Analysis by plaque reduction neutralization assay of intertypic rotaviruses suggests that gene reassortment occurs in vivo.

PubMed Central

Hoshino, Y; Sereno, M M; Midthun, K; Flores, J; Chanock, R M; Kapikian, A Z

1987-01-01

The SB-1A rotavirus recovered from a diarrheic piglet in the United States is a naturally occurring intertypic rotavirus. When studied by reciprocal neutralization tests, the SB-1A virus was similar, if not identical, to the porcine Gottfried virus (serotype 4) and the porcine OSU virus (serotype 5). Analysis of reassortant viruses prepared from the SB-1A virus and the serotype 2 human DS-1 virus revealed that the antigenic specificity of the outer capsid protein VP3 of SB-1A was shared with the OSU virus, while the antigenic specificity of another outer capsid protein, VP7, of SB-1A appeared to be shared with the Gottfried virus. This suggests that SB-1A is a naturally occurring reassortant rotavirus between OSU-like and Gottfried-like porcine rotaviruses. In addition, using a genetic approach, we found evidence that the fourth gene was responsible for the predominantly one-way cross-neutralizing reactivity between canine rotavirus strain CU-1 (serotype 3) and porcine rotavirus strains SB-1A (serotypes 4 and 5) and OSU (serotype 5). Assignment of hemagglutination function to the fourth genome segment of porcine rotaviruses SB-1A and OSU and canine rotavirus CU-1 confirmed a similar previous gene assignment established for certain rotaviruses. Analysis of single gene 4 substitution reassortants confirmed our previous finding that VP3 was as potent in stimulating neutralizing antibodies as VP7. The observations confirm the need for a binary system of rotavirus classification and nomenclature similar to that used for the influenza A viruses; in such a system the neutralization specificity of both VP3 and VP7 would be indicated. Images PMID:2434522

Stereo ENA Imaging of the Ring Current and Multi-point Measurements of Suprathermal Particles and Magnetic Fields by TRIO-CINEMA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, R. P.; Sample, J. G.; Immel, T. J.; Lee, D.; Horbury, T. S.; Jin, H.; SEON, J.; Wang, L.; Roelof, E. C.; Lee, E.; Parks, G. K.; Vo, H.

2012-12-01

The TRIO (Triplet Ionospheric Observatory) - CINEMA (Cubesat for Ions, Neutrals, Electrons, & Magnetic fields) mission consists of three identical 3-u cubesats to provide high sensitivity, high cadence, stereo measurements of Energetic Neutral Atoms (ENAs) from the Earth's ring current with ~1 keV FWHM energy resolution from ~4 to ~200 keV, as well as multi-point in situ measurements of magnetic fields and suprathermal electrons (~2 -200 keV) and ions (~ 4 -200 keV) in the auroral and ring current precipitation regions in low Earth orbit (LEO). A new Suprathermal Electron, Ion, Neutral (STEIN) instrument, using a 32-pixel silicon semiconductor detector with an electrostatic deflection system to separate ENAs from ions and from electrons below 30 keV, will sweep over most of the sky every 15 s as the spacecraft spins at 4 rpm. In addition, inboard and outboard (on an extendable 1m boom) miniature magnetoresistive sensor magnetometers will provide high cadence 3-axis magnetic field measurements. An S-band transmitter will be used to provide ~8 kbps orbit-average data downlink to the ~11m diameter antenna of the Berkeley Ground Station.The first CINEMA (funded by NSF) is scheduled for launch on August 14, 2012 into a 65 deg. inclination LEO. Two more identical CINEMAs are being developed by Kyung Hee University (KHU) in Korea under the World Class University (WCU) program, for launch in November 2012 into a Sun-synchronous LEO to form TRIO-CINEMA. A fourth CINEMA is being developed for a 2013 launch into LEO. This LEO constellation of nanosatellites will provide unique measurements highly complementary to NASA's RBSP and THEMIS missions. Furthermore, CINEMA's development of miniature particle and magnetic field sensors, and cubesat-size spinning spacecraft may be important for future constellation space missions. Initial results from the first CINEMA will be presented if available.

Fission gas in thoria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuganathan, Navaratnarajah; Ghosh, Partha S.; Galvin, Conor O. T.; Arya, Ashok K.; Dutta, Bijon K.; Dey, Gautam K.; Grimes, Robin W.

2017-03-01

The fission gases Xe and Kr, formed during normal reactor operation, are known to degrade fuel performance, particularly at high burn-up. Using first-principles density functional theory together with a dispersion correction (DFT + D), in ThO2 we calculate the energetics of neutral and charged point defects, the di-vacancy (DV), different neutral tri-vacancies (NTV), the charged tetravacancy (CTV) defect cluster geometries and their interaction with Xe and Kr. The most favourable incorporation point defect site for Xe or Kr in defective ThO2 is the fully charged thorium vacancy. The lowest energy NTV in larger supercells of ThO2 is NTV3, however, a single Xe atom is most stable when accommodated within a NTV1. The di-vacancy (DV) is a significantly less favoured incorporation site than the NTV1 but the CTV offers about the same incorporation energy. Incorporation of a second gas atom in a NTV is a high energy process and more unfavourable than accommodation within an existing Th vacancy. The bi-NTV (BNTV) cluster geometry studied will accommodate one or two gas atoms with low incorporation energies but the addition of a third gas atom incurs a high energy penalty. The tri-NTV cluster (TNTV) forms a larger space which accommodates three gas atoms but again there is a penalty to accommodate a fourth gas atom. By considering the energy to form the defect sites, solution energies were generated showing that in ThO2-x the most favourable solution equilibrium site is the NTV1 while in ThO2 it is the DV.

EXPERIMENTS ON STABLY AND NEUTRALLY STRATIFIED FLOW OVER A MODEL THREE-DIMENSIONAL HILL

EPA Science Inventory

The flow structure over a bell shaped hill (reciprocal of a fourth order polynomial in cross section and height h) was studied in large and small stably stratified towing tanks (with uniform density gradients) and in an unstratified wind tunnel. Observations were made at Froude n...

Facilitating Dental Student Reflections: Using Mentor Groups to Discuss Clinical Experiences and Personal Development.

PubMed

Koole, Sebastiaan; Christiaens, Veronique; Cosyn, Jan; De Bruyn, Hugo

2016-10-01

Despite the consensus on the importance of reflection for dental professionals, a lack of understanding remains about how students and clinicians should develop their ability to reflect. The aim of this study was to investigate dental students' and mentors' perceptions of mentor groups as an instructional method to facilitate students' reflection in terms of the strategy's learning potential, role of the mentor, group dynamics, and feasibility. At Ghent University in Belgium, third- and fourth-year dental students were encouraged to reflect on their clinical experiences and personal development in three reflective mentor sessions. No preparation or reports afterwards were required; students needed only to participate in the sessions. Sessions were guided by trained mentors to establish a safe environment, frame clinical discussions, and stimulate reflection. Students' and mentors' perceptions of the experience were assessed with a 17-statement questionnaire with response options on a five-point Likert scale (1=totally disagree to 5=totally agree). A total of 50 students and eight mentors completed the questionnaire (response rates 81% and 89%, respectively). Both students and mentors had neutral to positive perceptions concerning the learning potential, role of the mentor, group dynamics, and feasibility. The mean ideal total time for sessions in a year was 99 minutes (third-year students), 111 minutes (fourth-year students), and 147 minutes (mentors). Reported reflective topics related to patient management, frustrations, and practice of dentistry. Overall mean appreciation for the experience ranged from 14.50 to 15.14 on the 20-point scale. These findings about students' and mentors' positive perceptions of the experience suggest that mentor groups may be a potentially valuable strategy to promote dental students' reflection.

Anomalous single production of fourth family up-type quark associated with neutral gauge bosons at the LHC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Çakır, O.; Çakır, I. T.; Senol, A.; Tasci, A. T.

2012-05-01

The fourth family quarks are expected to have mass larger than the top quark considering the results from recent studies on the allowed parameter space. They could also have different dynamics than the quarks of three families of the standard model. The single production of the fourth family up-type quark t‧ is studied via the anomalous production process pp → t‧VX (where V = g, Z, γ) at the LHC with the center of mass energy of 7 and 14 TeV. The signatures of such process are discussed within both the SM and the anomalous decay modes of t‧ quarks. The sensitivity to anomalous coupling κ/Λ = 0.004 TeV-1 can be reached at \\sqrt{s}=14 TeV and Lint = 100 pb-1.

Impact of Adults' Appeals for Sharing on the Development of Altruistic Dispositions in Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perry, David G.; And Others

1981-01-01

Third and fourth grade children were instructed to share half their winnings from a bowling game under one of three types of verbal appeal: a power assertive appeal emphasizing punishment for noncompliance, an inductive appeal emphasizing contributions to the other's well-being, or a neutral appeal. (Author/DB)

The Effects of Social Behavior on Fourth and Fifth Grade Girls' Perceptions of Physically Attractive and Unattractive Peers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duncan-Bazil, Lisa; Foster, Sharon L.

Despite abundant research relating physical attractiveness and social skill, no studies have systematically assessed the influence of social behavior on perceived attractiveness. This study experimentally investigated how exposure to positive, negative, and neutral childhood behaviors influences ratings of physical attractiveness and other social…

Atmospheric neutral points outside of the principal plane. [points of vanished skylight polarization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fraser, R. S.

1981-01-01

It is noted that the positions in the sky where the skylight is unpolarized, that is, the neutral points, are in most cases located in the vertical plane through the sun (the principal plane). Points have been observed outside the principal plane (Soret, 1888) when the plane intersected a lake or sea. Here, the neutral points were located at an azimuth of about 15 deg from the sun and near the almucantar through the sun. In order to investigate the effects of water surface and aerosols in the neutral point positions, the positions are computed for models of the earth-atmosphere system that simulate the observational conditions. The computed and measured positions are found to agree well. While previous observations provided only qualitative information on the degree of polarization, it is noted that the computations provide details concerning the polarization parameters.

Multiple scattered radiation emerging from continental haze layers. 1: Radiance, polarization, and neutral points

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kattawar, G. W.; Plass, G. N.; Hitzfelder, S. J.

1975-01-01

The complete radiation field is calculated for scattering layers of various optical thicknesses. Results obtained for Rayleigh and haze scattering are compared. Calculated radiances show differences as large as 23% compared to the approximate scalar theory of radiative transfer, while the same differences are approximately 0.1% for a continental haze phase function. The polarization of reflected and transmitted radiation is given for various optical thicknesses, solar zenith angles, and surface albedos. Two types of neutral points occur for aerosol phase functions. Rayleigh-like neutral points arise from zero polarization that occurs at scattering angles of 0 deg and 180 deg. For Rayleigh phase functions, the position of these points varies with the optical thickness of the scattering layer. Non-Rayleigh neutral points are associated with the zeros of polarization which occur between the end points of the single scattering curve, and are found over a wide range of azimuthal angles.

Disruption Neutral Point Experiment on Alcator C-Mod

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Granetz, R. S.; Nakamura, Y.

2000-10-01

Disruptions of single-null elongated plasmas generally result in loss of vertical position control, leading to a current quench occurring at the top or bottom of the machine, with all the attendant problems of halo and eddy currents flowing in divertor structures. On JT-60U, it has been found that if the plasma is operated with its magnetic axis at a particular height, called the neutral point, the initial vertical drift after a thermal quench is significantly slower than usual, and sometimes can even be arrested, thereby avoiding a current quench in the divertor region entirely. In an ongoing collaboration between MIT and JAERI, the neutral point concept is being tested in Alcator C-Mod, which has a significantly higher plasma elongation than JT-60U (1.65 vs 1.3). Calculations using TSC predict a neutral point at z~=+1 cm above the midplane (a=22 cm). The existence of a neutral point has now been experimentally confirmed, albeit at a height of z=+2.7 cm. The plasma has remained vertically stable for up to 9 ms after the disruption thermal quench, which in principle, is long enough for the PF control system to respond, if programmed appropriately. In addition, the physics of the neutral point stability on C-Mod appears to be somewhat different than that on JT-60U.

The UMIST database for astrochemistry 2006

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woodall, J.; Agúndez, M.; Markwick-Kemper, A. J.; Millar, T. J.

2007-05-01

Aims:We present a new version of the UMIST Database for Astrochemistry, the fourth such version to be released to the public. The current version contains some 4573 binary gas-phase reactions, an increase of 10% from the previous (1999) version, among 420 species, of which 23 are new to the database. Methods: Major updates have been made to ion-neutral reactions, neutral-neutral reactions, particularly at low temperature, and dissociative recombination reactions. We have included for the first time the interstellar chemistry of fluorine. In addition to the usual database, we have also released a reaction set in which the effects of dipole-enhanced ion-neutral rate coefficients are included. Results: These two reactions sets have been used in a dark cloud model and the results of these models are presented and discussed briefly. The database and associated software are available on the World Wide Web at www.udfa.net. Tables 1, 2, 4 and 9 are only available in electronic form at http://www.aanda.org

Fourth cranial nerve: surgical anatomy in the subtemporal transtentorial approach and in the pretemporal combined inter-intradural approach through the fronto-temporo-orbito-zygomatic craniotomy. A cadaveric study.

PubMed

Pescatori, L; Niutta, M; Tropeano, M P; Santoro, G; Santoro, A

2017-01-01

Despite the recent progress in surgical technology in the last decades, the surgical treatment of skull base lesions still remains a challenge. The purpose of this study was to assess the anatomy of the tentorial and cavernous segment of the fourth cranial nerve as it appears in two different surgical approaches to the skull base: subtemporal transtentorial approach and pretemporal fronto-orbito-zygomatic approach. Four human cadaveric fixed heads were used for the dissection. Using both sides of each cadaveric head, we made 16 dissections: 8 with subtemporal transtentorial technique and 8 with pretemporal fronto-orbito-zygomatic approach. The first segment that extends from the initial point of contact of the fourth cranial nerve with the tentorium (point Q) to its point of entry into its dural channel (point D) presents an average length of 13.5 mm with an extremely wide range and varying between 3.20 and 9.3 mm. The segment 2, which extends from point D to the point of entry into the lateral wall of the cavernous sinus, presents a lesser interindividual variability (mean 10.4 mm, range 15.1-5.9 mm). A precise knowledge of the surgical anatomy of the fourth cranial nerve and its neurovascular relationships is essential to safely approach. The recognition of some anatomical landmarks allows to treat pathologies located in regions of difficult surgical access even when there is an important subversion of the anatomy.

Multiple scattered radiation emerging from Rayleigh and continental haze layers. 1: Radiance, polarization, and neutral points.

PubMed

Kattawar, G W; Plass, G N; Hitzfelder, S J

1976-03-01

The complete radiation field including polarization is calculated by the matrix operator method for scattering layers of various optical thicknesses. Results obtained for Rayleigh scattering are compared with those for scattering from a continental haze. Radiances calculated using Stokes vectors show differences as large as 23% compared to the approximate scalar theory of radiative transfer, while the same differences are only of the order of 0.1% for a continental haze phase function. The polarization of the reflected and transmitted radiation is given for a wide range of optical thicknesses of the scattering layer, for various solar zenith angles, and various surface albedos. Two entirely different types of neutral points occur for aerosol phase functions. Rayleigh-like neutral points (RNP) arise from the zero polarization in single scattering that occurs for all phase functions at scattering angles of 0 degrees and 180 degrees . For Rayleigh phase functions, the position of the RNP varies appreciably with the optical thickness of the scattering layer. At low solar elevations there may be four RNP. For a continental haze phase function the position of the RNP in the reflected radiation shows only a small variation with the optical thickness, and the RNP exists in the transmitted radiation only for extremely small optical thicknesses. Another type of neutral point (NRNP) exists for aerosol phase functions. It is associated with the zeros of the single scattered polarization, which occur between the end points of the curve; these are called non-Rayleigh neutral points (NRNP). There may be from zero to four of these neutral points associated with each zero of the single scattering curve. They occur over a range of azimuthal angles, unlike the RNP that are in the principal plane only. The position of these neutral points is given as a function of solar angle and optical thickness.

Automatic identification of the reference system based on the fourth ventricular landmarks in T1-weighted MR images.

PubMed

Fu, Yili; Gao, Wenpeng; Chen, Xiaoguang; Zhu, Minwei; Shen, Weigao; Wang, Shuguo

2010-01-01

The reference system based on the fourth ventricular landmarks (including the fastigial point and ventricular floor plane) is used in medical image analysis of the brain stem. The objective of this study was to develop a rapid, robust, and accurate method for the automatic identification of this reference system on T1-weighted magnetic resonance images. The fully automated method developed in this study consisted of four stages: preprocessing of the data set, expectation-maximization algorithm-based extraction of the fourth ventricle in the region of interest, a coarse-to-fine strategy for identifying the fastigial point, and localization of the base point. The method was evaluated on 27 Brain Web data sets qualitatively and 18 Internet Brain Segmentation Repository data sets and 30 clinical scans quantitatively. The results of qualitative evaluation indicated that the method was robust to rotation, landmark variation, noise, and inhomogeneity. The results of quantitative evaluation indicated that the method was able to identify the reference system with an accuracy of 0.7 +/- 0.2 mm for the fastigial point and 1.1 +/- 0.3 mm for the base point. It took <6 seconds for the method to identify the related landmarks on a personal computer with an Intel Core 2 6300 processor and 2 GB of random-access memory. The proposed method for the automatic identification of the reference system based on the fourth ventricular landmarks was shown to be rapid, robust, and accurate. The method has potentially utility in image registration and computer-aided surgery.

Broad neutralization response in a subset of HIV-1 subtype C-infected viraemic non-progressors from southern India.

PubMed

Nandagopal, Paneerselvam; Bhattacharya, Jayanta; Srikrishnan, Aylur K; Goyal, Rajat; Ravichandran Swathirajan, Chinnambedu; Patil, Shilpa; Saravanan, Shanmugam; Deshpande, Suprit; Vignesh, Ramachandran; Solomon, Sunil Suhas; Singla, Nikhil; Mukherjee, Joyeeta; Murugavel, Kailapuri G

2018-02-05

Broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) have been considered to be potent therapeutic tools and potential vaccine candidates to enable protection against various clades of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The generation of bnAbs has been associated with enhanced exposure to antigen, high viral load and low CD4+ T cell counts, among other factors. However, only limited data are available on the generation of bnAbs in viraemic non-progressors that demonstrate moderate to high viraemia. Further, since HIV-1 subtype C viruses account for more than 50 % of global HIV infections, the identification of bnAbs with novel specificities is crucial to enable the development of potent tools to aid in HIV therapy and prevention. In the present study, we analysed and compared the neutralization potential of responses in 70 plasma samples isolated from ART-naïve HIV-1 subtype C-infected individuals with various disease progression profiles against a panel of 30 pseudoviruses. Among the seven samples that exhibited a neutralization breadth of ≥70 %, four were identified as 'elite neutralizers', and three of these were from viraemic non-progressors while the fourth was from a typical progressor. Analysis of the neutralization specificities revealed that none of the four elite neutralizers were reactive to epitopes in the membrane proximal external region (MPER), CD4-binding site and V1V2 or V3 glycan. However, two of the four elite neutralizers exhibited enhanced sensitivity towards viruses lacking N332 glycan, indicating high neutralization potency. Overall, our findings indicate that the identification of potent neutralization responses with distinct epitope specificities is possible from the as yet unexplored Indian population, which has a high prevalence of HIV-1 subtype C infection.

Multiple scattered radiation emerging from Rayleigh and continental haze layers. I - Radiance, polarization, and neutral points

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kattawar, G. W.; Plass, G. N.; Hitzfelder, S. J.

1976-01-01

The matrix operator method was used to calculate the polarization of radiation scattered on layers of various optical thicknesses, with results compared for Rayleigh scattering and for scattering from a continental haze. In both cases, there are neutral points arising from the zeros of the polarization of single scattered photons at scattering angles of zero and 180 degrees. The angular position of these Rayleigh-like neutral points (RNP) in the sky shows appreciable variation with the optical thickness of the scattering layer for a Rayleigh phase matrix, but only a small variation for haze L phase matrix. Another type of neutral point exists for non-Rayleigh phase functions that is associated with the zeros of the polarization for single scattering which occurs between the end points of the curve. A comparison of radiances calculated from the complete theory of radiative transfer using Stokes vectors with those obtained from the scalar theory shows that differences of the order of 23% may be obtained for Rayleigh scattering, while the largest difference found for a haze L phase function was of the order of 0.1%.

40 CFR 417.30 - Applicability; description of the soap manufacturing by fatty acid neutralization subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... manufacturing by fatty acid neutralization subcategory. 417.30 Section 417.30 Protection of Environment... POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Soap Manufacturing by Fatty Acid Neutralization Subcategory § 417.30 Applicability; description of the soap manufacturing by fatty acid neutralization subcategory. The provisions of this subpart...

Longitudinal shapes of the tibia and femur are unrelated and variable.

PubMed

Howell, Stephen M; Kuznik, Kyle; Hull, Maury L; Siston, Robert A

2010-04-01

In general practice, short films of the knee are used to assess component position and define the entry point for intramedullary femoral alignment in TKAs; however, whether it is justified to use the short film commonly used in research settings and everyday practice as a substitute for the whole leg view is controversial and needs clarification. In 138 long leg CT scanograms we measured the angle formed by the anatomic axis of the proximal fourth of the tibia and the mechanical axis of the tibia, the angle formed by the anatomic axis of the distal fourth of the femur and the mechanical axis of the femur, the "bow" of the tibia (as reflected by the offset of the anatomic axis from the center of the talus), and the "bow" of the femur (as reflected by the offset of the anatomic axis from the center of the femoral head). Because the angle formed by these axes and the bow of the tibia and femur have wide variability in females and males, a short film of the knee should not be used in place of the whole leg view when accurate assessment of component position and limb alignment is essential. A previous study of normal limbs found that only 2% of subjects have a neutral hip-knee-ankle axis, which can be explained by the wide variability of the bow in the tibia and femur and the lack of correlation between the bow of the tibia and femur in a given limb as shown in the current study.

Neutral face classification using personalized appearance models for fast and robust emotion detection.

PubMed

Chiranjeevi, Pojala; Gopalakrishnan, Viswanath; Moogi, Pratibha

2015-09-01

Facial expression recognition is one of the open problems in computer vision. Robust neutral face recognition in real time is a major challenge for various supervised learning-based facial expression recognition methods. This is due to the fact that supervised methods cannot accommodate all appearance variability across the faces with respect to race, pose, lighting, facial biases, and so on, in the limited amount of training data. Moreover, processing each and every frame to classify emotions is not required, as user stays neutral for majority of the time in usual applications like video chat or photo album/web browsing. Detecting neutral state at an early stage, thereby bypassing those frames from emotion classification would save the computational power. In this paper, we propose a light-weight neutral versus emotion classification engine, which acts as a pre-processer to the traditional supervised emotion classification approaches. It dynamically learns neutral appearance at key emotion (KE) points using a statistical texture model, constructed by a set of reference neutral frames for each user. The proposed method is made robust to various types of user head motions by accounting for affine distortions based on a statistical texture model. Robustness to dynamic shift of KE points is achieved by evaluating the similarities on a subset of neighborhood patches around each KE point using the prior information regarding the directionality of specific facial action units acting on the respective KE point. The proposed method, as a result, improves emotion recognition (ER) accuracy and simultaneously reduces computational complexity of the ER system, as validated on multiple databases.

Fourth-order convergence of a compact scheme for the one-dimensional biharmonic equation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fishelov, D.; Ben-Artzi, M.; Croisille, J.-P.

2012-09-01

The convergence of a fourth-order compact scheme to the one-dimensional biharmonic problem is established in the case of general Dirichlet boundary conditions. The compact scheme invokes value of the unknown function as well as Pade approximations of its first-order derivative. Using the Pade approximation allows us to approximate the first-order derivative within fourth-order accuracy. However, although the truncation error of the discrete biharmonic scheme is of fourth-order at interior point, the truncation error drops to first-order at near-boundary points. Nonetheless, we prove that the scheme retains its fourth-order (optimal) accuracy. This is done by a careful inspection of the matrix elements of the discrete biharmonic operator. A number of numerical examples corroborate this effect. We also present a study of the eigenvalue problem uxxxx = νu. We compute and display the eigenvalues and the eigenfunctions related to the continuous and the discrete problems. By the positivity of the eigenvalues, one can deduce the stability of of the related time-dependent problem ut = -uxxxx. In addition, we study the eigenvalue problem uxxxx = νuxx. This is related to the stability of the linear time-dependent equation uxxt = νuxxxx. Its continuous and discrete eigenvalues and eigenfunction (or eigenvectors) are computed and displayed graphically.

Fourth National NEA/PR&R Conference on Civil and Human Rights in Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Education Association, Washington, DC. Commission on Professional Rights and Responsibilities.

The fourth conference dedicated itself to the topic "The Treatment of Minorities in Textbooks," intending to give educators, publishers, civil rights leaders, and government officials an unbiased understanding of textbook problems. Participants learned from each other and gained insight into differing points of view, stimulating cooperative team…

Understanding the Fourth-Grade Slump: Our Point of View

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanacore, Joseph; Palumbo, Anthony

2009-01-01

Educators know that an achievement gap exists between students of low-income and middle-income families, a gap that is especially evident in fourth grade and beyond. This essay explores issues related to this gap, including primary-level children being immersed in narrative text and, therefore, unprepared for the challenges of informational text…

Flavor changing neutral currents involving heavy quarks with four generations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arhrib, Abdesslam; Hou, Wei-Shu

2006-07-01

We study various flavor changing neutral currents (FCNC) involving heavy quarks in the Standard Model (SM) with a sequential fourth generation. After imposing B→Xsγ, B→Xsl+l- and Z→bbar b constraints, we find Script B(Z→sbar b+bar sb) can be enhanced by an order of magnitude to 10-7, while t→cZ,cH decays can reach 10-6, which are orders of magnitude higher than three generation SM. However, these rates are still not observable for the near future. With the era of Large Hadron Collider approaching, we focus on FCNC decays involving fourth generation b' and t' quarks. We calculate the rates for loop induced FCNC decays b'→bZ, bH, bg, bγ, as well as t'→tZ, tH, tg, tγ. If |Vcb'| is of order |Vcb| simeq 0.04, tree level b'→cW decay would dominate, posing a challenge since b-tagging is less effective. For |Vcb'| << |Vcb|, b'→tW would tend to dominate, while b'→t'W* could also open for heavier b', leading to the possibility of quadruple-W signals via b'bar b'→bbar bW+W-W+W-. The FCNC b'→bZ,bH decays could still dominate if mb' is just above 200 GeV. For the case of t', in general t'→bW would be dominant, hence it behaves like a heavy top. For both b' and t', except for the intriguing light b' case, FCNC decays are typically in the 10-4-10-2 range, and are quite detectable at the LHC. For a possible future International Linear Collider, we find the associated production of FCNC e+e-→bbar s, tbar c are below sensitivity, while e+e-→b'bar b and t'bar t can be better probed. Tevatron Run-II can still probe the lighter b' or t' scenario. LHC would either discover the fourth generation and measure the FCNC rates, or rule out the fourth generation conclusively. If discovered, the ILC can study the b' or t' decay modes in detail.

Keeping memories at an arm's length: vantage point of trauma memories.

PubMed

Kenny, Lucy M; Bryant, Richard A

2007-08-01

This study investigated the relationship between memory vantage point and avoidance following trauma. Sixty trauma survivors with differing levels of avoidance were interviewed about the vantage point of their memory for trauma, a positive memory, and a neutral memory. Avoidant individuals were more likely to remember their trauma from an observer perspective than individuals with a lower level of avoidance. Avoidance did not influence vantage point for positive or neutral memories. These data support the proposal that adoption of the observer vantage point for trauma memories may serve an avoidant function for people affected by trauma.

Critical study of higher order numerical methods for solving the boundary-layer equations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wornom, S. F.

1978-01-01

A fourth order box method is presented for calculating numerical solutions to parabolic, partial differential equations in two variables or ordinary differential equations. The method, which is the natural extension of the second order box scheme to fourth order, was demonstrated with application to the incompressible, laminar and turbulent, boundary layer equations. The efficiency of the present method is compared with two point and three point higher order methods, namely, the Keller box scheme with Richardson extrapolation, the method of deferred corrections, a three point spline method, and a modified finite element method. For equivalent accuracy, numerical results show the present method to be more efficient than higher order methods for both laminar and turbulent flows.

Observing heliospheric neutral atoms at 1 AU

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heerikhuisen, Jacob; Pogorelov, Nikolai; Florinski, Vladimir; Zank, Gary

2006-09-01

Although in situ observations of distant heliospheric plasma by the Voyagers has proven to be extremely enlightening, such point observations need to be complemented with global measurements taken remotely to obtain a complete picture of the heliosphere and local interstellar environment. Neutral atoms, with their contempt for magnetic fields, provide useful probes of the plasma that generated them. However, there will be a number of ambiguities in neutral atom readings that require a deeper understanding of the plasma processes generating neutral atoms, as well as the loss mechanisms on their flight to the observation point. We introduce a procedure for generating all-sky maps of energetic H-atoms, calculated directly in our Monte-Carlo neutral atom code. Results obtained for a self-consistent axisymmetric MHD-Boltzmann calculation, as well as several non-selfconsistent 3D sky maps, will be presented.

Chromomagnetic and chromoelectric dipole moments in the 4GTHDM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hernández-Juárez, A.; Tavares, G.; Moyotl, A.

2017-10-01

The contributions to the chromomagnetic (CMDM) and chromoelectric (CEDM) dipole moments of the top quark are calculated in framework of the two-Higgs doublet model with a sequential fourth family. We only consider the contributions arising from the neutral scalar bosons H 0 and A 0, whereas the contribution of the charged scalar will be analyzed elsewhere. For the scalar boson masses we consider the degenerate case, with 200 GeV < mϕ < 500 GeV, while for the mass of the fourth family up quark we consider the interval 400 GeV < m t 4 < 600 GeV. It is found that the CMDM and CEDM are specially sensitive when mϕ is about 600 GeV and can reach the sizes of |at | ˜ 10-5 and |dt | ˜ 10-24 e cm, respectively.

Exospheric Neutral Density at the Earth's subsolar magnetopause deduced from the XMM-Newton X-ray observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Connor, H. K.; Carter, J. A.

2017-12-01

Soft X-rays can be emitted when highly charged solar wind ions and exospheric neutrals exchange electrons. Astrophysics missions, such as XMM-Newton and ROSAT X-ray telescopes, have found that such solar wind charge exchange happens at the Earth's exosphere. The Earth's magnetosphere can be imaged via soft X-rays in order to understand its interaction with solar wind. Consequently, two soft X-ray telescope missions (CuPID and SMILE) are scheduled to launch in 2019 and 2021. They will provide wide field-of-view soft X-ray images of the Earth's dayside magnetosphere. The imagers will track the location and movement of the cusps, magnetopause, and bow shock in response to solar wind variations. To support these missions, an understanding of exospheric neutral density profile is needed. The neutral density is one of the controlling factors of soft X-ray signals. Strong neutral density can help to obtain high-resolution and high-cadence of soft X-ray images. In this study, we estimate the exospheric neutral density at 10 RE subsolar point using XMM X-ray observations, Cluster plasma observations, and OpenGGCM global magnetosphere - ionosphere MHD model. XMM-Newton observes line-of-sight, narrow field-of-view, integrated soft X-ray emissions when it looks through the dayside magnetosphere. OpenGGCM reproduces soft X-ray signals seen by the XMM spacecraft, assuming exospheric neutral density as a function of the neutral density at the 10RE subsolar point and the radial distance. Cluster observations are used to confirm OpenGGCM plasma results. Finally, we deduce the neutral density at 10 RE subsolar point by adjusting the model results to the XMM-Newton soft X-ray observations.

A note on the accuracy of KS-DFT densities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ranasinghe, Duminda S.; Perera, Ajith; Bartlett, Rodney J.

2017-11-01

The accuracy of the density of wave function methods and Kohn-Sham (KS) density functionals is studied using moments of the density, ⟨rn ⟩ =∫ ρ (r )rnd τ =∫0∞4 π r2ρ (r ) rnd r ,where n =-1 ,-2,0,1,2 ,and 3 provides information about the short- and long-range behavior of the density. Coupled cluster (CC) singles, doubles, and perturbative triples (CCSD(T)) is considered as the reference density. Three test sets are considered: boron through neon neutral atoms, two and four electron cations, and 3d transition metals. The total density and valence only density are distinguished by dropping appropriate core orbitals. Among density functionals tested, CAMQTP00 and ωB97x show the least deviation for boron through neon neutral atoms. They also show accurate eigenvalues for the HOMO indicating that they should have a more correct long-range behavior for the density. For transition metals, some density functional approximations outperform some wave function methods, suggesting that the KS determinant could be a better starting point for some kinds of correlated calculations. By using generalized many-body perturbation theory (MBPT), the convergence of second-, third-, and fourth-order KS-MBPT for the density is addressed as it converges to the infinite-order coupled cluster result. For the transition metal test set, the deviations in the KS density functional theory methods depend on the amount of exact exchange the functional uses. Functionals with exact exchange close to 25% show smaller deviations from the CCSD(T) density.

49 CFR 236.342 - Switch circuit controller.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Switch circuit controller. 236.342 Section 236.342... Instructions § 236.342 Switch circuit controller. Switch circuit controller connected at the point to switch... corresponding to switch point closure when switch point is open one-fourth inch or more. Inspection and Tests ...

49 CFR 236.342 - Switch circuit controller.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Switch circuit controller. 236.342 Section 236.342... Instructions § 236.342 Switch circuit controller. Switch circuit controller connected at the point to switch... corresponding to switch point closure when switch point is open one-fourth inch or more. Inspection and Tests ...

49 CFR 236.342 - Switch circuit controller.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Switch circuit controller. 236.342 Section 236.342... Instructions § 236.342 Switch circuit controller. Switch circuit controller connected at the point to switch... corresponding to switch point closure when switch point is open one-fourth inch or more. Inspection and Tests ...

49 CFR 236.342 - Switch circuit controller.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Switch circuit controller. 236.342 Section 236.342... Instructions § 236.342 Switch circuit controller. Switch circuit controller connected at the point to switch... corresponding to switch point closure when switch point is open one-fourth inch or more. Inspection and Tests ...

49 CFR 236.342 - Switch circuit controller.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Switch circuit controller. 236.342 Section 236.342... Instructions § 236.342 Switch circuit controller. Switch circuit controller connected at the point to switch... corresponding to switch point closure when switch point is open one-fourth inch or more. Inspection and Tests ...

Space Shuttle Projects

NASA Image and Video Library

1995-09-09

Astronaut and mission specialist Kalpana Chawla, receives assistance in donning a training version of the Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) space suit, prior to an underwater training session in the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL) near Johnson Space Center. This particular training was in preparation for the STS-87 mission. The Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-87) was the fourth flight of the United States Microgravity Payload (USMP-4) and Spartan-201 satellite, both managed by scientists and engineers from the Marshall Space Flight Center.

Declaratoria del IV Congreso Nacional de Educacion Normal (Declaration of the Fourth National Congress on Normal Education).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

El Maestro, Mexico, 1970

1970-01-01

This document is an English-language abstract (approximately 1,500 words) of a desclaration drawn up by the participants of the Fourth Mexican National Congress of Normal Education. The declaration points out the importance of teacher training in the educational system, the fundamental problems presently facing this level of studies and the…

Evolutionary advantage via common action of recombination and neutrality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saakian, David B.; Hu, Chin-Kun

2013-11-01

We investigate evolution models with recombination and neutrality. We consider the Crow-Kimura (parallel) mutation-selection model with the neutral fitness landscape, in which there is a central peak with high fitness A, and some of 1-point mutants have the same high fitness A, while the fitness of other sequences is 0. We find that the effect of recombination and neutrality depends on the concrete version of both neutrality and recombination. We consider three versions of neutrality: (a) all the nearest neighbor sequences of the peak sequence have the same high fitness A; (b) all the l-point mutations in a piece of genome of length l≥1 are neutral; (c) the neutral sequences are randomly distributed among the nearest neighbors of the peak sequences. We also consider three versions of recombination: (I) the simple horizontal gene transfer (HGT) of one nucleotide; (II) the exchange of a piece of genome of length l, HGT-l; (III) two-point crossover recombination (2CR). For the case of (a), the 2CR gives a rather strong contribution to the mean fitness, much stronger than that of HGT for a large genome length L. For the random distribution of neutral sequences there is a critical degree of neutrality νc, and for μ<μc and (μc-μ) is not large, the 2CR suppresses the mean fitness while HGT increases it; for ν much larger than νc, the 2CR and HGT-l increase the mean fitness larger than that of the HGT. We also consider the recombination in the case of smooth fitness landscapes. The recombination gives some advantage in the evolutionary dynamics, where recombination distinguishes clearly the mean-field-like evolutionary factors from the fluctuation-like ones. By contrast, mutations affect the mean-field-like and fluctuation-like factors similarly. Consequently, recombination can accelerate the non-mean-field (fluctuation) type dynamics without considerably affecting the mean-field-like factors.

Inhibitor effects during the cell cycle in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Determination of transition points in asynchronous cultures

PubMed Central

1975-01-01

A wide variety of inhibitors (drugs, antibiotics, and antimetabolites) will block cell division within an ongoing cell cycle in autotrophic cultures of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. To determine when during the cell cycle a given inhibitor is effective in preventing cell division, a technique is described which does not rely on the use of synchronous cultures. The technique permits the measurement of transition points, the cell cycle stage at which the subsequent cell division becomes insensitive to the effects of an inhibitor. A map of transition points in the cell cycle reveals that they are grouped into two broad periods, the second and fourth quarters. In general, inhibitors which block organellar DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis have second-quarter transition points, while those which inhibit nuclear cytoplasmic macromolecular synthesis have fourth-quarter transition points. The specific grouping of these transition points into two periods suggests that the synthesis of organellar components is completed midway through the cell cycle and that the synthesis of nonorganellar components required for cell division is not completed until late in the cell cycle. PMID:1176526

Unusual Features of Vaccinia Virus Extracellular Virion Form Neutralization Resistance Revealed in Human Antibody Responses to the Smallpox Vaccine

PubMed Central

Benhnia, Mohammed Rafii-El-Idrissi; Maybeno, Matthew; Blum, David; Aguilar-Sino, Rowena; Matho, Michael; Meng, Xiangzhi; Head, Steven; Felgner, Philip L.; Zajonc, Dirk M.; Koriazova, Lilia; Kato, Shinichiro; Burton, Dennis R.; Xiang, Yan; Crowe, James E.; Peters, Bjoern

2013-01-01

The extracellular virion form (EV) of vaccinia virus (VACV) is essential for viral pathogenesis and is difficult to neutralize with antibodies. Why this is the case and how the smallpox vaccine overcomes this challenge remain incompletely understood. We previously showed that high concentrations of anti-B5 antibodies are insufficient to directly neutralize EV (M. R. Benhnia, et al., J. Virol. 83:1201–1215, 2009). This allowed for at least two possible interpretations: covering the EV surface is insufficient for neutralization, or there are insufficient copies of B5 to allow anti-B5 IgG to cover the whole surface of EV and another viral receptor protein remains active. We endeavored to test these possibilities, focusing on the antibody responses elicited by immunization against smallpox. We tested whether human monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against the three major EV antigens, B5, A33, and A56, could individually or together neutralize EV. While anti-B5 or anti-A33 (but not anti-A56) MAbs of appropriate isotypes were capable of neutralizing EV in the presence of complement, a mixture of anti-B5, anti-A33, and anti-A56 MAbs was incapable of directly neutralizing EV, even at high concentrations. This remained true when neutralizing the IHD-J strain, which lacks a functional version of the fourth and final known EV surface protein, A34. These immunological data are consistent with the possibility that viral proteins may not be the active component of the EV surface for target cell binding and infectivity. We conclude that the protection afforded by the smallpox vaccine anti-EV response is predominantly mediated not by direct neutralization but by isotype-dependent effector functions, such as complement recruitment for antibodies targeting B5 and A33. PMID:23152530

Inertia-Centric Stability Analysis of a Planar Uniform Dust Molecular Cloud with Weak Neutral-Charged Dust Frictional Coupling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

K. Karmakar, P.; Borah, B.

2014-05-01

This paper adopts an inertia-centric evolutionary model to study the excitation mechanism of new gravito-electrostatic eigenmode structures in a one-dimensional (1-D) planar self-gravitating dust molecular cloud (DMC) on the Jeans scale. A quasi-neutral multi-fluid consisting of warm electrons, warm ions, neutral gas and identical inertial cold dust grains with partial ionization is considered. The grain-charge is assumed not to vary at the fluctuation evolution time scale. The neutral gas particles form the background, which is weakly coupled with the collapsing grainy plasma mass. The gravitational decoupling of the background neutral particles is justifiable for a higher inertial mass of the grains with higher neutral population density so that the Jeans mode frequency becomes reasonably large. Its physical basis is the Jeans assumption of a self-gravitating uniform medium adopted for fiducially analytical simplification by neglecting the zero-order field. So, the equilibrium is justifiably treated initially as “homogeneous”. The efficacious inertial role of the thermal species amidst weak collisions of the neutral-charged grains is taken into account. A standard multiscale technique over the gravito-electrostatic equilibrium yields a unique pair of Korteweg-de Vries (KdV) equations. It is integrated numerically by the fourth-order Runge-Kutta method with multi-parameter variation for exact shape analyses. Interestingly, the model is conducive for the propagation of new conservative solitary spectral patterns. Their basic physics, parametric features and unique characteristics are discussed. The results go qualitatively in good correspondence with the earlier observations made by others. Tentative applications relevant to space and astrophysical environments are concisely highlighted.

Global asymptotic stability to a generalized Cohen-Grossberg BAM neural networks of neutral type delays.

PubMed

Zhang, Zhengqiu; Liu, Wenbin; Zhou, Dongming

2012-01-01

In this paper, we first discuss the existence of a unique equilibrium point of a generalized Cohen-Grossberg BAM neural networks of neutral type delays by means of the Homeomorphism theory and inequality technique. Then, by applying the existence result of an equilibrium point and constructing a Lyapunov functional, we study the global asymptotic stability of the equilibrium solution to the above Cohen-Grossberg BAM neural networks of neutral type. In our results, the hypothesis for boundedness in the existing paper, which discussed Cohen-Grossberg neural networks of neutral type on the activation functions, are removed. Finally, we give an example to demonstrate the validity of our global asymptotic stability result for the above neural networks. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Authors "in Residence" Make Writing Fun! Online Mentors Help Fourth Graders Compose Original Stories

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hagins, Chelsea; Austin, Jackie; Jones, Raven; Timmons, Taylor

2004-01-01

Chelsea pointed to four sentences on her computer screen. "Am I done, Mrs. Weeg?" Writing was not her favorite activity. She and five other fourth-grade classmates were in the early stages of writing a story in the global classroom. For the past four years, 12 students at Delmar Elementary School have taken part in this online mentoring program,…

A Comparison of the Influences of Verbal-Successive and Spatial-Simultaneous Factors on Achieving Readers in Fourth and Fifth Grade: A Multivariate Correlational Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Solan, Harold A.

1987-01-01

This study involving 38 normally achieving fourth and fifth grade children confirmed previous studies indicating that both spatial-simultaneous (in which perceived stimuli are totally available at one point in time) and verbal-successive (information is presented in serial order) cognitive processing are important in normal learning. (DB)

Longitudinal Analysis of Early HIV-1-Specific Neutralizing Activity in an Elite Neutralizer and in Five Patients Who Developed Cross-Reactive Neutralizing Activity

PubMed Central

Euler, Zelda; van den Kerkhof, Tom L. G. M.; van Gils, Marit J.; Burger, Judith A.; Edo-Matas, Diana; Phung, Pham; Wrin, Terri

2012-01-01

We previously established that at 3 years postseroconversion, ∼30% of HIV-infected individuals have cross-reactive neutralizing activity (CrNA) in their sera. Here we studied the kinetics with which CrNA develops and how these relate to the development of autologous neutralizing activity as well as viral escape and diversification. For this purpose, sera from five individuals with CrNA and one elite neutralizer that were obtained at three monthly intervals in the first year after seroconversion and at multiple intervals over the disease course were tested for neutralizing activity against an established multiclade panel of six viruses. The same serum samples, as well as sera from three individuals who lacked CrNA, were tested for their neutralizing activities against autologous clonal HIV-1 variants from multiple time points covering the disease course from seroconversion onward. The elite neutralizer already had CrNA at 9.8 months postseroconversion, in contrast with the findings for the other five patients, in whom CrNA was first detected at 20 to 35 months postseroconversion and peaked around 35 months postseroconversion. In all patients, CrNA coincided with neutralizing activity against autologous viruses that were isolated <12 months postseroconversion, while viruses from later time points had already escaped autologous neutralizing activity. Also, the peak in gp160 sequence diversity coincided with the peak of CrNA titers. Individuals who lacked CrNA had lower peak autologous neutralizing titers, viral escape, and sequence diversity than individuals with CrNA. A better understanding of the underlying factors that determine the presence of CrNA or even an elite neutralizer phenotype may aid in the design of an HIV-1 vaccine. PMID:22156522

Serological comparison of canine rotavirus with various simian and human rotaviruses by plaque reduction neutralization and hemagglutination inhibition tests.

PubMed Central

Hoshino, Y; Wyatt, R G; Greenberg, H B; Kalica, A R; Flores, J; Kapikian, A Z

1983-01-01

By the plaque reduction neutralization test, the CU-1 strain of canine rotavirus was similar, if not identical, to three strains (no. 14, no. 15, and P) of the tentatively designated third human rotavirus serotype. In addition, strain CU-1 demonstrated a one-way antigenic relationship with two other strains (M and B) of the third human rotavirus serotype. The CU-1 strain of canine rotavirus hemagglutinated human group O, rhesus monkey, dog, sheep, and guinea pig erythrocytes. A two-way antigenic relationship between canine (CU-1) and simian (MMU 18006 and SA11) rotaviruses demonstrated previously by the plaque reduction neutralization test was confirmed further with two additional isolates (A79-10 and LSU 79C-36) of canine rotavirus by the plaque reduction neutralization test and the hemagglutination inhibition test. The CU-1 strain of canine rotavirus, which is known to be distinct from two well-characterized human rotavirus serotypes (Wa and DS-1), was also found to be distinct from the St. Thomas no. 4 strain, which is a newly defined fourth human rotavirus serotype. Thus, this canine strain, which is related antigenically to one of four human rotavirus serotypes, is another example of an animal rotavirus which shares serotype specificity with a human rotavirus. Images PMID:6190752

On a fourth order accurate implicit finite difference scheme for hyperbolic conservation laws. II - Five-point schemes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harten, A.; Tal-Ezer, H.

1981-01-01

This paper presents a family of two-level five-point implicit schemes for the solution of one-dimensional systems of hyperbolic conservation laws, which generalized the Crank-Nicholson scheme to fourth order accuracy (4-4) in both time and space. These 4-4 schemes are nondissipative and unconditionally stable. Special attention is given to the system of linear equations associated with these 4-4 implicit schemes. The regularity of this system is analyzed and efficiency of solution-algorithms is examined. A two-datum representation of these 4-4 implicit schemes brings about a compactification of the stencil to three mesh points at each time-level. This compact two-datum representation is particularly useful in deriving boundary treatments. Numerical results are presented to illustrate some properties of the proposed scheme.

A new type of single-phase five-level inverter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Zhi; Li, Shengnan; Qin, Risheng; Zhao, Yanhang

2017-11-01

At present, Neutral Point Clamped (NPC) multilevel inverter is widely applied in new energy field. However, it has some disadvantages including low utilization rate of direct current (DC) voltage source and the unbalance of neutral potential. Therefore, a new single-phase five level inverter is proposed in this paper. It has two stage structure, the former stage is equivalent to three level DC/DC converter, and the back stage uses H bridge to realize inverter. Compared with the original central clamp type inverter, the new five level inverter can improve the utilization of DC voltage, and realize the neutral point potential balance with hysteresis comparator.

Analysis of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit II (COX2) gene in giant panda, Ailuropoda melanoleuca.

PubMed

Ling, S S; Zhu, Y; Lan, D; Li, D S; Pang, H Z; Wang, Y; Li, D Y; Wei, R P; Zhang, H M; Wang, C D; Hu, Y D

2017-01-23

The giant panda, Ailuropoda melanoleuca (Ursidae), has a unique bamboo-based diet; however, this low-energy intake has been sufficient to maintain the metabolic processes of this species since the fourth ice age. As mitochondria are the main sites for energy metabolism in animals, the protein-coding genes involved in mitochondrial respiratory chains, particularly cytochrome c oxidase subunit II (COX2), which is the rate-limiting enzyme in electron transfer, could play an important role in giant panda metabolism. Therefore, the present study aimed to isolate, sequence, and analyze the COX2 DNA from individuals kept at the Giant Panda Protection and Research Center, China, and compare these sequences with those of the other Ursidae family members. Multiple sequence alignment showed that the COX2 gene had three point mutations that defined three haplotypes, with 60% of the sequences corresponding to haplotype I. The neutrality tests revealed that the COX2 gene was conserved throughout evolution, and the maximum likelihood phylogenetic analysis, using homologous sequences from other Ursidae species, showed clustering of the COX2 sequences of giant pandas, suggesting that this gene evolved differently in them.

Molecular adaptation within the coat protein-encoding gene of Tunisian almond isolates of Prunus necrotic ringspot virus.

PubMed

Boulila, Moncef; Ben Tiba, Sawssen; Jilani, Saoussen

2013-04-01

The sequence alignments of five Tunisian isolates of Prunus necrotic ringspot virus (PNRSV) were searched for evidence of recombination and diversifying selection. Since failing to account for recombination can elevate the false positive error rate in positive selection inference, a genetic algorithm (GARD) was used first and led to the detection of potential recombination events in the coat protein-encoding gene of that virus. The Recco algorithm confirmed these results by identifying, additionally, the potential recombinants. For neutrality testing and evaluation of nucleotide polymorphism in PNRSV CP gene, Tajima's D, and Fu and Li's D and F statistical tests were used. About selection inference, eight algorithms (SLAC, FEL, IFEL, REL, FUBAR, MEME, PARRIS, and GA branch) incorporated in HyPhy package were utilized to assess the selection pressure exerted on the expression of PNRSV capsid. Inferred phylogenies pointed out, in addition to the three classical groups (PE-5, PV-32, and PV-96), the delineation of a fourth cluster having the new proposed designation SW6, and a fifth clade comprising four Tunisian PNRSV isolates which underwent recombination and selective pressure and to which the name Tunisian outgroup was allocated.

Spironolactone Versus Clonidine as a Fourth-Drug Therapy for Resistant Hypertension: The ReHOT Randomized Study (Resistant Hypertension Optimal Treatment).

PubMed

Krieger, Eduardo M; Drager, Luciano F; Giorgi, Dante M A; Pereira, Alexandre C; Barreto-Filho, José Augusto Soares; Nogueira, Armando R; Mill, José Geraldo; Lotufo, Paulo A; Amodeo, Celso; Batista, Marcelo C; Bodanese, Luiz C; Carvalho, Antônio C C; Castro, Iran; Chaves, Hilton; Costa, Eduardo A S; Feitosa, Gilson S; Franco, Roberto J S; Fuchs, Flávio D; Guimarães, Armênio C; Jardim, Paulo C; Machado, Carlos A; Magalhães, Maria E; Mion, Décio; Nascimento, Raimundo M; Nobre, Fernando; Nóbrega, Antônio C; Ribeiro, Antônio L P; Rodrigues-Sobrinho, Carlos R; Sanjuliani, Antônio F; Teixeira, Maria do Carmo B; Krieger, Jose E

2018-04-01

The aim of this study is to compare spironolactone versus clonidine as the fourth drug in patients with resistant hypertension in a multicenter, randomized trial. Medical therapy adherence was checked by pill counting. Patients with resistant hypertension (no office and ambulatory blood pressure [BP] monitoring control, despite treatment with 3 drugs, including a diuretic, for 12 weeks) were randomized to an additional 12-week treatment with spironolactone (12.5-50 mg QD) or clonidine (0.1-0.3 mg BID). The primary end point was BP control during office (<140/90 mm Hg) and 24-h ambulatory (<130/80 mm Hg) BP monitoring. Secondary end points included BP control from each method and absolute BP reduction. From 1597 patients recruited, 11.7% (187 patients) fulfilled the resistant hypertension criteria. Compared with the spironolactone group (n=95), the clonidine group (n=92) presented similar rates of achieving the primary end point (20.5% versus 20.8%, respectively; relative risk, 1.01 [0.55-1.88]; P =1.00). Secondary end point analysis showed similar office BP (33.3% versus 29.3%) and ambulatory BP monitoring (44% versus 46.2%) control for spironolactone and clonidine, respectively. However, spironolactone promoted greater decrease in 24-h systolic and diastolic BP and diastolic daytime ambulatory BP than clonidine. Per-protocol analysis (limited to patients with ≥80% adherence to spironolactone/clonidine treatment) showed similar results regarding the primary end point. In conclusion, clonidine was not superior to spironolactone in true resistant hypertensive patients, but the overall BP control was low (≈21%). Considering easier posology and greater decrease in secondary end points, spironolactone is preferable for the fourth-drug therapy. URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01643434. © 2018 American Heart Association, Inc.

The neutral current sheet and its radiation pairs of side sources in coronal mass ejections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ji, Shu-Chen

Using the data observed with the soft X-ray telescope, hard X-ray telescope aboard on Yohkoh and the Nobeyama Radioheliograph on 1998 April 23, a comprehensive study on soft X-ray coronal mass ejection (SXRCME) and radio Type IV burst is carried out and some significant results are obtained as follows: A magnetic capacity belt (MCB) between two magnetic dipole sources (MDSs) was found and there were only a few activitation sources (ASs). During the MCB changed into a magnetic energy belt (MEB) by the ASs, activating energy and shining material both concentrated to the neutral current sheet (NCS) in the course of its formation. When two MDSs were put through by the MEB, the NCS formed and the SXRCME occurred. The matter ejected not only from the NCS, but also from the whole MEB. The expanding loop of the SXRCME had two foot points, both were just two MDSs. The head of the expanding loop always tended to the foot point of the weak source, because it was equilibrium point of magnetic pressures coming from two foot points. For this reason, its locus was neutral line. From this, the neutral line can also determine the position of NCS. Finally, the radiation pairs of side sources of NCS on the MEB are found.

Attitude toward Public Health Dentistry as a career among dental students in Odisha: A Cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Sharma, Nupur; Jain, Kittu; Kabasi, Soumik

2016-01-01

Knowledge of dental students' expectations of their profession as well as their attitudes to study a particular specialty of dentistry is of great importance. These attitudes and expectations make studying dentistry meaningful to dental students and society and understanding these factors facilitate workforce planning in the dental sector The aim of the study was to assess the attitude of dental students towards considering Public Health Dentistry as their future career. A questionnaire-based, cross-sectional survey was conducted, which included the 3 rd year, 4 th fourth year and dental interns studying in the State of Odisha. It consisted of 27 questions that were graded on 5-point Likert scale. The responses for the attitude questions toward selecting Public Health Dentistry for postgraduation were categorized into three factors, which are a negative attitude (includes score 0-21), neutral attitude (score 22-44), and positive attitude (score 45-64). Differences between groups were examined using Chi-square test for proportions. The level of statistical significance was set at P < 0.05. Among 886 respondents, 302 (34.08%) were males and 584 (65.91%) were females. One-third (33.52%) of them had a positive attitude toward selecting public health dentistry as their future career, and nearly two-third of them (58.23%) had neutral attitude, with very few students having a negative attitude (8.23%) toward the specialty for pursuing postgraduation. Respondents had a considerable amount of interest in pursuing postgraduation in this specialty. Efforts should be intensified, both by the dental council and by the dental colleges, to develop this specialty, keeping in mind the increasing attitude of dental undergraduates toward it.

