergone aortic root replacement. Patients who had undergone AVS procedures were compared to those who had undergone aortic valve replacement (AVR). AVS root replacement was performed in 43.5% of MFS patients, and the frequency of AVS was increased over the past five years. AVS patients were younger at the time of surgery (31.0 versus 36.3 years, p = 0.006) and more likely to have had elective rather than emergency surgery compared to AVR patients, in whom aortic valve dysfunction and aortic dissection was the more likely primary indication for surgery. After a mean follow up of 6.2 +/- 3.6 years, none of the 87 AVS patients had required reoperation; in contrast, after a mean follow up of 10.5 +/- 7.6 years, 11.5% of AVR patients required aortic root reoperation. Aortic valve function has been durable, with 95.8% of AVS patients having aortic insufficiency that was graded as mild or less. AVS root replacement is performed commonly among the MFS population, and the durability of the aortic repair and aortic valve function have been excellent to date. These results justify a continued use of the procedure in an elective setting. The GenTAC Registry will be a useful resource to assess the long-term durability of AVS root replacement in the future.

Heterologous expression of a Tpo1 homolog from Arabidopsis thaliana confers resistance to the herbicide 2,4-D and other chemical stresses in yeast.

PubMed

Cabrito, Tânia R; Teixeira, Miguel C; Duarte, Alexandra A; Duque, Paula; Sá-Correia, Isabel

2009-10-01

The understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying acquired herbicide resistance is crucial in dealing with the emergence of resistant weeds. Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been used as a model system to gain insights into the mechanisms underlying resistance to the herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). The TPO1 gene, encoding a multidrug resistance (MDR) plasma membrane transporter of the major facilitator superfamily (MFS), was previously found to confer resistance to 2,4-D in yeast and to be transcriptionally activated in response to the herbicide. In this work, we demonstrate that Tpo1p is required to reduce the intracellular concentration of 2,4-D. ScTpo1p homologs encoding putative plasma membrane MFS transporters from the plant model Arabidopsis thaliana were analyzed for a possible role in 2,4-D resistance. At5g13750 was chosen for further analysis, as its transcript levels were found to increase in 2,4-D stressed plants. The functional heterologous expression of this plant open reading frame in yeast was found to confer increased resistance to the herbicide in Deltatpo1 and wild-type cells, through the reduction of the intracellular concentration of 2,4-D. Heterologous expression of At5g13750 in yeast also leads to increased resistance to indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), Al(3+) and Tl(3+). At5g13750 is the first plant putative MFS transporter to be suggested as possibly involved in MDR.

Computing Operating Characteristics Of Bearing/Shaft Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, James D.

1996-01-01

SHABERTH computer program predicts operating characteristics of bearings in multibearing load-support system. Lubricated and nonlubricated bearings modeled. Calculates loads, torques, temperatures, and fatigue lives of ball and/or roller bearings on single shaft. Provides for analysis of reaction of system to termination of supply of lubricant to bearings and other lubricated mechanical elements. Valuable in design and analysis of shaft/bearing systems. Two versions of SHABERTH available. Cray version (LEW-14860), "Computing Thermal Performances Of Shafts and Bearings". IBM PC version (MFS-28818), written for IBM PC-series and compatible computers running MS-DOS.

Sequence stratigraphic interpretation of parts of Anambra Basin, Nigeria using geophysical well logs and biostratigraphic data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anakwuba, E. K.; Ajaegwu, N. E.; Ejeke, C. F.; Onyekwelu, C. U.; Chinwuko, A. I.

2018-03-01

The Anambra basin constitutes the southeastern lower portion of the Benue Trough, which is a large structural depression that is divided into lower, middle and upper parts; and is one of the least studied inland sedimentary basins in Nigeria. Sequence stratigraphic interpretation had been carried out in parts of the Anambra Basin using data from three wells (Alo-1 Igbariam-1 and Ajire-1). Geophysical well logs and biostratigraphic data were integrated in order to identify key bounding surfaces, subdivide the sediment packages, correlate sand continuity and interpret the environment of deposition in the fields. Biostratigraphic interpretation, using foraminifera and plankton population and diversity, reveals five maximum flooding surfaces (MFS) in the fields. Five sequence boundaries (SB) were also identified using the well log analysis. Four 3rd order genetic sequences bounded by maximum flooding surfaces (MFS-1 to MFS-6) were identified in the areas; four complete sequences and one incomplete sequence were identified in both Alo-1 and Igbariam-1 wells while Ajire-1 has an no complete sequence. The identified system tracts delineated comprises Lowstand Systems Tracts (progradational to aggradational to retrogradational packages), Transgressive Systems Tracts (retrogradational packages) and Highstand Systems Tracts (aggradational to progradational packages) in each well. The sand continuity across the fields reveal sands S1 to S5 where S1 is present in Ajire-1 well and Igbariam-1 well but not in Alo-1 well. The sands S4 to S5 run across the three fields at different depths. The formations penetrated by the wells starting from the base are; Nkporo Formation (Campanian), Mamu Formation (Late Campanian to Early Maastrichtian), Ajali Sandstone (Maastrichtian), Nsukka Formation (Late Maastrichtian to Early Palaeocene), Imo Formation (Palaeocene) and Nanka Sand (Eocene). The environments of deposition revealed are from coastal to bathyal. The sands of lowstand system tract and highstand system tract found in Ajali, Nsukka, Nkporo and Imo (Ebenebe Sandstone) Formations show good continuity and as such good reservoir qualities while the shales of the transgressive system tracts which includes the Imo Formation, Mamu, and Nkporo Formations where most of the maximum flooding surfaces were delineated, can serve as seals to the numerous reservoir units. Combinations of the reservoir sands of the lowstand system tract and highstand system tract and the shale units of the transgressive system tract can form good stratigraphic traps for hydrocarbon and hence should be hydrocarbon exploration targets.

Mountain building, strike-slip faulting, and landscape evolution in the Marlborough Fault System, NZ: Insights from new low-temperature thermochronology and modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duvall, A. R.; Collett, C.; Flowers, R. M.; Tucker, G. E.; Upton, P.

2016-12-01

The 150 km wide Marlborough Fault System (MFS) and adjacent dextral-reverse Alpine Fault accommodate oblique convergence of the Australian and Pacific plates in a broad transform boundary that extends for much of the South Island New Zealand. Understanding the deformation history of the Marlborough region offers the opportunity to study topographic evolution in a strike-slip setting and a fuller picture of the evolving New Zealand plate boundary as the MFS lies at the transition from oceanic Pacific plate subduction to oblique continental collision. Here we present low-temperature thermochronology from the MFS to place new limits on the timing and style of mountain building. We sampled a range of elevations spanning 2 km within and adjacent to the Kaikoura Mountains, which stand high as topographic anomalies above active strike-slip faults. Young apatite (U-Th)/He ages ( 2-5 Ma) on both sides of range-bounding faults are consistent with regional distributed deformation since the Pliocene initiation of strike-slip faulting. However, large differences in both zircon helium and apatite fission track ages, from Paleogene/Neogene ages within hanging walls to unreset >100 Ma ages in footwalls, indicate an early phase of fault-related vertical exhumation. Thermal modeling using the QTQt program reveals two phases of exhumation within the Kaikoura Ranges: rapid cooling at 15-12 Ma localized to hanging wall rocks and regional rapid cooling reflected in all samples starting at 4-5 Ma. These results and landscape evolution models suggest that, despite the presence of active mountain front faults, much of the topographic relief in this region may predate the onset of strike-slip faulting and that portions of the Marlborough Faults are re-activated thrusts that coincide with the early development of the transpressive plate boundary. Regional exhumation after 5 Ma likely reflects increased proximity to the migrating Pacific plate subduction zone and the buoyant Chatham Rise.

Three-Channeled Aortic Dissection in a Patient without Marfan Syndrome

PubMed Central

Arita, Yoshie Inoue; Yamamoto, Takeshi; Hosokawa, Yusuke; Fujii, Masahiro; Nitta, Takashi; Shimizu, Wataru

2017-01-01

A 64-year-old man was admitted for evaluation of back pain. He did not have a Marfan syndrome (MFS)-like appearance, and had a history of a type B aortic dissection and total arch replacement. A connective tissue disorder had been suspected because of the histologic findings of the resected aortic wall. On admission, a computed tomography (CT) scan demonstrated a three-channeled aortic dissection (3ch-AD) measuring 63 mm in diameter. We planned to perform elective surgery during his hospitalization. On the fourth hospital day, he complained of severe back pain, and enhanced CT scan revealed an aortic rupture. The patients with 3ch-AD often have MFS. However, even if they do not have an MFS-like appearance, clinicians should consider fragility of the aortic wall in patients with 3ch-AD. If the aortic diameter is enlarged, early surgery is recommended. In particular, if a connective tissue disorder is obvious or suspected, emergent surgery is warranted. PMID:29187676

A Case of Fisher-Bickerstaff Syndrome Overlapped by Guillain-Barré Syndrome

PubMed Central

Fujii, Daiki; Manabe, Yasuhiro; Takahasi, Yosiaki; Narai, Hisashi; Omori, Nobuhiko; Kusunoki, Susumu; Abe, Koji

2012-01-01

We report a 72-year-old woman with overlapping Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS), Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and Bickerstaff's brainstem encephalitis (BBE). She developed diplopia and unsteady gait a week after an upper respiratory infection on day 1. She had weakness of both upper limbs on day 3 and became drowsy, and her respiratory status worsened on day 5. Neurologic examination revealed ophthalmoplegia, ataxia, symmetrical weakness, areflexia, and consciousness disturbance. We diagnosed her with MFS on day 1, GBS on day 3 and overlapping BBE on day 5. She underwent immunoadsorption therapy and two courses of intravenous immunoglobulin therapy. Ten months after onset, her symptoms had fully recovered. Anti-GM1 IgG, GD1a IgG, GQ1b IgG, and GT1a IgG antibodies were positive. Our case supports the notion that MFS, GBS, and BBE are all part of a continuous clinical spectrum, which is an antibody-mediated process. PMID:23275783

Retinal Disease in Marfan Syndrome: From the Marfan Eye Consortium of Chicago.

PubMed

Rahmani, Safa; Lyon, Alice T; Fawzi, Amani A; Maumenee, Irene H; Mets, Marilyn B

2015-10-01

To study the prevalence of peripheral retinal disease in patients with Marfan Syndrome (MFS). In this observational, cross-sectional case series, patients with MFS were recruited by the Marfan Eye Consortium of Chicago during the National Marfan Foundation's annual conference. Patients underwent a fully dilated exam by vitreoretinal specialists in addition to ultra-widefield fundus photography using a scanning laser ophthalmoscope (Optos 200Tx; Optos PLC, Dunfermline, Scotland, United Kingdom). Clinical examination revealed posterior segment pathology in 18% of eyes with increased incidence to 70% in patients with a subluxed lens. In six out of 10 subjects in whom the clinical exam was suboptimal (young age, small pupil, and limited cooperation), the Optos provided a superior view of the peripheral retina compared to clinical exam alone. Clinical exam of MFS patients revealed similar posterior segment pathology as noted in previous literature, with improved detection of peripheral retinal disease with the use of ultra-widefield imaging. Copyright 2015, SLACK Incorporated.

Magnetic Fluids Have Ability to Decrease Amyloid Aggregation Associated with Amyloid-Related Diseases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antosova, Andrea; Koneracka, Martina; Siposova, Katarina; Zavisova, Vlasta; Daxnerova, Zuzana; Vavra, Ivo; Fabian, Martin; Kopcansky, Peter; Gazova, Zuzana

2010-12-01

At least twenty human proteins can fold abnormally to form pathological deposits that are associated with several amyloid-related diseases. We have investigated the effect of four magnetic fluids (MFs)—electrostatically stabilized Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles (MF1) and sterically stabilized Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles by sodium oleate (MF2, MF3 and MF4) with adsorbed BSA (MF2) or dextran (MF4)—on amyloid aggregation of two proteins, human insulin and chicken egg lysozyme. The morphology, particle size and size distribution of the prepared magnetic fluids were characterized. We have found that MFs are able to decrease amyloid aggregation of both studied proteins and the extent of depolymerization depended on the MF properties. The most effective reduction was observed for MF4 as 90% decrease of amyloids was detected for insulin and lysozyme amyloid aggregates. Our findings indicate that MFs have potential to be used for treatment of amyloid diseases.

Application Prospects of Multilayer Film Shields for Space Research Instrumentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nyunt, P. W.; Vlasik, K. F.; Grachev, V. M.; Dmitrenko, V. V.; Novikov, A. S.; Petrenko, D. V.; Ulin, S. E.; Uteshev, Z. M.; Chernysheva, I. V.; Shustov, A. E.

We have studied the magnetic properties of multilayer film cylindrical configuration shields (MFS) based on NiFe / Cu. The studied samples were prepared by electrode position. MFS were constituted by alternating layers of NiFe and Cu, deposited on an aluminum cylinder with diameter of 4 cm, length of 13 cm and 0.5 cm thickness. The thickness of each ferromagnetic layer varied from 10 to 150 μm, and the thickness of Cu layers was 5 μm. Five-samples in which the number of ferromagnetic layers varied from 3 to 45 and copper - from 2 to 44 were tested. The best shielding efficiency was achieved at the maximum number of layers and comprised about 102. Permalloy multilayer foil shield at the same total thickness has several times less efficiency in comparison with MFS. The description of a prototype of the charged particles telescope for space application is presented. Results of its testing regarding sensitivity to the constant magnetic field are described.

Initial foot contact and related kinematics affect impact loading rate in running.

PubMed

Breine, Bastiaan; Malcolm, Philippe; Van Caekenberghe, Ine; Fiers, Pieter; Frederick, Edward C; De Clercq, Dirk

2017-08-01

This study assessed kinematic differences between different foot strike patterns and their relationship with peak vertical instantaneous loading rate (VILR) of the ground reaction force (GRF). Fifty-two runners ran at 3.2 m · s -1 while we recorded GRF and lower limb kinematics and determined foot strike pattern: Typical or Atypical rearfoot strike (RFS), midfoot strike (MFS) of forefoot strike (FFS). Typical RFS had longer contact times and a lower leg stiffness than Atypical RFS and MFS. Typical RFS showed a dorsiflexed ankle (7.2 ± 3.5°) and positive foot angle (20.4 ± 4.8°) at initial contact while MFS showed a plantar flexed ankle (-10.4 ± 6.3°) and more horizontal foot (1.6 ± 3.1°). Atypical RFS showed a plantar flexed ankle (-3.1 ± 4.4°) and a small foot angle (7.0 ± 5.1°) at initial contact and had the highest VILR. For the RFS (Typical and Atypical RFS), foot angle at initial contact showed the highest correlation with VILR (r = -0.68). The observed higher VILR in Atypical RFS could be related to both ankle and foot kinematics and global running style that indicate a limited use of known kinematic impact absorbing "strategies" such as initial ankle dorsiflexion in MFS or initial ankle plantar flexion in Typical RFS.

Feasibility, Validity, and Reliability of the Italian Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Multidimensional Fatigue Scale for Adults in Inpatients with Severe Obesity.

PubMed

Manzoni, Gian Mauro; Rossi, Alessandro; Marazzi, Nicoletta; Agosti, Fiorenza; De Col, Alessandra; Pietrabissa, Giada; Castelnuovo, Gianluca; Molinari, Enrico; Sartorio, Allessandro

2018-01-01

This study was aimed to examine the feasibility, validity, and reliability of the Italian Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Multidimensional Fatigue Scale (PedsQL™ MFS) for adult inpatients with severe obesity. 200 inpatients (81% females) with severe obesity (BMI ≥ 35 kg/m2) completed the PedsQL MFS (General Fatigue, Sleep/Rest Fatigue and Cognitive Fatigue domains), the Fatigue Severity Scale, and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale immediately after admission to a 3-week residential body weight reduction program. A randomized subsample of 48 patients re-completed the PedsQL MFS after 3 days. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that a modified hierarchical model with two items moved from the Sleep/Rest Fatigue domain to the General Fatigue domain and a second-order latent factor best fitted the data. Internal consistency and test-retest reliabilities were acceptable to high in all scales, and small to high statistically significant correlations were found with all convergent measures, with the exception of BMI. Significant floor effects were found in two scales (Cognitive Fatigue and Sleep/Rest Fatigue). The Italian modified PedsQL MFS for adults showed to be a valid and reliable tool for the assessment of fatigue in inpatients with severe obesity. Future studies should assess its discriminant validity as well as its responsiveness to weight reduction. © 2018 The Author(s) Published by S. Karger GmbH, Freiburg.

Factors related to fatigue after paediatric acquired brain injury (ABI).

PubMed

van Markus-Doornbosch, F; de Kloet, A J; Berger, M A M; Lambregts, S A M; Wolterbeek, R; Vliet Vlieland, T P M

2016-01-01

To assess the degree of fatigue in children and youth after traumatic and non-traumatic brain injury (TBI and NTBI) and related factors. Follow-up study including patients with a hospital-based diagnosis of acquired brain injury (ABI), aged 4-20 years at onset and their parents. Parents and children (dependent on age) completed the Paediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ Multidimensional Fatigue Scale (PedsQL™ MFS), which measures general fatigue (GF), sleep/rest fatigue (SRF) and cognitive fatigue (CF). Additional assessments included the Child & Family Follow-up Survey (CFFS) and PedsQL™ 4.0 General Core Scales and sociodemographic and disease characteristics. Eighty-eight parents completed the PedsQL™ MFS 24-30 months after diagnosis, with 49/88 patients (56%) completing the child version. The median age of the patients was 11 years (interquartile range [IQR] = 7). There were 69 patients with TBI (16% moderate/severe TBI) and 19 patients with NTBI (16% moderate/severe NTBI). The median parent-reported and child-reported PedsQL™ MFS Total Scale Scores were 76.5 (SD = 16.4) and 78.5 (12.9), respectively (Spearman r = 0.450, p = 0.001). Apart from NTBI, increasing age and a single-parent household were significantly associated with more fatigue according to the parent-reported PedsQL™ MFS Total Score (and/or one or more sub-scale scores). Two years after onset, in particular, the parent-reported fatigue after NTBI was considerable. Moreover, older children and children from a single-parent household were found to have higher fatigue levels.

Cluster-randomized xylitol toothpaste trial for early childhood caries prevention.

PubMed

Chi, Donald L; Tut, Ohnmar; Milgrom, Peter

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of supervised tooth-brushing with xylitol toothpaste to prevent early childhood caries (ECC) and reduce mutans streptococci. In this cluster-randomized efficacy trial, 196 four- to five-year-old children in four Head Start classrooms in the Marshall Islands were randomly assigned to supervised toothbrushing with 1,400 ppm/31 percent fluoride xylitol or 1,450 ppm fluoride sorbitol toothpaste. We hypothesized that there would be no difference in efficacy between the two types of toothpaste. The primary outcome was the surface-level primary molar caries increment (d(2-3)mfs) after six months. A single examiner was blinded to classroom assignments. Two classrooms were assigned to the fluoride-xylitol group (85 children), and two classrooms were assigned to the fluoride-sorbitol group (83 children). The child-level analyses accounted for clustering. There was no difference between the two groups in baseline or end-of-trial mean d(2-3)mfs. The mean d(2-3)mfs increment was greater in the fluoride-xylitol group compared to the fluoride-sorbitol group (2.5 and 1.4 d(2-3)mfs, respectively), but the difference was not significant (95% confidence interval: -0.17, 2.37; P=.07). No adverse effects were reported. After six months, brushing with a low-strength xylitol/fluoride tooth-paste is no more efficacious in reducing ECC than a fluoride-only toothpaste in a high caries-risk child population.

Cluster-randomized xylitol toothpaste trial for early childhood caries prevention

PubMed Central

Chi, Donald L.; Tut, Ohnmar K.; Milgrom, Peter

2013-01-01

Purpose We assessed the efficacy of supervised toothbrushing with xylitol toothpaste to prevent early childhood caries (ECC) and to reduce mutans streptococci (MS). Methods In this cluster-randomized efficacy trial, 4 Head Start classrooms in the Marshall Islands were randomly assigned to supervised toothbrushing with 1,400ppm/31% fluoride-xylitol (Epic Dental, Provo, UT) or 1,450ppm fluoride-sorbitol toothpaste (Colgate-Palmolive, New York, NY) (N=196 children, ages 4–5 yrs). We hypothesized no difference in efficacy between the two types of toothpaste. The primary outcome was primary molar d2-3mfs increment after 6 mos. A single examiner was blinded to classroom assignments. Two classrooms were assigned to the fluoride-xylitol group (85 children) and 2 classrooms to the fluoride-sorbitol group (83 children). The child-level analyses accounted for clustering. Results There was no difference between the two groups in baseline or end-of-trial mean d2-3mfs. The mean d2-3mfs increment was greater in the fluoride-xylitol group compared to the fluoride-sorbitol group (2.5 and 1.4 d2-3mfs, respectively), but the difference was not significant (95% CI:−0.17, 2.37;P=0.07). No adverse effects were reported. Conclusion After 6 mos, brushing with a low strength xylitol/fluoride toothpaste is no more efficacious in reducing ECC than a fluoride only toothpaste in a high caries risk child population. PMID:24709430

Comparative study of the oral absorption of microencapsulated ferric saccharate and ferrous sulfate in humans.

PubMed

Contreras, Carlos; Barnuevo, María Dolores; Guillén, Isabel; Luque, Antonio; Lázaro, Elisabet; Espadaler, Jordi; López-Román, Javier; Villegas, José A

2014-01-01

Our objective was to compare the absorption of microencapsulated ferric saccharate (MFS) and ferrous sulfate (FS) in a fortified milk product, using a crossover design. Seventeen non-iron-deficient healthy adults from both sexes participated in the study. On each intervention day (days 1 and 8), after an overnight fast, the volunteers consumed one type of product (test or control) and blood sampling was carried out at different times. The interventions days were separated by 7-day washout periods. This study was double blinded, crossover and randomized for nature of the test meals. The primary outcomes of the study were total serum iron and transferrin saturation. No significant differences could be observed in serum iron concentration during the 6-h postprandial study due to the type of milk product consumed, and there was neither an effect of time nor an interaction between the type of milk product and time. Transferrin saturation significantly increased after the intake of both products (P < 0.005), reaching a peak value between hours 2 and 4. No significant differences were detected between MFS and FS, indicating that iron absorption from MFS is equivalent to absorption from FS. MFS is a new ingredient that allows the fortification of a wide range of food products, including heat-processed and non-acidic products with similar absorption to FS, designed to produce neither organoleptic changes nor off-color development during storage of fortified food.

Marfan syndrome, magnesium status and medical prevention of cardiovascular complications by hemodynamic treatments and antisense gene therapy.

PubMed

Igondjo-Tchen, S; Pagès, N; Bac, P; Godeau, G; Durlach, J

2003-03-01

The medical management of Marfan Syndrome (MFS) mainly relies on early prevention of the aortic complications. Hemodynamic treatments try to diminish the forcefulness of cardiac contractions and to reduce blood pressure: for example long term administration of propranolol may significantly reduce the rate of increase in aortic ratio (aortic diameter/expected aortic diameter). Retardation of aortic dilatation may be most often observed by early treatment started when the baseline end-diastolic aortic root diameter is < 40 mm. It seems better to use beta-blockers without intrinsic sympathomimetic activity. Successful acceptance of beta-blockers may be limited by side-effects, but the efficiency of alternative hypotensive agents (calcium channel inhibitors, ACE inhibitors) is not yet validated. Gene therapy might constitute an etiologic specific treatment of MFS. FBN1-RZ1 hammerhead antisense ribozyme is able to suppress expression of the mutant FBN1 allele. The use of ribozymes as systemic therapeutic agents will depend on efficient delivery to its target, but the various proposed vectors raise yet unsolved problems. A hydrogel angioplasty balloon might be a possible vector for delivering an antisense ribozyme in the aortic wall specifically. Ribozymes--as deoxyribonucleotides--may be taken up by tissue upon local application. Further research should study ex vivo local application of antisense ribozyme on human aortic wall, before assessing in vivo efficiency and tolerance of this aortic local vectorisation. It is always necessary to maintain a balanced magnesium intake in patients with MFS. Firstly to prevent the multiple noxious effects of magnesium deficiency on cardiovascular targets. Secondly to ensure the best efficiency and the least toxicity of the hemodynamic drugs used as long term prophylactic treatment for cardiovascular complications and of the etiologic antisense magnesium-dependent gene therapy, in the future.

The role of the multidisciplinary health care team in the management of patients with Marfan syndrome

PubMed Central

von Kodolitsch, Yskert; Rybczynski, Meike; Vogler, Marina; Mir, Thomas S; Schüler, Helke; Kutsche, Kerstin; Rosenberger, Georg; Detter, Christian; Bernhardt, Alexander M; Larena-Avellaneda, Axel; Kölbel, Tilo; Debus, E Sebastian; Schroeder, Malte; Linke, Stephan J; Fuisting, Bettina; Napp, Barbara; Kammal, Anna Lena; Püschel, Klaus; Bannas, Peter; Hoffmann, Boris A; Gessler, Nele; Vahle-Hinz, Eva; Kahl-Nieke, Bärbel; Thomalla, Götz; Weiler-Normann, Christina; Ohm, Gunda; Neumann, Stefan; Benninghoven, Dieter; Blankenberg, Stefan; Pyeritz, Reed E

2016-01-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a rare, severe, chronic, life-threatening disease with multiorgan involvement that requires optimal multidisciplinary care to normalize both prognosis and quality of life. In this article, each key team member of all the medical disciplines of a multidisciplinary health care team at the Hamburg Marfan center gives a personal account of his or her contribution in the management of patients with MFS. The authors show how, with the support of health care managers, key team members organize themselves in an organizational structure to create a common meaning, to maximize therapeutic success for patients with MFS. First, we show how the initiative and collaboration of patient representatives, scientists, and physicians resulted in the foundation of Marfan centers, initially in the US and later in Germany, and how and why such centers evolved over time. Then, we elucidate the three main structural elements; a team of coordinators, core disciplines, and auxiliary disciplines of health care. Moreover, we explain how a multidisciplinary health care team integrates into many other health care structures of a university medical center, including external quality assurance; quality management system; clinical risk management; center for rare diseases; aorta center; health care teams for pregnancy, for neonates, and for rehabilitation; and in structures for patient centeredness. We provide accounts of medical goals and standards for each core discipline, including pediatricians, pediatric cardiologists, cardiologists, human geneticists, heart surgeons, vascular surgeons, vascular interventionists, orthopedic surgeons, ophthalmologists, and nurses; and of auxiliary disciplines including forensic pathologists, radiologists, rhythmologists, pulmonologists, sleep specialists, orthodontists, dentists, neurologists, obstetric surgeons, psychiatrist/psychologist, and rehabilitation specialists. We conclude that a multidisciplinary health care team is a means to maximize therapeutic success. PMID:27843325

Gait analysis with cognitive-motor dual tasks to distinguish fallers from nonfallers among rehabilitating stroke patients.

PubMed

Baetens, Tina; De Kegel, Alexandra; Palmans, Tanneke; Oostra, Kristine; Vanderstraeten, Guy; Cambier, Dirk

2013-04-01

To evaluate fall risk in stroke patients based on single- and dual-task gait analyses, and to investigate the difference between 2 cognitive tasks in the dual-task paradigm. Prospective cohort study. Rehabilitation hospitals. Subacute stroke patients (N=32), able to walk without physical/manual help with or without walking aids, while performing a verbal task. Not applicable. Functional gait measures were Functional Ambulation Categories (FAC) and use of a walking aid. Gait measures were evaluated by an electronic walkway system under single- and dual-task (DT) conditions. For the single-task, subjects were instructed to walk at their usual speed. One of the DTs was a verbal fluency dual task, whereby subjects had to walk while simultaneously enumerating as many different animals as possible. For the other DT (counting dual task), participants had to walk while performing serial subtractions. After inclusion, participants kept a 6-month falls diary. Eighteen (56.3%) of the 32 included patients fell. Ten (31.3%) were single fallers (SFs), and 8 (25%) were multiple fallers (MFs). Fallers (Fs) more frequently used a walking aid and more frequently needed an observatory person for walking safely (FAC score of 3) than nonfallers (NFs). Two gait decrement parameters in counting dual task could distinguish potential Fs from NFs: decrement in stride length percentage (P=.043) and nonparetic step length percentage (P=.047). Regarding the division in 3 groups (NFs, SFs, and MFs), only MFs had a significantly higher percentage of decrement for paretic step length (P=.023) than SFs. Examining the decrement of spatial gait characteristics (stride length and paretic and nonparetic step length) during a DT addressing working memory can identify fall-prone subacute stroke patients. Copyright © 2013 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Utilizing Climate Forecasts for Improving Water and Power Systems Coordination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arumugam, S.; Queiroz, A.; Patskoski, J.; Mahinthakumar, K.; DeCarolis, J.

2016-12-01

Climate forecasts, typically monthly-to-seasonal precipitation forecasts, are commonly used to develop streamflow forecasts for improving reservoir management. Irrespective of their high skill in forecasting, temperature forecasts in developing power demand forecasts are not often considered along with streamflow forecasts for improving water and power systems coordination. In this study, we consider a prototype system to analyze the utility of climate forecasts, both precipitation and temperature, for improving water and power systems coordination. The prototype system, a unit-commitment model that schedules power generation from various sources, is considered and its performance is compared with an energy system model having an equivalent reservoir representation. Different skill sets of streamflow forecasts and power demand forecasts are forced on both water and power systems representations for understanding the level of model complexity required for utilizing monthly-to-seasonal climate forecasts to improve coordination between these two systems. The analyses also identify various decision-making strategies - forward purchasing of fuel stocks, scheduled maintenance of various power systems and tradeoff on water appropriation between hydropower and other uses - in the context of various water and power systems configurations. Potential application of such analyses for integrating large power systems with multiple river basins is also discussed.

Non-cardiac manifestations of Marfan syndrome

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Because of the widespread distribution of fibrillin 1 in the body, Marfan syndrome (MFS) affects virtually every system. The expression of this single dominantly inherited gene is variable within a family, and between families. There is some genotype-phenotype correlation which is helpful in guiding long-term prognosis, and management. In general gene mutations have been reported in clusters, with those having mainly ocular manifestations occurring in exons 1 to 15 of this 65-exon gene; those causing cardiac problems often involving cysteine replacement in a calcium binding EGF-like sequence; the most severe mutations occurring in exons 25–32, causing neonatal MFS diagnosed at birth, and severe enough to cause death frequently before the age of 2. Other correlations will certainly be found in future. This condition is progressive, and the manifestations unfold according to age. For example, if the lens is going to dislocate this usually occurs by age 10; scoliosis usually presents itself between the ages of 8 and 15; height should be monitored carefully between the onset of puberty and cessation of growth approximately age 17 or 18. Holistic care should be offered by one doctor who oversees the patient’s welfare. This should be a paediatrician, paediatric cardiologist, or general practitioner in the case of an affected child. Thereafter, the physician in charge of the most seriously affected system should be aware that other systems need to be managed through a referral network. PMID:29270372

High Molecular Weight Fibroblast Growth Factor-2 in the Human Heart Is a Potential Target for Prevention of Cardiac Remodeling

PubMed Central

Santiago, Jon-Jon; McNaughton, Leslie J.; Koleini, Navid; Ma, Xin; Bestvater, Brian; Nickel, Barbara E.; Fandrich, Robert R.; Wigle, Jeffrey T.; Freed, Darren H.; Arora, Rakesh C.; Kardami, Elissavet

2014-01-01

Fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2) is a multifunctional protein synthesized as high (Hi-) and low (Lo-) molecular weight isoforms. Studies using rodent models showed that Hi- and Lo-FGF-2 exert distinct biological activities: after myocardial infarction, rat Lo-FGF-2, but not Hi-FGF-2, promoted sustained cardioprotection and angiogenesis, while Hi-FGF-2, but not Lo-FGF-2, promoted myocardial hypertrophy and reduced contractile function. Because there is no information regarding Hi-FGF-2 in human myocardium, we undertook to investigate expression, regulation, secretion and potential tissue remodeling-associated activities of human cardiac (atrial) Hi-FGF-2. Human patient-derived atrial tissue extracts, as well as pericardial fluid, contained Hi-FGF-2 isoforms, comprising, respectively, 53%(±20 SD) and 68% (±25 SD) of total FGF-2, assessed by western blotting. Human atrial tissue-derived primary myofibroblasts (hMFs) expressed and secreted predominantly Hi-FGF-2, at about 80% of total. Angiotensin II (Ang II) up-regulated Hi-FGF-2 in hMFs, via activation of both type 1 and type 2 Ang II receptors; the ERK pathway; and matrix metalloprotease-2. Treatment of hMFs with neutralizing antibodies selective for human Hi-FGF-2 (neu-AbHi-FGF-2) reduced accumulation of proteins associated with fibroblast-to-myofibroblast conversion and fibrosis, including α-smooth muscle actin, extra-domain A fibronectin, and procollagen. Stimulation of hMFs with recombinant human Hi-FGF-2 was significantly more potent than Lo-FGF-2 in upregulating inflammation-associated proteins such as pro-interleukin-1β and plasminogen-activator-inhibitor-1. Culture media conditioned by hMFs promoted cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, an effect that was prevented by neu-AbHi-FGF-2 in vitro. In conclusion, we have documented that Hi-FGF-2 represents a substantial fraction of FGF-2 in human cardiac (atrial) tissue and in pericardial fluid, and have shown that human Hi-FGF-2, unlike Lo-FGF-2, promotes deleterious (pro-fibrotic, pro-inflammatory, and pro-hypertrophic) responses in vitro. Selective targeting of Hi-FGF-2 production may, therefore, reduce pathological remodelling in the human heart. PMID:24827991

High molecular weight fibroblast growth factor-2 in the human heart is a potential target for prevention of cardiac remodeling.

PubMed

Santiago, Jon-Jon; McNaughton, Leslie J; Koleini, Navid; Ma, Xin; Bestvater, Brian; Nickel, Barbara E; Fandrich, Robert R; Wigle, Jeffrey T; Freed, Darren H; Arora, Rakesh C; Kardami, Elissavet

2014-01-01

Fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2) is a multifunctional protein synthesized as high (Hi-) and low (Lo-) molecular weight isoforms. Studies using rodent models showed that Hi- and Lo-FGF-2 exert distinct biological activities: after myocardial infarction, rat Lo-FGF-2, but not Hi-FGF-2, promoted sustained cardioprotection and angiogenesis, while Hi-FGF-2, but not Lo-FGF-2, promoted myocardial hypertrophy and reduced contractile function. Because there is no information regarding Hi-FGF-2 in human myocardium, we undertook to investigate expression, regulation, secretion and potential tissue remodeling-associated activities of human cardiac (atrial) Hi-FGF-2. Human patient-derived atrial tissue extracts, as well as pericardial fluid, contained Hi-FGF-2 isoforms, comprising, respectively, 53%(±20 SD) and 68% (±25 SD) of total FGF-2, assessed by western blotting. Human atrial tissue-derived primary myofibroblasts (hMFs) expressed and secreted predominantly Hi-FGF-2, at about 80% of total. Angiotensin II (Ang II) up-regulated Hi-FGF-2 in hMFs, via activation of both type 1 and type 2 Ang II receptors; the ERK pathway; and matrix metalloprotease-2. Treatment of hMFs with neutralizing antibodies selective for human Hi-FGF-2 (neu-AbHi-FGF-2) reduced accumulation of proteins associated with fibroblast-to-myofibroblast conversion and fibrosis, including α-smooth muscle actin, extra-domain A fibronectin, and procollagen. Stimulation of hMFs with recombinant human Hi-FGF-2 was significantly more potent than Lo-FGF-2 in upregulating inflammation-associated proteins such as pro-interleukin-1β and plasminogen-activator-inhibitor-1. Culture media conditioned by hMFs promoted cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, an effect that was prevented by neu-AbHi-FGF-2 in vitro. In conclusion, we have documented that Hi-FGF-2 represents a substantial fraction of FGF-2 in human cardiac (atrial) tissue and in pericardial fluid, and have shown that human Hi-FGF-2, unlike Lo-FGF-2, promotes deleterious (pro-fibrotic, pro-inflammatory, and pro-hypertrophic) responses in vitro. Selective targeting of Hi-FGF-2 production may, therefore, reduce pathological remodelling in the human heart.

Reference Values for the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory and the Multidimensional Fatigue Scale in Adolescent Athletes by Sport and Sex.

PubMed

Snyder Valier, Alison R; Welch Bacon, Cailee E; Bay, R Curtis; Molzen, Eileen; Lam, Kenneth C; Valovich McLeod, Tamara C

2017-10-01

Effective use of patient-rated outcome measures to facilitate optimal patient care requires an understanding of the reference values of these measures within the population of interest. Little is known about reference values for commonly used patient-rated outcome measures in adolescent athletes. To determine reference values for the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) and the Multidimensional Fatigue Scale (MFS) in adolescent athletes by sport and sex. Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. A convenience sample of interscholastic adolescent athletes from 9 sports was used. Participants completed the PedsQL and MFS during one testing session at the start of their sport season. Data were stratified by sport and sex. Dependent variables included the total PedsQL score and the 5 PedsQL subscale scores: physical functioning, psychosocial functioning, emotional functioning, social functioning, and school functioning. Dependent variables for the MFS included 3 subscale scores: general functioning, sleep functioning, and cognitive functioning. Summary statistics were reported for total and subscale scores by sport and sex. Among 3574 males and 1329 female adolescent athletes, the PedsQL scores (100 possible points) generally indicated high levels of health regardless of sport played. Mean PedsQL total and subscales scores ranged from 82.6 to 95.7 for males and 83.9 to 95.2 for females. Mean MFS subscale scores (100 possible points) ranged from 74.2 to 90.9 for males and 72.8 to 87.4 for females. Healthy male and female adolescent athletes reported relatively high levels of health on the PedsQL subscales and total scores regardless of sport; no mean scores were lower than 82.6 points for males or 83.9 points for females. On the MFS, males and females tended to report low effect of general and cognitive fatigue regardless of sport; mean scores were higher than 83.5 points for males and 83.8 points for females. Clinically, athletes who score below the reference values for their sport have poorer health status than average adolescent athletes participating in that sport. Scores below reference values may warrant consideration of early intervention or treatment.

Validation of Fall Risk Assessment Specific to the Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Setting.

PubMed

Thomas, Dan; Pavic, Andrea; Bisaccia, Erin; Grotts, Jonathan

2016-09-01

To evaluate and compare the Morse Fall Scale (MFS) and the Casa Colina Fall Risk Assessment Scale (CCFRA) for identification of patients at risk for falling in an acute inpatient rehabilitation facility. The primary objective of this study was to perform a retrospective validation study of the CCFRAS, specifically for use in the inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) setting. Retrospective validation study. The study was approved under expedited review by the local Institutional Review Board. Data were collected on all patients admitted to Cottage Rehabiliation Hospital (CRH), a 38-bed acute inpatient rehabilitation hospital, from March 2012 to August 2013. Patients were excluded from the study if they had a length of stay less than 3 days or age less than 18. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and the diagnostic odds ratio were used to examine the differences between the MFS and CCFRAS. AUC between fall scales was compared using the DeLong Test. There were 931 patients included in the study with 62 (6.7%) patient falls. The average age of the population was 68.8 with 503 males (51.2%). The AUC was 0.595 and 0.713 for the MFS and CCFRAS, respectively (0.006). The diagnostic odds ratio of the MFS was 2.0 and 3.6 for the CCFRAS using the recommended cutoffs of 45 for the MFS and 80 for the CCFRAS. The CCFRAS appears to be a better tool in detecting fallers vs. nonfallers specific to the IRF setting. The assessment and identification of patients at high risk for falling is important to implement specific precautions and care for these patients to reduce their risk of falling. The CCFRAS is more clinically relevant in identifying patients at high risk for falling in the IRF setting compared to other fall risk assessments. Implementation of this scale may lead to a reduction in fall rate and injuries from falls as it more appropriately identifies patients at high risk for falling. © 2015 Association of Rehabilitation Nurses.

Bioeffects of Static Magnetic Fields: Oxidative Stress, Genotoxic Effects, and Cancer Studies

PubMed Central

Ghodbane, Soumaya; Lahbib, Aida; Sakly, Mohsen; Abdelmelek, Hafedh

2013-01-01

The interaction of static magnetic fields (SMFs) with living organisms is a rapidly growing field of investigation. The magnetic fields (MFs) effect observed with radical pair recombination is one of the well-known mechanisms by which MFs interact with biological systems. Exposure to SMF can increase the activity, concentration, and life time of paramagnetic free radicals, which might cause oxidative stress, genetic mutation, and/or apoptosis. Current evidence suggests that cell proliferation can be influenced by a treatment with both SMFs and anticancer drugs. It has been recently found that SMFs can enhance the anticancer effect of chemotherapeutic drugs; this may provide a new strategy for cancer therapy. This review focuses on our own data and other data from the literature of SMFs bioeffects. Three main areas of investigation have been covered: free radical generation and oxidative stress, apoptosis and genotoxicity, and cancer. After an introduction on SMF classification and medical applications, the basic phenomena to understand the bioeffects are described. The scientific literature is summarized, integrated, and critically analyzed with the help of authoritative reviews by recognized experts; international safety guidelines are also cited. PMID:24027759

A nested pre-operational model for the Egyptian shelf zone: Model configuration and validation/calibration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagy, H.; Elgindy, A.; Pinardi, N.; Zavatarelli, M.; Oddo, P.

2017-12-01

We explored the variability of the Egyptian shelf zone circulation connected to atmospheric forcing by means of a numerical simulation of the general circulation. A high resolution model grid was used at 1/60° horizontal resolution and 25 sigma layers. The simulation was carried out using the most recent version of the Princeton Ocean Model (POM). The initialised model was run the whole year of 2006 using the analysis forcing data for the same year obtained from ECMWF and MFS (Mediterranean Forecasting System, Pinardi et al., 2003). The model skills were evaluated by means of the root mean square error (RMSE) and correlations. The Egyptian Shelf Model (EGYSHM) simulation suggests the presence of an Egyptian Shelf Slope Current (ESSC), which is flowing eastward at different depths in the domain. We found that the maximum velocity of the ESSC [0.25 m/s] is located near the continental slope during the summer time, while in winter the velocity of ESSC is weaker [0.12 m/s] in the same location. The ESSC appears to be directly affected by Mersa-Matruh gyre system. EGYSHM reproduced the main region circulation patterns, especially after adding the Nile River outflow. We found that wind stress is crucial to force the circulation of the Egyptian shelf zone. EGYSHM SST was significantly correlated to satellite SST in all months at a 95% confidence limit, with a maximum of 0.9743 which was obtained in May 2006. The RMSE between EGYSHM and Argo floats salinity data was about 0.09. We compared our results with satellite altimetry to verify the positions and shapes of mesoscale features.

Prediction of Tensile Strength of Friction Stir Weld Joints with Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) and Neural Network

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dewan, Mohammad W.; Huggett, Daniel J.; Liao, T. Warren; Wahab, Muhammad A.; Okeil, Ayman M.

2015-01-01

Friction-stir-welding (FSW) is a solid-state joining process where joint properties are dependent on welding process parameters. In the current study three critical process parameters including spindle speed (??), plunge force (????), and welding speed (??) are considered key factors in the determination of ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of welded aluminum alloy joints. A total of 73 weld schedules were welded and tensile properties were subsequently obtained experimentally. It is observed that all three process parameters have direct influence on UTS of the welded joints. Utilizing experimental data, an optimized adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) model has been developed to predict UTS of FSW joints. A total of 1200 models were developed by varying the number of membership functions (MFs), type of MFs, and combination of four input variables (??,??,????,??????) utilizing a MATLAB platform. Note EFI denotes an empirical force index derived from the three process parameters. For comparison, optimized artificial neural network (ANN) models were also developed to predict UTS from FSW process parameters. By comparing ANFIS and ANN predicted results, it was found that optimized ANFIS models provide better results than ANN. This newly developed best ANFIS model could be utilized for prediction of UTS of FSW joints.

DC magnetic fields from the human body generally: a historical overview.

PubMed

Cohen, D

2004-11-30

A review is presented of the earliest dc magnetic field (dcMF) measurements, made between 1969 and 1983, due to natural currents in the body. The measurements were essentially a mapping over the whole body, except for the brain (dcMEG), which was omitted because of interfering non-neural sources in the head. This mapping can be useful today in interpreting new measurements over the body, especially dcMEG data, where the new authors assume only a neural source in the head; our mapping suggests that this assumption may be in error. Briefly, in our mapping, dcMFs were found over almost the entire body; they were larger over the limbs and head than over the torso proper except over the abdomen, where it was usually the largest in the body Some of the sources were: 1. A strong and complicated reflex in the abdomen due to drinking cold water, suggesting that other dcMF reflexes might be common in the body. 2. Long muscle fibers in the limbs, suggesting sources also in scalp muscles. 3. Hair follicles due to touching the scalp; these sources could also exist, unrecognized, in recent dcMEG whole-head measurements. 4. Injury currents from the ischemic human heart, suggesting dcMFs could arise from injured muscle in the body generally. One major mechanism for producing dcMFs appeared to be a change in the potassium ion concentration in the vicinity of long excitable fibers. Overall, we concluded that the dcMFs were complicated, and it may be difficult to identify each source, especially in the head.

Cross-Cultural Adaptation of the Micheli Functional Scale to Persian Language for Evaluation of Low Back Pain in the Young Athletes.

PubMed

Naghdi, Soofia; Nakhostin Ansari, Noureddin; Ashrafi, Hanieh; Entezary, Ebrahim; Nakhostin Ansari, Amin; Olyaei, Gholamreza

2015-12-01

A clinical outcome tool is needed for the assessment of young athletes with low back pain. To translate and culturally adapt the Micheli functional scale (MFS), a self-report questionnaire developed to evaluate young athletes with low back pain (LBP) into Persian language and examine the reliability and validity of the Persian MFS (PMFS). A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the psychometric properties of the PMFS. The PMFS was cross-culturally adapted into Persian language adopting forward/backward translation, expert panel review, and pre-testing. The PMFS was administered to young athletes with and without LBP. Main outcome measures were Persian MFS, Persian functional rating Index (PFRI), and visual analogue scale (VAS). A sample of 100 young athletes with LBP with a mean age of 16.5 ± 2.5 years participated. Fifty young athletes without LBP completed the PMFS. There was no missing responses and floor or ceiling effects. There was a significant difference for the total PMFS scores between young athletes with and without LBP. A significant correlation was found between the total PMFS score and the VAS (r = 0.92) or the PFRI (r = 0.82; P < 0.001). A high internal consistency reliability (Cronbach α = 0.73), and excellent test-retest reliability (ICCagreement = 0.99, P < 0.001) were demonstrated for the PMFS. Factor analysis indicated a single-factor model for PMFS scores. The Persian MFS is valid and reliable for use in Persian-speaking young athletes with LBP.

Functional role of oligomerization for bacterial and plant SWEET sugar transporter family.

PubMed

Xuan, Yuan Hu; Hu, Yi Bing; Chen, Li-Qing; Sosso, Davide; Ducat, Daniel C; Hou, Bi-Huei; Frommer, Wolf B

2013-09-24

Eukaryotic sugar transporters of the MFS and SWEET superfamilies consist of 12 and 7 α-helical transmembrane domains (TMs), respectively. Structural analyses indicate that MFS transporters evolved from a series of tandem duplications of an ancestral 3-TM unit. SWEETs are heptahelical proteins carrying a tandem repeat of 3-TM separated by a single TM. Here, we show that prokaryotes have ancestral SWEET homologs with only 3-TM and that the Bradyrhizobium japonicum SemiSWEET1, like Arabidopsis SWEET11, mediates sucrose transport. Eukaryotic SWEETs most likely evolved by internal duplication of the 3-TM, suggesting that SemiSWEETs form oligomers to create a functional pore. However, it remains elusive whether the 7-TM SWEETs are the functional unit or require oligomerization to form a pore sufficiently large to allow for sucrose passage. Split ubiquitin yeast two-hybrid and split GFP assays indicate that Arabidopsis SWEETs homo- and heterooligomerize. We examined mutant SWEET variants for negative dominance to test if oligomerization is necessary for function. Mutation of the conserved Y57 or G58 in SWEET1 led to loss of activity. Coexpression of the defective mutants with functional A. thaliana SWEET1 inhibited glucose transport, indicating that homooligomerization is necessary for function. Collectively, these data imply that the basic unit of SWEETs, similar to MFS sugar transporters, is a 3-TM unit and that a functional transporter contains at least four such domains. We hypothesize that the functional unit of the SWEET family of transporters possesses a structure resembling the 12-TM MFS structure, however, with a parallel orientation of the 3-TM unit.

Functional role of oligomerization for bacterial and plant SWEET sugar transporter family

PubMed Central

Xuan, Yuan Hu; Hu, Yi Bing; Chen, Li-Qing; Sosso, Davide; Ducat, Daniel C.; Hou, Bi-Huei; Frommer, Wolf B.

2013-01-01

Eukaryotic sugar transporters of the MFS and SWEET superfamilies consist of 12 and 7 α-helical transmembrane domains (TMs), respectively. Structural analyses indicate that MFS transporters evolved from a series of tandem duplications of an ancestral 3-TM unit. SWEETs are heptahelical proteins carrying a tandem repeat of 3-TM separated by a single TM. Here, we show that prokaryotes have ancestral SWEET homologs with only 3-TM and that the Bradyrhizobium japonicum SemiSWEET1, like Arabidopsis SWEET11, mediates sucrose transport. Eukaryotic SWEETs most likely evolved by internal duplication of the 3-TM, suggesting that SemiSWEETs form oligomers to create a functional pore. However, it remains elusive whether the 7-TM SWEETs are the functional unit or require oligomerization to form a pore sufficiently large to allow for sucrose passage. Split ubiquitin yeast two-hybrid and split GFP assays indicate that Arabidopsis SWEETs homo- and heterooligomerize. We examined mutant SWEET variants for negative dominance to test if oligomerization is necessary for function. Mutation of the conserved Y57 or G58 in SWEET1 led to loss of activity. Coexpression of the defective mutants with functional A. thaliana SWEET1 inhibited glucose transport, indicating that homooligomerization is necessary for function. Collectively, these data imply that the basic unit of SWEETs, similar to MFS sugar transporters, is a 3-TM unit and that a functional transporter contains at least four such domains. We hypothesize that the functional unit of the SWEET family of transporters possesses a structure resembling the 12-TM MFS structure, however, with a parallel orientation of the 3-TM unit. PMID:24027245

Aortic events in a nationwide Marfan syndrome cohort.

PubMed

Groth, Kristian A; Stochholm, Kirstine; Hove, Hanne; Kyhl, Kasper; Gregersen, Pernille A; Vejlstrup, Niels; Østergaard, John R; Gravholt, Claus H; Andersen, Niels H

2017-02-01

Marfan syndrome is associated with morbidity and mortality due to aortic dilatation and dissection. Preventive aortic root replacement has been the standard treatment in Marfan syndrome patients with aortic dilatation. In this study, we present aortic event data from a nationwide Marfan syndrome cohort. The nationwide cohort of Danish Marfan syndrome patients was established from the Danish National Patient Registry and the Cause of Death Register, where we retrieved information about aortic surgery and dissections. We associated aortic events with age, sex, and Marfan syndrome diagnosis prior or after the first aortic event. From the total cohort of 412 patients, 150 (36.4 %) had an aortic event. Fifty percent were event free at age 49.6. Eighty patients (53.3 %) had prophylactic surgery and seventy patients (46.7 %) a dissection. The yearly event rate was 0.02 events/year/patient in the period 1994-2014. Male patients had a significant higher risk of an aortic event at a younger age with a hazard ratio of 1.75 (CI 1.26-2.42, p = 0.001) compared with women. Fifty-three patients (12.9 %) were diagnosed with MFS after their first aortic event which primarily was aortic dissection [n = 44 (83.0 %)]. More than a third of MFS patients experienced an aortic event and male patients had significantly more aortic events than females. More than half of the total number of dissections was in patients undiagnosed with MFS at the time of their event. This emphasizes that diagnosing MFS is lifesaving and improves mortality risk by reducing the risk of aorta dissection.

Fatigue in adults with Marfan syndrome, occurrence and associations to pain and other factors.

PubMed

Bathen, Trine; Velvin, Gry; Rand-Hendriksen, Svend; Robinson, Hilde Stendal

2014-08-01

This study aims to investigate how fatigue affects adults with verified Marfan syndrome (MFS) in their daily lives, by examining fatigue levels and prevalence of severe fatigue compared to the general Norwegian population and individuals with other comparable chronic conditions. We investigated associations between socio-demographic characteristics, Marfan-related health problems, pain and fatigue. A cross-sectional study was conducted, using a postal questionnaire including the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) and questions on socio-demographic characteristics, Marfan-related health problems and pain. One hundred seventeen persons with MFS were invited to participate, 73 answered (62%). Participants reported significantly higher FSS scores and prevalence of severe fatigue compared to the general Norwegian population and patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but lower than for other chronic conditions. Participants with chronic pain reported higher fatigue scores than those without chronic pain. Participants on disability benefits reported higher fatigue scores than participants who were working or enrolled in higher education. Marfan-related health problems like aortic dissection and use of blood pressure medication were not significantly associated with fatigue. In multivariable regression analyses chronic pain and employment status were significantly associated with fatigue. The final multivariable model explained 24% of the variance in fatigue scores. Our results show that fatigue is common in MFS patients and that it interferes with their daily lives. Chronic pain and employment status show significant associations to fatigue. This implies that fatigue is important to address when meeting MFS patients in clinical practice. There is need for more research on fatigue in Marfan syndrome. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

B-doped diamond field-effect transistor with ferroelectric vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene gate insulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karaya, Ryota; Baba, Ikki; Mori, Yosuke; Matsumoto, Tsubasa; Nakajima, Takashi; Tokuda, Norio; Kawae, Takeshi

2017-10-01

A B-doped diamond field-effect transistor (FET) with a ferroelectric vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene (VDF-TrFE) copolymer gate insulator was fabricated. The VDF-TrFE film deposited on the B-doped diamond showed good insulating and ferroelectric properties. Also, a Pt/VDF-TrFE/B-doped diamond layered structure showed ideal behavior as a metal-ferroelectric-semiconductor (MFS) capacitor, and the memory window width was 11 V, when the gate voltage was swept from 20 to -20 V. The fabricated MFS-type FET structure showed the typical properties of a depletion-type p-channel FET and a maximum drain current density of 0.87 mA/mm at room temperature. The drain current versus gate voltage curves of the proposed FET showed a clockwise hysteresis loop owing to the ferroelectricity of the VDF-TrFE gate insulator. In addition, we demonstrated the logic inverter with the MFS-type diamond FET coupled with a load resistor, and obtained the inversion behavior of the input signal and a maximum gain of 18.4 for the present circuit.

Transcriptional and functional profiling defines human small intestinal macrophage subsets.

PubMed

Bujko, Anna; Atlasy, Nader; Landsverk, Ole J B; Richter, Lisa; Yaqub, Sheraz; Horneland, Rune; Øyen, Ole; Aandahl, Einar Martin; Aabakken, Lars; Stunnenberg, Hendrik G; Bækkevold, Espen S; Jahnsen, Frode L

2018-02-05

Macrophages (Mfs) are instrumental in maintaining immune homeostasis in the intestine, yet studies on the origin and heterogeneity of human intestinal Mfs are scarce. Here, we identified four distinct Mf subpopulations in human small intestine (SI). Assessment of their turnover in duodenal transplants revealed that all Mf subsets were completely replaced over time; Mf1 and Mf2, phenotypically similar to peripheral blood monocytes (PBMos), were largely replaced within 3 wk, whereas two subsets with features of mature Mfs, Mf3 and Mf4, exhibited significantly slower replacement. Mf3 and Mf4 localized differently in SI; Mf3 formed a dense network in mucosal lamina propria, whereas Mf4 was enriched in submucosa. Transcriptional analysis showed that all Mf subsets were markedly distinct from PBMos and dendritic cells. Compared with PBMos, Mf subpopulations showed reduced responsiveness to proinflammatory stimuli but were proficient at endocytosis of particulate and soluble material. These data provide a comprehensive analysis of human SI Mf population and suggest a precursor-progeny relationship with PBMos. © 2018 Bujko et al.

Superensemble forecasts of dengue outbreaks

PubMed Central

Kandula, Sasikiran; Shaman, Jeffrey

2016-01-01

In recent years, a number of systems capable of predicting future infectious disease incidence have been developed. As more of these systems are operationalized, it is important that the forecasts generated by these different approaches be formally reconciled so that individual forecast error and bias are reduced. Here we present a first example of such multi-system, or superensemble, forecast. We develop three distinct systems for predicting dengue, which are applied retrospectively to forecast outbreak characteristics in San Juan, Puerto Rico. We then use Bayesian averaging methods to combine the predictions from these systems and create superensemble forecasts. We demonstrate that on average, the superensemble approach produces more accurate forecasts than those made from any of the individual forecasting systems. PMID:27733698

Recurrent Miller Fisher syndrome.

PubMed

Madhavan, S; Geetha; Bhargavan, P V

2004-07-01

Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS) is a variant of Guillan Barre syndrome characterized by the triad of ophthalmoplegia, ataxia and areflexia. Recurrences are exceptional with Miller Fisher syndrome. We are reporting a case with two episodes of MFS within two years. Initially he presented with partial ophthalmoplegia, ataxia. Second episode was characterized by full-blown presentation characterized by ataxia, areflexia and ophthalmoplegia. CSF analysis was typical during both episodes. Nerve conduction velocity study was fairly within normal limits. MRI of brain was within normal limits. He responded to symptomatic measures initially, then to steroids in the second episode. We are reporting the case due to its rarity.

Software and database for the analysis of mutations in the human FBN1 gene.

PubMed Central

Collod, G; Béroud, C; Soussi, T; Junien, C; Boileau, C

1996-01-01

Fibrillin is the major component of extracellular microfibrils. Mutations in the fibrillin gene on chromosome 15 (FBN1) were described at first in the heritable connective tissue disorder, Marfan syndrome (MFS). More recently, FBN1 has also been shown to harbor mutations related to a spectrum of conditions phenotypically related to MFS and many mutations will have to be accumulated before genotype/phenotype relationships emerge. To facilitate mutational analysis of the FBN1 gene, a software package along with a computerized database (currently listing 63 entries) have been created. PMID:8594563

Investigation of Accelerated Methods for the Determination of Available Alkali in Pozzolans

DTIC Science & Technology

1974-02-01

181 p PC$9.50/MFS3.O0 Guidelines for Documentation of Computer Pro - Evaluation of Home Solar Heating System grams and Automated Data Systems UCL5...GrANT NO. 90, ORIGINATOR S REPORT NUMVIEEISI .PROJECT NO. Miscellaneous Pdper C-74-1 C. S. OTHER REPORT NOISP (AIr .dborms"M .0# Gmo Meol o SOl reo") tO...specification limit of 1.5 percent wifll not be exceeded when the pozzolan is evaluated by the present Standard Con - dition, 28 days at 38 C. In order to

Assessment of reservoir system variable forecasts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kistenmacher, Martin; Georgakakos, Aris P.

2015-05-01

Forecast ensembles are a convenient means to model water resources uncertainties and to inform planning and management processes. For multipurpose reservoir systems, forecast types include (i) forecasts of upcoming inflows and (ii) forecasts of system variables and outputs such as reservoir levels, releases, flood damage risks, hydropower production, water supply withdrawals, water quality conditions, navigation opportunities, and environmental flows, among others. Forecasts of system variables and outputs are conditional on forecasted inflows as well as on specific management policies and can provide useful information for decision-making processes. Unlike inflow forecasts (in ensemble or other forms), which have been the subject of many previous studies, reservoir system variable and output forecasts are not formally assessed in water resources management theory or practice. This article addresses this gap and develops methods to rectify potential reservoir system forecast inconsistencies and improve the quality of management-relevant information provided to stakeholders and managers. The overarching conclusion is that system variable and output forecast consistency is critical for robust reservoir management and needs to be routinely assessed for any management model used to inform planning and management processes. The above are demonstrated through an application from the Sacramento-American-San Joaquin reservoir system in northern California.

Neurologic outcome after thoracolumbar partial lateral corpectomy for intervertebral disc disease in 72 dogs.

PubMed

Salger, Florian; Ziegler, Luisa; Böttcher, Irene Christine; Oechtering, Gerhard; Böttcher, Peter; Flegel, Thomas

2014-07-01

To determine neurologic outcome and factors influencing outcome after thoracolumbar partial lateral corpectomy (PLC) in dogs with intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) causing ventral spinal cord compression. Retrospective case series. Dogs with IVDD (n = 72; 87 PLC). Dogs with IVDD between T9 and L5 were included if treated by at least 1 PLC. Exclusion criteria were: previous spinal surgery, combination of PLC with another surgical procedure. Neurologic outcome was assessed by: (1) modified Frankel score (MFS) based on neurologic examinations at 4 time points (before surgery, immediately after PLC, at discharge and 4 weeks after PLC); and (2) owner questionnaire. The association of the following factors with neurologic outcome was analyzed: age, body weight, duration of current neurologic dysfunction (acute, chronic), IVDD localization, breed (chondrodystrophic, nonchondrodystrophic), number of PLCs, degree of presurgical spinal cord compression and postsurgical decompression, slot depth, presurgical MFS. Presurgical spinal cord compression was determined by CT myelography (71 dogs) or MRI (1 dog), whereas postsurgical decompression and slot depth were determined on CT myelography (69 dogs). MFS was improved in 18.7%, 31.7%, and 64.2% of dogs at the 3 postsurgical assessments, whereas it was unchanged in 62.6%, 52.8%, and 32.0% at corresponding time points. Based on owner questionnaire, 91.4% of dogs were ambulatory 6 months postsurgically with 74.5% having a normal gait. Most improvement in neurologic function developed within 6 months after surgery. Presurgical MFS was the only variable significantly associated with several neurologic outcome measurements (P < .01). PLC is an option for decompression in ventrally compressing thoracolumbar IVDD. Prognosis is associated with presurgical neurologic condition. © Copyright 2014 by The American College of Veterinary Surgeons.

Survey of electromagnetic field exposure in bedrooms of residences in lower Austria.

PubMed

Tomitsch, Johannes; Dechant, Engelbert; Frank, Wilhelm

2010-04-01

Previous investigations of exposure to electric, magnetic, or electromagnetic fields (EMF) in households were either about electricity supply EMFs or radio frequency EMFs (RF-EMFs). We report results from spot measurements at the bedside that comprise electrostatic fields, extremely low-frequency electric fields (ELF-EFs), extremely low-frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MFs), and RF-EMFs. Measurements were taken in 226 households throughout Lower Austria. In addition, effects of simple reduction measures (e.g., removal of clock radios or increasing their distance from the bed, turning off Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunication (DECT) telephone base stations) were assessed. All measurements were well below International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) guideline levels. Average night-time ELF-MFs (long-term measurement from 10 pm to 6 am, geometric mean over households) above 100 nT were obtained in 2.3%, and RF-EMFs above 1000 microW/m(2) in 7.1% of households. Highest ELF-EFs were primarily due to lamps beside the bed (max = 166 V/m), and highest ELF-MFs because of transformers of devices (max = 1030 nT) or high current of power lines (max = 380 nT). The highest values of RF-EMFs were caused by DECT telephone base stations (max = 28979 microW/m(2)) and mobile phone base stations (max = 4872 microW/m(2)). Simple reduction measures resulted in an average decrease of 23 nT for ELF-MFs, 23 V/m for ELF-EFs, and 246 microW/m(2) for RF-EMFs. A small but statistically significant correlation between ELF-MF exposure and overall RF-EMF levels of R = 0.16 (P = 0.008) was computed that was independent of type (flat, single family) and location (urban, rural) of houses. (c) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

L-carnitine supplementation for the management of fatigue in patients with hypothyroidism on levothyroxine treatment: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

PubMed

An, Jee Hyun; Kim, Yoon Jung; Kim, Kyeong Jin; Kim, Sun Hwa; Kim, Nam Hoon; Kim, Hee Young; Kim, Nan Hee; Choi, Kyung Mook; Baik, Sei Hyun; Choi, Dong Seop; Kim, Sin Gon

2016-10-29

Hypothyroid patients experience fatigue-related symptoms despite adequate thyroid hormone replacement. Thyroid hormone plays an essential role in carnitine-dependent fatty acid import and oxidation. We investigated the effects of L-carnitine supplementation on fatigue in patients with hypothyroidism. In total, 60 patients (age 50.0 ± 9.2 years, 3 males, 57 females) who still experienced fatigue (fatigue severity scale [FSS] score ≥ 36) were given L-carnitine (n = 30, 990 mg L-carnitine twice daily) or placebo (n = 30) for 12 weeks. After 12 weeks, although neither the FSS score nor the physical fatigue score (PFS) changed significantly, the mental fatigue score (MFS) was significantly decreased by treatment with L-carnitine compared with placebo (from 4.5 ± 1.9 to 3.9 ± 1.5 vs. from 4.2 ± 1.8 to 4.6 ± 1.6, respectively; P < 0.01). In the L-carnitine group, 75.0%, 53.6%, and 50.0% of patients showed improvement in the FSS score, PFS, and MFS, respectively, but only 20.0%, 24.0%, and 24.0%, respectively, did so in the placebo group (all P < 0.05). Both the PFS and MFS were significantly improved in patients younger than 50 years and those with free T3 ≥ 4.0 pg/mL by treatment with L-carnitine compared with placebo. Additionally, the MFS was significantly improved in patients taking thyroid hormone after thyroid cancer surgery. These results suggest that L-carnitine supplementation may be useful in alleviating fatigue symptoms in hypothyroid patients, especially in those younger than 50 years and those who have hypothyroidism after thyroidectomy for thyroid cancer (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01769157).

Predicting falls using two instruments (the Hendrich Fall Risk Model and the Morse Fall Scale) in an acute care setting in Lebanon.

PubMed

Nassar, Nada; Helou, Nancy; Madi, Chantal

2014-06-01

To assess the predictive value of two instruments (the Morse Fall Scale (MFS) and the Heindrich II Fall Risk Model (HFRM)] in a Middle Eastern country (Lebanon) and to evaluate the factors that are related to falls. A prospective observational cross-sectional design was used. Falls and fall-related injuries in the acute care settings contribute a substantial health and economic burden on patients and organisations. Preventing falls is a priority for most healthcare organisations. While the risk of falling cannot be eliminated, it can be significantly reduced through accurate assessment of patients' risk of falling. Data from 1815 inpatients at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC) in Lebanon were evaluated using two instruments to predict falls: the MFS and the HFRM. The incidence of falls was 2·7% in one year. The results indicate that while the instruments were significantly correlated, the HFRM was more sensitive in predicting falls than the MFS. The internal consistency of both scales was moderate, but inter-rater reliability was high. Patients using antiepileptic drugs and assistance devises had higher odds of falling. Although both instruments were easy to use in a Middle Eastern country, the HFRM rather than the MFS is recommended for inpatients in an acute care setting as it had higher sensitivity and specificity. It is recommended that while the HFRM had adequate sensitivity, it is not seamless, and as such, nurses should not rely entirely on it. Rather, nurses should use their expert clinical judgement, their ethical obligations and cultural considerations to implement a safer environment of care for the patient. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Clinical and mutation-type analysis from an international series of 198 probands with a pathogenic FBN1 exons 24–32 mutation

PubMed Central

Faivre, L; Collod-Beroud, G; Callewaert, B; Child, A; Binquet, C; Gautier, E; Loeys, B L; Arbustini, E; Mayer, K; Arslan-Kirchner, M; Stheneur, C; Kiotsekoglou, A; Comeglio, P; Marziliano, N; Wolf, J E; Bouchot, O; Khau-Van-Kien, P; Beroud, C; Claustres, M; Bonithon-Kopp, C; Robinson, P N; Adès, L; De Backer, J; Coucke, P; Francke, U; De Paepe, A; Jondeau, G; Boileau, C

2009-01-01

Mutations in the FBN1 gene cause Marfan syndrome (MFS) and a wide range of overlapping phenotypes. The severe end of the spectrum is represented by neonatal MFS, the vast majority of probands carrying a mutation within exons 24–32. We previously showed that a mutation in exons 24–32 is predictive of a severe cardiovascular phenotype even in non-neonatal cases, and that mutations leading to premature truncation codons are under-represented in this region. To describe patients carrying a mutation in this so-called ‘neonatal' region, we studied the clinical and molecular characteristics of 198 probands with a mutation in exons 24–32 from a series of 1013 probands with a FBN1 mutation (20%). When comparing patients with mutations leading to a premature termination codon (PTC) within exons 24–32 to patients with an in-frame mutation within the same region, a significantly higher probability of developing ectopia lentis and mitral insufficiency were found in the second group. Patients with a PTC within exons 24–32 rarely displayed a neonatal or severe MFS presentation. We also found a higher probability of neonatal presentations associated with exon 25 mutations, as well as a higher probability of cardiovascular manifestations. A high phenotypic heterogeneity could be described for recurrent mutations, ranging from neonatal to classical MFS phenotype. In conclusion, even if the exons 24–32 location appears as a major cause of the severity of the phenotype in patients with a mutation in this region, other factors such as the type of mutation or modifier genes might also be relevant. PMID:19002209

Breast-Conserving Treatment in the Elderly: Long-Term Results of Adjuvant Hypofractionated and Normofractionated Radiotherapy

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

Kirova, Youlia M.; Campana, Francois; Savignoni, Alexia

2009-09-01

Purpose: To evaluate the long-term cause-specific survival (CSS), locoregional recurrence-free survival (LRFS), and metastases-free survival (MFS) in elderly breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant normofractionated (NF) or hypofractionated (HF) radiotherapy (RT). Methods and Materials: Between 1995 and 1999, 367 women aged {>=}70 years with nonmetastatic Stage T1 or T2 tumors were treated by breast-conserving surgery and adjuvant RT at the Institut Curie. They underwent wide tumor excision with or without lymph node dissection followed by RT. They received either a NF-RT schedule, which delivered a total dose of 50 Gy (25 fractions, 5 fractions weekly) to the whole breast, followed bymore » a boost to the tumor bed when indicated, or a HF-RT schedule, which delivered a total dose of 32.5 Gy (five fractions of 6.5 Gy, once weekly) with no subsequent boost. The HF-RT schedule was indicated for the more elderly patients. Results: A total of 317 patients were in the NF-RT group, with 50 in the HF-RT group. The median follow-up was 93 months (range, 9-140). The 5- and 7-year CSS, LRFS, and MFS rates were similar in both groups. The 5-year NF-RT and HF-RT rate was 96% and 95% for CSS, 95% and 94% for LRFS, and 94% and 95% for MFS, respectively. The 7-year NF-RT and HF-RT rate was 93% and 87% for CSS, 93% and 91% for LRFS, and 92% and 93% for MFS, respectively. Conclusion: According to the findings from this retrospective study, the HF-RT schedule is an acceptable alternative to NF-RT for elderly patients. However, large-scale prospective randomized trials are needed to confirm these results.« less

A short-term ensemble wind speed forecasting system for wind power applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baidya Roy, S.; Traiteur, J. J.; Callicutt, D.; Smith, M.

2011-12-01

This study develops an adaptive, blended forecasting system to provide accurate wind speed forecasts 1 hour ahead of time for wind power applications. The system consists of an ensemble of 21 forecasts with different configurations of the Weather Research and Forecasting Single Column Model (WRFSCM) and a persistence model. The ensemble is calibrated against observations for a 2 month period (June-July, 2008) at a potential wind farm site in Illinois using the Bayesian Model Averaging (BMA) technique. The forecasting system is evaluated against observations for August 2008 at the same site. The calibrated ensemble forecasts significantly outperform the forecasts from the uncalibrated ensemble while significantly reducing forecast uncertainty under all environmental stability conditions. The system also generates significantly better forecasts than persistence, autoregressive (AR) and autoregressive moving average (ARMA) models during the morning transition and the diurnal convective regimes. This forecasting system is computationally more efficient than traditional numerical weather prediction models and can generate a calibrated forecast, including model runs and calibration, in approximately 1 minute. Currently, hour-ahead wind speed forecasts are almost exclusively produced using statistical models. However, numerical models have several distinct advantages over statistical models including the potential to provide turbulence forecasts. Hence, there is an urgent need to explore the role of numerical models in short-term wind speed forecasting. This work is a step in that direction and is likely to trigger a debate within the wind speed forecasting community.

A study for systematic errors of the GLA forecast model in tropical regions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, Tsing-Chang; Baker, Wayman E.; Pfaendtner, James; Corrigan, Martin

1988-01-01

From the sensitivity studies performed with the Goddard Laboratory for Atmospheres (GLA) analysis/forecast system, it was revealed that the forecast errors in the tropics affect the ability to forecast midlatitude weather in some cases. Apparently, the forecast errors occurring in the tropics can propagate to midlatitudes. Therefore, the systematic error analysis of the GLA forecast system becomes a necessary step in improving the model's forecast performance. The major effort of this study is to examine the possible impact of the hydrological-cycle forecast error on dynamical fields in the GLA forecast system.

GloFAS-Seasonal: Operational Seasonal Ensemble River Flow Forecasts at the Global Scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Emerton, Rebecca; Zsoter, Ervin; Smith, Paul; Salamon, Peter

2017-04-01

Seasonal hydrological forecasting has potential benefits for many sectors, including agriculture, water resources management and humanitarian aid. At present, no global scale seasonal hydrological forecasting system exists operationally; although smaller scale systems have begun to emerge around the globe over the past decade, a system providing consistent global scale seasonal forecasts would be of great benefit in regions where no other forecasting system exists, and to organisations operating at the global scale, such as disaster relief. We present here a new operational global ensemble seasonal hydrological forecast, currently under development at ECMWF as part of the Global Flood Awareness System (GloFAS). The proposed system, which builds upon the current version of GloFAS, takes the long-range forecasts from the ECMWF System4 ensemble seasonal forecast system (which incorporates the HTESSEL land surface scheme) and uses this runoff as input to the Lisflood routing model, producing a seasonal river flow forecast out to 4 months lead time, for the global river network. The seasonal forecasts will be evaluated using the global river discharge reanalysis, and observations where available, to determine the potential value of the forecasts across the globe. The seasonal forecasts will be presented as a new layer in the GloFAS interface, which will provide a global map of river catchments, indicating whether the catchment-averaged discharge forecast is showing abnormally high or low flows during the 4-month lead time. Each catchment will display the corresponding forecast as an ensemble hydrograph of the weekly-averaged discharge forecast out to 4 months, with percentile thresholds shown for comparison with the discharge climatology. The forecast visualisation is based on a combination of the current medium-range GloFAS forecasts and the operational EFAS (European Flood Awareness System) seasonal outlook, and aims to effectively communicate the nature of a seasonal outlook while providing useful information to users and partners. We demonstrate the first version of an operational GloFAS seasonal outlook, outlining the model set-up and presenting a first look at the seasonal forecasts that will be displayed in the GloFAS interface, and discuss the initial results of the forecast evaluation.

Weather forecasting expert system study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1985-01-01

Weather forecasting is critical to both the Space Transportation System (STS) ground operations and the launch/landing activities at NASA Kennedy Space Center (KSC). The current launch frequency places significant demands on the USAF weather forecasters at the Cape Canaveral Forecasting Facility (CCFF), who currently provide the weather forecasting for all STS operations. As launch frequency increases, KSC's weather forecasting problems will be great magnified. The single most important problem is the shortage of highly skilled forecasting personnel. The development of forecasting expertise is difficult and requires several years of experience. Frequent personnel changes within the forecasting staff jeopardize the accumulation and retention of experience-based weather forecasting expertise. The primary purpose of this project was to assess the feasibility of using Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques to ameliorate this shortage of experts by capturing aria incorporating the forecasting knowledge of current expert forecasters into a Weather Forecasting Expert System (WFES) which would then be made available to less experienced duty forecasters.

National Centers for Environmental Prediction

Science.gov Websites

SYSTEM CFS CLIMATE FORECAST SYSTEM NAQFC NAQFC MODEL GEFS GLOBAL ENSEMBLE FORECAST SYSTEM HWRF HURRICANE WEATHER RESEARCH and FORECASTING HMON HMON - OPERATIONAL HURRICANE FORECASTING WAVEWATCH III WAVEWATCH III

Design study of a feedback control system for the Multicyclic Flap System rotor (MFS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weisbrich, R.; Perley, R.; Howes, H.

1977-01-01

The feasibility of automatically providing higher harmonic control to a deflectable control flap at the tip of a helicopter rotor blade through feedback of selected independent parameter was investigated. Control parameters were selected for input to the feedback system. A preliminary circuit was designed to condition the selected parameters, weigh limiting factors, and provide a proper output signal to the multi-cyclic control actuators. Results indicate that feedback control for the higher harmonic is feasible; however, design for a flight system requires an extension of the present analysis which was done for one flight condition - 120 kts, 11,500 lbs gross weight and level flight.

Cranial Neuropathies and Neuromuscular Weakness: A Case of Mistaken Identity

PubMed Central

Adams, Daniel Z.; King, Andrew; Kaide, Colin

2017-01-01

We describe a case of wound botulism initially thought to represent Miller-Fisher variant Guillain-Barré syndrome (MFS). Botulism classically presents with the so-called “four D’s” (diplopia, dysarthria, dysphagia, dry mouth) with symmetric, descending weakness. MFS presents with a triad of limb-ataxia, areflexia, and ophthalmoplegia, with variable cranial nerve and extremity involvement. The distinction can be difficult but is important as early initiation of botulinum antitoxin is associated with improved patient outcomes in cases of botulism. Furthermore, it is important to recognize intravenous drug use as a risk factor in the development of botulism, especially given an increase in injection drug use. PMID:29849352

Cranial Neuropathies and Neuromuscular Weakness: A Case of Mistaken Identity.

PubMed

Adams, Daniel Z; King, Andrew; Kaide, Colin

2017-08-01

We describe a case of wound botulism initially thought to represent Miller-Fisher variant Guillain-Barré syndrome (MFS). Botulism classically presents with the so-called "four D's" (diplopia, dysarthria, dysphagia, dry mouth) with symmetric, descending weakness. MFS presents with a triad of limb-ataxia, areflexia, and ophthalmoplegia, with variable cranial nerve and extremity involvement. The distinction can be difficult but is important as early initiation of botulinum antitoxin is associated with improved patient outcomes in cases of botulism. Furthermore, it is important to recognize intravenous drug use as a risk factor in the development of botulism, especially given an increase in injection drug use.

Magnetic field measurements near stand-alone transformer stations.

PubMed

Kandel, Shaiela; Hareuveny, Ronen; Yitzhak, Nir-Mordechay; Ruppin, Raphael

2013-12-01

Extremely low-frequency (ELF) magnetic field (MF) measurements around and above three stand-alone 22/0.4-kV transformer stations have been performed. The low-voltage (LV) cables between the transformer and the LV switchgear were found to be the major source of strong ELF MFs of limited spatial extent. The strong fields measured above the transformer stations support the assessment method, to be used in future epidemiological studies, of classifying apartments located right above the transformer stations as highly exposed to MFs. The results of the MF measurements above the ground around the transformer stations provide a basis for the assessment of the option of implementing precautionary procedures.

Utilization of response surface modeling to evaluate the effects of non-meat adjuncts and combinations of PSE and RFN pork on water holding capacity and cooked color in the production of boneless cured pork.

PubMed

Schilling, M W; Marriott, N G; Acton, J C; Anderson-Cook, C; Alvarado, C Z; Wang, H

2004-02-01

Boneless cured pork was produced from combinations of pale, soft, and exudative (PSE) and red, firm, and non-exudative (RFN) semimembranosus muscle. Response Surface Methodology was utilized to determine the effects of soy protein concentrate (SPC), sodium caseinate (SC), and modified food starch (MFS) on the water holding capacity and cooked color in a chunked and formed product. Fifteen ingredient combinations were replicated three times for each PSE and RFN combination giving 75 treatments per replication. Utilization of SPC decreased (P<0.01) cooking loss and redness while increasing (P<0.01) yellowness. MFS decreased (P<0.01) expressible moisture, and both MFS and SC increased (P<0.05) cooked redness while decreasing (P<0.01) cooked lightness. Product formulations using these adjuncts demonstrate potential to improve the water-holding capacity and cooked color in PSE as well as RFN pork. This research also demonstrated that diluting RFN pork with no more than 25% PSE pork permits the formation of a high quality boneless deli ham roll.

Low-Grade Myxofibrosarcoma of the Rectus Abdominus Muscle Infiltrating into Abdominal Cavity: A Case Report.

PubMed

Nomura, Tadashi; Sakakibara, Shunsuke; Moriwaki, Aya; Kawamoto, Teruya; Suzuki, Satoshi; Ishimura, Takeshi; Hashikawa, Kazunobu; Terashi, Hiroto

2017-01-01

Objective: Myxofibrosarcoma (MFS) is a relatively rare tumor that is histologically characterized by myxoid stroma and spindle cell proliferation. This tumor most commonly arises as a slow growing, enlarging painless mass in the extremities of elderly patients. Methods: We report a case of a primary, low-grade MFS in the rectus abdominis muscle infiltrating the abdominal cavity of a 75-year-old man. Results: The patient underwent a wide excision of the right abdominal wall mass with a 3-cm surgical margin from the scar due to a biopsy. The tumor infiltrated the urinary bladder, peritoneum, and external iliac vessels. Twenty-six months after the initial operation, he had recurrences in his abdominal wall, urinary bladder, and right iliac vessels. Conclusions: To our knowledge, primary MFS of the muscle in the abdomen has not been documented previously. Although this case was histopathologically classified as a low-grade tumor, it infiltrated the abdominal cavity. The tumor is suspected to have penetrated the abdominal cavity below the linea arcuata, which lacks the posterior sheath of the rectus abdominis muscle; from there, it could easily spread without being blocked by any biological barriers.

New Probe of Departures from General Relativity Using Minkowski Functionals.

PubMed

Fang, Wenjuan; Li, Baojiu; Zhao, Gong-Bo

2017-05-05

The morphological properties of the large scale structure of the Universe can be fully described by four Minkowski functionals (MFs), which provide important complementary information to other statistical observables such as the widely used 2-point statistics in configuration and Fourier spaces. In this work, for the first time, we present the differences in the morphology of the large scale structure caused by modifications to general relativity (to address the cosmic acceleration problem), by measuring the MFs from N-body simulations of modified gravity and general relativity. We find strong statistical power when using the MFs to constrain modified theories of gravity: with a galaxy survey that has survey volume ∼0.125(h^{-1}  Gpc)^{3} and galaxy number density ∼1/(h^{-1}  Mpc)^{3}, the two normal-branch Dvali-Gabadadze-Porrati models and the F5 f(R) model that we simulated can be discriminated from the ΛCDM model at a significance level ≳5σ with an individual MF measurement. Therefore, the MF of the large scale structure is potentially a powerful probe of gravity, and its application to real data deserves active exploration.

The diffraction of Rayleigh waves by a fluid-saturated alluvial valley in a poroelastic half-space modeled by MFS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Zhongxian; Liang, Jianwen; Wu, Chengqing

2016-06-01

Two dimensional diffraction of Rayleigh waves by a fluid-saturated poroelastic alluvial valley of arbitrary shape in a poroelastic half-space is investigated using the method of fundamental solutions (MFS). To satisfy the free surface boundary conditions exactly, Green's functions of compressional (PI and PII) and shear (SV) wave sources buried in a fluid-saturated poroelastic half-space are adopted. Next, the procedure for solving the scattering wave field is presented. It is verified that the MFS is of excellent accuracy and numerical stability. Numerical results illustrate that the dynamic response strongly depends on such factors as the incident frequency, the porosity of alluvium, the boundary drainage condition, and the valley shape. There is a significant difference between the diffraction of Rayleigh waves for the saturated soil case and for the corresponding dry soil case. The wave focusing effect both on the displacement and pore pressure can be observed inside the alluvial valley and the amplification effect seems most obvious in the case of higher porosity and lower frequency. Additionally, special attention should also be paid to the concentration of pore pressure, which is closely related to the site liquefaction in earthquakes.

Establishment of the Inducible Tet-On System for the Activation of the Silent Trichosetin Gene Cluster in Fusarium fujikuroi

PubMed Central

Janevska, Slavica; Arndt, Birgit; Baumann, Leonie; Apken, Lisa Helene; Mauriz Marques, Lucas Maciel; Humpf, Hans-Ulrich; Tudzynski, Bettina

2017-01-01

The PKS-NRPS-derived tetramic acid equisetin and its N-desmethyl derivative trichosetin exhibit remarkable biological activities against a variety of organisms, including plants and bacteria, e.g., Staphylococcus aureus. The equisetin biosynthetic gene cluster was first described in Fusarium heterosporum, a species distantly related to the notorious rice pathogen Fusarium fujikuroi. Here we present the activation and characterization of a homologous, but silent, gene cluster in F. fujikuroi. Bioinformatic analysis revealed that this cluster does not contain the equisetin N-methyltransferase gene eqxD and consequently, trichosetin was isolated as final product. The adaption of the inducible, tetracycline-dependent Tet-on promoter system from Aspergillus niger achieved a controlled overproduction of this toxic metabolite and a functional characterization of each cluster gene in F. fujikuroi. Overexpression of one of the two cluster-specific transcription factor (TF) genes, TF22, led to an activation of the three biosynthetic cluster genes, including the PKS-NRPS key gene. In contrast, overexpression of TF23, encoding a second Zn(II)2Cys6 TF, did not activate adjacent cluster genes. Instead, TF23 was induced by the final product trichosetin and was required for expression of the transporter-encoding gene MFS-T. TF23 and MFS-T likely act in consort and contribute to detoxification of trichosetin and therefore, self-protection of the producing fungus. PMID:28379186

Establishment of the Inducible Tet-On System for the Activation of the Silent Trichosetin Gene Cluster in Fusarium fujikuroi.

PubMed

Janevska, Slavica; Arndt, Birgit; Baumann, Leonie; Apken, Lisa Helene; Mauriz Marques, Lucas Maciel; Humpf, Hans-Ulrich; Tudzynski, Bettina

2017-04-05

The PKS-NRPS-derived tetramic acid equisetin and its N -desmethyl derivative trichosetin exhibit remarkable biological activities against a variety of organisms, including plants and bacteria, e.g., Staphylococcus aureus . The equisetin biosynthetic gene cluster was first described in Fusarium heterosporum , a species distantly related to the notorious rice pathogen Fusarium fujikuroi . Here we present the activation and characterization of a homologous, but silent, gene cluster in F. fujikuroi . Bioinformatic analysis revealed that this cluster does not contain the equisetin N -methyltransferase gene eqxD and consequently, trichosetin was isolated as final product. The adaption of the inducible, tetracycline-dependent Tet-on promoter system from Aspergillus niger achieved a controlled overproduction of this toxic metabolite and a functional characterization of each cluster gene in F. fujikuroi . Overexpression of one of the two cluster-specific transcription factor (TF) genes, TF22 , led to an activation of the three biosynthetic cluster genes, including the PKS-NRPS key gene. In contrast, overexpression of TF23 , encoding a second Zn(II)₂Cys₆ TF, did not activate adjacent cluster genes. Instead, TF23 was induced by the final product trichosetin and was required for expression of the transporter-encoding gene MFS-T . TF23 and MFS-T likely act in consort and contribute to detoxification of trichosetin and therefore, self-protection of the producing fungus.

A seasonal hydrologic ensemble prediction system for water resource management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, L.; Wood, E. F.