Attitude toward Public Health Dentistry as a career among dental students in Odisha: A Cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Sharma, Nupur; Jain, Kittu; Kabasi, Soumik

2016-01-01

Background: Knowledge of dental students' expectations of their profession as well as their attitudes to study a particular specialty of dentistry is of great importance. These attitudes and expectations make studying dentistry meaningful to dental students and society and understanding these factors facilitate workforce planning in the dental sector The aim of the study was to assess the attitude of dental students towards considering Public Health Dentistry as their future career. Materials and Methods: A questionnaire-based, cross-sectional survey was conducted, which included the 3rd year, 4th fourth year and dental interns studying in the State of Odisha. It consisted of 27 questions that were graded on 5-point Likert scale. The responses for the attitude questions toward selecting Public Health Dentistry for postgraduation were categorized into three factors, which are a negative attitude (includes score 0–21), neutral attitude (score 22–44), and positive attitude (score 45–64). Differences between groups were examined using Chi-square test for proportions. The level of statistical significance was set at P < 0.05. Results: Among 886 respondents, 302 (34.08%) were males and 584 (65.91%) were females. One-third (33.52%) of them had a positive attitude toward selecting public health dentistry as their future career, and nearly two-third of them (58.23%) had neutral attitude, with very few students having a negative attitude (8.23%) toward the specialty for pursuing postgraduation. Conclusion: Respondents had a considerable amount of interest in pursuing postgraduation in this specialty. Efforts should be intensified, both by the dental council and by the dental colleges, to develop this specialty, keeping in mind the increasing attitude of dental undergraduates toward it. PMID:28182073

Measurement of argon neutral velocity distribution functions near an absorbing boundary in a plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Short, Zachary; Thompson, Derek; Good, Timothy; Scime, Earl

2016-10-01

Neutral particle distributions are critical to the study of plasma boundary interactions, where ion-neutral collisions, e.g. via charge exchange, may modify energetic particle populations impacting the boundary surface. Neutral particle behavior at absorbing boundaries thus underlies a number of important plasma physics issues, such as wall loading in fusion devices and anomalous erosion in Hall thruster channels. Neutral velocity distribution functions (NVDFs) are measured using laser-induced fluorescence (LIF). Our LIF scheme excites the 1s4 non-metastable state of neutral argon with 667.913 nm photons. The subsequent decay emission at 750.590 nm is recorded synchronously with injection laser frequency. Measurements are performed near a grounded boundary immersed in a cylindrical helicon plasma, with the boundary plate oriented at an oblique angle to the magnetic field. NVDFs are recorded in multiple velocity dimensions and in a three-dimensional volume, enabling point-to-point comparisons with NVDF predictions from particle-in-cell models as well as comparisons with ion velocity distribution function measurements obtained in the same regions through Ar-II LIF. This work is supported by US National Science Foundation Grant Number PHYS-1360278.

Flight Tests of Various Tail Modifications on the Brewster XSBA-1 Airplane. 3 - Measurements of Flying Qualities with Tail Configuration 3

DTIC Science & Technology

1944-07-12

of tall area tlaes tall length are nearly the same. The airplane eas stable, « tick fixed, In all condi- tions except vave-off *lth the center of...in all conditions •icept aeve.off. A table of neutral points, both stick free end « tick flaed. for the XSBA-1 airplane «1th tall -it.figuration...I follostai Condition Ct Keutral point, Neutral point. • tick fixed •tlek free illding Cruising Cllablnc Landing approach •eve.off C.« 1.0

49 CFR 236.528 - Restrictive condition resulting from open hand-operated switch; requirement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

...-operated switch; requirement. 236.528 Section 236.528 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to... Instructions; Roadway § 236.528 Restrictive condition resulting from open hand-operated switch; requirement. When a facing point hand-operated switch is open one-fourth inch or more, a trailing point hand...

49 CFR 236.528 - Restrictive condition resulting from open hand-operated switch; requirement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

...-operated switch; requirement. 236.528 Section 236.528 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to... Instructions; Roadway § 236.528 Restrictive condition resulting from open hand-operated switch; requirement. When a facing point hand-operated switch is open one-fourth inch or more, a trailing point hand...

49 CFR 236.528 - Restrictive condition resulting from open hand-operated switch; requirement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

...-operated switch; requirement. 236.528 Section 236.528 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to... Instructions; Roadway § 236.528 Restrictive condition resulting from open hand-operated switch; requirement. When a facing point hand-operated switch is open one-fourth inch or more, a trailing point hand...

The Academic Neutrality Argument: Philosophical Discourse and La Regle du Jeu.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palermo, James

1981-01-01

Presents case studies representing various points of view on the question of whether academic institutions can remain neutral. Excerpts are presented from the writings of Kenneth Strike, Robert H. Ennis, John Dewey, and Louis Althusser. (DB)

Fault-tolerant three-level inverter

DOEpatents

Edwards, John; Xu, Longya; Bhargava, Brij B.

2006-12-05

A method for driving a neutral point clamped three-level inverter is provided. In one exemplary embodiment, DC current is received at a neutral point-clamped three-level inverter. The inverter has a plurality of nodes including first, second and third output nodes. The inverter also has a plurality of switches. Faults are checked for in the inverter and predetermined switches are automatically activated responsive to a detected fault such that three-phase electrical power is provided at the output nodes.

The neutralizing role of IgM during early Chikungunya virus infection

PubMed Central

Chua, Chong-Long; Chiam, Chun-Wei; Chan, Yoke-Fun

2017-01-01

The antibody isotype IgM appears earlier than IgG, within days of onset of symptoms, and is important during the early stages of the adaptive immune response. Little is known about the functional role of IgM during infection with chikungunya virus (CHIKV), a recently reemerging arbovirus that has caused large global outbreaks. In this study, we studied antibody responses in 102 serum samples collected during CHIKV outbreaks in Malaysia. We described the neutralizing role of IgM at different times post-infection and examined the independent contributions of IgM and IgG towards the neutralizing capacity of human immune sera during the early phase of infection, including the differences in targets of neutralizing epitopes. Neutralizing IgM starts to appear as early as day 4 of symptoms, and their appearance from day 6 is associated with a reduction in viremia. IgM acts in a complementary manner with the early IgG, but plays the main neutralizing role up to a point between days 4 and 10 which varies between individuals. After this point, total neutralizing capacity is attributable almost entirely to the robust neutralizing IgG response. IgM preferentially binds and targets epitopes on the CHIKV surface E1-E2 glycoproteins, rather than individual E1 or E2. These findings provide insight into the early antibody responses to CHIKV, and have implications for design of diagnostic serological assays. PMID:28182795

Conformal completion of the standard model with a fourth generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ho, Chiu Man; Hung, Pham Q.; Kephart, Thomas W.

2012-06-01

We study dynamical electroweak symmetry breaking with a fourth generation within the Z n orbifolded AdS 5 ⊗ S 5 framework. A realistic Z 7 example is discussed. The initial theory reduces dynamically, due to the induced condensates, to a four-family trinification near a TeV-scale conformal fixed point where the gauge hierarchy problem does not exist. We predict new gauge bosons and bifundamental fermions and scalars accessible by the LHC.

Search for New Phenomena in tt¯ Events with Large Missing Transverse Momentum in Proton-Proton Collisions at √s=7 TeV with the ATLAS Detector

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

Aad, G.; Abbott, B.; Abdallah, J.

2012-01-26

A search for new phenomena in tt¯ events with large missing transverse momentum in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 7 TeV is presented. The measurement is based on 1.04  fb⁻¹ of data collected with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. Contributions to this final state may arise from a number of standard model extensions. The results are interpreted in terms of a model where new top-quark partners are pair produced and each decay to an on-shell top (or antitop) quark and a long-lived undetected neutral particle. The data are found to be consistent with standard model expectations. A limitmore » at 95% confidence level is set excluding a cross section times branching ratio of 1.1 pb for a top-partner mass of 420 GeV and a neutral particle mass less than 10 GeV. In a model of exotic fourth generation quarks, top-partner masses are excluded up to 420 GeV and neutral particle masses up to 140 GeV.« less

Neutral point testing of color vision in the domestic cat.

PubMed

Clark, Daria L; Clark, Robert A

2016-12-01

Despite extensive study, the basic nature of feline spectral sensitivity is still unresolved. Most electrophysiological studies have demonstrated two photopic receptors within the cat's retina, one most sensitive to longer wavelengths near 560 nm and the other most sensitive to shorter wavelengths near 460 nm, providing the neuroretinal basis for dichromatic vision. A few studies, however, have detected a third photopic receptor most sensitive to medium wavelengths between 500 and 520 nm, overlapping in spectrally sensitivity with the feline scotopic receptor, that potentially could allow trichromatic vision. Indeed, one behavioral study has demonstrated trichromatic vision in cats, but a flaw within its experimental design raises the possibility that achromatic intensity cues might have allowed the accurate identification of medium wavelength targets. This study tested for a spectral neutral point in the domestic cat using a two-choice discrimination task. The positive targets were created using monochromatic light from various single wavelength light emitting diodes (LEDs) combined with a white light of variable intensity, while the negative targets were created using white light of variable intensity. Trials were performed with varying intensities of positive and negative targets, from brighter positive targets to brighter negative targets, to eliminate achromatic intensity cues. Two cats with prior experience with two-choice discrimination tasks, one male and one female, successfully discriminated monochromatic light from 456 nm to 497 nm and from 510 nm to 524 nm, but both failed to discriminate monochromatic light at 505 nm over multiple trials. These results provide strong evidence that cats are dichromatic with a neutral point near 505 nm. This neutral point is nearly identical to the neutral point of the human deuteuranope, making feline vision a more accurate a model for red-green colorblind individuals than normal trichromats. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated exploitation of sky polarization imagery.

PubMed

Sadjadi, Firooz A; Chun, Cornell S L

2018-03-10

We propose an automated method for detecting neutral points in the sunlit sky. Until now, detecting these singularities has been done manually. Results are presented that document the application of this method on a limited number of polarimetric images of the sky captured with a camera and rotating polarizer. The results are significant because a method for automatically detecting the neutral points may aid in the determination of the solar position when the sun is obscured and may have applications in meteorology and pollution detection and characterization.

Rényi-Fisher entropy product as a marker of topological phase transitions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bolívar, J. C.; Nagy, Ágnes; Romera, Elvira

2018-05-01

The combined Rényi-Fisher entropy product of electrons plus holes displays a minimum at the charge neutrality points. The Stam-Rényi difference and the Stam-Rényi uncertainty product of the electrons plus holes, show maxima at the charge neutrality points. Topological quantum numbers capable of detecting the topological insulator and the band insulator phases, are defined. Upper and lower bounds for the position and momentum space Rényi-Fisher entropy products are derived.

Bertrand Russell on Chinese Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zheng, Wei-ping

2008-01-01

The visit of Bertrand Russell to China during 1920 to 1921 was one of the most significant events in May Fourth Movement, and Russell pointed out that education was the most important thing for Chinese reconstruction. The author argues that we should interpret Russell's educational idea of China from a theoretic and practical point of view. The…

Psychometric Evaluation of a 13-Point Measure of Students' Overall Competence in Community-Based Dental Education Programs.

PubMed

Ramaswamy, Vidya; Piskorowski, Wilhelm; Fitzgerald, Mark; Hamerink, Howard A; Stefanac, Stephen; Greene, Rachel; Lantz, Marilyn S

2016-10-01

Since 2006, the University of Michigan School of Dentistry has used a 13-point measure of overall competence instrument to assess fourth-year dental students' end-rotation performance at community clinics. The aim of this study was to assess the reliability and validity of this instrument used by preceptors to rate students' overall competence during community-based dental education experiences. The measure was analyzed using performance ratings for all fourth-year DDS students in the graduating classes of 2012 and 2013 (combined n=201). The results were that interrater agreement was satisfactory and the measure scored high for internal consistency; also, the measure loaded highly on a single overall competence factor. Ratings on this measure did not correlate with students' final cumulative dental school GPA, but showed a significant positive correlation with their fourth-year fall patient management grades (which signify students' conscientiousness in managing patients and their families in a professional and ethical manner). There were differences in grading systems between the 2012 cohort (which used a pass/fail system) and the 2013 cohort (which used a letter grade system) and the mean ratings they received (higher for the 2013 cohort). Overall, the study found that the 13-point measure demonstrated excellent reliability and validity, suggesting it is useful in determining a student's clinical competence in these settings.

A non-equilibrium neutral model for analysing cultural change.

PubMed

Kandler, Anne; Shennan, Stephen

2013-08-07

Neutral evolution is a frequently used model to analyse changes in frequencies of cultural variants over time. Variants are chosen to be copied according to their relative frequency and new variants are introduced by a process of random mutation. Here we present a non-equilibrium neutral model which accounts for temporally varying population sizes and mutation rates and makes it possible to analyse the cultural system under consideration at any point in time. This framework gives an indication whether observed changes in the frequency distributions of a set of cultural variants between two time points are consistent with the random copying hypothesis. We find that the likelihood of the existence of the observed assemblage at the end of the considered time period (expressed by the probability of the observed number of cultural variants present in the population during the whole period under neutral evolution) is a powerful indicator of departures from neutrality. Further, we study the effects of frequency-dependent selection on the evolutionary trajectories and present a case study of change in the decoration of pottery in early Neolithic Central Europe. Based on the framework developed we show that neutral evolution is not an adequate description of the observed changes in frequency. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Developmental differences between boys and girls result in sex-specific physical fitness changes from fourth to fifth grade.

PubMed

Flanagan, Shawn D; Dunn-Lewis, Courtenay; Hatfield, Disa L; Distefano, Lindsay J; Fragala, Maren S; Shoap, Mark; Gotwald, Mary; Trail, John; Gomez, Ana L; Volek, Jeff S; Cortis, Cristina; Comstock, Brett A; Hooper, David R; Szivak, Tunde K; Looney, David P; DuPont, William H; McDermott, Danielle M; Gaudiose, Michael C; Kraemer, William J

2015-01-01

To better understand how developmental differences impact performance on a broad selection of common physical fitness measures, we examined changes in boys and girls from fourth to fifth grade. Subjects included 273 boys (age, 9.5 ± 0.6 years; height, 139.86 ± 7.52 cm; mass, 38.00 ± 9.55 kg) and 295 girls (age, 9.6 ± 0.5 years; height, 139.30 ± 7.19 cm; weight, 37.44 ± 9.35 kg). We compared anthropometrics, cardiorespiratory and local muscular endurance, flexibility, power, and strength. A mixed-method analysis of variance was used to compare boys and girls at the 2 time points. Pearson correlation coefficients were used to examine relationships between anthropometric and fitness measurements. Significance was set at p ≤ 0.05. Weight increased significantly (>10%) in both sexes, and girls became significantly taller than boys after growing 4.9% by fifth grade (vs. 3.5%). Both groups improved cardiorespiratory endurance and power, although boys performed better than girls at both time points. Boys were stronger in fourth grade, but girls improved more, leading to similar fifth-grade values. Girls were more flexible in fourth grade, but their significant decreases (∼32.4%) coupled with large improvements in boys (∼105%) resulted in similar fifth-grade scores. Body mass index (BMI) was positively correlated with run time regardless of grade or sex. Power was negatively correlated with BMI and run time in fourth grade. In conclusion, sex-specific differences in physical fitness are apparent before pubescence. Furthermore, this selection of measures reveals sexually dimorphic changes, which likely reflect the onset of puberty in girls. Coaches and teachers should account these developmental differences and their effects on anthropometrics and fitness in boys and girls.

An examination of Aikido's Fourth Teaching: an anatomical study of the tissues of the forearm.

PubMed

Olson, G D; Seitz, F C

1990-12-01

One of the basic teachings of Aikido is known as Yonkyo (Fourth Teaching) or Tekubi-Osae (Wrist Securing). According to some Aikido master teachers, Yonkyo is designed to attack the opponent's weak points. This investigation focused on examining this teaching with the purpose of describing the anatomical tissues involved in the etiology of pain when this teaching is applied precisely. Particular focus was placed on the anatomical locations/sources of pain associated with the application of this teaching.

Electronic properties of disordered Weyl semimetals at charge neutrality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holder, Tobias; Huang, Chia-Wei; Ostrovsky, Pavel M.

2017-11-01

Weyl semimetals have been intensely studied as a three-dimensional realization of a Dirac-like excitation spectrum where the conduction bands and valence bands touch at isolated Weyl points in momentum space. Like in graphene, this property entails various peculiar electronic properties. However, recent theoretical studies have suggested that resonant scattering from rare regions can give rise to a nonzero density of states even at charge neutrality. Here, we give a detailed account of this effect and demonstrate how the semimetallic nature is suppressed at the lowest scales. To this end, we develop a self-consistent T -matrix approach to investigate the density of states beyond the limit of weak disorder. Our results show a nonvanishing density of states at the Weyl point, which exhibits a nonanalytic dependence on the impurity density. This unusually strong effect of rare regions leads to a revised estimate for the conductivity close to the Weyl point and emphasizes possible deviations from semimetallic behavior in dirty Weyl semimetals at charge neutrality even with very low impurity concentration.

On a fourth order accurate implicit finite difference scheme for hyperbolic conservation laws. I - Nonstiff strongly dynamic problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harten, A.; Tal-Ezer, H.

1981-01-01

An implicit finite difference method of fourth order accuracy in space and time is introduced for the numerical solution of one-dimensional systems of hyperbolic conservation laws. The basic form of the method is a two-level scheme which is unconditionally stable and nondissipative. The scheme uses only three mesh points at level t and three mesh points at level t + delta t. The dissipative version of the basic method given is conditionally stable under the CFL (Courant-Friedrichs-Lewy) condition. This version is particularly useful for the numerical solution of problems with strong but nonstiff dynamic features, where the CFL restriction is reasonable on accuracy grounds. Numerical results are provided to illustrate properties of the proposed method.

Modeling of Elastic Collisions between High Energy and Slow Neutral Atoms

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-07-01

cylindrical test cell, and the currents on the four different electrodes-Inner Cylinder , Exit Plate, Back Aperture, and Collector Plat~were measured...Inner Cylinder electrode. Nevertheless, the neutral atom current to the Inner Cylinder electrode predicted by the VHS model is comparable to the...Figure 9. Normalized curre nt at the Inner Cylinder e lectrode. the point of collision. T he discrepancy in the Exit Plate neutral atom current is due to

Academic Self-Efficacy, Faculty-Student Interactions, and Student Characteristics as Predictors of Grade Point Average

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gosnell, Joan C.

2012-01-01

The purpose of the study was to explore student characteristics, academic self-efficacy, and faculty-student interactions as predictors of grade point average for upper-division (college level third and fourth year) education students at a public 4-year degree-granting community college. The study examined the effects of student characteristics…

Analyses on the geometrical structure of magnetic field in the current sheet based on cluster measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, C.; Li, X.; Dunlop, M.; Liu, Z. X.; Balogh, A.; Baker, D. N.; Hapgood, M.; Wang, X.

2003-05-01

The geometrical structure of the magnetic field is a critical character in the magnetospheric dynamics. Using the magnetic field data measured by the Cluster constellation satellites, the geometrical structure including the curvature radius, directions of curvature, and normal of the osculating planes of the magnetic field lines within the current sheet/neutral sheet have been investigated. The results are (1) Inside of the tail neutral sheet (NS), the curvature of magnetic field lines points towards Earth, the normal of the osculating plane points duskward, and the characteristic half width (or the minimum curvature radius) of the neutral sheet is generally less than 2 RE, for many cases less than 1600 km. (2) Outside of the neutral sheet, the curvature of magnetic field lines pointed northward (southward) at the north (south) side of NS, the normal of the osculating plane points dawnward, and the curvature radius is about 5 RE ˜ 10 RE. (3) Thin NS, where the magnetic field lines have the minimum of the curvature radius less than 0.25 RE, may appear at all the local time between LT 20 hours and 4 hours, but thin NS occurs more frequently near to midnight than that at the dawnside and duskside. (4) The size of the NS is dependent on substorm phases. Generally, the NS is thin during the growth and expansion phases and grows thick during the recovery phase. (5) For the one-dimensional NS, the half thickness and flapping velocity of the NS could be quantitatively determined. Therefore the differential geometry analyses based on Cluster 4-point magnetic measurements open a window for visioning the three-dimensional static and dynamic magnetic field structure of geomagnetosphere.

Advanced control of neutral beam injected power in DIII-D

DOE PAGES

Pawley, Carl J.; Crowley, Brendan J.; Pace, David C.; ...

2017-03-23

In the DIII-D tokamak, one of the most powerful techniques to control the density, temperature and plasma rotation is by eight independently modulated neutral beam sources with a total power of 20 MW. The rapid modulation requires a high degree of reproducibility and precise control of the ion source plasma and beam acceleration voltage. Recent changes have been made to the controls to provide a new capability to smoothly vary the beam current and beam voltage during a discharge, while maintaining the modulation capability. The ion source plasma inside the arc chamber is controlled through feedback from the Langmuir probesmore » measuring plasma density near the extraction end. To provide the new capability, the plasma control system (PCS) has been enabled to change the Langmuir probe set point and the beam voltage set point in real time. When the PCS varies the Langmuir set point, the plasma density is directly controlled in the arc chamber, thus changing the beam current (perveance) and power going into the tokamak. Alternately, the PCS can sweep the beam voltage set point by 20 kV or more and adjust the Langmuir probe setting to match, keeping the perveance constant and beam divergence at a minimum. This changes the beam power and average neutral particle energy, which changes deposition in the tokamak plasma. The ion separating magnetic field must accurately match the beam voltage to protect the beam line. To do this, the magnet current control accurately tracks the beam voltage set point. In conclusion, these new capabilities allow continuous in-shot variation of neutral beam ion energy to complement« less

Self-Confidence in and Perceived Utility of the Physical Examination: A Comparison of Medical Students, Residents, and Faculty Internists

PubMed Central

Fagan, Mark J.; Reinert, Steven E.; Diaz, Joseph A.

2007-01-01

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Little is known about the differences in attitudes of medical students, Internal Medicine residents, and faculty Internists toward the physical examination. We sought to investigate these groups’ self-confidence in and perceived utility of physical examination skills. DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS Cross-sectional survey of third- and fourth-year medical students, Internal Medicine residents, and faculty Internists at an academic teaching hospital. MEASUREMENTS Using a 5-point Likert-type scale, respondents indicated their self-confidence in overall physical examination skill, as well as their ability to perform 14 individual skills, and how useful they felt the overall physical examination, and each skill, to be for yielding clinically important information. RESULTS The response rate was 80% (302/376). The skills with overall mean self-confidence ratings less than “neutral” were interpreting a diastolic murmur (2.9), detecting a thyroid nodule (2.8), and the nondilated fundoscopic examination using an ophthalmoscope to assess retinal vasculature (2.5). No skills had a mean utility rating less than neutral. The skills with the greatest numerical differences between mean self-confidence and perceived utility were distinguishing between a mole and melanoma (1.5), detecting a thyroid nodule (1.4), and interpreting a diastolic murmur (1.3). Regarding overall self-confidence, third-year students’ ratings (3.3) were similar to those of first-year residents (3.4; p = .95) but less than those of fourth-year students (3.8; p = .002), upper-level residents (3.7; p = .01), and faculty Internists (3.9; p < .001). CONCLUSIONS Self-confidence in the physical exam does not necessarily increase at each stage of training. The differences found between self-confidence and perceived utility for a number of skills suggest important areas for educational interventions. PMID:17922165

Procedural and interpretive skills of medical students: experiences and attitudes of fourth-year students.

PubMed

Wu, Edward H; Elnicki, D Michael; Alper, Eric J; Bost, James E; Corbett, Eugene C; Fagan, Mark J; Mechaber, Alex J; Ogden, Paul E; Sebastian, James L; Torre, Dario M

2008-10-01

Recent data do not exist regarding fourth-year medical students' performance of and attitudes toward procedural and interpretive skills, and how these differ from third-year students'. Cross-sectional survey conducted in February 2006 of 122 fourth-year students from seven U.S. medical schools, compared with their responses in summer 2005. Students estimated their cumulative performance of 22 skills and reported self-confidence and perceived importance using a five-point Likert-type scale. The response rate was 79% (96/122). A majority reported never having performed cardioversion, thoracentesis, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, blood culture, purified protein derivative placement, or paracentesis. One fifth of students had never performed peripheral intravenous catheter insertion, phlebotomy, or arterial blood sampling. Students reported increased cumulative performance of 17 skills, increased self-confidence in five skills, and decreased perceived importance in three skills (two-sided P < .05). A majority of fourth-year medical students still have never performed important procedures, and a substantial minority have not performed basic procedures.

The Iron Removal in Marmatite Concentrate Pressure Leaching Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wen-bo, LUO; Ji-kun, WANG; Yin, GAN

2018-01-01

To modify the pressure leaching technology of horizontal autoclave using marmatite concentrate, an appropriate increase in the pulp’s residence time in the horizontal autoclave is required. This increase will provide sufficient time for leaching to be completed in the first three chambers of the horizontal autoclave. Adding zinc oxide ore and potassium sulfate in the fourth chamber of the horizontal autoclave is needed to complete preliminary neutralization and iron precipitation in the horizontal autoclave. The pilot plant experimental results of the proposed technology are satisfactory, further shortening the process of pressure leaching and improving its economic efficiency.

Anomalous behavior of 1/f noise in graphene near the charge neutrality point

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

Takeshita, Shunpei; Tanaka, Takahiro; Arakawa, Tomonori

2016-03-07

We investigate the noise in single layer graphene devices from equilibrium to far-from equilibrium and found that the 1/f noise shows an anomalous dependence on the source-drain bias voltage (V{sub SD}). While the Hooge's relation is not the case around the charge neutrality point, we found that it is recovered at very low V{sub SD} region. We propose that the depinning of the electron-hole puddles is induced at finite V{sub SD}, which may explain this anomalous noise behavior.

40 CFR 417.30 - Applicability; description of the soap manufacturing by fatty acid neutralization subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Applicability; description of the soap... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS SOAP AND DETERGENT MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Soap Manufacturing by Fatty Acid Neutralization Subcategory § 417.30 Applicability...

40 CFR 417.30 - Applicability; description of the soap manufacturing by fatty acid neutralization subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2013-07-01 2012-07-01 true Applicability; description of the soap... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS SOAP AND DETERGENT MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Soap Manufacturing by Fatty Acid Neutralization Subcategory § 417.30 Applicability...

40 CFR 417.30 - Applicability; description of the soap manufacturing by fatty acid neutralization subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 29 2014-07-01 2012-07-01 true Applicability; description of the soap... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS SOAP AND DETERGENT MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Soap Manufacturing by Fatty Acid Neutralization Subcategory § 417.30 Applicability...

Gap solitons in PT-symmetric optical lattices with higher-order diffraction.

PubMed

Ge, Lijuan; Shen, Ming; Ma, Chunlan; Zang, Taocheng; Dai, Lu

2014-12-01

The existence and stability of gap solitons are investigated in the semi-infinite gap of a parity-time (PT)-symmetric periodic potential (optical lattice) with a higher-order diffraction. The Bloch bands and band gaps of this PT-symmetric optical lattice depend crucially on the coupling constant of the fourth-order diffraction, whereas the phase transition point of this PT optical lattice remains unchangeable. The fourth-order diffraction plays a significant role in destabilizing the propagation of dipole solitons. Specifically, when the fourth-order diffraction coupling constant increases, the stable region of the dipole solitons shrinks as new regions of instability appear. However, fundamental solitons are found to be always linearly stable with arbitrary positive value of the coupling constant. We also investigate nonlinear evolution of the PT solitons under perturbation.

Dielectric characterization of neutralized and nonneutralized chitosan upon drying.

PubMed

Viciosa, M T; Dionísio, M; Mano, J F

2006-02-15

Isothermal dielectric loss spectra of neutralized and nonneutralized chitosan were acquired in successive runs from -130 degrees C up to increasing final temperatures, in a frequency range between 20 Hz and 1 MHz. Essentially, three relaxation processes were detected in the temperature range covered: (i) a beta-wet process, detected when the sample has a higher water content that vanishes after heating to 150 degrees C; (ii) a beta process, which is located at temperatures below 0 degrees C, becoming better defined and maintaining its location after annealing at 150 degrees C independently of the protonation state of the amino side group; and (iii) a sigma process that deviates to higher temperatures with drying, being more mobile in the nonneutralized form. Moreover, in dried neutralized chitosan, a fourth process was detected in the low frequency side of the secondary beta process that diminishes after annealing. Whether this process is a distinct relaxation of the dried polymer or a deviated beta-wet process due to the loss of water residues achieved by annealing is not straightforward. Only beta and sigma processes persist after annealing at 150 degrees C. The changes in molecular mobility upon drying of these two relaxation processes were evaluated. Copyright (c) 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Test with Rhein brown coal in 1-liter oven and fourth report on neutralization of coal and precipitants (in German)

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

Reitz

1942-10-12

A 1.5 liter sump oven, without stirrer, was used for preparation of Rhein coal with different grinding oils. Partial neutralization of the coal, by mixing sulfuric acid or sulfates with wet coal before drying, was sought. Oven precipitation was reduced by addition of street tar (high middle oil content) and Bruex tar (up to 350/sup 0/C) as well as by a mixture of Estonian slate tar oil and anthracitic tar oil in ratio of 80:20, but there was chalk-coke residue similar to caviar found when the oven was disassembled. Fifty percent neutralization of the coal by sulfuric acid as opposedmore » to untreated coal gave some reduced vaporization and lower asphalt content. Iron sulfate catalyst also gave good results; magnesium sulfate, somewhat less. Though not unequivocally, H/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ and FeSO/sub 4/ both apparently reduced precipitants. A mixture of magnesium sulfate with iron sulfate gave less favorable results over all. Untreated coal with the previous catalysts produced the undesirable caviar-precipitants. The results of the tests were questionable since exactness in components, viscosity, and other problems hindered reproducing the tests consistently. 2 tables.« less

Long-term stability of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children--Fourth Edition.

PubMed

Watkins, Marley W; Smith, Lourdes G

2013-06-01

Long-term stability of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition (WISC-IV; Wechsler, 2003) was investigated with a sample of 344 students from 2 school districts twice evaluated for special education eligibility at an average interval of 2.84 years. Test-retest reliability coefficients for the Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI), Perceptual Reasoning Index (PRI), Working Memory Index (WMI), Processing Speed Index (PSI), and the Full Scale IQ (FSIQ) were .72, .76, .66, .65, and .82, respectively. As predicted, the test-retest reliability coefficients for the subtests (Mdn = .56) were generally lower than the index scores (Mdn = .69) and the FSIQ (.82). On average, subtest scores did not differ by more than 1 point, and index scores did not differ by more than 2 points across the test-retest interval. However, 25% of the students earned FSIQ scores that differed by 10 or more points, and 29%, 39%, 37%, and 44% of the students earned VCI, PRI, WMI, and PSI scores, respectively, that varied by 10 or more points. Given this variability, it cannot be assumed that WISC-IV scores will be consistent across long test-retest intervals for individual students. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

Electroacoustic isoelectric point determinations of bauxite refinery residues: different neutralization techniques and minor mineral effects.

PubMed

Freire, Tiago S S; Clark, Malcolm W; Comarmond, M Josick; Payne, Timothy E; Reichelt-Brushett, Amanda J; Thorogood, Gordon J

2012-08-14

Bauxite refinery residue (BRR) is a highly caustic, iron hydroxide-rich byproduct from alumina production. Some chemical treatments of BRR reduce soluble alkalinity and lower residue pH (to values <10) and generate a modified BRR (MBRR). MBRR has excellent acid neutralizing (ANC) and trace-metal adsorption capacities, making it particularly useful in environmental remediation. However, soluble ANC makes standard acid-base isoelectric point (IEP) determination difficult. Consequently, the IEP of a BRR and five MBRR derivatives (sulfuric acid-, carbon dioxide-, seawater-, a hybrid neutralization, i.e, partial CO(2) neutralization followed by seawater, and an activated-seawater-neutralized MBRR) were determined using electroacoustic techniques. Residues showed three significantly different groups of IEPs (p < 0.05) based around the neutralization used. Where the primary mineral assemblage is effectively unchanged, the IEPs were not significantly different from BRR (pH 6.6-6.9). However, neutralizations generating neoformational minerals (alkalinity precipitation) significantly increased the IEP to pH 8.1, whereas activation (a removal of some primary mineralogy) significantly lowered the IEP to pH 6.2. Moreover, surface charging curves show that surfaces remain in the ±30 mV surface charge instability range, which provides an explanation as to why MBRRs remove trace metals and oxyanions over a broad pH range, often simultaneously. Importantly, this work shows that minor mineral components in complex mineral systems may have a disproportionate effect on the observable bulk IEP. Furthermore, this work shows the appropriateness of electroacoustic techniques in investigating samples with significant soluble mineral components (e.g., ANC).

A Neutral Particle Analyser Proposed On Board Bepicolombo Planetary Orbiter: Serena (searching For Exospheric Refilling and Emitted Neutral Abundances)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orsini, S.; Npa-Serena Team

The Neutral Particle Analyser SERENA, proposed on board the BepiColombo Mer- cury Planetary Orbiter (MPO), has the purpose of investigating the Hermean exo- spheric and energetic neutral populations. Local and detailed analysis of the exo- spheric composition will be performed by a ram-pointing sensor (MAIA), while en- ergetic neutrals produced through sputtering and charge-exchange processes will be collected by two nadir-pointing sensors (L-ENA, MH-ENA). A central problem in the understanding of the evolution of solar system bodies is the role played by the so- lar wind, solar radiation and micro-meteorite bombardment in controlling mass losses. The direct in situ detection of the Hermean exosphere, the gas evolving from the planet as a product of the different physical processes acting onto the surface, is of crucial importance to understand the past and present evolution of the crust. Current knowl- edge of the origin and evolution of the solar system is based on detailed measurement of chemical, elemental, and isotopic composition of matter. The proposed instrument suite is unique in its capability to perform quantitative analysis and resolve exospheric gas composition under all these three aspects. The value of neutral particles mea- surements for getting a comprehensive picture of the solar wind-planets interaction has been appreciated since the late eighties. Comparison of the measurements in the Mercury environment with those achieved by neutral particle imagers already flying around Earth (IMAGE), Mars (Mars Express), Jupiter and Saturn (Cassini) will allow comparative investigations of evolution and dynamics of planetary magnetospheres.

Assessment of female ballet dancers' ankles in the en pointe position using high field strength magnetic resonance imaging.

PubMed

Russell, Jeffrey A; Yoshioka, Hiroshi

2016-08-01

The en pointe position of the ankle in ballet is extreme. Previously, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of ballet dancers' ankles en pointe was confined to a low field, open MR device. To develop a reproducible ankle MRI protocol for ballet dancers en pointe and to assess the positions of the key structures in the dancers ankles. Six female ballet dancers participated; each was randomly assigned to stand en pointe while one of her feet and ankles was splinted with wooden rods affixed with straps or to begin with the ankle in neutral position. She lay in an MR scanner with the ankle inside a knee coil for en pointe imaging and inside an ankle/foot coil for neutral position imaging. Proton density weighted images with and without fat suppression and 3D water excitation gradient recalled echo images were obtained en pointe and in neutral position in sagittal, axial, and coronal planes. We compared the bones, cartilage, and soft tissues within and between positions. No difficulties using the protocol were encountered. En pointe the posterior articular surface of the tibial plafond was incongruent with the talar dome and rested on the posterior talus. The posterior edge of the plafond impinged Kager's fat pad. All participants exhibited one or more small ganglion cysts about the ankle and proximal foot, as well as fluid accumulation in the flexor and fibularis tendon sheaths. Our MRI protocol allows assessment of female ballet dancers' ankles in the extreme plantar flexion position in which the dancers perform. We consistently noted incongruence of the talocrural joint and convergence of the tibia, talus, and calcaneus posteriorly. This protocol may be useful for clinicians who evaluate dancers. © The Foundation Acta Radiologica 2015.

Diversifying bio-petro fuel sources for future energy sustainability and its challenges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Othman, M. R.; Helwani, Z.; Idris, I.

2018-04-01

Petroleum has been important in the energy industry since 19th century when the refining of paraffin from crude oil began. The industry recently appears to be in a downtown and fragile moment despite the price of oil is slowly rising. Renewable alternatives such as biofuels have gained increasing traction while petroleum fuel seemingly concedes to bio-fuels due to the rising public concern on the environment and stricter emission regulations. To be a strategic fuel in the energy security matrix, both fossil and bio-fuels options should be considered. However, the use of bio-fuels to achieve a degree of carbon neutrality is not without challenges. Among the challenges are land development and socio-political issue, carbon neutrality due to ILUC, high 2G bio-fuel feedstock and production cost, competing technology from electric vehicles and the impending fourth industrial revolution, NOx emissions and variation in biodiesel quality. This paper briefly reviews the potential of fuels source diversification and the challenges and how they can raise up to the challenges in order to be sustainable and attractive. In order to achieve this objective, first carbon credit through carbon trading needs to continue to stabilize the energy price. Second, 1G bio-fuel needs to forgo the use of natural, peat forest, rubber estate since these are an effective carbon sink and oxygen source. Third, advanced bio-fuels with high yield, process economics and sustainability need to be innovated. Fourth, the quality and standard bio-fuel that reduces NOx emission need to be improved. Finally and most importantly, carbon capture technology needs to be deployed immediately in fossil fuel power plants.

Numerical exploration of non-axisymmetric divertor closure in the small angle slot (SAS) divertor at DIII-D

DOE PAGES

Frerichs, H.; Schmitz, O.; Covele, B.; ...

2018-02-28

Numerical simulations of toroidal asymmetries in a tightly baffled small angle slot (SAS) divertor on the DIII-D tokamak show that toroidal asymmetries in divertor closure result in (non-axisymmetric) local onset of detachment within a density window of 10-15% on top of the nominal threshold separatrix density. The SAS divertor is explored at DIII-D for improving access to cold, dissipative/detached divertor conditions. The narrow width of the slot divertor coupled with a small magnetic field line-to-target angle facilitates the buildup of neutral density, thereby increasing radiative and neutrals-related (atoms and molecules) losses in the divertor. Therefore, small changes in the strikemore » point location can be expected to have a large impact on diverter conditions. The combination of misaligned slot structure and non-axisymmetric perturbations to the magnetic field configuration causes the strike point to move along the divertor target plate, possibly leaving the diverter slot at some locations. The latter extreme case essentially introduces an opening in the divertor slot from where recycling neutrals can easily escape, and thereby degrade the performance of the slot divertor. Such a strike point dislocation is approximated by a finite gap in the divertor baffle for which three dimensional edge plasma and neutral gas simulations are performed with the EMC3-EIRENE code.« less

Numerical exploration of non-axisymmetric divertor closure in the small angle slot (SAS) divertor at DIII-D

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

Frerichs, H.; Schmitz, O.; Covele, B.

Numerical simulations of toroidal asymmetries in a tightly baffled small angle slot (SAS) divertor on the DIII-D tokamak show that toroidal asymmetries in divertor closure result in (non-axisymmetric) local onset of detachment within a density window of 10-15% on top of the nominal threshold separatrix density. The SAS divertor is explored at DIII-D for improving access to cold, dissipative/detached divertor conditions. The narrow width of the slot divertor coupled with a small magnetic field line-to-target angle facilitates the buildup of neutral density, thereby increasing radiative and neutrals-related (atoms and molecules) losses in the divertor. Therefore, small changes in the strikemore » point location can be expected to have a large impact on diverter conditions. The combination of misaligned slot structure and non-axisymmetric perturbations to the magnetic field configuration causes the strike point to move along the divertor target plate, possibly leaving the diverter slot at some locations. The latter extreme case essentially introduces an opening in the divertor slot from where recycling neutrals can easily escape, and thereby degrade the performance of the slot divertor. Such a strike point dislocation is approximated by a finite gap in the divertor baffle for which three dimensional edge plasma and neutral gas simulations are performed with the EMC3-EIRENE code.« less

Numerical exploration of non-axisymmetric divertor closure in the small angle slot (SAS) divertor at DIII-D

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frerichs, H.; Schmitz, O.; Covele, B.; Feng, Y.; Guo, H. Y.; Hill, D.

2018-05-01

Numerical simulations of toroidal asymmetries in a tightly baffled small angle slot (SAS) divertor on the DIII-D tokamak show that toroidal asymmetries in divertor closure result in (non-axisymmetric) local onset of detachment within a density window of 10-15% on top of the nominal threshold separatrix density. The SAS divertor is explored at DIII-D for improving access to cold, dissipative/detached divertor conditions. The narrow width of the slot divertor coupled with a small magnetic field line-to-target angle facilitates the buildup of neutral density, thereby increasing radiative and neutrals-related (atoms and molecules) losses in the divertor. Small changes in the strike point location can be expected to have a large impact on divertor conditions. The combination of misaligned slot structure and non-axisymmetric perturbations to the magnetic field configuration causes the strike point to move along the divertor target plate, possibly leaving the divertor slot at some locations. The latter extreme case essentially introduces an opening in the divertor slot from where recycling neutrals can easily escape, and thereby degrade the performance of the slot divertor. Such a strike point dislocation is approximated by a finite gap in the divertor baffle for which 3D edge plasma and neutral gas simulations are performed with the EMC3-EIRENE code.

40 CFR 417.30 - Applicability; description of the soap manufacturing by fatty acid neutralization subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 29 2011-07-01 2009-07-01 true Applicability; description of the soap manufacturing by fatty acid neutralization subcategory. 417.30 Section 417.30 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS SOAP AND DETERGENT MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Soap...

Modulation of biogenic amines content by poly(propylene imine) dendrimers in rats.

PubMed

Ciepluch, Karol; Ziemba, Barbara; Janaszewska, Anna; Appelhans, Dietmar; Klajnert, Barbara; Bryszewska, Maria; Fogel, Wiesława Agnieszka

2012-09-01

Biogenic amines and polyamines participate in all vital organism functions, their levels being important function determinants. Studies were performed to check whether repeated administration of poly(propylene imine) (PPI) dendrimers, synthetic macromolecules with diaminobutane core, and peripheral primary amine groups, may influence the endogenous level of amines, as represented by the two of them: spermidine, a natural derivative of diaminobutane, and histamine. The experiment was carried out on Wistar rats. Fourth generation PPI dendrimer, as well as maltotriose-modified fourth generation PPI dendrimers with (a) cationic open sugar shell and (b) neutral dense sugar shell that possess a higher biocompatibility, was used. Applying the combination of column chromatography on Cellex P and spectrofluorimetric assays of o-phthaldialdehyde, the final amine condensation products were employed to analyze tissue spermidine and histamine outside the central nervous system. Furthermore, radioenzymatic assay was used to measure histamine levels in the brain. The obtained results indicate that in some tissues, the endogenous concentrations of histamine and spermidine may be affected by dendrimers depending on their dose and type of dendrimers.

Improving medical students' understanding of prehospital care through a fourth year emergency medicine clerkship.

PubMed

Merlin, Mark A; Moon, Jeffery; Krimmel, Jessica; Liu, Junfeng; Marques-Baptista, Andreia

2010-02-01

The objective of this study was to survey medical students for a measurable opinion or knowledge increase in prehospital care after a fourth-year clerkship in emergency medicine (EM). The goal of the mandatory prehospital care aspect of the clerkship was twofold: to diminish the prehospital knowledge gap in medical school by teaching students about prehospital protocols and disaster medicine and to increase student interest. The study setting was within a university-based academic EM department with a prehospital system of 250 prehospital personnel. Data were collected from two similar questionnaires administered pre- and post-rotation to 49 fourth-year medical students. Statistical analyses were applied to collected data to quantify the changes of opinion and knowledge. Questions used a Likert five-point Scale. The data verified the improvement of students' knowledge in multiple areas of assessment. Greater than 35% opinion change (two points on the Likert Scale) was found in areas of prehospital care, 911 dispatch and education differences in prehospital providers (all p<0.0001; 95% CI 0.90 to 1.02, 0.66 to 0.90 and 0.66 to 0.90, respectively). Greater than 35% opinion change was also found in understanding triage (p=0.03; 95% CI 0.29 to 0.58) and general teaching of prehospital care, fellowship opportunities and use of a monitor/defibrillator (p<0.0001, p<0.0001 and p=0.04, respectively). We found medical students developed a significantly improved understanding of prehospital care. Without extraordinary effort, academic emergency departments could easily include a significant experience and education within fourth-year EM clerkships.

Time-varying sliding-coefficient-based decoupled terminal sliding-mode control for a class of fourth-order systems.

PubMed

Bayramoglu, Husnu; Komurcugil, Hasan

2014-07-01

A time-varying sliding-coefficient-based decoupled terminal sliding mode control strategy is presented for a class of fourth-order systems. First, the fourth-order system is decoupled into two second-order subsystems. The sliding surface of each subsystem was designed by utilizing time-varying coefficients. Then, the control target of one subsystem to another subsystem was embedded. Thereafter, a terminal sliding mode control method was utilized to make both subsystems converge to their equilibrium points in finite time. The simulation results on the inverted pendulum system demonstrate that the proposed method exhibits a considerable improvement in terms of a faster dynamic response and lower IAE and ITAE values as compared with the existing decoupled control methods. Copyright © 2014 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

High power continuous-wave titanium:sapphire laser

DOEpatents

Erbert, G.V.; Bass, I.L.; Hackel, R.P.; Jenkins, S.L.; Kanz, V.K.; Paisner, J.A.

1993-09-21

A high-power continuous-wave laser resonator is provided, wherein first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth mirrors form a double-Z optical cavity. A first Ti:sapphire rod is disposed between the second and third mirrors and at the mid-point of the length of the optical cavity, and a second Ti:sapphire rod is disposed between the fourth and fifth mirrors at a quarter-length point in the optical cavity. Each Ti:sapphire rod is pumped by two counter-propagating pump beams from a pair of argon-ion lasers. For narrow band operation, a 3-plate birefringent filter and an etalon are disposed in the optical cavity so that the spectral output of the laser consists of 5 adjacent cavity modes. For increased power, seventy and eighth mirrors are disposed between the first and second mirrors to form a triple-Z optical cavity. A third Ti:sapphire rod is disposed between the seventh and eighth mirrors at the other quarter-length point in the optical cavity, and is pumped by two counter-propagating pump beams from a third pair of argon-ion lasers. 5 figures.

Computer-Based Reading Technology in the Classroom: The Affective Influence of Performance Contingent Point Accumulation on 4th Grade Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Putman, S. Michael

2005-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship between the number of Accelerated Reader points accumulated by students and their level of self-efficacy and value of reading. The fourteen week study examined 68 fourth grade students who attended an elementary school in a suburban location near a large Midwestern city.…

Dimensional regularization of the IR divergences in the Fokker action of point-particle binaries at the fourth post-Newtonian order

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bernard, Laura; Blanchet, Luc; Bohé, Alejandro; Faye, Guillaume; Marsat, Sylvain

2017-11-01

The Fokker action of point-particle binaries at the fourth post-Newtonian (4PN) approximation of general relativity has been determined previously. However two ambiguity parameters associated with infrared (IR) divergencies of spatial integrals had to be introduced. These two parameters were fixed by comparison with gravitational self-force (GSF) calculations of the conserved energy and periastron advance for circular orbits in the test-mass limit. In the present paper together with a companion paper, we determine both these ambiguities from first principle, by means of dimensional regularization. Our computation is thus entirely defined within the dimensional regularization scheme, for treating at once the IR and ultra-violet (UV) divergencies. In particular, we obtain crucial contributions coming from the Einstein-Hilbert part of the action and from the nonlocal tail term in arbitrary dimensions, which resolve the ambiguities.

Statistics of Point Vortex Turbulence in Non-neutral Flows and in Flows with Translational and Rotational Symmetries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Esler, J. G.

2017-12-01

A theory (Esler and Ashbee in J Fluid Mech 779:275-308, 2015) describing the statistics of N freely-evolving point vortices in a bounded two-dimensional domain is extended. First, the case of a non-neutral vortex gas is addressed, and it is shown that the density of states function can be identified with the probability density function of an infinite sum of independent non-central chi-squared random variables, the details of which depend only on the shape of the domain. Equations for the equilibrium energy spectrum and other statistical quantities follow, the validity of which are verified against direct numerical simulations of the equations of motion. Second, domains with additional conserved quantities associated with a symmetry (e.g., circle, periodic channel) are investigated, and it is shown that the treatment of the non-neutral case can be modified to account for the additional constraint.

Supersymmetric relics from the big bang

DOE PAGES

Ellis, John; Hagelin, J. S.; Nanopoulos, D. V.; ...

1984-06-01

In this paper, we consider the cosmological constraints on supersymmetric theories with a new, stable particle. Circumstantial evidence points to a neutral gauge/Higgs fermion as the best candidate for this particle, and we derive bounds on the parameters in the lagrangian which govern its mass and couplings. One favored possibility is that the lightest neutral supersymmetric particle is predominantly a photino ~γ with mass above 12 GeV, while another is that the lightest neutral supersymmetric particle is a Higgs fermion with mass above 5 GeV or less than O(100) eV. We also point out that a gravitino mass of 10more » to 100 GeV implies that the temperature after completion of an inflationary phase cannot be above 10 14 GeV, and probably not above 3 × 10 12 GeV. Finally, this imposes constraints on mechanisms for generating the baryon number of the universe.« less

The a(4) Scheme-A High Order Neutrally Stable CESE Solver

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chang, Sin-Chung

2009-01-01

The CESE development is driven by a belief that a solver should (i) enforce conservation laws in both space and time, and (ii) be built from a nondissipative (i.e., neutrally stable) core scheme so that the numerical dissipation can be controlled effectively. To provide a solid foundation for a systematic CESE development of high order schemes, in this paper we describe a new high order (4-5th order) and neutrally stable CESE solver of a 1D advection equation with a constant advection speed a. The space-time stencil of this two-level explicit scheme is formed by one point at the upper time level and two points at the lower time level. Because it is associated with four independent mesh variables (the numerical analogues of the dependent variable and its first, second, and third-order spatial derivatives) and four equations per mesh point, the new scheme is referred to as the a(4) scheme. As in the case of other similar CESE neutrally stable solvers, the a(4) scheme enforces conservation laws in space-time locally and globally, and it has the basic, forward marching, and backward marching forms. Except for a singular case, these forms are equivalent and satisfy a space-time inversion (STI) invariant property which is shared by the advection equation. Based on the concept of STI invariance, a set of algebraic relations is developed and used to prove the a(4) scheme must be neutrally stable when it is stable. Numerically, it has been established that the scheme is stable if the value of the Courant number is less than 1/3

Characteristics of the fourth order resonance in high intensity linear accelerators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeon, D.; Hwang, Kyung Ryun

2017-06-01

For the 4σ = 360° space-charge resonance in high intensity linear accelerators, the emittance growth is surveyed for input Gaussian beams, as a function of the depressed phase advance per cell σ and the initial tune depression (σo - σ). For each data point, the linac lattice is designed such that the fourth order resonance dominates over the envelope instability. The data show that the maximum emittance growth takes place at σ ≈ 87° over a wide range of the tune depression (or beam current), which confirms that the relevant parameter for the emittance growth is σ and that for the bandwidth is σo - σ. An interesting four-fold phase space structure is observed that cannot be explained with the fourth order resonance terms alone. Analysis attributes this effect to a small negative sixth order detuning term as the beam is redistributed by the resonance. Analytical studies show that the tune increases monotonically for the Gaussian beam which prevents the resonance for σ > 90°. Frequency analysis indicates that the four-fold structure observed for input Kapchinskij-Vladmirskij beams when σ < 90°, is not the fourth order resonance but a fourth order envelope instability because the 1/4 = 90°/360° component is missing in the frequency spectrum.

Observing the Interstellar Neutral He Gas Flow with a Variable IBEX Pointing Strategy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leonard, T.; Moebius, E.; Bzowski, M.; Fuselier, S. A.; Heirtzler, D.; Kubiak, M. A.; Kucharek, H.; Lee, M. A.; McComas, D. J.; Schwadron, N.; Wurz, P.

2015-12-01

The Interstellar Neutral (ISN) gas flow can be observed at Earth's orbit due to the motion of the solar system relative to the surrounding interstellar gas. Since He is minimally influenced by ionization and charge exchange, the ISN He flow provides a sample of the pristine interstellar environment. The Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) has observed the ISN gas flow over the past 7 years from a highly elliptical orbit around the Earth. IBEX is a Sun-pointing spinning spacecraft with energetic neutral atom (ENA) detectors observing perpendicular to the spacecraft spin axis. Due to the Earth's orbital motion around the Sun, it is necessary for IBEX to perform spin axis pointing maneuvers every few days to maintain a sunward pointed spin axis. The IBEX operations team has successfully pointed the spin axis in a variety of latitude orientations during the mission, including in the ecliptic during the 2012 and 2013 seasons, about 5 degrees below the ecliptic during the 2014 season, and recently about 5 degrees above the ecliptic during the 2015 season, as well as optimizing observations with the spin axis pointed along the Earth-Sun line. These observations include a growing number of measurements near the perihelion of the interstellar atom trajectories, which allow for an improved determination of the ISN He bulk flow longitude at Earth orbit. Combining these bulk flow measurements with an analytical model (Lee et al. 2012 ApJS, 198, 10) based upon orbital mechanics improves the knowledge of the narrow ISN parameter tube, obtained with IBEX, which couples the interstellar inflow longitude, latitude, speed, and temperature.

Thermometric titration of some monoprotic and diprotic acids in aqueous and non-aqueous media.

PubMed

Harries, R J

1968-12-01

Some mono- and diprotic acids have been titrated thermometrically with strong alkalis in aqueous and non-aqueous media. Thermograms with sharp arrest points were obtained, from which heats of neutralization were measured. Heats of neutralization in the media used were compared and an effect attributable to hydrogen bonding was found.

Generation and Characterization of Human Monoclonal Antibodies Targeting Anthrax Protective Antigen following Vaccination with a Recombinant Protective Antigen Vaccine.

PubMed

Chi, Xiangyang; Li, Jianmin; Liu, Weicen; Wang, Xiaolin; Yin, Kexin; Liu, Ju; Zai, Xiaodong; Li, Liangliang; Song, Xiaohong; Zhang, Jun; Zhang, Xiaopeng; Yin, Ying; Fu, Ling; Xu, Junjie; Yu, Changming; Chen, Wei

2015-05-01

The anthrax protective antigen (PA) is the central component of the three-part anthrax toxin, and it is the primary immunogenic component in the approved AVA anthrax vaccine and the "next-generation" recombinant PA (rPA) anthrax vaccines. Animal models have indicated that PA-specific antibodies (AB) are sufficient to protect against infection with Bacillus anthracis. In this study, we investigated the PA domain specificity, affinity, mechanisms of neutralization, and synergistic effects of PA-specific antibodies from a single donor following vaccination with the rPA vaccine. Antibody-secreting cells were isolated 7 days after the donor received a boost vaccination, and 34 fully human monoclonal antibodies (hMAb) were identified. Clones 8H6, 4A3, and 22F1 were able to neutralize lethal toxin (LeTx) both in vitro and in vivo. Clone 8H6 neutralized LeTx by preventing furin cleavage of PA in a dose-dependent manner. Clone 4A3 enhanced degradation of nicked PA, thereby interfering with PA oligomerization. The mechanism of 22F1 is still unclear. A fourth clone, 2A6, that was protective only in vitro was found to be neutralizing in vivo in combination with a toxin-enhancing antibody, 8A7, which binds to domain 3 of PA and PA oligomers. These results provide novel insights into the antibody response elicited by the rPA vaccine and may be useful for PA-based vaccine and immunotherapeutic cocktail design. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Burnout Syndrome During Residency.