2006-12-01

A seasonal hydrologic ensemble prediction system, developed for the Ohio River basin, has been improved and expanded to several other regions including the Eastern U.S., Africa and East Asia. The prediction system adopts the traditional Extended Streamflow Prediction (ESP) approach, utilizing the VIC (Variable Infiltration Capacity) hydrological model as the central tool for producing ensemble prediction of soil moisture, snow and streamflow with lead times up to 6-month. VIC is forced by observed meteorology to estimate the hydrological initial condition prior to the forecast, but during the forecast period the atmospheric forcing comes from statistically downscaled, seasonal forecast from dynamic climate models. The seasonal hydrologic ensemble prediction system is currently producing realtime seasonal hydrologic forecast for these regions on a monthly basis. Using hindcasts from a 19-year period (1981-1999), during which seasonal hindcasts from NCEP Climate Forecast System (CFS) and European Union DEMETER project are available, we evaluate the performance of the forecast system over our forecast regions. The evaluation shows that the prediction system using the current forecast approach is able to produce reliable and accurate precipitation, soil moisture and streamflow predictions. The overall skill is much higher then the traditional ESP. In particular, forecasts based on multiple climate model forecast are more skillful than single model-based forecast. This emphasizes the significant need for producing seasonal climate forecast with multiple climate models for hydrologic applications. Forecast from this system is expected to provide very valuable information about future hydrologic states and associated risks for end users, including water resource management and financial sectors.

A framework for improving a seasonal hydrological forecasting system using sensitivity analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arnal, Louise; Pappenberger, Florian; Smith, Paul; Cloke, Hannah

2017-04-01

Seasonal streamflow forecasts are of great value for the socio-economic sector, for applications such as navigation, flood and drought mitigation and reservoir management for hydropower generation and water allocation to agriculture and drinking water. However, as we speak, the performance of dynamical seasonal hydrological forecasting systems (systems based on running seasonal meteorological forecasts through a hydrological model to produce seasonal hydrological forecasts) is still limited in space and time. In this context, the ESP (Ensemble Streamflow Prediction) remains an attractive forecasting method for seasonal streamflow forecasting as it relies on forcing a hydrological model (starting from the latest observed or simulated initial hydrological conditions) with historical meteorological observations. This makes it cheaper to run than a standard dynamical seasonal hydrological forecasting system, for which the seasonal meteorological forecasts will first have to be produced, while still producing skilful forecasts. There is thus the need to focus resources and time towards improvements in dynamical seasonal hydrological forecasting systems which will eventually lead to significant improvements in the skill of the streamflow forecasts generated. Sensitivity analyses are a powerful tool that can be used to disentangle the relative contributions of the two main sources of errors in seasonal streamflow forecasts, namely the initial hydrological conditions (IHC; e.g., soil moisture, snow cover, initial streamflow, among others) and the meteorological forcing (MF; i.e., seasonal meteorological forecasts of precipitation and temperature, input to the hydrological model). Sensitivity analyses are however most useful if they inform and change current operational practices. To this end, we propose a method to improve the design of a seasonal hydrological forecasting system. This method is based on sensitivity analyses, informing the forecasters as to which element of the forecasting chain (i.e., IHC or MF) could potentially lead to the highest increase in seasonal hydrological forecasting performance, after each forecast update.

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.

Truncated C-terminus of fibrillin-1 induces Marfanoid-progeroid-lipodystrophy (MPL) syndrome in rabbit.

PubMed

Chen, Mao; Yao, Bing; Yang, Qiangbing; Deng, Jichao; Song, Yuning; Sui, Tingting; Zhou, Lina; Yao, HaoBing; Xu, Yuanyuan; Ouyang, Hongsheng; Pang, Daxin; Li, Zhanjun; Lai, Liangxue

2018-04-09

Various clinical differences have been observed between patients with the FBN1 gene mutation and those with the classical Marfan phenotype. Although FBN1 knockout (KO) or dominant-negative mutant mice are widely used as an animal model for Marfan syndrome (MFS), these mice cannot recapitulate the genotype/phenotype relationship of Marfanoid-progeroid-lipodystrophy (MPL) syndrome, which is caused by a mutation in the C-terminus of fibrillin-1, the penultimate exon of the FBN1 gene. Here, we describe the generation of a rabbit MPL model with C-terminal truncation of fibrillin-1 using a CRISPR/Cas9 system. FBN1 heterozygous ( FBN1 Het) rabbits faithfully recapitulated the phenotypes of MFS, including muscle wasting and impaired connective tissue, ocular syndrome and aortic dilation. Moreover, skin symptoms, lipodystrophy, growth retardation and dysglycemia were also seen in these FBN1 Het rabbits, and have not been reported in other animal models. In conclusion, this novel rabbit model mimics the histopathological changes and functional defects of MPL syndrome, and could become a valuable model for studies of pathogenesis and drug screening for MPL syndrome. © 2018. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

The effects of inverter magnetic fields on early seed germination of mung beans.

PubMed

Huang, Hsin-Hsiung; Wang, Show-Ran

2008-12-01

The biological effects of extremely low frequency magnetic fields (ELF MFs) on living organisms have been explored in many studies. Most of them demonstrate the biological effects caused by 50/60 Hz magnetic fields or pulsed magnetic fields. However, as the development of power electronics flourishes, the magnetic fields induced are usually in other different waveforms. This study aims to assess the effects of magnetic fields generated by inverter systems on the early growth of plants using mung beans as an example. In the experiment, an inverter which can produce sinusoidal pulsed width modulation (SPWM) voltages was used to drive 3 specially made circular coils and an AC motor. Six SPWM voltages with different fundamental frequencies (10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 Hz) set on the inverter drive the circuit to produce the specific kinds of MFs. The results indicate that the magnetic field induced by a 20 or 60 Hz SPWM voltage has an enhancing effect on the early growth of mung beans, but the magnetic fields induced by SPWM voltages of other frequencies (30, 40, and 50 Hz) have an inhibitory effect, especially at 50 Hz.

Modeling of Glycerol-3-Phosphate Transporter Suggests a Potential ‘Tilt’ Mechanism involved in its Function

PubMed Central

Tsigelny, Igor F.; Greenberg, Jerry; Kouznetsova, Valentina; Nigam, Sanjay K.

2009-01-01

Many major facilitator superfamily (MFS) transporters have similar 12-transmembrane α-helical topologies with two six-helix halves connected by a long loop. In humans, these transporters participate in key physiological processes and are also, as in the case of members of the organic anion transporter (OAT) family, of pharmaceutical interest. Recently, crystal structures of two bacterial representatives of the MFS family — the glycerol-3-phosphate transporter (GlpT) and lac-permease (LacY) — have been solved and, because of assumptions regarding the high structural conservation of this family, there is hope that the results can be applied to mammalian transporters as well. Based on crystallography, it has been suggested that a major conformational “switching” mechanism accounts for ligand transport by MFS proteins. This conformational switch would then allow periodic changes in the overall transporter configuration, resulting in its cyclic opening to the periplasm or cytoplasm. Following this lead, we have modeled a possible “switch” mechanism in GlpT, using the concept of rotation of protein domains as in the DynDom program17 and membranephilic constraints predicted by the MAPAS program.23 We found that the minima of energies of intersubunit interactions support two alternate positions consistent with their transport properties. Thus, for GlpT, a “tilt” of 9°–10° rotation had the most favorable energetics of electrostatic interaction between the two halves of the transporter; moreover, this confirmation was sufficient to suggest transport of the ligand across the membrane. We conducted steered molecular dynamics simulations of the GlpT-ligand system to explore how glycerol-3-phosphate would be handled by the “tilted” structure, and obtained results generally consistent with experimental mutagenesis data. While biochemical data remain most consistent with a single-site alternating access model, our results raise the possibility that, while the “rocker switch” may apply to certain MFS transporters, intermediate “tilted” states may exist under certain circumstances or as transitional structures. While wet lab experimental confirmation is required, our results suggest that transport mechanisms in this transporter family should probably not be assumed to be conserved simply based on standard structural homology considerations. Furthermore, steered molecular dynamics elucidating energetic interactions of ligands with amino acid residues in an appropriately modeled transporter may have predictive value in understanding the impact of mutations and/or polymorphisms on transporter function. PMID:18942157

Analyzing Effect of System Inertia on Grid Frequency Forecasting Usnig Two Stage Neuro-Fuzzy System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chourey, Divyansh R.; Gupta, Himanshu; Kumar, Amit; Kumar, Jitesh; Kumar, Anand; Mishra, Anup

2018-04-01

Frequency forecasting is an important aspect of power system operation. The system frequency varies with load-generation imbalance. Frequency variation depends upon various parameters including system inertia. System inertia determines the rate of fall of frequency after the disturbance in the grid. Though, inertia of the system is not considered while forecasting the frequency of power system during planning and operation. This leads to significant errors in forecasting. In this paper, the effect of inertia on frequency forecasting is analysed for a particular grid system. In this paper, a parameter equivalent to system inertia is introduced. This parameter is used to forecast the frequency of a typical power grid for any instant of time. The system gives appreciable result with reduced error.

Realizing actual feedback control of complex network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tu, Chengyi; Cheng, Yuhua

2014-06-01

In this paper, we present the concept of feedbackability and how to identify the Minimum Feedbackability Set of an arbitrary complex directed network. Furthermore, we design an estimator and a feedback controller accessing one MFS to realize actual feedback control, i.e. control the system to our desired state according to the estimated system internal state from the output of estimator. Last but not least, we perform numerical simulations of a small linear time-invariant dynamics network and a real simple food network to verify the theoretical results. The framework presented here could make an arbitrary complex directed network realize actual feedback control and deepen our understanding of complex systems.

Evaluation of ensemble forecast uncertainty using a new proper score: application to medium-range and seasonal forecasts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christensen, Hannah; Moroz, Irene; Palmer, Tim

2015-04-01

Forecast verification is important across scientific disciplines as it provides a framework for evaluating the performance of a forecasting system. In the atmospheric sciences, probabilistic skill scores are often used for verification as they provide a way of unambiguously ranking the performance of different probabilistic forecasts. In order to be useful, a skill score must be proper -- it must encourage honesty in the forecaster, and reward forecasts which are reliable and which have good resolution. A new score, the Error-spread Score (ES), is proposed which is particularly suitable for evaluation of ensemble forecasts. It is formulated with respect to the moments of the forecast. The ES is confirmed to be a proper score, and is therefore sensitive to both resolution and reliability. The ES is tested on forecasts made using the Lorenz '96 system, and found to be useful for summarising the skill of the forecasts. The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) ensemble prediction system (EPS) is evaluated using the ES. Its performance is compared to a perfect statistical probabilistic forecast -- the ECMWF high resolution deterministic forecast dressed with the observed error distribution. This generates a forecast that is perfectly reliable if considered over all time, but which does not vary from day to day with the predictability of the atmospheric flow. The ES distinguishes between the dynamically reliable EPS forecasts and the statically reliable dressed deterministic forecasts. Other skill scores are tested and found to be comparatively insensitive to this desirable forecast quality. The ES is used to evaluate seasonal range ensemble forecasts made with the ECMWF System 4. The ensemble forecasts are found to be skilful when compared with climatological or persistence forecasts, though this skill is dependent on region and time of year.

Interactive Forecasting with the National Weather Service River Forecast System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, George F.; Page, Donna

1993-01-01

The National Weather Service River Forecast System (NWSRFS) consists of several major hydrometeorologic subcomponents to model the physics of the flow of water through the hydrologic cycle. The entire NWSRFS currently runs in both mainframe and minicomputer environments, using command oriented text input to control the system computations. As computationally powerful and graphically sophisticated scientific workstations became available, the National Weather Service (NWS) recognized that a graphically based, interactive environment would enhance the accuracy and timeliness of NWS river and flood forecasts. Consequently, the operational forecasting portion of the NWSRFS has been ported to run under a UNIX operating system, with X windows as the display environment on a system of networked scientific workstations. In addition, the NWSRFS Interactive Forecast Program was developed to provide a graphical user interface to allow the forecaster to control NWSRFS program flow and to make adjustments to forecasts as necessary. The potential market for water resources forecasting is immense and largely untapped. Any private company able to market the river forecasting technologies currently developed by the NWS Office of Hydrology could provide benefits to many information users and profit from providing these services.

Performance of an Advanced MOS System in the 1996-97 National Collegiate Weather Forecasting Contest.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vislocky, Robert L.; Fritsch, J. Michael

1997-12-01

A prototype advanced model output statistics (MOS) forecast system that was entered in the 1996-97 National Collegiate Weather Forecast Contest is described and its performance compared to that of widely available objective guidance and to contest participants. The prototype system uses an optimal blend of aviation (AVN) and nested grid model (NGM) MOS forecasts, explicit output from the NGM and Eta guidance, and the latest surface weather observations from the forecast site. The forecasts are totally objective and can be generated quickly on a personal computer. Other "objective" forms of guidance tracked in the contest are 1) the consensus forecast (i.e., the average of the forecasts from all of the human participants), 2) the combination of NGM raw output (for precipitation forecasts) and NGM MOS guidance (for temperature forecasts), and 3) the combination of Eta Model raw output (for precipitation forecasts) and AVN MOS guidance (for temperature forecasts).Results show that the advanced MOS system finished in 20th place out of 737 original entrants, or better than approximately 97% of the human forecasters who entered the contest. Moreover, the advanced MOS system was slightly better than consensus (23d place). The fact that an objective forecast system finished ahead of consensus is a significant accomplishment since consensus is traditionally a very formidable "opponent" in forecast competitions. Equally significant is that the advanced MOS system was superior to the traditional guidance products available from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP). Specifically, the combination of NGM raw output and NGM MOS guidance finished in 175th place, and the combination of Eta Model raw output and AVN MOS guidance finished in 266th place. The latter result is most intriguing since the proposed elimination of all NGM products would likely result in a serious degradation of objective products disseminated by NCEP, unless they are replaced with equal or better substitutes. On the other hand, the positive performance of the prototype advanced MOS system shows that it is possible to create a single objective product that is not only superior to currently available objective guidance products, but is also on par with some of the better human forecasters.

An Investigation into the Comparative Costs of Additive Manufacture vs. Machine from Solid for Aero Engine Parts

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-05-01

welding power sources are not totally efficient at converting power drawn from the wall into heat energy used for the welding process . TIG sources are...Powder bed + Laser • Wire + Laser • Wire + Electron Beam • Wire + TIG Each system has its own unique attributes in terms of process variables...relative economics of producing a near net shape by Additive Manufacturing (AM) processes compared with traditional machine from solid processes (MFS

Allocating Practice Expense Under the Medicare Fee Schedule

PubMed Central

Pope, Gregory C.; Burge, Russel T.

1993-01-01

Currently, relative value units for practice expense are determined under the Medicare fee schedule (MFS) using historical physician charges. This seems inconsistent with the goal of a resource-based fee schedule. A specialty resource-based method of determining practice expense payments is presented and simulated here. The method assumes that, for each service, the payment for practice expense should be the same proportion of the total payment as actual physician practice expenses are of total practice revenues. A comparison with the approach developed by the Physician Payment Review Commission (PPRC) shows similar fees, but the specialty-based method proposed here requires no data beyond what is already employed in the MFS. PMID:10130574

Effect of magnetic field on the physical properties of water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Youkai; Wei, Huinan; Li, Zhuangwen

2018-03-01

In this study, the effect of magnetic field (MF) on the partial physical properties of water are reported, tap water (TW) and 4 types of magnetized water (MW) were measured in the same condition. It was found that the properties of TW were changed following the MF treatment, shown as the increase of evaporation amount, the decrease of specific heat and boiling point after magnetization, the changes depend on the magnetization effect. In addition, magnetic field strength (MFS) has a marked influence on the magnetization effect, the optimal magnetizing condition was determined as the MFS of 300 mT. The findings of this study offered a facile approach to improve cooling and power generation efficiency in industrial.

The method of fundamental solutions for computing acoustic interior transmission eigenvalues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kleefeld, Andreas; Pieronek, Lukas

2018-03-01

We analyze the method of fundamental solutions (MFS) in two different versions with focus on the computation of approximate acoustic interior transmission eigenvalues in 2D for homogeneous media. Our approach is mesh- and integration free, but suffers in general from the ill-conditioning effects of the discretized eigenoperator, which we could then successfully balance using an approved stabilization scheme. Our numerical examples cover many of the common scattering objects and prove to be very competitive in accuracy with the standard methods for PDE-related eigenvalue problems. We finally give an approximation analysis for our framework and provide error estimates, which bound interior transmission eigenvalue deviations in terms of some generalized MFS output.

The Wind Forecast Improvement Project (WFIP). A Public/Private Partnership for Improving Short Term Wind Energy Forecasts and Quantifying the Benefits of Utility Operations -- the Northern Study Area

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

Finley, Cathy

2014-04-30

This report contains the results from research aimed at improving short-range (0-6 hour) hub-height wind forecasts in the NOAA weather forecast models through additional data assimilation and model physics improvements for use in wind energy forecasting. Additional meteorological observing platforms including wind profilers, sodars, and surface stations were deployed for this study by NOAA and DOE, and additional meteorological data at or near wind turbine hub height were provided by South Dakota State University and WindLogics/NextEra Energy Resources over a large geographical area in the U.S. Northern Plains for assimilation into NOAA research weather forecast models. The resulting improvements inmore » wind energy forecasts based on the research weather forecast models (with the additional data assimilation and model physics improvements) were examined in many different ways and compared with wind energy forecasts based on the current operational weather forecast models to quantify the forecast improvements important to power grid system operators and wind plant owners/operators participating in energy markets. Two operational weather forecast models (OP_RUC, OP_RAP) and two research weather forecast models (ESRL_RAP, HRRR) were used as the base wind forecasts for generating several different wind power forecasts for the NextEra Energy wind plants in the study area. Power forecasts were generated from the wind forecasts in a variety of ways, from very simple to quite sophisticated, as they might be used by a wide range of both general users and commercial wind energy forecast vendors. The error characteristics of each of these types of forecasts were examined and quantified using bulk error statistics for both the local wind plant and the system aggregate forecasts. The wind power forecast accuracy was also evaluated separately for high-impact wind energy ramp events. The overall bulk error statistics calculated over the first six hours of the forecasts at both the individual wind plant and at the system-wide aggregate level over the one year study period showed that the research weather model-based power forecasts (all types) had lower overall error rates than the current operational weather model-based power forecasts, both at the individual wind plant level and at the system aggregate level. The bulk error statistics of the various model-based power forecasts were also calculated by season and model runtime/forecast hour as power system operations are more sensitive to wind energy forecast errors during certain times of year and certain times of day. The results showed that there were significant differences in seasonal forecast errors between the various model-based power forecasts. The results from the analysis of the various wind power forecast errors by model runtime and forecast hour showed that the forecast errors were largest during the times of day that have increased significance to power system operators (the overnight hours and the morning/evening boundary layer transition periods), but the research weather model-based power forecasts showed improvement over the operational weather model-based power forecasts at these times.« less

Should we use seasonnal meteorological ensemble forecasts for hydrological forecasting? A case study for nordic watersheds in Canada.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bazile, Rachel; Boucher, Marie-Amélie; Perreault, Luc; Leconte, Robert; Guay, Catherine

2017-04-01

Hydro-electricity is a major source of energy for many countries throughout the world, including Canada. Long lead-time streamflow forecasts are all the more valuable as they help decision making and dam management. Different techniques exist for long-term hydrological forecasting. Perhaps the most well-known is 'Extended Streamflow Prediction' (ESP), which considers past meteorological scenarios as possible, often equiprobable, future scenarios. In the ESP framework, those past-observed meteorological scenarios (climatology) are used in turn as the inputs of a chosen hydrological model to produce ensemble forecasts (one member corresponding to each year in the available database). Many hydropower companies, including Hydro-Québec (province of Quebec, Canada) use variants of the above described ESP system operationally for long-term operation planning. The ESP system accounts for the hydrological initial conditions and for the natural variability of the meteorological variables. However, it cannot consider the current initial state of the atmosphere. Climate models can help remedy this drawback. In the context of a changing climate, dynamical forecasts issued from climate models seem to be an interesting avenue to improve upon the ESP method and could help hydropower companies to adapt their management practices to an evolving climate. Long-range forecasts from climate models can also be helpful for water management at locations where records of past meteorological conditions are short or nonexistent. In this study, we compare 7-month hydrological forecasts obtained from climate model outputs to an ESP system. The ESP system mimics the one used operationally at Hydro-Québec. The dynamical climate forecasts are produced by the European Center for Medium range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) System4. Forecasts quality is assessed using numerical scores such as the Continuous Ranked Probability Score (CRPS) and the Ignorance score and also graphical tools such as the reliability diagram. This study covers 10 nordic watersheds. We show that forecast performance according to the CRPS varies with lead-time but also with the period of the year. The raw forecasts from the ECMWF System4 display important biases for both temperature and precipitation, which need to be corrected. The linear scaling method is used for this purpose and is found effective. Bias correction improves forecasts performance, especially during the summer when the precipitations are over-estimated. According to the CRPS, bias corrected forecasts from System4 show performances comparable to those of the ESP system. However, the Ignorance score, which penalizes the lack of calibration (under-dispersive forecasts in this case) more severely than the CRPS, provides a different outlook for the comparison of the two systems. In fact, according to the Ignorance score, the ESP system outperforms forecasts based on System4 in most cases. This illustrates that the joint use of several metrics is crucial to assess the quality of a forecasts system thoroughly. Globally, ESP provide reliable forecasts which can be over-dispersed whereas bias corrected ECMWF System4 forecasts are sharper but at the risk of missing events.

Drought Monitoring and Forecasting Using the Princeton/U Washington National Hydrologic Forecasting System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wood, E. F.; Yuan, X.; Roundy, J. K.; Lettenmaier, D. P.; Mo, K. C.; Xia, Y.; Ek, M. B.

2011-12-01

Extreme hydrologic events in the form of droughts or floods are a significant source of social and economic damage in many parts of the world. Having sufficient warning of extreme events allows managers to prepare for and reduce the severity of their impacts. A hydrologic forecast system can give seasonal predictions that can be used by mangers to make better decisions; however there is still much uncertainty associated with such a system. Therefore it is important to understand the forecast skill of the system before transitioning to operational usage. Seasonal reforecasts (1982 - 2010) from the NCEP Climate Forecast System (both version 1 (CFS) and version 2 (CFSv2), Climate Prediction Center (CPC) outlooks and the European Seasonal Interannual Prediction (EUROSIP) system, are assessed for forecasting skill in drought prediction across the U.S., both singularly and as a multi-model system The Princeton/U Washington national hydrologic monitoring and forecast system is being implemented at NCEP/EMC via their Climate Test Bed as the experimental hydrological forecast system to support U.S. operational drought prediction. Using our system, the seasonal forecasts are biased corrected, downscaled and used to drive the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) land surface model to give seasonal forecasts of hydrologic variables with lead times of up to six months. Results are presented for a number of events, with particular focus on the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) River Basin in the South Eastern United States, which has experienced a number of severe droughts in recent years and is a pilot study basin for the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS). The performance of the VIC land surface model is evaluated using observational forcing when compared to observed streamflow. The effectiveness of the forecast system to predict streamflow and soil moisture is evaluated when compared with observed streamflow and modeled soil moisture driven by observed atmospheric forcing. The forecast skills from the dynamical seasonal models (CFSv1, CFSv2, EUROSIP) and CPC are also compared with forecasts based on the Ensemble Streamflow Prediction (ESP) method, which uses initial conditions and historical forcings to generate seasonal forecasts. The skill of the system to predict drought, drought recovery and related hydrological conditions such as low-flows is assessed, along with quantified uncertainty.

Short Term Load Forecasting with Fuzzy Logic Systems for power system planning and reliability-A Review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holmukhe, R. M.; Dhumale, Mrs. Sunita; Chaudhari, Mr. P. S.; Kulkarni, Mr. P. P.

2010-10-01

Load forecasting is very essential to the operation of Electricity companies. It enhances the energy efficient and reliable operation of power system. Forecasting of load demand data forms an important component in planning generation schedules in a power system. The purpose of this paper is to identify issues and better method for load foecasting. In this paper we focus on fuzzy logic system based short term load forecasting. It serves as overview of the state of the art in the intelligent techniques employed for load forecasting in power system planning and reliability. Literature review has been conducted and fuzzy logic method has been summarized to highlight advantages and disadvantages of this technique. The proposed technique for implementing fuzzy logic based forecasting is by Identification of the specific day and by using maximum and minimum temperature for that day and finally listing the maximum temperature and peak load for that day. The results show that Load forecasting where there are considerable changes in temperature parameter is better dealt with Fuzzy Logic system method as compared to other short term forecasting techniques.

Verification of Ensemble Forecasts for the New York City Operations Support Tool

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Day, G.; Schaake, J. C.; Thiemann, M.; Draijer, S.; Wang, L.

2012-12-01

The New York City water supply system operated by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) serves nine million people. It covers 2,000 square miles of portions of the Catskill, Delaware, and Croton watersheds, and it includes nineteen reservoirs and three controlled lakes. DEP is developing an Operations Support Tool (OST) to support its water supply operations and planning activities. OST includes historical and real-time data, a model of the water supply system complete with operating rules, and lake water quality models developed to evaluate alternatives for managing turbidity in the New York City Catskill reservoirs. OST will enable DEP to manage turbidity in its unfiltered system while satisfying its primary objective of meeting the City's water supply needs, in addition to considering secondary objectives of maintaining ecological flows, supporting fishery and recreation releases, and mitigating downstream flood peaks. The current version of OST relies on statistical forecasts of flows in the system based on recent observed flows. To improve short-term decision making, plans are being made to transition to National Weather Service (NWS) ensemble forecasts based on hydrologic models that account for short-term weather forecast skill, longer-term climate information, as well as the hydrologic state of the watersheds and recent observed flows. To ensure that the ensemble forecasts are unbiased and that the ensemble spread reflects the actual uncertainty of the forecasts, a statistical model has been developed to post-process the NWS ensemble forecasts to account for hydrologic model error as well as any inherent bias and uncertainty in initial model states, meteorological data and forecasts. The post-processor is designed to produce adjusted ensemble forecasts that are consistent with the DEP historical flow sequences that were used to develop the system operating rules. A set of historical hindcasts that is representative of the real-time ensemble forecasts is needed to verify that the post-processed forecasts are unbiased, statistically reliable, and preserve the skill inherent in the "raw" NWS ensemble forecasts. A verification procedure and set of metrics will be presented that provide an objective assessment of ensemble forecasts. The procedure will be applied to both raw ensemble hindcasts and to post-processed ensemble hindcasts. The verification metrics will be used to validate proper functioning of the post-processor and to provide a benchmark for comparison of different types of forecasts. For example, current NWS ensemble forecasts are based on climatology, using each historical year to generate a forecast trace. The NWS Hydrologic Ensemble Forecast System (HEFS) under development will utilize output from both the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Global Ensemble Forecast System (GEFS) and the Climate Forecast System (CFS). Incorporating short-term meteorological forecasts and longer-term climate forecast information should provide sharper, more accurate forecasts. Hindcasts from HEFS will enable New York City to generate verification results to validate the new forecasts and further fine-tune system operating rules. Project verification results will be presented for different watersheds across a range of seasons, lead times, and flow levels to assess the quality of the current ensemble forecasts.

Diversity of bacterial communities and dissolved organic matter in a temperate estuary.

PubMed

Osterholz, Helena; Kirchman, David L; Niggemann, Jutta; Dittmar, Thorsten

2018-06-14

Relationships between bacterial community and dissolved organic matter (DOM) include microbial uptake, transformation and secretion, all of which influence DOM composition. In this study, we explore diversity and similarity metrics of dissolved organic molecules (Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry) and bacterial communities (tag-sequencing of 16S rRNA genes) along the salinity gradient of the Delaware Estuary (USA). We found that even though mixing, discharge and seasonal changes explained most of the variation in DOM and bacterial communities, there was still a relationship, albeit weak, between the composition of DOM and bacterial communities in the estuary. Overall, many DOM molecular formulas (MFs) and bacterial operational taxonomic units (OTUs) reoccurred over years and seasons while the frequency of MF-OTU correlations varied. Diversity based on MFs and OTUs was significantly correlated, decreasing towards the open ocean. However, while the diversity of bacterial OTUs dropped markedly with low salinity, MF diversity decreased strongly only at high salinities. We hypothesize that the different turnover times of DOM and bacteria lead to different abundance distributions of OTUs and MFs. A significant portion of the detected DOM is of a more refractory nature with lifetimes largely exceeding the mixing time of the estuary, while bacterial community turnover times in the Delaware Estuary are estimated at several days.

Occupational Exposure to Magnetic Fields and Breast Cancer Among Women Textile Workers in Shanghai, China

PubMed Central

Li, Wenjin; Ray, Roberta M.; Thomas, David B.; Yost, Michael; Davis, Scott; Breslow, Norman; Gao, Dao Li; Fitzgibbons, E. Dawn; Camp, Janice E.; Wong, Eva; Wernli, Karen J.; Checkoway, Harvey

2013-01-01

Exposure to magnetic fields (MFs) is hypothesized to increase the risk of breast cancer by reducing production of melatonin by the pineal gland. A nested case-cohort study was conducted to investigate the association between occupational exposure to MFs and the risk of breast cancer within a cohort of 267,400 female textile workers in Shanghai, China. The study included 1,687 incident breast cancer cases diagnosed from 1989 to 2000 and 4,702 noncases selected from the cohort. Subjects’ complete work histories were linked to a job–exposure matrix developed specifically for the present study to estimate cumulative MF exposure. Hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated using Cox proportional hazards modeling that was adapted for the case-cohort design. Hazard ratios were estimated in relation to cumulative exposure during a woman's entire working years. No association was observed between cumulative exposure to MFs and overall risk of breast cancer. The hazard ratio for the highest compared with the lowest quartile of cumulative exposure was 1.03 (95% confidence interval: 0.87, 1.21). Similar null findings were observed when exposures were lagged and stratified by age at breast cancer diagnosis. The findings do not support the hypothesis that MF exposure increases the risk of breast cancer. PMID:24043439

Fabrication of Smart Chemical Sensors Based on Transition-Doped-Semiconductor Nanostructure Materials with µ-Chips

PubMed Central

Rahman, Mohammed M.; Khan, Sher Bahadar; Asiri, Abdullah M.

2014-01-01

Transition metal doped semiconductor nanostructure materials (Sb2O3 doped ZnO microflowers, MFs) are deposited onto tiny µ-chip (surface area, ∼0.02217 cm2) to fabricate a smart chemical sensor for toxic ethanol in phosphate buffer solution (0.1 M PBS). The fabricated chemi-sensor is also exhibited higher sensitivity, large-dynamic concentration ranges, long-term stability, and improved electrochemical performances towards ethanol. The calibration plot is linear (r2 = 0.9989) over the large ethanol concentration ranges (0.17 mM to 0.85 M). The sensitivity and detection limit is ∼5.845 µAcm−2mM−1 and ∼0.11±0.02 mM (signal-to-noise ratio, at a SNR of 3) respectively. Here, doped MFs are prepared by a wet-chemical process using reducing agents in alkaline medium, which characterized by UV/vis., FT-IR, Raman, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), and field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) etc. The fabricated ethanol chemical sensor using Sb2O3-ZnO MFs is simple, reliable, low-sample volume (<70.0 µL), easy of integration, high sensitivity, and excellent stability for the fabrication of efficient I–V sensors on μ-chips. PMID:24454785

Single microfilaments mediate the early steps of microtubule bundling during preprophase band formation in onion cotyledon epidermal cells

PubMed Central

Takeuchi, Miyuki; Karahara, Ichirou; Kajimura, Naoko; Takaoka, Akio; Murata, Kazuyoshi; Misaki, Kazuyo; Yonemura, Shigenobu; Staehelin, L. Andrew; Mineyuki, Yoshinobu

2016-01-01

The preprophase band (PPB) is a cytokinetic apparatus that determines the site of cell division in plants. It originates as a broad band of microtubules (MTs) in G2 and narrows to demarcate the future division site during late prophase. Studies with fluorescent probes have shown that PPBs contain F-actin during early stages of their development but become actin depleted in late prophase. Although this suggests that actins contribute to the early stages of PPB formation, how actins contribute to PPB-MT organization remains unsolved. To address this question, we used electron tomography to investigate the spatial relationship between microfilaments (MFs) and MTs at different stages of PPB assembly in onion cotyledon epidermal cells. We demonstrate that the PPB actins observed by fluorescence microscopy correspond to short, single MFs. A majority of the MFs are bound to MTs, with a subset forming MT-MF-MT bridging structures. During the later stages of PPB assembly, the MF-mediated links between MTs are displaced by MT-MT linkers as the PPB MT arrays mature into tightly packed MT bundles. On the basis of these observations, we propose that the primary function of actins during PPB formation is to mediate the initial bundling of the PPB MTs. PMID:27053663

Fabrication of smart chemical sensors based on transition-doped-semiconductor nanostructure materials with µ-chips.

PubMed

Rahman, Mohammed M; Khan, Sher Bahadar; Asiri, Abdullah M

2014-01-01

Transition metal doped semiconductor nanostructure materials (Sb2O3 doped ZnO microflowers, MFs) are deposited onto tiny µ-chip (surface area, ∼0.02217 cm(2)) to fabricate a smart chemical sensor for toxic ethanol in phosphate buffer solution (0.1 M PBS). The fabricated chemi-sensor is also exhibited higher sensitivity, large-dynamic concentration ranges, long-term stability, and improved electrochemical performances towards ethanol. The calibration plot is linear (r(2) = 0.9989) over the large ethanol concentration ranges (0.17 mM to 0.85 M). The sensitivity and detection limit is ∼5.845 µAcm(-2)mM(-1) and ∼0.11±0.02 mM (signal-to-noise ratio, at a SNR of 3) respectively. Here, doped MFs are prepared by a wet-chemical process using reducing agents in alkaline medium, which characterized by UV/vis., FT-IR, Raman, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), and field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) etc. The fabricated ethanol chemical sensor using Sb2O3-ZnO MFs is simple, reliable, low-sample volume (<70.0 µL), easy of integration, high sensitivity, and excellent stability for the fabrication of efficient I-V sensors on μ-chips.

Probing Primordial Non-Gaussianity with Weak-lensing Minkowski Functionals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shirasaki, Masato; Yoshida, Naoki; Hamana, Takashi; Nishimichi, Takahiro

2012-11-01

We study the cosmological information contained in the Minkowski functionals (MFs) of weak gravitational lensing convergence maps. We show that the MFs provide strong constraints on the local-type primordial non-Gaussianity parameter f NL. We run a set of cosmological N-body simulations and perform ray-tracing simulations of weak lensing to generate 100 independent convergence maps of a 25 deg2 field of view for f NL = -100, 0 and 100. We perform a Fisher analysis to study the degeneracy among other cosmological parameters such as the dark energy equation of state parameter w and the fluctuation amplitude σ8. We use fully nonlinear covariance matrices evaluated from 1000 ray-tracing simulations. For upcoming wide-field observations such as those from the Subaru Hyper Suprime-Cam survey with a proposed survey area of 1500 deg2, the primordial non-Gaussianity can be constrained with a level of f NL ~ 80 and w ~ 0.036 by weak-lensing MFs. If simply scaled by the effective survey area, a 20,000 deg2 lensing survey using the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope will yield constraints of f NL ~ 25 and w ~ 0.013. We show that these constraints can be further improved by a tomographic method using source galaxies in multiple redshift bins.

Inhibitory Effect of TNF-alpha Produced by Macrophages Stimulated with Grifola frondosa Extract (ME) on the Growth of Influenza A/Aichi/2/68 Virus in MDCK Cells.

PubMed

Obi, Nobuko; Hayashi, Katsumi; Miyahara, Tatsurou; Shimada, Yutaka; Terasawa, Katsutoshi; Watanabe, Masataka; Takeyama, Masahide; Obi, Ryosuke; Ochiai, Hiroshi

2008-01-01

We investigated the inhibitory effect of the conditioned medium (CM) from P338D1 (D1) cells, a murine macrophage cell line, stimulated for 10 hours with a fixed dose (100 mug/ml) of the extracts from the fruit bodies of Grifola frondosa (ME) or its ultra filtration-based fractions (MFs), on the growth of influenza A/Aichi/2/68 virus in Madin-Darby canine kidney cells. Direct addition of ME and 3 kinds of MFs (MF1, MF2 and MF3) to the infected cells had no obvious inhibitory effect. However, virus yields were reduced in the presence of CMs. Notably, the inhibitory effect of the CM prepared by using MF2 (molecular weight of 30 Kd to 100 Kd) was the strongest (28% reduction compared to the control). RT-PCR and ELISA assays showed that the CMs could induce the expression of TNF-alpha mRNA in D1 cells leading to production of TNF-alpha, known as an antiviral cytokine. These findings suggest that ME and MFs (especially MF-2) might induce the production of certain factors, including TNF-alpha, which are responsible for the inhibition of viral growth in vitro.

Recent Trends in Variable Generation Forecasting and Its Value to the Power System

DOE PAGES

Orwig, Kirsten D.; Ahlstrom, Mark L.; Banunarayanan, Venkat; ...

2014-12-23

We report that the rapid deployment of wind and solar energy generation systems has resulted in a need to better understand, predict, and manage variable generation. The uncertainty around wind and solar power forecasts is still viewed by the power industry as being quite high, and many barriers to forecast adoption by power system operators still remain. In response, the U.S. Department of Energy has sponsored, in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, public, private, and academic organizations, two projects to advance wind and solar power forecasts. Additionally, several utilities and grid operators have recognized the value ofmore » adopting variable generation forecasting and have taken great strides to enhance their usage of forecasting. In parallel, power system markets and operations are evolving to integrate greater amounts of variable generation. This paper will discuss the recent trends in wind and solar power forecasting technologies in the U.S., the role of forecasting in an evolving power system framework, and the benefits to intended forecast users.« less

Seasonal Water Balance Forecasts for Drought Early Warning in Ethiopia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spirig, Christoph; Bhend, Jonas; Liniger, Mark

2016-04-01

Droughts severely impact Ethiopian agricultural production. Successful early warning for drought conditions in the upcoming harvest season therefore contributes to better managing food shortages arising from adverse climatic conditions. So far, however, meteorological seasonal forecasts have not been used in Ethiopia's national food security early warning system (i.e. the LEAP platform). Here we analyse the forecast quality of seasonal forecasts of total rainfall and of the meteorological water balance as a proxy for plant available water. We analyse forecast skill of June to September rainfall and water balance from dynamical seasonal forecast systems, the ECMWF System4 and EC-EARTH global forecasting systems. Rainfall forecasts outperform forecasts assuming a stationary climate mainly in north-eastern Ethiopia - an area that is particularly vulnerable to droughts. Forecasts of the water balance index seem to be even more skilful and thus more useful than pure rainfall forecasts. The results vary though for different lead times and skill measures employed. We further explore the potential added value of dynamically downscaling the forecasts through several dynamical regional climate models made available through the EU FP7 project EUPORIAS. Preliminary results suggest that dynamically downscaled seasonal forecasts are not significantly better compared with seasonal forecasts from the global models. We conclude that seasonal forecasts of a simple climate index such as the water balance have the potential to benefit drought early warning in Ethiopia, both due to its positive predictive skill and higher usefulness than seasonal mean quantities.

Chronic exposure to 50Hz magnetic fields causes a significant weakening of antioxidant defence systems in aged rat brain.

PubMed

Falone, Stefano; Mirabilio, Alessandro; Carbone, Maria Cristina; Zimmitti, Vincenzo; Di Loreto, Silvia; Mariggiò, Maria Addolorata; Mancinelli, Rosa; Di Ilio, Carmine; Amicarelli, Fernanda

2008-01-01

Several studies suggest that extremely low-frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MFs) may enhance the free radical endogenous production. It is also well known that one of the unavoidable consequences of ageing is an overall oxidative stress-based decline in several physiological functions and in the general resistance to stressors. On the basis of these assumptions, the aim of this study was to establish whether the ageing process can increase susceptibility towards widely present ELF-MF-mediated pro-oxidative challenges. To this end, female Sprague-Dawley rats were continuously exposed to a sinusoidal 50 Hz, 0.1 mT magnetic field for 10 days. Treatment-induced changes in the major antioxidant protection systems and in the neurotrophic support were investigated, as a function of the age of the subjects. All analyses were performed in brain cortices, due to the high susceptibility of neuronal cells to oxidative injury. Our results indicated that ELF-MF exposure significantly affects anti-oxidative capability, both in young and aged animals, although in opposite ways. Indeed, exposed young individuals enhanced their neurotrophic signalling and anti-oxidative enzymatic defence against a possible ELF-MF-mediated increase in oxygen radical species. In contrast, aged subjects were not capable of increasing their defences in response to ELF-MF treatment but, on the contrary, they underwent a significant decrease in the major antioxidant enzymatic activities. In conclusion, our data seem to suggest that the exposure to ELF-MFs may act as a risk factor for the occurrence of oxidative stress-based nervous system pathologies associated with ageing.

Short-Term Forecasting of Loads and Wind Power for Latvian Power System: Accuracy and Capacity of the Developed Tools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Radziukynas, V.; Klementavičius, A.

2016-04-01

The paper analyses the performance results of the recently developed short-term forecasting suit for the Latvian power system. The system load and wind power are forecasted using ANN and ARIMA models, respectively, and the forecasting accuracy is evaluated in terms of errors, mean absolute errors and mean absolute percentage errors. The investigation of influence of additional input variables on load forecasting errors is performed. The interplay of hourly loads and wind power forecasting errors is also evaluated for the Latvian power system with historical loads (the year 2011) and planned wind power capacities (the year 2023).

Building the Sun4Cast System: Improvements in Solar Power Forecasting

DOE PAGES

Haupt, Sue Ellen; Kosovic, Branko; Jensen, Tara; ...

2017-06-16

The Sun4Cast System results from a research-to-operations project built on a value chain approach, and benefiting electric utilities’ customers, society, and the environment by improving state-of-the-science solar power forecasting capabilities. As integration of solar power into the national electric grid rapidly increases, it becomes imperative to improve forecasting of this highly variable renewable resource. Thus, a team of researchers from public, private, and academic sectors partnered to develop and assess a new solar power forecasting system, Sun4Cast. The partnership focused on improving decision-making for utilities and independent system operators, ultimately resulting in improved grid stability and cost savings for consumers.more » The project followed a value chain approach to determine key research and technology needs to reach desired results. Sun4Cast integrates various forecasting technologies across a spectrum of temporal and spatial scales to predict surface solar irradiance. Anchoring the system is WRF-Solar, a version of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) numerical weather prediction (NWP) model optimized for solar irradiance prediction. Forecasts from multiple NWP models are blended via the Dynamic Integrated Forecast (DICast) System, the basis of the system beyond about 6 h. For short-range (0-6 h) forecasts, Sun4Cast leverages several observation-based nowcasting technologies. These technologies are blended via the Nowcasting Expert System Integrator (NESI). The NESI and DICast systems are subsequently blended to produce short to mid-term irradiance forecasts for solar array locations. The irradiance forecasts are translated into power with uncertainties quantified using an analog ensemble approach, and are provided to the industry partners for real-time decision-making. The Sun4Cast system ran operationally throughout 2015 and results were assessed. As a result, this paper analyzes the collaborative design process, discusses the project results, and provides recommendations for best-practice solar forecasting.« less

Building the Sun4Cast System: Improvements in Solar Power Forecasting

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

Haupt, Sue Ellen; Kosovic, Branko; Jensen, Tara

The Sun4Cast System results from a research-to-operations project built on a value chain approach, and benefiting electric utilities’ customers, society, and the environment by improving state-of-the-science solar power forecasting capabilities. As integration of solar power into the national electric grid rapidly increases, it becomes imperative to improve forecasting of this highly variable renewable resource. Thus, a team of researchers from public, private, and academic sectors partnered to develop and assess a new solar power forecasting system, Sun4Cast. The partnership focused on improving decision-making for utilities and independent system operators, ultimately resulting in improved grid stability and cost savings for consumers.more » The project followed a value chain approach to determine key research and technology needs to reach desired results. Sun4Cast integrates various forecasting technologies across a spectrum of temporal and spatial scales to predict surface solar irradiance. Anchoring the system is WRF-Solar, a version of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) numerical weather prediction (NWP) model optimized for solar irradiance prediction. Forecasts from multiple NWP models are blended via the Dynamic Integrated Forecast (DICast) System, the basis of the system beyond about 6 h. For short-range (0-6 h) forecasts, Sun4Cast leverages several observation-based nowcasting technologies. These technologies are blended via the Nowcasting Expert System Integrator (NESI). The NESI and DICast systems are subsequently blended to produce short to mid-term irradiance forecasts for solar array locations. The irradiance forecasts are translated into power with uncertainties quantified using an analog ensemble approach, and are provided to the industry partners for real-time decision-making. The Sun4Cast system ran operationally throughout 2015 and results were assessed. As a result, this paper analyzes the collaborative design process, discusses the project results, and provides recommendations for best-practice solar forecasting.« less

Resolution of Probabilistic Weather Forecasts with Application in Disease Management.

PubMed

Hughes, G; McRoberts, N; Burnett, F J

2017-02-01

Predictive systems in disease management often incorporate weather data among the disease risk factors, and sometimes this comes in the form of forecast weather data rather than observed weather data. In such cases, it is useful to have an evaluation of the operational weather forecast, in addition to the evaluation of the disease forecasts provided by the predictive system. Typically, weather forecasts and disease forecasts are evaluated using different methodologies. However, the information theoretic quantity expected mutual information provides a basis for evaluating both kinds of forecast. Expected mutual information is an appropriate metric for the average performance of a predictive system over a set of forecasts. Both relative entropy (a divergence, measuring information gain) and specific information (an entropy difference, measuring change in uncertainty) provide a basis for the assessment of individual forecasts.

Influence of paravertebral muscles training on brain plasticity and postural control in chronic low back pain.

PubMed

Massé-Alarie, Hugo; Beaulieu, Louis-David; Preuss, Richard; Schneider, Cyril

2016-07-01

Isometric activation (ISOM) of deep multifidi muscles (MF) can influence postural adjustments and primary motor cortex (M1) function in chronic low back pain (CLBP). In order to better understand how ISOM impacts on CLBP condition, the present study contrasted ISOM after-effects on M1 function, MF postural activation and pain with another training, the global activation of paravertebral muscles (GLOB, hip extension). The main objective of this study was to compare the effects of ISOM and GLOB (3-week training each) on MF postural activation and M1 function in a CLBP population. Twenty-four people with CLBP were randomly allocated to ISOM and GLOB groups for a 3-week daily practice. Pre/post-training after-effects were assessed by the onset of superficial MF (MF-S) activation during ballistic limb movements (bilateral shoulder flexion in standing; unilateral hip extension in prine lying), MF-S corticomotor control tested by transcranial magnetic stimulation of M1, and assessment of pain, kinesiophobia and disability by standardized questionnaires. Both ISOM and GLOB improved pain and disability. However, only ISOM influenced M1 function (decreased corticospinal excitability and increased intracortical inhibition), fastened MF-S postural activation and decreased kinesiophobia. Changes of corticospinal excitability and of MF-S postural adjustments suggest that ISOM better influenced brain plasticity. Future studies should further test whether our novel findings relate to an influence of the exercises on the lumbopelvic control of different muscles and on cognitive function. Clinically, individual's evaluation remains warranted before prescribing one or the other of these two conventional exercises for reducing pain. This original study presents how motor control exercises can influence brain plasticity and postural control in chronic low back pain. This knowledge will impact on the decision of clinicians to prescribe specific exercises with a view of improving motor control in this musculoskeletal condition. Copyright © 2016 Scandinavian Association for the Study of Pain. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Association of left ventricular longitudinal and circumferential systolic dysfunction with diastolic function in hypertension: a nonlinear analysis focused on the interplay with left ventricular geometry.

PubMed

Ballo, Piercarlo; Nistri, Stefano; Cameli, Matteo; Papesso, Barbara; Dini, Frank Lloyd; Galderisi, Maurizio; Zuppiroli, Alfredo; Mondillo, Sergio

2014-02-01

The relationships of left ventricular (LV) longitudinal and circumferential systolic dysfunction with diastolic performance in hypertensive patients have never been compared. In 532 asymptomatic hypertensive patients, circumferential function was assessed with the use of midwall fractional shortening (mFS) and stress-corrected mFS (SCmFS), whereas longitudinal function was assessed with the use of left atrioventricular plane displacement (AVPD) and systolic mitral annulus velocity (s'). Early diastolic annular velocity (e') and the E/e' ratio were measured. Global longitudinal and circumferential strain were determined in a subset of 210 patients. e' was linearly related to all systolic indexes (AVPD: R = 0.40; s': R = 0.39; mFS: R = 0.16; SCmFS: R = 0.17; all P < .0001), but the correlations were stronger with longitudinal indexes than with circumferential ones (P < .0001). E/e' was nonlinearly related to AVPD (R = -0.49; P < .0001) and s' (R = -0.34; P < .0001) and showed no relationship with mFS and SCmFS. Longitudinal indexes were superior to circumferential ones in predicting e' <8 cm/s, E/e' <8, and E/e' ≥13. The effect of LV geometry on LV diastolic function was evident among patients with preserved systolic longitudinal function, but was blunted among patients with impaired longitudinal function. In multivariable analyses, only longitudinal indexes remained associated with e' and E/e'. Analyses using strains provided similar results. In asymptomatic hypertensive subjects, LV diastolic performance is independently associated with longitudinal systolic dysfunction, but not with circumferential systolic dysfunction. Subtle longitudinal systolic impairment plays a role in mediating the effect of LV geometry on diastolic performance. These findings may support the need of critically revising the concept of isolated diastolic dysfunction in these patients. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The effectiveness of xylitol in a school-based cluster-randomized clinical trial.

PubMed

Lee, Wonik; Spiekerman, Charles; Heima, Masahiro; Eggertsson, Hafsteinn; Ferretti, Gerald; Milgrom, Peter; Nelson, Suchitra

2015-01-01

The purpose of this double-blind, cluster-randomized clinical trial was to examine the effects of xylitol gummy bear snacks on dental caries progression in primary and permanent teeth of inner-city school children. A total of 562 children aged 5-6 years were recruited from five elementary schools in East Cleveland, Ohio. Children were randomized by classroom to receive xylitol (7.8 g/day) or placebo (inulin fiber 20 g/day) gummy bears. Gummy bears were given three times per day for the 9-month kindergarten year within a supervised school environment. Children in both groups also received oral health education, toothbrush and fluoridated toothpaste, topical fluoride varnish treatment and dental sealants. The numbers of new decayed, missing, and filled surfaces for primary teeth (dmfs) and permanent teeth (DMFS) from baseline to the middle of 2nd grade (exit exam) were compared between the treatment (xylitol/placebo) groups using an optimally-weighted permutation test for cluster-randomized data. The mean new d(3-6)mfs at the exit exam was 5.0 ± 7.6 and 4.0 ± 6.5 for the xylitol and placebo group, respectively. Similarly, the mean new D(3-6)MFS was 0.38 ± 0.88 and 0.48 ± 1.39 for the xylitol and placebo group, respectively. The adjusted mean difference between the two groups was not statistically significant: new d(3-6)mfs: mean 0.4, 95% CI -0.25, 0.8), and new D(3-6)MFS: mean 0.16, 95% CI -0.16, 0.43. Xylitol consumption did not have additional benefit beyond other preventive measures. Caries progression in the permanent teeth of both groups was minimal, suggesting that other simultaneous prevention modalities may have masked the possible beneficial effects of xylitol in this trial. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Puberty suppression and executive functioning: An fMRI-study in adolescents with gender dysphoria.

PubMed

Staphorsius, Annemieke S; Kreukels, Baudewijntje P C; Cohen-Kettenis, Peggy T; Veltman, Dick J; Burke, Sarah M; Schagen, Sebastian E E; Wouters, Femke M; Delemarre-van de Waal, Henriëtte A; Bakker, Julie

2015-06-01

Adolescents with gender dysphoria (GD) may be treated with gonadotropin releasing hormone analogs (GnRHa) to suppress puberty and, thus, the development of (unwanted) secondary sex characteristics. Since adolescence marks an important period for the development of executive functioning (EF), we determined whether the performance on the Tower of London task (ToL), a commonly used EF task, was altered in adolescents with GD when treated with GnRHa. Furthermore, since GD has been proposed to result from an atypical sexual differentiation of the brain, we determined whether untreated adolescents with GD showed sex-atypical brain activations during ToL performance. We found no significant effect of GnRHa on ToL performance scores (reaction times and accuracy) when comparing GnRHa treated male-to-females (suppressed MFs, n=8) with untreated MFs (n=10) or when comparing GnRHa treated female-to-males (suppressed FMs, n=12) with untreated FMs (n=10). However, the suppressed MFs had significantly lower accuracy scores than the control groups and the untreated FMs. Region-of-interest (ROI) analyses showed significantly greater activation in control boys (n=21) than control girls (n=24) during high task load ToL items in the bilateral precuneus and a trend (p<0.1) for greater activation in the right DLPFC. In contrast, untreated adolescents with GD did not show significant sex differences in task load-related activation and had intermediate activation levels compared to the two control groups. GnRHa treated adolescents with GD showed sex differences in neural activation similar to their natal sex control groups. Furthermore, activation in the other ROIs (left DLPFC and bilateral RLPFC) was also significantly greater in GnRHa treated MFs compared to GnRHa treated FMs. These findings suggest that (1) GnRHa treatment had no effect on ToL performance in adolescents with GD, and (2) pubertal hormones may induce sex-atypical brain activations during EF in adolescents with GD. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tip-localized actin polymerization and remodeling, reflected by the localization of ADF, profilin and villin, are fundamental for gravity-sensing and polar growth in characean rhizoids.

PubMed

Braun, Markus; Hauslage, Jens; Czogalla, Aleksander; Limbach, Christoph

2004-07-01

Polar organization and gravity-oriented, polarized growth of characean rhizoids are dependent on the actin cytoskeleton. In this report, we demonstrate that the prominent center of the Spitzenkörper serves as the apical actin polymerization site in the extending tip. After cytochalasin D-induced disruption of the actin cytoskeleton, the regeneration of actin microfilaments (MFs) starts with the reappearance of a flat, brightly fluorescing actin array in the outermost tip. The actin array rounds up, produces actin MFs that radiate in all directions and is then relocated into its original central position in the center of the Spitzenkörper. The emerging actin MFs rearrange and cross-link to form the delicate, subapical meshwork, which then controls the statolith positioning, re-establishes the tip-high calcium gradient and mediates the reorganization of the Spitzenkörper with its central ER aggregate and the accumulation of secretory vesicles. Tip growth and gravitropic sensing, which includes control of statolith positioning and gravity-induced sedimentation, are not resumed until the original polar actin organization is completely restored. Immunolocalization of the actin-binding proteins, actin-depolymerizing factor (ADF) and profilin, which both accumulate in the center of the Spitzenkörper, indicates high actin turnover and gives additional support for the actin-polymerizing function of this central, apical area. Association of villin immunofluorescence with two populations of thick undulating actin cables with uniform polarity underlying rotational cytoplasmic streaming in the basal region suggests that villin is the major actin-bundling protein in rhizoids. Our results provide evidence that the precise coordination of apical actin polymerization and dynamic remodeling of actin MFs by actin-binding proteins play a fundamental role in cell polarization, gravity sensing and gravity-oriented polarized growth of characean rhizoids.

Fibroblast Growth Factor 2-A Predictor of Outcome for Patients Irradiated for Stage II-III Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer

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

Rades, Dirk, E-mail: Rades.Dirk@gmx.net; Setter, Cornelia; Dahl, Olav

2012-01-01

Purpose: The prognostic value of the tumor cell expression of the fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2) in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is unclear. The present study investigated the effect of tumor cell expression of FGF-2 on the outcome of 60 patients irradiated for Stage II-III NSCLC. Methods and Materials: The effect of FGF-2 expression and 13 additional factors on locoregional control (LRC), metastasis-free survival (MFS), and overall survival (OS) were retrospectively evaluated. These additional factors included age, gender, Karnofsky performance status, histologic type, histologic grade, T and N category, American Joint Committee on Cancer stage, surgery, chemotherapy, pack-years,more » smoking during radiotherapy, and hemoglobin during radiotherapy. Locoregional failure was identified by endoscopy or computed tomography. Univariate analyses were performed with the Kaplan-Meier method and the Wilcoxon test and multivariate analyses with the Cox proportional hazard model. Results: On univariate analysis, improved LRC was associated with surgery (p = .017), greater hemoglobin levels (p = .036), and FGF-2 negativity (p <.001). On multivariate analysis of LRC, surgery (relative risk [RR], 2.44; p = .037), and FGF-2 expression (RR, 5.06; p <.001) maintained significance. On univariate analysis, improved MFS was associated with squamous cell carcinoma (p = .020), greater hemoglobin levels (p = .007), and FGF-2 negativity (p = .001). On multivariate analysis of MFS, the hemoglobin levels (RR, 2.65; p = .019) and FGF-2 expression (RR, 3.05; p = .004) were significant. On univariate analysis, improved OS was associated with a lower N category (p = .048), greater hemoglobin levels (p <.001), and FGF-2 negativity (p <.001). On multivariate analysis of OS, greater hemoglobin levels (RR, 4.62; p = .002) and FGF-2 expression (RR, 3.25; p = .002) maintained significance. Conclusions: Tumor cell expression of FGF-2 appeared to be an independent negative predictor of LRC, MFS, and OS.« less

The Texas Children's Hospital immunization forecaster: conceptualization to implementation.

PubMed

Cunningham, Rachel M; Sahni, Leila C; Kerr, G Brady; King, Laura L; Bunker, Nathan A; Boom, Julie A

2014-12-01

Immunization forecasting systems evaluate patient vaccination histories and recommend the dates and vaccines that should be administered. We described the conceptualization, development, implementation, and distribution of a novel immunization forecaster, the Texas Children's Hospital (TCH) Forecaster. In 2007, TCH convened an internal expert team that included a pediatrician, immunization nurse, software engineer, and immunization subject matter experts to develop the TCH Forecaster. Our team developed the design of the model, wrote the software, populated the Excel tables, integrated the software, and tested the Forecaster. We created a table of rules that contained each vaccine's recommendations, minimum ages and intervals, and contraindications, which served as the basis for the TCH Forecaster. We created 15 vaccine tables that incorporated 79 unique dose states and 84 vaccine types to operationalize the entire United States recommended immunization schedule. The TCH Forecaster was implemented throughout the TCH system, the Indian Health Service, and the Virginia Department of Health. The TCH Forecast Tester is currently being used nationally. Immunization forecasting systems might positively affect adherence to vaccine recommendations. Efforts to support health care provider utilization of immunization forecasting systems and to evaluate their impact on patient care are needed.

Probabilistic empirical prediction of seasonal climate: evaluation and potential applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dieppois, B.; Eden, J.; van Oldenborgh, G. J.

2017-12-01

Preparing for episodes with risks of anomalous weather a month to a year ahead is an important challenge for governments, non-governmental organisations, and private companies and is dependent on the availability of reliable forecasts. The majority of operational seasonal forecasts are made using process-based dynamical models, which are complex, computationally challenging and prone to biases. Empirical forecast approaches built on statistical models to represent physical processes offer an alternative to dynamical systems and can provide either a benchmark for comparison or independent supplementary forecasts. Here, we present a new evaluation of an established empirical system used to predict seasonal climate across the globe. Forecasts for surface air temperature, precipitation and sea level pressure are produced by the KNMI Probabilistic Empirical Prediction (K-PREP) system every month and disseminated via the KNMI Climate Explorer (climexp.knmi.nl). K-PREP is based on multiple linear regression and built on physical principles to the fullest extent with predictive information taken from the global CO2-equivalent concentration, large-scale modes of variability in the climate system and regional-scale information. K-PREP seasonal forecasts for the period 1981-2016 will be compared with corresponding dynamically generated forecasts produced by operational forecast systems. While there are many regions of the world where empirical forecast skill is extremely limited, several areas are identified where K-PREP offers comparable skill to dynamical systems. We discuss two key points in the future development and application of the K-PREP system: (a) the potential for K-PREP to provide a more useful basis for reference forecasts than those based on persistence or climatology, and (b) the added value of including K-PREP forecast information in multi-model forecast products, at least for known regions of good skill. We also discuss the potential development of stakeholder-driven applications of the K-PREP system, including empirical forecasts for circumboreal fire activity.

A hybrid neural networks-fuzzy logic-genetic algorithm for grade estimation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tahmasebi, Pejman; Hezarkhani, Ardeshir

2012-05-01

The grade estimation is a quite important and money/time-consuming stage in a mine project, which is considered as a challenge for the geologists and mining engineers due to the structural complexities in mineral ore deposits. To overcome this problem, several artificial intelligence techniques such as Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) and Fuzzy Logic (FL) have recently been employed with various architectures and properties. However, due to the constraints of both methods, they yield the desired results only under the specific circumstances. As an example, one major problem in FL is the difficulty of constructing the membership functions (MFs).Other problems such as architecture and local minima could also be located in ANN designing. Therefore, a new methodology is presented in this paper for grade estimation. This method which is based on ANN and FL is called "Coactive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System" (CANFIS) which combines two approaches, ANN and FL. The combination of these two artificial intelligence approaches is achieved via the verbal and numerical power of intelligent systems. To improve the performance of this system, a Genetic Algorithm (GA) - as a well-known technique to solve the complex optimization problems - is also employed to optimize the network parameters including learning rate, momentum of the network and the number of MFs for each input. A comparison of these techniques (ANN, Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System or ANFIS) with this new method (CANFIS-GA) is also carried out through a case study in Sungun copper deposit, located in East-Azerbaijan, Iran. The results show that CANFIS-GA could be a faster and more accurate alternative to the existing time-consuming methodologies for ore grade estimation and that is, therefore, suggested to be applied for grade estimation in similar problems.

Hybrid Intrusion Forecasting Framework for Early Warning System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Sehun; Shin, Seong-Jun; Kim, Hyunwoo; Kwon, Ki Hoon; Han, Younggoo

Recently, cyber attacks have become a serious hindrance to the stability of Internet. These attacks exploit interconnectivity of networks, propagate in an instant, and have become more sophisticated and evolutionary. Traditional Internet security systems such as firewalls, IDS and IPS are limited in terms of detecting recent cyber attacks in advance as these systems respond to Internet attacks only after the attacks inflict serious damage. In this paper, we propose a hybrid intrusion forecasting system framework for an early warning system. The proposed system utilizes three types of forecasting methods: time-series analysis, probabilistic modeling, and data mining method. By combining these methods, it is possible to take advantage of the forecasting technique of each while overcoming their drawbacks. Experimental results show that the hybrid intrusion forecasting method outperforms each of three forecasting methods.

The NRL relocatable ocean/acoustic ensemble forecast system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rowley, C.; Martin, P.; Cummings, J.; Jacobs, G.; Coelho, E.; Bishop, C.; Hong, X.; Peggion, G.; Fabre, J.

2009-04-01

A globally relocatable regional ocean nowcast/forecast system has been developed to support rapid implementation of new regional forecast domains. The system is in operational use at the Naval Oceanographic Office for a growing number of regional and coastal implementations. The new system is the basis for an ocean acoustic ensemble forecast and adaptive sampling capability. We present an overview of the forecast system and the ocean ensemble and adaptive sampling methods. The forecast system consists of core ocean data analysis and forecast modules, software for domain configuration, surface and boundary condition forcing processing, and job control, and global databases for ocean climatology, bathymetry, tides, and river locations and transports. The analysis component is the Navy Coupled Ocean Data Assimilation (NCODA) system, a 3D multivariate optimum interpolation system that produces simultaneous analyses of temperature, salinity, geopotential, and vector velocity using remotely-sensed SST, SSH, and sea ice concentration, plus in situ observations of temperature, salinity, and currents from ships, buoys, XBTs, CTDs, profiling floats, and autonomous gliders. The forecast component is the Navy Coastal Ocean Model (NCOM). The system supports one-way nesting and multiple assimilation methods. The ensemble system uses the ensemble transform technique with error variance estimates from the NCODA analysis to represent initial condition error. Perturbed surface forcing or an atmospheric ensemble is used to represent errors in surface forcing. The ensemble transform Kalman filter is used to assess the impact of adaptive observations on future analysis and forecast uncertainty for both ocean and acoustic properties.

Value of long-term streamflow forecast to reservoir operations for water supply in snow-dominated catchments

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

Anghileri, Daniela; Voisin, Nathalie; Castelletti, Andrea F.

In this study, we develop a forecast-based adaptive control framework for Oroville reservoir, California, to assess the value of seasonal and inter-annual forecasts for reservoir operation.We use an Ensemble Streamflow Prediction (ESP) approach to generate retrospective, one-year-long streamflow forecasts based on the Variable Infiltration Capacity hydrology model. The optimal sequence of daily release decisions from the reservoir is then determined by Model Predictive Control, a flexible and adaptive optimization scheme.We assess the forecast value by comparing system performance based on the ESP forecasts with that based on climatology and a perfect forecast. In addition, we evaluate system performance based onmore » a synthetic forecast, which is designed to isolate the contribution of seasonal and inter-annual forecast skill to the overall value of the ESP forecasts.Using the same ESP forecasts, we generalize our results by evaluating forecast value as a function of forecast skill, reservoir features, and demand. Our results show that perfect forecasts are valuable when the water demand is high and the reservoir is sufficiently large to allow for annual carry-over. Conversely, ESP forecast value is highest when the reservoir can shift water on a seasonal basis.On average, for the system evaluated here, the overall ESP value is 35% less than the perfect forecast value. The inter-annual component of the ESP forecast contributes 20-60% of the total forecast value. Improvements in the seasonal component of the ESP forecast would increase the overall ESP forecast value between 15 and 20%.« less

Wind Power Forecasting Error Distributions: An International Comparison; Preprint

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

Hodge, B. M.; Lew, D.; Milligan, M.

2012-09-01

Wind power forecasting is expected to be an important enabler for greater penetration of wind power into electricity systems. Because no wind forecasting system is perfect, a thorough understanding of the errors that do occur can be critical to system operation functions, such as the setting of operating reserve levels. This paper provides an international comparison of the distribution of wind power forecasting errors from operational systems, based on real forecast data. The paper concludes with an assessment of similarities and differences between the errors observed in different locations.

Real-time emergency forecasting technique for situation management systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kopytov, V. V.; Kharechkin, P. V.; Naumenko, V. V.; Tretyak, R. S.; Tebueva, F. B.

2018-05-01

The article describes the real-time emergency forecasting technique that allows increasing accuracy and reliability of forecasting results of any emergency computational model applied for decision making in situation management systems. Computational models are improved by the Improved Brown’s method applying fractal dimension to forecast short time series data being received from sensors and control systems. Reliability of emergency forecasting results is ensured by the invalid sensed data filtering according to the methods of correlation analysis.

Louisiana Airport System Plan aviation activity forecasts 1990-2010.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1991-07-01

This report documents the methodology used to develop the aviation activity forecasts prepared as a part of the update to the Louisiana Airport System Plan and provides Louisiana aviation forecasts for the years 1990 to 2010. In general, the forecast...

Real-time forecasting at weekly timescales of the SST and SLA of the Ligurian Sea with a satellite-based ocean forecasting (SOFT) system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

ÁLvarez, A.; Orfila, A.; Tintoré, J.

2004-03-01

Satellites are the only systems able to provide continuous information on the spatiotemporal variability of vast areas of the ocean. Relatively long-term time series of satellite data are nowadays available. These spatiotemporal time series of satellite observations can be employed to build empirical models, called satellite-based ocean forecasting (SOFT) systems, to forecast certain aspects of future ocean states. SOFT systems can predict satellite-observed fields at different timescales. The forecast skill of SOFT systems forecasting the sea surface temperature (SST) at monthly timescales has been extensively explored in previous works. In this work we study the performance of two SOFT systems forecasting, respectively, the SST and sea level anomaly (SLA) at weekly timescales, that is, providing forecasts of the weekly averaged SST and SLA fields with 1 week in advance. The SOFT systems were implemented in the Ligurian Sea (Western Mediterranean Sea). Predictions from the SOFT systems are compared with observations and with the predictions obtained from persistence models. Results indicate that the SOFT system forecasting the SST field is always superior in terms of predictability to persistence. Minimum prediction errors in the SST are obtained during winter and spring seasons. On the other hand, the biggest differences between the performance of SOFT and persistence models are found during summer and autumn. These changes in the predictability are explained on the basis of the particular variability of the SST field in the Ligurian Sea. Concerning the SLA field, no improvements with respect to persistence have been found for the SOFT system forecasting the SLA field.

Great Lakes Maps - NOAA's National Weather Service

Science.gov Websites

Coastal Forecast System) Waves (GLERL Great Lakes Coastal Forecast System) Ice Cover (GLERL Great Lakes Coastal Forecast System) NOAA's National Weather Service Central Region Headquarters Regional Office 7220

Practice expenses in the MFS (Medicare fee schedule): the service-class approach.

PubMed

Latimer, E A; Kane, N M

1995-01-01

The practice expense component of the Medicare fee schedule (MFS), which is currently based on historical charges and rewards physician procedures at the expense of cognitive services, is due to be changed by January 1, 1998. The Physician Payment Review Commission (PPRC) and others have proposed microcosting direct costs and allocating all indirect costs on a common basis, such as physician time or work plus direct costs. Without altering the treatment of direct costs, the service-class approach disaggregates indirect costs into six practice function costs. The practice function costs are then allocated to classes of services using cost-accounting and statistical methods. This approach would make the practice expense component more resource-based than other proposed alternatives.

Marfan Database (second edition): software and database for the analysis of mutations in the human FBN1 gene.

PubMed Central

Collod-Béroud, G; Béroud, C; Adès, L; Black, C; Boxer, M; Brock, D J; Godfrey, M; Hayward, C; Karttunen, L; Milewicz, D; Peltonen, L; Richards, R I; Wang, M; Junien, C; Boileau, C

1997-01-01

Fibrillin is the major component of extracellular microfibrils. Mutations in the fibrillin gene on chromosome 15 (FBN1) were described at first in the heritable connective tissue disorder, Marfan syndrome (MFS). More recently, FBN1 has also been shown to harbor mutations related to a spectrum of conditions phenotypically related to MFS. These mutations are private, essentially missense, generally non-recurrent and widely distributed throughout the gene. To date no clear genotype/phenotype relationship has been observed excepted for the localization of neonatal mutations in a cluster between exons 24 and 32. The second version of the computerized Marfan database contains 89 entries. The software has been modified to accomodate new functions and routines. PMID:9016526

Desired Accuracy Estimation of Noise Function from ECG Signal by Fuzzy Approach

PubMed Central

Vahabi, Zahra; Kermani, Saeed

2012-01-01

Unknown noise and artifacts present in medical signals with non-linear fuzzy filter will be estimated and then removed. An adaptive neuro-fuzzy interference system which has a non-linear structure presented for the noise function prediction by before Samples. This paper is about a neuro-fuzzy method to estimate unknown noise of Electrocardiogram signal. Adaptive neural combined with Fuzzy System to construct a fuzzy Predictor. For this system setting parameters such as the number of Membership Functions for each input and output, training epochs, type of MFs for each input and output, learning algorithm and etc. is determined by learning data. At the end simulated experimental results are presented for proper validation. PMID:23717810

Winter wheat quality monitoring and forecasting system based on remote sensing and environmental factors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haiyang, Yu; Yanmei, Liu; Guijun, Yang; Xiaodong, Yang; Dong, Ren; Chenwei, Nie

2014-03-01

To achieve dynamic winter wheat quality monitoring and forecasting in larger scale regions, the objective of this study was to design and develop a winter wheat quality monitoring and forecasting system by using a remote sensing index and environmental factors. The winter wheat quality trend was forecasted before the harvest and quality was monitored after the harvest, respectively. The traditional quality-vegetation index from remote sensing monitoring and forecasting models were improved. Combining with latitude information, the vegetation index was used to estimate agronomy parameters which were related with winter wheat quality in the early stages for forecasting the quality trend. A combination of rainfall in May, temperature in May, illumination at later May, the soil available nitrogen content and other environmental factors established the quality monitoring model. Compared with a simple quality-vegetation index, the remote sensing monitoring and forecasting model used in this system get greatly improved accuracy. Winter wheat quality was monitored and forecasted based on the above models, and this system was completed based on WebGIS technology. Finally, in 2010 the operation process of winter wheat quality monitoring system was presented in Beijing, the monitoring and forecasting results was outputted as thematic maps.

Exploring gravity wave characteristics in 3-D using a novel S-transform technique: AIRS/Aqua measurements over the Southern Andes and Drake Passage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wright, Corwin J.; Hindley, Neil P.; Hoffmann, Lars; Alexander, M. Joan; Mitchell, Nicholas J.

2017-07-01

Gravity waves (GWs) transport momentum and energy in the atmosphere, exerting a profound influence on the global circulation. Accurately measuring them is thus vital both for understanding the atmosphere and for developing the next generation of weather forecasting and climate prediction models. However, it has proven very difficult to measure the full set of GW parameters from satellite measurements, which are the only suitable observations with global coverage. This is particularly critical at latitudes close to 60° S, where climate models significantly under-represent wave momentum fluxes. Here, we present a novel fully 3-D method for detecting and characterising GWs in the stratosphere. This method is based around a 3-D Stockwell transform, and can be applied retrospectively to existing observed data. This is the first scientific use of this spectral analysis technique. We apply our method to high-resolution 3-D atmospheric temperature data from AIRS/Aqua over the altitude range 20-60 km. Our method allows us to determine a wide range of parameters for each wave detected. These include amplitude, propagation direction, horizontal/vertical wavelength, height/direction-resolved momentum fluxes (MFs), and phase and group velocity vectors. The latter three have not previously been measured from an individual satellite instrument. We demonstrate this method over the region around the Southern Andes and Antarctic Peninsula, the largest known sources of GW MFs near the 60° S belt. Our analyses reveal the presence of strongly intermittent highly directionally focused GWs with very high momentum fluxes (˜ 80-100 mPa or more at 30 km altitude). These waves are closely associated with the mountains rather than the open ocean of the Drake Passage. Measured fluxes are directed orthogonal to both mountain ranges, consistent with an orographic source mechanism, and are largest in winter. Further, our measurements of wave group velocity vectors show clear observational evidence that these waves are strongly focused into the polar night wind jet, and thus may contribute significantly to the missing momentum at these latitudes. These results demonstrate the capabilities of our new method, which provides a powerful tool for delivering the observations required for the next generation of weather and climate models.

3D cloud detection and tracking system for solar forecast using multiple sky imagers

DOE PAGES

Peng, Zhenzhou; Yu, Dantong; Huang, Dong; ...

2015-06-23

We propose a system for forecasting short-term solar irradiance based on multiple total sky imagers (TSIs). The system utilizes a novel method of identifying and tracking clouds in three-dimensional space and an innovative pipeline for forecasting surface solar irradiance based on the image features of clouds. First, we develop a supervised classifier to detect clouds at the pixel level and output cloud mask. In the next step, we design intelligent algorithms to estimate the block-wise base height and motion of each cloud layer based on images from multiple TSIs. Thus, this information is then applied to stitch images together intomore » larger views, which are then used for solar forecasting. We examine the system’s ability to track clouds under various cloud conditions and investigate different irradiance forecast models at various sites. We confirm that this system can 1) robustly detect clouds and track layers, and 2) extract the significant global and local features for obtaining stable irradiance forecasts with short forecast horizons from the obtained images. Finally, we vet our forecasting system at the 32-megawatt Long Island Solar Farm (LISF). Compared with the persistent model, our system achieves at least a 26% improvement for all irradiance forecasts between one and fifteen minutes.« less

Forecasting Wind and Solar Generation: Improving System Operations, Greening the Grid (Spanish Version)

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

Tian, Tian; Chernyakhovskiy, Ilya; Brancucci Martinez-Anido, Carlo

This document is the Spanish version of 'Greening the Grid- Forecasting Wind and Solar Generation Improving System Operations'. It discusses improving system operations with forecasting with and solar generation. By integrating variable renewable energy (VRE) forecasts into system operations, power system operators can anticipate up- and down-ramps in VRE generation in order to cost-effectively balance load and generation in intra-day and day-ahead scheduling. This leads to reduced fuel costs, improved system reliability, and maximum use of renewable resources.

Assessing the viability of `over-the-loop' real-time short-to-medium range ensemble streamflow forecasts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wood, A. W.; Clark, E.; Mendoza, P. A.; Nijssen, B.; Newman, A. J.; Clark, M. P.; Arnold, J.; Nowak, K. C.

2016-12-01

Many if not most national operational short-to-medium range streamflow prediction systems rely on a forecaster-in-the-loop approach in which some parts of the forecast workflow are automated, but others require the hands-on-effort of an experienced human forecaster. This approach evolved out of the need to correct for deficiencies in the models and datasets that were available for forecasting, and often leads to skillful predictions despite the use of relatively simple, conceptual models. On the other hand, the process is not reproducible, which limits opportunities to assess and incorporate process variations, and the effort required to make forecasts in this way is an obstacle to expanding forecast services - e.g., though adding new forecast locations or more frequent forecast updates, running more complex models, or producing forecast ensembles and hindcasts that can support verification. In the last decade, the hydrologic forecasting community has begun to develop more centralized, `over-the-loop' systems. The quality of these new forecast products will depend on their ability to leverage research in areas including earth system modeling, parameter estimation, data assimilation, statistical post-processing, weather and climate prediction, verification, and uncertainty estimation through the use of ensembles. Currently, the operational streamflow forecasting and water management communities have little experience with the strengths and weaknesses of over-the-loop approaches, even as the systems are being rolled out in major operational forecasting centers. There is thus a need both to evaluate these forecasting advances and to demonstrate their potential in a public arena, raising awareness in forecast user communities and development programs alike. To address this need, the National Center for Atmospheric Research is collaborating with the University of Washington, the Bureau of Reclamation and the US Army Corps of Engineers, using the NCAR 'System for Hydromet Analysis, Research, and Prediction' (SHARP) to implement, assess and demonstrate real-time over-the-loop forecasts. We present early hindcast and verification results from SHARP for short to medium range streamflow forecasts in a number of US case study watersheds.

First Assessment of Itaipu Dam Ensemble Inflow Forecasting System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mainardi Fan, Fernando; Machado Vieira Lisboa, Auder; Gomes Villa Trinidad, Giovanni; Rógenes Monteiro Pontes, Paulo; Collischonn, Walter; Tucci, Carlos; Costa Buarque, Diogo

2017-04-01

Inflow forecasting for Hydropower Plants (HPP) Dams is one of the prominent uses for hydrological forecasts. A very important HPP in terms of energy generation for South America is the Itaipu Dam, located in the Paraná River, between Brazil and Paraguay countries, with a drainage area of 820.000km2. In this work, we present the development of an ensemble forecasting system for Itaipu, operational since November 2015. The system is based in the MGB-IPH hydrological model, includes hydrodynamics simulations of the main river, and is run every day morning forced by seven different rainfall forecasts: (i) CPTEC-ETA 15km; (ii) CPTEC-BRAMS 5km; (iii) SIMEPAR WRF Ferrier; (iv) SIMEPAR WRF Lin; (v) SIMEPAR WRF Morrison; (vi) SIMEPAR WRF WDM6; (vii) SIMEPAR MEDIAN. The last one (vii) corresponds to the median value of SIMEPAR WRF model versions (iii to vi) rainfall forecasts. Besides the developed system, the "traditional" method for inflow forecasting generation for the Itaipu Dam is also run every day. This traditional method consists in the approximation of the future inflow based on the discharge tendency of upstream telemetric gauges. Nowadays, after all the forecasts are run, the hydrology team of Itaipu develop a consensus forecast, based on all obtained results, which is the one used for the Itaipu HPP Dam operation. After one year of operation a first evaluation of the Ensemble Forecasting System was conducted. Results show that the system performs satisfactory for rising flows up to five days lead time. However, some false alarms were also issued by most ensemble members in some cases. And not in all cases the system performed better than the traditional method, especially during hydrograph recessions. In terms of meteorological forecasts, some members usage are being discontinued. In terms of the hydrodynamics representation, it seems that a better information of rivers cross section could improve hydrographs recession curves forecasts. Those opportunities for improvements are currently being addressed in the system next update.

Caries prevalence and its association with brushing habits, water availability, and the intake of sugared beverages.

PubMed

Guido, Joseph A; Martinez Mier, Esperanza A; Soto, Armando; Eggertsson, Hafsteinn; Sanders, Brian J; Jones, James E; Weddell, James A; Villanueva Cruz, Irma; Anton de la Concha, Jose Luis

2011-11-01

BACKGROUND. With Dental Caries being the most common disease amongst children in the world today, there is a need to fully understand risk factors that may be related to caries prevalence and how they could be best addressed. AIM. The aim of this study was to evaluate soda, juice, sugared-beverage intake, brushing habits, and community water source availability as they relate to the prevalence of both noncavitated and cavitated caries lesions in small rural villages in Mexico. DESIGN. The International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) was used in children from small, isolated, villages in Mexico. Risk factors were assessed via questionnaires. RESULTS. Caries prevalence in the villages was very high, ranging from 94.7% to 100% of the children studied. The mean number of surfaces with lesions per child (D1MFS + d1mfs) having scores ≥1 (noncavitated and cavitated) ranged from 15.4 ± 11.1 to 26.6 ± 15.2. Many of the children reported drinking beverages containing sugar. CONCLUSIONS. Drinking sugared beverages, poor oral hygiene habits, and lack of access to tap water were identified as risk factor for caries in this sample of residents of rural Mexico. © 2011 The Authors. International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry © 2011 BSPD, IAPD and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Design of a Forecasting Service System for Monitoring of Vulnerabilities of Sensor Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Jae-Gu; Kim, Jong Hyun; Seo, Dong Il; Kim, Seoksoo

This study aims to reduce security vulnerabilities of sensor networks which transmit data in an open environment by developing a forecasting service system. The system is to remove or monitor causes of breach incidents in advance. To that end, this research first examines general security vulnerabilities of sensor networks and analyzes characteristics of existing forecasting systems. Then, 5 steps of a forecasting service system are proposed in order to improve security responses.

Complex relationship between seasonal streamflow forecast skill and value in reservoir operations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turner, Sean W. D.; Bennett, James C.; Robertson, David E.; Galelli, Stefano

2017-09-01

Considerable research effort has recently been directed at improving and operationalising ensemble seasonal streamflow forecasts. Whilst this creates new opportunities for improving the performance of water resources systems, there may also be associated risks. Here, we explore these potential risks by examining the sensitivity of forecast value (improvement in system performance brought about by adopting forecasts) to changes in the forecast skill for a range of hypothetical reservoir designs with contrasting operating objectives. Forecast-informed operations are simulated using rolling horizon, adaptive control and then benchmarked against optimised control rules to assess performance improvements. Results show that there exists a strong relationship between forecast skill and value for systems operated to maintain a target water level. But this relationship breaks down when the reservoir is operated to satisfy a target demand for water; good forecast accuracy does not necessarily translate into performance improvement. We show that the primary cause of this behaviour is the buffering role played by storage in water supply reservoirs, which renders the forecast superfluous for long periods of the operation. System performance depends primarily on forecast accuracy when critical decisions are made - namely during severe drought. As it is not possible to know in advance if a forecast will perform well at such moments, we advocate measuring the consistency of forecast performance, through bootstrap resampling, to indicate potential usefulness in storage operations. Our results highlight the need for sensitivity assessment in value-of-forecast studies involving reservoirs with supply objectives.

Complex relationship between seasonal streamflow forecast skill and value in reservoir operations

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

Turner, Sean W. D.; Bennett, James C.; Robertson, David E.

Considerable research effort has recently been directed at improving and operationalising ensemble seasonal streamflow forecasts. Whilst this creates new opportunities for improving the performance of water resources systems, there may also be associated risks. Here, we explore these potential risks by examining the sensitivity of forecast value (improvement in system performance brought about by adopting forecasts) to changes in the forecast skill for a range of hypothetical reservoir designs with contrasting operating objectives. Forecast-informed operations are simulated using rolling horizon, adaptive control and then benchmarked against optimised control rules to assess performance improvements. Results show that there exists a strongmore » relationship between forecast skill and value for systems operated to maintain a target water level. But this relationship breaks down when the reservoir is operated to satisfy a target demand for water; good forecast accuracy does not necessarily translate into performance improvement. We show that the primary cause of this behaviour is the buffering role played by storage in water supply reservoirs, which renders the forecast superfluous for long periods of the operation. System performance depends primarily on forecast accuracy when critical decisions are made – namely during severe drought. As it is not possible to know in advance if a forecast will perform well at such moments, we advocate measuring the consistency of forecast performance, through bootstrap resampling, to indicate potential usefulness in storage operations. Our results highlight the need for sensitivity assessment in value-of-forecast studies involving reservoirs with supply objectives.« less

Complex relationship between seasonal streamflow forecast skill and value in reservoir operations

DOE PAGES

Turner, Sean W. D.; Bennett, James C.; Robertson, David E.; ...

2017-09-28

Considerable research effort has recently been directed at improving and operationalising ensemble seasonal streamflow forecasts. Whilst this creates new opportunities for improving the performance of water resources systems, there may also be associated risks. Here, we explore these potential risks by examining the sensitivity of forecast value (improvement in system performance brought about by adopting forecasts) to changes in the forecast skill for a range of hypothetical reservoir designs with contrasting operating objectives. Forecast-informed operations are simulated using rolling horizon, adaptive control and then benchmarked against optimised control rules to assess performance improvements. Results show that there exists a strongmore » relationship between forecast skill and value for systems operated to maintain a target water level. But this relationship breaks down when the reservoir is operated to satisfy a target demand for water; good forecast accuracy does not necessarily translate into performance improvement. We show that the primary cause of this behaviour is the buffering role played by storage in water supply reservoirs, which renders the forecast superfluous for long periods of the operation. System performance depends primarily on forecast accuracy when critical decisions are made – namely during severe drought. As it is not possible to know in advance if a forecast will perform well at such moments, we advocate measuring the consistency of forecast performance, through bootstrap resampling, to indicate potential usefulness in storage operations. Our results highlight the need for sensitivity assessment in value-of-forecast studies involving reservoirs with supply objectives.« less

Progress and challenges with Warn-on-Forecast

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stensrud, David J.; Wicker, Louis J.; Xue, Ming; Dawson, Daniel T.; Yussouf, Nusrat; Wheatley, Dustan M.; Thompson, Therese E.; Snook, Nathan A.; Smith, Travis M.; Schenkman, Alexander D.; Potvin, Corey K.; Mansell, Edward R.; Lei, Ting; Kuhlman, Kristin M.; Jung, Youngsun; Jones, Thomas A.; Gao, Jidong; Coniglio, Michael C.; Brooks, Harold E.; Brewster, Keith A.

2013-04-01

The current status and challenges associated with two aspects of Warn-on-Forecast-a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration research project exploring the use of a convective-scale ensemble analysis and forecast system to support hazardous weather warning operations-are outlined. These two project aspects are the production of a rapidly-updating assimilation system to incorporate data from multiple radars into a single analysis, and the ability of short-range ensemble forecasts of hazardous convective weather events to provide guidance that could be used to extend warning lead times for tornadoes, hailstorms, damaging windstorms and flash floods. Results indicate that a three-dimensional variational assimilation system, that blends observations from multiple radars into a single analysis, shows utility when evaluated by forecasters in the Hazardous Weather Testbed and may help increase confidence in a warning decision. The ability of short-range convective-scale ensemble forecasts to provide guidance that could be used in warning operations is explored for five events: two tornadic supercell thunderstorms, a macroburst, a damaging windstorm and a flash flood. Results show that the ensemble forecasts of the three individual severe thunderstorm events are very good, while the forecasts from the damaging windstorm and flash flood events, associated with mesoscale convective systems, are mixed. Important interactions between mesoscale and convective-scale features occur for the mesoscale convective system events that strongly influence the quality of the convective-scale forecasts. The development of a successful Warn-on-Forecast system will take many years and require the collaborative efforts of researchers and operational forecasters to succeed.