PubMed

Turgut, Namigar; Karacalar, Serap; Polat, Cengiz; Kıran, Özlem; Gültop, Fethi; Kalyon, Seray Türkmen; Sinoğlu, Betül; Zincirci, Mehmet; Kaya, Ender

2016-10-01

The aim of this study is identified the degree of Burnout Syndrome (BOS) and find out its correlation with years of recidency and sociodemograpfic chareacteristics, training, sleeping habits, such as smoking and alcohol consumption. After approval from the Hospital Ethics Committee and obtaining informed consent, First, second, third, fourth and fifth year of recidency staff (n=127) working in our hospital were involved in this study. The standardized Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) was used in this study. Fifty six male (44.1%) and seventy one female (55.9%) residents were enroled in this study (Coranbach Alfa(α)=0.873). 57% of the first year residents smokes cigaret and 54% of them use alcohol. 2% of them gets one day off after hospital night shift, 61% of them suffers from disturbed sleep. 60% of them had been stated that they willingly selected their profession. 61% of them prefers talking to friends and 32% of them prefers shopping to overcome stress. There were statistical difference acording to years of recidency in MBI, Emotional Burnout (EB) and desensitisation scale (DS) points. EB scale points of the second year of residency group was statisticaly higher than fourth year of residency group. DS points of second year of residency group was also statisticaly higher than the third and fourth year of residency group. There was no statistical difference between any groups in Personal Success. BOS is a frequent problem during residency in anaesthesia. Appropriate definition and awareness are the first important steps to prevent this syndrome. Further administrative approaches should be evaluated with regard to their effects.

Effect of molecular anisotropy on the intensity and degree of polarization of light scattered from model atmospheres

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bahethi, O. P.; Fraser, R. S.

1975-01-01

Computations of the intensity, flux, degree of polarization, and the positions of neutral points are presented for models of the terrestrial gaseous and hazy atmospheres by incorporating the molecular anisotropy due to air in the Rayleigh scattering optical thickness and phase matrix. Molecular anisotropy causes significant changes in the intensity, flux and the degree of polarization of the scattered light. The positions of neutral points do not change significantly. When the Rayleigh scattering optical thickness is kept constant and the molecular anisotropy factor is included only in the Rayleigh phase matrix, the flux does not change and the intensity and positions of neutron points change by a small amount. The changes in the degree of polarization are still significant.

Fixed point theorems and dissipative processes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hale, J. K.; Lopes, O.

1972-01-01

The deficiencies of the theories that characterize the maximal compact invariant set of T as asymptotically stable, and that some iterate of T has a fixed point are discussed. It is shown that this fixed point condition is always satisfied for condensing and local dissipative T. Applications are given to a class of neutral functional differential equations.

Effect of Thermospheric Neutral Density upon Inner Trapped-belt Proton Flux

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, Thomas L.; Lodhi, M. A. K.; Diaz, Abel B.

2007-01-01

We wish to point out that a secular change in the Earth's atmospheric neutral density alters charged-particle lifetime in the inner trapped radiation belts, in addition to the changes recently reported as produced by greenhouse gases. Heretofore, changes in neutral density have been of interest primarily because of their effect on the orbital drag of satellites. We extend this to include the orbital lifetime of charged particles in the lower radiation belts. It is known that the charged-belt population is coupled to the neutral density of the atmosphere through changes induced by solar activity, an effect produced by multiple scattering off neutral and ionized atoms along with ionization loss in the thermosphere where charged and neutral populations interact. It will be shown here that trapped-belt flux J is bivariant in energy E and thermospheric neutral density , as J(E,rho). One can conclude that proton lifetimes in these belts are also directly affected by secular changes in the neutral species populating the Earth s thermosphere. This result is a consequence of an intrinsic property of charged-particle flux, that flux is not merely a function of E but is dependent upon density rho when a background of neutrals is present.

A Collection of Technical Studies Completed for the Computer-Aided Acquisition and Logistic Support (CALS) Program Fiscal Year 1988. Volume 3. CGM Registration

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-03-01

the array are used cyclically, that is when the end of the array is reached, the pattern starts over at the beginning. Dashed lines wrap around curves...the dash pattern relative to the start of the path. It is interpreted as a .distance into the dash pattern at which the pattern should be started ...cubic seldom Is drawn using the four points specified. The curve starts at the first point and ends at the fourth point; the second and third point are

30 CFR 35.6 - Application procedures and requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

...) Pour point, °F.; freezing point, °F.; color; neutralization number or pH; viscosity at 100 °F., 150 °F., 175 °F. (Saybolt or Furol); viscosity index; specific gravity. (3) A statement of the water or other...

30 CFR 35.6 - Application procedures and requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...) Pour point, °F.; freezing point, °F.; color; neutralization number or pH; viscosity at 100 °F., 150 °F., 175 °F. (Saybolt or Furol); viscosity index; specific gravity. (3) A statement of the water or other...

30 CFR 35.6 - Application procedures and requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

...) Pour point, °F.; freezing point, °F.; color; neutralization number or pH; viscosity at 100 °F., 150 °F., 175 °F. (Saybolt or Furol); viscosity index; specific gravity. (3) A statement of the water or other...

For All Kids: How Kentucky Is Closing the High School Graduation Gap for Low-Income Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fox, Joanna Hornig; Ingram, Erin S.; Depaoli, Jennifer L.

2016-01-01

In the 2012-13 school year, Kentucky led the nation with an 85.4 percent high school graduation rate for low-income students and a one-percentage-point graduation gap between low-income and non-low-income students. In 2013-14 the state ranked fourth in the nation with a seven-percentage-point incomebased graduation rate gap. Even though Kentucky's…

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

Khomkin, A. L., E-mail: alhomkin@mail.ru; Shumikhin, A. S.

The conductivity of metal vapors at the critical point and near it has been considered. The liquid-metal conductivity originates in this region. The thermodynamic parameters of the critical point, the density of conduction electrons, and the conductivities of various metal vapors have been calculated within the unified approach. It has been proposed to consider the conductivity at the critical point—critical conductivity—as the fourth critical parameter in addition to the density, temperature, and pressure.

Developing the Fourth Evaluation Dimension: A Protocol for Evaluation of Video From the Patient's Perspective During Major Incident Exercises.

PubMed

Haverkort, J J Mark; Leenen, Luke P H

2017-10-01

Presently used evaluation techniques rely on 3 traditional dimensions: reports from observers, registration system data, and observational cameras. Some of these techniques are observer-dependent and are not reproducible for a second review. This proof-of-concept study aimed to test the feasibility of extending evaluation to a fourth dimension, the patient's perspective. Footage was obtained during a large, full-scale hospital trauma drill. Two mock victims were equipped with point-of-view cameras filming from the patient's head. Based on the Major Incident Hospital's first experience during the drill, a protocol was developed for a prospective, standardized method to evaluate a hospital's major incident response from the patient's perspective. The protocol was then tested in a second drill for its feasibility. New insights were gained after review of the footage. The traditional observer missed some of the evaluation points, which were seen on the point-of-view cameras. The information gained from the patient's perspective proved to be implementable into the designed protocol. Use of point-of-view camera recordings from a mock patient's perspective is a valuable addition to traditional evaluation of trauma drills and trauma care. Protocols should be designed to optimize and objectify judgement of such footage. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:594-599).

Analysis of spatial patterns informs community assembly and sampling requirements for Collembola in forest soils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dirilgen, Tara; Juceviča, Edite; Melecis, Viesturs; Querner, Pascal; Bolger, Thomas

2018-01-01

The relative importance of niche separation, non-equilibrial and neutral models of community assembly has been a theme in community ecology for many decades with none appearing to be applicable under all circumstances. In this study, Collembola species abundances were recorded over eleven consecutive years in a spatially explicit grid and used to examine (i) whether observed beta diversity differed from that expected under conditions of neutrality, (ii) whether sampling points differed in their relative contributions to overall beta diversity, and (iii) the number of samples required to provide comparable estimates of species richness across three forest sites. Neutrality could not be rejected for 26 of the forest by year combinations. However, there is a trend toward greater structure in the oldest forest, where beta diversity was greater than predicted by neutrality on five of the eleven sampling dates. The lack of difference in individual- and sample-based rarefaction curves also suggests randomness in the system at this particular scale of investigation. It seems that Collembola communities are not spatially aggregated and assembly is driven primarily by neutral processes particularly in the younger two sites. Whether this finding is due to small sample size or unaccounted for environmental variables cannot be determined. Variability between dates and sites illustrates the potential of drawing incorrect conclusions if data are collected at a single site and a single point in time.

Causality in time-neutral cosmologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kent, Adrian

1999-02-01

Gell-Mann and Hartle (GMH) have recently considered time-neutral cosmological models in which the initial and final conditions are independently specified, and several authors have investigated experimental tests of such models. We point out here that GMH time-neutral models can allow superluminal signaling, in the sense that it can be possible for observers in those cosmologies, by detecting and exploiting regularities in the final state, to construct devices which send and receive signals between space-like separated points. In suitable cosmologies, any single superluminal message can be transmitted with probability arbitrarily close to one by the use of redundant signals. However, the outcome probabilities of quantum measurements generally depend on precisely which past and future measurements take place. As the transmission of any signal relies on quantum measurements, its transmission probability is similarly context dependent. As a result, the standard superluminal signaling paradoxes do not apply. Despite their unusual features, the models are internally consistent. These results illustrate an interesting conceptual point. The standard view of Minkowski causality is not an absolutely indispensable part of the mathematical formalism of relativistic quantum theory. It is contingent on the empirical observation that naturally occurring ensembles can be naturally pre-selected but not post-selected.

Reading Emotions from Body Movement: A Generalized Impairment in Schizophrenia.

PubMed

Vaskinn, Anja; Sundet, Kjetil; Østefjells, Tiril; Nymo, Katharina; Melle, Ingrid; Ueland, Torill

2015-01-01

Body language reading is a social cognitive process with importance for successful maneuvering of social situations. In this study, we investigated body language reading as assessed with human point-light displays in participants with a diagnosis of schizophrenia (n = 84) compared to healthy control participants (n = 84), aiming to answer three questions: (1) whether persons with a diagnosis of schizophrenia have poorer body language reading abilities than healthy persons; (2) whether some emotions are easier to read from body language than others, and if this is the same for individuals with schizophrenia and healthy individuals, and (3) whether there are sex differences in body language reading in participants with schizophrenia and healthy participants. A fourth research aim concerned associations of body language reading with symptoms and functioning in participants with schizophrenia. Scores on the body language reading measure was first standardized using a separate sample of healthy control participants (n = 101). Further results showed that persons with schizophrenia had impaired body language reading ability compared to healthy persons. A significant effect of emotion indicated that some emotions (happiness, neutral) were easier to recognize and this was so for both individuals with schizophrenia and healthy individuals. There were no sex differences for either diagnostic group. Body language reading ability was not associated with symptoms or functioning. In conclusion; schizophrenia was characterized by a global impairment in body language reading that was present for all emotions and across sex.

Scaling Relations of Starburst-driven Galactic Winds

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

Tanner, Ryan; Cecil, Gerald; Heitsch, Fabian, E-mail: rytanner@augusta.edu

2017-07-10

Using synthetic absorption lines generated from 3D hydrodynamical simulations, we explore how the velocity of a starburst-driven galactic wind correlates with the star formation rate (SFR) and SFR density. We find strong correlations for neutral and low ionized gas, but no correlation for highly ionized gas. The correlations for neutral and low ionized gas only hold for SFRs below a critical limit set by the mass loading of the starburst, above which point the scaling relations flatten abruptly. Below this point the scaling relations depend on the temperature regime being probed by the absorption line, not on the mass loading.more » The exact scaling relation depends on whether the maximum or mean velocity of the absorption line is used. We find that the outflow velocity of neutral gas can be up to five times lower than the average velocity of ionized gas, with the velocity difference increasing for higher ionization states. Furthermore, the velocity difference depends on both the SFR and mass loading of the starburst. Thus, absorption lines of neutral or low ionized gas cannot easily be used as a proxy for the outflow velocity of the hot gas.« less

Adaptation and perceptual norms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Webster, Michael A.; Yasuda, Maiko; Haber, Sara; Leonard, Deanne; Ballardini, Nicole

2007-02-01

We used adaptation to examine the relationship between perceptual norms--the stimuli observers describe as psychologically neutral, and response norms--the stimulus levels that leave visual sensitivity in a neutral or balanced state. Adapting to stimuli on opposite sides of a neutral point (e.g. redder or greener than white) biases appearance in opposite ways. Thus the adapting stimulus can be titrated to find the unique adapting level that does not bias appearance. We compared these response norms to subjectively defined neutral points both within the same observer (at different retinal eccentricities) and between observers. These comparisons were made for visual judgments of color, image focus, and human faces, stimuli that are very different and may depend on very different levels of processing, yet which share the property that for each there is a well defined and perceptually salient norm. In each case the adaptation aftereffects were consistent with an underlying sensitivity basis for the perceptual norm. Specifically, response norms were similar to and thus covaried with the perceptual norm, and under common adaptation differences between subjectively defined norms were reduced. These results are consistent with models of norm-based codes and suggest that these codes underlie an important link between visual coding and visual experience.

A population-based study of stimulant drug treatment of ADHD and academic progress in children.

PubMed

Zoëga, Helga; Rothman, Kenneth J; Huybrechts, Krista F; Ólafsson, Örn; Baldursson, Gísli; Almarsdóttir, Anna B; Jónsdóttir, Sólveig; Halldórsson, Matthías; Hernández-Diaz, Sonia; Valdimarsdóttir, Unnur A

2012-07-01

We evaluated the hypothesis that later start of stimulant treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder adversely affects academic progress in mathematics and language arts among 9- to 12-year-old children. We linked nationwide data from the Icelandic Medicines Registry and the Database of National Scholastic Examinations. The study population comprised 11,872 children born in 1994-1996 who took standardized tests in both fourth and seventh grade. We estimated the probability of academic decline (drop of ≥ 5.0 percentile points) according to drug exposure and timing of treatment start between examinations. To limit confounding by indication, we concentrated on children who started treatment either early or later, but at some point between fourth-grade and seventh-grade standardized tests. In contrast with nonmedicated children, children starting stimulant treatment between their fourth- and seventh-grade tests were more likely to decline in test performance. The crude probability of academic decline was 72.9% in mathematics and 42.9% in language arts for children with a treatment start 25 to 36 months after the fourth-grade test. Compared with those starting treatment earlier (≤ 12 months after tests), the multivariable adjusted risk ratio (RR) for decline was 1.7 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.2-2.4) in mathematics and 1.1 (95% CI: 0.7-1.8) in language arts. The adjusted RR of mathematics decline with later treatment was higher among girls (RR, 2.7; 95% CI: 1.2-6.0) than boys (RR, 1.4; 95% CI: 0.9-2.0). Later start of stimulant drug treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is associated with academic decline in mathematics.

Triacylglycerol estolides, a new class of mammalian lipids, in the paracloacal gland of the brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula).

PubMed

McLean, Stuart; Davies, Noel W; Nichols, David S; Mcleod, Bernie J

2015-06-01

The paracloacal glands are the most prevalent scent glands in marsupials, and previous investigation of their secretions in the brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) has identified many odorous compounds together with large amounts of neutral lipids. We have examined the lipids by LC-MS, generating ammonium adducts of acylglycerols by electrospray ionisation. Chromatograms showed a complex mixture of coeluting acylglycerols, with m/z from about 404 to 1048. Plots of single [M + NH4](+) ions showed three groups of lipids clearly separated by retention time. MS-MS enabled triacylglycerols and diacylglycerol ethers to be identified from neutral losses and formation of diacylglycerols and other product ions. The earliest-eluting lipids were found to be triacylglycerol estolides, in which a fourth fatty acid forms an ester link with a hydroxy fatty acid attached to the glycerol chain. This is the first report of triacylglycerol estolides in animals. They form a complex mixture with the triacylglycerols and diacylglycerol ethers of lipids with short- and long-chain fatty acids with varying degrees of unsaturation. This complexity suggests a functional role, possibly in social communication.

Molecular mechanism of voltage sensing in voltage-gated proton channels

PubMed Central

Rebolledo, Santiago; Perez, Marta E.

2013-01-01

Voltage-gated proton (Hv) channels play an essential role in phagocytic cells by generating a hyperpolarizing proton current that electrically compensates for the depolarizing current generated by the NADPH oxidase during the respiratory burst, thereby ensuring a sustained production of reactive oxygen species by the NADPH oxidase in phagocytes to neutralize engulfed bacteria. Despite the importance of the voltage-dependent Hv current, it is at present unclear which residues in Hv channels are responsible for the voltage activation. Here we show that individual neutralizations of three charged residues in the fourth transmembrane domain, S4, all reduce the voltage dependence of activation. In addition, we show that the middle S4 charged residue moves from a position accessible from the cytosolic solution to a position accessible from the extracellular solution, suggesting that this residue moves across most of the membrane electric field during voltage activation of Hv channels. Our results show for the first time that the charge movement of these three S4 charges accounts for almost all of the measured gating charge in Hv channels. PMID:23401575

Estimation of option-implied risk-neutral into real-world density by using calibration function

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bahaludin, Hafizah; Abdullah, Mimi Hafizah

2017-04-01

Option prices contain crucial information that can be used as a reflection of future development of an underlying assets' price. The main objective of this study is to extract the risk-neutral density (RND) and the risk-world density (RWD) of option prices. A volatility function technique is applied by using a fourth order polynomial interpolation to obtain the RNDs. Then, a calibration function is used to convert the RNDs into RWDs. There are two types of calibration function which are parametric and non-parametric calibrations. The density is extracted from the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) index options with a one month constant maturity from January 2009 until December 2015. The performance of RNDs and RWDs extracted are evaluated by using a density forecasting test. This study found out that the RWDs obtain can provide an accurate information regarding the price of the underlying asset in future compared to that of the RNDs. In addition, empirical evidence suggests that RWDs from a non-parametric calibration has a better accuracy than other densities.

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

Kapp, O.H.; Mainwaring, M.G.; Vinogradov, S.N.

A fraction of the extracellular hemoglobin of Lumbricus terrestris, obtained by gel filtration at neutral pH subsequent to dissociation either at pH 9.8 or at pH 4.0 or at pH 7.0 in 10 mM sodium phosphotungstate, consisting of the three subunits D1 (31 kDa), D2 (37 kDa) and T (50 kDa), produced two peaks when subjected to FPLC on a Superose 6 column at neutral pH. Peak I, eluting at a slightly greater volume than the native hemoglobin, consisted of reassociated hexagonal bilayer structures when examined by scanning transmission electron microscopy. The dimensions of the three reassociated hexagonal bilayer structuresmore » were 25 nm x 16 nm. Although the latter are smaller than the dimensions of the native hemoglobin, 30 nm x 20 nm, the diameter of the central cavity remained unchanged. Subtraction of the digitized and averaged images of the reassociated forms from those of the native hemoglobin suggested that the spatial localization of the fourth subunit, subunit M (16.7 kDa), was limited primarily to the periphery of the molecule.« less

Adaptive evolutionary walks require neutral intermediates in RNA fitness landscapes.

PubMed

Rendel, Mark D

2011-01-01

In RNA fitness landscapes with interconnected networks of neutral mutations, neutral precursor mutations can play an important role in facilitating the accessibility of epistatic adaptive mutant combinations. I use an exhaustively surveyed fitness landscape model based on short sequence RNA genotypes (and their secondary structure phenotypes) to calculate the minimum rate at which mutants initially appearing as neutral are incorporated into an adaptive evolutionary walk. I show first, that incorporating neutral mutations significantly increases the number of point mutations in a given evolutionary walk when compared to estimates from previous adaptive walk models. Second, that incorporating neutral mutants into such a walk significantly increases the final fitness encountered on that walk - indeed evolutionary walks including neutral steps often reach the global optimum in this model. Third, and perhaps most importantly, evolutionary paths of this kind are often extremely winding in their nature and have the potential to undergo multiple mutations at a given sequence position within a single walk; the potential of these winding paths to mislead phylogenetic reconstruction is briefly considered. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Possibility of deriving the Hermean surface composition through low energy neutral atom detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milillo, A.; Orsini, S.; Massetti, S.; Mura, A.; de Angelis, E.; Lammer, H.; Wurz, P.; di Lellis, A. M.

2003-04-01

The release processes induced by ion sputtering and/or micrometeoroids impacts induces erosion of the Mercury surface. The sputtered neutrals exhibit spectra peaked at low energies (few eV). Nevertheless, a high-energy neutral signal also emerges, due to these release processes. In principle, the directional neutral signal can be detected, providing information on the local surface composition. In this study, we simulate the neutral signal due to ion sputtering below the cusp regions, assuming a highly anisotropic surface composition. The NPA SERENA / ELENA instrument proposed on board the ESA mission BepiColombo is a nadir-pointing 1-D sensor, able to detect neutral atoms, form tens of eV to about 5 keV with a capability of resolving the major species. The ELENA field-of-view (FOV) is ~ 60 degrees, with the FOV plane perpendicular to the MPO orbital plane. Here, we speculate on the possibility of discriminating composition anisotropies by detecting the high-energy portion of the sputtered signal.

Modeling Evolution on Nearly Neutral Network Fitness Landscapes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yakushkina, Tatiana; Saakian, David B.

2017-08-01

To describe virus evolution, it is necessary to define a fitness landscape. In this article, we consider the microscopic models with the advanced version of neutral network fitness landscapes. In this problem setting, we suppose a fitness difference between one-point mutation neighbors to be small. We construct a modification of the Wright-Fisher model, which is related to ordinary infinite population models with nearly neutral network fitness landscape at the large population limit. From the microscopic models in the realistic sequence space, we derive two versions of nearly neutral network models: with sinks and without sinks. We claim that the suggested model describes the evolutionary dynamics of RNA viruses better than the traditional Wright-Fisher model with few sequences.

Characteristics of the fourth order resonance in high intensity linear accelerators

DOE PAGES

Jeon, D.; Hwang, Kyung Ryun

2017-06-19

For the 4σ = 360° space-charge resonance in high intensity linear accelerators, the emittance growth is surveyed for input Gaussian beams, as a function of the depressed phase advance per cell σ and the initial tune depression (σ o – σ). For each data point, the linac lattice is designed such that the fourth order resonance dominates over the envelope instability. Additionally, the data show that the maximum emittance growth takes place at σ ≈ 87° over a wide range of the tune depression (or beam current), which confirms that the relevant parameter for the emittance growth is σ andmore » that for the bandwidth is σ o – σ. An interesting four-fold phase space structure is observed that cannot be explained with the fourth order resonance terms alone. Analysis attributes this effect to a small negative sixth order detuning term as the beam is redistributed by the resonance. Analytical studies show that the tune increases monotonically for the Gaussian beam which prevents the resonance for σ > 90°. Lastly, frequency analysis indicates that the four-fold structure observed for input Kapchinskij-Vladmirskij beams when σ < 90°, is not the fourth order resonance but a fourth order envelope instability because the 1/4 = 90°/360° component is missing in the frequency spectrum.« less

Characteristics of the fourth order resonance in high intensity linear accelerators

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

Jeon, D.; Hwang, Kyung Ryun

For the 4σ = 360° space-charge resonance in high intensity linear accelerators, the emittance growth is surveyed for input Gaussian beams, as a function of the depressed phase advance per cell σ and the initial tune depression (σ o – σ). For each data point, the linac lattice is designed such that the fourth order resonance dominates over the envelope instability. Additionally, the data show that the maximum emittance growth takes place at σ ≈ 87° over a wide range of the tune depression (or beam current), which confirms that the relevant parameter for the emittance growth is σ andmore » that for the bandwidth is σ o – σ. An interesting four-fold phase space structure is observed that cannot be explained with the fourth order resonance terms alone. Analysis attributes this effect to a small negative sixth order detuning term as the beam is redistributed by the resonance. Analytical studies show that the tune increases monotonically for the Gaussian beam which prevents the resonance for σ > 90°. Lastly, frequency analysis indicates that the four-fold structure observed for input Kapchinskij-Vladmirskij beams when σ < 90°, is not the fourth order resonance but a fourth order envelope instability because the 1/4 = 90°/360° component is missing in the frequency spectrum.« less

Archeological Data Recovery at Algiers Point. Volume 1.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-10-15

the Mississippi River directly across from the Vieux Carre, the Historic French Quarter of New Orleans. Algiers initially was settled in 1718 by early... French colonists, and today it is home to the large scale ship repair and dry dock facilities that support the Port of New Orleans. The Algiers Point...fourth period, from 1977 to the present, simply represents current occupation and land use. The initial, or Colonial period, began with French

Cation-Cation pi-pi Stacking in Small Ionic Clusters of 1,2,4-Triazolium (Preprint)

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-07-12

Figure 1 is 1.5 kcal/mol lower than that of the neutral one. Including zero point energies ( ZPE ) obtained with MP2/aug-cc-pVDZ harmonic vibrational...the ionic tetramer is lower than that of the neutral tetramer by 6.0, 7.6 and 8.0 kcal/mol, respectively. Including ZPE , these three values become

Saturn Ring

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-12-12

Like Earth, Saturn has an invisible ring of energetic ions trapped in its magnetic field. This feature is known as a "ring current." This ring current has been imaged with a special camera on Cassini sensitive to energetic neutral atoms. This is a false color map of the intensity of the energetic neutral atoms emitted from the ring current through a processed called charged exchange. In this process a trapped energetic ion steals and electron from cold gas atoms and becomes neutral and escapes the magnetic field. The Cassini Magnetospheric Imaging Instrument's ion and neutral camera records the intensity of the escaping particles, which provides a map of the ring current. In this image, the colors represent the intensity of the neutral emission, which is a reflection of the trapped ions. This "ring" is much farther from Saturn (roughly five times farther) than Saturn's famous icy rings. Red in the image represents the higher intensity of the particles, while blue is less intense. Saturn's ring current had not been mapped before on a global scale, only "snippets" or areas were mapped previously but not in this detail. This instrument allows scientists to produce movies (see PIA10083) that show how this ring changes over time. These movies reveal a dynamic system, which is usually not as uniform as depicted in this image. The ring current is doughnut shaped but in some instances it appears as if someone took a bite out of it. This image was obtained on March 19, 2007, at a latitude of about 54.5 degrees and radial distance 1.5 million kilometres (920,000 miles). Saturn is at the center, and the dotted circles represent the orbits of the moon's Rhea and Titan. The Z axis points parallel to Saturn's spin axis, the X axis points roughly sunward in the sun-spin axis plane, and the Y axis completes the system, pointing roughly toward dusk. The ion and neutral camera's field of view is marked by the white line and accounts for the cut-off of the image on the left. The image is an average of the activity over a (roughly) 3-hour period. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA10094

[Evidence-based practice competence in undergraduate Nursing Degree students].

PubMed

Ruzafa-Martínez, María; Molina-Salas, Yolanda; Ramos-Morcillo, Antonio Jesús

2016-01-01

Evidence-based practice (EBP) learning has become a key issue for nurses. An EPB subject was included in the 4(th) year in the new syllabus of the Nursing Degree at University of Murcia (UM). To know the competence level in EBP of undergraduate nursing students at UM and compare the results between all four years. Observational descriptive study with a cross-sectional approach. undergraduate nursing students from all four years at Nursing Degree at the Faculty of Social and Healthcare Science at UM in the year 2013-14. EBP evaluation of competence of the nursing students consisted of attitude, skills and knowledge on EBP. A validated questionnaire, the EBP-COQ, was used. The scale range is 1 point «lowest level» to 5 points «higher level».The SPSS 21.0 program has been used to carry out descriptive and bivariate analyses. 144 students were included, 76.4% was female, and the median age was 23 years, 84.7% attended more than 75% class hours. The mean differences in the questionnaire between first and fourth years were 0.58 points in attitude, 0.60 in skills, 1.6 in knowledge and 0.83 in global competence in EBP. Significant differences in mean scores between the fourth and the remaining years in the global competence in EBP were observed, as well as in the three dimensions (p <0.05). The undergraduate-nursing students studied here have acquired an appropriate competence level in EBP, with a gradual increase by year. The biggest increase was in the fourth year students. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Some spectral approximation of one-dimensional fourth-order problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bernardi, Christine; Maday, Yvon

1989-01-01

Some spectral type collocation method well suited for the approximation of fourth-order systems are proposed. The model problem is the biharmonic equation, in one and two dimensions when the boundary conditions are periodic in one direction. It is proved that the standard Gauss-Lobatto nodes are not the best choice for the collocation points. Then, a new set of nodes related to some generalized Gauss type quadrature formulas is proposed. Also provided is a complete analysis of these formulas including some new issues about the asymptotic behavior of the weights and we apply these results to the analysis of the collocation method.

Regulatory networks and connected components of the neutral space. A look at functional islands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boldhaus, G.; Klemm, K.

2010-09-01

The functioning of a living cell is largely determined by the structure of its regulatory network, comprising non-linear interactions between regulatory genes. An important factor for the stability and evolvability of such regulatory systems is neutrality - typically a large number of alternative network structures give rise to the necessary dynamics. Here we study the discretized regulatory dynamics of the yeast cell cycle [Li et al., PNAS, 2004] and the set of networks capable of reproducing it, which we call functional. Among these, the empirical yeast wildtype network is close to optimal with respect to sparse wiring. Under point mutations, which establish or delete single interactions, the neutral space of functional networks is fragmented into ≈ 4.7 × 108 components. One of the smaller ones contains the wildtype network. On average, functional networks reachable from the wildtype by mutations are sparser, have higher noise resilience and fewer fixed point attractors as compared with networks outside of this wildtype component.

Immunogenicity study to investigate the interchangeability among three different types of polio vaccine: A cohort study in Japan.

PubMed

Ohfuji, Satoko; Ito, Kazuya; Ishibashi, Motoki; Shindo, Shizuo; Takasaki, Yoshio; Yokoyama, Takashi; Yokoyama, Takato; Yamashita, Yuji; Shibao, Keigo; Nakano, Takashi; Tsuru, Tomomi; Irie, Shin; Hirota, Yoshio

2017-06-01

In Japan, the routine immunization program with oral polio vaccine (OPV) has been suspended since September 2012, when a program with 4 doses of inactivated monovalent polio vaccine (IPV) or quadrivalent vaccine against diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus with IPV (DTaP-IPV) was introduced. The aim of this study was to examine the interchangeability among these 3 types of polio vaccines.We conducted a prospective cohort study at 5 pediatric clinics in Japan. A total of 153 infants were assigned to 1 of the 4 groups by considering the vaccination history of OPV and trivalent vaccine against DTaP. Eleven infants with a history of OPV received 3 doses of DTaP-IPV; 49 infants with a history of OPV and DTaP received 3 doses of IPV; 50 polio vaccine-naïve infants received 2 doses of IPV followed by 2 doses of DTaP-IPV; and 43 polio vaccine-naive infants received 2 doses of DTaP-IPV followed by IPV. The immunogenicity after polio vaccination was evaluated among these 4 groups.After 2 doses of polio vaccination, more than 80% of the infants exhibited a neutralization antibody titer ≥1:8 for all Sabin strains and wild strains in all groups. After the third dose, the seroprotection proportion (i.e., a neutralization antibody titer ≥1:8) reached about 100%. After the fourth dose, a neutralization antibody titer exceeded the required protective levels (i.e., a neutralization antibody titer ≥1:8) considerably in all groups.Four doses of polio vaccines induced a sufficient level of immunity in Japanese infants, irrespective of vaccine combinations or order.

Frequency band of the f-mode Chandrasekhar-Friedman-Schutz instability

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

Zink, Burkhard; Korobkin, Oleg; Schnetter, Erik

2010-04-15

Rapidly rotating neutron stars can be unstable to the gravitational-wave-driven Chandrasekhar-Friedman-Schutz (CFS) mechanism if they have a neutral point in the spectrum of nonaxisymmetric f-modes. We investigate the frequencies of these modes in two sequences of uniformly rotating polytropes using nonlinear simulations in full general relativity, determine the approximate locations of the neutral points, and derive limits on the observable frequency band available to the instability in these sequences. We find that general relativity enhances the detectability of a CFS-unstable neutron star substantially, both by widening the instability window and enlarging the band into the optimal range for interferometric detectorsmore » like LIGO, VIRGO, and GEO-600.« less

Sensorless speed detection of squirrel-cage induction machines using stator neutral point voltage harmonics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petrovic, Goran; Kilic, Tomislav; Terzic, Bozo

2009-04-01

In this paper a sensorless speed detection method of induction squirrel-cage machines is presented. This method is based on frequency determination of the stator neutral point voltage primary slot harmonic, which is dependent on rotor speed. In order to prove method in steady state and dynamic conditions the simulation and experimental study was carried out. For theoretical investigation the mathematical model of squirrel cage induction machines, which takes into consideration actual geometry and windings layout, is used. Speed-related harmonics that arise from rotor slotting are analyzed using digital signal processing and DFT algorithm with Hanning window. The performance of the method is demonstrated over a wide range of load conditions.

Observability, Visualizability and the Question of Metaphysical Neutrality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wolff, Johanna

2015-09-01

Theories in fundamental physics are unlikely to be ontologically neutral, yet they may nonetheless fail to offer decisive empirical support for or against particular metaphysical positions. I illustrate this point by close examination of a particular objection raised by Wolfgang Pauli against Hermann Weyl. The exchange reveals that both parties to the dispute appeal to broader epistemological principles to defend their preferred metaphysical starting points. I suggest that this should make us hesitant to assume that in deriving metaphysical conclusions from physical theories we place our metaphysical theories on a purely empirical foundation. The metaphysics within a particular physical theory may well be the result of a priori assumptions in the background, not particular empirical findings.

Case Management and Rehabilitation Counseling: Procedures and Techniques. Fourth Edition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roessler, Richard T.; Rubin, Stanford E.

2006-01-01

"Case Management and Rehabilitation Counseling" discusses procedures that are useful to rehabilitation professionals working in many settings. Specifically, this book reviews the finer points relating to diagnosing, arranging services, monitoring program outcomes, arranging for placement, planning for accommodations, ethical decision making,…

32 CFR 765.13 - Insignia to be worn on uniform by persons not in the service.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... outer clothing on the right sleeve, at the point of the shoulder, the upper tip of the diamond to be one-fourth inch below the shoulder seam. For persons who are participating in United States Marine Corps...

32 CFR 765.13 - Insignia to be worn on uniform by persons not in the service.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... outer clothing on the right sleeve, at the point of the shoulder, the upper tip of the diamond to be one-fourth inch below the shoulder seam. For persons who are participating in United States Marine Corps...

32 CFR 765.13 - Insignia to be worn on uniform by persons not in the service.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... outer clothing on the right sleeve, at the point of the shoulder, the upper tip of the diamond to be one-fourth inch below the shoulder seam. For persons who are participating in United States Marine Corps...

32 CFR 765.13 - Insignia to be worn on uniform by persons not in the service.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... outer clothing on the right sleeve, at the point of the shoulder, the upper tip of the diamond to be one-fourth inch below the shoulder seam. For persons who are participating in United States Marine Corps...

32 CFR 765.13 - Insignia to be worn on uniform by persons not in the service.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... outer clothing on the right sleeve, at the point of the shoulder, the upper tip of the diamond to be one-fourth inch below the shoulder seam. For persons who are participating in United States Marine Corps...

Apparently abnormal Wechsler Memory Scale index score patterns in the normal population.

PubMed

Carrasco, Roman Marcus; Grups, Josefine; Evans, Brittney; Simco, Edward; Mittenberg, Wiley

2015-01-01

Interpretation of the Wechsler Memory Scale-Fourth Edition may involve examination of multiple memory index score contrasts and similar comparisons with Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Fourth Edition ability indexes. Standardization sample data suggest that 15-point differences between any specific pair of index scores are relatively uncommon in normal individuals, but these base rates refer to a comparison between a single pair of indexes rather than multiple simultaneous comparisons among indexes. This study provides normative data for the occurrence of multiple index score differences calculated by using Monte Carlo simulations and validated against standardization data. Differences of 15 points between any two memory indexes or between memory and ability indexes occurred in 60% and 48% of the normative sample, respectively. Wechsler index score discrepancies are normally common and therefore not clinically meaningful when numerous such comparisons are made. Explicit prior interpretive hypotheses are necessary to reduce the number of index comparisons and associated false-positive conclusions. Monte Carlo simulation accurately predicts these false-positive rates.

Fully Fueled TACOM Vehicle Storage Test Program.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-12-01

Messrs. H. Hobart, T. Wilson, and T. Hinkley , DRSTA-GSP, U.S. Army Tank Automotive Command (TACOM) for providing both liai- son and fuel-sampling...and its characteristics are as follows: Density, g/ml 0.9 Flash point , *F 140 Fire point , *F 145 Pour point , *F -50 Neutralization No., TAN 25 TBN 130...following characteristics: Density, g/ml 1.05 Flash point , *F 144 Pour point , *F -27.5 Viscosity, cSt, @ 70*F 29 Boron content 7.4% Water (free

Walking my way? Walker gender and display format Confounds the perception of specific emotions.

PubMed

Halovic, Shaun; Kroos, Christian

2018-02-01

Previous evidence has shown that males and females display different gait kinematics which may influence the perception of emotions displayed through the same walking gait. We therefore investigated the influence of walker gender on the perception of happiness, sadness, anger and fear displayed through walking movements. Full-light (FL), point-light (PL) and synthetically modelled point-light walkers (SW) of both genders were shown to perceivers over three experiments. Additionally, gender ambiguous synthetic walkers were shown to control for the influence of form, gender stereotypes and idiosyncratic gait movements on emotional gait perception. Each emotion was identified above chance level for both walker genders and in all display conditions though significantly less in PL and SW than in FL. The gender of the walker did not influence the pattern of identifications in FL walkers (Fear > Sad > Happy > Anger > Neutral), but did influence the identification patterns in PL (Female: [Happy = Sad = Fear = Anger] > Neutral; Male: Fear = Sad = [Happy > Anger] > Neutral) and SWs (Female: Happy = Sad = Anger = Fear = Neutral; Male: [Happy = Sad = Anger] > [Fear = Neutral]; Ambiguous: [[Happy = Sad = Anger] > Fear] = Neutral). The gender of the walker and format in which they are displayed influenced the perception of different basic emotions. The constructed SW stimuli also displayed happiness, sadness and anger with equivalent intensity in female, male and gender ambiguous walkers thus untangling the perception-expression entanglement that has plagued previous emotion perception research. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quantum Hall Effect near the Charge Neutrality Point in a Two-Dimensional Electron-Hole System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gusev, G. M.; Olshanetsky, E. B.; Kvon, Z. D.; Mikhailov, N. N.; Dvoretsky, S. A.; Portal, J. C.

2010-04-01

We study the transport properties of HgTe-based quantum wells containing simultaneously electrons and holes in a magnetic field B. At the charge neutrality point (CNP) with nearly equal electron and hole densities, the resistance is found to increase very strongly with B while the Hall resistivity turns to zero. This behavior results in a wide plateau in the Hall conductivity σxy≈0 and in a minimum of diagonal conductivity σxx at ν=νp-νn=0, where νn and νp are the electron and hole Landau level filling factors. We suggest that the transport at the CNP point is determined by electron-hole “snake states” propagating along the ν=0 lines. Our observations are qualitatively similar to the quantum Hall effect in graphene as well as to the transport in a random magnetic field with a zero mean value.

Boundary asymptotics for a non-neutral electrochemistry model with small Debye length

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Chiun-Chang; Ryham, Rolf J.

2018-04-01

This article addresses the boundary asymptotics of the electrostatic potential in non-neutral electrochemistry models with small Debye length in bounded domains. Under standard physical assumptions motivated by non-electroneutral phenomena in oxidation-reduction reactions, we show that the electrostatic potential asymptotically blows up at boundary points with respect to the bulk reference potential as the scaled Debye length tends to zero. The analysis gives a lower bound for the blow-up rate with respect to the model parameters. Moreover, the maximum potential difference over any compact subset of the physical domain vanishes exponentially in the zero-Debye-length limit. The results mathematically confirm the physical description that electrolyte solutions are electrically neutral in the bulk and are strongly electrically non-neutral near charged surfaces.

Divertor heat flux mitigation in the National Spherical Torus Experimenta)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soukhanovskii, V. A.; Maingi, R.; Gates, D. A.; Menard, J. E.; Paul, S. F.; Raman, R.; Roquemore, A. L.; Bell, M. G.; Bell, R. E.; Boedo, J. A.; Bush, C. E.; Kaita, R.; Kugel, H. W.; Leblanc, B. P.; Mueller, D.; NSTX Team

2009-02-01

Steady-state handling of divertor heat flux is a critical issue for both ITER and spherical torus-based devices with compact high power density divertors. Significant reduction of heat flux to the divertor plate has been achieved simultaneously with favorable core and pedestal confinement and stability properties in a highly shaped lower single null configuration in the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX) [M. Ono et al., Nucl. Fusion 40, 557 2000] using high magnetic flux expansion at the divertor strike point and the radiative divertor technique. A partial detachment of the outer strike point was achieved with divertor deuterium injection leading to peak flux reduction from 4-6MWm-2to0.5-2MWm-2 in small-ELM 0.8-1.0MA, 4-6MW neutral beam injection-heated H-mode discharges. A self-consistent picture of the outer strike point partial detachment was evident from divertor heat flux profiles and recombination, particle flux and neutral pressure measurements. Analytic scrape-off layer parallel transport models were used for interpretation of NSTX detachment experiments. The modeling showed that the observed peak heat flux reduction and detachment are possible with high radiated power and momentum loss fractions, achievable with divertor gas injection, and nearly impossible to achieve with main electron density, divertor neutral density or recombination increases alone.

Wernher von Braun

NASA Image and Video Library

1960-01-01

In this photo, Director of the US Army Ballistic Missile Agency (ABMA) Development Operations Division, Dr. Wernher von Braun, is standing before a display of Army missiles celebrating ABMA's Fourth Open House. The missiles in the background include (left to right) a satellite on a Juno II shroud with a Nike Ajax pointing left in front of a Jupiter missile. The Lacrosse is in front of the Juno II. The Nike Hercules points skyward in front of the Juno II and the Redstone.

[Not Available].

PubMed

Burgot, J L

1978-04-01

Maleic, fumaric, tartaric, glutaric and adipic acids are titrated directly with sodium hydroxide by means of an automatic thermometric titrimeter. The titration curves have two break-points, corresponding to the successive neutralization of the two acid groups. Previous standardization permits measurement of the heats of neutralization, from which the enthalpies of dissociation can be deduced. From 0.3 to 1 mmole of acid can be titrated with a relative standard deviation of about 3%.

High-field neutral beam injection for improving the Q of a gas dynamic trap-based fusion neutron source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, Qiusun; Chen, Dehong; Wang, Minghuang

2017-12-01

In order to improve the fusion energy gain (Q) of a gas dynamic trap (GDT)-based fusion neutron source, a method in which the neutral beam is obliquely injected at a higher magnetic field position rather than at the mid-plane of the GDT is proposed. This method is beneficial for confining a higher density of fast ions at the turning point in the zone with a higher magnetic field, as well as obtaining a higher mirror ratio by reducing the mid-plane field rather than increasing the mirror field. In this situation, collision scattering loss of fast ions with higher density will occur and change the confinement time, power balance and particle balance. Using an updated calculation model with high-field neutral beam injection for a GDT-based fusion neutron source conceptual design, we got four optimal design schemes for a GDT-based fusion neutron source in which Q was improved to two- to three-fold compared with a conventional design scheme and considering the limitation for avoiding plasma instabilities, especially the fire-hose instability. The distribution of fast ions could be optimized by building a proper magnetic field configuration with enough space for neutron shielding and by multi-beam neutral particle injection at different axial points.

"Techne" and Technical Communication: Toward a Dialogue.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gordon, Jay

2002-01-01

Offers background on how the term "techne" was used up through the fourth century BCE. Discusses how modern discourse on technical communication both converges with and departs from Plato's and Aristotle's statements on the relationship between "techne" and rhetoric. Points out areas for further discussion as teachers of…

Executive Cognitive Function and Food Intake in Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riggs, Nathaniel R.; Spruijt-Metz, Donna; Sakuma, Kari-Lyn; Chou, Chih-Ping; Pentz, Mary Ann

2010-01-01

Objective: The current study investigated relations among neurocognitive skills important for behavioral regulation, and the intake of fruit, vegetables, and snack food in children. Design: Participants completed surveys at a single time point. Setting: Assessments took place during school. Participants: Participants were 107 fourth-grade children…

Sixth- and eighth-order Hermite integrator for N-body simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nitadori, Keigo; Makino, Junichiro

2008-10-01

We present sixth- and eighth-order Hermite integrators for astrophysical N-body simulations, which use the derivatives of accelerations up to second-order ( snap) and third-order ( crackle). These schemes do not require previous values for the corrector, and require only one previous value to construct the predictor. Thus, they are fairly easy to implement. The additional cost of the calculation of the higher-order derivatives is not very high. Even for the eighth-order scheme, the number of floating-point operations for force calculation is only about two times larger than that for traditional fourth-order Hermite scheme. The sixth-order scheme is better than the traditional fourth-order scheme for most cases. When the required accuracy is very high, the eighth-order one is the best. These high-order schemes have several practical advantages. For example, they allow a larger number of particles to be integrated in parallel than the fourth-order scheme does, resulting in higher execution efficiency in both general-purpose parallel computers and GRAPE systems.

Connection between quantum systems involving the fourth Painlevé transcendent and k-step rational extensions of the harmonic oscillator related to Hermite exceptional orthogonal polynomial

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marquette, Ian; Quesne, Christiane

2016-05-01

The purpose of this communication is to point out the connection between a 1D quantum Hamiltonian involving the fourth Painlevé transcendent PIV, obtained in the context of second-order supersymmetric quantum mechanics and third-order ladder operators, with a hierarchy of families of quantum systems called k-step rational extensions of the harmonic oscillator and related with multi-indexed Xm1,m2,…,mk Hermite exceptional orthogonal polynomials of type III. The connection between these exactly solvable models is established at the level of the equivalence of the Hamiltonians using rational solutions of the fourth Painlevé equation in terms of generalized Hermite and Okamoto polynomials. We also relate the different ladder operators obtained by various combinations of supersymmetric constructions involving Darboux-Crum and Krein-Adler supercharges, their zero modes and the corresponding energies. These results will demonstrate and clarify the relation observed for a particular case in previous papers.

Pseudospectral collocation methods for fourth order differential equations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Malek, Alaeddin; Phillips, Timothy N.

1994-01-01

Collocation schemes are presented for solving linear fourth order differential equations in one and two dimensions. The variational formulation of the model fourth order problem is discretized by approximating the integrals by a Gaussian quadrature rule generalized to include the values of the derivative of the integrand at the boundary points. Collocation schemes are derived which are equivalent to this discrete variational problem. An efficient preconditioner based on a low-order finite difference approximation to the same differential operator is presented. The corresponding multidomain problem is also considered and interface conditions are derived. Pseudospectral approximations which are C1 continuous at the interfaces are used in each subdomain to approximate the solution. The approximations are also shown to be C3 continuous at the interfaces asymptotically. A complete analysis of the collocation scheme for the multidomain problem is provided. The extension of the method to the biharmonic equation in two dimensions is discussed and results are presented for a problem defined in a nonrectangular domain.

Accuracy and trending ability of the fourth-generation FloTrac/Vigileo System™ in patients undergoing abdominal aortic aneurysm surgery.

PubMed

Maeda, Takuma; Hattori, Kohshi; Sumiyoshi, Miho; Kanazawa, Hiroko; Ohnishi, Yoshihiko

2018-06-01

The fourth-generation FloTrac/Vigileo™ improved its algorithm to follow changes in systemic vascular resistance index (SVRI). This revision may improve the accuracy and trending ability of CI even in patients who undergo abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) surgery which cause drastic change of SVRI by aortic clamping. The purpose of this study is to elucidate the accuracy and trending ability of the fourth-generation FloTrac/Vigileo™ in patients with AAA surgery by comparing the FloTrac/Vigileo™-derived CI (CI FT ) with that measured by three-dimensional echocardiography (CI 3D ). Twenty-six patients undergoing elective AAA surgery were included in this study. CI FT and CI3 D were determined simultaneously in eight points including before and after aortic clamp. We used CI 3D as the reference method. In the Bland-Altman analysis, CI FT had a wide limit of agreement with CI 3D showing a percentage error of 46.7%. Subgroup analysis showed that the percentage error between CO 3D and CO FT was 56.3% in patients with cardiac index < 2.5 L/min/m 2 and 28.4% in patients with cardiac index ≥ 2.5 L/min/m 2 . SVRI was significantly higher in patients with cardiac index < 2.5 L/min/m 2 (1703 ± 330 vs. 2757 ± 798; p < 0.001). The tracking ability of fourth generation of FloTrac/Vigileo™ after aortic clamp was not clinically acceptable (26.9%). The degree of accuracy of the fourth-generation FloTrac/Vigileo™ in patients with AAA surgery was not acceptable. The tracking ability of the fourth-generation FloTrac/Vigileo™ after aortic clamp was below the acceptable limit.

An Electron Density Source-Function Study of DNA Base Pairs in Their Neutral and Ionized Ground States†.

PubMed

Gatti, Carlo; Macetti, Giovanni; Boyd, Russell J; Matta, Chérif F

2018-07-05

The source function (SF) decomposes the electron density at any point into contributions from all other points in the molecule, complex, or crystal. The SF "illuminates" those regions in a molecule that most contribute to the electron density at a point of reference. When this point of reference is the bond critical point (BCP), a commonly used surrogate of chemical bonding, then the SF analysis at an atomic resolution within the framework of Bader's Quantum Theory of Atoms in Molecules returns the contribution of each atom in the system to the electron density at that BCP. The SF is used to locate the important regions that control the hydrogen bonds in both Watson-Crick (WC) DNA dimers (adenine:thymine (AT) and guanine:cytosine (GC)) which are studied in their neutral and their singly ionized (radical cationic and anionic) ground states. The atomic contributions to the electron density at the BCPs of the hydrogen bonds in the two dimers are found to be delocalized to various extents. Surprisingly, gaining or loosing an electron has similar net effects on some hydrogen bonds concealing subtle compensations traced to atomic sources contributions. Coarser levels of resolutions (groups, rings, and/or monomers-in-dimers) reveal that distant groups and rings often have non-negligible effects especially on the weaker hydrogen bonds such as the third weak CH⋅⋅⋅O hydrogen bond in AT. Interestingly, neither the purine nor the pyrimidine in the neutral or ionized forms dominate any given hydrogen bond despite that the former has more atoms that can act as source or sink for the density at its BCP. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Chiral separation of β-blockers by MEEKC using neutral microemulsion: Analysis of separation mechanism and further elucidation of resolution equation.

PubMed

Hu, Shao-Qiang; Lü, Wen-Juan; Ma, Yan-Hua; Hu, Qin; Dong, Li-Jun; Chen, Xing-Guo

2013-01-01

Based on the investigation of the effect of microemulsion charge on the chiral separation, a new chiral separation method with MEEKC employing neutral microemulsion was established. The method used a microemulsion containing 3.0% (w/v) neutral surfactant Tween 20 and 0.8% (w/v, 30 mM) dibutyl l-tartrate in 40 mM sodium tetraborate buffer to separate the enantiomers of β-blockers. The effect of major parameters on the chiral separation was investigated. The applied voltage had little effect on the resolution, but the chiral separation could be improved by suppressing the EOF. Nine racemic β-blockers obtained relatively good enantioseparation after appropriate concentrations of tetradecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide were added into the microemulsion to suppress the EOF. These results were explained based on the analysis of the separation mechanism of the method and deduced separation equations. The resolution equation of the method was further elucidated. It was found that the fourth term in the resolution equation, an additional term compared to the conventional resolution equation for column chromatography, represents the ratio of the relative movement distance between the analyte and microemulsion droplets relative to the effective capillary length. It can be regarded as a correction for the effective capillary length. These findings are significant for the development of the theory of MEEKC and the development of new chiral MEEKC method. © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

The obviously ill patient in need of treatment: a fourth standard for civil commitment.

PubMed

Treffert, D A

1985-03-01

The three relatively standard criteria currently contained in most state civil commitment laws (danger to self, danger to others, and gravely disabled) have forced many obviously ill patients to deteriorate to the point of dangerousness before receiving treatment, to become criminalized, or to wander the streets untreated. After discussing the origins of present civil commitment laws and the plight of obviously ill patients, the author details the cooperative effort of several groups in Wisconsin to codify a fourth standard for civil commitment that would ensure that obviously ill patients receive treatment with proper procedural and due process safeguards. Other statutory alternatives to remedy the plight of obviously ill patients are also discussed.

New algorithms for solving high even-order differential equations using third and fourth Chebyshev-Galerkin methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doha, E. H.; Abd-Elhameed, W. M.; Bassuony, M. A.

2013-03-01

This paper is concerned with spectral Galerkin algorithms for solving high even-order two point boundary value problems in one dimension subject to homogeneous and nonhomogeneous boundary conditions. The proposed algorithms are extended to solve two-dimensional high even-order differential equations. The key to the efficiency of these algorithms is to construct compact combinations of Chebyshev polynomials of the third and fourth kinds as basis functions. The algorithms lead to linear systems with specially structured matrices that can be efficiently inverted. Numerical examples are included to demonstrate the validity and applicability of the proposed algorithms, and some comparisons with some other methods are made.

Virginia's timber, 1977

Treesearch

Herbert A. Knight; Joe P. McClure

1977-01-01

This report presents the principal findings of the fourth evaluation of Virginia's forest resources. The field inventory was started in February 1975 and completed in March 1977. Three previous Statewide inventories, completed in 1940, 1957, and 1966, provide reference points for measuring changed and trends over the past 37 years. This analysis focuses mainly on...

Greek Mythology: Cultures and Art. ArtsEdge Curricula, Lessons and Activities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nickerson, Charles

The visual arts offer aesthetic, perceptual, creative, and intellectual opportunities. This lesson points out that by creating and painting mythological characters, students will improve their ability to analyze, reorganize, critique, and create. The lesson also intends for fourth-grade students to gain insight into Greek culture through the…

Educational Change in Saudi Arabia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alnahdi, Ghaleb Hamad

2014-01-01

The main goal of this article is to discuss the possibility of adapting the suggestions by Hargreaves and Shirley (2009) in their book "The Fourth Way." This paper will discuss the topic of educational change and reform through three main points. First, it will review the most important advantages and disadvantages that characterize the…

Al Qaeda and Fourth Generation Warfare as its Strategy

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-01-01

and materia ~ as well as money, from one point ofthe non- linear battlefield to another, thereby giving more flexibility to obtain the right materials...translated by Griffith, Samuel B., On Guerilla Warfare, (1937),21-22. 14 Bodansky, Yossef, Bin Laden The Man Who Declared War on America (Rocklin: Prima

75 FR 73159 - Continental Tire North America, Inc., Receipt of Petition for Decision of Inconsequential...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-29

... is located in an area that is not more than one-fourth of the distance from the bead to the shoulder... the bead and a point one-half the distance from the bead to the shoulder of the tire, on at least one...

77 FR 20482 - Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC, Receipt of Petition for Decision of Inconsequential...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-04

... located in an area that is not more than one-fourth of the distance from the bead to the shoulder of the... and a point one-half the distance from the bead to the shoulder of the tire, on at least one sidewall...

76 FR 15045 - Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, Receipt of Petition for Decision of Inconsequential Noncompliance

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-18

... located in an area that is not more than one-fourth of the distance from the bead to the shoulder of the... and a point one-half the distance from the bead to the shoulder of the tire, on at least one sidewall...

Symmetry breaking in the zero-energy Landau level in bilayer graphene.

PubMed

Zhao, Y; Cadden-Zimansky, P; Jiang, Z; Kim, P

2010-02-12

The quantum Hall effect near the charge neutrality point in bilayer graphene is investigated in high magnetic fields of up to 35 T using electronic transport measurements. In the high-field regime, the eightfold degeneracy in the zero-energy Landau level is completely lifted, exhibiting new quantum Hall states corresponding to filling factors nu=0, 1, 2, and 3. Measurements of the activation energy gaps for the nu=2 and 3 filling factors in tilted magnetic fields exhibit no appreciable dependence on the in-plane magnetic field, suggesting that these Landau level splittings are independent of spin. In addition, measurements taken at the nu=0 charge neutral point show that, similar to single layer graphene, the bilayer becomes insulating at high fields.

Critical N = (1, 1) general massive supergravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deger, Nihat Sadik; Moutsopoulos, George; Rosseel, Jan

2018-04-01

In this paper we study the supermultiplet structure of N = (1, 1) General Massive Supergravity at non-critical and critical points of its parameter space. To do this, we first linearize the theory around its maximally supersymmetric AdS3 vacuum and obtain the full linearized Lagrangian including fermionic terms. At generic values, linearized modes can be organized as two massless and 2 massive multiplets where supersymmetry relates them in the standard way. At critical points logarithmic modes appear and we find that in three of such points some of the supersymmetry transformations are non-invertible in logarithmic multiplets. However, in the fourth critical point, there is a massive logarithmic multiplet with invertible supersymmetry transformations.

Transport in a field aligned magnetized plasma/neutral gas boundary: the end of the plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cooper, Christopher Michael

The objective of this dissertation is to characterize the physics of a boundary layer between a magnetized plasma and a neutral gas along the direction of a confining magnetic field. A series of experiments are performed at the Enormous Toroidal Plasma Device (ETPD) at UCLA to study this field aligned Neutral Boundary Layer (NBL) at the end of the plasma. A Lanthanum Hexaboride (LaB6) cathode and semi-transparent anode creates a magnetized, current-free helium plasma which terminates on a neutral helium gas without touching any walls. Probes are inserted into the plasma to measure the basic plasma parameters and study the transport in the NBL. The experiment is performed in the weakly ionized limit where the plasma density (ne) is much less than the neutral density (nn) such that ne/nn < 5%. The NBL is characterized by a field-aligned electric field which begins at the point where the plasma pressure equilibrates with the neutral gas pressure. Beyond the pressure equilibration point the electrons and ions lose their momentum by collisions with the neutral gas and come to rest. An electric field is established self consistently to maintain a current-free termination through equilibration of the different species' stopping rates in the neutral gas. The electric field resembles a collisional quasineutral sheath with a length 10 times the electron-ion collision length, 100 times the neutral collision length, and 10,000 times the Debye length. Collisions with the neutral gas dominate the losses in the system. The measured plasma density loss rates are above the classical cross-field current-free ambipolar rate, but below the anomalous Bohm diffusion rate. The electron temperature is below the ionization threshold of the gas, 2.2 eV in helium. The ions are in thermal equilibrium with the neutral gas. A generalized theory of plasma termination in a Neutral Boundary Layer is applied to this case using a two-fluid, current-free, weakly ionized transport model. The electron and ion momentum equations along the field are combined in a generalized Ohm's law which predicts the axial electric field required to maintain a current-free termination. The pressure balance criteria for termination and the predicted electric field are confirmed over a scaling of plasma parameters. The experiment and the model are relevant for studying NBLs in other systems, such as the atmospheric termination of the aurora or detached gaseous divertors. A steady state modified ambipolar system is measured in the ETPD NBL. The drift speeds associated with these currents are a small fraction of the plasma flow speeds and the problem is treated as a perturbation to the termination model. The current-free condition on the model is relaxed to explain the presence of the divergence free current.

World of Warcraft Meets War Plan Orange: The Military Utility of Collaborative Problem Solving in a Virtual Environment

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-01

It is easier at that point to build the crowdsource effort required for a crowdsourcing tool.”10 Beyond altruism, deep or professional interest in...and reliably outperform professional pundits.7 An example of an actual stock market behaving like a prediction market can be found in the...demonstrated, for example, that professional football teams could make many more points if they were to forego field goals for fourth-down

Dr. von Braun In Front of a Display of Missiles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1960-01-01

In this photo, Director of the US Army Ballistic Missile Agency (ABMA) Development Operations Division, Dr. Wernher von Braun, is standing before a display of Army missiles celebrating ABMA's Fourth Open House. The missiles in the background include (left to right) a satellite on a Juno II shroud with a Nike Ajax pointing left in front of a Jupiter missile. The Lacrosse is in front of the Juno II. The Nike Hercules points skyward in front of the Juno II and the Redstone.

Volume Phase Masks in Photo-Thermo-Refractive Glass

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-06

development when forming the nanocrystals. Fig. 1.1 shows the refractive index change curves for some common glass melts when exposed to a beam at 325 nm...integral curve to the curve for the ideal phase mask. If there is a deviation in the experimental curve from the ideal curve , whether the overlap...redevelopments of the sample. Note that the third point on the spherical curve and the third and fourth points on the coma y curve have larger error bars than

Concepts for the magnetic design of the MITICA neutral beam test facility ion accelerator.

PubMed

Chitarin, G; Agostinetti, P; Marconato, N; Marcuzzi, D; Sartori, E; Serianni, G; Sonato, P

2012-02-01

The megavolt ITER injector concept advancement neutral injector test facility will be constituted by a RF-driven negative ion source and by an electrostatic Accelerator, designed to produce a negative Ion with a specific energy up to 1 MeV. The beam is then neutralized in order to obtain a focused 17 MW neutral beam. The magnetic configuration inside the accelerator is of crucial importance for the achievement of a good beam efficiency, with the early deflection of the co-extracted and stripped electrons, and also of the required beam optic quality, with the correction of undesired ion beamlet deflections. Several alternative magnetic design concepts have been considered, comparing in detail the magnetic and beam optics simulation results, evidencing the advantages and drawbacks of each solution both from the physics and engineering point of view.

Ultimate boundedness stability and controllability of hereditary systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chukwu, E. N.

1979-01-01

By generalizing the Liapunov-Yoshizawa techniques, necessary and sufficient conditions are given for uniform boundedness and uniform ultimate boundedness of a rather general class of nonlinear differential equations of neutral type. Among the applications treated by the methods are the Lienard equation of neutral type and hereditary systems of Lurie type. The absolute stability of this later equation is also investigated. A certain existence result of a solution of a neutral functional differential inclusion with two point boundary values is applied to study the exact function space controllability of a nonlinear neutral functional differential control system. A geometric growth condition is used to characterize both the function space and Euclidean controllability of another nonlinear delay system which has a compact and convex control set. This yields conditions under which perturbed nonlinear delay controllable systems are controllable.

Compact, accurate description of diagnostic neutral beam propagation and attenuation in a high temperature plasma for charge exchange recombination spectroscopy analysis.

PubMed

Bespamyatnov, Igor O; Rowan, William L; Granetz, Robert S

2008-10-01

Charge exchange recombination spectroscopy on Alcator C-Mod relies on the use of the diagnostic neutral beam injector as a source of neutral particles which penetrate deep into the plasma. It employs the emission resulting from the interaction of the beam atoms with fully ionized impurity ions. To interpret the emission from a given point in the plasma as the density of emitting impurity ions, the density of beam atoms must be known. Here, an analysis of beam propagation is described which yields the beam density profile throughout the beam trajectory from the neutral beam injector to the core of the plasma. The analysis includes the effects of beam formation, attenuation in the neutral gas surrounding the plasma, and attenuation in the plasma. In the course of this work, a numerical simulation and an analytical approximation for beam divergence are developed. The description is made sufficiently compact to yield accurate results in a time consistent with between-shot analysis.

New formula of Nuclear Force

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uddin, Kamal

2011-04-01

It is well established that the forces between nucleons are transmitted by meson. The quantitative explanation of nuclear forces in terms of meson theory was extremely tentative & in complete but this theory supplies a valuable point of view . it is fairly certain now that the nucleons within nuclear matter are in a state made rather different from their free condition by the proximity of other nucleons charge independence of nuclear forces demand the existence of neutral meson as amongst the same type of nucleolus (P-P) or (N-N). this force demand the same spin & orbital angular momentum. The exchange interaction in produced by only a neutral meson. The involving mesons without electric charge, that it gives exchanges forces between proton & Neutron & also therefore maintains charge in dependence character. It is evident for the nature of the products that neutral mesons decay by strong & weak interaction both. It means that neutral mesons constituents responsible for the electromagnetic interaction. Dramatically neutral mesons plays important role for electromagnetic & nuclear force both.

Self-consistent approach for neutral community models with speciation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haegeman, Bart; Etienne, Rampal S.

2010-03-01

Hubbell’s neutral model provides a rich theoretical framework to study ecological communities. By incorporating both ecological and evolutionary time scales, it allows us to investigate how communities are shaped by speciation processes. The speciation model in the basic neutral model is particularly simple, describing speciation as a point-mutation event in a birth of a single individual. The stationary species abundance distribution of the basic model, which can be solved exactly, fits empirical data of distributions of species’ abundances surprisingly well. More realistic speciation models have been proposed such as the random-fission model in which new species appear by splitting up existing species. However, no analytical solution is available for these models, impeding quantitative comparison with data. Here, we present a self-consistent approximation method for neutral community models with various speciation modes, including random fission. We derive explicit formulas for the stationary species abundance distribution, which agree very well with simulations. We expect that our approximation method will be useful to study other speciation processes in neutral community models as well.

Chemotherapy administration directly into the fourth ventricle in a nonhuman primate model.

PubMed

Sandberg, David I; Peet, M Melissa; Johnson, Mark D; Cole, Phaedra; Koru-Sengul, Tulay; Luqman, Ali W

2012-05-01

The authors hypothesized that chemotherapy infusions directly into the fourth ventricle might potentially play a role in treating malignant fourth ventricular tumors. The study tested the safety and pharmacokinetics of short- and long-term infusions of methotrexate into the fourth ventricle in a new nonhuman primate model. Six rhesus monkeys underwent posterior fossa craniectomy and catheter insertion into the fourth ventricle. In Group I (3 animals), catheters were externalized, and lumbar drain catheters were placed simultaneously to assess CSF distribution after short-term methotrexate infusions. In 2 animals, methotrexate (0.5 mg) was infused into the fourth ventricle daily for 5 days. Serial CSF and serum methotrexate levels were measured. The third animal had a postoperative neurological deficit, and the experiment was aborted prior to methotrexate administration. In Group II (3 animals), catheters were connected to a subcutaneously placed port for subsequent long-term methotrexate infusions. In 2 animals, 4 cycles of intraventricular methotrexate, each consisting of 4 daily infusions (0.5 mg), were administered over 8 weeks. The third animal received 3 cycles, and then the experiment was terminated due to self-inflicted wound breakdown. All animals underwent detailed neurological evaluations, MRI, and postmortem histological analysis. No neurological deficits were noted after intraventricular methotrexate infusions. Magnetic resonance images demonstrated catheter placement within the fourth ventricle and no signal changes in the brainstem or cerebellum. Histologically, two Group I animals, one of which did not receive methotrexate, had several small focal areas of brainstem injury. Two Group II animals had a small (≤ 1-mm) focus of axonal degeneration in the midbrain. Intraventricular and meningeal inflammation was noted in 4 animals after methotrexate infusions (one from Group I and all three from Group II). In all Group II animals, inflammation extended minimally into brainstem parenchyma. Serum methotrexate levels were undetectable or negligible in both groups, ranging from 0.00 to 0.06 μmol/L. In Group I, the mean peak methotrexate level in fourth ventricle CSF exceeded that in the lumbar CSF by greater than 10-fold. Statistically significant differences between fourth ventricle and lumbar AUC (area under the concentration-time curve) were detected at peaks (p = 0.04) but not at troughs (p = 0.50) or at all time collection points (p = 0.12). In Group II, peak fourth ventricle CSF methotrexate levels ranged from 84.62 to 167.89 μmol/L (mean 115.53 ± 15.95 μmol/L [SD]). Trough levels ranged from 0.06 to 0.55 μmol/L (mean 0.22 ± 0.13 μmol/L). Methotrexate can be infused into the fourth ventricle in nonhuman primates without clinical or radiographic evidence of injury. Observed inflammatory and other histological changes had no clinical correlate. This approach may have pharmacokinetic advantages over current treatment paradigms. Further experiments are warranted to determine if fourth ventricular chemotherapy infusions may benefit patients with malignant fourth ventricular tumors.

Neutralization Serotyping of BK Polyomavirus Infection in Kidney Transplant Recipients

PubMed Central

Pastrana, Diana V.; Brennan, Daniel C.; Çuburu, Nicolas; Storch, Gregory A.; Viscidi, Raphael P.; Randhawa, Parmjeet S.; Buck, Christopher B.

2012-01-01

BK polyomavirus (BKV or BKPyV) associated nephropathy affects up to 10% of kidney transplant recipients (KTRs). BKV isolates are categorized into four genotypes. It is currently unclear whether the four genotypes are also serotypes. To address this issue, we developed high-throughput serological assays based on antibody-mediated neutralization of BKV genotype I and IV reporter vectors (pseudoviruses). Neutralization-based testing of sera from mice immunized with BKV-I or BKV-IV virus-like particles (VLPs) or sera from naturally infected human subjects revealed that BKV-I specific serum antibodies are poorly neutralizing against BKV-IV and vice versa. The fact that BKV-I and BKV-IV are distinct serotypes was less evident in traditional VLP-based ELISAs. BKV-I and BKV-IV neutralization assays were used to examine BKV type-specific neutralizing antibody responses in KTRs at various time points after transplantation. At study entry, sera from 5% and 49% of KTRs showed no detectable neutralizing activity for BKV-I or BKV-IV neutralization, respectively. By one year after transplantation, all KTRs were neutralization seropositive for BKV-I, and 43% of the initially BKV-IV seronegative subjects showed evidence of acute seroconversion for BKV-IV neutralization. The results suggest a model in which BKV-IV-specific seroconversion reflects a de novo BKV-IV infection in KTRs who initially lack protective antibody responses capable of neutralizing genotype IV BKVs. If this model is correct, it suggests that pre-vaccinating prospective KTRs with a multivalent VLP-based vaccine against all BKV serotypes, or administration of BKV-neutralizing antibodies, might offer protection against graft loss or dysfunction due to BKV associated nephropathy. PMID:22511874

Aristotle's illusion reveals interdigit functional somatosensory alterations in focal hand dystonia.

PubMed

Tinazzi, Michele; Marotta, Angela; Fasano, Alfonso; Bove, Francesco; Bentivoglio, Anna Rita; Squintani, Giovanna; Pozzer, Lara; Fiorio, Mirta

2013-03-01

In focal hand dystonia, the cortical somatosensory representation of the fingers is abnormal, with overlapping receptive fields and reduced interdigit separation. These abnormalities are associated with deficits in sensory perception, as previously demonstrated by applying tactile stimuli to one finger at a time. What is still unknown is whether the sensory deficits can be observed when tactile perception involves more than one finger. To address this issue, we applied 'Aristotle's illusion' to 15 patients with focal hand dystonia, 15 patients with dystonia not affecting the hand (blepharospasm and cervical dystonia) and 15 healthy control subjects. In this illusion, one object touching the contact point of two crossed fingertips is perceived as two objects by a blindfolded subject. The same object placed between two parallel fingertips is correctly perceived as one. The illusory doubling sensation is because of the fact that the contact point between the crossed fingers consists of non-adjacent and functionally unrelated skin regions, which usually send sensory signals to separate spots in the somatosensory cortex. In our study, participants were touched by one sphere between the second-third digits, the second-fourth digits and the fourth-fifth digits of both hands, either in crossed or in parallel position, and had to refer whether they felt one or two stimuli. The percentage of 'two stimuli' responses was an index of the illusory doubling. Both healthy control subjects and dystonic patients presented Aristotle's illusion when the fingers were crossed. However, patients with focal hand dystonia presented a significant reduction of the illusion when the sphere was placed between the crossed fourth and fifth digits of the affected hand. This reduction correlated with the severity of motor disease at the fingers. Similar findings were not observed in non-hand dystonia and control groups. The reduction of Aristotle's illusion in non-affected fingers and its preservation in affected fingers suggests dissociation between the abnormal processing of sensory signals and the motor impairment. Based on previous evidence showing that the sensory signals coming from the fourth digit determine lower activation in the somatosensory cortex than those coming from the fifth digit, we suggest that in the crossed position, the tactile information conveyed by the fifth digit prevailed over the fourth digit, thus resulting in the perception of one stimulus. The reduction of the illusory doubling perception, therefore, may represent the functional correlate of the different level of activation between the fourth and the fifth digit in the somatosensory cortex.

A Northern Sky Survey for Point-like Sources of EeV Neutral Particles with the Telescope Array Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abbasi, R. U.; Abe, M.; Abu-Zayyad, T.; Allen, M.; Anderson, R.; Azuma, R.; Barcikowski, E.; Belz, J. W.; Bergman, D. R.; Blake, S. A.; Cady, R.; Chae, M. J.; Cheon, B. G.; Chiba, J.; Chikawa, M.; Cho, W. R.; Fujii, T.; Fukushima, M.; Goto, T.; Hanlon, W.; Hayashi, Y.; Hayashida, N.; Hibino, K.; Honda, K.; Ikeda, D.; Inoue, N.; Ishii, T.; Ishimori, R.; Ito, H.; Ivanov, D.; Jui, C. C. H.; Kadota, K.; Kakimoto, F.; Kalashev, O.; Kasahara, K.; Kawai, H.; Kawakami, S.; Kawana, S.; Kawata, K.; Kido, E.; Kim, H. B.; Kim, J. H.; Kim, J. H.; Kitamura, S.; Kitamura, Y.; Kuzmin, V.; Kwon, Y. J.; Lan, J.; Lim, S. I.; Lundquist, J. P.; Machida, K.; Martens, K.; Matsuda, T.; Matsuyama, T.; Matthews, J. N.; Minamino, M.; Mukai, K.; Myers, I.; Nagasawa, K.; Nagataki, S.; Nakamura, T.; Nonaka, T.; Nozato, A.; Ogio, S.; Ogura, J.; Ohnishi, M.; Ohoka, H.; Oki, K.; Okuda, T.; Ono, M.; Oshima, A.; Ozawa, S.; Park, I. H.; Pshirkov, M. S.; Rodriguez, D. C.; Rubtsov, G.; Ryu, D.; Sagawa, H.; Sakurai, N.; Sampson, A. L.; Scott, L. M.; Shah, P. D.; Shibata, F.; Shibata, T.; Shimodaira, H.; Shin, B. K.; Smith, J. D.; Sokolsky, P.; Springer, R. W.; Stokes, B. T.; Stratton, S. R.; Stroman, T. A.; Suzawa, T.; Takamura, M.; Takeda, M.; Takeishi, R.; Taketa, A.; Takita, M.; Tameda, Y.; Tanaka, H.; Tanaka, K.; Tanaka, M.; Thomas, S. B.; Thomson, G. B.; Tinyakov, P.; Tkachev, I.; Tokuno, H.; Tomida, T.; Troitsky, S.; Tsunesada, Y.; Tsutsumi, K.; Uchihori, Y.; Udo, S.; Urban, F.; Vasiloff, G.; Wong, T.; Yamane, R.; Yamaoka, H.; Yamazaki, K.; Yang, J.; Yashiro, K.; Yoneda, Y.; Yoshida, S.; Yoshii, H.; Zollinger, R.; Zundel, Z.

2015-05-01

We report on the search for steady point-like sources of neutral particles around 1018 eV between 2008 and 2013 May with the scintillator SD of the Telescope Array experiment. We found overall no significant point-like excess above 0.5 EeV in the northern sky. Subsequently, we also searched for coincidence with the Fermi bright Galactic sources. No significant coincidence was found within the statistical uncertainty. Hence, we set an upper limit on the neutron flux that corresponds to an averaged flux of 0.07 km-2 yr-1 for E\\gt 1 EeV in the northern sky at the 95% confidence level. This is the most stringent flux upper limit in a northern sky survey assuming point-like sources. The upper limit at the 95% confidence level on the neutron flux from Cygnus X-3 is also set to 0.2 km-2 yr-1 for E\\gt 0.5 EeV. This is an order of magnitude lower than previous flux measurements.

Comment on "Universal relation between skewness and kurtosis in complex dynamics"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Celikoglu, Ahmet; Tirnakli, Ugur

2015-12-01

In a recent paper [M. Cristelli, A. Zaccaria, and L. Pietronero, Phys. Rev. E 85, 066108 (2012), 10.1103/PhysRevE.85.066108], the authors analyzed the relation between skewness and kurtosis for complex dynamical systems, and they identified two power-law regimes of non-Gaussianity, one of which scales with an exponent of 2 and the other with 4 /3 . They concluded that the observed relation is a universal fact in complex dynamical systems. In this Comment, we test the proposed universal relation between skewness and kurtosis with a large number of synthetic data, and we show that in fact it is not a universal relation and originates only due to the small number of data points in the datasets considered. The proposed relation is tested using a family of non-Gaussian distribution known as q -Gaussians. We show that this relation disappears for sufficiently large datasets provided that the fourth moment of the distribution is finite. We find that kurtosis saturates to a single value, which is of course different from the Gaussian case (K =3 ), as the number of data is increased, and this indicates that the kurtosis will converge to a finite single value if all moments of the distribution up to fourth are finite. The converged kurtosis value for the finite fourth-moment distributions and the number of data points needed to reach this value depend on the deviation of the original distribution from the Gaussian case.

Resistant Hypertension: Time to Consider the Best Fifth Anti-Hypertensive Treatment.

PubMed

Pio-Abreu, Andrea; Drager, Luciano F

2018-06-16

Resistant hypertension (RH) is a growing clinical condition worldwide associated with target-organ damage and poor prognosis compared to non-resistant counterparts. The purpose of this review is to perform a critical evaluation of preferable drug choices for managing RH highlighting the evidence that significant proportion of patients remained uncontrolled despite using four anti-hypertensive drugs. Until recently, the fourth drug therapy was main derived from personal opinion or small interventional studies. The recent data derived from two multicentric randomized trials, namely PATHWAY-2 and ReHOT, pointed spironolactone as the preferable fourth drug therapy in patients with confirmed RH as compared to bisoprolol and doxazosin (PATHWAY-2) as well as clonidine (ReHOT). However, significant proportion of patients (especially observed in ReHOT trial that used 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring) did not achieve optimal blood pressure with the fourth drug. This finding underscores the need of new approaches and treatment options in this important research area. The current evidence pointed that significant proportion of RH patients are requiring more than four drugs for controlling BP. This statement is particularly true considering the new criteria proposed by the 2017 Guidelines for diagnosing RH (> 130 × 80 mmHg). New combinations, drugs, or treatments should be tested aiming to reduce the RH burden. Based on the aforementioned multicentric trials, we proposed the first five preferable anti-hypertensive classes in the overall context of RH.

Toxic Shock Syndrome Toxin-1-Mediated Toxicity Inhibited by Neutralizing Antibodies Late in the Course of Continual in Vivo and in Vitro Exposure

PubMed Central

Stich, Norbert; Model, Nina; Samstag, Aysen; Gruener, Corina S.; Wolf, Hermann M.; Eibl, Martha M.

2014-01-01

Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) results from the host’s overwhelming inflammatory response and cytokine storm mainly due to superantigens (SAgs). There is no effective specific therapy. Application of immunoglobulins has been shown to improve the outcome of the disease and to neutralize SAgs both in vivo and in vitro. However, in most experiments that have been performed, antiserum was either pre-incubated with SAg, or both were applied simultaneously. To mirror more closely the clinical situation, we applied a multiple dose (over five days) lethal challenge in a rabbit model. Treatment with toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 (TSST-1) neutralizing antibody was fully protective, even when administered late in the course of the challenge. Kinetic studies on the effect of superantigen toxins are scarce. We performed in vitro kinetic studies by neutralizing the toxin with antibodies at well-defined time points. T-cell activation was determined by assessing T-cell proliferation (3H-thymidine incorporation), determination of IL-2 release in the cell supernatant (ELISA), and IL-2 gene activation (real-time PCR (RT-PCR)). Here we show that T-cell activation occurs continuously. The application of TSST-1 neutralizing antiserum reduced IL-2 and TNFα release into the cell supernatant, even if added at later time points. Interference with the prolonged stimulation of proinflammatory cytokines is likely to be in vivo relevant, as postexposure treatment protected rabbits against the multiple dose lethal SAg challenge. Our results shed new light on the treatment of TSS by specific antibodies even at late stages of exposure. PMID:24887085

Toxic shock syndrome toxin-1-mediated toxicity inhibited by neutralizing antibodies late in the course of continual in vivo and in vitro exposure.

PubMed

Stich, Norbert; Model, Nina; Samstag, Aysen; Gruener, Corina S; Wolf, Hermann M; Eibl, Martha M

2014-05-30

Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) results from the host's overwhelming inflammatory response and cytokine storm mainly due to superantigens (SAgs). There is no effective specific therapy. Application of immunoglobulins has been shown to improve the outcome of the disease and to neutralize SAgs both in vivo and in vitro. However, in most experiments that have been performed, antiserum was either pre-incubated with SAg, or both were applied simultaneously. To mirror more closely the clinical situation, we applied a multiple dose (over five days) lethal challenge in a rabbit model. Treatment with toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 (TSST-1) neutralizing antibody was fully protective, even when administered late in the course of the challenge. Kinetic studies on the effect of superantigen toxins are scarce. We performed in vitro kinetic studies by neutralizing the toxin with antibodies at well-defined time points. T-cell activation was determined by assessing T-cell proliferation (3H-thymidine incorporation), determination of IL-2 release in the cell supernatant (ELISA), and IL-2 gene activation (real-time PCR (RT-PCR)). Here we show that T-cell activation occurs continuously. The application of TSST-1 neutralizing antiserum reduced IL-2 and TNFα release into the cell supernatant, even if added at later time points. Interference with the prolonged stimulation of proinflammatory cytokines is likely to be in vivo relevant, as postexposure treatment protected rabbits against the multiple dose lethal SAg challenge. Our results shed new light on the treatment of TSS by specific antibodies even at late stages of exposure.

Does Maximal External Tibial Component Rotation Influence Tibiofemoral Load Distribution in the Primary Knee Arthroplasty Setting: A Comparison of Neutral vs Maximal Anatomical External Rotatory States.

PubMed

Manning, William A; Ghosh, Kanishka M; Blain, Alasdair P; Longstaff, Lee M; Rushton, Steven P; Deehan, David J

2017-06-01

Tibial component rotation at time of knee arthroplasty can influence conformity, load transmission across the polyethylene surface, and perhaps ultimately determined survivorship. Optimal tibial component rotation on the cut surface is reliant on standard per operative manual stressing. This subjective assessment aims to balance constraint and stability of the articulation through a full arc of movement. Using a cadaveric model, computer navigation and under defined, previously validated loaded conditions mimicking the in vivo setting, the influence of maximal tibial component external rotation compared with the neutral state was examined for changes in laxity and tibiofemoral continuous load using 3D displacement measurement and an orthosensor continuous load sensor implanted within the polyethylene spacer in a simulated single radius total knee arthroplasty. No significant difference was found throughout arc of motion (0-115 degrees of flexion) for maximal varus and/or valgus or rotatory laxity between the 2 states. The neutral state achieved equivalence for mediolateral load distribution at each point of flexion. We have found that external rotation of the tibial component increased medial compartment load in comparison with the neutral position. Compared with the neutral state, external rotation consistently effected a marginal, but not significant reduction in lateral load under similar loading conditions. The effects were most pronounced in midflexion. On the basis of these findings, we would advocate for the midtibial tubercle point to determine tibial component rotation and caution against component external rotation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

High power continuous-wave titanium:sapphire laser

DOEpatents

Erbert, Gaylen V.; Bass, Isaac L.; Hackel, Richard P.; Jenkins, Sherman L.; Kanz, Vernon K.; Paisner, Jeffrey A.

1993-01-01

A high-power continuous-wave laser resonator (10) is provided, wherein first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth mirrors (11-16) form a double-Z optical cavity. A first Ti:Sapphire rod (17) is disposed between the second and third mirrors (12,13) and at the mid-point of the length of the optical cavity, and a second Ti:Sapphire rod (18) is disposed between the fourth and fifth mirrors (14,15) at a quarter-length point in the optical cavity. Each Ti:Sapphire rod (17,18) is pumped by two counter-propagating pump beams from a pair of argon-ion lasers (21-22, 23-24). For narrow band operation, a 3-plate birefringent filter (36) and an etalon (37) are disposed in the optical cavity so that the spectral output of the laser consists of 5 adjacent cavity modes. For increased power, seventy and eighth mirrors (101, 192) are disposed between the first and second mirrors (11, 12) to form a triple-Z optical cavity. A third Ti:Sapphire rod (103) is disposed between the seventh and eighth mirrors (101, 102) at the other quarter-length point in the optical cavity, and is pumped by two counter-propagating pump beams from a third pair of argon-ion lasers (104, 105).

Confirming Time-reversal Symmetry of a Directed Percolation Phase Transition in a Model of Neutral Evolutionary Dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ordway, Stephen; King, Dawn; Bahar, Sonya

Reaction-diffusion processes, such as branching-coalescing random walks, can be used to describe the underlying dynamics of nonequilibrium phase transitions. In an agent-based, neutral model of evolutionary dynamics, we have previously shown that our system undergoes a continuous, nonequilibrium phase transition, from extinction to survival, as various system parameters were tuned. This model was shown to belong to the directed percolation (DP) universality class, by measuring the critical exponents corresponding to correlation length ξ⊥, correlation time ξ| |, and particle density β. The fourth critical exponent that defines the DP universality class is β', which measures the survival probability of growth from a single seed organism. Since DP universality is theorized to have time-reversal symmetry, it is assumed that β = β '. In order to confirm the existence of time-reversal symmetry in our model, we evaluate the system growth from a single asexually reproducing organism. Importantly, the critical exponent β' could be useful for comparison to experimental studies of phase transitions in biological systems, since observing growth of microbial populations is significantly easier than observing death. This research was supported by funding from the James S. McDonnell Foundation.

Sustainable Bauxite Mining — A Global Perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wagner, Christian

In 2008 the International Aluminium Institute commissioned its fourth sustainable bauxite mining report with the aim to collect global data on the environmental, social and economic impacts of bauxite mining operations and their rehabilitation programmes. The report shows that bauxite mining has become sustainable and land area footprint neutral;it is a relatively small land use operation when compared to most other types of mining. All operations have clearly defined rehabilitation objectives, fully integrated rehabilitation programmes, and written rehabilitation procedures. The rehabilitation objectives can be summarized as follows: "The bauxite mining operations aim to restore pre-mining environment and the respective conditions; this can be a self-sustaining ecosystem consisting of native flora and fauna or any other land-use to the benefit of the local community".

Titration of individual strains in trivalent live-attenuated influenza vaccine without neutralization.

PubMed

Sirinonthanawech, Naraporn; Surichan, Somchaiya; Namsai, Aphinya; Puthavathana, Pilaipan; Auewarakul, Prasert; Kongchanagul, Alita

2016-11-01

Formulation and quality control of trivalent live-attenuated influenza vaccine requires titration of infectivity of individual strains in the trivalent mix. This is usually performed by selective neutralization of two of the three strains and titration of the un-neutralized strain in cell culture or embryonated eggs. This procedure requires standard sera with high neutralizing titer against each of the three strains. Obtaining standard sera, which can specifically neutralize only the corresponding strain of influenza viruses and is able to completely neutralize high concentration of virus in the vaccine samples, can be a problem for many vaccine manufacturers as vaccine stocks usually have very high viral titers and complete neutralization may not be obtained. Here an alternative approach for titration of individual strain in trivalent vaccine without the selective neutralization is presented. This was done by detecting individual strains with specific antibodies in an end-point titration of a trivalent vaccine in cell culture. Similar titers were observed in monovalent and trivalent vaccines for influenza A H3N2 and influenza B strains, whereas the influenza A H1N1 strain did not grow well in cell culture. Viral interference among the vaccine strains was not observed. Therefore, providing that vaccine strains grow well in cell culture, this assay can reliably determine the potency of individual strains in trivalent live-attenuated influenza vaccines. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Whole-lake neutralization experiments in Ontario: a review. [Salvelinus fontinalis; Etheostoma exile; Culaea inconstans; Microterus dolomieui

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

Scheider, W.A.; Brydges, T.G.

A review is presented which summarizes studies performed in Sudbury, Ontario area lakes during 1973-1979 and outlines an ongoing study which began in 1981. All lakes were neutralized with Ca(OH)/sub 2/ and CaCO/sub 3/ resulting in pH changes. Levels increased from 4.1 to 7.5 and remained high during the study. Following neutralization, waterborne levels of Cu were reduced by 48-95% from pretreatment values of 80-1100 ..mu..g/L/sup -1/ and Ni levels declined by 23-91% from pretreatment values of 250-1900 ..mu..gL/sup -1/. An immediate decline in phytoplankton standing stock followed neutralization but levels returned to pretreatment values within a few months. Phytoplanktonmore » community composition changed such that chrysophytes and diatoms replaced Cryptophyceae and Dinophyceae as dominants. Lakes were stocked with brook trout, Iowa darters, brook stickleback and smallmouth bass after neutralization. Extensive netting yielded no fish and mortality was attributed to Cu toxicity. Further lake neutralization experiments are being conducted to test the feasibility of whole-lake or site-specific neutralization to protect aquatic systems from further damage due to acidic precipitation, and to test the feasibility of using neutralization to rehabilitate an acidified, clear-water lake with low Cu and Ni levels to the point of establishing a self-sustaining lake trout population.« less

On a neutral particle with permanent magnetic dipole moment in a magnetic medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bakke, K.; Salvador, C.

2018-03-01

We investigate quantum effects that stem from the interaction of a permanent magnetic dipole moment of a neutral particle with an electric field in a magnetic medium. We consider a long non-conductor cylinder that possesses a uniform distribution of electric charges and a non-uniform magnetization. We discuss the possibility of achieving this non-uniform magnetization from the experimental point of view. Besides, due to this non-uniform magnetization, the permanent magnetic dipole moment of the neutral particle also interacts with a non-uniform magnetic field. This interaction gives rise to a linear scalar potential. Then, we show that bound states solutions to the Schrödinger-Pauli equation can be achieved.

Geomagnetically conjugate observation of plasma bubbles and thermospheric neutral winds at low latitudes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fukushima, D.; Shiokawa, K.; Otsuka, Y.; Nishioka, M.; Kubota, M.; Tsugawa, T.; Nagatsuma, T.; Komonjinda, S.; Yatini, C. Y.

2015-03-01

This is the first paper that reports simultaneous observations of zonal drift of plasma bubbles and the thermospheric neutral winds at geomagnetically conjugate points in both hemispheres. The plasma bubbles were observed in the 630 nm nighttime airglow images taken by using highly sensitive all-sky airglow imagers at Kototabang, Indonesia (geomagnetic latitude (MLAT): 10.0°S), and Chiang Mai, Thailand (MLAT: 8.9°N), which are nearly geomagnetically conjugate stations, for 7 h from 13 to 20 UT (from 20 to 03 LT) on 5 April 2011. The bubbles continuously propagated eastward with velocities of 100-125 m/s. The 630 nm images at Chiang Mai and those mapped to the conjugate point of Kototabang fit very well, which indicates that the observed plasma bubbles were geomagnetically connected. The eastward thermospheric neutral winds measured by two Fabry-Perot interferometers were 70-130 m/s at Kototabang and 50-90 m/s at Chiang Mai. We compared the observed plasma bubble drift velocity with the velocity calculated from the observed neutral winds and the model conductivity, to investigate the F region dynamo contribution to the bubble drift velocity. The estimated drift velocities were 60-90% of the observed velocities of the plasma bubbles, suggesting that most of the plasma bubble velocity can be explained by the F region dynamo effect.

Microforms in gravel bed rivers: Formation, disintegration, and effects on bedload transport

USGS Publications Warehouse

Strom, K.; Papanicolaou, A.N.; Evangelopoulos, N.; Odeh, M.

2004-01-01

This research aims to advance current knowledge on cluster formation and evolution by tackling some of the aspects associated with cluster microtopography and the effects of clusters on bedload transport. The specific objectives of the study are (1) to identify the bed shear stress range in which clusters form and disintegrate, (2) to quantitatively describe the spacing characteristics and orientation of clusters with respect to flow characteristics, (3) to quantify the effects clusters have on the mean bedload rate, and (4) to assess the effects of clusters on the pulsating nature of bedload. In order to meet the objectives of this study, two main experimental scenarios, namely, Test Series A and B (20 experiments overall) are considered in a laboratory flume under well-controlled conditions. Series A tests are performed to address objectives (1) and (2) while Series B is designed to meet objectives (3) and (4). Results show that cluster microforms develop in uniform sediment at 1.25 to 2 times the Shields parameter of an individual particle and start disintegrating at about 2.25 times the Shields parameter. It is found that during an unsteady flow event, effects of clusters on bedload transport rate can be classified in three different phases: a sink phase where clusters absorb incoming sediment, a neutral phase where clusters do not affect bedload, and a source phase where clusters release particles. Clusters also increase the magnitude of the fluctuations in bedload transport rate, showing that clusters amplify the unsteady nature of bedload transport. A fourth-order autoregressive, autoregressive integrated moving average model is employed to describe the time series of bedload and provide a predictive formula for predicting bedload at different periods. Finally, a change-point analysis enhanced with a binary segmentation procedure is performed to identify the abrupt changes in the bedload statistic characteristics due to the effects of clusters and detect the different phases in bedload time series using probability theory. The analysis verifies the experimental findings that three phases are detected in the bedload rate time series structure, namely, sink, neutral, and source. ?? ASCE / JUNE 2004.

A Vertically Resolved Planetary Boundary Layer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Helfand, H. M.

1984-01-01

Increase of the vertical resolution of the GLAS Fourth Order General Circulation Model (GCM) near the Earth's surface and installation of a new package of parameterization schemes for subgrid-scale physical processes were sought so that the GLAS Model GCM will predict the resolved vertical structure of the planetary boundary layer (PBL) for all grid points.

76 FR 23823 - Guidance for Industry on Fish and Fishery Products Hazards and Controls, Fourth Edition...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-28

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration [Docket No. FDA-2011-D-0287... AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA... analysis and critical control point (HACCP) methods. DATES: Submit either electronic or written comments on...

Figural Creativity, Intelligence, and Personality in Children: A Factor Analytic Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hetrick, Suzanne H.; And Others

To study the relationships among figural creativity, intelligence, and personality, 196 fourth, fifth, and sixth grade boys and girls were given a battery of 14 tests. Teacher ratings of creativity and independence, grade point averages, art grades, and IQ scores were also obtained. It was hypothesized that a unitary trait of…

Fender Benders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelken, Miranda

2009-01-01

This article presents a lesson that allows third and fourth graders to forge the steel bodies of automobiles through repousse, the art of applying pressure to metal with a wooden point. In this lesson, the students draw cars paired with a landscape, making the road trip an adventure in drawing. Both parts of the lesson challenge students'…

Three-Dimensional Laminar Separation.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-12-01

and are due to the power supply. ........................... 51 Fig. 26 The actual experimental points shown together with the smoothed profile on...Flow visualizations of the regions of interest are presented and compared with the calculated results. Streamwlse and cross flow velocity profiles ...the leeward side at the fourth .station . ............................................... 52 Fig. 27 The u-component velocity profile . Horizontal and

33 CFR 334.110 - Delaware Bay off Cape Henlopen, Del.; naval restricted area.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

..., Del.; naval restricted area. 334.110 Section 334.110 Navigation and Navigable Waters CORPS OF....110 Delaware Bay off Cape Henlopen, Del.; naval restricted area. (a) The area. Beginning at a point on... regulations in this section shall be enforced by the Commandant, Fourth Naval District, and such agencies as...

Inhibiting Natural Knowledge in Fourth Graders: Towards a Comprehensive Test Instrument

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Hoof, Jo; Janssen, Rianne; Verschaffel, Lieven; Van Dooren, Wim

2015-01-01

While understanding rational numbers forms an essential part of mathematical literacy, research has repeatedly shown that they form a stumbling block in education. A big source of difficulty is the inappropriate application of natural number knowledge. The research literature points at three main aspects where natural number knowledge is…

"The Capture:" Kidnapping Students' Interests Using the "Guardians of Ga'Hoole"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bradbury, Leslie; Frye, Beth; Gross, Lisa

2013-01-01

This project describes a fourth-grade unit that integrated science and language arts using the book "The Capture" as a focal point. During the unit, students engaged in science activities and language arts lessons that focused on owls. Students conducted investigations that helped them develop a deeper understanding of the adaptations of…

Manatees: An Educator's Guide. Fourth Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Save the Manatee Club, Maitland, FL.

The manatee is known for its gentleness and uniqueness and has become a symbol of human concern for endangered species. This guide provides current information on the West Indian manatee as well as strategies for teaching about this endangered animal. While focusing on the manatee, this guide points out the importance of interdependencies within…

HIV Neutralizing Antibodies Induced by Native-like Envelope Trimers

PubMed Central

Sanders, Rogier W.; van Gils, Marit J.; Derking, Ronald; Sok, Devin; Ketas, Thomas J.; Burger, Judith A.; Ozorowski, Gabriel; Cupo, Albert; Simonich, Cassandra; Goo, Leslie; Arendt, Heather; Kim, Helen J.; Lee, Jeong Hyun; Pugach, Pavel; Williams, Melissa; Debnath, Gargi; Moldt, Brian; van Breemen, Mariëlle J.; Isik, Gözde; Medina-Ramírez, Max; Back, Jaap Willem; Koff, Wayne; Julien, Jean-Philippe; Rakasz, Eva G.; Seaman, Michael S.; Guttman, Miklos; Lee, Kelly K.; Klasse, Per Johan; LaBranche, Celia; Schief, William R.; Wilson, Ian A.; Overbaugh, Julie; Burton, Dennis R.; Ward, Andrew B.; Montefiori, David C.; Dean, Hansi; Moore, John P.

2015-01-01

A challenge for HIV-1 immunogen design is inducing neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) against neutralization-resistant (Tier-2) viruses that dominate human transmissions. We show that a soluble recombinant HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein trimer that adopts a native conformation (BG505 SOSIP.664) induced NAbs potently against the sequence-matched Tier-2 virus in rabbits and similar but weaker responses in macaques. The trimer also consistently induced cross-reactive NAbs against more sensitive (Tier-1) viruses. Tier-2 NAbs recognized conformational epitopes that differed between animals and in some cases overlapped with those recognized by broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs), whereas Tier-1 responses targeted linear V3 epitopes. A second trimer, B41 SOSIP.664, also induced a strong autologous Tier-2 NAb response in rabbits. Thus, native-like trimers represent a promising starting point for developing HIV-1 vaccines aimed at inducing bNAbs. PMID:26089353

Two-dimensional Dirac fermions in thin films of C d3A s2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galletti, Luca; Schumann, Timo; Shoron, Omor F.; Goyal, Manik; Kealhofer, David A.; Kim, Honggyu; Stemmer, Susanne

2018-03-01

Two-dimensional states in confined thin films of the three-dimensional Dirac semimetal C d3A s2 are probed by transport and capacitance measurements under applied magnetic and electric fields. The results establish the two-dimensional Dirac electronic spectrum of these states. We observe signatures of p -type conduction in the two-dimensional states as the Fermi level is tuned across their charge neutrality point and the presence of a zero-energy Landau level, all of which indicate topologically nontrivial states. The resistance at the charge neutrality point is approximately h /e2 and increases rapidly under the application of a magnetic field. The results open many possibilities for gate-tunable topological devices and for the exploration of novel physics in the zero-energy Landau level.

Analysis of b quark pair production signal from neutral 2HDM Higgs bosons at future linear colliders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hashemi, Majid; MahdaviKhorrami, Mostafa

2018-06-01

In this paper, the b quark pair production events are analyzed as a source of neutral Higgs bosons of the two Higgs doublet model type I at linear colliders. The production mechanism is e+e- → Z^{(*)} → HA → b{\\bar{b}}b{\\bar{b}} assuming a fully hadronic final state. The analysis aim is to identify both CP-even and CP-odd Higgs bosons in different benchmark points accommodating moderate boson masses. Due to pair production of Higgs bosons, the analysis is most suitable for a linear collider operating at √{s} = 1 TeV. Results show that in selected benchmark points, signal peaks are observable in the b-jet pair invariant mass distributions at integrated luminosity of 500 fb^{-1}.

Disruptive Technologies in Workmanship: pH-neutral Flux, CDM ESD Events, HDI PCBs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Plante, Jeannette F.

2010-01-01

This slide presentation describes what it calls "disruptive technologies", i.e., "Low-end disruption" occurs when the rate at which products improve exceeds the rate at which customers can adopt the new performance. Therefore, at some point the performance of the product overshoots the needs of certain customer segments. At this point, a disruptive technology may enter the market and provide a product which has lower performance than the incumbent but which exceeds the requirements of certain segments, thereby gaining a foothold in the market. This concept is viewed in impacting incumbent technologies Rosin Flux, with a pH-neutral water soluble Flux; electrostatic discharge models being disrupted by the charge device model (CDM) concept; and High Density Interconnect Printed Circuit Boards (HDI PCB).

Quality and extent of locum tenens coverage in pediatric surgical practices.

PubMed

Nolan, Tracy L; Kandel, Jessica J; Nakayama, Don K

2015-04-01

The prevalence and quality of locum tenens coverage in pediatric surgery have not been determined. An Internet-based survey of American Pediatric Surgical Association members was conducted: 1) practice description; 2) use and frequency of locum tenens coverage; 4) whether the surgeon provided such coverage; and 5) Likert scale responses (strongly disagree, disagree, neutral, agree, strongly agree) to statements addressing its acceptability and quality (two × five contingency table and χ(2) analyses, significance at P < 0.05). Three hundred sixteen of 1163 members (27.2% response rate) responded. One-fourth (24.1%) used a locum tenens regularly. Reasons were long-term inability to recruit a full-time surgeon (35.2%) and short-term vacancies (32.4%). One-fifth (20.4%) did locum tenens work; one-fourth (27.0%) plan to do so in the future. Two-thirds (64.2%) believe that surgical care in a locum tenens situation does not provide the same level of care as a full-time community-based surgeon. Most support locum tenens for short-term coverage (87.3%) and recruitment problems (72.1%), but not long-term vacancies (38.8%; P < 0.001) or permanent coverage (27.0%; P < 0.001). locum tenens coverage is an established feature of pediatric surgery. Most view it as a stopgap solution to the surgical workforce shortage.

Fourth Wes Fabb Oration Diversity of primary care in Asia Pacific: pathways to convergence

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Asia Pacific is one of the 6 regions of the World Organization of Family Doctors (Wonca). It is a region with 16 full and 2 associate members coming from 14 countries. One of the main activities in the region is the regional conference highlighted by the Wes Fabb Oration. This Fourth Wes Fabb Oration has a historical perspective and three main parts: the results of a cross sectional survey done among member organizations and three countries not affiliated yet with Wonca which show Family Medicine as to status, practice, education and research; the regional initiatives and activities which indicate convergence; and, suggested action points which can further promote family medicine development, collaboration, and convergence. PMID:20346130

Do STEM fields need a makeover?: The effect of role model femininity on men and women's interest in STEM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howard, Carolynn

Women continue to be underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. This lack of women is problematic because it diminishes perspective, input, and expertise that women could provide. Consequently, this thesis examined the benefits of exposure to peer role models for increasing women's interest in STEM, which may ultimately lead more women to enter STEM fields. The role model research to date has amassed considerable evidence showing that role model exposure is beneficial; yet, questions still remain about what makes these role models effective. Accordingly, this thesis investigated whether feminine female role models increase women's interest in STEM and improve their perceptions of female STEM role models relative to "neutral" female role models. Across three experiments men and women were exposed to role models and their interest in STEM was measured. All experiments exposed participants to one of three articles about a peer role model (a female role model who embodies femininity (e.g. wears makeup), a female role model who has gender neutral qualities/behaviors [e.g., works hard], or a male role model who embodies neutral traits) and Experiments 2 and 3 had a fourth control condition in which participants read about the history of SDSU (a control condition). In the first two experiments interest in physics was measured using an adapted version of the STEM Career Interest Survey (CIS). Experiment 3 used an adapted version of the STEM CIS scale, but measured overall interest in STEM by including subscales for each of the four STEM areas with a composite score serving as the primary dependent variable. Experiments 1 and 2 demonstrated that women's interest in physics was no different than men's after exposure to a feminine female role model compared to a neutral female and neutral male role model. Furthermore, women's interest in physics was greater in the feminine condition compared to all other conditions for the first two experiments, thus demonstrating that a competent feminine role model may be useful in piquing women's interest in physics. Experiment 3, however, did not display this pattern for women's interest in STEM overall.

A comparison of radiographic anatomic axis knee alignment measurements and cross-sectional associations with knee osteoarthritis.

PubMed

Goulston, L M; Sanchez-Santos, M T; D'Angelo, S; Leyland, K M; Hart, D J; Spector, T D; Cooper, C; Dennison, E M; Hunter, D; Arden, N K

2016-04-01

Malalignment is associated with knee osteoarthritis (KOA), however, the optimal anatomic axis (AA) knee alignment measurement on a standard limb radiograph (SLR) is unknown. This study compares one-point (1P) and two-point (2P) AA methods using three knee joint centre locations and examines cross-sectional associations with symptomatic radiographic knee osteoarthritis (SRKOA), radiographic knee osteoarthritis (RKOA) and knee pain. AA alignment was measured six different ways using the KneeMorf software on 1058 SLRs from 584 women in the Chingford Study. Cross-sectional associations with principal outcome SRKOA combined with greatest reproducibility determined the optimal 1P and 2P AA method. Appropriate varus/neutral/valgus alignment categories were established using logistic regression with generalised estimating equation models fitted with restricted cubic spline function. The tibial plateau centre displayed greatest reproducibility and associations with SRKOA. As mean 1P and 2P values differed by >2°, new alignment categories were generated for 1P: varus <178°, neutral 178-182°, valgus >182° and for 2P methods: varus <180°, neutral 180-185°, valgus >185°. Varus vs neutral alignment was associated with a near 2-fold increase in SRKOA and RKOA, and valgus vs neutral for RKOA using 2P method. Nonsignificant associations were seen for 1P method for SRKOA, RKOA and knee pain. AA alignment was associated with SRKOA and the tibial plateau centre had the strongest association. Differences in AA alignment when 1P vs 2P methods were compared indicated bespoke alignment categories were necessary. Further replication and validation with mechanical axis alignment comparison is required. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A comparison of radiographic anatomic axis knee alignment measurements and cross-sectional associations with knee osteoarthritis

PubMed Central

Goulston, L.M.; Sanchez-Santos, M.T.; D'Angelo, S.; Leyland, K.M.; Hart, D.J.; Spector, T.D.; Cooper, C.; Dennison, E.M.; Hunter, D.; Arden, N.K.

2016-01-01

Summary Objective Malalignment is associated with knee osteoarthritis (KOA), however, the optimal anatomic axis (AA) knee alignment measurement on a standard limb radiograph (SLR) is unknown. This study compares one-point (1P) and two-point (2P) AA methods using three knee joint centre locations and examines cross-sectional associations with symptomatic radiographic knee osteoarthritis (SRKOA), radiographic knee osteoarthritis (RKOA) and knee pain. Methods AA alignment was measured six different ways using the KneeMorf software on 1058 SLRs from 584 women in the Chingford Study. Cross-sectional associations with principal outcome SRKOA combined with greatest reproducibility determined the optimal 1P and 2P AA method. Appropriate varus/neutral/valgus alignment categories were established using logistic regression with generalised estimating equation models fitted with restricted cubic spline function. Results The tibial plateau centre displayed greatest reproducibility and associations with SRKOA. As mean 1P and 2P values differed by >2°, new alignment categories were generated for 1P: varus <178°, neutral 178–182°, valgus >182° and for 2P methods: varus <180°, neutral 180–185°, valgus >185°. Varus vs neutral alignment was associated with a near 2-fold increase in SRKOA and RKOA, and valgus vs neutral for RKOA using 2P method. Nonsignificant associations were seen for 1P method for SRKOA, RKOA and knee pain. Conclusions AA alignment was associated with SRKOA and the tibial plateau centre had the strongest association. Differences in AA alignment when 1P vs 2P methods were compared indicated bespoke alignment categories were necessary. Further replication and validation with mechanical axis alignment comparison is required. PMID:26700504

Exploring attentional biases towards facial expressions of pain in men and women.

PubMed

Keogh, E; Cheng, F; Wang, S

2018-05-14

Interpersonal factors may help explain why men and women differ in their perception and expression of pain. Whilst the focus is often on the person in pain, how observers respond to those in pain is important. This study explored whether male-female differences exist in the way observers attend to expressions of pain in others. Fifty-three adults (26 females) completed a visual dot-probe task, to measure selective attentional biases to facial expressions of pain and fear. Expression pairs (e.g. pain/neutral) were displayed by either the same male or female actor, and in two different viewing duration conditions: 150 and 1250 ms. Dot-probes appeared in either a congruent or incongruent location to the target expression. No evidence was found for sex-related attentional biases towards pain or fear. However, when examining congruency and incongruency indexes separately, differences emerged. The congruency index analysis indicated that in the 150-ms presentation condition, both men and women were slower during congruent female pain/neutral trials when compared to neutral/neutral trials, and relatively faster at responding during congruent male pain/neutral trials. There is utility in exploring the attentional processes involved in the decoding of pain-related expressions to understand the influence of sex and gender differences in pain. Although male-female differences were found, this was most clearly related to the actor. Our results point to an early attentional mechanism that orients attention away from female expressions of pain. Future consideration of sex- and gender-related contextual factors in attentional processing is warranted. Sex-related factors seem to affect how observers view the pain of others. Our results point to an early attentional mechanism that orients the attention of observers away from female expressions of pain. © 2018 European Pain Federation - EFIC®.

40 CFR 417.36 - Pretreatment standards for new sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS SOAP AND DETERGENT MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Soap Manufacturing by Fatty Acid Neutralization Subcategory § 417.36 Pretreatment standards for new sources. Any new source subject...

Fusion proteins of HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein gp120 with CD4-induced antibodies showed enhanced binding to CD4 and CD4 binding site antibodies

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

Chen, Weizao, E-mail: chenw3@mail.nih.gov; Feng, Yang; Wang, Yanping

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Some recombinant HIV-1 gp120s do not preserve their conformations on gp140s. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We hypothesize that CD4i antibodies could induce conformational changes in gp120. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer CD4i antibodies enhance binding of CD4 and CD4bs antibodies to gp120. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer CD4i antibody-gp120 fusion proteins could have potential as vaccine immunogens. -- Abstract: Development of successful AIDS vaccine immunogens continues to be a major challenge. One of the mechanisms by which HIV-1 evades antibody-mediated neutralizing responses is the remarkable conformational flexibility of its envelope glycoprotein (Env) gp120. Some recombinant gp120s do not preserve their conformations on gp140s and functional viral spikes, and exhibitmore » decreased recognition by CD4 and neutralizing antibodies. CD4 binding induces conformational changes in gp120 leading to exposure of the coreceptor-binding site (CoRbs). In this study, we test our hypothesis that CD4-induced (CD4i) antibodies, which target the CoRbs, could also induce conformational changes in gp120 leading to better exposed conserved neutralizing antibody epitopes including the CD4-binding site (CD4bs). We found that a mixture of CD4i antibodies with gp120 only weakly enhanced CD4 binding. However, such interactions in single-chain fusion proteins resulted in gp120 conformations which bound to CD4 and CD4bs antibodies better than the original or mutagenically stabilized gp120s. Moreover, the two molecules in the fusion proteins synergized with each other in neutralizing HIV-1. Therefore, fusion proteins of gp120 with CD4i antibodies could have potential as components of HIV-1 vaccines and inhibitors of HIV-1 entry, and could be used as reagents to explore the conformational flexibility of gp120 and mechanisms of entry and immune evasion.« less

Numerical analysis of effects of ion-neutral collision processes on RF ICP discharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nishida, K.; Mattei, S.; Lettry, J.; Hatayama, A.