Challenges for operational forecasting and early warning of rainfall induced landslides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guzzetti, Fausto

2017-04-01

In many areas of the world, landslides occur every year, claiming lives and producing severe economic and environmental damage. Many of the landslides with human or economic consequences are the result of intense or prolonged rainfall. For this reason, in many areas the timely forecast of rainfall-induced landslides is of both scientific interest and social relevance. In the recent years, there has been a mounting interest and an increasing demand for operational landslide forecasting, and for associated landslide early warning systems. Despite the relevance of the problem, and the increasing interest and demand, only a few systems have been designed, and are currently operated. Inspection of the - limited - literature on operational landslide forecasting, and on the associated early warning systems, reveals that common criteria and standards for the design, the implementation, the operation, and the evaluation of the performances of the systems, are lacking. This limits the possibility to compare and to evaluate the systems critically, to identify their inherent strengths and weaknesses, and to improve the performance of the systems. Lack of common criteria and of established standards can also limit the credibility of the systems, and consequently their usefulness and potential practical impact. Landslides are very diversified phenomena, and the information and the modelling tools used to attempt landslide forecasting vary largely, depending on the type and size of the landslides, the extent of the geographical area considered, the timeframe of the forecasts, and the scope of the predictions. Consequently, systems for landslide forecasting and early warning can be designed and implemented at several different geographical scales, from the local (site or slope specific) to the regional, or even national scale. The talk focuses on regional to national scale landslide forecasting systems, and specifically on operational systems based on empirical rainfall threshold models. Building on the experience gained in designing, implementing, and operating national and regional landslide forecasting systems in Italy, and on a preliminary review of the existing literature on regional landslide early warning systems, the talk discusses concepts, limitations and challenges inherent to the design of reliable forecasting and early warning systems for rainfall-triggered landslides, the evaluation of the performances of the systems, and on problems related to the use of the forecasts and the issuing of landslide warnings. Several of the typical elements of an operational landslide forecasting system are considered, including: (i) the rainfall and landslide information used to establish the threshold models, (ii) the methods and tools used to define the empirical rainfall thresholds, and their associated uncertainty, (iii) the quality (e.g., the temporal and spatial resolution) of the rainfall information used for operational forecasting, including rain gauge and radar measurements, satellite estimates, and quantitative weather forecasts, (iv) the ancillary information used to prepare the forecasts, including e.g., the terrain subdivisions and the landslide susceptibility zonations, (v) the criteria used to transform the forecasts into landslide warnings and the methods used to communicate the warnings, and (vi) the criteria and strategies adopted to evaluate the performances of the systems, and to define minimum or optimal performance levels.

Confirmation of Two Undescribed Fungal Species from Dokdo of Korea Based on Current Classification System Using Multi Loci

PubMed Central

Lee, Hye Won; Nguyen, Thi Thuong Thuong; Mun, Hye Yeon; Lee, Haengsub; Kim, Changmu

2015-01-01

Using dilution plating method, 47 fungal isolates were obtained from a soil sample collected from Dokdo in the East Sea of Korea in 2013. In this study, two fungal isolates, EML-MFS30-1 and EML-DDSF4, were confirmed as undescribed species, Metarhizium guizhouense and Mortierella oligospora in Korea based on current classification system using multi loci including rDNA internal transcribed spacer, large subunit, small subunit, and β-tubulin (BTUB) genes. Herein, detailed morphological descriptions on characters of the undescribed fungal species as well as their molecular phylogenetic status are provided with comparisons to related species. PMID:26839498

Distributed HUC-based modeling with SUMMA for ensemble streamflow forecasting over large regional domains.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saharia, M.; Wood, A.; Clark, M. P.; Bennett, A.; Nijssen, B.; Clark, E.; Newman, A. J.

2017-12-01

Most operational streamflow forecasting systems rely on a forecaster-in-the-loop approach in which some parts of the forecast workflow require an experienced human forecaster. But this approach faces challenges surrounding process reproducibility, hindcasting capability, and extension to large domains. The operational hydrologic community is increasingly moving towards `over-the-loop' (completely automated) large-domain simulations yet recent developments indicate a widespread lack of community knowledge about the strengths and weaknesses of such systems for forecasting. A realistic representation of land surface hydrologic processes is a critical element for improving forecasts, but often comes at the substantial cost of forecast system agility and efficiency. While popular grid-based models support the distributed representation of land surface processes, intermediate-scale Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC)-based modeling could provide a more efficient and process-aligned spatial discretization, reducing the need for tradeoffs between model complexity and critical forecasting requirements such as ensemble methods and comprehensive model calibration. The National Center for Atmospheric Research is collaborating with the University of Washington, the Bureau of Reclamation and the USACE to implement, assess, and demonstrate real-time, over-the-loop distributed streamflow forecasting for several large western US river basins and regions. In this presentation, we present early results from short to medium range hydrologic and streamflow forecasts for the Pacific Northwest (PNW). We employ a real-time 1/16th degree daily ensemble model forcings as well as downscaled Global Ensemble Forecasting System (GEFS) meteorological forecasts. These datasets drive an intermediate-scale configuration of the Structure for Unifying Multiple Modeling Alternatives (SUMMA) model, which represents the PNW using over 11,700 HUCs. The system produces not only streamflow forecasts (using the MizuRoute channel routing tool) but also distributed model states such as soil moisture and snow water equivalent. We also describe challenges in distributed model-based forecasting, including the application and early results of real-time hydrologic data assimilation.

Validation and Inter-comparison Against Observations of GODAE Ocean View Ocean Prediction Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, J.; Davidson, F. J. M.; Smith, G. C.; Lu, Y.; Hernandez, F.; Regnier, C.; Drevillon, M.; Ryan, A.; Martin, M.; Spindler, T. D.; Brassington, G. B.; Oke, P. R.

2016-02-01

For weather forecasts, validation of forecast performance is done at the end user level as well as by the meteorological forecast centers. In the development of Ocean Prediction Capacity, the same level of care for ocean forecast performance and validation is needed. Herein we present results from a validation against observations of 6 Global Ocean Forecast Systems under the GODAE OceanView International Collaboration Network. These systems include the Global Ocean Ice Forecast System (GIOPS) developed by the Government of Canada, two systems PSY3 and PSY4 from the French Mercator-Ocean Ocean Forecasting Group, the FOAM system from UK met office, HYCOM-RTOFS from NOAA/NCEP/NWA of USA, and the Australian Bluelink-OceanMAPS system from the CSIRO, the Australian Meteorological Bureau and the Australian Navy.The observation data used in the comparison are sea surface temperature, sub-surface temperature, sub-surface salinity, sea level anomaly, and sea ice total concentration data. Results of the inter-comparison demonstrate forecast performance limits, strengths and weaknesses of each of the six systems. This work establishes validation protocols and routines by which all new prediction systems developed under the CONCEPTS Collaborative Network will be benchmarked prior to approval for operations. This includes anticipated delivery of CONCEPTS regional prediction systems over the next two years including a pan Canadian 1/12th degree resolution ice ocean prediction system and limited area 1/36th degree resolution prediction systems. The validation approach of comparing forecasts to observations at the time and location of the observation is called Class 4 metrics. It has been adopted by major international ocean prediction centers, and will be recommended to JCOMM-WMO as routine validation approach for operational oceanography worldwide.

Consensus Seasonal Flood Forecasts and Warning Response System (FFWRS): an alternate for nonstructural flood management in Bangladesh.

PubMed

Chowdhury, Rashed

2005-06-01

Despite advances in short-range flood forecasting and information dissemination systems in Bangladesh, the present system is less than satisfactory. This is because of short lead-time products, outdated dissemination networks, and lack of direct feedback from the end-user. One viable solution is to produce long-lead seasonal forecasts--the demand for which is significantly increasing in Bangladesh--and disseminate these products through the appropriate channels. As observed in other regions, the success of seasonal forecasts, in contrast to short-term forecast, depends on consensus among the participating institutions. The Flood Forecasting and Warning Response System (henceforth, FFWRS) has been found to be an important component in a comprehensive and participatory approach to seasonal flood management. A general consensus in producing seasonal forecasts can thus be achieved by enhancing the existing FFWRS. Therefore, the primary objective of this paper is to revisit and modify the framework of an ideal warning response system for issuance of consensus seasonal flood forecasts in Bangladesh. The five-stage FFWRS-i) Flood forecasting, ii) Forecast interpretation and message formulation, iii) Warning preparation and dissemination, iv) Responses, and v) Review and analysis-has been modified. To apply the concept of consensus forecast, a framework similar to that of the Southern African Regional Climate Outlook Forum (SARCOF) has been discussed. Finally, the need for a climate Outlook Fora has been emphasized for a comprehensive and participatory approach to seasonal flood hazard management in Bangladesh.

A Diagnostics Tool to detect ensemble forecast system anomaly and guide operational decisions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, G. H.; Srivastava, A.; Shrestha, E.; Thiemann, M.; Day, G. N.; Draijer, S.

2017-12-01

The hydrologic community is moving toward using ensemble forecasts to take uncertainty into account during the decision-making process. The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) implements several types of ensemble forecasts in their decision-making process: ensemble products for a statistical model (Hirsch and enhanced Hirsch); the National Weather Service (NWS) Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS) forecasts based on the classical Ensemble Streamflow Prediction (ESP) technique; and the new NWS Hydrologic Ensemble Forecasting Service (HEFS) forecasts. To remove structural error and apply the forecasts to additional forecast points, the DEP post processes both the AHPS and the HEFS forecasts. These ensemble forecasts provide mass quantities of complex data, and drawing conclusions from these forecasts is time-consuming and difficult. The complexity of these forecasts also makes it difficult to identify system failures resulting from poor data, missing forecasts, and server breakdowns. To address these issues, we developed a diagnostic tool that summarizes ensemble forecasts and provides additional information such as historical forecast statistics, forecast skill, and model forcing statistics. This additional information highlights the key information that enables operators to evaluate the forecast in real-time, dynamically interact with the data, and review additional statistics, if needed, to make better decisions. We used Bokeh, a Python interactive visualization library, and a multi-database management system to create this interactive tool. This tool compiles and stores data into HTML pages that allows operators to readily analyze the data with built-in user interaction features. This paper will present a brief description of the ensemble forecasts, forecast verification results, and the intended applications for the diagnostic tool.

A real-time evaluation and demonstration of strategies for 'Over-The-Loop' ensemble streamflow forecasting in US watersheds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wood, Andy; Clark, Elizabeth; Mendoza, Pablo; Nijssen, Bart; Newman, Andy; Clark, Martyn; Nowak, Kenneth; Arnold, Jeffrey

2017-04-01

Many if not most national operational streamflow prediction systems rely on a forecaster-in-the-loop approach that require the hands-on-effort of an experienced human forecaster. This approach evolved from the need to correct for long-standing deficiencies in the models and datasets used in forecasting, and the practice often leads to skillful flow predictions despite the use of relatively simple, conceptual models. Yet the 'in-the-loop' forecast process is not reproducible, which limits opportunities to assess and incorporate new techniques systematically, and the effort required to make forecasts in this way is an obstacle to expanding forecast services - e.g., though adding new forecast locations or more frequent forecast updates, running more complex models, or producing forecast and hindcasts that can support verification. In the last decade, the hydrologic forecasting community has begun develop more centralized, 'over-the-loop' systems. The quality of these new forecast products will depend on their ability to leverage research in areas including earth system modeling, parameter estimation, data assimilation, statistical post-processing, weather and climate prediction, verification, and uncertainty estimation through the use of ensembles. Currently, many national operational streamflow forecasting and water management communities have little experience with the strengths and weaknesses of over-the-loop approaches, even as such systems are beginning to be deployed operationally in centers such as ECMWF. There is thus a need both to evaluate these forecasting advances and to demonstrate their potential in a public arena, raising awareness in forecast user communities and development programs alike. To address this need, the US National Center for Atmospheric Research is collaborating with the University of Washington, the Bureau of Reclamation and the US Army Corps of Engineers, using the NCAR 'System for Hydromet Analysis Research and Prediction Applications' (SHARP) to implement, assess and demonstrate real-time over-the-loop ensemble flow forecasts in a range of US watersheds. The system relies on fully ensemble techniques, including: an 100-member ensemble of meteorological model forcings and an ensemble particle filter data assimilation for initializing watershed states; analog/regression-based downscaling of ensemble weather forecasts from GEFS; and statistical post-processing of ensemble forecast outputs, all of which run in real-time within a workflow managed by ECWMF's ecFlow libraries over large US regional domains. We describe SHARP and present early hindcast and verification results for short to seasonal range streamflow forecasts in a number of US case study watersheds.

Forecasting, Forecasting

Treesearch

Michael A. Fosberg

1987-01-01

Future improvements in the meteorological forecasts used in fire management will come from improvements in three areas: observational systems, forecast techniques, and postprocessing of forecasts and better integration of this information into the fire management process.

Skill of a global seasonal ensemble streamflow forecasting system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Candogan Yossef, Naze; Winsemius, Hessel; Weerts, Albrecht; van Beek, Rens; Bierkens, Marc

2013-04-01

Forecasting of water availability and scarcity is a prerequisite for managing the risks and opportunities caused by the inter-annual variability of streamflow. Reliable seasonal streamflow forecasts are necessary to prepare for an appropriate response in disaster relief, management of hydropower reservoirs, water supply, agriculture and navigation. Seasonal hydrological forecasting on a global scale could be valuable especially for developing regions of the world, where effective hydrological forecasting systems are scarce. In this study, we investigate the forecasting skill of the global seasonal streamflow forecasting system FEWS-World, using the global hydrological model PCR-GLOBWB. FEWS-World has been setup within the European Commission 7th Framework Programme project Global Water Scarcity Information Service (GLOWASIS). Skill is assessed in historical simulation mode as well as retroactive forecasting mode. The assessment in historical simulation mode used a meteorological forcing based on observations from the Climate Research Unit of the University of East Anglia and the ERA-40 reanalysis of the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). We assessed the skill of the global hydrological model PCR-GLOBWB in reproducing past discharge extremes in 20 large rivers of the world. This preliminary assessment concluded that the prospects for seasonal forecasting with PCR-GLOBWB or comparable models are positive. However this assessment did not include actual meteorological forecasts. Thus the meteorological forcing errors were not assessed. Yet, in a forecasting setup, the predictive skill of a hydrological forecasting system is affected by errors due to uncertainty from numerical weather prediction models. For the assessment in retroactive forecasting mode, the model is forced with actual ensemble forecasts from the seasonal forecast archives of ECMWF. Skill is assessed at 78 stations on large river basins across the globe, for all the months of the year and for lead times up to 6 months. The forecasted discharges are compared with observed monthly streamflow records using the ensemble verification measures Brier Skill Score (BSS) and Continuous Ranked Probability Score (CRPS). The eventual goal is to transfer FEWS-World to operational forecasting mode, where the system will use operational seasonal forecasts from ECMWF. The results will be disseminated on the internet, and hopefully provide information that is valuable for users in data and model-poor regions of the world.

Risky Business: Development, Communication and Use of Hydroclimatic Forecasts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lall, U.

2012-12-01

Inter-seasonal and longer hydroclimatic forecasts have been made increasingly in the last two decades following the increase in ENSO activity since the early 1980s and the success in seasonal ENSO forecasting. Yet, the number of examples of systematic use of these forecasts and their incorporation into water systems operation continue to be few. This may be due in part to the limited skill in such forecasts over much of the world, but is also likely due to the limited evolution of methods and opportunities to "safely" use uncertain forecasts. There has been a trend to rely more on "physically based" rather than "physically informed" empirical forecasts, and this may in part explain the limited success in developing usable products in more locations. Given the limited skill, forecasters have tended to "dumb" down their forecasts - either formally or subjectively shrinking the forecasts towards climatology, or reducing them to tercile forecasts that serve to obscure the potential information in the forecast. Consequently, the potential utility of such forecasts for decision making is compromised. Water system operating rules are often designed to be robust in the face of historical climate variability, and consequently are adapted to the potential conditions that a forecast seeks to inform. In such situations, there is understandable reluctance by managers to use the forecasts as presented, except in special cases where an alternate course of action is pragmatically appealing in any case. In this talk, I review opportunities to present targeted forecasts for use with decision systems that directly address climate risk and the risk induced by unbiased yet uncertain forecasts, focusing especially on extreme events and water allocation in a competitive environment. Examples from Brazil and India covering surface and ground water conjunctive use strategies that could potentially be insured and lead to improvements over the traditional system operation and resource allocation are provided.

A global flash flood forecasting system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baugh, Calum; Pappenberger, Florian; Wetterhall, Fredrik; Hewson, Tim; Zsoter, Ervin

2016-04-01

The sudden and devastating nature of flash flood events means it is imperative to provide early warnings such as those derived from Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) forecasts. Currently such systems exist on basin, national and continental scales in Europe, North America and Australia but rely on high resolution NWP forecasts or rainfall-radar nowcasting, neither of which have global coverage. To produce global flash flood forecasts this work investigates the possibility of using forecasts from a global NWP system. In particular we: (i) discuss how global NWP can be used for flash flood forecasting and discuss strengths and weaknesses; (ii) demonstrate how a robust evaluation can be performed given the rarity of the event; (iii) highlight the challenges and opportunities in communicating flash flood uncertainty to decision makers; and (iv) explore future developments which would significantly improve global flash flood forecasting. The proposed forecast system uses ensemble surface runoff forecasts from the ECMWF H-TESSEL land surface scheme. A flash flood index is generated using the ERIC (Enhanced Runoff Index based on Climatology) methodology [Raynaud et al., 2014]. This global methodology is applied to a series of flash floods across southern Europe. Results from the system are compared against warnings produced using the higher resolution COSMO-LEPS limited area model. The global system is evaluated by comparing forecasted warning locations against a flash flood database of media reports created in partnership with floodlist.com. To deal with the lack of objectivity in media reports we carefully assess the suitability of different skill scores and apply spatial uncertainty thresholds to the observations. To communicate the uncertainties of the flash flood system output we experiment with a dynamic region-growing algorithm. This automatically clusters regions of similar return period exceedence probabilities, thus presenting the at-risk areas at a spatial resolution appropriate to the NWP system. We then demonstrate how these warning areas could eventually complement existing global systems such as the Global Flood Awareness System (GloFAS), to give warnings of flash floods. This work demonstrates the possibility of creating a global flash flood forecasting system based on forecasts from existing global NWP systems. Future developments, in post-processing for example, will need to address an under-prediction bias, for extreme point rainfall, that is innate to current-generation global models.

Evaluation of efficacy of 1% Crystal Violet & Nuclear Fast Red stain compared to Haematoxyline & Eosin stain for assessing mitotic figures in oral premalignant and malignant lesions.

PubMed

Motiwale, Gauri; Jaiswal, Shradha; Vikey, Ashok; Motiwale, Tejas; Bagulkar, Bhupesh; Bhat, Atul; Kapoor, Prakhar

2016-07-01

Various chromosomal arrangements in cells undergoing division are referred to as Mitotic figure (MF). The abnormal excess of mitotic figures is commonly seen in oral epithelial dysplasia (ED) and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). In present study, we compared the number of mitotic figures in normal oral mucosa, epithelial dysplasia & OSCC sections with haematoxyline & eosine (H&E) and 1%Crystal Violet & Nuclear Fast Red (CV&NFR) stain, also the efficacy of the CV&NFR stain as compared to H & E stain. We investigated the correlation between the number of mitotic figures & grades of OSCC. Study sample comprised of two serial sections of archival blocks of normal oral mucosa & diagnosed cases of epithelial dysplasia & OSCC. One slide stained with H& E & the other one with 1% CV & NFR. Mitotic figures were counted with the grid eyepiece. There was significant increase in number of MFs in oral ED and OSCC in comparison with normal oral mucosa. There was a highly significant increase in number of MFs in CV&NFR stained tissue sections when compared with H & E stain. Metaphase is the most commonly observed phase of mitosis. In summary, our study proposes the use of Crystal violet & Nuclear fast red stain as a selective stain for better contrast & easy identification MFs. © 2016 Old City Publishing, Inc.

Category-Selectivity in Human Visual Cortex Follows Cortical Topology: A Grouped icEEG Study

PubMed Central

Conner, Christopher Richard; Whaley, Meagan Lee; Baboyan, Vatche George; Tandon, Nitin

2016-01-01

Neuroimaging studies suggest that category-selective regions in higher-order visual cortex are topologically organized around specific anatomical landmarks: the mid-fusiform sulcus (MFS) in the ventral temporal cortex (VTC) and lateral occipital sulcus (LOS) in the lateral occipital cortex (LOC). To derive precise structure-function maps from direct neural signals, we collected intracranial EEG (icEEG) recordings in a large human cohort (n = 26) undergoing implantation of subdural electrodes. A surface-based approach to grouped icEEG analysis was used to overcome challenges from sparse electrode coverage within subjects and variable cortical anatomy across subjects. The topology of category-selectivity in bilateral VTC and LOC was assessed for five classes of visual stimuli—faces, animate non-face (animals/body-parts), places, tools, and words—using correlational and linear mixed effects analyses. In the LOC, selectivity for living (faces and animate non-face) and non-living (places and tools) classes was arranged in a ventral-to-dorsal axis along the LOS. In the VTC, selectivity for living and non-living stimuli was arranged in a latero-medial axis along the MFS. Written word-selectivity was reliably localized to the intersection of the left MFS and the occipito-temporal sulcus. These findings provide direct electrophysiological evidence for topological information structuring of functional representations within higher-order visual cortex. PMID:27272936

Tunneling current in HfO2 and Hf0.5Zr0.5O2-based ferroelectric tunnel junction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Zhipeng; Cao, Xi; Wu, Tong; Guo, Jing

2018-03-01

Ferroelectric tunnel junctions (FTJs) have been intensively explored for future low power data storage and information processing applications. Among various ferroelectric (FE) materials studied, HfO2 and H0.5Zr0.5O2 (HZO) have the advantage of CMOS process compatibility. The validity of the simple effective mass approximation, for describing the tunneling process in these materials, is examined by computing the complex band structure from ab initio simulations. The results show that the simple effective mass approximation is insufficient to describe the tunneling current in HfO2 and HZO materials, and quantitative accurate descriptions of the complex band structures are indispensable for calculation of the tunneling current. A compact k . p Hamiltonian is parameterized to and validated by ab initio complex band structures, which provides a method for efficiently and accurately computing the tunneling current in HfO2 and HZO. The device characteristics of a metal/FE/metal structure and a metal/FE/semiconductor (M-F-S) structure are investigated by using the non-equilibrium Green's function formalism with the parameterized effective Hamiltonian. The result shows that the M-F-S structure offers a larger resistance window due to an extra barrier in the semiconductor region at off-state. A FTJ utilizing M-F-S structure is beneficial for memory design.

Short-Term Distribution System State Forecast Based on Optimal Synchrophasor Sensor Placement and Extreme Learning Machine

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

Jiang, Huaiguang; Zhang, Yingchen

This paper proposes an approach for distribution system state forecasting, which aims to provide an accurate and high speed state forecasting with an optimal synchrophasor sensor placement (OSSP) based state estimator and an extreme learning machine (ELM) based forecaster. Specifically, considering the sensor installation cost and measurement error, an OSSP algorithm is proposed to reduce the number of synchrophasor sensor and keep the whole distribution system numerically and topologically observable. Then, the weighted least square (WLS) based system state estimator is used to produce the training data for the proposed forecaster. Traditionally, the artificial neural network (ANN) and support vectormore » regression (SVR) are widely used in forecasting due to their nonlinear modeling capabilities. However, the ANN contains heavy computation load and the best parameters for SVR are difficult to obtain. In this paper, the ELM, which overcomes these drawbacks, is used to forecast the future system states with the historical system states. The proposed approach is effective and accurate based on the testing results.« less

A probabilistic drought forecasting framework: A combined dynamical and statistical approach

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

Yan, Hongxiang; Moradkhani, Hamid; Zarekarizi, Mahkameh

In order to improve drought forecasting skill, this study develops a probabilistic drought forecasting framework comprised of dynamical and statistical modeling components. The novelty of this study is to seek the use of data assimilation to quantify initial condition uncertainty with the Monte Carlo ensemble members, rather than relying entirely on the hydrologic model or land surface model to generate a single deterministic initial condition, as currently implemented in the operational drought forecasting systems. Next, the initial condition uncertainty is quantified through data assimilation and coupled with a newly developed probabilistic drought forecasting model using a copula function. The initialmore » condition at each forecast start date are sampled from the data assimilation ensembles for forecast initialization. Finally, seasonal drought forecasting products are generated with the updated initial conditions. This study introduces the theory behind the proposed drought forecasting system, with an application in Columbia River Basin, Pacific Northwest, United States. Results from both synthetic and real case studies suggest that the proposed drought forecasting system significantly improves the seasonal drought forecasting skills and can facilitate the state drought preparation and declaration, at least three months before the official state drought declaration.« less

Development, Implementation, and Skill Assessment of the NOAA/NOS Great Lakes Operational Forecast System

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

USA) 2011 Abstract The NOAA Great Lakes Operational Forecast System ( GLOFS ) uses near-real-time atmospheric observa- tions and numerical weather...Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (CO-OPS) in Silver Spring, MD. GLOFS has been making operational nowcasts and forecasts at CO-OPS... GLOFS ) uses near-real-time atmospheric observations and numerical weather prediction forecast guidance to produce three-dimensional forecasts of water

Verification of Meteorological and Oceanographic Ensemble Forecasts in the U.S. Navy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klotz, S.; Hansen, J.; Pauley, P.; Sestak, M.; Wittmann, P.; Skupniewicz, C.; Nelson, G.

2013-12-01

The Navy Ensemble Forecast Verification System (NEFVS) has been promoted recently to operational status at the U.S. Navy's Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center (FNMOC). NEFVS processes FNMOC and National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) meteorological and ocean wave ensemble forecasts, gridded forecast analyses, and innovation (observational) data output by FNMOC's data assimilation system. The NEFVS framework consists of statistical analysis routines, a variety of pre- and post-processing scripts to manage data and plot verification metrics, and a master script to control application workflow. NEFVS computes metrics that include forecast bias, mean-squared error, conditional error, conditional rank probability score, and Brier score. The system also generates reliability and Receiver Operating Characteristic diagrams. In this presentation we describe the operational framework of NEFVS and show examples of verification products computed from ensemble forecasts, meteorological observations, and forecast analyses. The construction and deployment of NEFVS addresses important operational and scientific requirements within Navy Meteorology and Oceanography. These include computational capabilities for assessing the reliability and accuracy of meteorological and ocean wave forecasts in an operational environment, for quantifying effects of changes and potential improvements to the Navy's forecast models, and for comparing the skill of forecasts from different forecast systems. NEFVS also supports the Navy's collaboration with the U.S. Air Force, NCEP, and Environment Canada in the North American Ensemble Forecast System (NAEFS) project and with the Air Force and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the National Unified Operational Prediction Capability (NUOPC) program. This program is tasked with eliminating unnecessary duplication within the three agencies, accelerating the transition of new technology, such as multi-model ensemble forecasting, to U.S. Department of Defense use, and creating a superior U.S. global meteorological and oceanographic prediction capability. Forecast verification is an important component of NAEFS and NUOPC. Distribution Statement A: Approved for Public Release; distribution is unlimited

Verification of Meteorological and Oceanographic Ensemble Forecasts in the U.S. Navy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klotz, S. P.; Hansen, J.; Pauley, P.; Sestak, M.; Wittmann, P.; Skupniewicz, C.; Nelson, G.

2012-12-01

The Navy Ensemble Forecast Verification System (NEFVS) has been promoted recently to operational status at the U.S. Navy's Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center (FNMOC). NEFVS processes FNMOC and National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) meteorological and ocean wave ensemble forecasts, gridded forecast analyses, and innovation (observational) data output by FNMOC's data assimilation system. The NEFVS framework consists of statistical analysis routines, a variety of pre- and post-processing scripts to manage data and plot verification metrics, and a master script to control application workflow. NEFVS computes metrics that include forecast bias, mean-squared error, conditional error, conditional rank probability score, and Brier score. The system also generates reliability and Receiver Operating Characteristic diagrams. In this presentation we describe the operational framework of NEFVS and show examples of verification products computed from ensemble forecasts, meteorological observations, and forecast analyses. The construction and deployment of NEFVS addresses important operational and scientific requirements within Navy Meteorology and Oceanography (METOC). These include computational capabilities for assessing the reliability and accuracy of meteorological and ocean wave forecasts in an operational environment, for quantifying effects of changes and potential improvements to the Navy's forecast models, and for comparing the skill of forecasts from different forecast systems. NEFVS also supports the Navy's collaboration with the U.S. Air Force, NCEP, and Environment Canada in the North American Ensemble Forecast System (NAEFS) project and with the Air Force and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the National Unified Operational Prediction Capability (NUOPC) program. This program is tasked with eliminating unnecessary duplication within the three agencies, accelerating the transition of new technology, such as multi-model ensemble forecasting, to U.S. Department of Defense use, and creating a superior U.S. global meteorological and oceanographic prediction capability. Forecast verification is an important component of NAEFS and NUOPC.

The Impact of Implementing a Demand Forecasting System into a Low-Income Country’s Supply Chain

PubMed Central

Mueller, Leslie E.; Haidari, Leila A.; Wateska, Angela R.; Phillips, Roslyn J.; Schmitz, Michelle M.; Connor, Diana L.; Norman, Bryan A.; Brown, Shawn T.; Welling, Joel S.; Lee, Bruce Y.

2016-01-01

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the potential impact and value of applications (e.g., ordering levels, storage capacity, transportation capacity, distribution frequency) of data from demand forecasting systems implemented in a lower-income country’s vaccine supply chain with different levels of population change to urban areas. MATERIALS AND METHODS Using our software, HERMES, we generated a detailed discrete event simulation model of Niger’s entire vaccine supply chain, including every refrigerator, freezer, transport, personnel, vaccine, cost, and location. We represented the introduction of a demand forecasting system to adjust vaccine ordering that could be implemented with increasing delivery frequencies and/or additions of cold chain equipment (storage and/or transportation) across the supply chain during varying degrees of population movement. RESULTS Implementing demand forecasting system with increased storage and transport frequency increased the number of successfully administered vaccine doses and lowered the logistics cost per dose up to 34%. Implementing demand forecasting system without storage/transport increases actually decreased vaccine availability in certain circumstances. DISCUSSION The potential maximum gains of a demand forecasting system may only be realized if the system is implemented to both augment the supply chain cold storage and transportation. Implementation may have some impact but, in certain circumstances, may hurt delivery. Therefore, implementation of demand forecasting systems with additional storage and transport may be the better approach. Significant decreases in the logistics cost per dose with more administered vaccines support investment in these forecasting systems. CONCLUSION Demand forecasting systems have the potential to greatly improve vaccine demand fulfillment, and decrease logistics cost/dose when implemented with storage and transportation increases direct vaccines. Simulation modeling can demonstrate the potential health and economic benefits of supply chain improvements. PMID:27219341

The impact of implementing a demand forecasting system into a low-income country's supply chain.

PubMed

Mueller, Leslie E; Haidari, Leila A; Wateska, Angela R; Phillips, Roslyn J; Schmitz, Michelle M; Connor, Diana L; Norman, Bryan A; Brown, Shawn T; Welling, Joel S; Lee, Bruce Y

2016-07-12

To evaluate the potential impact and value of applications (e.g. adjusting ordering levels, storage capacity, transportation capacity, distribution frequency) of data from demand forecasting systems implemented in a lower-income country's vaccine supply chain with different levels of population change to urban areas. Using our software, HERMES, we generated a detailed discrete event simulation model of Niger's entire vaccine supply chain, including every refrigerator, freezer, transport, personnel, vaccine, cost, and location. We represented the introduction of a demand forecasting system to adjust vaccine ordering that could be implemented with increasing delivery frequencies and/or additions of cold chain equipment (storage and/or transportation) across the supply chain during varying degrees of population movement. Implementing demand forecasting system with increased storage and transport frequency increased the number of successfully administered vaccine doses and lowered the logistics cost per dose up to 34%. Implementing demand forecasting system without storage/transport increases actually decreased vaccine availability in certain circumstances. The potential maximum gains of a demand forecasting system may only be realized if the system is implemented to both augment the supply chain cold storage and transportation. Implementation may have some impact but, in certain circumstances, may hurt delivery. Therefore, implementation of demand forecasting systems with additional storage and transport may be the better approach. Significant decreases in the logistics cost per dose with more administered vaccines support investment in these forecasting systems. Demand forecasting systems have the potential to greatly improve vaccine demand fulfilment, and decrease logistics cost/dose when implemented with storage and transportation increases. Simulation modeling can demonstrate the potential health and economic benefits of supply chain improvements. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Experimental Forecasts of Wildfire Pollution at the Canadian Meteorological Centre

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pavlovic, Radenko; Beaulieu, Paul-Andre; Chen, Jack; Landry, Hugo; Cousineau, Sophie; Moran, Michael

2016-04-01

Environment and Climate Change Canada's Canadian Meteorological Centre Operations division (CMCO) has been running an experimental North American air quality forecast system with near-real-time wildfire emissions since 2014. This system, named FireWork, also takes anthropogenic and other natural emission sources into account. FireWork 48-hour forecasts are provided to CMCO forecasters and external partners in Canada and the U.S. twice daily during the wildfire season. This system has proven to be very useful in capturing short- and long-range smoke transport from wildfires over North America. Several upgrades to the FireWork system have been made since 2014 to accommodate the needs of operational AQ forecasters and to improve system performance. In this talk we will present performance statistics and some case studies for the 2014 and 2015 wildfire seasons. We will also describe current limitations of the FireWork system and ongoing and future work planned for this air quality forecast system.

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

Zhang, Jie; Cui, Mingjian; Hodge, Bri-Mathias

The large variability and uncertainty in wind power generation present a concern to power system operators, especially given the increasing amounts of wind power being integrated into the electric power system. Large ramps, one of the biggest concerns, can significantly influence system economics and reliability. The Wind Forecast Improvement Project (WFIP) was to improve the accuracy of forecasts and to evaluate the economic benefits of these improvements to grid operators. This paper evaluates the ramp forecasting accuracy gained by improving the performance of short-term wind power forecasting. This study focuses on the WFIP southern study region, which encompasses most ofmore » the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) territory, to compare the experimental WFIP forecasts to the existing short-term wind power forecasts (used at ERCOT) at multiple spatial and temporal scales. The study employs four significant wind power ramping definitions according to the power change magnitude, direction, and duration. The optimized swinging door algorithm is adopted to extract ramp events from actual and forecasted wind power time series. The results show that the experimental WFIP forecasts improve the accuracy of the wind power ramp forecasting. This improvement can result in substantial costs savings and power system reliability enhancements.« less

Evaluation of weather forecast systems for storm surge modeling in the Chesapeake Bay

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garzon, Juan L.; Ferreira, Celso M.; Padilla-Hernandez, Roberto

2018-01-01

Accurate forecast of sea-level heights in coastal areas depends, among other factors, upon a reliable coupling of a meteorological forecast system to a hydrodynamic and wave system. This study evaluates the predictive skills of the coupled circulation and wind-wave model system (ADCIRC+SWAN) for simulating storm tides in the Chesapeake Bay, forced by six different products: (1) Global Forecast System (GFS), (2) Climate Forecast System (CFS) version 2, (3) North American Mesoscale Forecast System (NAM), (4) Rapid Refresh (RAP), (5) European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), and (6) the Atlantic hurricane database (HURDAT2). This evaluation is based on the hindcasting of four events: Irene (2011), Sandy (2012), Joaquin (2015), and Jonas (2016). By comparing the simulated water levels to observations at 13 monitoring stations, we have found that the ADCIR+SWAN System forced by the following: (1) the HURDAT2-based system exhibited the weakest statistical skills owing to a noteworthy overprediction of the simulated wind speed; (2) the ECMWF, RAP, and NAM products captured the moment of the peak and moderately its magnitude during all storms, with a correlation coefficient ranging between 0.98 and 0.77; (3) the CFS system exhibited the worst averaged root-mean-square difference (excepting HURDAT2); (4) the GFS system (the lowest horizontal resolution product tested) resulted in a clear underprediction of the maximum water elevation. Overall, the simulations forced by NAM and ECMWF systems induced the most accurate results best accuracy to support water level forecasting in the Chesapeake Bay during both tropical and extra-tropical storms.

A hybrid neural networks-fuzzy logic-genetic algorithm for grade estimation

PubMed Central

Tahmasebi, Pejman; Hezarkhani, Ardeshir

2012-01-01

The grade estimation is a quite important and money/time-consuming stage in a mine project, which is considered as a challenge for the geologists and mining engineers due to the structural complexities in mineral ore deposits. To overcome this problem, several artificial intelligence techniques such as Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) and Fuzzy Logic (FL) have recently been employed with various architectures and properties. However, due to the constraints of both methods, they yield the desired results only under the specific circumstances. As an example, one major problem in FL is the difficulty of constructing the membership functions (MFs).Other problems such as architecture and local minima could also be located in ANN designing. Therefore, a new methodology is presented in this paper for grade estimation. This method which is based on ANN and FL is called “Coactive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System” (CANFIS) which combines two approaches, ANN and FL. The combination of these two artificial intelligence approaches is achieved via the verbal and numerical power of intelligent systems. To improve the performance of this system, a Genetic Algorithm (GA) – as a well-known technique to solve the complex optimization problems – is also employed to optimize the network parameters including learning rate, momentum of the network and the number of MFs for each input. A comparison of these techniques (ANN, Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System or ANFIS) with this new method (CANFIS–GA) is also carried out through a case study in Sungun copper deposit, located in East-Azerbaijan, Iran. The results show that CANFIS–GA could be a faster and more accurate alternative to the existing time-consuming methodologies for ore grade estimation and that is, therefore, suggested to be applied for grade estimation in similar problems. PMID:25540468

Seasonal Forecasting of Reservoir Inflow for the Segura River Basin, Spain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Tomas, Alberto; Hunink, Johannes

2017-04-01

A major threat to the agricultural sector in Europe is an increasing occurrence of low water availability for irrigation, affecting the local and regional food security and economies. Especially in the Mediterranean region, such as in the Segura river basin (Spain), drought epidodes are relatively frequent. Part of the irrigation water demand in this basin is met by a water transfer from the Tagus basin (central Spain), but also in this basin an increasing pressure on the water resources has reduced the water available to be transferred. Currently, Drought Management Plans in these Spanish basins are in place and mitigate the impact of drought periods to some extent. Drought indicators that are derived from the available water in the storage reservoirs impose a set of drought mitigation measures. Decisions on water transfers are dependent on a regression-based time series forecast from the reservoir inflows of the preceding months. This user-forecast has its limitations and can potentially be improved using more advanced techniques. Nowadays, seasonal climate forecasts have shown to have increasing skill for certain areas and for certain applications. So far, such forecasts have not been evaluated in a seasonal hydrologic forecasting system in the Spanish context. The objective of this work is to develop a prototype of a Seasonal Hydrologic Forecasting System and compare this with a reference forecast. The reference forecast in this case is the locally used regression-based forecast. Additionally, hydrological simulations derived from climatological reanalysis (ERA-Interim) are taken as a reference forecast. The Spatial Processes in Hydrology model (SPHY - http://www.sphy.nl/) forced with the ECMWF- SFS4 (15 ensembles) Seasonal Forecast Systems is used to predict reservoir inflows of the upper basins of the Segura and Tagus rivers. The system is evaluated for 4 seasons with a forecasting lead time of 3 months. First results show that only for certain initialization months and lead times, the developed system outperforms the reference forecast. This research is carried out within the European research project IMPREX (www.imprex.eu) that aims at investigating the value of improving predictions of hydro-meteorological extremes in a number of water sectors, including agriculture . The next step is to integrate improved seasonal forecasts into the system and evaluate these. This should finally lead to a more robust forecasting system that allows water managers and irrigators to better anticipate to drought episodes and putting into practice more effective water allocation and mitigation practices.

Isolation and functional analysis of Thmfs1, the first major facilitator superfamily transporter from the biocontrol fungus Trichoderma harzianum.

PubMed

Liu, Mu; Liu, Jun; Wang, Wei Min

2012-10-01

A novel major facilitator superfamily (MFS) transporter gene, Thmfs1, was isolated from Trichoderma harzianum (T. harzianum). A Thmfs1 over-expressing mutant displayed enhanced antifungal activity and fungicide tolerance, while the Thmfs1 disruption mutant showed the opposite trend. Trichodermin production in Thmfs1 disruption group (185 mg l(-1)) was decreased by less than 17 % compared to the parental strain, suggesting that Thmfs1 is not mainly responsible for trichodermin secretion. Real-time PCR showed that Thmfs1 transcript level could be induced by a certain range of trichodermin concentrations, while expression of Tri5, encoding a trichodiene synthase, was strongly inhibited under these conditions. To our knowledge, Thmfs1 is the first MFS transporter gene identified in T. harzianum.

The potential of radar-based ensemble forecasts for flash-flood early warning in the southern Swiss Alps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liechti, K.; Panziera, L.; Germann, U.; Zappa, M.

2013-10-01

This study explores the limits of radar-based forecasting for hydrological runoff prediction. Two novel radar-based ensemble forecasting chains for flash-flood early warning are investigated in three catchments in the southern Swiss Alps and set in relation to deterministic discharge forecasts for the same catchments. The first radar-based ensemble forecasting chain is driven by NORA (Nowcasting of Orographic Rainfall by means of Analogues), an analogue-based heuristic nowcasting system to predict orographic rainfall for the following eight hours. The second ensemble forecasting system evaluated is REAL-C2, where the numerical weather prediction COSMO-2 is initialised with 25 different initial conditions derived from a four-day nowcast with the radar ensemble REAL. Additionally, three deterministic forecasting chains were analysed. The performance of these five flash-flood forecasting systems was analysed for 1389 h between June 2007 and December 2010 for which NORA forecasts were issued, due to the presence of orographic forcing. A clear preference was found for the ensemble approach. Discharge forecasts perform better when forced by NORA and REAL-C2 rather then by deterministic weather radar data. Moreover, it was observed that using an ensemble of initial conditions at the forecast initialisation, as in REAL-C2, significantly improved the forecast skill. These forecasts also perform better then forecasts forced by ensemble rainfall forecasts (NORA) initialised form a single initial condition of the hydrological model. Thus the best results were obtained with the REAL-C2 forecasting chain. However, for regions where REAL cannot be produced, NORA might be an option for forecasting events triggered by orographic precipitation.

Centralized Storm Information System (CSIS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Norton, C. C.

1985-01-01

A final progress report is presented on the Centralized Storm Information System (CSIS). The primary purpose of the CSIS is to demonstrate and evaluate real time interactive computerized data collection, interpretation and display techniques as applied to severe weather forecasting. CSIS objectives pertaining to improved severe storm forecasting and warning systems are outlined. The positive impact that CSIS has had on the National Severe Storms Forecast Center (NSSFC) is discussed. The benefits of interactive processing systems on the forecasting ability of the NSSFC are described.

Seasonal scale water deficit forecasting in Africa and the Middle East using NASA's Land Information System (LIS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peters-Lidard, C. D.; Arsenault, K. R.; Shukla, S.; Getirana, A.; McNally, A.; Koster, R. D.; Zaitchik, B. F.; Badr, H. S.; Roningen, J. M.; Kumar, S.; Funk, C. C.

2017-12-01

A seamless and effective water deficit monitoring and early warning system is critical for assessing food security in Africa and the Middle East. In this presentation, we report on the ongoing development and validation of a seasonal scale water deficit forecasting system based on NASA's Land Information System (LIS) and seasonal climate forecasts. First, our presentation will focus on the implementation and validation of drought and water availability monitoring products in the region. Next, it will focus on evaluating drought and water availability forecasts. Finally, details will be provided of our ongoing collaboration with end-user partners in the region (e.g., USAID's Famine Early Warning Systems Network, FEWS NET), on formulating meaningful early warning indicators, effective communication and seamless dissemination of the products through NASA's web-services. The water deficit forecasting system thus far incorporates NASA GMAO's Catchment and the Noah Multi-Physics (MP) LSMs. In addition, the LSMs' surface and subsurface runoff are routed through the Hydrological Modeling and Analysis Platform (HyMAP) to simulate surface water dynamics. To establish a climatology from 1981-2015, the two LSMs are driven by NASA/GMAO's Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications, Version 2 (MERRA-2), and the USGS and UCSB Climate Hazards Group InfraRed Precipitation with Station (CHIRPS) daily rainfall dataset. Comparison of the models' energy and hydrological budgets with independent observations suggests that major droughts are well-reflected in the climatology. The system uses seasonal climate forecasts from NASA's GEOS-5 (the Goddard Earth Observing System Model-5) and NCEP's Climate Forecast System-2, and it produces forecasts of soil moisture, ET and streamflow out to 6 months in the future. Forecasts of those variables are formulated in terms of indicators to provide forecasts of drought and water availability in the region. Current work suggests that for the Blue Nile basin, (1) the combination of GEOS-5 and CFSv2 is equivalent in skill to the full North American Multimodel Ensemble (NMME); and (2) the seasonal water deficit forecasting system skill for both soil moisture and streamflow anomalies is greater than the standard Ensemble Streamflow Prediction (ESP) approach.

Potential for malaria seasonal forecasting in Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tompkins, Adrian; Di Giuseppe, Francesca; Colon-Gonzalez, Felipe; Namanya, Didas; Friday, Agabe

2014-05-01

As monthly and seasonal dynamical prediction systems have improved their skill in the tropics over recent years, there is now the potential to use these forecasts to drive dynamical malaria modelling systems to provide early warnings in epidemic and meso-endemic regions. We outline a new pilot operational system that has been developed at ECMWF and ICTP. It uses a precipitation bias correction methodology to seamlessly join the monthly ensemble prediction system (EPS) and seasonal (system 4) forecast systems of ECMWF together. The resulting temperature and rainfall forecasts for Africa are then used to drive the recently developed ICTP malaria model known as VECTRI. The resulting coupled system of ECMWF climate forecasts and VECTRI thus produces predictions of malaria prevalence rates and transmission intensity across Africa. The forecasts are filtered to highlight the regions and months in which the system has particular value due to high year to year variability. In addition to epidemic areas, these also include meso and hyper-endemic regions which undergo considerable variability in the onset months. We demonstrate the limits of the forecast skill as a function of lead-time, showing that for many areas the dynamical system can add one to two months additional warning time to a system based on environmental monitoring. We then evaluate the past forecasts against district level case data in Uganda and show that when interventions can be discounted, the system can show significant skill at predicting interannual variability in transmission intensity up to 3 or 4 months ahead at the district scale. The prospects for a operational implementation will be briefly discussed.

The value of information as applied to the Landsat Follow-on benefit-cost analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wood, D. B.

1978-01-01

An econometric model was run to compare the current forecasting system with a hypothetical (Landsat Follow-on) space-based system. The baseline current system was a hybrid of USDA SRS domestic forecasts and the best known foreign data. The space-based system improved upon the present Landsat by the higher spatial resolution capability of the thematic mapper. This satellite system is a major improvement for foreign forecasts but no better than SRS for domestic forecasts. The benefit analysis was concentrated on the use of Landsat Follow-on to forecast world wheat production. Results showed that it was possible to quantify the value of satellite information and that there are significant benefits in more timely and accurate crop condition information.

An assessment of a North American Multi-Model Ensemble (NMME) based global drought early warning forecast system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wood, E. F.; Yuan, X.; Sheffield, J.; Pan, M.; Roundy, J.

2013-12-01

One of the key recommendations of the WCRP Global Drought Information System (GDIS) workshop is to develop an experimental real-time global monitoring and prediction system. While great advances has been made in global drought monitoring based on satellite observations and model reanalysis data, global drought forecasting has been stranded in part due to the limited skill both in climate forecast models and global hydrologic predictions. Having been working on drought monitoring and forecasting over USA for more than a decade, the Princeton land surface hydrology group is now developing an experimental global drought early warning system that is based on multiple climate forecast models and a calibrated global hydrologic model. In this presentation, we will test its capability in seasonal forecasting of meteorological, agricultural and hydrologic droughts over global major river basins, using precipitation, soil moisture and streamflow forecasts respectively. Based on the joint probability distribution between observations using Princeton's global drought monitoring system and model hindcasts and real-time forecasts from North American Multi-Model Ensemble (NMME) project, we (i) bias correct the monthly precipitation and temperature forecasts from multiple climate forecast models, (ii) downscale them to a daily time scale, and (iii) use them to drive the calibrated VIC model to produce global drought forecasts at a 1-degree resolution. A parallel run using the ESP forecast method, which is based on resampling historical forcings, is also carried out for comparison. Analysis is being conducted over global major river basins, with multiple drought indices that have different time scales and characteristics. The meteorological drought forecast does not have uncertainty from hydrologic models and can be validated directly against observations - making the validation an 'apples-to-apples' comparison. Preliminary results for the evaluation of meteorological drought onset hindcasts indicate that climate models increase drought detectability over ESP by 31%-81%. However, less than 30% of the global drought onsets can be detected by climate models. The missed drought events are associated with weak ENSO signals and lower potential predictability. Due to the high false alarms from climate models, the reliability is more important than sharpness for a skillful probabilistic drought onset forecast. Validations and skill assessments for agricultural and hydrologic drought forecasts are carried out using soil moisture and streamflow output from the VIC land surface model (LSM) forced by a global forcing data set. Given our previous drought forecasting experiences over USA and Africa, validating the hydrologic drought forecasting is a significant challenge for a global drought early warning system.

Development and validation of a regional coupled forecasting system for S2S forecasts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, R.; Subramanian, A. C.; Hoteit, I.; Miller, A. J.; Ralph, M.; Cornuelle, B. D.

2017-12-01

Accurate and efficient forecasting of oceanic and atmospheric circulation is essential for a wide variety of high-impact societal needs, including: weather extremes; environmental protection and coastal management; management of fisheries, marine conservation; water resources; and renewable energy. Effective forecasting relies on high model fidelity and accurate initialization of the models with observed state of the ocean-atmosphere-land coupled system. A regional coupled ocean-atmosphere model with the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model and the MITGCM ocean model coupled using the ESMF (Earth System Modeling Framework) coupling framework is developed to resolve mesoscale air-sea feedbacks. The regional coupled model allows oceanic mixed layer heat and momentum to interact with the atmospheric boundary layer dynamics at the mesoscale and submesoscale spatiotemporal regimes, thus leading to feedbacks which are otherwise not resolved in coarse resolution global coupled forecasting systems or regional uncoupled forecasting systems. The model is tested in two scenarios in the mesoscale eddy rich Red Sea and Western Indian Ocean region as well as mesoscale eddies and fronts of the California Current System. Recent studies show evidence for air-sea interactions involving the oceanic mesoscale in these two regions which can enhance predictability on sub seasonal timescale. We will present results from this newly developed regional coupled ocean-atmosphere model for forecasts over the Red Sea region as well as the California Current region. The forecasts will be validated against insitu observations in the region as well as reanalysis fields.

Forecasting Influenza Epidemics in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Yang, Wan; Cowling, Benjamin J; Lau, Eric H Y; Shaman, Jeffrey

2015-07-01

Recent advances in mathematical modeling and inference methodologies have enabled development of systems capable of forecasting seasonal influenza epidemics in temperate regions in real-time. However, in subtropical and tropical regions, influenza epidemics can occur throughout the year, making routine forecast of influenza more challenging. Here we develop and report forecast systems that are able to predict irregular non-seasonal influenza epidemics, using either the ensemble adjustment Kalman filter or a modified particle filter in conjunction with a susceptible-infected-recovered (SIR) model. We applied these model-filter systems to retrospectively forecast influenza epidemics in Hong Kong from January 1998 to December 2013, including the 2009 pandemic. The forecast systems were able to forecast both the peak timing and peak magnitude for 44 epidemics in 16 years caused by individual influenza strains (i.e., seasonal influenza A(H1N1), pandemic A(H1N1), A(H3N2), and B), as well as 19 aggregate epidemics caused by one or more of these influenza strains. Average forecast accuracies were 37% (for both peak timing and magnitude) at 1-3 week leads, and 51% (peak timing) and 50% (peak magnitude) at 0 lead. Forecast accuracy increased as the spread of a given forecast ensemble decreased; the forecast accuracy for peak timing (peak magnitude) increased up to 43% (45%) for H1N1, 93% (89%) for H3N2, and 53% (68%) for influenza B at 1-3 week leads. These findings suggest that accurate forecasts can be made at least 3 weeks in advance for subtropical and tropical regions.

Forecasting Influenza Epidemics in Hong Kong

PubMed Central

Yang, Wan; Cowling, Benjamin J.; Lau, Eric H. Y.; Shaman, Jeffrey

2015-01-01

Recent advances in mathematical modeling and inference methodologies have enabled development of systems capable of forecasting seasonal influenza epidemics in temperate regions in real-time. However, in subtropical and tropical regions, influenza epidemics can occur throughout the year, making routine forecast of influenza more challenging. Here we develop and report forecast systems that are able to predict irregular non-seasonal influenza epidemics, using either the ensemble adjustment Kalman filter or a modified particle filter in conjunction with a susceptible-infected-recovered (SIR) model. We applied these model-filter systems to retrospectively forecast influenza epidemics in Hong Kong from January 1998 to December 2013, including the 2009 pandemic. The forecast systems were able to forecast both the peak timing and peak magnitude for 44 epidemics in 16 years caused by individual influenza strains (i.e., seasonal influenza A(H1N1), pandemic A(H1N1), A(H3N2), and B), as well as 19 aggregate epidemics caused by one or more of these influenza strains. Average forecast accuracies were 37% (for both peak timing and magnitude) at 1-3 week leads, and 51% (peak timing) and 50% (peak magnitude) at 0 lead. Forecast accuracy increased as the spread of a given forecast ensemble decreased; the forecast accuracy for peak timing (peak magnitude) increased up to 43% (45%) for H1N1, 93% (89%) for H3N2, and 53% (68%) for influenza B at 1-3 week leads. These findings suggest that accurate forecasts can be made at least 3 weeks in advance for subtropical and tropical regions. PMID:26226185

Sentinel Lymph Node Dissection to Select Clinically Node-negative Prostate Cancer Patients for Pelvic Radiation Therapy: Effect on Biochemical Recurrence and Systemic Progression

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

Grivas, Nikolaos, E-mail: n.grivas@nki.nl; Wit, Esther; Pos, Floris

Purpose: To assess the efficacy of robotic-assisted laparoscopic sentinel lymph node (SLN) dissection (SLND) to select those patients with prostate cancer (PCa) who would benefit from additional pelvic external beam radiation therapy and long-term androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). Methods and Materials: Radioisotope-guided SLND was performed in 224 clinically node-negative patients scheduled to undergo external beam radiation therapy. Patients with histologically positive SLNs (pN1) were also offered radiation therapy to the pelvic lymph nodes, combined with 3 years of ADT. Biochemical recurrence (BCR), overall survival, and metastasis-free (including pelvic and nonregional lymph nodes) survival (MFS) rates were retrospectively calculated. The Briganti andmore » Kattan nomogram predictions were compared with the observed pN status and BCR. Results: The median prostate-specific antigen (PSA) value was 15.4 ng/mL (interquartile range [IQR] 8-29). A total number of 834 SLNs (median 3 per patient; IQR 2-5) were removed. Nodal metastases were diagnosed in 42% of the patients, with 150 SLNs affected (median 1; IQR 1-2). The 5-year BCR-free and MFS rates for pN0 patients were 67.9% and 87.8%, respectively. The corresponding values for pN1 patients were 43% and 66.6%. The PSA level and number of removed SLNs were independent predictors of BCR and MFS, and pN status was an additional independent predictor of BCR. The 5-year overall survival rate was 97.6% and correlated only with pN status. The predictive accuracy of the Briganti nomogram was 0.665. Patients in the higher quartiles of Kattan nomogram prediction of BCR had better than expected outcomes. The complication rate from SLND was 8.9%. Conclusions: For radioisotope-guided SLND, the high staging accuracy is accompanied by low morbidity. The better than expected outcomes observed in the lower quartiles of BCR prediction suggest a role for SLN biopsy as a potential selection tool for the addition of pelvic radiation therapy and ADT intensification in pN1 patients.« less

Vesicular glutamate transporters VGLUT1 and VGLUT2 define two subsets of unipolar brush cells in organotypic cultures of mouse vestibulocerebellum.

PubMed

Nunzi, M G; Russo, M; Mugnaini, E

2003-01-01

Different isoforms of a vesicular glutamate transporter (VGLUT) mediate glutamate uptake into synaptic vesicles of excitatory neurons. There is agreement that the VGLUTs are differentially expressed in brain, and that two isoforms, VGLUT1 and VGLUT2, are localized to excitatory axon terminals in the cerebellar cortex. While granule cells express solely VGLUT1, there is no report about the VGLUT(s) of the unipolar brush cell (UBC), the second type of glutamatergic interneuron residing in the cerebellar granular layer. In the mouse, UBCs are particularly numerous in the uvula (lobule IX) and nodulus (lobule X). These folia contain two distinct subsets of UBCs: one kind expresses the calcium-binding protein calretinin (CR), and the other kind expresses the metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR) 1alpha. UBCs give rise to an extensive system of intrinsic mossy fibers (MF), whose terminals innervate granule cells and other UBCs, altogether similar to those formed by the extrinsic MFs. The presence of both extrinsic and intrinsic MFs in the vestibulocerebellum makes it difficult to determine which type of VGLUT is contained in MFs formed by the UBC axons. Hence, the nodulus was isolated from sagittal cerebellar slices from postnatal day 10 mice, and cultured for 15-20 days in vitro. Double immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy showed that mossy terminals of CR-positive (CR(+)) UBCs were immunoreactive for VGLUT1 and VGLUT2, while mossy terminals of mGluR1alpha-positive (mGluR1alpha(+)) UBCs were provided with VGLUT1 only. Moreover, CR(+) dendritic brushes were contacted by mossy terminals provided with both transporters, while mGluR1alpha(+) dendritic brushes were contacted by mossy terminals immunopositive for VGLUT1 and immunonegative for VGLUT2. These data indicate that the two UBC subsets use different modalities of vesicular glutamate storage and form separate networks. We consider it possible that expressions of CR with VGLUT1/VGLUT2 and mGluR1alpha(+) with VGLUT1 in the two subsets of vestibulocerebellar UBCs are determined by specific vestibular inputs, carried by groups of primary and/or secondary vestibular afferents.

Self-Organizing Maps-based ocean currents forecasting system.

PubMed

Vilibić, Ivica; Šepić, Jadranka; Mihanović, Hrvoje; Kalinić, Hrvoje; Cosoli, Simone; Janeković, Ivica; Žagar, Nedjeljka; Jesenko, Blaž; Tudor, Martina; Dadić, Vlado; Ivanković, Damir

2016-03-16

An ocean surface currents forecasting system, based on a Self-Organizing Maps (SOM) neural network algorithm, high-frequency (HF) ocean radar measurements and numerical weather prediction (NWP) products, has been developed for a coastal area of the northern Adriatic and compared with operational ROMS-derived surface currents. The two systems differ significantly in architecture and algorithms, being based on either unsupervised learning techniques or ocean physics. To compare performance of the two methods, their forecasting skills were tested on independent datasets. The SOM-based forecasting system has a slightly better forecasting skill, especially during strong wind conditions, with potential for further improvement when data sets of higher quality and longer duration are used for training.

Self-Organizing Maps-based ocean currents forecasting system

PubMed Central

Vilibić, Ivica; Šepić, Jadranka; Mihanović, Hrvoje; Kalinić, Hrvoje; Cosoli, Simone; Janeković, Ivica; Žagar, Nedjeljka; Jesenko, Blaž; Tudor, Martina; Dadić, Vlado; Ivanković, Damir

2016-01-01

An ocean surface currents forecasting system, based on a Self-Organizing Maps (SOM) neural network algorithm, high-frequency (HF) ocean radar measurements and numerical weather prediction (NWP) products, has been developed for a coastal area of the northern Adriatic and compared with operational ROMS-derived surface currents. The two systems differ significantly in architecture and algorithms, being based on either unsupervised learning techniques or ocean physics. To compare performance of the two methods, their forecasting skills were tested on independent datasets. The SOM-based forecasting system has a slightly better forecasting skill, especially during strong wind conditions, with potential for further improvement when data sets of higher quality and longer duration are used for training. PMID:26979129

Action-based flood forecasting for triggering humanitarian action

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coughlan de Perez, Erin; van den Hurk, Bart; van Aalst, Maarten K.; Amuron, Irene; Bamanya, Deus; Hauser, Tristan; Jongma, Brenden; Lopez, Ana; Mason, Simon; Mendler de Suarez, Janot; Pappenberger, Florian; Rueth, Alexandra; Stephens, Elisabeth; Suarez, Pablo; Wagemaker, Jurjen; Zsoter, Ervin

2016-09-01

Too often, credible scientific early warning information of increased disaster risk does not result in humanitarian action. With financial resources tilted heavily towards response after a disaster, disaster managers have limited incentive and ability to process complex scientific data, including uncertainties. These incentives are beginning to change, with the advent of several new forecast-based financing systems that provide funding based on a forecast of an extreme event. Given the changing landscape, here we demonstrate a method to select and use appropriate forecasts for specific humanitarian disaster prevention actions, even in a data-scarce location. This action-based forecasting methodology takes into account the parameters of each action, such as action lifetime, when verifying a forecast. Forecasts are linked with action based on an understanding of (1) the magnitude of previous flooding events and (2) the willingness to act "in vain" for specific actions. This is applied in the context of the Uganda Red Cross Society forecast-based financing pilot project, with forecasts from the Global Flood Awareness System (GloFAS). Using this method, we define the "danger level" of flooding, and we select the probabilistic forecast triggers that are appropriate for specific actions. Results from this methodology can be applied globally across hazards and fed into a financing system that ensures that automatic, pre-funded early action will be triggered by forecasts.

Seasonal drought ensemble predictions based on multiple climate models in the upper Han River Basin, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Feng; Ye, Aizhong; Duan, Qingyun

2017-03-01

An experimental seasonal drought forecasting system is developed based on 29-year (1982-2010) seasonal meteorological hindcasts generated by the climate models from the North American Multi-Model Ensemble (NMME) project. This system made use of a bias correction and spatial downscaling method, and a distributed time-variant gain model (DTVGM) hydrologic model. DTVGM was calibrated using observed daily hydrological data and its streamflow simulations achieved Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency values of 0.727 and 0.724 during calibration (1978-1995) and validation (1996-2005) periods, respectively, at the Danjiangkou reservoir station. The experimental seasonal drought forecasting system (known as NMME-DTVGM) is used to generate seasonal drought forecasts. The forecasts were evaluated against the reference forecasts (i.e., persistence forecast and climatological forecast). The NMME-DTVGM drought forecasts have higher detectability and accuracy and lower false alarm rate than the reference forecasts at different lead times (from 1 to 4 months) during the cold-dry season. No apparent advantage is shown in drought predictions during spring and summer seasons because of a long memory of the initial conditions in spring and a lower predictive skill for precipitation in summer. Overall, the NMME-based seasonal drought forecasting system has meaningful skill in predicting drought several months in advance, which can provide critical information for drought preparedness and response planning as well as the sustainable practice of water resource conservation over the basin.

Visualization of ocean forecast in BYTHOS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhuk, E.; Zodiatis, G.; Nikolaidis, A.; Stylianou, S.; Karaolia, A.

2016-08-01

The Cyprus Oceanography Center has been constantly searching for new ideas for developing and implementing innovative methods and new developments concerning the use of Information Systems in Oceanography, to suit both the Center's monitoring and forecasting products. Within the frame of this scope two major online managing and visualizing data systems have been developed and utilized, those of CYCOFOS and BYTHOS. The Cyprus Coastal Ocean Forecasting and Observing System - CYCOFOS provides a variety of operational predictions such as ultra high, high and medium resolution ocean forecasts in the Levantine Basin, offshore and coastal sea state forecasts in the Mediterranean and Black Sea, tide forecasting in the Mediterranean, ocean remote sensing in the Eastern Mediterranean and coastal and offshore monitoring. As a rich internet application, BYTHOS enables scientists to search, visualize and download oceanographic data online and in real time. The recent improving of BYTHOS system is the extension with access and visualization of CYCOFOS data and overlay forecast fields and observing data. The CYCOFOS data are stored at OPENDAP Server in netCDF format. To search, process and visualize it the php and python scripts were developed. Data visualization is achieved through Mapserver. The BYTHOS forecast access interface allows to search necessary forecasting field by recognizing type, parameter, region, level and time. Also it provides opportunity to overlay different forecast and observing data that can be used for complex analyze of sea basin aspects.

Development of an Adaptable Display and Diagnostic System for the Evaluation of Tropical Cyclone Forecasts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kucera, P. A.; Burek, T.; Halley-Gotway, J.

2015-12-01

NCAR's Joint Numerical Testbed Program (JNTP) focuses on the evaluation of experimental forecasts of tropical cyclones (TCs) with the goal of developing new research tools and diagnostic evaluation methods that can be transitioned to operations. Recent activities include the development of new TC forecast verification methods and the development of an adaptable TC display and diagnostic system. The next generation display and diagnostic system is being developed to support evaluation needs of the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) and broader TC research community. The new hurricane display and diagnostic capabilities allow forecasters and research scientists to more deeply examine the performance of operational and experimental models. The system is built upon modern and flexible technology that includes OpenLayers Mapping tools that are platform independent. The forecast track and intensity along with associated observed track information are stored in an efficient MySQL database. The system provides easy-to-use interactive display system, and provides diagnostic tools to examine forecast track stratified by intensity. Consensus forecasts can be computed and displayed interactively. The system is designed to display information for both real-time and for historical TC cyclones. The display configurations are easily adaptable to meet the needs of the end-user preferences. Ongoing enhancements include improving capabilities for stratification and evaluation of historical best tracks, development and implementation of additional methods to stratify and compute consensus hurricane track and intensity forecasts, and improved graphical display tools. The display is also being enhanced to incorporate gridded forecast, satellite, and sea surface temperature fields. The presentation will provide an overview of the display and diagnostic system development and demonstration of the current capabilities.

The state of the art of flood forecasting - Hydrological Ensemble Prediction Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thielen-Del Pozo, J.; Pappenberger, F.; Salamon, P.; Bogner, K.; Burek, P.; de Roo, A.

2010-09-01

Flood forecasting systems form a key part of ‘preparedness' strategies for disastrous floods and provide hydrological services, civil protection authorities and the public with information of upcoming events. Provided the warning leadtime is sufficiently long, adequate preparatory actions can be taken to efficiently reduce the impacts of the flooding. Because of the specific characteristics of each catchment, varying data availability and end-user demands, the design of the best flood forecasting system may differ from catchment to catchment. However, despite the differences in concept and data needs, there is one underlying issue that spans across all systems. There has been an growing awareness and acceptance that uncertainty is a fundamental issue of flood forecasting and needs to be dealt with at the different spatial and temporal scales as well as the different stages of the flood generating processes. Today, operational flood forecasting centres change increasingly from single deterministic forecasts to probabilistic forecasts with various representations of the different contributions of uncertainty. The move towards these so-called Hydrological Ensemble Prediction Systems (HEPS) in flood forecasting represents the state of the art in forecasting science, following on the success of the use of ensembles for weather forecasting (Buizza et al., 2005) and paralleling the move towards ensemble forecasting in other related disciplines such as climate change predictions. The use of HEPS has been internationally fostered by initiatives such as "The Hydrologic Ensemble Prediction Experiment" (HEPEX), created with the aim to investigate how best to produce, communicate and use hydrologic ensemble forecasts in hydrological short-, medium- und long term prediction of hydrological processes. The advantages of quantifying the different contributions of uncertainty as well as the overall uncertainty to obtain reliable and useful flood forecasts also for extreme events, has become evident. However, despite the demonstrated advantages, worldwide the incorporation of HEPS in operational flood forecasting is still limited. The applicability of HEPS for smaller river basins was tested in MAP D-Phase, an acronym for "Demonstration of Probabilistic Hydrological and Atmospheric Simulation of flood Events in the Alpine region" which was launched in 2005 as a Forecast Demonstration Project of World Weather Research Programme of WMO, and entered a pre-operational and still active testing phase in 2007. In Europe, a comparatively high number of EPS driven systems for medium-large rivers exist. National flood forecasting centres of Sweden, Finland and the Netherlands, have already implemented HEPS in their operational forecasting chain, while in other countries including France, Germany, Czech Republic and Hungary, hybrids or experimental chains have been installed. As an example of HEPS, the European Flood Alert System (EFAS) is being presented. EFAS provides medium-range probabilistic flood forecasting information for large trans-national river basins. It incorporates multiple sets of weather forecast including different types of EPS and deterministic forecasts from different providers. EFAS products are evaluated and visualised as exceedance of critical levels only - both in forms of maps and time series. Different sources of uncertainty and its impact on the flood forecasting performance for every grid cell has been tested offline but not yet incorporated operationally into the forecasting chain for computational reasons. However, at stations where real-time discharges are available, a hydrological uncertainty processor is being applied to estimate the total predictive uncertainty from the hydrological and input uncertainties. Research on long-term EFAS results has shown the need for complementing statistical analysis with case studies for which examples will be shown.

Traffic flow forecasting for intelligent transportation systems.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1995-01-01

The capability to forecast traffic volume in an operational setting has been identified as a critical need for intelligent transportation systems (ITS). In particular, traffic volume forecasts will directly support proactive traffic control and accur...

Dengue in Thailand and Cambodia: An Assessment of the Degree of Underrecognized Disease Burden Based on Reported Cases

PubMed Central

Wichmann, Ole; Yoon, In-Kyu; Vong, Sirenda; Limkittikul, Kriengsak; Gibbons, Robert V.; Mammen, Mammen P.; Ly, Sowath; Buchy, Philippe; Sirivichayakul, Chukiat; Buathong, Rome; Huy, Rekol; Letson, G. William; Sabchareon, Arunee

2011-01-01

Background Disease incidence data are needed to guide decision-making for public health interventions. Although dengue is a reportable disease in Thailand and Cambodia, the degree that reported incidence underrecognizes true disease burden is unknown. We utilized dengue incidence calculated from laboratory-confirmed outpatient and inpatient cases in prospective cohort studies to estimate the magnitude of dengue underrecognition and to establish more accurate disease burden estimates for these countries. Methods and Findings Cohort studies were conducted among children aged <15 years by members of a dengue field site consortium over at least 2 dengue seasons. Age-group specific multiplication factors (MFs) were computed by comparing data from three cohort studies to national surveillance data in the same province and year. In Thailand, 14,627 person-years of prospective cohort data were obtained in two provinces and 14,493 person-years from one province in Cambodia. Average annual incidence of laboratory-confirmed dengue was 23/1,000 and 25/1,000 in Thailand, and 41/1,000 in Cambodia. Calculated MFs in these provinces varied by age-group and year (range 0.4–29). Average age-group specific MFs were then applied to country-level reporting data and indicated that in Thailand a median 229,886 (range 210,612–331,236) dengue cases occurred annually during 2003–2007 and a median 111,178 (range 80,452–357,135) cases occurred in Cambodia in children <15 years of age. Average underrecognition of total and inpatient dengue cases was 8.7 and 2.6-fold in Thailand, and 9.1 and 1.4-fold in Cambodia, respectively. During the high-incidence year 2007, >95,000 children in Thailand and >58,000 children in Cambodia were estimated to be hospitalized due to dengue. Conclusion Calculating MFs by comparing prospective cohort study data to locally-reported national surveillance data is one approach to more accurately assess disease burden. These data indicate that although dengue is regularly reported in many countries, national surveillance data significantly underrecognize the true burden of disease. PMID:21468308

Application of a neuro-fuzzy model to landslide-susceptibility mapping for shallow landslides in a tropical hilly area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oh, Hyun-Joo; Pradhan, Biswajeet

2011-09-01

This paper presents landslide-susceptibility mapping using an adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) using a geographic information system (GIS) environment. In the first stage, landslide locations from the study area were identified by interpreting aerial photographs and supported by an extensive field survey. In the second stage, landslide-related conditioning factors such as altitude, slope angle, plan curvature, distance to drainage, distance to road, soil texture and stream power index (SPI) were extracted from the topographic and soil maps. Then, landslide-susceptible areas were analyzed by the ANFIS approach and mapped using landslide-conditioning factors. In particular, various membership functions (MFs) were applied for the landslide-susceptibility mapping and their results were compared with the field-verified landslide locations. Additionally, the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve for all landslide susceptibility maps were drawn and the areas under curve values were calculated. The ROC curve technique is based on the plotting of model sensitivity — true positive fraction values calculated for different threshold values, versus model specificity — true negative fraction values, on a graph. Landslide test locations that were not used during the ANFIS modeling purpose were used to validate the landslide susceptibility maps. The validation results revealed that the susceptibility maps constructed by the ANFIS predictive models using triangular, trapezoidal, generalized bell and polynomial MFs produced reasonable results (84.39%), which can be used for preliminary land-use planning. Finally, the authors concluded that ANFIS is a very useful and an effective tool in regional landslide susceptibility assessment.

Evaluation of precipitation forecasts from 3D-Var and hybrid GSI-based system during Indian summer monsoon 2015

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Sanjeev Kumar; Prasad, V. S.

2018-02-01

This paper presents a systematic investigation of medium-range rainfall forecasts from two versions of the National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF)-Global Forecast System based on three-dimensional variational (3D-Var) and hybrid analysis system namely, NGFS and HNGFS, respectively, during Indian summer monsoon (June-September) 2015. The NGFS uses gridpoint statistical interpolation (GSI) 3D-Var data assimilation system, whereas HNGFS uses hybrid 3D ensemble-variational scheme. The analysis includes the evaluation of rainfall fields and comparisons of rainfall using statistical score such as mean precipitation, bias, correlation coefficient, root mean square error and forecast improvement factor. In addition to these, categorical scores like Peirce skill score and bias score are also computed to describe particular aspects of forecasts performance. The comparison results of mean precipitation reveal that both the versions of model produced similar large-scale feature of Indian summer monsoon rainfall for day-1 through day-5 forecasts. The inclusion of fully flow-dependent background error covariance significantly improved the wet biases in HNGFS over the Indian Ocean. The forecast improvement factor and Peirce skill score in the HNGFS have also found better than NGFS for day-1 through day-5 forecasts.

Assessment of Forecast Sensitivity to Observation and Its Application to Satellite Radiances

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ide, K.

2017-12-01

The Forecast sensitivity to observation provides practical and useful metric for the assessment of observation impact without conducting computationally intensive data denial experiments. Quite often complex data assimilation systems use a simplified version of the forecast sensitivity formulation based on ensembles. In this talk, we first present the comparison of forecast sensitivity for 4DVar, Hybrid-4DEnVar, and 4DEnKF with or without such simplifications using a highly nonlinear model. We then present the results of ensemble forecast sensitivity to satellite radiance observations for Hybrid-4DEnVart using NOAA's Global Forecast System.

The meta-Gaussian Bayesian Processor of forecasts and associated preliminary experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Fajing; Jiao, Meiyan; Chen, Jing

2013-04-01

Public weather services are trending toward providing users with probabilistic weather forecasts, in place of traditional deterministic forecasts. Probabilistic forecasting techniques are continually being improved to optimize available forecasting information. The Bayesian Processor of Forecast (BPF), a new statistical method for probabilistic forecast, can transform a deterministic forecast into a probabilistic forecast according to the historical statistical relationship between observations and forecasts generated by that forecasting system. This technique accounts for the typical forecasting performance of a deterministic forecasting system in quantifying the forecast uncertainty. The meta-Gaussian likelihood model is suitable for a variety of stochastic dependence structures with monotone likelihood ratios. The meta-Gaussian BPF adopting this kind of likelihood model can therefore be applied across many fields, including meteorology and hydrology. The Bayes theorem with two continuous random variables and the normal-linear BPF are briefly introduced. The meta-Gaussian BPF for a continuous predictand using a single predictor is then presented and discussed. The performance of the meta-Gaussian BPF is tested in a preliminary experiment. Control forecasts of daily surface temperature at 0000 UTC at Changsha and Wuhan stations are used as the deterministic forecast data. These control forecasts are taken from ensemble predictions with a 96-h lead time generated by the National Meteorological Center of the China Meteorological Administration, the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, and the US National Centers for Environmental Prediction during January 2008. The results of the experiment show that the meta-Gaussian BPF can transform a deterministic control forecast of surface temperature from any one of the three ensemble predictions into a useful probabilistic forecast of surface temperature. These probabilistic forecasts quantify the uncertainty of the control forecast; accordingly, the performance of the probabilistic forecasts differs based on the source of the underlying deterministic control forecasts.

Integration of Behind-the-Meter PV Fleet Forecasts into Utility Grid System Operations

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

Hoff, Thomas Hoff; Kankiewicz, Adam

Four major research objectives were completed over the course of this study. Three of the objectives were to evaluate three, new, state-of-the-art solar irradiance forecasting models. The fourth objective was to improve the California Independent System Operator’s (ISO) load forecasts by integrating behind-the-meter (BTM) PV forecasts. The three, new, state-of-the-art solar irradiance forecasting models included: the infrared (IR) satellite-based cloud motion vector (CMV) model; the WRF-SolarCA model and variants; and the Optimized Deep Machine Learning (ODML)-training model. The first two forecasting models targeted known weaknesses in current operational solar forecasts. They were benchmarked against existing operational numerical weather prediction (NWP)more » forecasts, visible satellite CMV forecasts, and measured PV plant power production. IR CMV, WRF-SolarCA, and ODML-training forecasting models all improved the forecast to a significant degree. Improvements varied depending on time of day, cloudiness index, and geographic location. The fourth objective was to demonstrate that the California ISO’s load forecasts could be improved by integrating BTM PV forecasts. This objective represented the project’s most exciting and applicable gains. Operational BTM forecasts consisting of 200,000+ individual rooftop PV forecasts were delivered into the California ISO’s real-time automated load forecasting (ALFS) environment. They were then evaluated side-by-side with operational load forecasts with no BTM-treatment. Overall, ALFS-BTM day-ahead (DA) forecasts performed better than baseline ALFS forecasts when compared to actual load data. Specifically, ALFS-BTM DA forecasts were observed to have the largest reduction of error during the afternoon on cloudy days. Shorter term 30 minute-ahead ALFS-BTM forecasts were shown to have less error under all sky conditions, especially during the morning time periods when traditional load forecasts often experience their largest uncertainties. This work culminated in a GO decision being made by the California ISO to include zonal BTM forecasts into its operational load forecasting system. The California ISO’s Manager of Short Term Forecasting, Jim Blatchford, summarized the research performed in this project with the following quote: “The behind-the-meter (BTM) California ISO region forecasting research performed by Clean Power Research and sponsored by the Department of Energy’s SUNRISE program was an opportunity to verify value and demonstrate improved load forecast capability. In 2016, the California ISO will be incorporating the BTM forecast into the Hour Ahead and Day Ahead load models to look for improvements in the overall load forecast accuracy as BTM PV capacity continues to grow.”« less

How do I know if I’ve improved my continental scale flood early warning system?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cloke, Hannah L.; Pappenberger, Florian; Smith, Paul J.; Wetterhall, Fredrik

2017-04-01

Flood early warning systems mitigate damages and loss of life and are an economically efficient way of enhancing disaster resilience. The use of continental scale flood early warning systems is rapidly growing. The European Flood Awareness System (EFAS) is a pan-European flood early warning system forced by a multi-model ensemble of numerical weather predictions. Responses to scientific and technical changes can be complex in these computationally expensive continental scale systems, and improvements need to be tested by evaluating runs of the whole system. It is demonstrated here that forecast skill is not correlated with the value of warnings. In order to tell if the system has been improved an evaluation strategy is required that considers both forecast skill and warning value. The combination of a multi-forcing ensemble of EFAS flood forecasts is evaluated with a new skill-value strategy. The full multi-forcing ensemble is recommended for operational forecasting, but, there are spatial variations in the optimal forecast combination. Results indicate that optimizing forecasts based on value rather than skill alters the optimal forcing combination and the forecast performance. Also indicated is that model diversity and ensemble size are both important in achieving best overall performance. The use of several evaluation measures that consider both skill and value is strongly recommended when considering improvements to early warning systems.

NCEP Data Products

Science.gov Websites

Image of NCEP Logo WHERE AMERICA'S CLIMATE AND WEATHER SERVICES BEGIN Inventory of Data Products on Generated Products Image of horizontal rule Global Forecast System (GFS) GFS Ensemble Forecast System (GEFS of horizontal rule External Products Image of horizontal rule Canadian Ensemble Forecast System

Development and Use of the Hydrologic Ensemble Forecast System by the National Weather Service to Support the New York City Water Supply

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shedd, R.; Reed, S. M.; Porter, J. H.

2015-12-01

The National Weather Service (NWS) has been working for several years on the development of the Hydrologic Ensemble Forecast System (HEFS). The objective of HEFS is to provide ensemble river forecasts incorporating the best precipitation and temperature forcings at any specific time horizon. For the current implementation, this includes the Global Ensemble Forecast System (GEFS) and the Climate Forecast System (CFSv2). One of the core partners that has been working with the NWS since the beginning of the development phase of HEFS is the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (NYCDEP) which is responsible for the complex water supply system for New York City. The water supply system involves a network of reservoirs in both the Delaware and Hudson River basins. At the same time that the NWS was developing HEFS, NYCDEP was working on enhancing the operations of their water supply reservoirs through the development of a new Operations Support Tool (OST). OST is designed to guide reservoir system operations to ensure an adequate supply of high-quality drinking water for the city, as well as to meet secondary objectives for reaches downstream of the reservoirs assuming the primary water supply goals can be met. These secondary objectives include fisheries and ecosystem support, enhanced peak flow attenuation beyond that provided natively by the reservoirs, salt front management, and water supply for other cities. Since January 2014, the NWS Northeast and Middle Atlantic River Forecast Centers have provided daily one year forecasts from HEFS to NYCDEP. OST ingests these forecasts, couples them with near-real-time environmental and reservoir system data, and drives models of the water supply system. The input of ensemble forecasts results in an ensemble of model output, from which information on the range and likelihood of possible future system states can be extracted. This type of probabilistic information provides system managers with additional information not available from deterministic forecasts and allows managers to better assess risk, and provides greater context for decision-making than has been available in the past. HEFS has allowed NYCDEP water supply managers to make better decisions on reservoir operations than they likely would have in the past, using only deterministic forecasts.

The Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service: facilitating the prediction of air quality from global to local scales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Engelen, R. J.; Peuch, V. H.

2017-12-01

The European Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) operationally provides daily forecasts of global atmospheric composition and regional air quality. The global forecasting system is using ECMWF's Integrated Forecasting System (IFS), which is used for numerical weather prediction and which has been extended with modules for atmospheric chemistry, aerosols and greenhouse gases. The regional forecasts are produced by an ensemble of seven operational European air quality models that take their boundary conditions from the global system and provide an ensemble median with ensemble spread as their main output. Both the global and regional forecasting systems are feeding their output into air quality models on a variety of scales in various parts of the world. We will introduce the CAMS service chain and provide illustrations of its use in downstream applications. Both the usage of the daily forecasts and the usage of global and regional reanalyses will be addressed.

75 FR 28663 - Government-Owned Inventions, Available for Licensing

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-21

... Crack Arresting Barrier. NASA Case No. MFS-32605-1-CIP: Neutron Guides and Methods of Fabrication. NASA...-32697-1: Friction Modifier Using Adherent Metallic Multilayered or Mixed Element Layer Conversion...

Impact of Lidar Wind Sounding on Mesoscale Forecast

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, Timothy L.; Chou, Shih-Hung; Goodman, H. Michael (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

An Observing System Simulation Experiment (OSSE) was conducted to study the impact of airborne lidar wind sounding on mesoscale weather forecast. A wind retrieval scheme, which interpolates wind data from a grid data system, simulates the retrieval of wind profile from a satellite lidar system. A mesoscale forecast system based on the PSU/NCAR MM5 model is developed and incorporated the assimilation of the retrieved line-of-sight wind. To avoid the "identical twin" problem, the NCEP reanalysis data is used as our reference "nature" atmosphere. The simulated space-based lidar wind observations were retrieved by interpolating the NCEP values to the observation locations. A modified dataset obtained by smoothing the NCEP dataset was used as the initial state whose forecast was sought to be improved by assimilating the retrieved lidar observations. Forecasts using wind profiles with various lidar instrument parameters has been conducted. The results show that to significantly improve the mesoscale forecast the satellite should fly near the storm center with large scanning radius. Increasing lidar firing rate also improves the forecast. Cloud cover and lack of aerosol degrade the quality of the lidar wind data and, subsequently, the forecast.

Integrating observation and statistical forecasts over sub-Saharan Africa to support Famine Early Warning

USGS Publications Warehouse

Funk, Chris; Verdin, James P.; Husak, Gregory

2007-01-01

Famine early warning in Africa presents unique challenges and rewards. Hydrologic extremes must be tracked and anticipated over complex and changing climate regimes. The successful anticipation and interpretation of hydrologic shocks can initiate effective government response, saving lives and softening the impacts of droughts and floods. While both monitoring and forecast technologies continue to advance, discontinuities between monitoring and forecast systems inhibit effective decision making. Monitoring systems typically rely on high resolution satellite remote-sensed normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and rainfall imagery. Forecast systems provide information on a variety of scales and formats. Non-meteorologists are often unable or unwilling to connect the dots between these disparate sources of information. To mitigate these problem researchers at UCSB's Climate Hazard Group, NASA GIMMS and USGS/EROS are implementing a NASA-funded integrated decision support system that combines the monitoring of precipitation and NDVI with statistical one-to-three month forecasts. We present the monitoring/forecast system, assess its accuracy, and demonstrate its application in food insecure sub-Saharan Africa.

An Approach to Assess Observation Impact Based on Observation-Minus-Forecast Residuals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Todling, Ricardo

2009-01-01

Langland and Baker (2004) introduced an approach to assess the impact of observations on the forecasts. In that, a state-space aspect of the forecast is defined and a procedure is derived that relates changes in the aspect with changes in the initial conditions associated with the assimilation of observations) ultimately providing information about the impact of individual observations on the forecast. Some features of the approach are to be noted. The typical choice of forecast aspect employed in related works is rather arbitrary and leads to an incomplete assessment of the observing system. Furthermore, the state-space forecast aspect requires availability of a verification state that should ideally be uncorrelated with the forecast but in practice is not. Lastly, the approach involves the adjoint operator of the entire data assimilation system and as such it is constrained by the validity of this operator. In this presentation, an observation-space metric is used that, for a relatively time-homogeneous observing system, allows inferring observation impact on the forecast without some of the limitations above. Specifically, using observation-minus-forecast residuals leads to an approach with the following features: (i) it suggests a rather natural choice of forecast aspect, directly linked to the analysis system and providing full assessment of the observations; (ii) it naturally avoids introducing undesirable correlations in the forecast aspect by verifying against the observations; and (iii) it does not involve linearization and use of adjoints; therefore being applicable to any length of forecast. The state and observation-space approaches might be complementary to some degree, and involve different limitations and complexities. Illustrations are given using the NASA GEOS-5 data.