2018-01-01

The discharge process of a radiofrequency (RF) inductively coupled plasma (ICP) has been modeled by an ElectroMagnetic Particle-in-Cell Monte Carlo Collision method (EM PIC-MCC). Although the simulation had been performed by our previous model to investigate the discharge mode transition of the RF ICP from a kinetic point of view, the model neglected the collision processes of ions (H+ and H2+) with neutral particles. In this study, the RF ICP discharge process has been investigated by the latest version of the model which takes the ion-neutral collision processes into account. The basic characteristics of the discharge mode transition provided by the previous model have been verified by the comparison between the previous and present results. As for the H-mode discharge regime, on the other hand, the ion-neutral collisions play an important role in evaluating the growth of the plasma. Also, the effect of the ion-neutral collisions on the kinetic feature of the plasma has been investigated, which has highlighted the importance of kinetic perspective for modeling the RF ICP discharge.

Lightning Channels of Cloud-to-Ground Flashes Neutralizing Multiple Charge Regions Inside Winter Thunderclouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akita, Manabu; Yoshida, Satoru; Nakamura, Yoshitaka; Morimoto, Takeshi; Ushio, Tomoo; Kawasaki, Zen-Ichiro; Wang, Daohong

Lightning Research Group of Osaka University (LRG-OU) has been developing and improving the VHF broadband digital interferometer (DITF) for thunderstorm observations. It enables us to locate the impulsive VHF radiation sources caused by lightning discharges with extremely high resolutions. As a result of the VHF observations during the 2007-2008 winter season in the Japan Sea coastal area, cloud-to-ground (CG) flashes that neutralize multiple charge regions inside thunderclouds are visualized by the VHF broadband DITF. The first flash is the positive CG flash that neutralizes multiple positive charge regions in a flash. The second flash is the bipolar lightning flash that neutralizes both positive and negative charge inside thunderclouds. In the case of bipolar lightning flashes, some tens millisecond after the return strokes, the subsequent negative breakdowns initiate from the proximities of the initiation points of the preceding negative stepped leaders. It was also found that the altitudes of negative charge regions are lower than 2km. The bipolar lightning flashes observed in this campaign neutralize positive charge after lowering the negative charge to the ground.

DNA vaccine-derived human IgG produced in transchromosomal bovines protect in lethal models of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.

PubMed

Hooper, Jay W; Brocato, Rebecca L; Kwilas, Steven A; Hammerbeck, Christopher D; Josleyn, Matthew D; Royals, Michael; Ballantyne, John; Wu, Hua; Jiao, Jin-an; Matsushita, Hiroaki; Sullivan, Eddie J

2014-11-26

Polyclonal immunoglobulin-based medical products have been used successfully to treat diseases caused by viruses for more than a century. We demonstrate the use of DNA vaccine technology and transchromosomal bovines (TcBs) to produce fully human polyclonal immunoglobulins (IgG) with potent antiviral neutralizing activity. Specifically, two hantavirus DNA vaccines [Andes virus (ANDV) DNA vaccine and Sin Nombre virus (SNV) DNA vaccine] were used to produce a candidate immunoglobulin product for the prevention and treatment of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). A needle-free jet injection device was used to vaccinate TcB, and high-titer neutralizing antibodies (titers >1000) against both viruses were produced within 1 month. Plasma collected at day 10 after the fourth vaccination was used to produce purified α-HPS TcB human IgG. Treatment with 20,000 neutralizing antibody units (NAU)/kg starting 5 days after challenge with ANDV protected seven of eight animals, whereas zero of eight animals treated with the same dose of normal TcB human IgG survived. Likewise, treatment with 20,000 NAU/kg starting 5 days after challenge with SNV protected immunocompromised hamsters from lethal HPS, protecting five of eight animals. Our findings that the α-HPS TcB human IgG is capable of protecting in animal models of lethal HPS when administered after exposure provides proof of concept that this approach can be used to develop candidate next-generation polyclonal immunoglobulin-based medical products without the need for human donors, despeciation protocols, or inactivated/attenuated vaccine antigen. Copyright © 2014, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Safety and immunogenicity of a live recombinant canarypox virus expressing HIV type 1 gp120 MN MN tm/gag/protease LAI (ALVAC-HIV, vCP205) followed by a p24E-V3 MN synthetic peptide (CLTB-36) administered in healthy volunteers at low risk for HIV infection. AGIS Group and L'Agence Nationale de Recherches sur Le Sida.

PubMed

Salmon-Céron, D; Excler, J L; Finkielsztejn, L; Autran, B; Gluckman, J C; Sicard, D; Matthews, T J; Meignier, B; Valentin, C; El Habib, R; Blondeau, C; Raux, M; Moog, C; Tartaglia, J; Chong, P; Klein, M; Milcamps, B; Heshmati, F; Plotkin, S

1999-05-01

A live recombinant canarypox vector expressing HIV-1 gpl20 MN tm/gag/protease LAI (ALVAC-HIV, vCP205) alone or boosted by a p24E-V3 MN synthetic peptide (CLTB-36) was tested in healthy volunteers at low risk for HIV infection for their safety and immunogenicity. Both antigens were well tolerated. ALVAC-HIV (vCP205) induced low levels of neutralizing antibodies against HIV-1 MN in 33% of the volunteers. None of them had detectable neutralizing antibodies against a nonsyncytium-inducing HIV-1 clade B primary isolate (Bx08). After the fourth injection of vCP205, CTL activity was detected in 33% of the volunteers and was directed against Env, Gag, and Pol. This activity was mediated by both CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes. On the other hand, the CLTB-36 peptide was poorly immunogenic and induced no neutralizing antibodies or CTLs. Although the ALVAC-HIV (vCP205) and CLTB-36 prime-boost regimen was not optimal, further studies with ALVAC-HIV (vCP205) are warranted because of its clear induction of a cellular immune response and utility as a priming agent for other subunit antigens such as envelope glycoproteins, pseudoparticles, or new peptides.

Dissociative symptoms and dissociative disorder comorbidity in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

PubMed

Belli, Hasan; Ural, Cenk; Vardar, Melek Kanarya; Yesılyurt, Sema; Oncu, Fatıh

2012-10-01

The present study attempted to assess the dissociative symptoms and overall dissociative disorder comorbidity in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). In addition, we examined the relationship between the severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms and dissociative symptoms. All patients admitted for the first time to the psychiatric outpatient unit were included in the study. Seventy-eight patients had been diagnosed as having OCD during the 2-year study period. Patients had to meet the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition criteria for OCD. Most (76.9%; n = 60) of the patients were female, and 23.1% (n = 18) of the patients were male. Dissociation Questionnaire was used to measure dissociative symptoms. The Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition Dissociative Disorders interviews and Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Checklist and Severity Scale were used. Eleven (14%) of the patients with OCD had comorbid dissociative disorder. The most prevalent disorder in our study was dissociative depersonalization disorder. Dissociative amnesia and dissociative identity disorder were common as well. The mean Yale-Brown score was 23.37 ± 7.27 points. Dissociation Questionnaire scores were between 0.40 and 3.87 points, and the mean was 2.23 ± 0.76 points. There was a statistically significant positive correlation between Yale-Brown points and Dissociation Questionnaire points. We conclude that dissociative symptoms among patients with OCD should alert clinicians for the presence of a chronic and complex dissociative disorder. Clinicians may overlook an underlying dissociative process in patients who have severe symptoms of OCD. However, a lack of adequate response to cognitive-behavioral and drug therapy may be a consequence of dissociative process. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cooling rate and starvation affect supercooling point and cold tolerance of the Khapra beetle, Trogoderma granarium Everts fourth instar larvae (Coleoptera: Dermestidae).

PubMed

Mohammadzadeh, M; Izadi, H

2018-01-01

Trogoderma granarium Everts (Coleoptera: Dermestidae) is an important insect pest of stored products. In this study, the survival strategies of T. granarium fourth instar larvae were investigated at different sub-zero temperatures following different cooling rates, acclimation to different relative humidity (RH) and different starvation times. Our results show that larvae of T. granarium are freeze-intolerant. There was a strong link between cooling rates and supercooling point, which means the slower the decrease in temperature, the lower the supercooling point. Trehalose content was greater in insects cooled at a rate of 0.5°C/min. According to results, the RH did not affect supercooling point. However, acclimation to an RH of 25% increased mortality following exposure to - 10°C/24h. The time necessary to reach 95% mortality was 1737h and 428h at - 5°C and - 10°C. The lowest lipid and trehalose content was detected in insects acclimated to 25% RH, although, the different RH treatments did not significantly affect glycogen content of T. granarium larvae. The supercooling point of larvae was gradually increased following starvation. By contrast, fed larvae had the greatest lipid, glycogen, and trehalose content, and insects starved for eight days had the lowest energy contents. There was a sharp decline in the survival of larvae between - 11 and - 18°C after 1h exposure. Our results indicate the effects of cooling rate and starvation on energy reserves and survival of T. granarium. We conclude that T. granarium may not survive under similar stress conditions of the stored products. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chapter A6. Section 6.6. Alkalinity and Acid Neutralizing Capacity

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rounds, Stewart A.; Wilde, Franceska D.

2002-01-01

Alkalinity (determined on a filtered sample) and Acid Neutralizing Capacity (ANC) (determined on a whole-water sample) are measures of the ability of a water sample to neutralize strong acid. Alkalinity and ANC provide information on the suitability of water for uses such as irrigation, determining the efficiency of wastewater processes, determining the presence of contamination by anthropogenic wastes, and maintaining ecosystem health. In addition, alkalinity is used to gain insights on the chemical evolution of an aqueous system. This section of the National Field Manual (NFM) describes the USGS field protocols for alkalinity/ANC determination using either the inflection-point or Gran function plot methods, including calculation of carbonate species, and provides guidance on equipment selection.

A Novel Strategy for landslide displacement and its direction monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Z.-W.; Yuan, Q.-Y.; Liu, D.-Y.; Liu, B.; Liu, J.-C.; Luo, H.

2013-12-01

Landslide monitoring is important in predicting the behavior of landslides, thereby ensuring environmental, life, and property safety. On the basis of our previous studies, we conducted the double shear test by using a third-generation optical fiber transducer that uses expandable polystyrene (EPS) as base material. However, the third-generation transducer has poor performance when cohesive force is present between the grout and capillary stainless steel pipe of the transducer. Thus, the fourth-generation optical fiber transducer was invented. Similar to the third-generation transducer, the fourth-generation transducer also used EPS as its base material. Single shear test was conducted on the fourth-generation transducer after being grouted with cement mortar (1:1 mix ratio). The micro-bend loss mechanism of the optical fiber was considered, and the optical time domain reflectometry instrument was used. The fact that the loss sequence of optical fibers subjected to loading is different at various locations is found. The relationship of the loading-point displacement VS. optical fiber sliding distance and optical loss were measured. Results show that the maximum initial measurement precision of the newly proposed device is 1mm, the corresponding sliding distance is 21 mm, and the dynamic range is 0-20 mm. The fourth-generation transducer can measure the movement direction of loadings, thus making this transducer applicable for landslide monitoring.

New improvement of the combined optical fiber transducer for landslide monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Z.-W.; Yuan, Q.-Y.; Liu, D.-Y.; Liu, B.; Liu, J.-C.; Luo, H.

2014-08-01

Landslide monitoring is important in predicting the behavior of landslides, thereby ensuring environmental, life, and property safety. On the basis of our previous studies, we conducted the double shear test by using a third-generation optical fiber transducer that uses expandable polystyrene (EPS) as base material. However, the third-generation transducer has poor performance when cohesive force is present between the grout and capillary stainless steel pipe of the transducer. Thus, the fourth-generation optical fiber transducer was invented. Similar to the third-generation transducer, the fourth-generation transducer also used EPS as its base material. Single shear test was conducted on the fourth-generation transducer after being grouted with cement mortar (1 : 1 mix ratio). The micro-bend loss mechanism of the optical fiber was considered, and the optical time domain reflectometry instrument was used. The fact that the loss sequence of optical fibers subjected to loading is different at various locations is found. The relationship of the loading-point displacement vs. optical fiber sliding distance and optical loss were measured. Results show that the maximum initial measurement precision of the newly proposed device is 1 mm, the corresponding sliding distance is 21 mm, and the dynamic range is 0-20 mm. The fourth-generation transducer can measure the movement direction of loadings, thus making this transducer applicable for landslide monitoring.

Dogs' comprehension of referential emotional expressions: familiar people and familiar emotions are easier.

PubMed

Merola, I; Prato-Previde, E; Lazzaroni, M; Marshall-Pescini, S

2014-03-01

Dogs have been shown to discriminate between human facial expressions, and they seem to use human emotional communication to regulate their behaviour towards an external object/situation. However, it is still not clear (1) whether they just respond to the emotional message received with a corresponding increase/decrease in their level of activation or whether they perceive that the emotional message refers to a specific object, (2) which emotional message they use to modify their behaviour (i.e. whether they are following the positive message or avoiding the negative one) and (3) whether their familiarity with the informant has an effect on the dogs' behaviour. To address these issues, five groups of dogs were tested in two experiments. The first group observed the owner delivering two different emotional messages (happiness and fear) towards two identical objects hidden behind barriers, and the second group observed the owner delivering the same emotional messages but with no-objects present in the room. The third and the fourth groups observed the owner delivering a happy versus a neutral, and a negative versus a neutral emotional message towards the hidden objects. Finally, the fifth group observed a stranger acting like the owner of the first group. When the owner was acting as the informant, dogs seemed to be capable of distinguishing between a fearful and happy emotional expression and preferentially chose to investigate a box eliciting an expression of happiness rather than of fear or neutrality. Dogs, however, seemed to have greater difficulty in distinguishing between the fearful and neutral emotional messages delivered by the owner and between the happy and fearful expressions delivered by the stranger. Results suggest that dogs have learned to associate their owners' positive emotional messages to positive outcomes, and hence use their communicative messages to guide their actions. However, negative emotional messages and those delivered by strangers are not as clear to dogs.

Learning to Feel Well at Jamtli Museum: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hansen, Anna

2016-01-01

Approximately one-fourth of the population of Sweden will suffer from mental health problems at some point in their lives. This article shares a case study of collaboration between Jamtli Museum and a local hospital (K2) that aimed to provide adult learning opportunities for people with diverse mental health issues. Findings show some differences…

The fourth dimension in FIA

Treesearch

Francis A. Roesch

2012-01-01

In the past, the goal of forest inventory was to determine the extent of the timber resource. Predictions of how the resource was changing were made by comparing differences between successive inventories. The general view of the associated sample design included selection probabilities based on land area observed at a discrete point in time. That is, time was not...

49 CFR 179.200-9 - Compartment tanks.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... with at least one tapped drain hole at their lowest point, and a tapped hole at the top of the tank. The top hole must be closed, and the bottom hole may be closed, with not less than three-fourths inch... of tanks joined together to form a compartment tank shall be provided with a tapped drain hole at...

49 CFR 179.200-9 - Compartment tanks.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... with at least one tapped drain hole at their lowest point, and a tapped hole at the top of the tank. The top hole must be closed, and the bottom hole may be closed, with not less than three-fourths inch... of tanks joined together to form a compartment tank shall be provided with a tapped drain hole at...

(Re)Writing "Feminism in Canada": Wikipedia in the Feminist Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cattapan, Alana

2012-01-01

In the winter of 2012, the students in the author's fourth-year seminar, The Politics of the Canadian Women's Movement, undertook the project of editing, updating, and expanding a number of Wikipedia articles, including the page on "Feminism in Canada." Though it often serves as a first point of reference for research on Canadian…

Health Education: Cancer Prevention and Control. Curriculum Guides, Grades 4, 5, and 6.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York State Education Dept., Albany. Curriculum Development Center.

The purpose of this curriculum guide is to provide the teacher with essential cancer information and suggested learning experiences for fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-grade students. The suggested activities are intended as a beginning point from which the pupils can begin to acquire the intellectual skills needed for making appropriate health…

A Longitudinal Examination of the Persistence of Late Emerging Reading Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Etmanskie, Jill M.; Partanen, Marita; Siegel, Linda S.

2016-01-01

There are some children who encounter unexpected reading difficulties in the fourth grade. This phenomenon has been described as late emerging reading disabilities (LERD). Using Grade 4 as a starting point, this study examined the reading development of 964 children between kindergarten and Grade 7. The results showed that 72.0% of children had…

The Big Bad Wolf and Stereotype and Bias in the Media.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robinson, Julia

1998-01-01

Describes a librarian/teacher coplanned fourth-grade unit at Central Elementary School (Indianapolis, Indiana). The lesson focused on wolves and pack behavior and incorporated the tale of the Big Bad Wolf and the Three Little Pigs to teach the media literacy concepts of point of view, message, stereotype, and bias. Sample worksheets are included.…

Students as Change Partners: A Proposal for Educational Change in the Age of Globalization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhao, Yong

2011-01-01

This essay builds on the concept of students as partners in change proposed in "The Fourth Way: The Inspiring Future for Educational Change" by Andy Hargreaves and Dennis Shirley ("2009") and points out why the current movement toward curriculum standardization and homogenization is counterproductive in preparing students to become competent…

Predictors of College Attendance Patterns of Rural Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Byun, Soo-yong; Meece, Judith L.; Agger, Charlotte A.

2017-01-01

This study investigated patterns of college attendance using data from a nationwide and contemporary sample of 2112 rural youth. We found that more than half of rural youth attended two-year institutions at some point during their college career and about a fourth initially enrolled in a two-year college before enrolling in a four-year college.…

The Role of "Outside" Organizations in Foreign Language Teacher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Love, William D., Ed.

A short review of the various "revolutions" in methodology which foreign language instruction has undergone since its inception as an area of study leads into an appraisal of the role of government and private foundations in the education of teachers. The four-point program of the Washington Fourth Draft plan for teacher education and…

ASYMMETRIC MAGNETIC RECONNECTION IN WEAKLY IONIZED CHROMOSPHERIC PLASMAS

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

Murphy, Nicholas A.; Lukin, Vyacheslav S., E-mail: namurphy@cfa.harvard.edu

2015-06-01

Realistic models of magnetic reconnection in the solar chromosphere must take into account that the plasma is partially ionized and that plasma conditions within any two magnetic flux bundles undergoing reconnection may not be the same. Asymmetric reconnection in the chromosphere may occur when newly emerged flux interacts with pre-existing, overlying flux. We present 2.5D simulations of asymmetric reconnection in weakly ionized, reacting plasmas where the magnetic field strengths, ion and neutral densities, and temperatures are different in each upstream region. The plasma and neutral components are evolved separately to allow non-equilibrium ionization. As in previous simulations of chromospheric reconnection,more » the current sheet thins to the scale of the neutral–ion mean free path and the ion and neutral outflows are strongly coupled. However, the ion and neutral inflows are asymmetrically decoupled. In cases with magnetic asymmetry, a net flow of neutrals through the current sheet from the weak-field (high-density) upstream region into the strong-field upstream region results from a neutral pressure gradient. Consequently, neutrals dragged along with the outflow are more likely to originate from the weak-field region. The Hall effect leads to the development of a characteristic quadrupole magnetic field modified by asymmetry, but the X-point geometry expected during Hall reconnection does not occur. All simulations show the development of plasmoids after an initial laminar phase.« less

SiMa Cells for a Serotype Specific and Sensitive Cell-Based Neutralization Test for Botulinum Toxin A and E.

PubMed

Bak, Nicola; Rajagopal, Shalini; Stickings, Paul; Sesardic, Dorothea

2017-07-20

Botulinum toxins (BoNTs), of which there are seven serotypes, are among the most potent neurotoxins, with serotypes A, B and E causing human botulism. Antitoxins form the first line of treatment for botulism, and functional, highly sensitive in vitro methods for toxin neutralization are needed to replace the current in vivo methods used for determination of antitoxin potency. In this preliminary proof of concept study, we report the development of a neutralization test using the neuroblastoma SiMa cell line. The assay is serotype specific for either BoNT/A or BoNT/E, which both cleave unique sequences on SNAP-25 within SiMa cells. The end point is simple immunodetection of cleaved SNAP-25 from cell lysates with antibodies detecting only the newly exposed sequence on SNAP-25. Neutralizing antibodies prevent the toxin-induced cleavage of SNAP-25. The toxin neutralization assay, with an EC50 of ~2 mIU/mL determined with a standardized reference antiserum, is more sensitive than the mouse bioassays. Relevance was demonstrated with commercial and experimental antitoxins targeting different functional domains, and of known in vivo neutralizing activities. This is the first report describing a simple, specific, in vitro cell-based assay for the detection of neutralizing antibodies against BoNT/A and BoNT/E with a sensitivity exceeding that of the mouse bioassay.

SiMa Cells for a Serotype Specific and Sensitive Cell-Based Neutralization Test for Botulinum Toxin A and E

PubMed Central

Bak, Nicola; Rajagopal, Shalini; Stickings, Paul; Sesardic, Dorothea

2017-01-01

Botulinum toxins (BoNTs), of which there are seven serotypes, are among the most potent neurotoxins, with serotypes A, B and E causing human botulism. Antitoxins form the first line of treatment for botulism, and functional, highly sensitive in vitro methods for toxin neutralization are needed to replace the current in vivo methods used for determination of antitoxin potency. In this preliminary proof of concept study, we report the development of a neutralization test using the neuroblastoma SiMa cell line. The assay is serotype specific for either BoNT/A or BoNT/E, which both cleave unique sequences on SNAP-25 within SiMa cells. The end point is simple immunodetection of cleaved SNAP-25 from cell lysates with antibodies detecting only the newly exposed sequence on SNAP-25. Neutralizing antibodies prevent the toxin-induced cleavage of SNAP-25. The toxin neutralization assay, with an EC50 of ~2 mIU/mL determined with a standardized reference antiserum, is more sensitive than the mouse bioassays. Relevance was demonstrated with commercial and experimental antitoxins targeting different functional domains, and of known in vivo neutralizing activities. This is the first report describing a simple, specific, in vitro cell-based assay for the detection of neutralizing antibodies against BoNT/A and BoNT/E with a sensitivity exceeding that of the mouse bioassay. PMID:28726719

Energy dissipation in fragmented geomaterials associated with impacting oscillators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khudyakov, Maxim; Pasternak, Elena; Dyskin, Arcady

2016-04-01

In wave propagation through fragmented geomaterials forced by periodic loadings, the elements (fragments) strike against each other when passing through the neutral position (position with zero mutual rotation), quickly damping the oscillations. Essentially the impacts act as shock absorbers albeit localised at the neutral points. In order to analyse the vibrations of and wave propagation in such structures, a differential equation of a forced harmonic oscillator was investigated, where the each time the system passes through the neutral point the velocity gets reduced by multiplying it with the restitution coefficient which characterise the impact of the fragments. In forced vibrations the impact times depend on both the forced oscillations and the restitution coefficient and form an irregular sequence. Numerical solution of the differential equation was performed using Mathematica software. Along with vibration diagrams, the dependence of the energy dissipation on the ratio of the forcing frequency to the natural frequency was obtained. For small positive values of the restitution coefficient (less than 0.5), the asymmetric oscillations were found, and the phase of the forced vibrations determined the direction of the asymmetry. Also, at some values of the forcing frequencies and the restitution coefficient chaotic behaviour was found.

Adapting to blur produced by ocular high-order aberrations

PubMed Central

Sawides, Lucie; de Gracia, Pablo; Dorronsoro, Carlos; Webster, Michael; Marcos, Susana

2011-01-01

The perceived focus of an image can be strongly biased by prior adaptation to a blurred or sharpened image. We examined whether these adaptation effects can occur for the natural patterns of retinal image blur produced by high-order aberrations (HOAs) in the optics of the eye. Focus judgments were measured for 4 subjects to estimate in a forced choice procedure (sharp/blurred) their neutral point after adaptation to different levels of blur produced by scaled increases or decreases in their HOAs. The optical blur was simulated by convolution of the PSFs from the 4 different HOA patterns, with Zernike coefficients (excluding tilt, defocus, and astigmatism) multiplied by a factor between 0 (diffraction limited) and 2 (double amount of natural blur). Observers viewed the images through an Adaptive Optics system that corrected their aberrations and made settings under neutral adaptation to a gray field or after adapting to 5 different blur levels. All subjects adapted to changes in the level of blur imposed by HOA regardless of which observer’s HOA was used to generate the stimuli, with the perceived neutral point proportional to the amount of blur in the adapting image. PMID:21712375

Adapting to blur produced by ocular high-order aberrations.

PubMed

Sawides, Lucie; de Gracia, Pablo; Dorronsoro, Carlos; Webster, Michael; Marcos, Susana

2011-06-28

The perceived focus of an image can be strongly biased by prior adaptation to a blurred or sharpened image. We examined whether these adaptation effects can occur for the natural patterns of retinal image blur produced by high-order aberrations (HOAs) in the optics of the eye. Focus judgments were measured for 4 subjects to estimate in a forced choice procedure (sharp/blurred) their neutral point after adaptation to different levels of blur produced by scaled increases or decreases in their HOAs. The optical blur was simulated by convolution of the PSFs from the 4 different HOA patterns, with Zernike coefficients (excluding tilt, defocus, and astigmatism) multiplied by a factor between 0 (diffraction limited) and 2 (double amount of natural blur). Observers viewed the images through an Adaptive Optics system that corrected their aberrations and made settings under neutral adaptation to a gray field or after adapting to 5 different blur levels. All subjects adapted to changes in the level of blur imposed by HOA regardless of which observer's HOA was used to generate the stimuli, with the perceived neutral point proportional to the amount of blur in the adapting image.

40 CFR 417.32 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS SOAP AND DETERGENT MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Soap Manufacturing by Fatty Acid Neutralization Subcategory § 417.32 Effluent limitations...

40 CFR 417.32 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS SOAP AND DETERGENT MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Soap Manufacturing by Fatty Acid Neutralization Subcategory § 417.32 Effluent limitations...

40 CFR 417.32 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS SOAP AND DETERGENT MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Soap Manufacturing by Fatty Acid Neutralization Subcategory § 417.32 Effluent limitations...

40 CFR 417.32 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS SOAP AND DETERGENT MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Soap Manufacturing by Fatty Acid Neutralization Subcategory § 417.32 Effluent limitations...

40 CFR 417.32 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS SOAP AND DETERGENT MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Soap Manufacturing by Fatty Acid Neutralization Subcategory § 417.32 Effluent limitations...

Strong fields and neutral particle magnetic moment dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Formanek, Martin; Evans, Stefan; Rafelski, Johann; Steinmetz, Andrew; Yang, Cheng-Tao

2018-07-01

Interaction of magnetic moment of point particles with external electromagnetic fields experiences unresolved theoretical and experimental discrepancies. In this work we point out several issues within relativistic quantum mechanics and QED and we describe effects related to a new covariant classical model of magnetic moment dynamics. Using this framework we explore the invariant acceleration experienced by neutral particles coupled to an external plane wave field through the magnetic moment: we study the case of ultrarelativistic Dirac neutrinos with magnetic moment in the range of 10‑11 to 10‑20 μ B; and we address the case of slowly moving neutrons. We explore how critical accelerations for neutrinos can be experimentally achieved in laser pulse interactions. The radiation of accelerated neutrinos can serve as an important test distinguishing between Majorana and Dirac nature of neutrinos.

Influence of binding pH and protein solubility on the dynamic binding capacity in hydrophobic interaction chromatography.

PubMed

Baumann, Pascal; Baumgartner, Kai; Hubbuch, Jürgen

2015-05-29

Hydrophobic interaction chromatography (HIC) is one of the most frequently used purification methods in biopharmaceutical industry. A major drawback of HIC, however, is the rather low dynamic binding capacity (DBC) obtained when compared to e.g. ion exchange chromatography (IEX). The typical purification procedure for HIC includes binding at neutral pH, independently of the proteins nature and isoelectric point. Most approaches to process intensification are based on resin and salt screenings. In this paper a combination of protein solubility data and varying binding pH leads to a clear enhancement of dynamic binding capacity. This is shown for three proteins of acidic, neutral, and alkaline isoelectric points. High-throughput solubility screenings as well as miniaturized and parallelized breakthrough curves on Media Scout RoboColumns (Atoll, Germany) were conducted at pH 3-10 on a fully automated robotic workstation. The screening results show a correlation between the DBC and the operational pH, the protein's isoelectric point and the overall solubility. Also, an inverse relationship of DBC in HIC and the binding kinetics was observed. By changing the operational pH, the DBC could be increased up to 30% compared to the standard purification procedure performed at neutral pH. As structural changes of the protein are reported during HIC processes, the applied samples and the elution fractions were proven not to be irreversibly unfolded. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

What’s in a Face? How Face Gender and Current Affect Influence Perceived Emotion

PubMed Central

Harris, Daniel A.; Hayes-Skelton, Sarah A.; Ciaramitaro, Vivian M.

2016-01-01

Faces drive our social interactions. A vast literature suggests an interaction between gender and emotional face perception, with studies using different methodologies demonstrating that the gender of a face can affect how emotions are processed. However, how different is our perception of affective male and female faces? Furthermore, how does our current affective state when viewing faces influence our perceptual biases? We presented participants with a series of faces morphed along an emotional continuum from happy to angry. Participants judged each face morph as either happy or angry. We determined each participant’s unique emotional ‘neutral’ point, defined as the face morph judged to be perceived equally happy and angry, separately for male and female faces. We also assessed how current state affect influenced these perceptual neutral points. Our results indicate that, for both male and female participants, the emotional neutral point for male faces is perceptually biased to be happier than for female faces. This bias suggests that more happiness is required to perceive a male face as emotionally neutral, i.e., we are biased to perceive a male face as more negative. Interestingly, we also find that perceptual biases in perceiving female faces are correlated with current mood, such that positive state affect correlates with perceiving female faces as happier, while we find no significant correlation between negative state affect and the perception of facial emotion. Furthermore, we find reaction time biases, with slower responses for angry male faces compared to angry female faces. PMID:27733839

Exploration of a possible cause of magnetic reconfiguration/reconnection due to generation, rather than annihilation, of magnetic field in a nun-uniform thin current sheet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Y. C.; Lyu, L. H.

2014-12-01

Magnetic reconfiguration/reconnection plays an important role on energy and plasma transport in the space plasma. It is known that magnetic field lines on two sides of a tangential discontinuity can connect to each other only at a neutral point, where the strength of the magnetic field is equal to zero. Thus, the standard reconnection picture with magnetic field lines intersecting at the neutral point is not applicable to the component reconnection events observed at the magnetopause and in the solar corona. In our early study (Yu, Lyu, & Wu, 2011), we have shown that annihilation of magnetic field near a thin current sheet can lead to the formation of normal magnetic field component (normal to the current sheet) to break the frozen-in condition and to accelerate the reconnected plasma flux, even without the presence of a neutral point. In this study, we examine whether or not a generation, rather than annihilation, of magnetic field in a nun-uniform thin current sheet can also lead to reconnection of plasma flux. Our results indicate that a non-uniform enhancement of electric current can yield formation of field-aligned currents. The normal-component magnetic field generated by the field-aligned currents can yield reconnection of plasma flux just outside the current-enhancement region. The particle motion that can lead to non-uniform enhancement of electric currents will be discussed.

Fourth Generation Parity

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

Lee, Hye-Sung; Soni, Amarjit

2013-01-01

We present a very simple 4th-generation (4G) model with an Abelian gauge interaction under which only the 4G fermions have nonzero charge. The U(1) gauge symmetry can have a Z_2 residual discrete symmetry (4G-parity), which can stabilize the lightest 4G particle (L4P). When the 4G neutrino is the L4P, it would be a neutral and stable particle and the other 4G fermions would decay into the L4P leaving the trace of missing energy plus the standard model fermions. Because of the new symmetry, the 4G particle creation and decay modes are different from those of the sequential 4G model, andmore » the 4G particles can be appreciably lighter than typical experimental bounds.« less

The Continuing War Against IEDs. The WSTIAC 10: IED Defeat Stealthy Antennas. WSTIAC Quarterly, Volume 8, Number 2

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-01-01

Insect 0.001 -30 0.0001 -40 PLASMA ANTENNAS A new antenna made of plasma (a gas heated to the point that the electrons are ripped free of atoms and...criti- cal points about using our contract: • The scope must be weapon system related • The effort must involve some aspect of research and development...effects of IED detonation at the point of attack. These include route clearance, device neutralization, explosive detection, mili- tary explosive

Universal relations between non-Gaussian fluctuations in heavy-ion collisions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Jiunn-Wei; Deng, Jian; Kohyama, Hiroaki; Labun, Lance

2017-01-01

We show that universality near a critical end point implies a characteristic relation between third- and fourth-order baryon susceptibilities χ3 and χ4, resulting in a banana-shaped loop when χ4 is plotted as a function of χ3 along a freeze-out line. This result relies only on the derivative relation between χ3 and χ4, the enhancement of the correlation length and the scaling symmetry near a critical point, and the freeze-out line near the critical point not too parallel to the μB axis. Including the individual enhancements of χ3 and χ4 near a critical point, these features may be a consistent set of observations supporting the interpretation of baryon fluctuation data as arising from criticality.

The eXtra Small Analyzer for Neutrals (XSAN) instrument on-board of the Lunar-Glob lander

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wieser, Martin; Barabash, Stas

A large fraction of up to 20 precent of the solar wind impinging onto the lunar surface is reflected back to space as energetic neutral atoms. The SARA instrument on the Chandrayaan-1 mission provided a comprehensive coverage of the lunar surface of this interaction by mapping it from a 100 - 200 km orbit. The micro-physics of this reflection process is unexplored however. With the eXtra Small Analyzer for Neutrals instrument (XSAN) placed on the Lunar-Glob lander, we will directly investigate the production process of energetic neutral atoms from a vantage point of only meters from the surface for the first time. The XSAN design is based on the Solar Wind Monitor (SWIM) family of instruments originally flown on the Indian Chandrayaan-1 mission and with derivatives built e.g. for ESA's BepiColombo Mission to Mercury or for Phobos-Grunt. XSAN extends the functionality of this instrument family by adding a neutral atom to ion conversion surface in its entrance system. This will make it possible to measure detailed energy spectra and mass composition of the energetic neutral atoms originating from the lunar surface. We present an overview of the XSAN instrument and its science and report on latest developments.

Virial coefficients and demixing in the Asakura-Oosawa model.

PubMed

López de Haro, Mariano; Tejero, Carlos F; Santos, Andrés; Yuste, Santos B; Fiumara, Giacomo; Saija, Franz

2015-01-07

The problem of demixing in the Asakura-Oosawa colloid-polymer model is considered. The critical constants are computed using truncated virial expansions up to fifth order. While the exact analytical results for the second and third virial coefficients are known for any size ratio, analytical results for the fourth virial coefficient are provided here, and fifth virial coefficients are obtained numerically for particular size ratios using standard Monte Carlo techniques. We have computed the critical constants by successively considering the truncated virial series up to the second, third, fourth, and fifth virial coefficients. The results for the critical colloid and (reservoir) polymer packing fractions are compared with those that follow from available Monte Carlo simulations in the grand canonical ensemble. Limitations and perspectives of this approach are pointed out.

The biomechanics of human ribs: material and structural properties from dynamic tension and bending tests.

PubMed

Kemper, Andrew R; McNally, Craig; Pullins, Clayton A; Freeman, Laura J; Duma, Stefan M; Rouhana, Stephen M

2007-10-01

The purpose of this study was to quantify both the tensile material properties and structural response of human ribs in order to determine which variables contribute to regional variation in the strength of human ribs. This was done by performing 94 matched tests on human rib specimens; 46 tension coupon tests, 48 three-point bending tests. Contralateral matched specimens were dissected from anterior and lateral regions of ribs 4 through 7 of six male fresh frozen post mortem human subjects ranging from 42 to 81 years of age. Tension coupons were taken from one side of the thorax, while three-point bending specimens were taken from the opposite side as the tension coupons at corresponding anatomical locations. The results of the tension coupon testing showed that there were no significant differences with respect to region or rib level: ultimate stress (p=0.90; p=0.53), ultimate strain (p=0.49; p=0.86), or modulus (p=0.72; p=0.81). In contrast, lateral three-point bending specimens were found to have a significantly higher peak bending moment (p<0.01), peak strain (p=0.03), modulus (p=0.05), and stiffness (p<0.01) than anterior specimens. The lateral three-point bending specimens also had a significantly larger area moment of inertia (p<0.01), larger distance to the neutral axis (p<0.01), smaller ratio of distance to the neutral axis to area moment of inertia (p<0.01), larger cortical bone area (p<0.01), and larger radius of gyration (p<0.01) than the anterior specimens. In addition, the peak moment (Ant p=0.20; Lat p=0.02), peak strain (Ant p=0.05; Lat p=0.15), and stiffness (Ant p<0.01; Lat p<0.01) were found to vary significantly with respect to rib level. Similar to anatomical region, the changes in the structural response with respect to rib level were also accompanied by significant changes in geometry. For anterior specimens, distance to the neutral axis (p<0.01), ratio of the distance to the neutral axis to area moment of inertia (p=0.02) and radius of gyration (p=0.04) were found to be significantly different with respect to rib level. For lateral specimens, the area moment of inertia (p<0.01), distance to the neutral axis (p<0.01), ratio of the distance to the neutral axis to area moment of inertia (p<0.01), the cortical bone area (p=0.01), and radius of gyration (p=0.03) were found to be significantly different with respect to rib level. These results clearly illustrate that there is variation in the structural response of human ribs with respect to anatomical region and rib level and this variation is due to changes in local geometry of each rib while the material properties remain constant.

Lunar Neutral Exposphere Properties from Pickup Ion Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hartle, R. E.; Sarantos, M.; Killen, R.; Sittler, E. C. Jr.; Halekas, J.; Yokota, S.; Saito, Y.

2009-01-01

Composition and structure of neutral constituents in the lunar exosphere can be determined through measurements of phase space distributions of pickup ions borne from the exosphere [1]. An essential point made in an early study [ 1 ] and inferred by recent pickup ion measurements [2, 3] is that much lower neutral exosphere densities can be derived from ion mass spectrometer measurements of pickup ions than can be determined by conventional neutral mass spectrometers or remote sensing instruments. One approach for deriving properties of neutral exospheric source gasses is to first compare observed ion spectra with pickup ion model phase space distributions. Neutral exosphere properties are then inferred by adjusting exosphere model parameters to obtain the best fit between the resulting model pickup ion distributions and the observed ion spectra. Adopting this path, we obtain ion distributions from a new general pickup ion model, an extension of a simpler analytic description obtained from the Vlasov equation with an ion source [4]. In turn, the ion source is formed from a three-dimensional exospheric density distribution, which can range from the classical Chamberlain type distribution to one with variable exobase temperatures and nonthermal constituents as well as those empirically derived. The initial stage of this approach uses the Moon's known neutral He and Na exospheres to deriv e He+ and Na+ pickup ion exospheres, including their phase space distributions, densities and fluxes. The neutral exospheres used are those based on existing models and remote sensing studies. As mentioned, future ion measurements can be used to constrain the pickup ion model and subsequently improve the neutral exosphere descriptions. The pickup ion model is also used to estimate the exosphere sources of recently observed pickup ions on KAGUYA [3]. Future missions carrying ion spectrometers (e.g., ARTEMIS) will be able to study the lunar neutral exosphere with great sensitivity, yielding the necessary ion velocity spectra needed to further analysis of parent neutral exosphere properties.

"Diffusion" region of magnetic reconnection: electron orbits and the phase space mixing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kropotkin, Alexey P.

2018-05-01

The nonlinear dynamics of electrons in the vicinity of magnetic field neutral lines during magnetic reconnection, deep inside the diffusion region where the electron motion is nonadiabatic, has been numerically analyzed. Test particle orbits are examined in that vicinity, for a prescribed planar two-dimensional magnetic field configuration and with a prescribed uniform electric field in the neutral line direction. On electron orbits, a strong particle acceleration occurs due to the reconnection electric field. Local instability of orbits in the neighborhood of the neutral line is pointed out. It combines with finiteness of orbits due to particle trapping by the magnetic field, and this should lead to the effect of mixing in the phase space, and the appearance of dynamical chaos. The latter may presumably be viewed as a mechanism producing finite conductivity in collisionless plasma near the neutral line. That conductivity is necessary to provide violation of the magnetic field frozen-in condition, i.e., for magnetic reconnection to occur in that region.

Using the Mixed Rasch Model to analyze data from the beliefs and attitudes about memory survey.

PubMed

Smith, Everett V; Ying, Yuping; Brown, Scott W

2012-01-01

In this study, we used the Mixed Rasch Model (MRM) to analyze data from the Beliefs and Attitudes About Memory Survey (BAMS; Brown, Garry, Silver, and Loftus, 1997). We used the original 5-point BAMS data to investigate the functioning of the "Neutral" category via threshold analysis under a 2-class MRM solution. The "Neutral" category was identified as not eliciting the model expected responses and observations in the "Neutral" category were subsequently treated as missing data. For the BAMS data without the "Neutral" category, exploratory MRM analyses specifying up to 5 latent classes were conducted to evaluate data-model fit using the consistent Akaike information criterion (CAIC). For each of three BAMS subscales, a two latent class solution was identified as fitting the mixed Rasch rating scale model the best. Results regarding threshold analysis, person parameters, and item fit based on the final models are presented and discussed as well as the implications of this study.

Search for the magnetic neutral line in the near-earth plasma sheet 3. An extensive study of magnetic field observations at the lunar distance

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

Lui, A.T.Y.; Meng, C.; Akasofu, S.

1977-09-01

In this paper we have extended our search for the magnetic neutral line in the magnetotail to the lunar distance on the basis of the Explorer 35 magnetic field observations from July 1967 to December 1970. The sign of the B/sub z/ component is found to be predominantly positive during satellite crossings of the midplane (or the so-called neutral sheet) during the substorm expansive phase. Thus combining the present and the earlier results, we conclude that there is no supporting evidence for the formation of a neutral line within the lunar distance during the expansive phase of most substorms. Wemore » also discuss in detail a rare event during the geomagnetic storm of February 2-4, 1969 (Dstapprox.-180 ..gamma..). The magnetic field was observed to be pointing nearly 90/sup 0/ southward with a magnitude of 20-32 ..gamma.. for an extended period.« less

Neutral Na in comets tails: a chemical story

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ellinger, Y.; Pauzat, F.; Mousis, O.; Guilbert-Lepoutre, A.; Leblanc, F.; Ali-Dib, M.; Doronin, M.; Zicler, E.; Doressoundiram, A.

2015-10-01

The origin of the neutral sodium comet tail discovered in comet Hale-Bopp in 1997 is still a matter of discussion. Here we propose a scenario which is based on chemical grounds. The starting point is the chemical trapping of the Na+ ion in the refractory material during the condensation phase of the protosolar nebula, followed by its incorporation in the building blocks of the comets parent bodies. In the next step, the Na+ ions are washed out of the refractory material by the water formed by the melting of the ice due to the heat released in the radioactive decay of short period elements. When the water freezes again, the Na+ ion looses its positive charge to evolve progressively toward a neutral atom when approaching the surface of the ice. As shown by high-level numerical simulations based on first principle periodic density functional theory (DFT) to describe the solid structure of the ice, it is a neutral Na that is ejected with the sublimation of the ice top layer.

Existence, uniqueness, and stability of stochastic neutral functional differential equations of Sobolev-type

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

Yang, Xuetao; Zhu, Quanxin, E-mail: zqx22@126.com

2015-12-15

In this paper, we are mainly concerned with a class of stochastic neutral functional differential equations of Sobolev-type with Poisson jumps. Under two different sets of conditions, we establish the existence of the mild solution by applying the Leray-Schauder alternative theory and the Sadakovskii’s fixed point theorem, respectively. Furthermore, we use the Bihari’s inequality to prove the Osgood type uniqueness. Also, the mean square exponential stability is investigated by applying the Gronwall inequality. Finally, two examples are given to illustrate the theory results.

Evolutionary constraints and the neutral theory. [mutation-caused nucleotide substitutions in DNA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jukes, T. H.; Kimura, M.

1984-01-01

The neutral theory of molecular evolution postulates that nucleotide substitutions inherently take place in DNA as a result of point mutations followed by random genetic drift. In the absence of selective constraints, the substitution rate reaches the maximum value set by the mutation rate. The rate in globin pseudogenes is about 5 x 10 to the -9th substitutions per site per year in mammals. Rates slower than this indicate the presence of constraints imposed by negative (natural) selection, which rejects and discards deleterious mutations.

A viscometric approach of pH effect on hydrodynamic properties of human serum albumin in the normal form.

PubMed

Monkos, Karol

2013-03-01

The paper presents the results of viscosity determinations on aqueous solutions of human serum albumin (HSA) at isoelectric point over a wide range of concentrations and at temperatures ranging from 5°C to 45°C. On the basis of a modified Arrhenius equation and Mooney's formula some hydrodynamic parameters were obtained. They are compared with those previously obtained for HSA in solutions at neutral pH. The activation energy and entropy of viscous flow and the intrinsic viscosity reach a maximum value, and the effective specific volume, the self-crowding factor and the Huggins coefficient a minimum value in solutions at isoelectric point. Using the dimensionless parameter [η]c, the existence of three ranges of concentrations: diluted, semi-diluted and concentrated, was shown. By applying Lefebvre's relation for the relative viscosity in the semi-dilute regime, the Mark-Houvink-Kuhn-Sakurada (MHKS) exponent was established. The analysis of the results obtained from the three ranges of concentrations showed that both conformation and stiffness of HSA molecules in solutions at isoelectric point and at neutral pH are the same.

Design and Comparison of Cascaded H-Bridge, Modular Multilevel Converter, and 5-L Active Neutral Point Clamped Topologies for Motor Drive Applications

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

Marzoughi, Alinaghi; Burgos, Rolando; Boroyevich, Dushan

This paper presents the design procedure and comparison of converters currently used in medium-voltage high-power motor drive applications. For this purpose, the cascaded H-bridge (CHB), modular multilevel converter (MMC), and five-level active neutral point clamped (5-L ANPC) topologies are targeted. The design is performed using 1.7-kV insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) for CHB and MMC converters, and utilizing 3.3- and 4.5-kV IGBTs for 5-L ANPC topology as normally done in industry. The comparison is done between the designed converter topologies at three different voltage levels (4.16, 6.9, and 13.8 kV, with only the first two voltage levels in case ofmore » the 5-L ANPC) and two different power levels (3 and 5 MVA), in order to elucidate the dependence of different parameters on voltage and power rating. Finally, the comparison is done from several points of view such as efficiency, capacitive energy storage, semiconductor utilization, parts count (for measure of reliability), and power density.« less

Multicritical points in the mixed ferromagnetic-ferrimagnetic ternary alloy with a single-ion anisotropy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bobák, A.; Abubrig, F. O.; Balcerzak, T.

2003-12-01

The phase diagram of the ABpC1-p ternary alloy consisting of Ising spins SA=3/2, SB=1, and SC=5/2 in the presence of a single-ion anisotropy is investigated by the use of a mean-field theory based on the Bogoliubov inequality for the Gibbs free energy. To simulate the structure of the ternary metal Prussian blue analog such as (NiIIpMnII1-p)1.5[CrIII(CN)6]ṡzH2O, we assume that the A and X (either B or C) ions are alternately connected and the couplings between the A and X ions include both ferromagnetic (JAB>0) and antiferromagnetic (JAC<0) interactions. At the finite temperatures by changing values of the parameters of the model many different types of phase diagrams are obtained, including a variety of multicritical points such as tricritical points, fourth-order point, critical end points, isolated critical points, and triple points.

A View from Japan. Citizenship for the 21st Century: The Role of the Social Studies. Fourth in a Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nakayama, Shuichi

1989-01-01

Points out problems in planning a social studies curriculum that will prepare Japanese society for the 21st Century. Claiming that the current curricula is ethnocentric, looks at objectives and teaching strategies for developing a global approach. Recommends development of a global information network to increase awareness of the interrelatedness…

Moving Forward with Research-Enhanced Teaching: Perceptions of Undergraduate Students and Academic Staff

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wuetherick, Brad

2009-01-01

This paper is presented in four different components: the first is how educators might conceptualise the integration of research, teaching and learning. The second and third points relate to student and staff perceptions of how they integrate research, teaching and learning, and the fourth is the influence of practice and policy on how they move…

Teaching the Classics in the Middle Grades: Connecting with the Roots of Western Civilization.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wood, Robin H.

1998-01-01

At a New Jersey school, students spend one year studying each of three time periods: ancient Egypt in fourth grade; Greece in fifth grade; and Rome and the Middle Ages in sixth grade. The history curriculum becomes the focal point for other areas (art, music, drama, language arts, science, geography, and math). Teachers use primary sources and…

Lessons for PreK-3rd from Montgomery County Public Schools. An FCD Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marietta, Geoff

2010-01-01

Reading achievement in the United States has stagnated. In 2009, only 33 percent of Fourth Graders were proficient or above in reading--a mere two percentage points higher than in 1998. At the same time, double-digit achievement gaps between African American and Latino/Hispanic students and their white counterparts have changed little in nearly…

Global Nihilism and Local Meanings? Dreyfus on Kierkegaard and Heidegger Today

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McPherson, Ian

2002-01-01

In this article, the author concentrates on the fourth chapter of Hubert Dreyfus' (2001) "On the Internet." This is entitled "Nihilism on the Information Highway: Anonymity vs. Commitment in the Present Age". The chapter focuses on Kierkegaard's (1846/2001) review of "The Present Age". From this vantage point it may be possible to look back at the…

Plant diversity and invasives in blue oak savannas of the southern Sierra Nevada

Treesearch

Jon E. Keeley

2002-01-01

Blue oak savannas were found to be substantially more diverse at all scales from localized point diversity to the community scale, than higher elevation shrubland and coniferous forests in the southern Sierra Nevada. Also, alien plants were more diverse and represented a substantial fraction of the understory flora in these blue oak savannas, comprising three-fourths...

A Test of Leading Explanations for the College Racial-Ethnic Achievement Gap: Evidence from a Longitudinal Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Nathan D.; Spenner, Kenneth I; Mustillo, Sarah A.

2017-01-01

In this study, we examined racial/ethnic differences in grade point average (GPA) among students at a highly selective, private university who were surveyed before matriculation and during the first, second and fourth college years, and assessed prominent explanations for the Black-White and Latino-White college achievement gap. We found that…

Motivation: The Road to Successful Learning (La motivación: el camino para un aprendizaje exitoso)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Espinar Redondo, Rocío; Ortega Martín, José Luis

2015-01-01

This research has the aim of highlighting the importance of motivation in the process of learning English as a foreign language. For that purpose, some factors that affect motivation are described, using as a starting point the answers obtained from a questionnaire given to students in their fourth year of compulsory secondary education. The main…

The Role of Domain-General Cognitive Abilities and Decimal Labels in At-Risk Fourth-Grade Students' Decimal Magnitude Understanding

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malone, Amelia Schneider; Loehr, Abbey M.; Fuchs, Lynn S.

2017-01-01

The purpose of the study was to determine whether individual differences in at-risk 4th graders' language comprehension, nonverbal reasoning, concept formation, working memory, and use of decimal labels (i.e., place value, point, incorrect place value, incorrect fraction, or whole number) are related to their decimal magnitude understanding.…

Morphology and diagnosis of the fourth-stage larva of Coronocyclus labratus (Looss, 1900) (Nematoda: Strongyloidea) parasitising equids.

PubMed

Kharchenko, Vitaliy A; Kuzmina, Tetiana A

2010-09-01

The fourth larval stage (L4) of Coronocyclus labratus (Looss, 1900) Hartwich, 1986, one of the common species of the Cyathostominae found in equids, is identified and described. The larvae found were identified as C. labratus by finding moulting forms possessing characters of both larval and adult stages. The larvae are similar to those of Cylicocyclus leptostomum (Kotlán, 1920) Foster, 1936, Cyathostomum catinatum Looss, 1900 and Cylicostephanus goldi (Boulenger, 1917) Lichtenfels, 1975. The buccal capsule (BC) wall of the L4 of Cylicocyclus leptostomum is thinner than that of Coronocyclus labratus, and the ring of the oesophageal funnel is comparatively less well developed. In C. labratus the dorsal tooth protrudes only slightly into the buccal cavity, and this larva possesses a characteristically elongate, pyriform oesophagus. In Cyathostomum catinatum, the BC walls are thicker than in Coronocyclus labratus, and the dorsal tooth is more bluntly pointed. Sublateral teeth, if present, are bluntly pointed in the former species, but usually absent or indistinct in C. labratus. Larvae of Cylicostephanus goldi differ from those of Coronocyclus labratus in the larger size of the BC.

Implementation of PLUTO Buoy for Monitoring Water Quality in Indonesia, Reflection and Future Plans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chandra, H.; Krismono, K.; Kusumaningrum, P. D.; Sianturi, D.; Firdaus, Y.; Taukhid, I.; Borneo, B. B.

2016-02-01

Research and development of PLUTO (Perairan Selalu Termonitor/Waters Always Monitored) buoy has reached its fourth year in 2015. Try out has been done in coastal waters, fishponds, fishing port ponds, and reservoirs. In the first year (2010) try out has been performed on coastal waters with off line measurement system. The buoy used temperature, salinity, DO and pH sensors. In the second year (2013) try out was carried out on fishponds and fishing port ponds using telemetry measurement system. In the third year (2014) try out was carried out on water reservoir with telemetry measurement system. In the fourth year (2015) android application is developed to monitor 4 water reservoirs and 1 lake. Beside that, observation point is added to 3 point depth for one buoy. Parameters used are temperature, DO, and turbidity. Three PLUTO buoys are placed in each reservoir, at inlet, outlet, and at center of fish cultivation. Through Ocean Science Meeting in New Orleans it is hoped that there will be input and suggestion from the experts for future development of the monitoring system for public inland waters (especially reservoir and lake) in Indonesia. Keywords: buoy PLUTO, salinity, temperature, Dissolved Oxygen (DO), pH, turbidity, telemetry

Is Dental Students' Clinical Productivity Associated with Their Personality Profile?

PubMed

Rodriguez, Kristan D; Bartoloni, Joseph A; Hendricson, William D

2017-12-01

The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between personality preferences of incoming fourth-year dental students at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio as measured by the Keirsey Temperament Sorter II and their third-year clinical productivity and percentage of broken appointments. All 105 incoming fourth-year dental students in 2016 were invited to participate in the study, and 92 students completed the temperament questionnaire, for a response rate of 87.5%. Those students' clinical activity during their third year was measured by production points and percentage of broken appointments extracted from the electronic health record. The results showed that the majority of the respondents were extroverts rather than introverts and that the extroverts had significantly higher production points and significantly fewer broken appointments than the introverts. The most common personality preferences were sensing and judging. More than two-thirds of the respondents represented the Guardian temperament, one of four categories on the temperament measure. These findings help highlight the traits that may contribute to success in clinical training during dental school and support the notion that clinical success may be influenced by certain personality characteristics as well as the technical and specialized skills of dentistry.