Short-term sea ice forecasting: An assessment of ice concentration and ice drift forecasts using the U.S. Navy's Arctic Cap Nowcast/Forecast System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hebert, David A.; Allard, Richard A.; Metzger, E. Joseph; Posey, Pamela G.; Preller, Ruth H.; Wallcraft, Alan J.; Phelps, Michael W.; Smedstad, Ole Martin

2015-12-01

In this study the forecast skill of the U.S. Navy operational Arctic sea ice forecast system, the Arctic Cap Nowcast/Forecast System (ACNFS), is presented for the period February 2014 to June 2015. ACNFS is designed to provide short term, 1-7 day forecasts of Arctic sea ice and ocean conditions. Many quantities are forecast by ACNFS; the most commonly used include ice concentration, ice thickness, ice velocity, sea surface temperature, sea surface salinity, and sea surface velocities. Ice concentration forecast skill is compared to a persistent ice state and historical sea ice climatology. Skill scores are focused on areas where ice concentration changes by ±5% or more, and are therefore limited to primarily the marginal ice zone. We demonstrate that ACNFS forecasts are skilful compared to assuming a persistent ice state, especially beyond 24 h. ACNFS is also shown to be particularly skilful compared to a climatologic state for forecasts up to 102 h. Modeled ice drift velocity is compared to observed buoy data from the International Arctic Buoy Programme. A seasonal bias is shown where ACNFS is slower than IABP velocity in the summer months and faster in the winter months. In February 2015, ACNFS began to assimilate a blended ice concentration derived from Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer 2 (AMSR2) and the Interactive Multisensor Snow and Ice Mapping System (IMS). Preliminary results show that assimilating AMSR2 blended with IMS improves the short-term forecast skill and ice edge location compared to the independently derived National Ice Center Ice Edge product.

The Rise of Complexity in Flood Forecasting: Opportunities, Challenges and Tradeoffs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wood, A. W.; Clark, M. P.; Nijssen, B.

2017-12-01

Operational flood forecasting is currently undergoing a major transformation. Most national flood forecasting services have relied for decades on lumped, highly calibrated conceptual hydrological models running on local office computing resources, providing deterministic streamflow predictions at gauged river locations that are important to stakeholders and emergency managers. A variety of recent technological advances now make it possible to run complex, high-to-hyper-resolution models for operational hydrologic prediction over large domains, and the US National Weather Service is now attempting to use hyper-resolution models to create new forecast services and products. Yet other `increased-complexity' forecasting strategies also exist that pursue different tradeoffs between model complexity (i.e., spatial resolution, physics) and streamflow forecast system objectives. There is currently a pressing need for a greater understanding in the hydrology community of the opportunities, challenges and tradeoffs associated with these different forecasting approaches, and for a greater participation by the hydrology community in evaluating, guiding and implementing these approaches. Intermediate-resolution forecast systems, for instance, use distributed land surface model (LSM) physics but retain the agility to deploy ensemble methods (including hydrologic data assimilation and hindcast-based post-processing). Fully coupled numerical weather prediction (NWP) systems, another example, use still coarser LSMs to produce ensemble streamflow predictions either at the model scale or after sub-grid scale runoff routing. Based on the direct experience of the authors and colleagues in research and operational forecasting, this presentation describes examples of different streamflow forecast paradigms, from the traditional to the recent hyper-resolution, to illustrate the range of choices facing forecast system developers. We also discuss the degree to which the strengths and weaknesses of each strategy map onto the requirements for different types of forecasting services (e.g., flash flooding, river flooding, seasonal water supply prediction).

Verification of ECMWF System 4 for seasonal hydrological forecasting in a northern climate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bazile, Rachel; Boucher, Marie-Amélie; Perreault, Luc; Leconte, Robert

2017-11-01

Hydropower production requires optimal dam and reservoir management to prevent flooding damage and avoid operation losses. In a northern climate, where spring freshet constitutes the main inflow volume, seasonal forecasts can help to establish a yearly strategy. Long-term hydrological forecasts often rely on past observations of streamflow or meteorological data. Another alternative is to use ensemble meteorological forecasts produced by climate models. In this paper, those produced by the ECMWF (European Centre for Medium-Range Forecast) System 4 are examined and bias is characterized. Bias correction, through the linear scaling method, improves the performance of the raw ensemble meteorological forecasts in terms of continuous ranked probability score (CRPS). Then, three seasonal ensemble hydrological forecasting systems are compared: (1) the climatology of simulated streamflow, (2) the ensemble hydrological forecasts based on climatology (ESP) and (3) the hydrological forecasts based on bias-corrected ensemble meteorological forecasts from System 4 (corr-DSP). Simulated streamflow computed using observed meteorological data is used as benchmark. Accounting for initial conditions is valuable even for long-term forecasts. ESP and corr-DSP both outperform the climatology of simulated streamflow for lead times from 1 to 5 months depending on the season and watershed. Integrating information about future meteorological conditions also improves monthly volume forecasts. For the 1-month lead time, a gain exists for almost all watersheds during winter, summer and fall. However, volume forecasts performance for spring varies from one watershed to another. For most of them, the performance is close to the performance of ESP. For longer lead times, the CRPS skill score is mostly in favour of ESP, even if for many watersheds, ESP and corr-DSP have comparable skill. Corr-DSP appears quite reliable but, in some cases, under-dispersion or bias is observed. A more complex bias-correction method should be further investigated to remedy this weakness and take more advantage of the ensemble forecasts produced by the climate model. Overall, in this study, bias-corrected ensemble meteorological forecasts appear to be an interesting source of information for hydrological forecasting for lead times up to 1 month. They could also complement ESP for longer lead times.

Evaluation of Wind Power Forecasts from the Vermont Weather Analytics Center and Identification of Improvements

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

Optis, Michael; Scott, George N.; Draxl, Caroline

The goal of this analysis was to assess the wind power forecast accuracy of the Vermont Weather Analytics Center (VTWAC) forecast system and to identify potential improvements to the forecasts. Based on the analysis at Georgia Mountain, the following recommendations for improving forecast performance were made: 1. Resolve the significant negative forecast bias in February-March 2017 (50% underprediction on average) 2. Improve the ability of the forecast model to capture the strong diurnal cycle of wind power 3. Add ability for forecast model to assess internal wake loss, particularly at sites where strong diurnal shifts in wind direction are present.more » Data availability and quality limited the robustness of this forecast assessment. A more thorough analysis would be possible given a longer period of record for the data (at least one full year), detailed supervisory control and data acquisition data for each wind plant, and more detailed information on the forecast system input data and methodologies.« less

Perception of the pitch of unresolved harmonics by 3- and 7-month-old human infants.

PubMed

Lau, Bonnie K; Werner, Lynne A

2014-08-01

Three-month-olds discriminate resolved harmonic complexes on the basis of missing fundamental (MF) pitch. In view of reported difficulty in discriminating unresolved complexes at 7 months and striking changes in the organization of the auditory system during early infancy, infants' ability to discriminate unresolved complexes is of some interest. This study investigated the ability of 3-month-olds, 7-month-olds, and adults to discriminate the pitch of unresolved harmonic complexes using an observer-based method. Stimuli were MF complexes bandpass filtered with a -12 dB/octave slope, combined in random phase, presented at 70 dB sound pressure level (SPL) for 650 ms with a 50 ms rise/fall with a pink noise at 65 dB SPL. The conditions were (1) "LOW" unresolved harmonics (2500-4500 Hz) based on MFs of 160 and 200 Hz and (2) "HIGH" unresolved harmonics (4000-6000 Hz) based on MFs of 190 and 200 Hz. To demonstrate MF discrimination, participants had to ignore spectral changes in complexes with the same fundamental and respond only when the fundamental changed. Nearly all infants tested categorized complexes by MF pitch suggesting discrimination of pitch extracted from unresolved harmonics by 3 months. Adults also categorized the complexes by MF pitch, although musically trained adults were more successful than musically untrained adults.

The Prevalence of CD146 Expression in Breast Cancer Subtypes and Its Relation to Outcome.

PubMed

de Kruijff, Ingeborg E; Timmermans, Anna M; den Bakker, Michael A; Trapman-Jansen, Anita M A C; Foekens, Renée; Meijer-Van Gelder, Marion E; Oomen-de Hoop, Esther; Smid, Marcel; Hollestelle, Antoinette; van Deurzen, Carolien H M; Foekens, John A; Martens, John W M; Sleijfer, Stefan

2018-05-05

CD146, involved in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), might affect cancer aggressiveness. We here investigated the prevalence of CD146 expression in breast cancer subtypes, its relation to prognosis, the relation between CD146 and EMT and the outcome to tamoxifen. Primary breast cancer tissues from 1342 patients were available for this retrospective study and immunohistochemically stained for CD146. For survival analyses, pure prognosis was studied by only including lymph-node negative patients who did not receive (neo)adjuvant systemic treatment ( n = 551). 11% of the tumors showed CD146 expression. CD146 expression was most prevalent in triple-negative cases (64%, p < 0.001). In univariable analysis, CD146 expression was a prognostic factor for both metastasis-free survival (MFS) ( p = 0.020) and overall survival (OS) ( p = 0.037), but not in multivariable analysis (including age, tumor size, grade, estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) and Ki-67). No correlation between CD146 and EMT nor difference in outcome to first-line tamoxifen was seen. In this large series, our data showed that CD146 is present in primary breast cancer and is a pure prognostic factor for MFS and OS in breast cancer patients. We did not see an association between CD146 expression and EMT nor on outcome to tamoxifen.

Marfan Syndrome: new diagnostic criteria, same anesthesia care? Case report and review.

PubMed

Araújo, Maria Rita; Marques, Céline; Freitas, Sara; Santa-Bárbara, Rita; Alves, Joana; Xavier, Célia

2016-01-01

Marfan's Syndrome (MFS) is a disorder of connective tissue, mainly involving the cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, and ocular systems. The most severe problems include aortic root dilatation and dissection. Anesthetic management is vital for the improvement on perioperative morbidity. 61-year-old male with MFS, presenting mainly with pectus carinatum, scoliosis, ectopia lens, previous spontaneous pneumothorax and aortal aneurysm and dissection submitted to thoracoabdominal aortic prosthesis placement. Underwent routine laparoscopic cholecystectomy due to lithiasis. Important findings on preoperative examination were thoracolumbar kyphoscoliosis, metallic murmur on cardiac exam. Chest radiograph revealed Cobb angle of 70°. Echocardiogram showed evidence of aortic mechanical prosthesis with no deficits. Preoperative evaluation should focus on cardiopulmonary abnormalities. The anesthesiologist should be prepared for a potentially difficult intubation. Proper positioning and limb support prior to induction is crucial in order to avoid joint injuries. Consider antibiotic prophylaxis for subacute bacterial endocarditis. The patient should be carefully positioned to avoid joint injuries. Intraoperatively cardiovascular monitoring is mandatory: avoid maneuvers that can lead to tachycardia or hypertension, control airway pressure to prevent pneumothorax and maintain an adequate volemia to decrease chances of prolapse, especially if considering laparoscopic surgery. No single intraoperative anesthetic agent or technique has demonstrated superiority. Adequate postoperative pain management is vitally important to avoid the detrimental effects of hypertension and tachycardia. Copyright © 2014 Sociedade Brasileira de Anestesiologia. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

[Marfan Syndrome: new diagnostic criteria, same anesthesia care? Case report and review].

PubMed

Araújo, Maria Rita; Marques, Céline; Freitas, Sara; Santa-Bárbara, Rita; Alves, Joana; Xavier, Célia

2016-01-01

Marfan's Syndrome (MFS) is a disorder of connective tissue, mainly involving the cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, and ocular systems. The most severe problems include aortic root dilatation and dissection. Anesthetic management is vital for the improvement on perioperative morbidity. 61-year-old male with MFS, presenting mainly with pectus carinatum, scoliosis, ectopia lens, previous spontaneous pneumothorax and aortal aneurysm and dissection submitted to thoracoabdominal aortic prosthesis placement. Underwent routine laparoscopic cholecystectomy due to lithiasis. Important findings on preoperative examination were thoracolumbar kyphoscoliosis, metallic murmur on cardiac exam. Chest radiograph revealed Cobb angle of 70°. Echocardiogram showed evidence of aortic mechanical prosthesis with no deficits. Preoperative evaluation should focus on cardiopulmonary abnormalities. The anesthesiologist should be prepared for a potentially difficult intubation. Proper positioning and limb support prior to induction is crucial in order to avoid joint injuries. Consider antibiotic prophylaxis for subacute bacterial endocarditis. The patient should be carefully positioned to avoid joint injuries. Intraoperatively cardiovascular monitoring is mandatory: avoid maneuvers that can lead to tachycardia or hypertension, control airway pressure to prevent pneumothorax and maintain an adequate volemia to decrease chances of prolapse, especially if considering laparoscopic surgery. No single intraoperative anesthetic agent or technique has demonstrated superiority. Adequate postoperative pain management is vitally important to avoid the detrimental effects of hypertension and tachycardia. Copyright © 2014 Sociedade Brasileira de Anestesiologia. Publicado por Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

78 FR 19743 - Government-Owned Inventions, Available for Licensing

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-02

... Eddy Current Minimization for Metering, Mixing, and Conditioning; NASA Case No.: MFS-32761-1-CON: Multi-Channel Flow Plug with Eddy Current Minimization for Meeting, Mixing, and Conditioning. Sumara M. Thompson...

Polarization and interface charge coupling in ferroelectric/AlGaN/GaN heterostructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Min; Kong, Yuechan; Zhou, Jianjun; Xue, Fangshi; Li, Liang; Jiang, Wenhai; Hao, Lanzhong; Luo, Wenbo; Zeng, Huizhong

2012-03-01

Asymmetrical shift behaviors of capacitance-voltage (C-V) curve with opposite direction are observed in two AlGaN/GaN metal-ferroelectric-semiconductor (MFS) heterostructures with Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 and LiNbO3 gate dielectrics. By incorporating the switchable polar nature of the ferroelectric into a self-consistent calculation, the coupling effect between the ferroelectric and the interface charges is disclosed. The opposite initial orientation of ferroelectric dipoles determined by the interface charges is essentially responsible for the different C-V characteristics. A critical fixed charge density of -1.27 × 1013cm-2 is obtained, which plays a key role in the dependence of the C-V characteristic on the ferroelectric polarization. The results pave the way for design of memory devices based on MFS structure with heteropolar interface.

Piecewise mass flows within a solar prominence observed by the New Vacuum Solar Telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Hongbo; Liu, Yu; Tam, Kuan Vai; Zhao, Mingyu; Zhang, Xuefei

2018-06-01

The material of solar prominences is often observed in a state of flowing. These mass flows (MF) are important and useful for us to understand the internal structure and dynamics of prominences. In this paper, we present a high resolution Hα observation of MFs within a quiescent solar prominence. From the observation, we find that the plasma primarily has a circular motion and a downward motion separately in the middle section and legs of the prominence, which creates a piecewise mass flow along the observed prominence. Moreover, the observation also shows a clear displacement of MF's velocity peaks in the middle section of the prominence. All of these provide us with a detailed record of MFs within a solar prominence and show a new approach to detecting the physical properties of prominence.

Exposure of Surgeons to Extremely Low-Frequency Magnetic Fields During Laparoscopic and Robotic Surgeries

PubMed Central

Park, Jee Soo; Chung, Jai Won; Kim, Nam Kyu; Cho, Min Soo; Kang, Chang Moo; Choi, Soo Beom; Kim, Deok Won

2015-01-01

Abstract The development of new medical electronic devices and equipment has increased the use of electrical apparatuses in surgery. Many studies have reported the association of long-term exposure to extremely low-frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MFs) with diseases or cancer. Robotic surgery has emerged as an alternative tool to overcome the disadvantages of conventional laparoscopic surgery. However, there has been no report regarding how much ELF-MF surgeons are exposed to during laparoscopic and robotic surgeries. In this observational study, we aimed to measure and compare the ELF-MFs that surgeons are exposed to during laparoscopic and robotic surgery. The intensities of the ELF-MFs surgeons are exposed to were measured every 4 seconds for 20 cases of laparoscopic surgery and 20 cases of robotic surgery using portable ELF-MF measuring devices with logging capability. The mean ELF-MF exposures were 0.6 ± 0.1 mG for laparoscopic surgeries and 0.3 ± 0.0 mG for robotic surgeries (significantly lower with P < 0.001 by Mann–Whitney U test). Our results show that the ELF-MF exposure levels of surgeons in both robotic and conventional laparoscopic surgery were lower than 2 mG, which is the most stringent level considered safe in many studies. However, we should not overlook the effects of long-term ELF-MF exposure during many surgeries in the course of a surgeon's career. PMID:25674758

Losartan Attenuates Degradation of Aorta and Lung Tissue Micromechanics in a Mouse Model of Severe Marfan Syndrome

PubMed Central

Lee, Jia-Jye; Galatioto, Josephine; Rao, Satish; Ramirez, Francesco; Costa, Kevin D.

2018-01-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is an autosomal dominant disease of the connective tissue due to mutations in the fibrillin-1 gene (FBN1). This study aimed at characterizing microelastic properties of the ascending aorta wall and lung parenchyma tissues from wild type (WT) and age-matched Fbn1 hypomorphic mice (Fbn1mgR/mgR mice) to identify tissue-specific biomechanical effects of aging and disease in MFS. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to indent lung parenchyma and aortic wall tissues, using Hybrid Eshelby Decomposition analysis to extract layer-specific properties of the intima and media. The intima stiffened with age and was not different between WT and Fbn1mgR/mgR tissues, whereas the media layer of mutant aortas showed progressive structural and mechanical degradation with a modulus that was 50% softer than WT by 3.5 months of age. Similarly, mutant mice displayed progressive structural and mechanical deterioration of lung tissue, which was over 85% softer than WT by 3.5 months of age. Chronic treatment with the angiotensin type I receptor antagonist, losartan, attenuated the aorta and lung tissue degradation, resulting in structural and mechanical properties not significantly different from age-matched WT controls. By revealing micromechanical softening of elastin-rich aorta and lung tissues with disease progression in fibrillin-1 deficient mice, our findings support the use of losartan as a prophylactic treatment that may abrogate the life-threatening symptoms of MFS. PMID:27090893

Prediction of Multidimensional Fatigue After Childhood Brain Injury.

PubMed

Crichton, Alison J; Babl, Franz; Oakley, Ed; Greenham, Mardee; Hearps, Stephen; Delzoppo, Carmel; Hutchison, Jamie; Beauchamp, Miriam; Anderson, Vicki A

To determine (1) the presence of fatigue symptoms and predictors of fatigue after childhood brain injury and examine (2) the feasibility, reliability, and validity of a multidimensional fatigue measure (PedsQL Multidimensional Fatigue Scale [MFS]) obtained from parent and child perspectives. Emergency and intensive care units of a hospital in Melbourne, Australia. Thirty-five families (34 parent-proxies and 32 children) aged 8 to 18 years (mean child age = 13.29 years) with traumatic brain injury (TBI) of all severities (27 mild, 5 moderate, and 3 severe) admitted to the Royal Children's Hospital. Longitudinal prospective study. Fatigue data collected at 6-week follow-up (mean = 6.9 weeks). Postinjury child- and parent-rated fatigue (PedsQL MFS), mood, sleep, and pain based on questionnaire report: TBI severity (mild vs moderate/severe TBI). A score greater than 2 standard deviations below healthy control data indicated the presence of abnormal fatigue, rates of which were higher compared with normative data for both parent and child reports (47% and 29%). Fatigue was predicted by postinjury depression and sleep disturbance for parent, but not child ratings. Fatigue, as rated by children, was not significantly predicted by TBI severity or other symptoms. The PedsQL MFS demonstrated acceptable measurement properties in child TBI participants, evidenced by good feasibility and reliability (Cronbach α values >0.90). Interrater reliability between parent and child reports was poor to moderate. Results underscore the need to assess fatigue and associated sleep-wake disturbance and depression after child TBI from both parent and child perspectives.

Understanding the Role of the Master Regulator XYR1 in Trichoderma reesei by Global Transcriptional Analysis

PubMed Central

dos Santos Castro, Lilian; de Paula, Renato G.; Antoniêto, Amanda C. C.; Persinoti, Gabriela F.; Silva-Rocha, Rafael; Silva, Roberto N.

2016-01-01

We defined the role of the transcriptional factor—XYR1—in the filamentous fungus Trichoderma reesei during cellulosic material degradation. In this regard, we performed a global transcriptome analysis using RNA-Seq of the Δxyr1 mutant strain of T. reesei compared with the parental strain QM9414 grown in the presence of cellulose, sophorose, and glucose as sole carbon sources. We found that 5885 genes were expressed differentially under the three tested carbon sources. Of these, 322 genes were upregulated in the presence of cellulose, while 367 and 188 were upregulated in sophorose and glucose, respectively. With respect to genes under the direct regulation of XYR1, 30 and 33 are exclusive to cellulose and sophorose, respectively. The most modulated genes in the Δxyr1 belong to Carbohydrate-Active Enzymes (CAZymes), transcription factors, and transporters families. Moreover, we highlight the downregulation of transporters belonging to the MFS and ABC transporter families. Of these, MFS members were mostly downregulated in the presence of cellulose. In sophorose and glucose, the expression of these transporters was mainly upregulated. Our results revealed that MFS and ABC transporters could be new players in cellulose degradation and their role was shown to be carbon source-dependent. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of XYR1 to control cellulase gene expression in T. reesei in the presence of cellulosic material, thereby potentially enhancing its application in several biotechnology fields. PMID:26909077

Understanding the Role of the Master Regulator XYR1 in Trichoderma reesei by Global Transcriptional Analysis.

PubMed

Dos Santos Castro, Lilian; de Paula, Renato G; Antoniêto, Amanda C C; Persinoti, Gabriela F; Silva-Rocha, Rafael; Silva, Roberto N

2016-01-01

We defined the role of the transcriptional factor-XYR1-in the filamentous fungus Trichoderma reesei during cellulosic material degradation. In this regard, we performed a global transcriptome analysis using RNA-Seq of the Δxyr1 mutant strain of T. reesei compared with the parental strain QM9414 grown in the presence of cellulose, sophorose, and glucose as sole carbon sources. We found that 5885 genes were expressed differentially under the three tested carbon sources. Of these, 322 genes were upregulated in the presence of cellulose, while 367 and 188 were upregulated in sophorose and glucose, respectively. With respect to genes under the direct regulation of XYR1, 30 and 33 are exclusive to cellulose and sophorose, respectively. The most modulated genes in the Δxyr1 belong to Carbohydrate-Active Enzymes (CAZymes), transcription factors, and transporters families. Moreover, we highlight the downregulation of transporters belonging to the MFS and ABC transporter families. Of these, MFS members were mostly downregulated in the presence of cellulose. In sophorose and glucose, the expression of these transporters was mainly upregulated. Our results revealed that MFS and ABC transporters could be new players in cellulose degradation and their role was shown to be carbon source-dependent. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of XYR1 to control cellulase gene expression in T. reesei in the presence of cellulosic material, thereby potentially enhancing its application in several biotechnology fields.

Intensity inhomogeneity correction of SD-OCT data using macular flatspace.

PubMed

Lang, Andrew; Carass, Aaron; Jedynak, Bruno M; Solomon, Sharon D; Calabresi, Peter A; Prince, Jerry L

2018-01-01

Images of the retina acquired using optical coherence tomography (OCT) often suffer from intensity inhomogeneity problems that degrade both the quality of the images and the performance of automated algorithms utilized to measure structural changes. This intensity variation has many causes, including off-axis acquisition, signal attenuation, multi-frame averaging, and vignetting, making it difficult to correct the data in a fundamental way. This paper presents a method for inhomogeneity correction by acting to reduce the variability of intensities within each layer. In particular, the N3 algorithm, which is popular in neuroimage analysis, is adapted to work for OCT data. N3 works by sharpening the intensity histogram, which reduces the variation of intensities within different classes. To apply it here, the data are first converted to a standardized space called macular flat space (MFS). MFS allows the intensities within each layer to be more easily normalized by removing the natural curvature of the retina. N3 is then run on the MFS data using a modified smoothing model, which improves the efficiency of the original algorithm. We show that our method more accurately corrects gain fields on synthetic OCT data when compared to running N3 on non-flattened data. It also reduces the overall variability of the intensities within each layer, without sacrificing contrast between layers, and improves the performance of registration between OCT images. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

VERIFICATION OF SURFACE LAYER OZONE FORECASTS IN THE NOAA/EPA AIR QUALITY FORECAST SYSTEM IN DIFFERENT REGIONS UNDER DIFFERENT SYNOPTIC SCENARIOS

EPA Science Inventory

An air quality forecast (AQF) system has been established at NOAA/NCEP since 2003 as a collaborative effort of NOAA and EPA. The system is based on NCEP's Eta mesoscale meteorological model and EPA's CMAQ air quality model (Davidson et al, 2004). The vision behind this system is ...

Operational seasonal forecasting of crop performance.

PubMed

Stone, Roger C; Meinke, Holger

2005-11-29

Integrated, interdisciplinary crop performance forecasting systems, linked with appropriate decision and discussion support tools, could substantially improve operational decision making in agricultural management. Recent developments in connecting numerical weather prediction models and general circulation models with quantitative crop growth models offer the potential for development of integrated systems that incorporate components of long-term climate change. However, operational seasonal forecasting systems have little or no value unless they are able to change key management decisions. Changed decision making through incorporation of seasonal forecasting ultimately has to demonstrate improved long-term performance of the cropping enterprise. Simulation analyses conducted on specific production scenarios are especially useful in improving decisions, particularly if this is done in conjunction with development of decision-support systems and associated facilitated discussion groups. Improved management of the overall crop production system requires an interdisciplinary approach, where climate scientists, agricultural scientists and extension specialists are intimately linked with crop production managers in the development of targeted seasonal forecast systems. The same principle applies in developing improved operational management systems for commodity trading organizations, milling companies and agricultural marketing organizations. Application of seasonal forecast systems across the whole value chain in agricultural production offers considerable benefits in improving overall operational management of agricultural production.

Operational seasonal forecasting of crop performance

PubMed Central

Stone, Roger C; Meinke, Holger

2005-01-01

Integrated, interdisciplinary crop performance forecasting systems, linked with appropriate decision and discussion support tools, could substantially improve operational decision making in agricultural management. Recent developments in connecting numerical weather prediction models and general circulation models with quantitative crop growth models offer the potential for development of integrated systems that incorporate components of long-term climate change. However, operational seasonal forecasting systems have little or no value unless they are able to change key management decisions. Changed decision making through incorporation of seasonal forecasting ultimately has to demonstrate improved long-term performance of the cropping enterprise. Simulation analyses conducted on specific production scenarios are especially useful in improving decisions, particularly if this is done in conjunction with development of decision-support systems and associated facilitated discussion groups. Improved management of the overall crop production system requires an interdisciplinary approach, where climate scientists, agricultural scientists and extension specialists are intimately linked with crop production managers in the development of targeted seasonal forecast systems. The same principle applies in developing improved operational management systems for commodity trading organizations, milling companies and agricultural marketing organizations. Application of seasonal forecast systems across the whole value chain in agricultural production offers considerable benefits in improving overall operational management of agricultural production. PMID:16433097

Satellite based Ocean Forecasting, the SOFT project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stemmann, L.; Tintoré, J.; Moneris, S.

2003-04-01

The knowledge of future oceanic conditions would have enormous impact on human marine related areas. For such reasons, a number of international efforts are being carried out to obtain reliable and manageable ocean forecasting systems. Among the possible techniques that can be used to estimate the near future states of the ocean, an ocean forecasting system based on satellite imagery is developped through the Satelitte based Ocean ForecasTing project (SOFT). SOFT, established by the European Commission, considers the development of a forecasting system of the ocean space-time variability based on satellite data by using Artificial Intelligence techniques. This system will be merged with numerical simulation approaches, via assimilation techniques, to get a hybrid SOFT-numerical forecasting system of improved performance. The results of the project will provide efficient forecasting of sea-surface temperature structures, currents, dynamic height, and biological activity associated to chlorophyll fields. All these quantities could give valuable information on the planning and management of human activities in marine environments such as navigation, fisheries, pollution control, or coastal management. A detailed identification of present or new needs and potential end-users concerned by such an operational tool is being performed. The project would study solutions adapted to these specific needs.

Developing Environmental Scanning/Forecasting Systems To Augment Community College Planning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morrison, James L.; Held, William G.

A description is provided of a conference session that was conducted to explore the structure and function of an environmental scanning/forecasting system that could be used in a community college to facilitate planning. Introductory comments argue that a college that establishes an environmental scanning and forecasting system is able to identify…

Flash-flood early warning using weather radar data: from nowcasting to forecasting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liechti, Katharina; Panziera, Luca; Germann, Urs; Zappa, Massimiliano

2013-04-01

In our study we explore the limits of radar-based forecasting for hydrological runoff prediction. Two novel probabilistic radar-based forecasting chains for flash-flood early warning are investigated in three catchments in the Southern Swiss Alps and set in relation to deterministic discharge forecast for the same catchments. The first probabilistic radar-based forecasting chain is driven by NORA (Nowcasting of Orographic Rainfall by means of Analogues), an analogue-based heuristic nowcasting system to predict orographic rainfall for the following eight hours. The second probabilistic forecasting system evaluated is REAL-C2, where the numerical weather prediction COSMO-2 is initialized with 25 different initial conditions derived from a four-day nowcast with the radar ensemble REAL. Additionally, three deterministic forecasting chains were analysed. The performance of these five flash-flood forecasting systems was analysed for 1389 hours between June 2007 and December 2010 for which NORA forecasts were issued, due to the presence of orographic forcing. We found a clear preference for the probabilistic approach. Discharge forecasts perform better when forced by NORA rather than by a persistent radar QPE for lead times up to eight hours and for all discharge thresholds analysed. The best results were, however, obtained with the REAL-C2 forecasting chain, which was also remarkably skilful even with the highest thresholds. However, for regions where REAL cannot be produced, NORA might be an option for forecasting events triggered by orographic forcing.

Flash-flood early warning using weather radar data: from nowcasting to forecasting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liechti, K.; Panziera, L.; Germann, U.; Zappa, M.

2013-01-01

This study explores the limits of radar-based forecasting for hydrological runoff prediction. Two novel probabilistic radar-based forecasting chains for flash-flood early warning are investigated in three catchments in the Southern Swiss Alps and set in relation to deterministic discharge forecast for the same catchments. The first probabilistic radar-based forecasting chain is driven by NORA (Nowcasting of Orographic Rainfall by means of Analogues), an analogue-based heuristic nowcasting system to predict orographic rainfall for the following eight hours. The second probabilistic forecasting system evaluated is REAL-C2, where the numerical weather prediction COSMO-2 is initialized with 25 different initial conditions derived from a four-day nowcast with the radar ensemble REAL. Additionally, three deterministic forecasting chains were analysed. The performance of these five flash-flood forecasting systems was analysed for 1389 h between June 2007 and December 2010 for which NORA forecasts were issued, due to the presence of orographic forcing. We found a clear preference for the probabilistic approach. Discharge forecasts perform better when forced by NORA rather than by a persistent radar QPE for lead times up to eight hours and for all discharge thresholds analysed. The best results were, however, obtained with the REAL-C2 forecasting chain, which was also remarkably skilful even with the highest thresholds. However, for regions where REAL cannot be produced, NORA might be an option for forecasting events triggered by orographic precipitation.

Short-Term State Forecasting-Based Optimal Voltage Regulation in Distribution Systems: Preprint

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

Yang, Rui; Jiang, Huaiguang; Zhang, Yingchen

2017-05-17

A novel short-term state forecasting-based optimal power flow (OPF) approach for distribution system voltage regulation is proposed in this paper. An extreme learning machine (ELM) based state forecaster is developed to accurately predict system states (voltage magnitudes and angles) in the near future. Based on the forecast system states, a dynamically weighted three-phase AC OPF problem is formulated to minimize the voltage violations with higher penalization on buses which are forecast to have higher voltage violations in the near future. By solving the proposed OPF problem, the controllable resources in the system are optimally coordinated to alleviate the potential severemore » voltage violations and improve the overall voltage profile. The proposed approach has been tested in a 12-bus distribution system and simulation results are presented to demonstrate the performance of the proposed approach.« less

The Value of Humans in the Operational River Forecasting Enterprise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pagano, T. C.

2012-04-01

The extent of human control over operational river forecasts, such as by adjusting model inputs and outputs, varies from nearly completely automated systems to those where forecasts are generated after discussion among a group of experts. Historical and realtime data availability, the complexity of hydrologic processes, forecast user needs, and forecasting institution support/resource availability (e.g. computing power, money for model maintenance) influence the character and effectiveness of operational forecasting systems. Automated data quality algorithms, if used at all, are typically very basic (e.g. checks for impossible values); substantial human effort is devoted to cleaning up forcing data using subjective methods. Similarly, although it is an active research topic, nearly all operational forecasting systems struggle to make quantitative use of Numerical Weather Prediction model-based precipitation forecasts, instead relying on the assessment of meteorologists. Conversely, while there is a strong tradition in meteorology of making raw model outputs available to forecast users via the Internet, this is rarely done in hydrology; Operational river forecasters express concerns about exposing users to raw guidance, due to the potential for misinterpretation and misuse. However, this limits the ability of users to build their confidence in operational products through their own value-added analyses. Forecasting agencies also struggle with provenance (i.e. documenting the production process and archiving the pieces that went into creating a forecast) although this is necessary for quantifying the benefits of human involvement in forecasting and diagnosing weak links in the forecasting chain. In hydrology, the space between model outputs and final operational products is nearly unstudied by the academic community, although some studies exist in other fields such as meteorology.

Regional early flood warning system: design and implementation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, L. C.; Yang, S. N.; Kuo, C. L.; Wang, Y. F.

2017-12-01

This study proposes a prototype of the regional early flood inundation warning system in Tainan City, Taiwan. The AI technology is used to forecast multi-step-ahead regional flood inundation maps during storm events. The computing time is only few seconds that leads to real-time regional flood inundation forecasting. A database is built to organize data and information for building real-time forecasting models, maintaining the relations of forecasted points, and displaying forecasted results, while real-time data acquisition is another key task where the model requires immediately accessing rain gauge information to provide forecast services. All programs related database are constructed in Microsoft SQL Server by using Visual C# to extracting real-time hydrological data, managing data, storing the forecasted data and providing the information to the visual map-based display. The regional early flood inundation warning system use the up-to-date Web technologies driven by the database and real-time data acquisition to display the on-line forecasting flood inundation depths in the study area. The friendly interface includes on-line sequentially showing inundation area by Google Map, maximum inundation depth and its location, and providing KMZ file download of the results which can be watched on Google Earth. The developed system can provide all the relevant information and on-line forecast results that helps city authorities to make decisions during typhoon events and make actions to mitigate the losses.

Evaluation of CMAQ and CAMx Ensemble Air Quality Forecasts during the 2015 MAPS-Seoul Field Campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, E.; Kim, S.; Bae, C.; Kim, H. C.; Kim, B. U.

2015-12-01

The performance of Air quality forecasts during the 2015 MAPS-Seoul Field Campaign was evaluated. An forecast system has been operated to support the campaign's daily aircraft route decisions for airborne measurements to observe long-range transporting plume. We utilized two real-time ensemble systems based on the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF)-Sparse Matrix Operator Kernel Emissions (SMOKE)-Comprehensive Air quality Model with extensions (CAMx) modeling framework and WRF-SMOKE- Community Multi_scale Air Quality (CMAQ) framework over northeastern Asia to simulate PM10 concentrations. Global Forecast System (GFS) from National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) was used to provide meteorological inputs for the forecasts. For an additional set of retrospective simulations, ERA Interim Reanalysis from European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) was also utilized to access forecast uncertainties from the meteorological data used. Model Inter-Comparison Study for Asia (MICS-Asia) and National Institute of Environment Research (NIER) Clean Air Policy Support System (CAPSS) emission inventories are used for foreign and domestic emissions, respectively. In the study, we evaluate the CMAQ and CAMx model performance during the campaign by comparing the results to the airborne and surface measurements. Contributions of foreign and domestic emissions are estimated using a brute force method. Analyses on model performance and emissions will be utilized to improve air quality forecasts for the upcoming KORUS-AQ field campaign planned in 2016.

On the reliability of seasonal climate forecasts.

PubMed

Weisheimer, A; Palmer, T N

2014-07-06

Seasonal climate forecasts are being used increasingly across a range of application sectors. A recent UK governmental report asked: how good are seasonal forecasts on a scale of 1-5 (where 5 is very good), and how good can we expect them to be in 30 years time? Seasonal forecasts are made from ensembles of integrations of numerical models of climate. We argue that 'goodness' should be assessed first and foremost in terms of the probabilistic reliability of these ensemble-based forecasts; reliable inputs are essential for any forecast-based decision-making. We propose that a '5' should be reserved for systems that are not only reliable overall, but where, in particular, small ensemble spread is a reliable indicator of low ensemble forecast error. We study the reliability of regional temperature and precipitation forecasts of the current operational seasonal forecast system of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, universally regarded as one of the world-leading operational institutes producing seasonal climate forecasts. A wide range of 'goodness' rankings, depending on region and variable (with summer forecasts of rainfall over Northern Europe performing exceptionally poorly) is found. Finally, we discuss the prospects of reaching '5' across all regions and variables in 30 years time.

A national-scale seasonal hydrological forecast system: development and evaluation over Britain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bell, Victoria A.; Davies, Helen N.; Kay, Alison L.; Brookshaw, Anca; Scaife, Adam A.

2017-09-01

Skilful winter seasonal predictions for the North Atlantic circulation and northern Europe have now been demonstrated and the potential for seasonal hydrological forecasting in the UK is now being explored. One of the techniques being used combines seasonal rainfall forecasts provided by operational weather forecast systems with hydrological modelling tools to provide estimates of seasonal mean river flows up to a few months ahead. The work presented here shows how spatial information contained in a distributed hydrological model typically requiring high-resolution (daily or better) rainfall data can be used to provide an initial condition for a much simpler forecast model tailored to use low-resolution monthly rainfall forecasts. Rainfall forecasts (hindcasts) from the GloSea5 model (1996 to 2009) are used to provide the first assessment of skill in these national-scale flow forecasts. The skill in the combined modelling system is assessed for different seasons and regions of Britain, and compared to what might be achieved using other approaches such as use of an ensemble of historical rainfall in a hydrological model, or a simple flow persistence forecast. The analysis indicates that only limited forecast skill is achievable for Spring and Summer seasonal hydrological forecasts; however, Autumn and Winter flows can be reasonably well forecast using (ensemble mean) rainfall forecasts based on either GloSea5 forecasts or historical rainfall (the preferred type of forecast depends on the region). Flow forecasts using ensemble mean GloSea5 rainfall perform most consistently well across Britain, and provide the most skilful forecasts overall at the 3-month lead time. Much of the skill (64 %) in the 1-month ahead seasonal flow forecasts can be attributed to the hydrological initial condition (particularly in regions with a significant groundwater contribution to flows), whereas for the 3-month ahead lead time, GloSea5 forecasts account for ˜ 70 % of the forecast skill (mostly in areas of high rainfall to the north and west) and only 30 % of the skill arises from hydrological memory (typically groundwater-dominated areas). Given the high spatial heterogeneity in typical patterns of UK rainfall and evaporation, future development of skilful spatially distributed seasonal forecasts could lead to substantial improvements in seasonal flow forecast capability, potentially benefitting practitioners interested in predicting hydrological extremes, not only in the UK but also across Europe.

Improving medium-range and seasonal hydroclimate forecasts in the southeast USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, Di

Accurate hydro-climate forecasts are important for decision making by water managers, agricultural producers, and other stake holders. Numerical weather prediction models and general circulation models may have potential for improving hydro-climate forecasts at different scales. In this study, forecast analogs of the Global Forecast System (GFS) and Global Ensemble Forecast System (GEFS) based on different approaches were evaluated for medium-range reference evapotranspiration (ETo), irrigation scheduling, and urban water demand forecasts in the southeast United States; the Climate Forecast System version 2 (CFSv2) and the North American national multi-model ensemble (NMME) were statistically downscaled for seasonal forecasts of ETo, precipitation (P) and 2-m temperature (T2M) at the regional level. The GFS mean temperature (Tmean), relative humidity, and wind speed (Wind) reforecasts combined with the climatology of Reanalysis 2 solar radiation (Rs) produced higher skill than using the direct GFS output only. Constructed analogs showed slightly higher skill than natural analogs for deterministic forecasts. Both irrigation scheduling driven by the GEFS-based ETo forecasts and GEFS-based ETo forecast skill were generally positive up to one week throughout the year. The GEFS improved ETo forecast skill compared to the GFS. The GEFS-based analog forecasts for the input variables of an operational urban water demand model were skillful when applied in the Tampa Bay area. The modified operational models driven by GEFS analog forecasts showed higher forecast skill than the operational model based on persistence. The results for CFSv2 seasonal forecasts showed maximum temperature (Tmax) and Rs had the greatest influence on ETo. The downscaled Tmax showed the highest predictability, followed by Tmean, Tmin, Rs, and Wind. The CFSv2 model could better predict ETo in cold seasons during El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events only when the forecast initial condition was in ENSO. Downscaled P and T2M forecasts were produced by directly downscaling the NMME P and T2M output or indirectly using the NMME forecasts of Nino3.4 sea surface temperatures to predict local-scale P and T2M. The indirect method generally showed the highest forecast skill which occurs in cold seasons. The bias-corrected NMME ensemble forecast skill did not outperform the best single model.

Long-range forecast of all India summer monsoon rainfall using adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system: skill comparison with CFSv2 model simulation and real-time forecast for the year 2015

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaudhuri, S.; Das, D.; Goswami, S.; Das, S. K.

2016-11-01

All India summer monsoon rainfall (AISMR) characteristics play a vital role for the policy planning and national economy of the country. In view of the significant impact of monsoon system on regional as well as global climate systems, accurate prediction of summer monsoon rainfall has become a challenge. The objective of this study is to develop an adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) for long range forecast of AISMR. The NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data of temperature, zonal and meridional wind at different pressure levels have been taken to construct the input matrix of ANFIS. The membership of the input parameters for AISMR as high, medium or low is estimated with trapezoidal membership function. The fuzzified standardized input parameters and the de-fuzzified target output are trained with artificial neural network models. The forecast of AISMR with ANFIS is compared with non-hybrid multi-layer perceptron model (MLP), radial basis functions network (RBFN) and multiple linear regression (MLR) models. The forecast error analyses of the models reveal that ANFIS provides the best forecast of AISMR with minimum prediction error of 0.076, whereas the errors with MLP, RBFN and MLR models are 0.22, 0.18 and 0.73 respectively. During validation with observations, ANFIS shows its potency over the said comparative models. Performance of the ANFIS model is verified through different statistical skill scores, which also confirms the aptitude of ANFIS in forecasting AISMR. The forecast skill of ANFIS is also observed to be better than Climate Forecast System version 2. The real-time forecast with ANFIS shows possibility of deficit (65-75 cm) AISMR in the year 2015.

Assessing skill of a global bimonthly streamflow ensemble prediction system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Dijk, A. I.; Peña-Arancibia, J.; Sheffield, J.; Wood, E. F.

2011-12-01

Ideally, a seasonal streamflow forecasting system might be conceived of as a system that ingests skillful climate forecasts from general circulation models and propagates these through thoroughly calibrated hydrological models that are initialised using hydrometric observations. In practice, there are practical problems with each of these aspects. Instead, we analysed whether a comparatively simple hydrological model-based Ensemble Prediction System (EPS) can provide global bimonthly streamflow forecasts with some skill and if so, under what circumstances the greatest skill may be expected. The system tested produces ensemble forecasts for each of six annual bimonthly periods based on the previous 30 years of global daily gridded 1° resolution climate variables and an initialised global hydrological model. To incorporate some of the skill derived from ocean conditions, a post-EPS analog method was used to sample from the ensemble based on El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) index values observed prior to the forecast. Forecasts skill was assessed through a hind-casting experiment for the period 1979-2008. Potential skill was calculated with reference to a model run with the actual forcing for the forecast period (the 'perfect' model) and was compared to actual forecast skill calculated for each of the six forecast times for an average 411 Australian and 51 pan-tropical catchments. Significant potential skill in bimonthly forecasts was largely limited to northern regions during the snow melt period, seasonally wet tropical regions at the transition of wet to dry season, and the Indonesian region where rainfall is well correlated to ENSO. The actual skill was approximately 34-50% of the potential skill. We attribute this primarily to limitations in the model structure, parameterisation and global forcing data. Use of better climate forecasts and remote sensing observations of initial catchment conditions should help to increase actual skill in future. Future work also could address the potential skill gain from using weather and climate forecasts and from a calibrated and/or alternative hydrological model or model ensemble. The approach and data might be useful as a benchmark for joint seasonal forecasting experiments planned under GEWEX.