Bonding in tris(. eta. sup 5 -cyclopentadienyl) actinide complexes. 3. Interaction of. pi. -neutral,. pi. -acidic, and. pi. -basic ligands with (. eta. sup 5 -C sub 5 H sub 5 ) sub 3 U sup 1

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

Bursten, B.E.; Rhodes, L.F.; Strittmater

1989-04-12

A qualitative treatment of the bonding in Cp{sub 3}M (Cp = {eta}{sup 5}-C{sub 5}H{sub 5}) compounds under C{sub 3{upsilon}} symmetry reveals that the Cp{sub 3}{sup 3{minus}} ligand field contains a high-lying a{sub 2} orbital which is restricted by symmetry to interact only with metals that contain f orbitals. Quantitative investigation of the electronic structure of 5f{sup 3} Cp{sub 3}U via X{alpha}-SW molecular orbital calculations with quasi-relativistic corrections reveals that the Cp ligands donate electron density primarily into the U 6d orbitals while the three principally metal-based valence electrons are housed in the 5f orbitals. Electronic structure calculations of Cl{sub 3}Umore » show that although Cl can be considered isolobal with Cp, it is a poorer donor ligand. Calculations of Cp{sub 3}U bonded to a fourth ligand L (L = H, CO, NO, OH) indicate that the {sigma}-bonding framework is essentially the same for {pi}-neutral (H), {pi}-acidic (CO, NO), or {pi}-basic (OH) ligands: Electron density is donated from the {sigma} orbital of the fourth ligand into a uranium orbital that is primarily 6d{sub z{sup 2}} in character with minor contributions from the 5f{sub z{sup 3}} orbital, the 7p{sub z} orbital, and the 7s orbital. In the {pi}-bonding framework, the U 5f orbitals are responsible for back-donation into the {pi}* orbitals of CO an NO, while acceptance of electron density from the {pi} orbitals of OH involves the U 6d orbitals and, to a lesser extent, the U 5f orbitals. The bonding scheme of Cp{sub 3}UNO suggests that this molecule may prove to be a rather unusual example of a linear NO{sup {minus}} ligand.« less

NEUTRALIZATIONS OF HIGH ALUMINUM LOW URANIUM USED NUCLEAR FUEL SOLUTIONS CONTAINING GADOLINIUM AS A NEUTRON POISON

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

Taylor-Pashow, K.

2011-06-08

H-Canyon will begin dissolving High Aluminum - Low Uranium (High Al/Low U) Used Nuclear Fuel (UNF) following approval by DOE which is anticipated in CY2011. High Al/Low U is an aluminum/enriched uranium UNF with small quantities of uranium relative to aluminum. The maximum enrichment level expected is 93% {sup 235}U. The High Al/Low U UNF will be dissolved in H-Canyon in a nitric acid/mercury/gadolinium solution. The resulting solution will be neutralized and transferred to Tank 39H in the Tank Farm. To confirm that the solution generated could be poisoned with Gd, neutralized, and discarded to the Savannah River Site (SRS)more » high level waste (HLW) system without undue nuclear safety concerns the caustic precipitation of simulant solutions was examined. Experiments were performed with three simulant solutions representative of the H-Canyon estimated concentrations in the final solutions after dissolution. The maximum U, Gd, and Al concentration were selected for testing from the range of solution compositions provided. Simulants were prepared in three different nitric acid concentrations, ranging from 0.5 to 1.5 M. The simulant solutions were neutralized to four different endpoints: (1) just before a solid phase was formed (pH 3.5-4), (2) the point where a solid phase was obtained, (3) 0.8 M free hydroxide, and (4) 1.2 M free hydroxide, using 50 wt % sodium hydroxide (NaOH). The settling behavior of the neutralized solutions was found to be slower compared to previous studies, with settling continuing over a one week period. Due to the high concentration of Al in these solutions, precipitation of solids was observed immediately upon addition of NaOH. Precipitation continued as additional NaOH was added, reaching a point where the mixture becomes almost completely solid due to the large amount of precipitate. As additional NaOH was added, some of the precipitate began to redissolve, and the solutions neutralized to the final two endpoints mixed easily and had expected densities of typical neutralized waste. Based on particle size and scanning electron microscopy analyses, the neutralized solids were found to be homogeneous and less than 20 microns in size. The majority of solids were less than 4 microns in size. Compared to previous studies, a larger percentage of the Gd was found to precipitate in the partially neutralized solutions (at pH 3.5-4). In addition the Gd:U mass ratio was found to be at least 1.0 in all of the solids obtained after partial or full neutralization. The hydrogen to U (H:U) molar ratios for two accident scenarios were also determined. The first was for transient neutralization and agitator failure. Experimentally this scenario was determined by measuring the H:U ratio of the settled solids. The minimum H:U molar ratio for solids from fully neutralized solutions was 388:1. The second accident scenario is for the solids drying out in an unagitiated pump box. Experimentally, this scenario was determined by measuring the H:U molar ratio in centrifuged solids. The minimum H:U atom ratios for centrifuged precipitated solids was 250:1. It was determined previously that a 30:1 H:Pu atom ratio was sufficient for a 1:1 Gd:Pu mass ratio. Assuming a 1:1 equivalence with {sup 239}Pu, the results of these experiments show Gd is a viable poison for neutralizing U/Gd solutions with the tested compositions.« less

Caffeine Improves Left Hemisphere Processing of Positive Words

PubMed Central

Kuchinke, Lars; Lux, Vanessa

2012-01-01

A positivity advantage is known in emotional word recognition in that positive words are consistently processed faster and with fewer errors compared to emotionally neutral words. A similar advantage is not evident for negative words. Results of divided visual field studies, where stimuli are presented in either the left or right visual field and are initially processed by the contra-lateral brain hemisphere, point to a specificity of the language-dominant left hemisphere. The present study examined this effect by showing that the intake of caffeine further enhanced the recognition performance of positive, but not negative or neutral stimuli compared to a placebo control group. Because this effect was only present in the right visual field/left hemisphere condition, and based on the close link between caffeine intake and dopaminergic transmission, this result points to a dopaminergic explanation of the positivity advantage in emotional word recognition. PMID:23144893

Measurement of ion thruster exhaust characteristics and interaction with simulated ATS-F spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Worlock, R.; Trump, G.; Sellen, J. M., Jr.; Kemp, R. F.

1973-01-01

The ATS-F ion engine was mounted on a simulated spacecraft and was operated in a 22 by 35 foot vacuum chamber, using the same neutralizer control point as in earlier small chamber tests. The control point was in the middle of a range of 16 steps and, thus, the range should be adequate for transition to space flight. Measurement of the near- and far-field ions showed that the ion beam was well defined in a cone of 18-degrees half-angle. The material deposition experiment indicated that the ATS-F solar array would accumulate less than 0.2 A of aluminum per thousand hours of thruster operation, so that the corresponding power loss could be considered negligible. An interesting result was that the coupling between the beam and spacecraft was strong enough to require relatively large increases in the beam potential as the neutralizer bias was increased.

Hydrodynamic-to-ballistic crossover in Dirac materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Svintsov, D.

2018-03-01

We develop an analytically solvable classical kinetic model of spatially dispersive transport in Dirac materials accounting for strong electron-electron (e-e) and electron-hole (e-h) collisions. We use this model to track the evolution of graphene conductivity and properties of its collective excitations across the hydrodynamic-to-ballistic crossover. We find the relaxation rate of electric current by e-e collisions that is possible due to the lack of Galilean invariance and introduce a universal numerical measure of this noninvariance. We find the two branches of collective excitations in the Dirac fluid: plasmons and electron-hole sound. The sound waves persist at frequencies exceeding the e-e collision frequency, have a small viscous damping at the neutrality point, but acquire large damping due to e-h friction even at slight doping. On the contrary, plasmons acquire strong frictional damping at the neutrality point and become well defined in doped samples.

Singularity and Bohm criterion in hot positive ion species in the electronegative ion sources

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

Aslaninejad, Morteza; Yasserian, Kiomars

2016-05-15

The structure of the discharge for a magnetized electronegative ion source with two species of positive ions is investigated. The thermal motion of hot positive ions and the singularities involved with it are taken into account. By analytical solution of the neutral region, the location of the singular point and also the values of the plasma parameter such as electric potential and ion density at the singular point are obtained. A generalized Bohm criterion is recovered and discussed. In addition, for the non-neutral solution, the numerical method is used. In contrast with cold ion plasma, qualitative changes are observed. Themore » parameter space region within which oscillations in the density and potential can be observed has been scanned and discussed. The space charge behavior in the vicinity of edge of the ion sources has also been discussed in detail.« less

Edge currents shunt the insulating bulk in gapped graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, M. J.; Kretinin, A. V.; Thompson, M. D.; Bandurin, D. A.; Hu, S.; Yu, G. L.; Birkbeck, J.; Mishchenko, A.; Vera-Marun, I. J.; Watanabe, K.; Taniguchi, T.; Polini, M.; Prance, J. R.; Novoselov, K. S.; Geim, A. K.; Ben Shalom, M.

2017-02-01

An energy gap can be opened in the spectrum of graphene reaching values as large as 0.2 eV in the case of bilayers. However, such gaps rarely lead to the highly insulating state expected at low temperatures. This long-standing puzzle is usually explained by charge inhomogeneity. Here we revisit the issue by investigating proximity-induced superconductivity in gapped graphene and comparing normal-state measurements in the Hall bar and Corbino geometries. We find that the supercurrent at the charge neutrality point in gapped graphene propagates along narrow channels near the edges. This observation is corroborated by using the edgeless Corbino geometry in which case resistivity at the neutrality point increases exponentially with increasing the gap, as expected for an ordinary semiconductor. In contrast, resistivity in the Hall bar geometry saturates to values of about a few resistance quanta. We attribute the metallic-like edge conductance to a nontrivial topology of gapped Dirac spectra.

Analysis and Countermeasure Study on DC Bias of Main Transformer in a City

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, PengChao; Wang, Hongtao; Song, Xinpu; Gu, Jun; Liu, yong; Wu, weili

2017-07-01

According to the December 2015 Guohua Beijing thermal power transformer DC magnetic bias phenomenon, the monitoring data of 24 hours of direct current is analyzed. We find that the maximum DC current is up to 25 and is about 30s for the trend cycle, on this basis, then, of the geomagnetic storm HVDC and subway operation causes comparison of the mechanism, and make a comprehensive analysis of the thermal power plant’s geographical location, surrounding environment and electrical contact etc.. The results show that the main reason for the DC bias of Guohua thermal power transformer is the operation of the subway, and the change of the DC bias current is periodic. Finally, of Guohua thermal power transformer DC magnetic bias control method is studied, the simulation results show that the method of using neutral point with small resistance or capacitance can effectively inhibit the main transformer neutral point current.

Control method for peak power delivery with limited DC-bus voltage

DOEpatents

Edwards, John; Xu, Longya; Bhargava, Brij B.

2006-09-05

A method for driving a neutral point-clamped multi-level voltage source inverter supplying a synchronous motor is provided. A DC current is received at a neutral point-clamped multi-level voltage source inverter. The inverter has first, second, and third output nodes. The inverter also has a plurality of switches. A desired speed of a synchronous motor connected to the inverter by the first second and third nodes is received by the inverter. The synchronous motor has a rotor and the speed of the motor is defined by the rotational rate of the rotor. A position of the rotor is sensed, current flowing to the motor out of at least two of the first, second, and third output nodes is sensed, and predetermined switches are automatically activated by the inverter responsive to the sensed rotor position, the sensed current, and the desired speed.

Reading the lines in the face: The contribution of angularity and roundness to perceptions of facial anger and joy.

PubMed

Franklin, Robert G; Adams, Reginald B; Steiner, Troy G; Zebrowitz, Leslie A

2018-05-14

Through 3 studies, we investigated whether angularity and roundness present in faces contributes to the perception of anger and joyful expressions, respectively. First, in Study 1 we found that angry expressions naturally contain more inward-pointing lines, whereas joyful expressions contain more outward-pointing lines. Then, using image-processing techniques in Studies 2 and 3, we filtered images to contain only inward-pointing or outward-pointing lines as a way to approximate angularity and roundness. We found that filtering images to be more angular increased how threatening and angry a neutral face was rated, increased how intense angry expressions were rated, and enhanced the recognition of anger. Conversely, filtering images to be rounder increased how warm and joyful a neutral face was rated, increased the intensity of joyful expressions, and enhanced recognition of joy. Together these findings show that angularity and roundness play a direct role in the recognition of angry and joyful expressions. Given evidence that angularity and roundness may play a biological role in indicating threat and safety in the environment, this suggests that angularity and roundness represent primitive facial cues used to signal threat-anger and warmth-joy pairings. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

A culture and power perspective on the management of health information technology in hospitals.

PubMed

Petersen, Lone Stub; Bertelsen, Pernille

2012-01-01

The three traditionally dominating professional hospital cultures - physicians, nurses and management - are challenged by the increasing use of health information technology (HIT) in health care. A fourth group of actors, the IT-professionals has become an exceedingly powerful player challenging the boundaries of the traditional hospital cultures. The hospital cultures are being redefined by and are redefining the technologies as well as the divisions of labour between the professional groups. The IT-professionals have become central actors in this and thereby they constitute a fourth powerful professional culture in the hospitals. This study draws out the phenomenon of IT-professionals as a fourth culture through a qualitative case study of both the IT-department and clinical and managerial hospital practices. The study finds evidence of how the IT-professionals and the IT-departments play a central part in the development of hospital practices constituting them as an influential culture and player in the hospitals. The tendency to see IT as merely infrastructure is hereby challenged and the conclusions demand further research into how to consider IT strategically in the hospitals, possibly pointing towards further user involvement in IT management.

Plate Fixation With Autogenous Calcaneal Dowel Grafting Proximal Fourth and Fifth Metatarsal Fractures: Technique and Case Series.

PubMed

Seidenstricker, Chad L; Blahous, Edward G; Bouché, Richard T; Saxena, Amol

Metaphyseal and proximal diaphyseal fractures of the lateral column metatarsals can have problems with healing. In particular, those involving the fifth metatarsal have been associated with a high nonunion rate with nonoperative treatment. Although intramedullary screw fixation results in a high union rate, delayed healing and complications can occur. We describe an innovative technique to treat both acute and chronic injuries involving the metatarsal base from the metaphysis to the proximal diaphyseal bone of the fourth and fifth metatarsals. The surgical technique involves evacuation of sclerotic bone at the fracture site, packing the fracture site with compact cancellous bone, and plate fixation. In our preliminary results, 4 patients displayed 100% radiographic union at a mean of 4.75 (range 4 to 6) weeks with no incidence of refracture, at a mean follow-up point of 3.5 (range 1 to 5) years. The early results with our small series suggest that this technique is a useful treatment choice for metaphyseal and proximal diaphyseal fractures of the fourth and fifth metatarsals. Copyright © 2017 American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Synthesis and spectroscopic studies on the new Schiff base derived from the 1:2 condensation of 2,6-diformyl-4-methylphenol with 5-aminouracil (BDF5AU) and its transition metal complexes. Influence on biologically active peptides-regulating aminopeptidases.

PubMed

Hueso-Ureña, Francisco; Illán-Cabeza, Nuria A; Moreno-Carretero, Miguel N; Martínez-Martos, José M; Ramírez-Expósito, María J

2003-04-01

The synthesis, spectroscopic (IR, 1H and 13C NMR, UV-Vis-NIR, EPR), magnetic measurements and biological studies of a number of complexes of Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II), Cd(II), Au(III) and Hg(II) of the Schiff base derived from the 1:2 condensation of 2,6-diformyl-4-methylphenol and 5-aminouracil, ((5-[[(3-[[(2,4-dioxopyrimidin-5(1H,3H)-yl)imino]methyl]-2-hydroxy-5-methylphenyl)methylene]amino]pyrimidine-2,4(1H,3H)-dione, hereafter denoted as BDF5AU) are reported. In all cases, the complexes appear to be monomeric. The deprotonated ligand in the phenolic oxygen atom shows a tridentate coordination mode through the two azomethine nitrogen atoms and the phenolic oxygen atom. The coordination of the neutral ligand takes place through the phenolic oxygen atom and one azomethine nitrogen atom and the carbonylic oxygen atom in fourth position of one uracil ring. The biological properties of some perchlorate complexes on the activity of some neutral, acid, basic and omega aminopeptidases (AP) are assayed, demonstrating a general inhibitory effect. Neutral and basic AP are mainly inhibited by Cu(II), Ni(II) and Cd(II) complexes, although tyrosyl-AP is activated by Zn(II) complex. Glutamyl-AP but not aspartyl-AP is inhibited by all the complexes assayed excepting Zn(II) complex. Finally, omega AP is inhibited by Ni(II) and Cd(II) complexes. Copyright 2003 Elsevier Science Inc.

Immunologic Insights on the Membrane Proximal External Region: A Major Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type-1 Vaccine Target

PubMed Central

Molinos-Albert, Luis M.; Clotet, Bonaventura; Blanco, Julià; Carrillo, Jorge

2017-01-01

Broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) targeting conserved regions within the human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) envelope glycoprotein (Env) can be generated by the human immune system and their elicitation by vaccination will be a key point to protect against the wide range of viral diversity. The membrane proximal external region (MPER) is a highly conserved region within the Env gp41 subunit, plays a major role in membrane fusion and is targeted by naturally induced bNAbs. Therefore, the MPER is considered as an attractive vaccine target. However, despite many attempts to design MPER-based immunogens, further study is still needed to understand its structural complexity, its amphiphilic feature, and its limited accessibility by steric hindrance. These particular features compromise the development of MPER-specific neutralizing responses during natural infection and limit the number of bNAbs isolated against this region, as compared with other HIV-1 vulnerability sites, and represent additional hurdles for immunogen development. Nevertheless, the analysis of MPER humoral responses elicited during natural infection as well as the MPER bNAbs isolated to date highlight that the human immune system is capable of generating MPER protective antibodies. Here, we discuss the recent advances describing the immunologic and biochemical features that make the MPER a unique HIV-1 vulnerability site, the different strategies to generate MPER-neutralizing antibodies in immunization protocols and point the importance of extending our knowledge toward new MPER epitopes by the isolation of novel monoclonal antibodies. This will be crucial for the redesign of immunogens able to skip non-neutralizing MPER determinants. PMID:28970835

Similar solutions for viscous hypersonic flow over a slender three-fourths-power body of revolution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lin, Chin-Shun

1987-01-01

For hypersonic flow with a shock wave, there is a similar solution consistent throughout the viscous and inviscid layers along a very slender three-fourths-power body of revolution The strong pressure interaction problem can then be treated by the method of similarity. Numerical calculations are performed in the viscous region with the edge pressure distribution known from the inviscid similar solutions. The compressible laminar boundary-layer equations are transformed into a system of ordinary differential equations. The resulting two-point boundary value problem is then solved by the Runge-Kutta method with a modified Newton's method for the corresponding boundary conditions. The effects of wall temperature, mass bleeding, and body transverse curvature are investigated. The induced pressure, displacement thickness, skin friction, and heat transfer due to the previously mentioned parameters are estimated and analyzed.

Disturbed subsurface microbial communities follow equivalent trajectories despite different structural starting points: Microbial community succession and disturbance

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

Handley, Kim M.; Wrighton, Kelly C.; Miller, Christopher S.

2014-04-18

Microbial community structure, and niche and neutral processes can all influence response to disturbance. Here, we provide experimental evidence for niche versus neutral and founding community effects during a bioremediation-related organic carbon disturbance. Subsurface sediment, partitioned into 22 flow-through columns, was stimulated in situ by the addition of acetate as a carbon and electron donor source. This drove the system into a new transient biogeochemical state characterized by iron reduction and enriched Desulfuromonadales, Comamonadaceae and Bacteroidetes lineages. After approximately 1 month conditions favoured sulfate reduction, and were accompanied by a substantial increase in the relative abundance of Desulfobulbus, Desulfosporosinus, Desulfitobacteriummore » and Desulfotomaculum. Two subsets of four to five columns each were switched from acetate to lactate amendment during either iron (earlier) or sulfate (later) reduction. Hence, subsets had significantly different founding communities. All lactate treatments exhibited lower relative abundances of Desulfotomaculum and Bacteroidetes, enrichments of Clostridiales and Psychrosinus species, and a temporal succession from highly abundant Clostridium sensu stricto to Psychrosinus. Regardless of starting point, lactate-switch communities followed comparable structural trajectories, whereby convergence was evident 9 to 16 days after each switch, and significant after 29 to 34 days of lactate addition. Results imply that neither the founding community nor neutral processes influenced succession following perturbation.« less

Development potential of the Dauin geothermal prospect, Negros Oriental, Philippines

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

Bayrante, L.F.; Hermoso, D.Z.; Candelaria, M.R.

1997-12-31

The Dauin geothermal prospect, situated 5 km southeast of the Palinpinon I and II sectors, was drilled between 1982 and 1983 to test its viability for development. Drilling results indicated that DN-1 was drilled closer to the source region than DN-2 where permeability, temperature, and alteration mineralogy were generally unpromising. DN-1 encountered temperatures of at least 240{degrees}C and a neutral-pH fluid with reservoir chloride of 3000 mg/kg. In particular, the presence of sulphur in the DN-1 discharge provoked debates and many speculation on the nature of the fluid in the area. The area was re-evaluated in 1996 for the followingmore » reasons: (1) Renewed interests on other geothermal prospects within Negros Island from an economic point of view and the success of modular plant developments are Pal II and other areas in the Philippines; (2) Reinterpretation of the genesis of sulphur contained in the DN-1 discharge fluid; (3) Encouraging temperature, permeability and neutral-pH alterations at depth and the neutral character of DN-1 discharge fluid; and (4) Reinterpretation of the hydrological model from a geochemical and geological point of view. The study indicates good potential for modular power development.« less

Correlation between solar flare productivity and photospheric vector magnetic fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, Yanmei; Wang, Huaning

2008-11-01

Studying the statistical correlation between the solar flare productivity and photospheric magnetic fields is very important and necessary. It is helpful to set up a practical flare forecast model based on magnetic properties and improve the physical understanding of solar flare eruptions. In the previous study ([Cui, Y.M., Li, R., Zhang, L.Y., He, Y.L., Wang, H.N. Correlation between solar flare productivity and photospheric magnetic field properties 1. Maximum horizontal gradient, length of neutral line, number of singular points. Sol. Phys. 237, 45 59, 2006]; from now on we refer to this paper as ‘Paper I’), three measures of the maximum horizontal gradient, the length of the neutral line, and the number of singular points are computed from 23990 SOHO/MDI longitudinal magnetograms. The statistical relationship between the solar flare productivity and these three measures is well fitted with sigmoid functions. In the current work, the three measures of the length of strong-shear neutral line, total unsigned current, and total unsigned current helicity are computed from 1353 vector magnetograms observed at Huairou Solar Observing Station. The relationship between the solar flare productivity and the current three measures can also be well fitted with sigmoid functions. These results are expected to be beneficial to future operational flare forecasting models.

Study of MoNbO(y) (y = 2-5) anion and neutral clusters using photoelectron spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations: impact of spin contamination on single point calculations.

PubMed

Waller, Sarah E; Mann, Jennifer E; Rothgeb, David W; Jarrold, Caroline C

2012-10-04

Results of a study combining anion photoelectron spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations on the heteronuclear MoNbO(y)(-) (y = 2-5) transition metal suboxide cluster series are reported and analyzed. The photoelectron spectra, which exhibit broad electronic bands with partially resolved vibrational structure, were compared to spectral simulations generated from calculated spectroscopic parameters for all computationally determined energetically competitive structures. Although computational results on the less oxidized clusters could not be satisfactorily reconciled with experimental spectra, possibly because of heavy spin contamination found in a large portion of the computational results, the results suggest that (1) neutral cluster electron affinity is a strong indicator of whether O-atoms are bound in M-O-M bridge positions or M═O terminal positions, (2) MoNbO(y) anions and neutrals have structures that can be described as intermediate with respect to the unary (homonuclear) Mo(2)O(y) and Nb(2)O(y) clusters, and (3) structures in which O-atoms preferentially bind to the Nb center are slightly more stable than alternative structures. Several challenges associated with the calculations are considered, including spin contamination, which appears to cause spurious single point calculations used to determine vertical detachment energies.

Effect of Partially Fluorinated N-Alkyl-Substituted Piperidine-2-carboxamides on Pharmacologically Relevant Properties.

PubMed

Vorberg, Raffael; Trapp, Nils; Zimmerli, Daniel; Wagner, Björn; Fischer, Holger; Kratochwil, Nicole A; Kansy, Manfred; Carreira, Erick M; Müller, Klaus

2016-10-06

The modulation of pharmacologically relevant properties of N-alkyl-piperidine-2-carboxamides was studied by selective introduction of 1-3 fluorine atoms into the n-propyl and n-butyl side chains of the local anesthetics ropivacaine and levobupivacaine. The basicity modulation by nearby fluorine substituents is essentially additive and exhibits an exponential attenuation as a function of topological distance between fluorine and the basic center. The intrinsic lipophilicity of the neutral piperidine derivatives displays the characteristic response noted for partially fluorinated alkyl groups attached to neutral heteroaryl systems. However, basicity decrease by nearby fluorine substituents affects lipophilicities at neutral pH, so that all partially fluorinated derivatives are of similar or higher lipophilicity than their non-fluorinated parents. Aqueous solubilities were found to correlate inversely with lipophilicity with a significant contribution from crystal packing energies, as indicated by variations in melting point temperatures. All fluorinated derivatives were found to be somewhat more readily oxidized in human liver microsomes, the rates of degradation correlating with increasing lipophilicity. Because the piperidine-2-carboxamide core is chiral, pairs with enantiomeric N-alkyl groups are diastereomeric. While little response to such stereoisomerism was observed for basicity or lipophilicity, more pronounced variations were observed for melting point temperatures and oxidative degradation. © 2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Femtosecond Multidimensional Imaging - Watching Chemistry from the Molecule's Point of View

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geßner, O.; Lee, A. M. D.; Chrysostom, E. t.-H.; Hayden, C. C.; Stolow, Albert

Using Femtosecond Multidimensional Imaging we disentangle the complex neutral dissociation mechanism of the NO dimer. We characterize all electronic configurations from start to finish and directly observe the evolution of intramolecular vibrational energy redistribution (IVR).

Measurement and simulation of passive fast-ion D-alpha emission from the DIII-D tokamak

DOE PAGES

Bolte, Nathan G.; Heidbrink, William W.; Pace, David; ...

2016-09-14

Spectra of passive fast-ion D-alpha (FIDA) light from beam ions that charge exchange with background neutrals are measured and simulated. The fast ions come from three sources: ions that pass through the diagnostic sightlines on their first full orbit, an axisymmetric confined population, and ions that are expelled into the edge region by instabilities. A passive FIDA simulation (P-FIDASIM) is developed as a forward model for the spectra of the first-orbit fast ions and consists of an experimentally-validated beam deposition model, an ion orbit-following code, a collisional-radiative model, and a synthetic spectrometer. Model validation consists of the simulation of 86more » experimental spectra that are obtained using 6 different neutral beam fast-ion sources and 13 different lines of sight. Calibrated spectra are used to estimate the neutral density throughout the cross-section of the tokamak. The resulting 2D neutral density shows the expected increase toward each X-point with average neutral densities of 8 X 10 9 cm -3 at the plasma boundary and 1 X 10 11 cm -3 near the wall. Here, fast ions that are on passing orbits are expelled by the sawtooth instability more readily than trapped ions. In a sample discharge, approximately 1% of the fast-ion population is ejected into the high neutral density region per sawtooth crash.« less

Use of an online curriculum to teach delirium to fourth-year medical students: a comparison with lecture format.

PubMed

Chao, Serena H; Brett, Belle; Wiecha, John M; Norton, Lisa E; Levine, Sharon A

2012-07-01

Web-based learning methods are being used increasingly to teach core curriculum in medical school clerkships, but few studies have compared the effectiveness of online methods with that of live lectures in teaching the same topics to students. Boston University School of Medicine has implemented an online, case-based, interactive curriculum using videos and text to teach delirium to fourth-year medical students during their required 1-month Geriatrics and Home Medical Care clerkship. A control group of 56 students who received a 1-hour live delirium lecture only was compared with 111 intervention group students who completed the online delirium curriculum only. Evaluation consisted of a short-answer test with two cases given as a pre- and posttest to both groups. The total possible maximum test score was 34 points, and the lowest possible score was -8 points. Mean pre- and posttest scores were 10.5 ± 4.0 and 12.7 ± 4.4, respectively, in the intervention group and 9.9 ± 3.5 and 11.2 ± 4.5, respectively, in the control group. The intervention group had statistically significant improvement between the pre- and posttest scores (2.21-point difference; P < .001), as did the control group (1.36-point difference; P = .03); the difference in test score improvement between the two groups was not statistically significant. An interactive case-based online curriculum in delirium is as effective as a live lecture in teaching delirium, although neither of these educational methods alone produces robust increases in knowledge. © 2012, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2012, The American Geriatrics Society.

Some Decays of Neutral Higgs Bosons in the NMSSM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chinh Cuong, Nguyen; Thi Thu Trang, Do; Thi Phuong Thuy, Nguyen

2014-09-01

To solve the μ problem of the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM), a single field S is added to build the Next Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (NMSSM). Vacuum enlarged with non-zero vevs of the neutral-even CP is the combination of Hu, Hd and S. In the NMSSM, the higgs sector is increased to 7 higgs (compared with 5 higgs in the MSSM), including three higgs which are even-CP h1,2,3(mh1 < mh2 < mh3), two higgs which are odd-CP a1,2(ma1 < ma2) and a couple of charged higgs H±. The decays higgs into higgs is one of the remarkable new points of the NMSSM. In this paper we study some decays of neutral Higgs bosons. The numerical results are also presented together with evaluations.

Sadness and susceptibility to judgmental bias: the case of anchoring.

PubMed

Bodenhausen, G V; Gabriel, S; Lineberger, M

2000-07-01

In a wide range of empirical paradigms, sadness has been associated with more extensive and detail-oriented thinking than happiness, resulting in reductions in judgmental bias that arise from reliance on stereotypes and other simple decision heuristics. It was hypothesized that anchoring would constitute a significant exception to this general pattern. Recent research on anchoring indicates that an active thought process underlies the emergence of this bias. If sad people are likely to think more actively about the judgmental anchor than their neutral-mood counterparts, their subsequent judgments should be more likely to be assimilated toward this reference point. This prediction was confirmed in two experiments demonstrating that sad people are indeed more susceptible to anchoring bias than are people in a neutral mood. Moreover, this effect generalized over judgments in positive, neutral, and negative content domains.

Observation of the Dirac fluid and the breakdown of the Wiedemann-Franz law in graphene.

PubMed

Crossno, Jesse; Shi, Jing K; Wang, Ke; Liu, Xiaomeng; Harzheim, Achim; Lucas, Andrew; Sachdev, Subir; Kim, Philip; Taniguchi, Takashi; Watanabe, Kenji; Ohki, Thomas A; Fong, Kin Chung

2016-03-04

Interactions between particles in quantum many-body systems can lead to collective behavior described by hydrodynamics. One such system is the electron-hole plasma in graphene near the charge-neutrality point, which can form a strongly coupled Dirac fluid. This charge-neutral plasma of quasi-relativistic fermions is expected to exhibit a substantial enhancement of the thermal conductivity, thanks to decoupling of charge and heat currents within hydrodynamics. Employing high-sensitivity Johnson noise thermometry, we report an order of magnitude increase in the thermal conductivity and the breakdown of the Wiedemann-Franz law in the thermally populated charge-neutral plasma in graphene. This result is a signature of the Dirac fluid and constitutes direct evidence of collective motion in a quantum electronic fluid. Copyright © 2016, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Drawing dynamical and parameters planes of iterative families and methods.

PubMed

Chicharro, Francisco I; Cordero, Alicia; Torregrosa, Juan R

2013-01-01

The complex dynamical analysis of the parametric fourth-order Kim's iterative family is made on quadratic polynomials, showing the MATLAB codes generated to draw the fractal images necessary to complete the study. The parameter spaces associated with the free critical points have been analyzed, showing the stable (and unstable) regions where the selection of the parameter will provide us the excellent schemes (or dreadful ones).

Geometry-Based Observability Metric

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eaton, Colin; Naasz, Bo

2012-01-01

The Satellite Servicing Capabilities Office (SSCO) is currently developing and testing Goddard s Natural Feature Image Recognition (GNFIR) software for autonomous rendezvous and docking missions. GNFIR has flight heritage and is still being developed and tailored for future missions with non-cooperative targets: (1) DEXTRE Pointing Package System on the International Space Station, (2) Relative Navigation System (RNS) on the Space Shuttle for the fourth Hubble Servicing Mission.

Preliminary studies for a beam-generated plasma neutralizer test in NIO1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sartori, E.; Veltri, P.; Balbinot, L.; Cavenago, M.; Veranda, M.; Antoni, V.; Serianni, G.

2017-08-01

The deployment of neutral beam injectors in future fusion plants is beset by the particularly poor efficiency of the neutralization process. Beam-generated plasma neutralizers were proposed as a passive and intrinsically safe scheme of efficient plasma neutralizers. The concept is based on the natural ionization of the gas target by the beam, and on a suitable confinement of the secondary plasma. The technological challenge of such a concept is the magnetic confinement of the secondary plasma: a proof-of-principle for the concept is needed. The possibility to test of such a system in the small negative ion beam system NIO1 is discussed in this paper. The constraints given by the facility are first discussed. A model of beam-gas interaction is developed to provide the charge-state of beam particles along the neutralizer, and to provide the source terms of plasma generation. By using a cylindrical model of plasma diffusion in magnetic fields, the ionization degree of the target is estimated. In the absence of magnetic fields the diffusion model is validated against experimental measurements of the space-charge compensation plasma in the drift region of NIO1. Finally, the feasibility study for a beam-generated plasma neutralizer in NIO is presented. The neutralizer length, required gas target thickness, and a very simple magnetic setup were considered, taking into account the integration in NIO1. For the basic design a low ionization degree (1%) is obtained, however a promising plasma density up to hundred times the beam density was calculated. The proposed test in NIO1 can be the starting point for studying advanced schemes of magnetic confinement aiming at ionization degrees in the order of 10%.

Initial study of neutral post-instruction responses on the Maryland Physics Expectation Survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saltzman, J.; Price, M. F.; Rogers, M. B.

2016-06-01

Epistemological studies generally focus on how students think about their construction of knowledge compared to how experts think about the same ideas. Instruments such as the MPEX and CLASS use a Likert scale to gauge whether students agree or disagree with how experts think about the same ideas. During analysis, five point scale responses are typically reduced to favorable, neutral, and unfavorable with neutral being treated as a nonresponse. What if students are actively selecting neutral and not treating it as a "does not apply?" To address this question we chose to analyze the postinstruction neutral responses of students in our Physics I course using data from multiple years, multiple sections, and multiple instructors. We found that classroom average postinstruction neutral responses were consistently within a band of 15%-25% and that this was also consistent with other published results. It is not yet clear what this pattern means. Is this a measure of students receiving mixed messages from instructors or a measure of a transitional stage that students go through when learning how to be a good college physics student? These initial findings are interesting enough that we are presenting them here with a more detailed question-by-question analysis to be published in the near future. For example, high levels of neutral responses to applied questions (e.g., "All I need to do is. …") may indicate that students are receiving mixed messages from instructors. On the other hand, high levels of neutral responses to conceptual questions (e.g., "Knowledge in physics…") may indicate that students are in a transitional stage between novice and expert.

Neutrality in medicine and health professionals from ethnic minority groups: The case of Arab health professionals in Israel.

PubMed

Keshet, Yael; Popper-Giveon, Ariela

2017-02-01

The ethos of neutrality dominates biomedicine. It has, however, been criticized for leading to a disregard for diversity in medicine. In this article we employ the 'inclusion and difference' approach to gain an understanding of why the ethos of neutrality, on the one hand, and tensions associated with race/ethnicity, on the other, are relevant to the work of ethnic minority health professionals. We sought to explore tensions associated with neutrality in medicine from the point of view of ethnic minority professionals who work in a context of political conflict. We conducted 33 in-depth interviews with Arab health professionals - physicians, nurses and pharmacists - working in Israeli health organizations. The Arab health professionals perceive medical knowledge as being politically neutral; and medical practice as being impartial, universal and humanitarian. They regard the healthcare sector as a relatively egalitarian workplace, into which they can integrate and gain promotion. Nevertheless, the interviewees experienced various instances of treatment refusal, discrimination and racism. In line with the ethos of neutrality, the Israeli medical code of ethics does not relate specifically to Arab professionals and takes their inclusion and integration in healthcare organizations for granted. The ethos of neutrality in medicine underlies the ambivalence inherent in the approach of 'inclusion and difference'. While perceptions of neutrality, alongside values such as equality, cultural competency, impartiality and humanitarian healthcare, do indeed promote the inclusion of minority professionals in health organizations, these same perceptions mask the need to address political events that impinge on the medical milieu and may present an obstacle to designing specific policies to deal with such events. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Gradual crossover in molecular organization of stable liquid H2O at moderately high pressure and temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koga, Yoshikata; Westh, Peter; Yoshida, Koh; Inaba, Akira; Nakazawa, Yasuhiro

2014-09-01

Using the literature raw data of the speed of sound and the specific volume, the isothermal compressibility, κT, a second derivative thermodynamic quantity of G, was evaluated for liquid H2O in the pressure range up to 350 MPa and the temperature to 50 °C. We then obtained its pressure derivative, dκT/dp, a third derivative numerically without using a fitting function to the κT data. On taking yet another p-derivative at a fixed T graphically without resorting to any fitting function, the resulting d2κT/dp2, a fourth derivative, showed a weak but clear step anomaly, with the onset of the step named point X and its end point Y. In analogy with another third and fourth derivative pair in binary aqueous solutions of glycerol, dαp/dxGly and d2αp/dxGly2, at 0.1 MPa (αp is the thermal expansivity and xGly the mole fraction of solute glycerol) in our recent publication [J. Solution Chem. 43, 663-674 (2014); DOI:10.1007/s10953-013-0122-7], we argue that there is a gradual crossover in the molecular organization of pure H2O from a low to a high p-regions starting at point X and ending at Y at a fixed T. The crossover takes place gradually spanning for about 100 MPa at a fixed temperature. The extrapolated temperature to zero p seems to be about 70 - 80 °C for points X and 90 - 110 °C for Y. Furthermore, the mid-points of X and Y seem to extrapolate to the triple point of liquid, ice Ih and ice III. Recalling that the zero xGly extrapolation of point X and Y for binary aqueous glycerol at 0.1 MPa gives about the same T values respectively, we suggest that at zero pressure the region below about 70 °C the hydrogen bond network is bond-percolated, while above about 90 °C there is no hydrogen bond network. Implication of these findings is discussed.

Numerical solution of the generalized, dissipative KdV-RLW-Rosenau equation with a compact method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Apolinar-Fernández, Alejandro; Ramos, J. I.

2018-07-01

The nonlinear dynamics of the one-dimensional, generalized Korteweg-de Vries-regularized-long wave-Rosenau (KdV-RLW-Rosenau) equation with second- and fourth-order dissipative terms subject to initial Gaussian conditions is analyzed numerically by means of three-point, fourth-order accurate, compact finite differences for the discretization of the spatial derivatives and a trapezoidal method for time integration. By means of a Fourier analysis and global integration techniques, it is shown that the signs of both the fourth-order dissipative and the mixed fifth-order derivative terms must be negative. It is also shown that an increase of either the linear drift or the nonlinear convection coefficients results in an increase of the steepness, amplitude and speed of the right-propagating wave, whereas the speed and amplitude of the wave decrease as the power of the nonlinearity is increased, if the amplitude of the initial Gaussian condition is equal to or less than one. It is also shown that the wave amplitude and speed decrease and the curvature of the wave's trajectory increases as the coefficients of the second- and fourth-order dissipative terms are increased, while an increase of the RLW coefficient was found to decrease both the damping and the phase velocity, and generate oscillations behind the wave. For some values of the coefficients of both the fourth-order dissipative and the Rosenau terms, it has been found that localized dispersion shock waves may form in the leading part of the right-propagating wave, and that the formation of a train of solitary waves that result from the breakup of the initial Gaussian conditions only occurs in the absence of both Rosenau's, Kortweg-de Vries's and second- and fourth-order dissipative terms, and for some values of the amplitude and width of the initial condition and the RLW coefficient. It is also shown that negative values of the KdV term result in steeper, larger amplitude and faster waves and a train of oscillations behind the wave, whereas positive values of that coefficient may result in negative phase and group velocities, no wave breakup and oscillations ahead of the right-propagating wave.

Fourth-generation spinal instrumentation: experience with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis at a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan.

PubMed

Fazal, Akil; Lakdawala, Riaz H

2012-01-01

To evaluate the radiological and functional outcome of surgical treatment of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis using fourth-generation posterior spinal instrumentation at The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan. Case series. The Aga Khan University Hospital after a minimum of 2 years postoperatively. A total of 20 patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis were recruited into the study and evaluated for radiological and functional outcome. The study period was from 2000 to 2005. Radiological outcome was assessed using Cobb angle measurement pre and postoperatively, hence assessing percentage correction. The lower instrumented vertebra was taken as the neutral vertebra and the level was recorded. Functional outcome was determined using the Scoliosis Research Society patient administered questionnaire. All patients were called to the clinic and asked to fill in the form. Those patients who were out of the city were mailed the forms and requested via telephone to complete and return. Of the 20 patients operated on, twelve were female and eight were male. The average age at operation was 12.7 years. The mean Cobb angle was 69° preoperatively and 20° postoperatively, representing a percentage correction of 71%. The average duration of follow-up was 3.6 years. There was one major complication involving neurological injury post-op and two minor complications involving wound infection. The average Scoliosis Research Society score (on a scale of 1-5, with 5 being best) for pain was 4.5, self-image was 4.2, functional status was 4.1, mental status was 3.8, and satisfaction was 4.4. There was no relationship between the percentage correction of scoliosis and the functional outcome. Those patients with a high preoperative Cobb angle tended to have a better outcome for functional and mental status postoperatively. There was no relation between the lower instrumented vertebra and functional outcome. In the correct indications, fourth-generation posterior instrumentation and fusion is a reliable and satisfactory technique to treat adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

Antibody induced by immunization with the Jeryl Lynn mumps vaccine strain effectively neutralizes a heterologous wild-type mumps virus associated with a large outbreak.

PubMed

Rubin, Steven A; Qi, Li; Audet, Susette A; Sullivan, Bradley; Carbone, Kathryn M; Bellini, William J; Rota, Paul A; Sirota, Lev; Beeler, Judy

2008-08-15

Recent mumps outbreaks in older vaccinated populations were caused primarily by genotype G viruses, which are phylogenetically distinct from the genotype A vaccine strains used in the countries affected by the outbreaks. This finding suggests that genotype A vaccine strains could have reduced efficacy against heterologous mumps viruses. The remote history of vaccination also suggests that waning immunity could have contributed to susceptibility. To examine these issues, we obtained consecutive serum samples from children at different intervals after vaccination and assayed the ability of these samples to neutralize the genotype A Jeryl Lynn mumps virus vaccine strain and a genotype G wild-type virus obtained during the mumps outbreak that occurred in the United States in 2006. Although the geometric mean neutralizing antibody titers against the genotype G virus were approximately one-half the titers measured against the vaccine strain, and although titers to both viruses decreased with time after vaccination, antibody induced by immunization with the Jeryl Lynn mumps vaccine strain effectively neutralized the outbreak-associated virus at all time points tested.

Local and global Hopf bifurcation analysis in a neutral-type neuron system with two delays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lv, Qiuyu; Liao, Xiaofeng

2018-03-01

In recent years, neutral-type differential-difference equations have been applied extensively in the field of engineering, and their dynamical behaviors are more complex than that of the delay differential-difference equations. In this paper, the equations used to describe a neutral-type neural network system of differential difference equation with two delays are studied (i.e. neutral-type differential equations). Firstly, by selecting τ1, τ2 respectively as a parameter, we provide an analysis about the local stability of the zero equilibrium point of the equations, and sufficient conditions of asymptotic stability for the system are derived. Secondly, by using the theory of normal form and applying the theorem of center manifold introduced by Hassard et al., the Hopf bifurcation is found and some formulas for deciding the stability of periodic solutions and the direction of Hopf bifurcation are given. Moreover, by applying the theorem of global Hopf bifurcation, the existence of global periodic solution of the system is studied. Finally, an example is given, and some computer numerical simulations are taken to demonstrate and certify the correctness of the presented results.

Biosensing near the neutrality point of graphene

PubMed Central

Fu, Wangyang; Feng, Lingyan; Panaitov, Gregory; Kireev, Dmitry; Mayer, Dirk; Offenhäusser, Andreas; Krause, Hans-Joachim

2017-01-01

Over the past decade, the richness of electronic properties of graphene has attracted enormous interest for electrically detecting chemical and biological species using this two-dimensional material. However, the creation of practical graphene electronic sensors greatly depends on our ability to understand and maintain a low level of electronic noise, the fundamental reason limiting the sensor resolution. Conventionally, to reach the largest sensing response, graphene transistors are operated at the point of maximum transconductance, where 1/f noise is found to be unfavorably high and poses a major limitation in any attempt to further improve the device sensitivity. We show that operating a graphene transistor in an ambipolar mode near its neutrality point can markedly reduce the 1/f noise in graphene. Remarkably, our data reveal that this reduction in the electronic noise is achieved with uncompromised sensing response of the graphene chips and thus significantly improving the signal-to-noise ratio—compared to that of a conventionally operated graphene transistor for conductance measurement. As a proof-of-concept demonstration of the usage of the aforementioned new sensing scheme to a broader range of biochemical sensing applications, we selected an HIV-related DNA hybridization as the test bed and achieved detections at picomolar concentrations. PMID:29075669

The Triggering Mechanism of coronal jets and CMEs: Flux Cancelation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Panesar, Navdeep K.; Sterling, Alphonse C.; Moore, Ronald L.

2017-01-01

Recent investigations show that coronal jets are driven by the eruption of a small-scale filament (10,000 - 20,000 km long, called a minifilament) following magnetic flux cancelation at the neutral line underneath the minifilament. Minifilament eruptions appear to be analogous to larger-scale solar filament eruptions: they both reside, before the eruption, in the highly sheared field between the adjacent opposite-polarity magnetic flux patches (neutral line); jet-producing minifilament and larger-scale solar filament first show a slow-rise, followed by a fast-rise as they erupt; during the jet-producing minifilament eruption a jet bright point (JBP) appears at the location where the minifilament was rooted before the eruption, analogous to the situation with CME-producing larger-scale filament eruptions where a solar flare arcade forms during the filament eruption along the neutral line along which the filament resided prior to its eruption. In the present study we investigate the triggering mechanism of CME-producing large solar filament eruptions, and find that enduring flux cancelation at the neutral line of the filaments often triggers their eruptions. This corresponds to the finding that persistent flux cancelation at the neutral is the cause of jet-producing minifilament eruptions. Thus our observations support coronal jets being miniature version of CMEs.

Non-neutral plasma diode in the presence of a transverse magnetic field

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

Pramanik, Sourav; Chakrabarti, Nikhil; Kuznetsov, V. I.

An analytical study of the plasma states in non-neutral plasma diodes in the presence of an external transverse magnetic field is presented for an arbitrary neutralization parameter γ. Considerations are restricted to the regime where no electrons are turned around by the magnetic field. The emitter electric field strength E{sub 0} is used as a characteristic function to investigate the existence of solutions depending on the diode length, the applied voltage, the neutralization parameter, and the magnetic field strength. The potential distribution has a wave form for small magnitudes of the external magnetic field, as well as for the casemore » when magnetic field is absent. A new family of solutions appears along with the Bursian ones. On the other hand, as the Larmor radius becomes comparable with the beam Debye length, oscillations in the potential disappear, and only the Bursian branches remain. Unlike the vacuum diode, there are steady state solutions for the negative values of the emitter field strength. As the neutralization parameter (γ) increases, the emitter field strength relating to the SCL (space charge limit) bifurcation point diminishes, and at γ > 1, the value of the emitter's electric field strength at the space charge limit (E{sub 0,SCL}) turns out to be negative.« less

Corrosion of Cellular Metals in Marine Environments

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-09-30

phosphides and silicides during the brazing process. Phosphorus, particularly, which is very proficient at depressing the filler alloy melting point...theories of corrosion were constructed for isolated AL-6XN in neutral sodium chloride solutions. This also demonstrated the intrinsic resistance of AL

Filtrates & Residues: Olfactory Titration.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wood, John T.; Eddy, Roberta M.

1996-01-01

Presents an experiment that uses a unique acid-base indicator--the odor of raw onion--to indicate the end point of the titration of sodium hydroxide with hydrochloric acid. Allows the student to detect the completion of the neutralization reaction by olfaction rather than sight. (JRH)

When can I start pointe work? Guidelines for initiating pointe training.

PubMed

Weiss, David S; Rist, Rachel Anne; Grossman, Gayanne

2009-01-01

The initiation of pointe training for dance students should be determined after careful evaluation of a number of factors. These include: the dance student's stage of physical development; the quality of her (or his) trunk, abdominal and pelvic control ("core" stability); the alignment of her legs (hip-knee-ankle-foot); the strength and flexibility of her feet and ankles; and the duration and frequency of her dance training. For students who meet the requirements related to all of these factors, began ballet training at age eight or later, and who are taking ballet class at least twice per week, pointe work should be initiated in the fourth year of training. Students with poor core stability or hypermobility of the feet and ankles may require additional strengthening to allow them to safely begin pointe training. For those who are only taking ballet classes once per week, or who are not truly pre-professional, pointe training should be discouraged. No student with insufficient ankle and foot plantar flexion range of motion or with poor lower extremity alignment should be allowed to do pointe work.

Phase transitions and spatially ordered counterion association in ionic-lipid membranes: a statistical model.

PubMed

Tamashiro, M N; Barbetta, C; Germano, R; Henriques, V B

2011-09-01

We propose a statistical model to account for the gel-fluid anomalous phase transitions in charged bilayer- or lamellae-forming ionic lipids. The model Hamiltonian comprises effective attractive interactions to describe neutral-lipid membranes as well as the effect of electrostatic repulsions of the discrete ionic charges on the lipid headgroups. The latter can be counterion dissociated (charged) or counterion associated (neutral), while the lipid acyl chains may be in gel (low-temperature or high-lateral-pressure) or fluid (high-temperature or low-lateral-pressure) states. The system is modeled as a lattice gas with two distinct particle types--each one associated, respectively, with the polar-headgroup and the acyl-chain states--which can be mapped onto an Ashkin-Teller model with the inclusion of cubic terms. The model displays a rich thermodynamic behavior in terms of the chemical potential of counterions (related to added salt concentration) and lateral pressure. In particular, we show the existence of semidissociated thermodynamic phases related to the onset of charge order in the system. This type of order stems from spatially ordered counterion association to the lipid headgroups, in which charged and neutral lipids alternate in a checkerboard-like order. Within the mean-field approximation, we predict that the acyl-chain order-disorder transition is discontinuous, with the first-order line ending at a critical point, as in the neutral case. Moreover, the charge order gives rise to continuous transitions, with the associated second-order lines joining the aforementioned first-order line at critical end points. We explore the thermodynamic behavior of some physical quantities, like the specific heat at constant lateral pressure and the degree of ionization, associated with the fraction of charged lipid headgroups.

A new balancing three level three dimensional space vector modulation strategy for three level neutral point clamped four leg inverter based shunt active power filter controlling by nonlinear back stepping controllers.

PubMed

Chebabhi, Ali; Fellah, Mohammed Karim; Kessal, Abdelhalim; Benkhoris, Mohamed F

2016-07-01

In this paper is proposed a new balancing three-level three dimensional space vector modulation (B3L-3DSVM) strategy which uses a redundant voltage vectors to realize precise control and high-performance for a three phase three-level four-leg neutral point clamped (NPC) inverter based Shunt Active Power Filter (SAPF) for eliminate the source currents harmonics, reduce the magnitude of neutral wire current (eliminate the zero-sequence current produced by single-phase nonlinear loads), and to compensate the reactive power in the three-phase four-wire electrical networks. This strategy is proposed in order to gate switching pulses generation, dc bus voltage capacitors balancing (conserve equal voltage of the two dc bus capacitors), and to switching frequency reduced and fixed of inverter switches in same times. A Nonlinear Back Stepping Controllers (NBSC) are used for regulated the dc bus voltage capacitors and the SAPF injected currents to robustness, stabilizing the system and to improve the response and to eliminate the overshoot and undershoot of traditional PI (Proportional-Integral). Conventional three-level three dimensional space vector modulation (C3L-3DSVM) and B3L-3DSVM are calculated and compared in terms of error between the two dc bus voltage capacitors, SAPF output voltages and THDv, THDi of source currents, magnitude of source neutral wire current, and the reactive power compensation under unbalanced single phase nonlinear loads. The success, robustness, and the effectiveness of the proposed control strategies are demonstrated through simulation using Sim Power Systems and S-Function of MATLAB/SIMULINK. Copyright © 2016 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Academic Performance of Business Students in Quantitative Courses: A Study in the Faculty of Business and Economics at the UAE University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yousef, Darwish Abdulrahman

2011-01-01

This article aims to investigate the academic performance (measured by quality points) of the business students in quantitative courses. It also explores the impact of a number of factors on the academic performance of business students in these courses. A random sample of 750 third- and fourth-level business students at the United Arab Emirates…

Drawing Dynamical and Parameters Planes of Iterative Families and Methods

PubMed Central

Chicharro, Francisco I.

2013-01-01

The complex dynamical analysis of the parametric fourth-order Kim's iterative family is made on quadratic polynomials, showing the MATLAB codes generated to draw the fractal images necessary to complete the study. The parameter spaces associated with the free critical points have been analyzed, showing the stable (and unstable) regions where the selection of the parameter will provide us the excellent schemes (or dreadful ones). PMID:24376386

About crystal lattices and quasilattices in Euclidean space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prokhoda, A. S.

2017-07-01

Definitions are given, based on which algorithms have been developed for constructing computer models of two-dimensional quasilattices and the corresponding quasiperiodic tilings in plane, the point symmetry groups of which are dihedral groups D m ( m = 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 18), and the translation subgroups are free Abelian groups of the fourth or sixth rank. The angles at the tile vertices in the constructed tilings are calculated.

How Much Does It Cost Institutions to Produce Stem Degrees? Data Brief. The Price and Cost of Science Degrees Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Delta Cost Project at American Institutes for Research, 2013

2013-01-01

This AIR Data Brief breaks down the "cost per degree" estimates for 28 disciplines, including those in the STEM fields, which among the most expensive degrees to produce. The brief points to ways colleges can change their tuition structure to finance STEM degrees more affordably. This data brief is the fourth of four in the series. (See…

Compression of the Fourth Ventricle Using a Craniosacral Osteopathic Technique: A Systematic Review of the Clinical Evidence

PubMed Central

Żurowska, Anna; Samborski, Włodzimierz; Paprocka-Borowicz, Małgorzata

2017-01-01

Compression of the fourth ventricle (CV4) is a well-known osteopathic procedure, utilized by osteopaths, osteopathic physicians, craniosacral therapists, physical therapists, and manual therapists as part of their healthcare practice based on some evidence suggesting impact on nervous system functions. The main objective of the study was to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the clinical benefits of CV4 and to show the evidence supporting clinical prescriptions, guides, and advice in treating. A computerized search of the PubMed, CINAHL Complete, Scopus, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect databases was performed. Two filters were used (article type: RCTs; species: humans). The methodological quality of the trials was assessed using the Downs and Black quality checklist for healthcare intervention studies. Only six studies met the inclusion criteria, of which four were RCTs and two were observational studies. The Downs and Black score ranged from 17 to 24 points out of a maximum of 27 points. The present review revealed the paucity of CV4 research in patients with different clinical problems, as five out of six included studies investigated healthy adults. According to the results of the included studies, CV4 may be beneficial for patients with different functional problems. PMID:29234380

Ab initio calculation of reaction energies. III. Basis set dependence of relative energies on the FH2 and H2CO potential energy surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frisch, Michael J.; Binkley, J. Stephen; Schaefer, Henry F., III

1984-08-01

The relative energies of the stationary points on the FH2 and H2CO nuclear potential energy surfaces relevant to the hydrogen atom abstraction, H2 elimination and 1,2-hydrogen shift reactions have been examined using fourth-order Møller-Plesset perturbation theory and a variety of basis sets. The theoretical absolute zero activation energy for the F+H2→FH+H reaction is in better agreement with experiment than previous theoretical studies, and part of the disagreement between earlier theoretical calculations and experiment is found to result from the use of assumed rather than calculated zero-point vibrational energies. The fourth-order reaction energy for the elimination of hydrogen from formaldehyde is within 2 kcal mol-1 of the experimental value using the largest basis set considered. The qualitative features of the H2CO surface are unchanged by expansion of the basis set beyond the polarized triple-zeta level, but diffuse functions and several sets of polarization functions are found to be necessary for quantitative accuracy in predicted reaction and activation energies. Basis sets and levels of perturbation theory which represent good compromises between computational efficiency and accuracy are recommended.

Self-reported confidence in prescribing skills correlates poorly with assessed competence in fourth-year medical students.

PubMed

Brinkman, David J; Tichelaar, Jelle; van Agtmael, Michiel A; de Vries, Theo P G M; Richir, Milan C

2015-07-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between students' self-reported confidence and their objectively assessed competence in prescribing. We assessed the competence in several prescribing skills of 403 fourth-year medical students at the VU University Medical Center, the Netherlands, in a formative simulated examination on a 10-point scale (1 = very low; 10 = very high). Afterwards, the students were asked to rate their confidence in performing each of the prescribing skills on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = very unsure; 5 = very confident). Their assessments were then compared with their self-confidence ratings. Students' overall prescribing performance was adequate (7.0 ± 0.8), but they lacked confidence in 2 essential prescribing skills. Overall, there was a weak positive correlation (r = 0.2, P < .01, 95%CI 0.1-0.3) between reported confidence and actual competence. Therefore, this study suggests that self-reported confidence is not an accurate measure of prescribing competence, and that students lack insight into their own strengths and weaknesses in prescribing. Future studies should focus on developing validated and reliable instruments so that students can assess their prescribing skills. © 2015, The American College of Clinical Pharmacology.

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

Marquette, Ian, E-mail: i.marquette@uq.edu.au; Quesne, Christiane, E-mail: cquesne@ulb.ac.be

The purpose of this communication is to point out the connection between a 1D quantum Hamiltonian involving the fourth Painlevé transcendent P{sub IV}, obtained in the context of second-order supersymmetric quantum mechanics and third-order ladder operators, with a hierarchy of families of quantum systems called k-step rational extensions of the harmonic oscillator and related with multi-indexed X{sub m{sub 1,m{sub 2,…,m{sub k}}}} Hermite exceptional orthogonal polynomials of type III. The connection between these exactly solvable models is established at the level of the equivalence of the Hamiltonians using rational solutions of the fourth Painlevé equation in terms of generalized Hermite andmore » Okamoto polynomials. We also relate the different ladder operators obtained by various combinations of supersymmetric constructions involving Darboux-Crum and Krein-Adler supercharges, their zero modes and the corresponding energies. These results will demonstrate and clarify the relation observed for a particular case in previous papers.« less

Design of an adaptive super-twisting decoupled terminal sliding mode control scheme for a class of fourth-order systems.

PubMed

Ashtiani Haghighi, Donya; Mobayen, Saleh

2018-04-01

This paper proposes an adaptive super-twisting decoupled terminal sliding mode control technique for a class of fourth-order systems. The adaptive-tuning law eliminates the requirement of the knowledge about the upper bounds of external perturbations. Using the proposed control procedure, the state variables of cart-pole system are converged to decoupled terminal sliding surfaces and their equilibrium points in the finite time. Moreover, via the super-twisting algorithm, the chattering phenomenon is avoided without affecting the control performance. The numerical results demonstrate the high stabilization accuracy and lower performance indices values of the suggested method over the other ones. The simulation results on the cart-pole system as well as experimental validations demonstrate that the proposed control technique exhibits a reasonable performance in comparison with the other methods. Copyright © 2018 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Boundary Closures for Fourth-order Energy Stable Weighted Essentially Non-Oscillatory Finite Difference Schemes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fisher, Travis C.; Carpenter, Mark H.; Yamaleev, Nail K.; Frankel, Steven H.

2009-01-01

A general strategy exists for constructing Energy Stable Weighted Essentially Non Oscillatory (ESWENO) finite difference schemes up to eighth-order on periodic domains. These ESWENO schemes satisfy an energy norm stability proof for both continuous and discontinuous solutions of systems of linear hyperbolic equations. Herein, boundary closures are developed for the fourth-order ESWENO scheme that maintain wherever possible the WENO stencil biasing properties, while satisfying the summation-by-parts (SBP) operator convention, thereby ensuring stability in an L2 norm. Second-order, and third-order boundary closures are developed that achieve stability in diagonal and block norms, respectively. The global accuracy for the second-order closures is three, and for the third-order closures is four. A novel set of non-uniform flux interpolation points is necessary near the boundaries to simultaneously achieve 1) accuracy, 2) the SBP convention, and 3) WENO stencil biasing mechanics.

Equivalence-point electromigration acid-base titration via moving neutralization boundary electrophoresis.

PubMed

Yang, Qing; Fan, Liu-Yin; Huang, Shan-Sheng; Zhang, Wei; Cao, Cheng-Xi

2011-04-01

In this paper, we developed a novel method of acid-base titration, viz. the electromigration acid-base titration (EABT), via a moving neutralization boundary (MNR). With HCl and NaOH as the model strong acid and base, respectively, we conducted the experiments on the EABT via the method of moving neutralization boundary for the first time. The experiments revealed that (i) the concentration of agarose gel, the voltage used and the content of background electrolyte (KCl) had evident influence on the boundary movement; (ii) the movement length was a function of the running time under the constant acid and base concentrations; and (iii) there was a good linearity between the length and natural logarithmic concentration of HCl under the optimized conditions, and the linearity could be used to detect the concentration of acid. The experiments further manifested that (i) the RSD values of intra-day and inter-day runs were less than 1.59 and 3.76%, respectively, indicating similar precision and stability in capillary electrophoresis or HPLC; (ii) the indicators with different pK(a) values had no obvious effect on EABT, distinguishing strong influence on the judgment of equivalence-point titration in the classic one; and (iii) the constant equivalence-point titration always existed in the EABT, rather than the classic volumetric analysis. Additionally, the EABT could be put to good use for the determination of actual acid concentrations. The experimental results achieved herein showed a new general guidance for the development of classic volumetric analysis and element (e.g. nitrogen) content analysis in protein chemistry. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Organic matter in sediment layers of an acidic mining lake as assessed by lipid analysis. Part II: Neutral lipids.

PubMed

Poerschmann, Juergen; Koschorreck, Matthias; Górecki, Tadeusz

2017-02-01

Natural neutralization of acidic mining lakes is often limited by organic matter. The knowledge of the sources and degradability of organic matter is crucial for understanding alkalinity generation in these lakes. Sediments collected at different depths (surface sediment layer from 0 to 1 cm and deep sediment layer from 4 to 5cm) from an acidic mining lake were studied in order to characterize sedimentary organic matter based on neutral signature markers. Samples were exhaustively extracted, subjected to pre-chromatographic derivatizations and analyzed by GC/MS. Herein, molecular distributions of diagnostic alkanes/alkenes, terpenes/terpenoids, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, aliphatic alcohols and ketones, sterols, and hopanes/hopanoids were addressed. Characterization of the contribution of natural vs. anthropogenic sources to the sedimentary organic matter in these extreme environments was then possible based on these distributions. With the exception of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, combined concentrations across all marker classes proved higher in the surface sediment layer as compared to those in the deep sediment layer. Alkane and aliphatic alcohol distributions pointed to predominantly allochthonous over autochthonous contribution to sedimentary organic matter. Sterol patterns were dominated by phytosterols of terrestrial plants including stigmasterol and β-sitosterol. Hopanoid markers with the ββ-biohopanoid "biological" configuration were more abundant in the surface sediment layer, which pointed to higher bacterial activity. The pattern of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons pointed to prevailing anthropogenic input. Pyrolytic makers were likely to due to atmospheric deposition from a nearby former coal combustion facility. The combined analysis of the array of biomarkers provided new insights into the sources and transformations of organic matter in lake sediments. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Negative emotion does not enhance recall skills in adults with autistic spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Deruelle, C; Hubert, B; Santos, A; Wicker, B

2008-04-01

Recent empirical findings suggest a significant influence of emotion on memory processes. Surprisingly, although emotion-processing difficulties appear to be a hallmark feature in autism spectrum disorders (ASD), their impact on higher-level cognitive functions, such as memory, has not been directly studied in this population. The aim of this study was to address this issue by assessing whether the emotional valence of visual scenes affects recall skills in high-functioning individuals with ASD. To this purpose, their recall performance of neutral and emotional pictures was compared with that of typically developing adults (control group). Results revealed that while typically developing individuals showed enhanced recall skills for negative relative to positive and neutral pictures, individuals with ASD recalled the neutral pictures as well as the emotional ones. Findings of this study thus point to reduced influence of emotion on memory processes in ASD than in typically developing individuals, possibly owing to amygdala dysfunctions.

Potent neutralization of hepatitis A virus reveals a receptor mimic mechanism and the receptor recognition site.

PubMed

Wang, Xiangxi; Zhu, Ling; Dang, Minghao; Hu, Zhongyu; Gao, Qiang; Yuan, Shuai; Sun, Yao; Zhang, Bo; Ren, Jingshan; Kotecha, Abhay; Walter, Thomas S; Wang, Junzhi; Fry, Elizabeth E; Stuart, David I; Rao, Zihe

2017-01-24

Hepatitis A virus (HAV) infects ∼1.4 million people annually and, although there is a vaccine, there are no licensed therapeutic drugs. HAV is unusually stable (making disinfection problematic) and little is known of how it enters cells and releases its RNA. Here we report a potent HAV-specific monoclonal antibody, R10, which neutralizes HAV infection by blocking attachment to the host cell. High-resolution cryo-EM structures of HAV full and empty particles and of the complex of HAV with R10 Fab reveal the atomic details of antibody binding and point to a receptor recognition site at the pentamer interface. These results, together with our observation that the R10 Fab destabilizes the capsid, suggest the use of a receptor mimic mechanism to neutralize virus infection, providing new opportunities for therapeutic intervention.

Dissecting polyclonal vaccine-induced humoral immunity against HIV using Systems Serology

PubMed Central

Chung, Amy W.; Kumar, Manu P.; Arnold, Kelly B.; Yu, Wen Han; Schoen, Matthew K.; Dunphy, Laura J.; Suscovich, Todd J.; Frahm, Nicole; Linde, Caitlyn; Mahan, Alison E.; Hoffner, Michelle; Streeck, Hendrik; Ackerman, Margaret E.; McElrath, M. Juliana; Schuitemaker, Hanneke; Pau, Maria G.; Baden, Lindsey R.; Kim, Jerome H.; Michael, Nelson L.; Barouch, Dan H.; Lauffenburger, Douglas A.; Alter, Galit

2017-01-01

While antibody titers and neutralization are considered the gold standard for the selection of successful vaccines, these parameters are often inadequate predictors of protective immunity. As antibodies mediate an array of extra-neutralizing Fc-functions, when neutralization fails to predict protection, investigating Fc-mediated activity may help identify immunological correlates and mechanism(s) of humoral protection. Here, we used an integrative approach termed Systems Serology to analyze relationships among humoral responses elicited in four HIV vaccine-trials. Each vaccine regimen induced a unique humoral “Fc-fingerprint”. Moreover, analysis of case:control data from the first moderately protective HIV vaccine trial, RV144, pointed to mechanistic insights into immune complex composition that may underlie protective immunity to HIV. Thus, multi-dimensional relational comparisons of vaccine humoral fingerprints offer a unique approach for the evaluation and design of novel vaccines against pathogens for which correlates of protection remain elusive. PMID:26544943

Di-Higgs enhancement by neutral scalar as probe of new colored sector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakamura, Koji; Nishiwaki, Kenji; Oda, Kin-ya; Park, Seong Chan; Yamamoto, Yasuhiro

2017-05-01

We study a class of models in which the Higgs pair production is enhanced at hadron colliders by an extra neutral scalar. The scalar particle is produced by the gluon fusion via a loop of new colored particles, and decays into di-Higgs through its mixing with the Standard Model Higgs. Such a colored particle can be the top/bottom partner, such as in the dilaton model, or a colored scalar which can be triplet, sextet, octet, etc., called leptoquark, diquark, coloron, etc., respectively. We examine the experimental constraints from the latest Large Hadron Collider (LHC) data, and discuss the future prospects of the LHC and the Future Circular Collider up to 100 TeV. We also point out that the 2.4 σ excess in the b \\bar{b} γ γ final state reported by the ATLAS experiment can be interpreted as the resonance of the neutral scalar at 300 GeV.

Dissimilarity of yellow-blue surfaces under neutral light sources differing in intensity: separate contributions of light intensity and chroma.

PubMed

Tokunaga, Rumi; Logvinenko, Alexander D; Maloney, Laurence T

2008-01-01

Observers viewed two side-by-side arrays each of which contained three yellow Munsell papers, three blue, and one neutral Munsell. Each array was illuminated uniformly and independently of the other. The neutral light source intensities were 1380, 125, or 20 lux. All six possible combinations of light intensities were set as illumination conditions. On each trial, observers were asked to rate the dissimilarity between each chip in one array and each chip in the other by using a 30-point scale. Each pair of surfaces in each illumination condition was judged five times. We analyzed this data using non-metric multi-dimensional scaling to determine how light intensity and surface chroma contributed to dissimilarity and how they interacted. Dissimilarities were captured by a three-dimensional configuration in which one dimension corresponded to differences in light intensity.

Measurement of Shear Elastic Moduli in Quasi-Incompressible Soft Solids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rénier, Mathieu; Gennisson, Jean-Luc; Barrière, Christophe; Catheline, Stefan; Tanter, Mickaël; Royer, Daniel; Fink, Mathias

2008-06-01

Recently a nonlinear equation describing the plane shear wave propagation in isotropic quasi-incompressible media has been developed using a new expression of the strain energy density, as a function of the second, third and fourth order shear elastic constants (respectively μ, A, D) [1]. In such a case, the shear nonlinearity parameter βs depends only from these last coefficients. To date, no measurement of the parameter D have been carried out in soft solids. Using a set of two experiments, acoustoelasticity and finite amplitude shear waves, the shear elastic moduli up to the fourth order of soft solids are measured. Firstly, this theoretical background is applied to the acoustoelasticity theory, giving the variations of the shear wave speed as a function of the stress applied to the medium. From such variations, both linear (μ) and third order shear modulus (A) are deduced in agar-gelatin phantoms. Experimentally the radiation force induced by a focused ultrasound beam is used to generate quasi-plane linear shear waves within the medium. Then the shear wave propagation is imaged with an ultrafast ultrasound scanner. Secondly, in order to give rise to finite amplitude plane shear waves, the radiation force generation technique is replaced by a vibrating plate applied at the surface of the phantoms. The propagation is also imaged using the same ultrafast scanner. From the assessment of the third harmonic amplitude, the nonlinearity parameter βS is deduced. Finally, combining these results with the acoustoelasticity experiment, the fourth order modulus (D) is deduced. This set of experiments provides the characterization, up to the fourth order, of the nonlinear shear elastic moduli in quasi-incompressible soft media. Measurements of the A moduli reveal that while the behaviors of both soft solids are close from a linear point of view, the corresponding nonlinear moduli A are quite different. In a 5% agar-gelatin phantom, the fourth order elastic constant D is found to be 30±10 kPa.

Designing Awe in Virtual Reality: An Experimental Study.

PubMed

Chirico, Alice; Ferrise, Francesco; Cordella, Lorenzo; Gaggioli, Andrea

2017-01-01

Awe is a little-studied emotion with a great transformative potential. Therefore, the interest toward the study of awe's underlying mechanisms has been increased. Specifically, researchers have been interested in how to reproduce intense feelings of awe within laboratory conditions. It has been proposed that the use of virtual reality (VR) could be an effective way to induce awe in controlled experimental settings, thanks to its ability of providing participants with a sense of "presence," that is, the subjective feeling of being displaced in another physical or imaginary place. However, the potential of VR as awe-inducing medium has not been fully tested yet. In the present study, we provided an evidence-based design and a validation of four immersive virtual environments (VEs) involving 36 participants in a within-subject design. Of these, three VEs were designed to induce awe, whereas the fourth VE was targeted as an emotionally neutral stimulus. Participants self-reported the extent to which they felt awe, general affect and sense of presence related to each environment. As expected, results showed that awe-VEs could induce significantly higher levels of awe and presence as compared to the neutral VE. Furthermore, these VEs induced significantly more positive than negative affect. These findings supported the potential of immersive VR for inducing awe and provide useful indications for the design of awe-inspiring virtual environments.

Eradication of Cytomegalovirus from Human Milk by Microwave Irradiation: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Ben-Shoshan, Moshe; Mandel, Dror; Lubetzky, Ronit; Dollberg, Shaul; Mimouni, Francis B

2016-05-01

Cytomegalovirus (CMV)-infected human milk (HM) can lead to significant CMV morbidity and mortality in preterm very-low-birth weight infants. The eradication of CMV in HM while preserving its properties poses a major clinical challenge. We aimed to compare two methods used to neutralize the virus in HM, one recognized as partially effective (freezing) and another not tested to date (microwave exposure). We sampled HM from 31 CMV-seropositive mothers whose infants were hospitalized at the Lis Maternity Hospital. Fifteen samples that were positive for CMV antigen were divided into five 5 mL aliquots: the first a control, the second was frozen at -20°C for 1 day, the third was frozen at -200°C for 3 days, and the fourth and fifth aliquots were exposed for 30 seconds to microwave radiation at a low-power setting (500 W) and high-power setting (750 W), respectively. Only microwave radiation at a high-power setting led to complete neutralization of CMV in all samples. Low-power microwave irradiation had a 13% failure rate while 3-day freezing and 1-day freezing had failure rates of 7% and 20%, respectively. It is possible to eradicate CMV successfully in HM by using microwave radiation at a high-power setting. Further studies are needed to evaluate the effect of microwave heating on breast milk properties.

Non-neutralized Electric Currents in Solar Active Regions and Flare Productivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kontogiannis, Ioannis; Georgoulis, Manolis K.; Park, Sung-Hong; Guerra, Jordan A.

2017-11-01

We explore the association of non-neutralized currents with solar flare occurrence in a sizable sample of observations, aiming to show the potential of such currents in solar flare prediction. We used the high-quality vector magnetograms that are regularly produced by the Helioseismic Magnetic Imager, and more specifically, the Space weather HMI Active Region Patches (SHARP). Through a newly established method that incorporates detailed error analysis, we calculated the non-neutralized currents contained in active regions (AR). Two predictors were produced, namely the total and the maximum unsigned non-neutralized current. Both were tested in AR time-series and a representative sample of point-in-time observations during the interval 2012 - 2016. The average values of non-neutralized currents in flaring active regions are higher by more than an order of magnitude than in non-flaring regions and correlate very well with the corresponding flare index. The temporal evolution of these parameters appears to be connected to physical processes, such as flux emergence and/or magnetic polarity inversion line formation, that are associated with increased solar flare activity. Using Bayesian inference of flaring probabilities, we show that the total unsigned non-neutralized current significantly outperforms the total unsigned magnetic flux and other well-established current-related predictors. It therefore shows good prospects for inclusion in an operational flare-forecasting service. We plan to use the new predictor in the framework of the FLARECAST project along with other highly performing predictors.

Microbially mediated carbon mineralization: Geoengineering a carbon-neutral mine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Power, I. M.; McCutcheon, J.; Harrison, A. L.; Wilson, S. A.; Dipple, G. M.; Southam, G.

2013-12-01

Ultramafic and mafic mine tailings are a potentially valuable feedstock for carbon mineralization, affording the mining industry an opportunity to completely offset their carbon emissions. Passive carbon mineralization has previously been documented at the abandoned Clinton Creek asbestos mine, and the active Diavik diamond mine and Mount Keith nickel mine, yet the majority of tailings remain unreacted. Examples of microbe-carbonate interactions at each mine suggest that biological pathways could be harnessed to promote carbon mineralization. In suitable environmental conditions, microbes can mediate geochemical processes to accelerate mineral dissolution, increase the supply of carbon dioxide (CO2), and induce carbonate precipitation, all of which may accelerate carbon mineralization. Tailings mineralogy and the availability of a CO2 point source are key considerations in designing tailings storage facilities (TSF) for optimizing carbon mineralization. We evaluate the efficacy of acceleration strategies including bioleaching, biologically induced carbonate precipitation, and heterotrophic oxidation of waste organics, as well as abiotic strategies including enhancing passive carbonation through modifying tailings management practices and use of CO2 point sources (Fig. 1). With the aim of developing carbon-neutral mines, implementation of carbon mineralization strategies into TSF design will be driven by economic incentives and public pressure for environmental sustainability in the mining industry. Figure 1. Schematic illustrating geoengineered scenarios for carbon mineralization of ultramafic mine tailings. Scenarios A and B are based on non-point and point sources of CO2, respectively.

Channels of Propaganda.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sproule, J. Michael

Defining propaganda as "efforts by special interests to win over the public covertly by infiltrating messages into various channels of public expression ordinarily viewed as politically neutral," this book argues that propaganda has become pervasive in American life. Pointing out that the 1990s society is inundated with propaganda from…

Performance Evaluation of the NEXT Ion Engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Soulas, George C.; Domonkos, Matthew T.; Patterson, Michael J.

2003-01-01

The performance test results of three NEXT ion engines are presented. These ion engines exhibited peak specific impulse and thrust efficiency ranges of 4060 4090 s and 0.68 0.69, respectively, at the full power point of the NEXT throttle table. The performance of the ion engines satisfied all project requirements. Beam flatness parameters were significantly improved over the NSTAR ion engine, which is expected to improve accelerator grid service life. The results of engine inlet pressure and temperature measurements are also presented. Maximum main plenum, cathode, and neutralizer pressures were 12,000 Pa, 3110 Pa, and 8540 Pa, respectively, at the full power point of the NEXT throttle table. Main plenum and cathode inlet pressures required about 6 hours to increase to steady-state, while the neutralizer required only about 0.5 hour. Steady-state engine operating temperature ranges throughout the power throttling range examined were 179 303 C for the discharge chamber magnet rings and 132 213 C for the ion optics mounting ring.

Ambipolar surface state thermoelectric power of topological insulator Bi2Se3.

PubMed

Kim, Dohun; Syers, Paul; Butch, Nicholas P; Paglione, Johnpierre; Fuhrer, Michael S

2014-01-01

We measure gate-tuned thermoelectric power of mechanically exfoliated Bi2Se3 thin films in the topological insulator regime. The sign of the thermoelectric power changes across the charge neutrality point as the majority carrier type switches from electron to hole, consistent with the ambipolar electric field effect observed in conductivity and Hall effect measurements. Near the charge neutrality point and at low temperatures, the gate-dependent thermoelectric power follows the semiclassical Mott relation using the expected surface state density of states but is larger than expected at high electron doping, possibly reflecting a large density of states in the bulk gap. The thermoelectric power factor shows significant enhancement near the electron-hole puddle carrier density ∼0.5 × 10(12) cm(-2) per surface at all temperatures. Together with the expected reduction of lattice thermal conductivity in low-dimensional structures, the results demonstrate that nanostructuring and Fermi level tuning of three-dimensional topological insulators can be promising routes to realize efficient thermoelectric devices.

Quantum Transport near the Charge Neutrality Point in Inverted Type-II InAs/GaSb Field-Effect Transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, W.; Klem, J. F.; Kim, J. K.; Thalakulam, M.; Cich, M. J.; Lyo, S. K.

2013-03-01

We present here our recent quantum transport results around the charge neutrality point (CNP) in a type-II InAs/GaSb field-effect transistor. At zero magnetic field, a conductance minimum close to 4e2 / h develops at the CNP and it follows semi-logarithmic temperature dependence. In quantized magnetic (B) fields and at low temperatures, well developed integer quantum Hall states are observed in the electron as well as hole regimes. Electron transport shows noisy behavior around the CNP at extremely high B fields. When the diagonal conductivity σxx is plotted against the Hall conductivity σxy, a conductivity circle law is discovered, suggesting a chaotic quantum transport behavior. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

Neutrality and evolvability of designed protein sequences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhattacherjee, Arnab; Biswas, Parbati

2010-07-01

The effect of foldability on protein’s evolvability is analyzed by a two-prong approach consisting of a self-consistent mean-field theory and Monte Carlo simulations. Theory and simulation models representing protein sequences with binary patterning of amino acid residues compatible with a particular foldability criteria are used. This generalized foldability criterion is derived using the high temperature cumulant expansion approximating the free energy of folding. The effect of cumulative point mutations on these designed proteins is studied under neutral condition. The robustness, protein’s ability to tolerate random point mutations is determined with a selective pressure of stability (ΔΔG) for the theory designed sequences, which are found to be more robust than that of Monte Carlo and mean-field-biased Monte Carlo generated sequences. The results show that this foldability criterion selects viable protein sequences more effectively compared to the Monte Carlo method, which has a marked effect on how the selective pressure shapes the evolutionary sequence space. These observations may impact de novo sequence design and its applications in protein engineering.

The effect of new interstellar medium parameters on the heliosphere and energetic neutral atoms from the interstellar boundary

DOE PAGES

Heerikhuisen, J.; Zirnstein, E. J.; Funsten, H. O.; ...

2014-03-05

Here we present new results from three-dimensional simulations of the solar wind interaction with the local interstellar medium (LISM) using recent observations by NASA's Interstellar Boundary EXplorer (IBEX) mission estimates of the velocity and temperature of the LISM. We investigate four strengths of the LISM magnetic field, from 1 to 4 μG, and adjust the LISM proton and hydrogen densities so that the distance to the termination shock (TS) in the directions of the Voyager spacecraft is just below 90 AU, and the density of hydrogen at the TS is close to 0.09 cm-3 in the nose direction. The orientationmore » of the magnetic field is chosen to point toward the center of the ribbon of enhanced energetic neutral atom (ENA) flux seen in the IBEX data. Our simulations show that the plasma and neutral properties in the outer heliosheath vary considerably as a function of the LISM magnetic field strength. We also show that the heliotail points downwind in all cases, though its structure is strongly affected by the external magnetic field. Lastly, comparison and consistency between the simulated ENA flux and the circularity of the ribbon as measured by IBEX are most consistent with a LISM magnetic field strength aligned with the center of the ribbon and a magnitude in the range 2.5-3 μG.« less

Efficient and accurate time-stepping schemes for integrate-and-fire neuronal networks.

PubMed

Shelley, M J; Tao, L

2001-01-01

To avoid the numerical errors associated with resetting the potential following a spike in simulations of integrate-and-fire neuronal networks, Hansel et al. and Shelley independently developed a modified time-stepping method. Their particular scheme consists of second-order Runge-Kutta time-stepping, a linear interpolant to find spike times, and a recalibration of postspike potential using the spike times. Here we show analytically that such a scheme is second order, discuss the conditions under which efficient, higher-order algorithms can be constructed to treat resets, and develop a modified fourth-order scheme. To support our analysis, we simulate a system of integrate-and-fire conductance-based point neurons with all-to-all coupling. For six-digit accuracy, our modified Runge-Kutta fourth-order scheme needs a time-step of Delta(t) = 0.5 x 10(-3) seconds, whereas to achieve comparable accuracy using a recalibrated second-order or a first-order algorithm requires time-steps of 10(-5) seconds or 10(-9) seconds, respectively. Furthermore, since the cortico-cortical conductances in standard integrate-and-fire neuronal networks do not depend on the value of the membrane potential, we can attain fourth-order accuracy with computational costs normally associated with second-order schemes.

Trends of Underweight and Overweight/Obesity Among Japanese Schoolchildren From 2003 to 2012, Defined by Body Mass Index and Percentage Overweight Cutoffs.

PubMed

Shirasawa, Takako; Ochiai, Hirotaka; Nanri, Hinako; Nishimura, Rimei; Ohtsu, Tadahiro; Hoshino, Hiromi; Tajima, Naoko; Kokaze, Akatsuki

2015-01-01

We investigated the prevalence and trends of underweight and overweight/obesity in a population-based sample of Japanese schoolchildren from 2003 to 2012, defined by body mass index (BMI) and percentage overweight (POW). Subjects comprised fourth and seventh graders from the town of Ina, Japan, from 2003 to 2012. The height and weight of each subject were measured. Children were classified as underweight, normal weight, or overweight/obese using two criteria: BMI cutoff points proposed by the International Obesity Task Force and cutoffs based on POW in Japan. Data from 4367 fourth graders and 3724 seventh graders were analyzed. The prevalence of underweight and overweight as defined by POW criteria were lower than those based on BMI criteria. There was a decrease in the prevalence of overweight among fourth-grade boys and girls and seventh-grade girls according to BMI; this decrease was also observed when POW criteria were used for the definition of overweight. The prevalence and trends of both underweight and overweight as defined by POW were underestimated among Japanese schoolchildren compared to those determined using BMI. The results of this study also suggest that trends in underweight and overweight/obesity using POW criteria are similar to those based on BMI criteria among schoolchildren in Japan.

The role of teacher behavior in children's relational aggression development: A five-wave longitudinal study.

PubMed

Weyns, Tessa; Verschueren, Karine; Leflot, Geertje; Onghena, Patrick; Wouters, Sofie; Colpin, Hilde

2017-10-01

The present article examined the development of relational aggression in middle childhood and the effects of observed teacher behavior on this development. Relying on social learning theory, we expected that teacher praise would slow down the increase of relational aggression, whereas teacher reprimands would promote the increase of relational aggression. A sample of 570 children (49% boys, M age =7years and 5months, >95% Belgian) was followed from second to fourth grade. Teacher praise and reprimands were observed at the beginning of second grade. Child relational aggression was assessed using teacher and peer reports, collected at five points in time: at the beginning and end of the second grade, at the beginning and end of the third grade, and at the end of the fourth grade. Multilevel modeling showed that relational aggression generally increased from second to fourth grade. Moreover, when teachers displayed more praise, students' relational aggression increased at a slower rate; when teachers displayed more reprimands, students' relational aggression increased at a faster rate. Overall, the results stress the importance of supporting teachers to reduce reprimands and increase praise when interacting with children. Copyright © 2017 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Management of in-flight medical emergencies: are senior medical students prepared to respond to this community need?

PubMed

Katzer, Robert J; Duong, David; Weber, Matthew; Memmer, Amy; Buchanan, Ian

2014-11-01

In-flight medical emergencies on commercial aircraft are common in both domestic and international flights. We hypothesized that fourth-year medical students feel inadequately prepared to lend assistance during in-flight medical emergencies. This multicenter study of two U.S. medical schools obtains a baseline assessment of knowledge and confidence in managing in-flight medical emergencies. A 25-question survey was administered to fourth-year medical students at two United States medical schools. Questions included baseline knowledge of in-flight medicine (10 questions) and perceived ability to respond to in-flight medical emergencies. 229 participants completed the survey (75% response rate). The average score on the fund of knowledge questions was 64%. Responses to the 5-point Likert scale questions indicated that, on average, students did not feel confident or competent responding to an in-flight medical emergency. Participants on average also disagreed with statements that they had adequate understanding of supplies, flight crew training, and ground-based management. This multicenter survey indicates that fourth-year medical students do not feel adequately prepared to respond to in-flight medical emergencies and may have sub-optimal knowledge. This study provides an initial step in identifying a deficiency in current medical education.

Management of In-Flight Medical Emergencies: Are Senior Medical Students Prepared to Respond to this Community Need?

PubMed Central

Katzer, Robert J.; Duong, David; Weber, Matthew; Memmer, Amy; Buchanan, Ian

2014-01-01

Introduction In-flight medical emergencies on commercial aircraft are common in both domestic and international flights. We hypothesized that fourth-year medical students feel inadequately prepared to lend assistance during in-flight medical emergencies. This multicenter study of two U.S. medical schools obtains a baseline assessment of knowledge and confidence in managing in-flight medical emergencies. Methods A 25-question survey was administered to fourth-year medical students at two United States medical schools. Questions included baseline knowledge of in-flight medicine (10 questions) and perceived ability to respond to in-flight medical emergencies. Results 229 participants completed the survey (75% response rate). The average score on the fund of knowledge questions was 64%. Responses to the 5-point Likert scale questions indicated that, on average, students did not feel confident or competent responding to an in-flight medical emergency. Participants on average also disagreed with statements that they had adequate understanding of supplies, flight crew training, and ground-based management. Conclusion This multicenter survey indicates that fourth-year medical students do not feel adequately prepared to respond to in-flight medical emergencies and may have sub-optimal knowledge. This study provides an initial step in identifying a deficiency in current medical education. PMID:25493155

Graded Neuronal Modulations Related to Visual Spatial Attention.

PubMed

Mayo, J Patrick; Maunsell, John H R

2016-05-11

Studies of visual attention in monkeys typically measure neuronal activity when the stimulus event to be detected occurs at a cued location versus when it occurs at an uncued location. But this approach does not address how neuronal activity changes relative to conditions where attention is unconstrained by cueing. Human psychophysical studies have used neutral cueing conditions and found that neutrally cued behavioral performance is generally intermediate to that of cued and uncued conditions (Posner et al., 1978; Mangun and Hillyard, 1990; Montagna et al., 2009). To determine whether the neuronal correlates of visual attention during neutral cueing are similarly intermediate, we trained macaque monkeys to detect changes in stimulus orientation that were more likely to occur at one location (cued) than another (uncued), or were equally likely to occur at either stimulus location (neutral). Consistent with human studies, performance was best when the location was cued, intermediate when both locations were neutrally cued, and worst when the location was uncued. Neuronal modulations in visual area V4 were also graded as a function of cue validity and behavioral performance. By recording from both hemispheres simultaneously, we investigated the possibility of switching attention between stimulus locations during neutral cueing. The results failed to support a unitary "spotlight" of attention. Overall, our findings indicate that attention-related changes in V4 are graded to accommodate task demands. Studies of the neuronal correlates of attention in monkeys typically use visual cues to manipulate where attention is focused ("cued" vs "uncued"). Human psychophysical studies often also include neutrally cued trials to study how attention naturally varies between points of interest. But the neuronal correlates of this neutral condition are unclear. We measured behavioral performance and neuronal activity in cued, uncued, and neutrally cued blocks of trials. Behavioral performance and neuronal responses during neutral cueing were intermediate to those of the cued and uncued conditions. We found no signatures of a single mechanism of attention that switches between stimulus locations. Thus, attention-related changes in neuronal activity are largely hemisphere-specific and graded according to task demands. Copyright © 2016 the authors 0270-6474/16/365353-09$15.00/0.

Graded Neuronal Modulations Related to Visual Spatial Attention

PubMed Central

Maunsell, John H. R.

2016-01-01

Studies of visual attention in monkeys typically measure neuronal activity when the stimulus event to be detected occurs at a cued location versus when it occurs at an uncued location. But this approach does not address how neuronal activity changes relative to conditions where attention is unconstrained by cueing. Human psychophysical studies have used neutral cueing conditions and found that neutrally cued behavioral performance is generally intermediate to that of cued and uncued conditions (Posner et al., 1978; Mangun and Hillyard, 1990; Montagna et al., 2009). To determine whether the neuronal correlates of visual attention during neutral cueing are similarly intermediate, we trained macaque monkeys to detect changes in stimulus orientation that were more likely to occur at one location (cued) than another (uncued), or were equally likely to occur at either stimulus location (neutral). Consistent with human studies, performance was best when the location was cued, intermediate when both locations were neutrally cued, and worst when the location was uncued. Neuronal modulations in visual area V4 were also graded as a function of cue validity and behavioral performance. By recording from both hemispheres simultaneously, we investigated the possibility of switching attention between stimulus locations during neutral cueing. The results failed to support a unitary “spotlight” of attention. Overall, our findings indicate that attention-related changes in V4 are graded to accommodate task demands. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Studies of the neuronal correlates of attention in monkeys typically use visual cues to manipulate where attention is focused (“cued” vs “uncued”). Human psychophysical studies often also include neutrally cued trials to study how attention naturally varies between points of interest. But the neuronal correlates of this neutral condition are unclear. We measured behavioral performance and neuronal activity in cued, uncued, and neutrally cued blocks of trials. Behavioral performance and neuronal responses during neutral cueing were intermediate to those of the cued and uncued conditions. We found no signatures of a single mechanism of attention that switches between stimulus locations. Thus, attention-related changes in neuronal activity are largely hemisphere-specific and graded according to task demands. PMID:27170131

Fluorescence Adherence Inhibition Assay: A Novel Functional Assessment of Blocking Virus Attachment by Vaccine-Induced Antibodies

PubMed Central

Asati, Atul; Kachurina, Olga; Karol, Alex; Dhir, Vipra; Nguyen, Michael; Parkhill, Robert; Kouiavskaia, Diana; Chumakov, Konstantin; Warren, William; Kachurin, Anatoly

2016-01-01

Neutralizing antibodies induced by vaccination or natural infection play a critically important role in protection against the viral diseases. In general, neutralization of the viral infection occurs via two major pathways: pre- and post-attachment modes, the first being the most important for such infections as influenza and polio, the latter being significant for filoviruses. Neutralizing capacity of antibodies is typically evaluated by virus neutralization assays that assess reduction of viral infectivity to the target cells in the presence of functional antibodies. Plaque reduction neutralization test, microneutralization and immunofluorescent assays are often used as gold standard virus neutralization assays. However, these methods are associated with several important prerequisites such as use of live virus requiring safety precautions, tedious evaluation procedure and long assessment time. Hence, there is a need for a robust, inexpensive high throughput functional assay that can be performed rapidly using inactivated virus, without extensive safety precautions. Herein, we report a novel high throughput Fluorescence Adherence Inhibition assay (fADI) using inactivated virus labeled with fluorescent secondary antibodies virus and Vero cells or erythrocytes as targets. It requires only few hours to assess pre-attachment neutralizing capacity of donor sera. fADI assay was tested successfully on donors immunized with polio, yellow fever and influenza vaccines. To further simplify and improve the throughput of the assay, we have developed a mathematical approach for calculating the 50% titers from a single sample dilution, without the need to analyze multi-point titration curves. Assessment of pre- and post-vaccination human sera from subjects immunized with IPOL®, YF-VAX® and 2013–2014 Fluzone® vaccines demonstrated high efficiency of the assay. The results correlated very well with microneutralization assay performed independently by the FDA Center of Biologics Evaluation and Research, with plaque reduction neutralization test performed by Focus Diagnostics, and with hemaglutination inhibition assay performed in-house at Sanofi Pasteur. Taken together, fADI assay appears to be a useful high throughput functional immunoassay for assessment of antibody-related neutralization of the viral infections for which pre-attachment neutralization pathway is predominant, such as polio, influenza, yellow fever and dengue. PMID:26863313

Urinary Potassium Excretion and Renal and Cardiovascular Complications in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes and Normal Renal Function

PubMed Central

Haneda, Masakazu; Koya, Daisuke; Kondo, Keiko; Tanaka, Sachiko; Arima, Hisatomi; Kume, Shinji; Nakazawa, Jun; Chin-Kanasaki, Masami; Ugi, Satoshi; Kawai, Hiromichi; Araki, Hisazumi; Uzu, Takashi; Maegawa, Hiroshi

2015-01-01

Background and objectives We investigated the association of urinary potassium and sodium excretion with the incidence of renal failure and cardiovascular disease in patients with type 2 diabetes. Design, setting, participants, & measurements A total of 623 Japanese type 2 diabetic patients with eGFR≥60 ml/min per 1.73 m2 were enrolled in this observational follow-up study between 1996 and 2003 and followed-up until 2013. At baseline, a 24-hour urine sample was collected to estimate urinary potassium and sodium excretion. The primary end point was renal and cardiovascular events (RRT, myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease). The secondary renal end points were the incidence of a 50% decline in eGFR, progression to CKD stage 4 (eGFR<30 ml/min per 1.73 m2), and the annual decline rate in eGFR. Results During the 11-year median follow-up period, 134 primary end points occurred. Higher urinary potassium excretion was associated with lower risk of the primary end point, whereas urinary sodium excretion was not. The adjusted hazard ratios for the primary end point in Cox proportional hazards analysis were 0.56 (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.33 to 0.95) in the third quartile of urinary potassium excretion (2.33–2.90 g/d) and 0.33 (95% CI, 0.18 to 0.62) in the fourth quartile (>2.90 g/d) compared with the lowest quartile (<1.72 g/d). Similar associations were observed for the secondary renal end points. The annual decline rate in eGFR in the fourth quartile of urinary potassium excretion (–1.3 ml/min per 1.73 m2/y; 95% CI, –1.5 to –1.0) was significantly slower than those in the first quartile (–2.2; 95% CI, –2.4 to –1.8). Conclusions Higher urinary potassium excretion was associated with the slower decline of renal function and the lower incidence of cardiovascular complications in type 2 diabetic patients with normal renal function. Interventional trials are necessary to determine whether increasing dietary potassium is beneficial. PMID:26563378

Phosphate forms an unusual tripodal complex with the Fe–Mn center of sweet potato purple acid phosphatase

PubMed Central

Schenk, Gerhard; Gahan, Lawrence R.; Carrington, Lyle E.; Mitić, Nataša; Valizadeh, Mohsen; Hamilton, Susan E.; de Jersey, John; Guddat, Luke W.

2005-01-01

Purple acid phosphatases (PAPs) are a family of binuclear metalloenzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of phosphoric acid esters and anhydrides. A PAP in sweet potato has a unique, strongly antiferromagnetically coupled Fe(III)–Mn(II) center and is distinguished from other PAPs by its increased catalytic efficiency for a range of activated and unactivated phosphate esters, its strict requirement for Mn(II), and the presence of a μ-oxo bridge at pH 4.90. This enzyme displays maximum catalytic efficiency (kcat/Km) at pH 4.5, whereas its catalytic rate constant (kcat) is maximal at near-neutral pH, and, in contrast to other PAPs, its catalytic parameters are not dependent on the pKa of the leaving group. The crystal structure of the phosphate-bound Fe(III)–Mn(II) PAP has been determined to 2.5-Å resolution (final Rfree value of 0.256). Structural comparisons of the active site of sweet potato, red kidney bean, and mammalian PAPs show several amino acid substitutions in the sweet potato enzyme that can account for its increased catalytic efficiency. The phosphate molecule binds in an unusual tripodal mode to the two metal ions, with two of the phosphate oxygen atoms binding to Fe(III) and Mn(II), a third oxygen atom bridging the two metal ions, and the fourth oxygen pointing toward the substrate binding pocket. This binding mode is unique among the known structures in this family but is reminiscent of phosphate binding to urease and of sulfate binding to λ protein phosphatase. The structure and kinetics support the hypothesis that the bridging oxygen atom initiates hydrolysis. PMID:15625111

Characterization of the Adsorption of Nucleic Acid Bases onto Ferrihydrite via Fourier Transform Infrared and Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy and X-ray Diffractometry.

PubMed

Canhisares-Filho, José E; Carneiro, Cristine E A; de Santana, Henrique; Urbano, Alexandre; da Costa, Antonio C S; Zaia, Cássia T B V; Zaia, Dimas A M

2015-09-01

Minerals could have played an important role in concentration, protection, and polymerization of biomolecules. Although iron is the fourth most abundant element in Earth's crust, there are few works in the literature that describe the use of iron oxide-hydroxide in prebiotic chemistry experiments. In the present work, the interaction of adenine, thymine, and uracil with ferrihydrite was studied under conditions that resemble those of prebiotic Earth. At acidic pH, anions in artificial seawater decreased the pH at the point of zero charge (pHpzc) of ferrihydrite; and at basic pH, cations increased the pHpzc. The adsorption of nucleic acid bases onto ferrihydrite followed the order adenine > uracil > thymine. Adenine adsorption peaked at neutral pH; however, for thymine and uracil, adsorption increased with increasing pH. Electrostatic interactions did not appear to play an important role on the adsorption of nucleic acid bases onto ferrihydrite. Adenine adsorption onto ferrihydrite was higher in distilled water compared to artificial seawater. After ferrihydrite was mixed with artificial seawaters or nucleic acid bases, X-ray diffractograms and Fourier transform infrared spectra did not show any change. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy showed that the interaction of adenine with ferrihydrite was not pH-dependent. In contrast, the interactions of thymine and uracil with ferrihydrite were pH-dependent such that, at basic pH, thymine and uracil lay flat on the surface of ferrihydrite, and at acidic pH, thymine and uracil were perpendicular to the surface. Ferrihydrite adsorbed much more adenine than thymine; thus adenine would have been better protected against degradation by hydrolysis or UV radiation on prebiotic Earth.

Biochemical evolution. I. Polymerization on internal, organophilic silica surfaces of dealuminated zeolites and feldspars

PubMed Central

Smith, Joseph V.

1998-01-01

Catalysis at mineral surfaces might generate replicating biopolymers from simple chemicals supplied by meteorites, volcanic gases, and photochemical gas reactions. Many ideas are implausible in detail because the proposed mineral surfaces strongly prefer water and other ionic species to organic ones. The molecular sieve silicalite (Union Carbide; = Al-free Mobil ZSM-5 zeolite) has a three-dimensional, 10-ring channel system whose electrically neutral Si-O surface strongly adsorbs organic species over water. Three -O-Si tetrahedral bonds lie in the surface, and the fourth Si-O points inwards. In contrast, the outward Si-OH of simple quartz and feldspar crystals generates their ionic organophobicity. The ZSM-5-type zeolite mutinaite occurs in Antarctica with boggsite and tschernichite (Al-analog of Mobil Beta). Archean mutinaite might have become de-aluminated toward silicalite during hot/cold/wet/dry cycles. Catalytic activity of silicalite increases linearly with Al-OH substitution for Si, and Al atoms tend to avoid each other. Adjacent organophilic and catalytic Al-OH regions in nanometer channels might have scavenged organic species for catalytic assembly into specific polymers protected from prompt photochemical destruction. Polymer migration along weathered silicic surfaces of micrometer-wide channels of feldspars might have led to assembly of replicating catalytic biomolecules and perhaps primitive cellular organisms. Silica-rich volcanic glasses should have been abundant on the early Earth, ready for crystallization into zeolites and feldspars, as in present continental basins. Abundant chert from weakly metamorphosed Archaean rocks might retain microscopic clues to the proposed mineral adsorbent/catalysts. Other framework silicas are possible, including ones with laevo/dextro one-dimensional channels. Organic molecules, transition-metal ions, and P occur inside modern feldspars. PMID:9520372

Biochemical evolution. I. Polymerization On internal, organophilic silica surfaces of dealuminated zeolites and feldspars.

PubMed

Smith, J V

1998-03-31

Catalysis at mineral surfaces might generate replicating biopolymers from simple chemicals supplied by meteorites, volcanic gases, and photochemical gas reactions. Many ideas are implausible in detail because the proposed mineral surfaces strongly prefer water and other ionic species to organic ones. The molecular sieve silicalite (Union Carbide; = Al-free Mobil ZSM-5 zeolite) has a three-dimensional, 10-ring channel system whose electrically neutral Si-O surface strongly adsorbs organic species over water. Three -O-Si tetrahedral bonds lie in the surface, and the fourth Si-O points inwards. In contrast, the outward Si-OH of simple quartz and feldspar crystals generates their ionic organophobicity. The ZSM-5-type zeolite mutinaite occurs in Antarctica with boggsite and tschernichite (Al-analog of Mobil Beta). Archean mutinaite might have become de-aluminated toward silicalite during hot/cold/wet/dry cycles. Catalytic activity of silicalite increases linearly with Al-OH substitution for Si, and Al atoms tend to avoid each other. Adjacent organophilic and catalytic Al-OH regions in nanometer channels might have scavenged organic species for catalytic assembly into specific polymers protected from prompt photochemical destruction. Polymer migration along weathered silicic surfaces of micrometer-wide channels of feldspars might have led to assembly of replicating catalytic biomolecules and perhaps primitive cellular organisms. Silica-rich volcanic glasses should have been abundant on the early Earth, ready for crystallization into zeolites and feldspars, as in present continental basins. Abundant chert from weakly metamorphosed Archaean rocks might retain microscopic clues to the proposed mineral adsorbent/catalysts. Other framework silicas are possible, including ones with laevo/dextro one-dimensional channels. Organic molecules, transition-metal ions, and P occur inside modern feldspars.

Far-ultraviolet fluorescence of carbon monoxide in the red giant Arcturus. II - Analysis of high-dispersion IUE spectra

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ayres, T. R.

1986-01-01

Faint, diffuse emissions near 1380 A in deeply exposed IUE spectrograms of the red giant Arcturus very likely are associated with bands of the A-X fourth-positive system of carbon monoxide, fluoresced by multiplet UV2 of neutral oxygen near 1305 A. Numerical simulations indicate that the strength of the CO bands is exceedingly sensitive, in the best available one-dimensional model of the chromosphere of Arcturus, to a delicate balance between the rapid inward attenuation of the oxygen radiation field and the rapid outward decline of the molecular absorptivity. The fortuitous character of the overlap region in the single-component model argues that one should also consider the possibility that the pumping occurs in a highly inhomogeneous chromosphere, of the type proposed in previous studies of Arcturus based on observations of the infrared absorption bands of CO.

Effects of external applications of No. 2 fuel oil on common eider eggs

USGS Publications Warehouse

Szaro, Robert C.; Albers, P.H.; Wolfe, Douglas A.

1977-01-01

Because eggs of marine birds may be exposed to oil adhering to the feathers of adult birds, a study was undertaken to determine the effects of oil contamination. Two hundred common eider eggs were divided into four experimental sets of 50 each. Two sets were treated with No. 2 fuel oil in amounts of 5 microliters to 20 microliters; a third with 20 microliters of propylene glycol, a neutral blocking agent. The fourth set served as a control. Hatching success was 96 percent for the eggs treated with 20 microliters propylene glycol, 96 percent for the controls and 92 percent for the eggs treated with 5 microliters oil hatched. Only 69 percent of the eggs treated with 20 microliters of oil survived - a significant reduction in hatchability (P 0.05). Mean Hatching weights for all sets were statistically equal. Thus, oil pollution may significantly increase embryonic mortality in marine birds.

Authoritarianism, cognitive rigidity, and the processing of ambiguous visual information.

PubMed

Duncan, Lauren E; Peterson, Bill E

2014-01-01

Intolerance of ambiguity and cognitive rigidity are unifying aspects of authoritarianism as defined by Adorno, Frenkel-Brunswik, Levinson, and Sanford (1982/1950), who hypothesized that authoritarians view the world in absolute terms (e.g., good or evil). Past studies have documented the relationship between authoritarianism and intolerance of ambiguity and rigidity. Frenkel-Brunswik (1949) hypothesized that this desire for absolutism was rooted in perceptual processes. We present a study with three samples that directly tests the relationship between right wing authoritarianism (RWA) and the processing of ideologically neutral but ambiguous visual stimuli. As hypothesized, in all three samples we found that RWA was related to the slower processing of visual information that required participants to recategorize objects. In a fourth sample, RWA was unrelated to speed of processing visual information that did not require recategorization. Overall, results suggest a relationship between RWA and rigidity in categorization.

Neutral Evolution of Duplicated DNA: An Evolutionary Stick-Breaking Process Causes Scale-Invariant Behavior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Massip, Florian; Arndt, Peter F.

2013-04-01

Recently, an enrichment of identical matching sequences has been found in many eukaryotic genomes. Their length distribution exhibits a power law tail raising the question of what evolutionary mechanism or functional constraints would be able to shape this distribution. Here we introduce a simple and evolutionarily neutral model, which involves only point mutations and segmental duplications, and produces the same statistical features as observed for genomic data. Further, we extend a mathematical model for random stick breaking to analytically show that the exponent of the power law tail is -3 and universal as it does not depend on the microscopic details of the model.

Ionic liquids as advantageous solvents for headspace gas chromatography of compounds with low vapor pressure.

PubMed

Andre, M; Loidl, J; Laus, G; Schottenberger, H; Bentivoglio, G; Wurst, K; Ongania, K-H

2005-01-15

The potential of ionic liquids as solvents for headspace gas chromatography was investigated. Three compounds with boiling points above 200 degrees C were selected to demonstrate the feasibility of the concept described. 2-Ethylhexanoic acid, formamide, and tri-n-butylamine as examples of acidic, neutral, and basic analytes were dissolved in acidic 1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hydrogen sulfate (1), neutral 1-n-butyl-2,3-dimethylimidazolium dicyanamide (2), and 2 containing 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene to adjust basic conditions. All analytes could be determined with limits of detection and limits of quantification in the low-ppm concentration range.

Three Axis Control of the Hubble Space Telescope Using Two Reaction Wheels and Magnetic Torquer Bars for Science Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hur-Diaz, Sun; Wirzburger, John; Smith, Dan

2008-01-01

The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) is renowned for its superb pointing accuracy of less than 10 milli-arcseconds absolute pointing error. To accomplish this, the HST relies on its complement of four reaction wheel assemblies (RWAs) for attitude control and four magnetic torquer bars (MTBs) for momentum management. As with most satellites with reaction wheel control, the fourth RWA provides for fault tolerance to maintain three-axis pointing capability should a failure occur and a wheel is lost from operations. If an additional failure is encountered, the ability to maintain three-axis pointing is jeopardized. In order to prepare for this potential situation, HST Pointing Control Subsystem (PCS) Team developed a Two Reaction Wheel Science (TRS) control mode. This mode utilizes two RWAs and four magnetic torquer bars to achieve three-axis stabilization and pointing accuracy necessary for a continued science observing program. This paper presents the design of the TRS mode and operational considerations necessary to protect the spacecraft while allowing for a substantial science program.

Thermal dissolution of maize starches in aqueous medium

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Starches are not soluble in neutral water at room temperature. However, if they are heated in a closed container beyond the boiling point of water, they eventually dissolve. The dissolution temperature depends on the type of starch. The dissolution process was monitored in real time by measuring ...

Improved Characterization of Combat Injury

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-05-01

cause and mechanism of injury, wound descriptions, injuries, outcomes, and patient management from point of wounding onward. Because of the high numbers...fourth cervical vertebra (C4) with cord contusion and incomplete cord syndrome 640214.4 640214.5 From 4 to 5 MAIS 4 5 From severe to critical 2...entered into the SWM database, and analyzed for entrance site and wounding path. Results: When data on 1,151 patients , who had a total of 3,500 surface

Cyber Professionals in the Military and Industry-Partnering in Defense of the Nation: A Conversation between Maj Gen Suzanne Vautrinot, Commander, Twenty-Fourth Air Force, and Mr. Charles Beard, Chief Information Officer, Science Applications International Corporation

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

what truly had to be protected and where we would establish trust. The results of that exercise materially changed our defense-in-depth strategy...vice president for Global Transportation and Industrial Markets at KPMG Consulting (later BearingPoint), leading the company’s strat- egy and

A Child Becomes a Reader: Kindergarten through Grade 3. Proven Ideas from Research for Parents. Third Edition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Armbruster, Bonnie B.; Lehr, Fran; Osborn, Jean

2006-01-01

The road to becoming a reader begins the day a child is born and continues through the end of third grade. At that point, a child must read with ease and understanding to take advantage of the learning opportunities in fourth grade and beyond--in school and in life. Learning to read and write starts at home, long before children go to school. Very…

Backward deletion to minimize prediction errors in models from factorial experiments with zero to six center points

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holms, A. G.