Verifying and Postprocesing the Ensemble Spread-Error Relationship

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hopson, Tom; Knievel, Jason; Liu, Yubao; Roux, Gregory; Wu, Wanli

2013-04-01

With the increased utilization of ensemble forecasts in weather and hydrologic applications, there is a need to verify their benefit over less expensive deterministic forecasts. One such potential benefit of ensemble systems is their capacity to forecast their own forecast error through the ensemble spread-error relationship. The paper begins by revisiting the limitations of the Pearson correlation alone in assessing this relationship. Next, we introduce two new metrics to consider in assessing the utility an ensemble's varying dispersion. We argue there are two aspects of an ensemble's dispersion that should be assessed. First, and perhaps more fundamentally: is there enough variability in the ensembles dispersion to justify the maintenance of an expensive ensemble prediction system (EPS), irrespective of whether the EPS is well-calibrated or not? To diagnose this, the factor that controls the theoretical upper limit of the spread-error correlation can be useful. Secondly, does the variable dispersion of an ensemble relate to variable expectation of forecast error? Representing the spread-error correlation in relation to its theoretical limit can provide a simple diagnostic of this attribute. A context for these concepts is provided by assessing two operational ensembles: 30-member Western US temperature forecasts for the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command and 51-member Brahmaputra River flow forecasts of the Climate Forecast and Applications Project for Bangladesh. Both of these systems utilize a postprocessing technique based on quantile regression (QR) under a step-wise forward selection framework leading to ensemble forecasts with both good reliability and sharpness. In addition, the methodology utilizes the ensemble's ability to self-diagnose forecast instability to produce calibrated forecasts with informative skill-spread relationships. We will describe both ensemble systems briefly, review the steps used to calibrate the ensemble forecast, and present verification statistics using error-spread metrics, along with figures from operational ensemble forecasts before and after calibration.

Analyses and forecasts of a tornadic supercell outbreak using a 3DVAR system ensemble

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhuang, Zhaorong; Yussouf, Nusrat; Gao, Jidong

2016-05-01

As part of NOAA's "Warn-On-Forecast" initiative, a convective-scale data assimilation and prediction system was developed using the WRF-ARW model and ARPS 3DVAR data assimilation technique. The system was then evaluated using retrospective short-range ensemble analyses and probabilistic forecasts of the tornadic supercell outbreak event that occurred on 24 May 2011 in Oklahoma, USA. A 36-member multi-physics ensemble system provided the initial and boundary conditions for a 3-km convective-scale ensemble system. Radial velocity and reflectivity observations from four WSR-88Ds were assimilated into the ensemble using the ARPS 3DVAR technique. Five data assimilation and forecast experiments were conducted to evaluate the sensitivity of the system to data assimilation frequencies, in-cloud temperature adjustment schemes, and fixed- and mixed-microphysics ensembles. The results indicated that the experiment with 5-min assimilation frequency quickly built up the storm and produced a more accurate analysis compared with the 10-min assimilation frequency experiment. The predicted vertical vorticity from the moist-adiabatic in-cloud temperature adjustment scheme was larger in magnitude than that from the latent heat scheme. Cycled data assimilation yielded good forecasts, where the ensemble probability of high vertical vorticity matched reasonably well with the observed tornado damage path. Overall, the results of the study suggest that the 3DVAR analysis and forecast system can provide reasonable forecasts of tornadic supercell storms.

WOD - Weather On Demand forecasting system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rognvaldsson, Olafur; Ragnarsson, Logi; Stanislawska, Karolina

2017-04-01

The backbone of the Belgingur forecasting system (called WOD - Weather On Demand) is the WRF-Chem atmospheric model, with a number of in-house customisations. Initial and boundary data are taken from the Global Forecasting System, operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Operational forecasts use cycling of a number of parameters, mainly deep soil and surface fields. This is done to minimise spin-up effects and to ensure proper book-keeping of hydrological fields such as snow accumulation and runoff, as well as the constituents of various chemical parameters. The WOD system can be used to create conventional short- to medium-range weather forecasts for any location on the globe. The WOD system can also be used for air quality purposes (e.g. dispersion forecasts from volcanic eruptions) and as a tool to provide input to other modelling systems, such as hydrological models. A wide variety of post-processing options are also available, making WOD an ideal tool for creating highly customised output that can be tailored to the specific needs of individual end-users. The most recent addition to the WOD system is an integrated verification system where forecasts can be compared to surface observations from chosen locations. Forecast visualisation, such as weather charts, meteograms, weather icons and tables, is done via number of web components that can be configured to serve the varying needs of different end-users. The WOD system itself can be installed in an automatic way on hardware running a range of Linux based OS. System upgrades can also be done in semi-automatic fashion, i.e. upgrades and/or bug-fixes can be pushed to the end-user hardware without system downtime. Importantly, the WOD system requires only rudimentary knowledge of the WRF modelling, and the Linux operating systems on behalf of the end-user, making it an ideal NWP tool in locations with limited IT infrastructure.

Comparison of Observation Impacts in Two Forecast Systems using Adjoint Methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gelaro, Ronald; Langland, Rolf; Todling, Ricardo

2009-01-01

An experiment is being conducted to compare directly the impact of all assimilated observations on short-range forecast errors in different operational forecast systems. We use the adjoint-based method developed by Langland and Baker (2004), which allows these impacts to be efficiently calculated. This presentation describes preliminary results for a "baseline" set of observations, including both satellite radiances and conventional observations, used by the Navy/NOGAPS and NASA/GEOS-5 forecast systems for the month of January 2007. In each system, about 65% of the total reduction in 24-h forecast error is provided by satellite observations, although the impact of rawinsonde, aircraft, land, and ship-based observations remains significant. Only a small majority (50- 55%) of all observations assimilated improves the forecast, while the rest degrade it. It is found that most of the total forecast error reduction comes from observations with moderate-size innovations providing small to moderate impacts, not from outliers with very large positive or negative innovations. In a global context, the relative impacts of the major observation types are fairly similar in each system, although regional differences in observation impact can be significant. Of particular interest is the fact that while satellite radiances have a large positive impact overall, they degrade the forecast in certain locations common to both systems, especially over land and ice surfaces. Ongoing comparisons of this type, with results expected from other operational centers, should lead to more robust conclusions about the impacts of the various components of the observing system as well as about the strengths and weaknesses of the methodologies used to assimilate them.

How do I know if my forecasts are better? Using benchmarks in hydrological ensemble prediction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pappenberger, F.; Ramos, M. H.; Cloke, H. L.; Wetterhall, F.; Alfieri, L.; Bogner, K.; Mueller, A.; Salamon, P.

2015-03-01

The skill of a forecast can be assessed by comparing the relative proximity of both the forecast and a benchmark to the observations. Example benchmarks include climatology or a naïve forecast. Hydrological ensemble prediction systems (HEPS) are currently transforming the hydrological forecasting environment but in this new field there is little information to guide researchers and operational forecasters on how benchmarks can be best used to evaluate their probabilistic forecasts. In this study, it is identified that the forecast skill calculated can vary depending on the benchmark selected and that the selection of a benchmark for determining forecasting system skill is sensitive to a number of hydrological and system factors. A benchmark intercomparison experiment is then undertaken using the continuous ranked probability score (CRPS), a reference forecasting system and a suite of 23 different methods to derive benchmarks. The benchmarks are assessed within the operational set-up of the European Flood Awareness System (EFAS) to determine those that are 'toughest to beat' and so give the most robust discrimination of forecast skill, particularly for the spatial average fields that EFAS relies upon. Evaluating against an observed discharge proxy the benchmark that has most utility for EFAS and avoids the most naïve skill across different hydrological situations is found to be meteorological persistency. This benchmark uses the latest meteorological observations of precipitation and temperature to drive the hydrological model. Hydrological long term average benchmarks, which are currently used in EFAS, are very easily beaten by the forecasting system and the use of these produces much naïve skill. When decomposed into seasons, the advanced meteorological benchmarks, which make use of meteorological observations from the past 20 years at the same calendar date, have the most skill discrimination. They are also good at discriminating skill in low flows and for all catchment sizes. Simpler meteorological benchmarks are particularly useful for high flows. Recommendations for EFAS are to move to routine use of meteorological persistency, an advanced meteorological benchmark and a simple meteorological benchmark in order to provide a robust evaluation of forecast skill. This work provides the first comprehensive evidence on how benchmarks can be used in evaluation of skill in probabilistic hydrological forecasts and which benchmarks are most useful for skill discrimination and avoidance of naïve skill in a large scale HEPS. It is recommended that all HEPS use the evidence and methodology provided here to evaluate which benchmarks to employ; so forecasters can have trust in their skill evaluation and will have confidence that their forecasts are indeed better.

Wave ensemble forecast in the Western Mediterranean Sea, application to an early warning system.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pallares, Elena; Hernandez, Hector; Moré, Jordi; Espino, Manuel; Sairouni, Abdel

2015-04-01

The Western Mediterranean Sea is a highly heterogeneous and variable area, as is reflected on the wind field, the current field, and the waves, mainly in the first kilometers offshore. As a result of this variability, the wave forecast in these regions is quite complicated to perform, usually with some accuracy problems during energetic storm events. Moreover, is in these areas where most of the economic activities take part, including fisheries, sailing, tourism, coastal management and offshore renewal energy platforms. In order to introduce an indicator of the probability of occurrence of the different sea states and give more detailed information of the forecast to the end users, an ensemble wave forecast system is considered. The ensemble prediction systems have already been used in the last decades for the meteorological forecast; to deal with the uncertainties of the initial conditions and the different parametrizations used in the models, which may introduce some errors in the forecast, a bunch of different perturbed meteorological simulations are considered as possible future scenarios and compared with the deterministic forecast. In the present work, the SWAN wave model (v41.01) has been implemented for the Western Mediterranean sea, forced with wind fields produced by the deterministic Global Forecast System (GFS) and Global Ensemble Forecast System (GEFS). The wind fields includes a deterministic forecast (also named control), between 11 and 21 ensemble members, and some intelligent member obtained from the ensemble, as the mean of all the members. Four buoys located in the study area, moored in coastal waters, have been used to validate the results. The outputs include all the time series, with a forecast horizon of 8 days and represented in spaghetti diagrams, the spread of the system and the probability at different thresholds. The main goal of this exercise is to be able to determine the degree of the uncertainty of the wave forecast, meaningful between the 5th and the 8th day of the prediction. The information obtained is then included in an early warning system, designed in the framework of the European project iCoast (ECHO/SUB/2013/661009) with the aim of set alarms in coastal areas depending on the wave conditions, the sea level, the flooding and the run up in the coast.

76 FR 65751 - Notice of intent to grant exclusive license

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-24

... the invention described and claimed in MFS-32870-1 ``Greener Electro-Mechanical Slide Valve'' to QM Power, Inc, having its principal place of business in Lee's Summit, MO. The intellectual property rights...

Improved regional water management utilizing climate forecasts: An interbasin transfer model with a risk management framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Weihua; Sankarasubramanian, A.; Ranjithan, R. S.; Brill, E. D.

2014-08-01

Regional water supply systems undergo surplus and deficit conditions due to differences in inflow characteristics as well as due to their seasonal demand patterns. This study proposes a framework for regional water management by proposing an interbasin transfer (IBT) model that uses climate-information-based inflow forecast for minimizing the deviations from the end-of-season target storage across the participating pools. Using the ensemble streamflow forecast, the IBT water allocation model was applied for two reservoir systems in the North Carolina Triangle Area. Results show that interbasin transfers initiated by the ensemble streamflow forecast could potentially improve the overall water supply reliability as the demand continues to grow in the Triangle Area. To further understand the utility of climate forecasts in facilitating IBT under different spatial correlation structures between inflows and between the initial storages of the two systems, a synthetic experiment was designed to evaluate the framework under inflow forecast having different skills. Findings from the synthetic study can be summarized as follows: (a) inflow forecasts combined with the proposed IBT optimization model provide improved allocation in comparison to the allocations obtained under the no-transfer scenario as well as under transfers obtained with climatology; (b) spatial correlations between inflows and between initial storages among participating reservoirs could also influence the potential benefits that could be achieved through IBT; (c) IBT is particularly beneficial for systems that experience low correlations between inflows or between initial storages or on both attributes of the regional water supply system. Thus, if both infrastructure and permitting structures exist for promoting interbasin transfers, season-ahead inflow forecasts could provide added benefits in forecasting surplus/deficit conditions among the participating pools in the regional water supply system.

Improved Regional Water Management Utilizing Climate Forecasts: An Inter-basin Transfer Model with a Risk Management Framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, W.; Arumugam, S.; Ranjithan, R. S.; Brill, E. D., Jr.

2014-12-01

Regional water supply systems undergo surplus and deficit conditions due to differences in inflow characteristics as well as due to their seasonal demand patterns. This study presents a framework for regional water management by proposing an Inter-Basin Transfer (IBT) model that uses climate-information-based inflow forecast for minimizing the deviations from the end- of-season target storage across the participating reservoirs. Using the ensemble streamflow forecast, the IBT water allocation model was applied for two reservoir systems in the North Carolina Triangle area. Results show that inter-basin transfers initiated by the ensemble streamflow forecast could potentially improve the overall water supply reliability as the demand continues to grow in the Triangle Area. To further understand the utility of climate forecasts in facilitating IBT under different spatial correlation structures between inflows and between the initial storages of the two systems, a synthetic experiment was designed to evaluate the framework under inflow forecast having different skills. Findings from the synthetic study can be summarized as follows: (a) Inflow forecasts combined with the proposed IBT optimization model provide improved allocation in comparison to the allocations obtained under the no- transfer scenario as well as under transfers obtained with climatology; (b) Spatial correlations between inflows and between initial storages among participating reservoirs could also influence the potential benefits that could be achieved through IBT; (c) IBT is particularly beneficial for systems that experience low correlations between inflows or between initial storages or on both attributes of the regional water supply system. Thus, if both infrastructure and permitting structures exist for promoting inter-basin transfers, season-ahead inflow forecasts could provide added benefits in forecasting surplus/deficit conditions among the participating reservoirs in the regional water supply system.

Validation of the CME Geomagnetic Forecast Alerts Under the COMESEP Alert System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dumbović, Mateja; Srivastava, Nandita; Rao, Yamini K.; Vršnak, Bojan; Devos, Andy; Rodriguez, Luciano

2017-08-01

Under the European Union 7th Framework Programme (EU FP7) project Coronal Mass Ejections and Solar Energetic Particles (COMESEP, http://comesep.aeronomy.be), an automated space weather alert system has been developed to forecast solar energetic particles (SEP) and coronal mass ejection (CME) risk levels at Earth. The COMESEP alert system uses the automated detection tool called Computer Aided CME Tracking (CACTus) to detect potentially threatening CMEs, a drag-based model (DBM) to predict their arrival, and a CME geoeffectiveness tool (CGFT) to predict their geomagnetic impact. Whenever CACTus detects a halo or partial halo CME and issues an alert, the DBM calculates its arrival time at Earth and the CGFT calculates its geomagnetic risk level. The geomagnetic risk level is calculated based on an estimation of the CME arrival probability and its likely geoeffectiveness, as well as an estimate of the geomagnetic storm duration. We present the evaluation of the CME risk level forecast with the COMESEP alert system based on a study of geoeffective CMEs observed during 2014. The validation of the forecast tool is made by comparing the forecasts with observations. In addition, we test the success rate of the automatic forecasts (without human intervention) against the forecasts with human intervention using advanced versions of the DBM and CGFT (independent tools available at the Hvar Observatory website, http://oh.geof.unizg.hr). The results indicate that the success rate of the forecast in its current form is unacceptably low for a realistic operation system. Human intervention improves the forecast, but the false-alarm rate remains unacceptably high. We discuss these results and their implications for possible improvement of the COMESEP alert system.

An Integrated Urban Flood Analysis System in South Korea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moon, Young-Il; Kim, Min-Seok; Yoon, Tae-Hyung; Choi, Ji-Hyeok

2017-04-01

Due to climate change and the rapid growth of urbanization, the frequency of concentrated heavy rainfall has caused urban floods. As a result, we studied climate change in Korea and developed an integrated flood analysis system that systematized technology to quantify flood risk and flood forecasting in urban areas. This system supports synthetic decision-making through real-time monitoring and prediction on flash rain or short-term rainfall by using radar and satellite information. As part of the measures to deal with the increase of inland flood damage, we have found it necessary to build a systematic city flood prevention system that systematizes technology to quantify flood risk as well as flood forecast, taking into consideration both inland and river water. This combined inland-river flood analysis system conducts prediction on flash rain or short-term rainfall by using radar and satellite information and performs prompt and accurate prediction on the inland flooded area. In addition, flood forecasts should be accurate and immediate. Accurate flood forecasts signify that the prediction of the watch, warning time and water level is precise. Immediate flood forecasts represent the forecasts lead time which is the time needed to evacuate. Therefore, in this study, in order to apply rainfall-runoff method to medium and small urban stream for flood forecasts, short-term rainfall forecasting using radar is applied to improve immediacy. Finally, it supports synthetic decision-making for prevention of flood disaster through real-time monitoring. Keywords: Urban Flood, Integrated flood analysis system, Rainfall forecasting, Korea Acknowledgments This research was supported by a grant (16AWMP-B066744-04) from Advanced Water Management Research Program (AWMP) funded by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport of Korean government.

Forecasting the short-term passenger flow on high-speed railway with neural networks.

PubMed

Xie, Mei-Quan; Li, Xia-Miao; Zhou, Wen-Liang; Fu, Yan-Bing

2014-01-01

Short-term passenger flow forecasting is an important component of transportation systems. The forecasting result can be applied to support transportation system operation and management such as operation planning and revenue management. In this paper, a divide-and-conquer method based on neural network and origin-destination (OD) matrix estimation is developed to forecast the short-term passenger flow in high-speed railway system. There are three steps in the forecasting method. Firstly, the numbers of passengers who arrive at each station or depart from each station are obtained from historical passenger flow data, which are OD matrices in this paper. Secondly, short-term passenger flow forecasting of the numbers of passengers who arrive at each station or depart from each station based on neural network is realized. At last, the OD matrices in short-term time are obtained with an OD matrix estimation method. The experimental results indicate that the proposed divide-and-conquer method performs well in forecasting the short-term passenger flow on high-speed railway.

NCAR's Experimental Real-time Convection-allowing Ensemble Prediction System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwartz, C. S.; Romine, G. S.; Sobash, R.; Fossell, K.

2016-12-01

Since April 2015, the National Center for Atmospheric Research's (NCAR's) Mesoscale and Microscale Meteorology (MMM) Laboratory, in collaboration with NCAR's Computational Information Systems Laboratory (CISL), has been producing daily, real-time, 10-member, 48-hr ensemble forecasts with 3-km horizontal grid spacing over the conterminous United States (http://ensemble.ucar.edu). These computationally-intensive, next-generation forecasts are produced on the Yellowstone supercomputer, have been embraced by both amateur and professional weather forecasters, are widely used by NCAR and university researchers, and receive considerable attention on social media. Initial conditions are supplied by NCAR's Data Assimilation Research Testbed (DART) software and the forecast model is NCAR's Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model; both WRF and DART are community tools. This presentation will focus on cutting-edge research results leveraging the ensemble dataset, including winter weather predictability, severe weather forecasting, and power outage modeling. Additionally, the unique design of the real-time analysis and forecast system and computational challenges and solutions will be described.

Forecasting the spatial transmission of influenza in the United States.

PubMed

Pei, Sen; Kandula, Sasikiran; Yang, Wan; Shaman, Jeffrey

2018-03-13

Recurrent outbreaks of seasonal and pandemic influenza create a need for forecasts of the geographic spread of this pathogen. Although it is well established that the spatial progression of infection is largely attributable to human mobility, difficulty obtaining real-time information on human movement has limited its incorporation into existing infectious disease forecasting techniques. In this study, we develop and validate an ensemble forecast system for predicting the spatiotemporal spread of influenza that uses readily accessible human mobility data and a metapopulation model. In retrospective state-level forecasts for 35 US states, the system accurately predicts local influenza outbreak onset,-i.e., spatial spread, defined as the week that local incidence increases above a baseline threshold-up to 6 wk in advance of this event. In addition, the metapopulation prediction system forecasts influenza outbreak onset, peak timing, and peak intensity more accurately than isolated location-specific forecasts. The proposed framework could be applied to emergent respiratory viruses and, with appropriate modifications, other infectious diseases.

Statistical Analysis of Atmospheric Forecast Model Accuracy - A Focus on Multiple Atmospheric Variables and Location-Based Analysis

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-04-01

WRF ) model is a numerical weather prediction system designed for operational forecasting and atmospheric research. This report examined WRF model... WRF , weather research and forecasting, atmospheric effects 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT SAR 18. NUMBER OF...and Forecasting ( WRF ) model. The authors would also like to thank Ms. Sherry Larson, STS Systems Integration, LLC, ARL Technical Publishing Branch

An experimental system for flood risk forecasting and monitoring at global scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dottori, Francesco; Alfieri, Lorenzo; Kalas, Milan; Lorini, Valerio; Salamon, Peter

2017-04-01

Global flood forecasting and monitoring systems are nowadays a reality and are being applied by a wide range of users and practitioners in disaster risk management. Furthermore, there is an increasing demand from users to integrate flood early warning systems with risk based forecasting, combining streamflow estimations with expected inundated areas and flood impacts. Finally, emerging technologies such as crowdsourcing and social media monitoring can play a crucial role in flood disaster management and preparedness. Here, we present some recent advances of an experimental procedure for near-real time flood mapping and impact assessment. The procedure translates in near real-time the daily streamflow forecasts issued by the Global Flood Awareness System (GloFAS) into event-based flood hazard maps, which are then combined with exposure and vulnerability information at global scale to derive risk forecast. Impacts of the forecasted flood events are evaluated in terms of flood prone areas, potential economic damage, and affected population, infrastructures and cities. To increase the reliability of our forecasts we propose the integration of model-based estimations with an innovative methodology for social media monitoring, which allows for real-time verification and correction of impact forecasts. Finally, we present the results of preliminary tests which show the potential of the proposed procedure in supporting emergency response and management.

Skilful seasonal forecasts of streamflow over Europe?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arnal, Louise; Cloke, Hannah L.; Stephens, Elisabeth; Wetterhall, Fredrik; Prudhomme, Christel; Neumann, Jessica; Krzeminski, Blazej; Pappenberger, Florian

2018-04-01

This paper considers whether there is any added value in using seasonal climate forecasts instead of historical meteorological observations for forecasting streamflow on seasonal timescales over Europe. A Europe-wide analysis of the skill of the newly operational EFAS (European Flood Awareness System) seasonal streamflow forecasts (produced by forcing the Lisflood model with the ECMWF System 4 seasonal climate forecasts), benchmarked against the ensemble streamflow prediction (ESP) forecasting approach (produced by forcing the Lisflood model with historical meteorological observations), is undertaken. The results suggest that, on average, the System 4 seasonal climate forecasts improve the streamflow predictability over historical meteorological observations for the first month of lead time only (in terms of hindcast accuracy, sharpness and overall performance). However, the predictability varies in space and time and is greater in winter and autumn. Parts of Europe additionally exhibit a longer predictability, up to 7 months of lead time, for certain months within a season. In terms of hindcast reliability, the EFAS seasonal streamflow hindcasts are on average less skilful than the ESP for all lead times. The results also highlight the potential usefulness of the EFAS seasonal streamflow forecasts for decision-making (measured in terms of the hindcast discrimination for the lower and upper terciles of the simulated streamflow). Although the ESP is the most potentially useful forecasting approach in Europe, the EFAS seasonal streamflow forecasts appear more potentially useful than the ESP in some regions and for certain seasons, especially in winter for almost 40 % of Europe. Patterns in the EFAS seasonal streamflow hindcast skill are however not mirrored in the System 4 seasonal climate hindcasts, hinting at the need for a better understanding of the link between hydrological and meteorological variables on seasonal timescales, with the aim of improving climate-model-based seasonal streamflow forecasting.

The FireWork air quality forecast system with near-real-time biomass burning emissions: Recent developments and evaluation of performance for the 2015 North American wildfire season.

PubMed

Pavlovic, Radenko; Chen, Jack; Anderson, Kerry; Moran, Michael D; Beaulieu, Paul-André; Davignon, Didier; Cousineau, Sophie

2016-09-01

Environment and Climate Change Canada's FireWork air quality (AQ) forecast system for North America with near-real-time biomass burning emissions has been running experimentally during the Canadian wildfire season since 2013. The system runs twice per day with model initializations at 00 UTC and 12 UTC, and produces numerical AQ forecast guidance with 48-hr lead time. In this work we describe the FireWork system, which incorporates near-real-time biomass burning emissions based on the Canadian Wildland Fire Information System (CWFIS) as an input to the operational Regional Air Quality Deterministic Prediction System (RAQDPS). To demonstrate the capability of the system we analyzed two forecast periods in 2015 (June 2-July 15, and August 15-31) when fire activity was high, and observed fire-smoke-impacted areas in western Canada and the western United States. Modeled PM2.5 surface concentrations were compared with surface measurements and benchmarked with results from the operational RAQDPS, which did not consider near-real-time biomass burning emissions. Model performance statistics showed that FireWork outperformed RAQDPS with improvements in forecast hourly PM2.5 across the region; the results were especially significant for stations near the path of fire plume trajectories. Although the hourly PM2.5 concentrations predicted by FireWork still displayed bias for areas with active fires for these two periods (mean bias [MB] of -7.3 µg m(-3) and 3.1 µg m(-3)), it showed better forecast skill than the RAQDPS (MB of -11.7 µg m(-3) and -5.8 µg m(-3)) and demonstrated a greater ability to capture temporal variability of episodic PM2.5 events (correlation coefficient values of 0.50 and 0.69 for FireWork compared to 0.03 and 0.11 for RAQDPS). A categorical forecast comparison based on an hourly PM2.5 threshold of 30 µg m(-3) also showed improved scores for probability of detection (POD), critical success index (CSI), and false alarm rate (FAR). Smoke from wildfires can have a large impact on regional air quality (AQ) and can expose populations to elevated pollution levels. Environment and Climate Change Canada has been producing operational air quality forecasts for all of Canada since 2009 and is now working to include near-real-time wildfire emissions (NRTWE) in its operational AQ forecasting system. An experimental forecast system named FireWork, which includes NRTWE, has been undergoing testing and evaluation since 2013. A performance analysis of FireWork forecasts for the 2015 wildfire season shows that FireWork provides significant improvements to surface PM2.5 forecasts and valuable guidance to regional forecasters and first responders.

An investigation into incident duration forecasting for FleetForward

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2000-08-01

Traffic condition forecasting is the process of estimating future traffic conditions based on current and archived data. Real-time forecasting is becoming an important tool in Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). This type of forecasting allows ...

Satellite provided fixed communications services: A forecast of potential domestic demand through the year 2000: Volume 2: Main text

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kratochvil, D.; Bowyer, J.; Bhushan, C.; Steinnagel, K.; Kaushal, D.; Al-Kinani, G.

1983-01-01

Potential satellite-provided fixed communications services, baseline forecasts, net long haul forecasts, cost analysis, net addressable forecasts, capacity requirements, and satellite system market development are considered.

Scientific assessment of accuracy, skill and reliability of ocean probabilistic forecast products.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, M.; Rowley, C. D.; Barron, C. N.; Hogan, P. J.

2016-02-01

As ocean operational centers are increasingly adopting and generating probabilistic forecast products for their customers with valuable forecast uncertainties, how to assess and measure these complicated probabilistic forecast products objectively is challenging. The first challenge is how to deal with the huge amount of the data from the ensemble forecasts. The second one is how to describe the scientific quality of probabilistic products. In fact, probabilistic forecast accuracy, skills, reliability, resolutions are different attributes of a forecast system. We briefly introduce some of the fundamental metrics such as the Reliability Diagram, Reliability, Resolution, Brier Score (BS), Brier Skill Score (BSS), Ranked Probability Score (RPS), Ranked Probability Skill Score (RPSS), Continuous Ranked Probability Score (CRPS), and Continuous Ranked Probability Skill Score (CRPSS). The values and significance of these metrics are demonstrated for the forecasts from the US Navy's regional ensemble system with different ensemble members. The advantages and differences of these metrics are studied and clarified.

Metrics for Evaluating the Accuracy of Solar Power Forecasting: Preprint

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

Zhang, J.; Hodge, B. M.; Florita, A.

2013-10-01

Forecasting solar energy generation is a challenging task due to the variety of solar power systems and weather regimes encountered. Forecast inaccuracies can result in substantial economic losses and power system reliability issues. This paper presents a suite of generally applicable and value-based metrics for solar forecasting for a comprehensive set of scenarios (i.e., different time horizons, geographic locations, applications, etc.). In addition, a comprehensive framework is developed to analyze the sensitivity of the proposed metrics to three types of solar forecasting improvements using a design of experiments methodology, in conjunction with response surface and sensitivity analysis methods. The resultsmore » show that the developed metrics can efficiently evaluate the quality of solar forecasts, and assess the economic and reliability impact of improved solar forecasting.« less

A Solar Time-Based Analog Ensemble Method for Regional Solar Power Forecasting

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

Hodge, Brian S; Zhang, Xinmin; Li, Yuan

This paper presents a new analog ensemble method for day-ahead regional photovoltaic (PV) power forecasting with hourly resolution. By utilizing open weather forecast and power measurement data, this prediction method is processed within a set of historical data with similar meteorological data (temperature and irradiance), and astronomical date (solar time and earth declination angle). Further, clustering and blending strategies are applied to improve its accuracy in regional PV forecasting. The robustness of the proposed method is demonstrated with three different numerical weather prediction models, the North American Mesoscale Forecast System, the Global Forecast System, and the Short-Range Ensemble Forecast, formore » both region level and single site level PV forecasts. Using real measured data, the new forecasting approach is applied to the load zone in Southeastern Massachusetts as a case study. The normalized root mean square error (NRMSE) has been reduced by 13.80%-61.21% when compared with three tested baselines.« less

The development and evaluation of a hydrological seasonal forecast system prototype for predicting spring flood volumes in Swedish rivers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Foster, Kean; Bertacchi Uvo, Cintia; Olsson, Jonas

2018-05-01

Hydropower makes up nearly half of Sweden's electrical energy production. However, the distribution of the water resources is not aligned with demand, as most of the inflows to the reservoirs occur during the spring flood period. This means that carefully planned reservoir management is required to help redistribute water resources to ensure optimal production and accurate forecasts of the spring flood volume (SFV) is essential for this. The current operational SFV forecasts use a historical ensemble approach where the HBV model is forced with historical observations of precipitation and temperature. In this work we develop and test a multi-model prototype, building on previous work, and evaluate its ability to forecast the SFV in 84 sub-basins in northern Sweden. The hypothesis explored in this work is that a multi-model seasonal forecast system incorporating different modelling approaches is generally more skilful at forecasting the SFV in snow dominated regions than a forecast system that utilises only one approach. The testing is done using cross-validated hindcasts for the period 1981-2015 and the results are evaluated against both climatology and the current system to determine skill. Both the multi-model methods considered showed skill over the reference forecasts. The version that combined the historical modelling chain, dynamical modelling chain, and statistical modelling chain performed better than the other and was chosen for the prototype. The prototype was able to outperform the current operational system 57 % of the time on average and reduce the error in the SFV by ˜ 6 % across all sub-basins and forecast dates.

Seasonal forecasting of groundwater levels in natural aquifers in the United Kingdom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mackay, Jonathan; Jackson, Christopher; Pachocka, Magdalena; Brookshaw, Anca; Scaife, Adam

2014-05-01

Groundwater aquifers comprise the world's largest freshwater resource and provide resilience to climate extremes which could become more frequent under future climate changes. Prolonged dry conditions can induce groundwater drought, often characterised by significantly low groundwater levels which may persist for months to years. In contrast, lasting wet conditions can result in anomalously high groundwater levels which result in flooding, potentially at large economic cost. Using computational models to produce groundwater level forecasts allows appropriate management strategies to be considered in advance of extreme events. The majority of groundwater level forecasting studies to date use data-based models, which exploit the long response time of groundwater levels to meteorological drivers and make forecasts based only on the current state of the system. Instead, seasonal meteorological forecasts can be used to drive hydrological models and simulate groundwater levels months into the future. Such approaches have not been used in the past due to a lack of skill in these long-range forecast products. However systems such as the latest version of the Met Office Global Seasonal Forecast System (GloSea5) are now showing increased skill up to a 3-month lead time. We demonstrate the first groundwater level ensemble forecasting system using a multi-member ensemble of hindcasts from GloSea5 between 1996 and 2009 to force 21 simple lumped conceptual groundwater models covering most of the UK's major aquifers. We present the results from this hindcasting study and demonstrate that the system can be used to forecast groundwater levels with some skill up to three months into the future.

Operational water management of Rijnland water system and pilot of ensemble forecasting system for flood control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van der Zwan, Rene

2013-04-01

The Rijnland water system is situated in the western part of the Netherlands, and is a low-lying area of which 90% is below sea-level. The area covers 1,100 square kilometres, where 1.3 million people live, work, travel and enjoy leisure. The District Water Control Board of Rijnland is responsible for flood defence, water quantity and quality management. This includes design and maintenance of flood defence structures, control of regulating structures for an adequate water level management, and waste water treatment. For water quantity management Rijnland uses, besides an online monitoring network for collecting water level and precipitation data, a real time control decision support system. This decision support system consists of deterministic hydro-meteorological forecasts with a 24-hr forecast horizon, coupled with a control module that provides optimal operation schedules for the storage basin pumping stations. The uncertainty of the rainfall forecast is not forwarded in the hydrological prediction. At this moment 65% of the pumping capacity of the storage basin pumping stations can be automatically controlled by the decision control system. Within 5 years, after renovation of two other pumping stations, the total capacity of 200 m3/s will be automatically controlled. In critical conditions there is a need of both a longer forecast horizon and a probabilistic forecast. Therefore ensemble precipitation forecasts of the ECMWF are already consulted off-line during dry-spells, and Rijnland is running a pilot operational system providing 10-day water level ensemble forecasts. The use of EPS during dry-spells and the findings of the pilot will be presented. Challenges and next steps towards on-line implementation of ensemble forecasts for risk-based operational management of the Rijnland water system will be discussed. An important element in that discussion is the question: will policy and decision makers, operator and citizens adapt this Anticipatory Water management, including temporary lower storage basin levels and a reduction in extra investments for infrastructural measures.

Assessment of an ensemble seasonal streamflow forecasting system for Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bennett, James C.; Wang, Quan J.; Robertson, David E.; Schepen, Andrew; Li, Ming; Michael, Kelvin

2017-11-01

Despite an increasing availability of skilful long-range streamflow forecasts, many water agencies still rely on simple resampled historical inflow sequences (stochastic scenarios) to plan operations over the coming year. We assess a recently developed forecasting system called forecast guided stochastic scenarios (FoGSS) as a skilful alternative to standard stochastic scenarios for the Australian continent. FoGSS uses climate forecasts from a coupled ocean-land-atmosphere prediction system, post-processed with the method of calibration, bridging and merging. Ensemble rainfall forecasts force a monthly rainfall-runoff model, while a staged hydrological error model quantifies and propagates hydrological forecast uncertainty through forecast lead times. FoGSS is able to generate ensemble streamflow forecasts in the form of monthly time series to a 12-month forecast horizon. FoGSS is tested on 63 Australian catchments that cover a wide range of climates, including 21 ephemeral rivers. In all perennial and many ephemeral catchments, FoGSS provides an effective alternative to resampled historical inflow sequences. FoGSS generally produces skilful forecasts at shorter lead times ( < 4 months), and transits to climatology-like forecasts at longer lead times. Forecasts are generally reliable and unbiased. However, FoGSS does not perform well in very dry catchments (catchments that experience zero flows more than half the time in some months), sometimes producing strongly negative forecast skill and poor reliability. We attempt to improve forecasts through the use of (i) ESP rainfall forcings, (ii) different rainfall-runoff models, and (iii) a Bayesian prior to encourage the error model to return climatology forecasts in months when the rainfall-runoff model performs poorly. Of these, the use of the prior offers the clearest benefit in very dry catchments, where it moderates strongly negative forecast skill and reduces bias in some instances. However, the prior does not remedy poor reliability in very dry catchments. Overall, FoGSS is an attractive alternative to historical inflow sequences in all but the driest catchments. We discuss ways in which forecast reliability in very dry catchments could be improved in future work.

ENSO Prediction in the NASA GMAO GEOS-5 Seasonal Forecasting System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kovach, R. M.; Borovikov, A.; Marshak, J.; Pawson, S.; Vernieres, G.

2016-12-01

Seasonal-to-Interannual coupled forecasts are conducted in near-real time with the Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS) Atmosphere-Ocean General Circulation Model (AOGCM). A 30-year suite of 9-month hindcasts is available, initialized with the MERRA-Ocean, MERRA-Land, and MERRA atmospheric fields. These forecasts are used to predict the timing and magnitude of ENSO and other short-term climate variability. The 2015 El Niño peaked in November 2015 and was considered a "very strong" event with the Equatorial Pacific Ocean sea-surface-temperature (SST) anomalies higher than 2.0 °C. These very strong temperature anomalies began in Sep/Oct/Nov (SON) of 2015 and persisted through Dec/Jan/Feb (DJF) of 2016. The other two very strong El Niño events recently recorded occurred in 1981/82 and 1997/98. The GEOS-5 system began predicting a very strong El Niño for SON starting with the March 2015 forecast. At this time, the GMAO forecast was an outlier in both the NMME and IRI multi-model ensemble prediction plumes. The GMAO May 2015 forecast for the November 2015 peak in temperature anomaly in the Niño3.4 region was in excellent agreement with the real event, but in May this forecast was still one of the outliers in the multi-model forecasts. The GEOS-5 May 2015 forecast also correctly predicted the weakening of the Eastern Pacific (Niño1+2) anomalies for SON. We will present a summary of the NASA GMAO GEOS-5 Seasonal Forecast System skills based on historic hindcasts. Initial conditions, prediction of ocean surface and subsurface evolution for the 2015/16 El Niño will be compared to the 1998/97 event. GEOS-5 capability to predict the precipitation, i.e. to model the teleconnection patterns associated with El Niño will also be shown. To conclude, we will highlight some new developments in the GEOS forecasting system.

Against all odds -- Probabilistic forecasts and decision making

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liechti, Katharina; Zappa, Massimiliano

2015-04-01

In the city of Zurich (Switzerland) the setting is such that the damage potential due to flooding of the river Sihl is estimated to about 5 billion US dollars. The flood forecasting system that is used by the administration for decision making runs continuously since 2007. It has a time horizon of max. five days and operates at hourly time steps. The flood forecasting system includes three different model chains. Two of those are run by the deterministic NWP models COSMO-2 and COSMO-7 and one is driven by the probabilistic NWP COSMO-Leps. The model chains are consistent since February 2010, so five full years are available for the evaluation for the system. The system was evaluated continuously and is a very nice example to present the added value that lies in probabilistic forecasts. The forecasts are available on an online-platform to the decision makers. Several graphical representations of the forecasts and forecast-history are available to support decision making and to rate the current situation. The communication between forecasters and decision-makers is quite close. To put it short, an ideal situation. However, an event or better put a non-event in summer 2014 showed that the knowledge about the general superiority of probabilistic forecasts doesn't necessarily mean that the decisions taken in a specific situation will be based on that probabilistic forecast. Some years of experience allow gaining confidence in the system, both for the forecasters and for the decision-makers. Even if from the theoretical point of view the handling during crisis situation is well designed, a first event demonstrated that the dialog with the decision-makers still lacks of exercise during such situations. We argue, that a false alarm is a needed experience to consolidate real-time emergency procedures relying on ensemble predictions. A missed event would probably also fit, but, in our case, we are very happy not to report about this option.

Evaluation of Clear-Air Turbulence Diagnostics: GTG in Korea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, J.-H.; Chun, H.-Y.; Jang, W.; Sharman, R. D.

2009-04-01

Turbulence forecasting algorithm, the Graphical Turbulence Guidance (GTG) system developed at NCAR (Sharman et al., 2006), is evaluated with available turbulence observations (e.g. pilot reports; PIREPs) reported in South Korea during the recent 4 years (2003-2007). Clear-air turbulence (CAT) is extracted from PIREPs by using cloud-to-ground lightning flash data from Korean Meteorological Administration (KMA). The GTG system includes several steps. First, 45 turbulence indices are calculated in the East Asian region near Korean peninsula using the Regional Data Assimilation and Prediction System (RDAPS) analysis data with 30 km horizontal grid spacing provided by KMA. Second, 10 CAT indices that performed ten best forecasting score are selected. The scoring method is based on the probability of detection, which is calculated using PIREPs exclusively of moderate-or-greater intensity. Various statistical examinations and sensitivity tests of the GTG system are performed by yearly and seasonally classified PIREPs in South Korea. Performance of GTG is more consistent and stable than that of any individual diagnostic in each year and season. In addition, current-year forecasting based on yearly PIREPs is better than adjacent-year forecasting and year-after-year forecasting. Seasonal forecasting is generally better than yearly forecasting, because selected CAT indices in each season represent meteorological condition much more properly than applying the selected CAT indices to all seasons. Wintertime forecasting is the best among the four seasonal forecastings. This is likely due to that the GTG system consists of many CAT indices related to jet stream, and turbulence associated with the jet can be most activated in wintertime under strong jet magnitude. On the other hand, summertime forecasting skill is much less than in wintertime. To acquire better performance for summertime forecasting, it is likely to develop more turbulence indices related to, for example, convections. By sensitivity test to the number of combined indices, it is found that yearly and seasonal GTG is the best when about 7 CAT indices are combined.

Some economic benefits of a synchronous earth observatory satellite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Battacharyya, R. K.; Greenberg, J. S.; Lowe, D. S.; Sattinger, I. J.

1974-01-01

An analysis was made of the economic benefits which might be derived from reduced forecasting errors made possible by data obtained from a synchronous satellite system which can collect earth observation and meteorological data continuously and on demand. User costs directly associated with achieving benefits are included. In the analysis, benefits were evaluated which might be obtained as a result of improved thunderstorm forecasting, frost warning, and grain harvest forecasting capabilities. The anticipated system capabilities were used to arrive at realistic estimates of system performance on which to base the benefit analysis. Emphasis was placed on the benefits which result from system forecasting accuracies. Benefits from improved thunderstorm forecasts are indicated for the construction, air transportation, and agricultural industries. The effects of improved frost warning capability on the citrus crop are determined. The benefits from improved grain forecasting capability are evaluated in terms of both U.S. benefits resulting from domestic grain distribution and U.S. benefits from international grain distribution.

Parametric decadal climate forecast recalibration (DeFoReSt 1.0)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pasternack, Alexander; Bhend, Jonas; Liniger, Mark A.; Rust, Henning W.; Müller, Wolfgang A.; Ulbrich, Uwe

2018-01-01

Near-term climate predictions such as decadal climate forecasts are increasingly being used to guide adaptation measures. For near-term probabilistic predictions to be useful, systematic errors of the forecasting systems have to be corrected. While methods for the calibration of probabilistic forecasts are readily available, these have to be adapted to the specifics of decadal climate forecasts including the long time horizon of decadal climate forecasts, lead-time-dependent systematic errors (drift) and the errors in the representation of long-term changes and variability. These features are compounded by small ensemble sizes to describe forecast uncertainty and a relatively short period for which typically pairs of reforecasts and observations are available to estimate calibration parameters. We introduce the Decadal Climate Forecast Recalibration Strategy (DeFoReSt), a parametric approach to recalibrate decadal ensemble forecasts that takes the above specifics into account. DeFoReSt optimizes forecast quality as measured by the continuous ranked probability score (CRPS). Using a toy model to generate synthetic forecast observation pairs, we demonstrate the positive effect on forecast quality in situations with pronounced and limited predictability. Finally, we apply DeFoReSt to decadal surface temperature forecasts from the MiKlip prototype system and find consistent, and sometimes considerable, improvements in forecast quality compared with a simple calibration of the lead-time-dependent systematic errors.