1980-01-01

Population model coefficients were chosen to simulate a saturated 2 to the fourth power fixed effects experiment having an unfavorable distribution of relative values. Using random number studies, deletion strategies were compared that were based on the F distribution, on an order statistics distribution of Cochran's, and on a combination of the two. Results of the comparisons and a recommended strategy are given.

China’s Global Quest for Energy

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-01-01

U.S. However, over the past decade, Canada, Venezuela and Mexico , with their proximity and increasing production rates, have become major sources of...from Mexico and 18 percent from Canada.17 Following the September 11 attacks in New York, finger pointing began, and a number of lawsuits against...fourth largest oil supplier after Canada, Mexico and Saudi Arabia. Tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela have been flaring since an April 2002 coup

Bill Gates, If You're so Rich, How Come You're Not Smart? Point of View Essay

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bracey, Gerald

2005-01-01

Bill Gates and the governors were quite vague about what makes the schools obsolete or what to do about it. What is it, exactly, that schools are not teaching that they need to? Bill Gates also claimed that American kids were at the top in fourth grade, but at the bottom by 12th. The author congratulates Gates for focusing some attention on…

MaNGA: Mapping Nearby Galaxies at Apache Point Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weijmans, A.-M.; MaNGA Team

2016-10-01

MaNGA (Mapping Nearby Galaxies at APO) is a galaxy integral-field spectroscopic survey within the fourth generation Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS-IV). It will be mapping the composition and kinematics of gas and stars in 10,000 nearby galaxies, using 17 differently sized fiber bundles. MaNGA's goal is to provide new insights in galaxy formation and evolution, and to deliver a local benchmark for current and future high-redshift studies.

Applying Financial Portfolio Analysis to Government Program Portfolios

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-06-01

himself points out, “The Rational Man, like the unicorn , does not exist” (Markowitz, 1959). The various investor assumptions presented above break down...originally envisioned benefits quickly grow (Levine, 2005). As a recent Government Accountability Office report notes, the sheer size of IT spending in the...shows no change in EAC for the first three quarters and a decrease in the fourth quarter- although the SV and CV shrink and grow during the same period

Characterization of the glycoprotein of infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus using neutralizing monoclonal antibodies

USGS Publications Warehouse

Huang, Chienjin; Chien, Maw-Sheng; Landolt, Marsha; Winton, James

1994-01-01

To study the antigenic nature of the glycoprotein (G protein) of infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV), 31 neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) were produced against a reference isolate of the virus. The MAbs were compared using a neutralization assay, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and by immunoblotting of the G protein in the native, reduced, and deglycosylated forms. Hybridoma culture fluids of the various MAbs could be diluted from 1:2 to 1:512 and still completely neutralize 1 X 104 plaque-forming units of IHNV. Similarly, the end point dilutions that produced optical density readings of 0.1 or greater in the ELISA were 1:40 to 1:10240. Western blotting showed that all of the MAbs reacted with the G protein in the unreduced (i.e. native) conformation; however, only 9 nine of the MAbs were able to react with the G protein following reduction by 2-mercaptoethanol. Deglycosylation of the protein did not influence the binding ability of any of the MAbs. These data indicate that all the MAbs recognized amino acid sequences on the protein itself and that the IHNV glycoprotein contains linear as well as conformation-dependent neutralizing epitopes. When rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss fingerlings were passively immunized with MAbs against either a linear or a conformation-dependent epitope, the fish were protected against challenge with wild-type IHNV.

Emotional stimuli facilitate time perception in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

PubMed

Nazari, Mohammad A; Mirloo, Mohammad M; Rezaei, Mazaher; Soltanlou, Mojtaba

2018-06-01

The aim of this study was to compare the effect of different emotional stimuli (neutral, positive, and negative) on time perception in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and normal children in dual-task form. Five hundred and ninety-nine students from primary schools were randomly selected. The Conner's Teacher Rating Scale (CTRS) questionnaire was completed by teachers. A total of 100 children with a score above the cut-off point for the CTRS were further assessed using the Child Symptom Inventory-4 (CSI-4). A total of 34 children with ADHD and 31 controls completed an emotional time discrimination task in two blocks of 1000 and 2000 ms duration. Children were asked to compare three image groups: neutral with neutral, neutral with positive, and neutral with negative images. Children with ADHD had significantly better performance in the emotional time discrimination task across all conditions when compared with controls: On average, discrimination thresholds were approximately 35 ms shorter for the children with ADHD. Our results indicate that children with ADHD have higher sensitivity to time relative to controls in a situation in which they must distribute resources between temporal and emotional processing. On the basis of the interference effect and the working memory capacity hypothesis, this dividing of attention causes a decrease of time accuracy in normal children. © 2016 The British Psychological Society.

Content specificity of attentional bias to threat in post-traumatic stress disorder.

PubMed

Zinchenko, A; Al-Amin, M M; Alam, M M; Mahmud, W; Kabir, N; Reza, H M; Burne, T H J

2017-08-01

Attentional bias to affective information and reduced cognitive control may maintain the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and impair cognitive functioning. However, the role of content specificity of affective stimuli (e.g., trauma-related, emotional trauma-unrelated) in the observed attentional bias and cognitive control is less clear, as this has not been tested simultaneously before. Therefore, we examined the content specificity of attentional bias to threat in PTSD. PTSD participants (survivors of a multistory factory collapse, n=30) and matched controls (n=30) performed an Eriksen Flanker task. They identified the direction of a centrally presented target arrow, which was flanked by several task-irrelevant distractor arrows pointed to the same (congruent) or opposite direction (incongruent). Additionally, participants were presented with a picture of a face (neutral, emotional) or building (neutral=normal, emotional=collapsed multistory factory) as a task-irrelevant background image. We found that PTSD participants produced overall larger conflict effects and longer reaction times (RT) to emotional than to neutral stimuli relative to their healthy counterparts. Moreover, PTSD, but not healthy participants showed a stimulus specific dissociation in processing emotional stimuli. Emotional faces elicited longer RTs compared to neutral faces, while emotional buildings elicited faster responses, compared to neutral buildings. PTSD patients show a content-sensitive attentional bias to emotional information and impaired cognitive control. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ambiguity-free completion of the equations of motion of compact binary systems at the fourth post-Newtonian order

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marchand, Tanguy; Bernard, Laura; Blanchet, Luc; Faye, Guillaume

2018-02-01

We present the first complete (i.e., ambiguity-free) derivation of the equations of motion of two nonspinning compact objects up to the 4PN (post-Newtonian) order, based on the Fokker action of point particles in harmonic coordinates. The last ambiguity parameter is determined from first principle, by resorting to a matching between the near-zone and far-zone fields, and a consistent computation of the 4PN tail effect in d dimensions. Dimensional regularization is used throughout for treating IR divergences appearing at 4PN order, as well as UV divergences due to the modeling of the compact objects as point particles.

Structural basis of selectivity and neutralizing activity of a TGFα/epiregulin specific antibody.

PubMed

Boyles, Jeffrey S; Atwell, Shane; Druzina, Zhanna; Heuer, Josef G; Witcher, Derrick R

2016-11-01

Recent studies have implicated a role of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) pathway in kidney disease. Skin toxicity associated with therapeutics which completely block the EGFR pathway precludes their use in chronic dosing. Therefore, we developed antibodies which specifically neutralize the EGFR ligands TGFα (transforming growth factor-alpha) and epiregulin but not EGF (epidermal growth factor), amphiregulin, betacellulin, HB-EGF (heparin-binding epidermal growth factor), or epigen. The epitope of one such neutralizing antibody, LY3016859, was characterized in detail to elucidate the structural basis for ligand specificity. Here we report a crystal structure of the LY3016859 Fab fragment in complex with soluble human TGFα. Our data demonstrate a conformational epitope located primarily within the C-terminal subdomain of the ligand. In addition, point mutagenesis experiments were used to highlight specific amino acids which are critical for both antigen binding and neutralization, most notably Ala 41 , Glu 44 , and His 45 . These results illustrate the structural basis for the ligand specificity/selectivity of LY3016859 and could also provide insight into further engineering to alter specificity and/or affinity of LY3016859. © 2016 The Protein Society.

Miniaturized Ion and Neutral Mass Spectrometer for CubeSat Atmospheric Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rodriguez, M.; Paschalidis, N.; Jones, S.; Sittler, E.; Chornay, D.; Uribe, P.; Cameron, T.

2016-01-01

To increase the number of single point in-situ measurements of thermosphere and exosphere ion and neutral composition and density, miniaturized instrumentation is in high demand to take advantage of the increasing platform opportunities available in the smallsat/cubesat industry. The INMS (Ion-Neutral Mass Spectrometer) addresses this need by providing simultaneous measurements of both the neutral and ion environment, essentially providing two instruments in one compact model. The 1.3U volume, 570 gram, 1.8W nominal power INMS instrument makes implementation into cubesat designs (3U and above) practical and feasible. With high dynamic range (0.1-500eV), mass dynamic range of 1-40amu, sharp time resolution (0.1s), and mass resolution of MdM16, the INMS instrument addresses the atmospheric science needs that otherwise would have required larger more expensive instrumentation. INMS-v1 (version 1) launched on Exocube (CalPoly 3U cubesat) in 2015 and INMS-v2 (version 2) is scheduled to launch on Dellingr (GSFC 6U cubesat) in 2017. New versions of INMS are currently being developed to increase and add measurement capabilities, while maintaining its smallsat/cubesat form.

An exactly solvable coarse-grained model for species diversity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suweis, Samir; Rinaldo, Andrea; Maritan, Amos

2012-07-01

We present novel analytical results concerning ecosystem species diversity that stem from a proposed coarse-grained neutral model based on birth-death processes. The relevance of the problem lies in the urgency for understanding and synthesizing both theoretical results from ecological neutral theory and empirical evidence on species diversity preservation. The neutral model of biodiversity deals with ecosystems at the same trophic level, where per capita vital rates are assumed to be species independent. Closed-form analytical solutions for the neutral theory are obtained within a coarse-grained model, where the only input is the species persistence time distribution. Our results pertain to: the probability distribution function of the number of species in the ecosystem, both in transient and in stationary states; the n-point connected time correlation function; and the survival probability, defined as the distribution of time spans to local extinction for a species randomly sampled from the community. Analytical predictions are also tested on empirical data from an estuarine fish ecosystem. We find that emerging properties of the ecosystem are very robust and do not depend on specific details of the model, with implications for biodiversity and conservation biology.

Electronic structure investigation of neutral titanium oxide molecules TixOy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeong, K. S.; Chang, Ch; Sedlmayr, E.; Sülzle, D.

2000-09-01

Electronic and structural properties of energetically low-lying isomers of isolated TixOy (x = 1-6, y = 1-12) molecular systems have been investigated by density functional theoretical methods. A variety of stationary points are thoroughly characterized. We report total cluster energies, equilibrium geometries and harmonic vibrational wavenumbers.

Queering the Catalog: Queer Theory and the Politics of Correction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drabinski, Emily

2013-01-01

Critiques of hegemonic library classification structures and controlled vocabularies have a rich history in information studies. This project has pointed out the trouble with classification and cataloging decisions that are framed as objective and neutral but are always ideological and worked to correct bias in library structures. Viewing…

Fuel Sources | Climate Neutral Research Campuses | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Fuel Sources Fuel Sources Research campuses can reduce carbon emissions and meet climate action describe how examining fuel sources may fit into your climate action plans. Considerations Sample Project are making this switch as part of their climate action plans. Another important point is the wide

Disturbance, neutral theory, and patterns of beta diversity in soil communities.

PubMed

Maaß, Stefanie; Migliorini, Massimo; Rillig, Matthias C; Caruso, Tancredi

2014-12-01

Beta diversity describes how local communities within an area or region differ in species composition/abundance. There have been attempts to use changes in beta diversity as a biotic indicator of disturbance, but lack of theory and methodological caveats have hampered progress. We here propose that the neutral theory of biodiversity plus the definition of beta diversity as the total variance of a community matrix provide a suitable, novel, starting point for ecological applications. Observed levels of beta diversity (BD) can be compared to neutral predictions with three possible outcomes: Observed BD equals neutral prediction or is larger (divergence) or smaller (convergence) than the neutral prediction. Disturbance might lead to either divergence or convergence, depending on type and strength. We here apply these ideas to datasets collected on oribatid mites (a key, very diverse soil taxon) under several regimes of disturbances. When disturbance is expected to increase the heterogeneity of soil spatial properties or the sampling strategy encompassed a range of diverging environmental conditions, we observed diverging assemblages. On the contrary, we observed patterns consistent with neutrality when disturbance could determine homogenization of soil properties in space or the sampling strategy encompassed fairly homogeneous areas. With our method, spatial and temporal changes in beta diversity can be directly and easily monitored to detect significant changes in community dynamics, although the method itself cannot inform on underlying mechanisms. However, human-driven disturbances and the spatial scales at which they operate are usually known. In this case, our approach allows the formulation of testable predictions in terms of expected changes in beta diversity, thereby offering a promising monitoring tool.

Rapid evolution of cis-regulatory sequences via local point mutations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stone, J. R.; Wray, G. A.

2001-01-01

Although the evolution of protein-coding sequences within genomes is well understood, the same cannot be said of the cis-regulatory regions that control transcription. Yet, changes in gene expression are likely to constitute an important component of phenotypic evolution. We simulated the evolution of new transcription factor binding sites via local point mutations. The results indicate that new binding sites appear and become fixed within populations on microevolutionary timescales under an assumption of neutral evolution. Even combinations of two new binding sites evolve very quickly. We predict that local point mutations continually generate considerable genetic variation that is capable of altering gene expression.

Expected Number of Fixed Points in Boolean Networks with Arbitrary Topology.

PubMed

Mori, Fumito; Mochizuki, Atsushi

2017-07-14

Boolean network models describe genetic, neural, and social dynamics in complex networks, where the dynamics depend generally on network topology. Fixed points in a genetic regulatory network are typically considered to correspond to cell types in an organism. We prove that the expected number of fixed points in a Boolean network, with Boolean functions drawn from probability distributions that are not required to be uniform or identical, is one, and is independent of network topology if only a feedback arc set satisfies a stochastic neutrality condition. We also demonstrate that the expected number is increased by the predominance of positive feedback in a cycle.

Detection and modeling of the acoustic perturbation produced by the launch of the Space Shuttle using the Global Positioning System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bowling, T. J.; Calais, E.; Dautermann, T.

2010-12-01

Rocket launches are known to produce infrasonic pressure waves that propagate into the ionosphere where coupling between electrons and neutral particles induces fluctuations in ionospheric electron density observable in GPS measurements. We have detected ionospheric perturbations following the launch of space shuttle Atlantis on 11 May 2009 using an array of continually operating GPS stations across the Southeastern coast of the United States and in the Caribbean. Detections are prominent to the south of the westward shuttle trajectory in the area of maximum coupling between the acoustic wave and Earth’s magnetic field, move at speeds consistent with the speed of sound, and show coherency between stations covering a large geographic range. We model the perturbation as an explosive source located at the point of closest approach between the shuttle path and each sub-ionospheric point. The neutral pressure wave is propagated using ray tracing, resultant changes in electron density are calculated at points of intersection between rays and satellite-to-reciever line-of-sight, and synthetic integrated electron content values are derived. Arrival times of the observed and synthesized waveforms match closely, with discrepancies related to errors in the apriori sound speed model used for ray tracing. Current work includes the estimation of source location and energy.

Dataset reporting the perceiver identification rates of basic emotions expressed by male, female and ambiguous gendered walkers in full-light, point-light and synthetically modelled point-light walkers.

PubMed

Halovic, Shaun; Kroos, Christian

2017-12-01

This data set describes the experimental data collected and reported in the research article "Walking my way? Walker gender and display format confounds the perception of specific emotions" (Halovic and Kroos, in press) [1]. The data set represent perceiver identification rates for different emotions (happiness, sadness, anger, fear and neutral), as displayed by full-light, point-light and synthetic point-light walkers. The perceiver identification scores have been transformed into H t rates, which represent proportions/percentages of correct identifications above what would be expected by chance. This data set also provides H t rates separately for male, female and ambiguously gendered walkers.

Yo misma fui mi ruta: La mujer en la historia y cultura de Puerto Rico [I Was My Own Path: Women in the History and Culture of Puerto Rico].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pico, Isabel; And Others

This teaching guide on women in Puerto Rican history and culture is intended for use in third and fourth grade social studies classes. The book begins with a discussion of the omission of women's roles from most history textbooks and points out the implications of this omission for the knowledge and socialization of both male and female Puerto…

Photovoltaic System Pricing Trends. Historical, Recent, and Near-Term Projections, 2015 Edition

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

Feldman, David; Barbose, Galen; Margolis, Robert

2015-08-25

This presentation, based on research at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, provides a high-level overview of historical, recent, and projected near-term PV pricing trends in the United States focusing on the installed price of PV systems. It also attempts to provide clarity surrounding the wide variety of potentially conflicting data available about PV system prices. This PowerPoint is the fourth edition from this series.

Science and Technology; Message from the President of the United States Urging Action on his Proposal to Create a New Office of Science and Technology Policy and Approval of his 1977 Budget Requests for Science, Engineering and Technology; Ninety-Fourth Congress, Second Session.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ford, Gerald R.

This message from President Gerald R. Ford to the 94th Congress briefly explains the major points of his proposal and discusses the areas that would receive special consideration in the 1977 budget: energy, defense, basic research, agriculture, space, and health. (MLH)

Automatic Synthesis of Implementations for Abstract Data Types from Algebraic Specifications.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-06-01

second is io expect the user to fumish more information about the desired prMpetin of the porum IQ to guide the synthesis procedure. ; - 10- A third...of the fourth and the fiflh chapters. The sixth chapter describes the second stage. The last chapter gives the concluding remarks. .13 - 2. An Overview... second section gives a summary of the synthesis procedure. It points out the nontrivial issues involvcd in the method employed by the procedure for

Procedures to increase some aspects of creativity.

PubMed Central

Glover, J; Gary, A L

1976-01-01

Instructions reinforcement (team points), and practice were applied to four behaviorally defined creative behaviors of eight fourth- and fifth-grade students. All four aspects (number of different responses, fluency; number of verb forms, flexibility; number of words per response, elaboration; and statistical infrequency of response forms, originality) were demonstrated to be under experimental control. The procedures also raised students' scores on Torrance's tests of creativity. Application of the experimental procedures may well be practical for classroom teachers. PMID:943391

Procedures to increase some aspects of creativity.

PubMed

Glover, J; Gary, A L

1976-01-01

Instructions reinforcement (team points), and practice were applied to four behaviorally defined creative behaviors of eight fourth- and fifth-grade students. All four aspects (number of different responses, fluency; number of verb forms, flexibility; number of words per response, elaboration; and statistical infrequency of response forms, originality) were demonstrated to be under experimental control. The procedures also raised students' scores on Torrance's tests of creativity. Application of the experimental procedures may well be practical for classroom teachers.

Lessons Learned and Opportunities Ignored Since "Brown v. Board of Education:" Youth Development and the Myth of a Color-Blind Society. Fourth Annual Brown Lecture in Education Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spencer, Margaret Beale

2008-01-01

The scholarship of Kenneth B. and Mamie P. Clark, referenced in the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark decision in "Brown v. Board of Education," emphasized the nation's color line, not only in the Jim Crow South but in American cities overall. The Clarks pointed out the critical role of context; however, they applied it narrowly to the issue…

Comparing computer adaptive and curriculum-based measures of math in progress monitoring.

PubMed

Shapiro, Edward S; Dennis, Minyi Shih; Fu, Qiong

2015-12-01

The purpose of the study was to compare the use of a Computer Adaptive Test and Curriculum-Based Measurement in the assessment of mathematics. This study also investigated the degree to which slope or rate of change predicted student outcomes on the annual state assessment of mathematics above and beyond scores of single point screening assessments (i.e., the computer adaptive test or the CBM assessment just before the administration of the state assessment). Repeated measurement of mathematics once per month across a 7-month period using a Computer Adaptive Test (STAR-Math) and Curriculum-Based Measurement (CBM, AIMSweb Math Computation, AIMSweb Math Concepts/Applications) was collected for a maximum total of 250 third, fourth, and fifth grade students. Results showed STAR-Math in all 3 grades and AIMSweb Math Concepts/Applications in the third and fifth grades had primarily linear growth patterns in mathematics. AIMSweb Math Computation in all grades and AIMSweb Math Concepts/Applications in Grade 4 had decelerating positive trends. Predictive validity evidence showed the strongest relationships were between STAR-Math and outcomes for third and fourth grade students. The blockwise multiple regression by grade revealed that slopes accounted for only a very small proportion of additional variance above and beyond what was explained by the scores obtained on a single point of assessment just prior to the administration of the state assessment. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Validation of use of subsets of teeth when applying the total mouth periodontal score (TMPS) system in dogs.

PubMed

Harvey, Colin E; Laster, Larry; Shofer, Frances S

2012-01-01

A total mouth periodontal score (TMPS) system in dogs has been described previously. Use of buccal and palatal/lingual surfaces of all teeth requires observation and recording of 120 gingivitis scores and 120 periodontitis scores. Although the result is a reliable, repeatable assessment of the extent of periodontal disease in the mouth, observing and recording 240 data points is time-consuming. Using data from a previously reported study of periodontal disease in dogs, correlation analysis was used to determine whether use of any of seven different subsets of teeth can generate TMPS subset gingivitis and periodontitis scores that are highly correlated with TMPS all-site, all-teeth scores. Overall, gingivitis scores were less highly correlated than periodontitis scores. The minimal tooth set with a significant intra-class correlation (> or = 0.9 of means of right and left sides) for both gingivitis scores and attachment loss measurements consisted of the buccal surface of the maxillary third incisor canine, third premolar fourth premolar; and first molar teeth; and, the mandibular canine, third premolar, fourth premolar and first molar teeth on one side (9 teeth, 15 root sites). Use of this subset of teeth, which reduces the number of data points per dog from 240 to 30 for gingivitis and periodontitis at each scoring episode, is recommended when calculating the gingivitis and periodontitis scores using the TMPS system.

Fast, purely growing collisionless reconnection as an eigenfunction problem related to but not involving linear whistler waves

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

Bellan, Paul M.

If either finite electron inertia or finite resistivity is included in 2D magnetic reconnection, the two-fluid equations become a pair of second-order differential equations coupling the out-of-plane magnetic field and vector potential to each other to form a fourth-order system. The coupling at an X-point is such that out-of-plane even-parity electric and odd-parity magnetic fields feed off each other to produce instability if the scale length on which the equilibrium magnetic field changes is less than the ion skin depth. The instability growth rate is given by an eigenvalue of the fourth-order system determined by boundary and symmetry conditions. Themore » instability is a purely growing mode, not a wave, and has growth rate of the order of the whistler frequency. The spatial profile of both the out-of-plane electric and magnetic eigenfunctions consists of an inner concave region having extent of the order of the electron skin depth, an intermediate convex region having extent of the order of the equilibrium magnetic field scale length, and a concave outer exponentially decaying region. If finite electron inertia and resistivity are not included, the inner concave region does not exist and the coupled pair of equations reduces to a second-order differential equation having non-physical solutions at an X-point.« less

Evolution of ferroelectricity in tetrathiafulvalene-p-chloranil as a function of pressure and temperature

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

Dengl, Armin; Beyer, Rebecca; Peterseim, Tobias

2014-06-28

The neutral-to-ionic phase transition in the mixed-stack charge-transfer complex tetrathiafulvalene-p-chloranil (TTF-CA) has been studied by pressure-dependent infrared spectroscopy up to p = 11 kbar and down to low temperatures, T = 10 K. By tracking the C=O antisymmetric stretching mode of CA molecules, we accurately determine the ionicity of TTF-CA in the pressure-temperature phase diagram. At any point, the TTF-CA crystal bears only a single ionicity; there is no coexistence region or an exotic high-pressure phase. Our findings shed new light on the role of electron-phonon interaction in the neutral-ionic transition.

Molecular Doping the Topological Dirac Semimetal Na3Bi across the Charge Neutrality Point with F4-TCNQ.

PubMed

Edmonds, Mark T; Hellerstedt, Jack; O'Donnell, Kane M; Tadich, Anton; Fuhrer, Michael S

2016-06-29

We perform low-temperature transport and high-resolution photoelectron spectroscopy on 20 nm thin film topological Dirac semimetal Na3Bi grown by molecular beam epitaxy. We demonstrate efficient electron depletion ∼10(13) cm(-2) of Na3Bi via vacuum deposition of molecular F4-TCNQ without degrading the sample mobility. For samples with low as-grown n-type doping (1 × 10(12) cm(-2)), F4-TCNQ doping can achieve charge neutrality and even a net p-type doping. Photoelectron spectroscopy and density functional theory are utilized to investigate the behavior of F4-TCNQ on the Na3Bi surface.

Application of modern tensor calculus to engineered domain structures. 1. Calculation of tensorial covariants.

PubMed

Kopský, Vojtech

2006-03-01

This article is a roadmap to a systematic calculation and tabulation of tensorial covariants for the point groups of material physics. The following are the essential steps in the described approach to tensor calculus. (i) An exact specification of the considered point groups by their embellished Hermann-Mauguin and Schoenflies symbols. (ii) Introduction of oriented Laue classes of magnetic point groups. (iii) An exact specification of matrix ireps (irreducible representations). (iv) Introduction of so-called typical (standard) bases and variables -- typical invariants, relative invariants or components of the typical covariants. (v) Introduction of Clebsch-Gordan products of the typical variables. (vi) Calculation of tensorial covariants of ascending ranks with consecutive use of tables of Clebsch-Gordan products. (vii) Opechowski's magic relations between tensorial decompositions. These steps are illustrated for groups of the tetragonal oriented Laue class D(4z) -- 4(z)2(x)2(xy) of magnetic point groups and for tensors up to fourth rank.

First Neutrino Point-Source Results from the 22 String Icecube Detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abbasi, R.; Abdou, Y.; Ackermann, M.; Adams, J.; Aguilar, J.; Ahlers, M.; Andeen, K.; Auffenberg, J.; Bai, X.; Baker, M.; Barwick, S. W.; Bay, R.; Bazo Alba, J. L.; Beattie, K.; Beatty, J. J.; Bechet, S.; Becker, J. K.; Becker, K.-H.; Benabderrahmane, M. L.; Berdermann, J.; Berghaus, P.; Berley, D.; Bernardini, E.; Bertrand, D.; Besson, D. Z.; Bissok, M.; Blaufuss, E.; Boersma, D. J.; Bohm, C.; Bolmont, J.; Böser, S.; Botner, O.; Bradley, L.; Braun, J.; Breder, D.; Castermans, T.; Chirkin, D.; Christy, B.; Clem, J.; Cohen, S.; Cowen, D. F.; D'Agostino, M. V.; Danninger, M.; Day, C. T.; De Clercq, C.; Demirörs, L.; Depaepe, O.; Descamps, F.; Desiati, P.; de Vries-Uiterweerd, G.; De Young, T.; Diaz-Velez, J. C.; Dreyer, J.; Dumm, J. P.; Duvoort, M. R.; Edwards, W. R.; Ehrlich, R.; Eisch, J.; Ellsworth, R. W.; Engdegård, O.; Euler, S.; Evenson, P. A.; Fadiran, O.; Fazely, A. R.; Feusels, T.; Filimonov, K.; Finley, C.; Foerster, M. M.; Fox, B. D.; Franckowiak, A.; Franke, R.; Gaisser, T. K.; Gallagher, J.; Ganugapati, R.; Gerhardt, L.; Gladstone, L.; Goldschmidt, A.; Goodman, J. A.; Gozzini, R.; Grant, D.; Griesel, T.; Groß, A.; Grullon, S.; Gunasingha, R. M.; Gurtner, M.; Ha, C.; Hallgren, A.; Halzen, F.; Han, K.; Hanson, K.; Hasegawa, Y.; Heise, J.; Helbing, K.; Herquet, P.; Hickford, S.; Hill, G. C.; Hoffman, K. D.; Hoshina, K.; Hubert, D.; Huelsnitz, W.; Hülß, J.-P.; Hulth, P. O.; Hultqvist, K.; Hussain, S.; Imlay, R. L.; Inaba, M.; Ishihara, A.; Jacobsen, J.; Japaridze, G. S.; Johansson, H.; Joseph, J. M.; Kampert, K.-H.; Kappes, A.; Karg, T.; Karle, A.; Kelley, J. L.; Kenny, P.; Kiryluk, J.; Kislat, F.; Klein, S. R.; Klepser, S.; Knops, S.; Kohnen, G.; Kolanoski, H.; Köpke, L.; Kowalski, M.; Kowarik, T.; Krasberg, M.; Kuehn, K.; Kuwabara, T.; Labare, M.; Lafebre, S.; Laihem, K.; Landsman, H.; Lauer, R.; Leich, H.; Lennarz, D.; Lucke, A.; Lundberg, J.; Lünemann, J.; Madsen, J.; Majumdar, P.; Maruyama, R.; Mase, K.; Matis, H. S.; McParland, C. P.; Meagher, K.; Merck, M.; Mészáros, P.; Middell, E.; Milke, N.; Miyamoto, H.; Mohr, A.; Montaruli, T.; Morse, R.; Movit, S. M.; Münich, K.; Nahnhauer, R.; Nam, J. W.; Nießen, P.; Nygren, D. R.; Odrowski, S.; Olivas, A.; Olivo, M.; Ono, M.; Panknin, S.; Patton, S.; Pérez de los Heros, C.; Petrovic, J.; Piegsa, A.; Pieloth, D.; Pohl, A. C.; Porrata, R.; Potthoff, N.; Price, P. B.; Prikockis, M.; Przybylski, G. T.; Rawlins, K.; Redl, P.; Resconi, E.; Rhode, W.; Ribordy, M.; Rizzo, A.; Rodrigues, J. P.; Roth, P.; Rothmaier, F.; Rott, C.; Roucelle, C.; Rutledge, D.; Ryckbosch, D.; Sander, H.-G.; Sarkar, S.; Satalecka, K.; Schlenstedt, S.; Schmidt, T.; Schneider, D.; Schukraft, A.; Schulz, O.; Schunck, M.; Seckel, D.; Semburg, B.; Seo, S. H.; Sestayo, Y.; Seunarine, S.; Silvestri, A.; Slipak, A.; Spiczak, G. M.; Spiering, C.; Stamatikos, M.; Stanev, T.; Stephens, G.; Stezelberger, T.; Stokstad, R. G.; Stoufer, M. C.; Stoyanov, S.; Strahler, E. A.; Straszheim, T.; Sulanke, K.-H.; Sullivan, G. W.; Swillens, Q.; Taboada, I.; Tarasova, O.; Tepe, A.; Ter-Antonyan, S.; Terranova, C.; Tilav, S.; Tluczykont, M.; Toale, P. A.; Tosi, D.; Turčan, D.; van Eijndhoven, N.; Vandenbroucke, J.; Van Overloop, A.; Voigt, B.; Walck, C.; Waldenmaier, T.; Walter, M.; Wendt, C.; Westerhoff, S.; Whitehorn, N.; Wiebusch, C. H.; Wiedemann, A.; Wikström, G.; Williams, D. R.; Wischnewski, R.; Wissing, H.; Woschnagg, K.; Xu, X. W.; Yodh, G.; Ice Cube Collaboration

2009-08-01

We present new results of searches for neutrino point sources in the northern sky, using data recorded in 2007-2008 with 22 strings of the IceCube detector (approximately one-fourth of the planned total) and 275.7 days of live time. The final sample of 5114 neutrino candidate events agrees well with the expected background of atmospheric muon neutrinos and a small component of atmospheric muons. No evidence of a point source is found, with the most significant excess of events in the sky at 2.2σ after accounting for all trials. The average upper limit over the northern sky for point sources of muon-neutrinos with E -2 spectrum is E^{2} Φ_{ν_{μ}} < 1.4 × 10^{-11} TeV cm^{-2} s^{-1}, in the energy range from 3 TeV to 3 PeV, improving the previous best average upper limit by the AMANDA-II detector by a factor of 2.

Improvement of the cloud point extraction of uranyl ions by the addition of ionic liquids.

PubMed

Gao, Song; Sun, Taoxiang; Chen, Qingde; Shen, Xinghai

2013-12-15

The cloud point extraction (CPE) of uranyl ions by different kinds of extractants in Triton X-114 (TX-114) micellar solution was investigated upon the addition of ionic liquids (ILs) with various anions, i.e., bromide (Br(-)), tetrafluoroborate (BF4(-)), hexafluorophosphate (PF6(-)) and bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]imide (NTf2(-)). A significant increase of the extraction efficiency was found on the addition of NTf2(-) based ILs when using neutral extractant tri-octylphosphine oxide (TOPO), and the extraction efficiency kept high at both nearly neutral and high acidity. However, the CPE with acidic extractants, e.g., bis(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid (HDEHP) and 8-hydroxyquinoline (8-HQ) which are only effective at nearly neutral condition, was not improved by ILs. The results of zeta potential and (19)F NMR measurements indicated that the anion NTf2(-) penetrated into the TX-114 micelles and was enriched in the surfactant-rich phase during the CPE process. Meanwhile, NTf2(-) may act as a counterion in the CPE of UO2(2+) by TOPO. Furthermore, the addition of IL increased the separation factor of UO2(2+) and La(3+), which implied that in the micelle TOPO, NTf2(-) and NO3(-) established a soft template for UO2(2+). Therefore, the combination of CPE and IL provided a supramolecular recognition to concentrate UO2(2+) efficiently and selectively. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

In-vitro neurotoxicity of two Malaysian krait species (Bungarus candidus and Bungarus fasciatus) venoms: neutralization by monovalent and polyvalent antivenoms from Thailand.

PubMed

Rusmili, Muhamad Rusdi Ahmad; Yee, Tee Ting; Mustafa, Mohd Rais; Othman, Iekhsan; Hodgson, Wayne C

2014-03-12

Bungarus candidus and Bungarus fasciatus are two species of krait found in Southeast Asia. Envenoming by these snakes is often characterized by neurotoxicity and, without treatment, causes considerable morbidity and mortality. In this study, the in vitro neurotoxicity of each species, and the effectiveness of two monovalent antivenoms and a polyvalent antivenom, against the neurotoxic effects of the venoms, were examined in a skeletal muscle preparation. Both venoms caused concentration-dependent inhibition of indirect twitches, and attenuated responses to exogenous nicotinic receptor agonists, in the chick biventer preparation, with B. candidus venom being more potent than B. fasciatus venom. SDS-PAGE and western blot analysis indicated different profiles between the venoms. Despite these differences, most proteins bands were recognized by all three antivenoms. Antivenom, added prior to the venoms, attenuated the neurotoxic effect of the venoms. Interestingly, the respective monovalent antivenoms did not neutralize the effects of the venom from the other Bungarus species indicating a relative absence of cross-neutralization. Addition of a high concentration of polyvalent antivenom, at the t90 time point after addition of venom, partially reversed the neurotoxicity of B. fasciatus venom but not B. candidus venom. The monovalent antivenoms had no significant effect when added at the t90 time point. This study showed that B. candidus and B. fasciatus venoms display marked in vitro neurotoxicity in the chick biventer preparation and administration of antivenoms at high dose is necessary to prevent or reverse neurotoxicity.

Ideological reactivity: Political conservatism and brain responsivity to emotional and neutral stimuli.

PubMed

Tritt, Shona M; Peterson, Jordan B; Page-Gould, Elizabeth; Inzlicht, Michael

2016-12-01

Conservatives are often thought to have a negativity bias-responding more intensely to negative than positive information. Yet, recent research has found that greater endorsement of conservative beliefs follows from both positive and negative emotion inductions. This suggests that the role of affect in political thought may not be restricted to negative valence, and more attention should be given to how conservatives and liberals respond to a wider range of stimulation. In this vein, we examined neural responses to a full range of affective stimuli, allowing us to examine how self-reported ideology moderated these responses. Specifically, we explored the relationship between political orientation and 2 event-related potentials (1 late and 1 early) previously shown to covary with the subjective motivational salience of stimuli-in response to photographs with standardized ratings of arousal and valence. At late time points, conservatives exhibited sustained heightened reactivity, compared with liberals, specifically in response to relatively unarousing and neutral stimuli. At early time points, conservatives exhibited somewhat enhanced neural activity in response to all stimulus types compared with liberals. These results may suggest that conservatives experience a wide variety of stimuli in their environment with increased motivational salience, including positive, neutral, and low-arousal stimuli. No effects of valence were found in this investigation. Such findings have implications for the development and refinement of psychological conceptions of political orientation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Measurement of e+e-→π0π0ψ (3686 ) at √{s } from 4.009 to 4.600 GeV and observation of a neutral charmoniumlike structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ablikim, M.; Achasov, M. N.; Ahmed, S.; Albrecht, M.; Amoroso, A.; An, F. F.; An, Q.; Bai, J. Z.; Bakina, O.; Baldini Ferroli, R.; Ban, Y.; Bennett, D. W.; Bennett, J. V.; Berger, N.; Bertani, M.; Bettoni, D.; Bian, J. M.; Bianchi, F.; Boger, E.; Boyko, I.; Briere, R. A.; Cai, H.; Cai, X.; Cakir, O.; Calcaterra, A.; Cao, G. F.; Cetin, S. A.; Chai, J.; Chang, J. F.; Chelkov, G.; Chen, G.; Chen, H. S.; Chen, J. C.; Chen, M. L.; Chen, S. J.; Chen, X. R.; Chen, Y. B.; Chu, X. K.; Cibinetto, G.; Dai, H. L.; Dai, J. P.; Dbeyssi, A.; Dedovich, D.; Deng, Z. Y.; Denig, A.; Denysenko, I.; Destefanis, M.; de Mori, F.; Ding, Y.; Dong, C.; Dong, J.; Dong, L. Y.; Dong, M. Y.; Dorjkhaidav, O.; Dou, Z. L.; Du, S. X.; Duan, P. F.; Fang, J.; Fang, S. S.; Fang, X.; Fang, Y.; Farinelli, R.; Fava, L.; Fegan, S.; Feldbauer, F.; Felici, G.; Feng, C. Q.; Fioravanti, E.; Fritsch, M.; Fu, C. D.; Gao, Q.; Gao, X. L.; Gao, Y.; Gao, Y. G.; Gao, Z.; Garzia, I.; Goetzen, K.; Gong, L.; Gong, W. X.; Gradl, W.; Greco, M.; Gu, M. H.; Gu, S.; Gu, Y. T.; Guo, A. Q.; Guo, L. B.; Guo, R. P.; Guo, Y. P.; Haddadi, Z.; Hafner, A.; Han, S.; Hao, X. Q.; Harris, F. A.; He, K. L.; He, X. Q.; Heinsius, F. H.; Held, T.; Heng, Y. K.; Holtmann, T.; Hou, Z. L.; Hu, C.; Hu, H. M.; Hu, T.; Hu, Y.; Huang, G. S.; Huang, J. S.; Huang, X. T.; Huang, X. Z.; Huang, Z. L.; Hussain, T.; Ikegami Andersson, W.; Ji, Q.; Ji, Q. P.; Ji, X. B.; Ji, X. L.; Jiang, X. S.; Jiang, X. Y.; Jiao, J. B.; Jiao, Z.; Jin, D. P.; Jin, S.; Johansson, T.; Julin, A.; Kalantar-Nayestanaki, N.; Kang, X. L.; Kang, X. S.; Kavatsyuk, M.; Ke, B. C.; Khan, T.; Kiese, P.; Kliemt, R.; Kloss, B.; Koch, L.; Kolcu, O. B.; Kopf, B.; Kornicer, M.; Kuemmel, M.; Kuhlmann, M.; Kupsc, A.; Kühn, W.; Lange, J. S.; Lara, M.; Larin, P.; Lavezzi, L.; Leithoff, H.; Leng, C.; Li, C.; Li, Cheng; Li, D. M.; Li, F.; Li, F. Y.; Li, G.; Li, H. B.; Li, H. J.; Li, J. C.; Li, Jin; Li, K.; Li, K.; Li, Lei; Li, P. L.; Li, P. R.; Li, Q. Y.; Li, T.; Li, W. D.; Li, W. G.; Li, X. L.; Li, X. N.; Li, X. Q.; Li, Z. B.; Liang, H.; Liang, Y. F.; Liang, Y. T.; Liao, G. R.; Lin, D. X.; Liu, B.; Liu, B. J.; Liu, C. X.; Liu, D.; Liu, F. H.; Liu, Fang; Liu, Feng; Liu, H. B.; Liu, H. H.; Liu, H. H.; Liu, H. M.; Liu, J. B.; Liu, J. P.; Liu, J. Y.; Liu, K.; Liu, K. Y.; Liu, Ke; Liu, L. D.; Liu, P. L.; Liu, Q.; Liu, S. B.; Liu, X.; Liu, Y. B.; Liu, Y. Y.; Liu, Z. A.; Liu, Zhiqing; Long, Y. F.; Lou, X. C.; Lu, H. J.; Lu, J. G.; Lu, Y.; Lu, Y. P.; Luo, C. L.; Luo, M. X.; Luo, T.; Luo, X. L.; Lyu, X. R.; Ma, F. C.; Ma, H. L.; Ma, L. L.; Ma, M. M.; Ma, Q. M.; Ma, T.; Ma, X. N.; Ma, X. Y.; Ma, Y. M.; Maas, F. E.; Maggiora, M.; Malik, Q. A.; Mao, Y. J.; Mao, Z. P.; Marcello, S.; Messchendorp, J. G.; Mezzadri, G.; Min, J.; Min, T. J.; Mitchell, R. E.; Mo, X. H.; Mo, Y. J.; Morales Morales, C.; Morello, G.; Muchnoi, N. Yu.; Muramatsu, H.; Musiol, P.; Mustafa, A.; Nefedov, Y.; Nerling, F.; Nikolaev, I. B.; Ning, Z.; Nisar, S.; Niu, S. L.; Niu, X. Y.; Olsen, S. L.; Ouyang, Q.; Pacetti, S.; Pan, Y.; Patteri, P.; Pelizaeus, M.; Pellegrino, J.; Peng, H. P.; Peters, K.; Pettersson, J.; Ping, J. L.; Ping, R. G.; Poling, R.; Prasad, V.; Qi, H. R.; Qi, M.; Qian, S.; Qiao, C. F.; Qin, J. J.; Qin, N.; Qin, X. S.; Qin, Z. H.; Qiu, J. F.; Rashid, K. H.; Redmer, C. F.; Richter, M.; Ripka, M.; Rong, G.; Rosner, Ch.; Ruan, X. D.; Sarantsev, A.; Savrié, M.; Schnier, C.; Schoenning, K.; Shan, W.; Shao, M.; Shen, C. P.; Shen, P. X.; Shen, X. Y.; Sheng, H. Y.; Song, J. J.; Song, X. Y.; Sosio, S.; Sowa, C.; Spataro, S.; Sun, G. X.; Sun, J. F.; Sun, S. S.; Sun, X. H.; Sun, Y. J.; Sun, Y. K.; Sun, Y. Z.; Sun, Z. J.; Sun, Z. T.; Tang, C. J.; Tang, G. Y.; Tang, X.; Tapan, I.; Tiemens, M.; Tsednee, B. T.; Uman, I.; Varner, G. S.; Wang, B.; Wang, B. L.; Wang, D.; Wang, D. Y.; Wang, Dan; Wang, K.; Wang, L. L.; Wang, L. S.; Wang, M.; Wang, P.; Wang, P. L.; Wang, W. P.; Wang, X. F.; Wang, Y. D.; Wang, Y. F.; Wang, Y. Q.; Wang, Z.; Wang, Z. G.; Wang, Z. H.; Wang, Z. Y.; Wang, Z. Y.; Weber, T.; Wei, D. H.; Weidenkaff, P.; Wen, S. P.; Wiedner, U.; Wolke, M.; Wu, L. H.; Wu, L. J.; Wu, Z.; Xia, L.; Xia, Y.; Xiao, D.; Xiao, H.; Xiao, Y. J.; Xiao, Z. J.; Xie, Y. G.; Xie, Y. H.; Xiong, X. A.; Xiu, Q. L.; Xu, G. F.; Xu, J. J.; Xu, L.; Xu, Q. J.; Xu, Q. N.; Xu, X. P.; Yan, L.; Yan, W. B.; Yan, W. C.; Yan, Y. H.; Yang, H. J.; Yang, H. X.; Yang, L.; Yang, Y. H.; Yang, Y. X.; Ye, M.; Ye, M. H.; Yin, J. H.; You, Z. Y.; Yu, B. X.; Yu, C. X.; Yu, J. S.; Yuan, C. Z.; Yuan, Y.; Yuncu, A.; Zafar, A. A.; Zeng, Y.; Zeng, Z.; Zhang, B. X.; Zhang, B. Y.; Zhang, C. C.; Zhang, D. H.; Zhang, H. H.; Zhang, H. Y.; Zhang, J.; Zhang, J. L.; Zhang, J. Q.; Zhang, J. W.; Zhang, J. Y.; Zhang, J. Z.; Zhang, K.; Zhang, L.; Zhang, S. Q.; Zhang, X. Y.; Zhang, Y.; Zhang, Y.; Zhang, Y. H.; Zhang, Y. T.; Zhang, Yu; Zhang, Z. H.; Zhang, Z. P.; Zhang, Z. Y.; Zhao, G.; Zhao, J. W.; Zhao, J. Y.; Zhao, J. Z.; Zhao, Lei; Zhao, Ling; Zhao, M. G.; Zhao, Q.; Zhao, S. J.; Zhao, T. C.; Zhao, Y. B.; Zhao, Z. G.; Zhemchugov, A.; Zheng, B.; Zheng, J. P.; Zheng, W. J.; Zheng, Y. H.; Zhong, B.; Zhou, L.; Zhou, X.; Zhou, X. K.; Zhou, X. R.; Zhou, X. Y.; Zhou, Y. X.; Zhu, K.; Zhu, K. J.; Zhu, S.; Zhu, S. H.; Zhu, X. L.; Zhu, Y. C.; Zhu, Y. S.; Zhu, Z. A.; Zhuang, J.; Zotti, L.; Zou, B. S.; Zou, J. H.; Besiii Collaboration

2018-03-01

Using e+e- collision data collected with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII collider corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.2 fb-1 at center-of-mass energies (√{s }) from 4.009 to 4.600 GeV, the process e+e-→π0π0ψ (3686 ) is studied for the first time. The corresponding Born cross sections are measured and found to be half of those of the reaction e+e-→π+π-ψ (3686 ). This is consistent with the expectation from isospin symmetry. Furthermore, the Dalitz plots for π0π0ψ (3686 ) are accordant with those of π+π-ψ (3686 ) at all energy points, and a neutral analog to the structure in π±ψ (3686 ) around 4040 MeV /c2 first observed at √{s }=4.416 GeV is observed in the isospin neutral mode at the same energy.

Measurement of e + e - → π 0 π 0 ψ ( 3686 ) at s from 4.009 to 4.600 GeV and observation of a neutral charmoniumlike structure

DOE PAGES

Ablikim, M.; Achasov, M. N.; Ahmed, S.; ...

2018-03-07

Using e +e - collision data collected with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII collider corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.2 fb -1 at center-of-mass energies (ps) from 4.009 to 4.600 GeV, the process e +e - →π 0π 0ψ (3686) is studied for the first time. The corresponding Born cross sections are measured and found to be half of those of the reaction e +e - π +π -ψ (3686). This is consistent with the expectation from isospin symmetry. Furthermore, the Dalitz plots for π 0π 0ψ (3686) are accordant with those of π +π -ψ (3686) at all energy points, and a neutral analogue to the structure in π ±ψ (3686) around 4040 MeV/c 2 first observed atmore » $$\\sqrt{s}$$ = 4.416 GeV is observed in the isospin neutral mode at the same energy.« less

Hydrobiogeochemical interactions in 'anoxic' limestone drains for neutralization of acidic mine drainage

USGS Publications Warehouse

Robbins, E.I.; Cravotta, C.A.; Savela, C.E.; Nord, G.L.

1999-01-01

Processes affecting neutralization of acidic coal mine drainage were evaluated within 'anoxic' limestone drains (ALDs). Influents had pH???3.5 and dissolved oxygen <2 mg/l. Even though effluents were near neutral (pH 6 and alkalinity acidity), two of the four ALDs were failing due to clogging. Mineral-saturation indices indicated the potential for dissolution of calcite and gypsum, and precipitation of Al3+ and Fe3+ compounds. Cleavage mounts of calcite and gypsum that were suspended within the ALDs and later examined microscopically showed dissolution features despite coatings by numerous bacteria, biofilms, and Fe-Al-Si precipitates. In the drain exhibiting the greatest flow reduction, Al-hydroxysulfates had accumulated on limestone surfaces and calcite etch points, thus causing the decline in transmissivity and dissolution. Therefore, where Al loadings are high and flow rates are low, a pre-treatment step is indicated to promote Al removal before diverting acidic mine water into alkalinity-producing materials. ?? 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd.

Eyewitness memory: The impact of a negative mood during encoding and/or retrieval upon recall of a non-emotive event.

PubMed

Thorley, Craig; Dewhurst, Stephen A; Abel, Joseph W; Knott, Lauren M

2016-07-01

The police often appeal for eyewitnesses to events that were unlikely to have been emotive when observed. An eyewitness, however, may be in a negative mood whilst encoding or retrieving such events as mood can be influenced by a range of personal, social, and environmental factors. For example, bad weather can induce a negative mood. This experiment compared the impact of negative and neutral moods during encoding and/or retrieval upon eyewitness recall of a non-emotive event. A negative mood during encoding had no impact upon the number of correct details recalled (provided participants were in a neutral mood at retrieval) but a negative mood during retrieval impaired the number of correct details recalled (provided participants were in a neutral mood at encoding). A negative mood at both time points enhanced the number of correct details recalled, demonstrating a mood-dependent memory enhancement. The forensic implications of these findings are discussed.

Measurement of e + e - → π 0 π 0 ψ ( 3686 ) at s from 4.009 to 4.600 GeV and observation of a neutral charmoniumlike structure

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

Ablikim, M.; Achasov, M. N.; Ahmed, S.

Using e +e - collision data collected with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII collider corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.2 fb -1 at center-of-mass energies (ps) from 4.009 to 4.600 GeV, the process e +e - →π 0π 0ψ (3686) is studied for the first time. The corresponding Born cross sections are measured and found to be half of those of the reaction e +e - π +π -ψ (3686). This is consistent with the expectation from isospin symmetry. Furthermore, the Dalitz plots for π 0π 0ψ (3686) are accordant with those of π +π -ψ (3686) at all energy points, and a neutral analogue to the structure in π ±ψ (3686) around 4040 MeV/c 2 first observed atmore » $$\\sqrt{s}$$ = 4.416 GeV is observed in the isospin neutral mode at the same energy.« less

Confinement of nonneutral plasmas in the Prototype Ring Trap device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Himura, Haruhiko; Yoshida, Zensho; Nakashima, Chihiro; Morikawa, Junji; Kakuno, Hidekazu; Tahara, Shigeru; Shibayama, Norihisa

1999-12-01

Recently, an internal-ring device named Proto-RT (Prototype Ring Trap) was constructed at University of Tokyo, and experiments on the device have been intensively conducted. The main goal of Proto-RT is to explore an innovative method to attain a plasma equilibrium with extremely high-β (β>1) in a toroidal geometry using non-neutral condition. At the first series of the experiments, pure electron plasmas (ne˜1013m-3) have been successfully confined inside a separatrix. No disruption is so far observed. The confinement time of the electron plasmas is of order 0.1 ms for an X point configuration. The non-neutrality of Δne˜1013m-3 is already beyond the critical value which is required to produce an enough self-electric field E in non-neutral plasmas with n0˜1019m-3, causing a strong E×B flow thoroughly over the plasmas where the hydrodynamic pressure of the flow is predicted to balance with the thermal pressure of the plasmas.

Linkage Disequilibrium Under Recurrent Bottlenecks

PubMed Central

Schaper, E.; Eriksson, A.; Rafajlovic, M.; Sagitov, S.; Mehlig, B.

2012-01-01

To model deviations from selectively neutral genetic variation caused by different forms of selection, it is necessary to first understand patterns of neutral variation. Best understood is neutral genetic variation at a single locus. But, as is well known, additional insights can be gained by investigating multiple loci. The resulting patterns reflect the degree of association (linkage) between loci and provide information about the underlying multilocus gene genealogies. The statistical properties of two-locus gene genealogies have been intensively studied for populations of constant size, as well as for simple demographic histories such as exponential population growth and single bottlenecks. By contrast, the combined effect of recombination and sustained demographic fluctuations is poorly understood. Addressing this issue, we study a two-locus Wright–Fisher model of a population subject to recurrent bottlenecks. We derive coalescent approximations for the covariance of the times to the most recent common ancestor at two loci in samples of two chromosomes. This covariance reflects the degree of association and thus linkage disequilibrium between these loci. We find, first, that an effective population-size approximation describes the numerically observed association between two loci provided that recombination occurs either much faster or much more slowly than the population-size fluctuations. Second, when recombination occurs frequently between but rarely within bottlenecks, we observe that the association of gene histories becomes independent of physical distance over a certain range of distances. Third, we show that in this case, a commonly used measure of linkage disequilibrium, σd2 (closely related to r^2), fails to capture the long-range association between two loci. The reason is that constituent terms, each reflecting the long-range association, cancel. Fourth, we analyze a limiting case in which the long-range association can be described in terms of a Xi coalescent allowing for simultaneous multiple mergers of ancestral lines. PMID:22048021

Adaptive mapping functions to the azimuthal anisotropy of the neutral atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gegout, P.; Biancale, R.; Soudarin, L.

2011-10-01

The anisotropy of propagation of radio waves used by global navigation satellite systems is investigated using high-resolution observational data assimilations produced by the European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecast. The geometry and the refractivity of the neutral atmosphere are built introducing accurate geodetic heights and continuous formulations of the refractivity and its gradient. Hence the realistic ellipsoidal shape of the refractivity field above the topography is properly represented. Atmospheric delays are obtained by ray-tracing through the refractivity field, integrating the eikonal differential system. Ray-traced delays reveal the anisotropy of the atmosphere. With the aim to preserve the classical mapping function strategy, mapping functions can evolve to adapt to high-frequency atmospheric fluctuations and to account for the anisotropy of propagation by fitting at each site and time the zenith delays and the mapping functions coefficients. Adaptive mapping functions (AMF) are designed with coefficients of the continued fraction form which depend on azimuth. The basic idea is to expand the azimuthal dependency of the coefficients in Fourier series introducing a multi-scale azimuthal decomposition which slightly changes the elevation functions with the azimuth. AMF are used to approximate thousands of atmospheric ray-traced delays using a few tens of coefficients. Generic recursive definitions of the AMF and their partial derivatives lead to observe that the truncation of the continued fraction form at the third term and the truncation of the azimuthal Fourier series at the fourth term are sufficient in usual meteorological conditions. Delays' and elevations' mapping functions allow to store and to retrieve the ray-tracing results to solve the parallax problem at the observation level. AMF are suitable to fit the time-variable isotropic and anisotropic parts of the ray-traced delays at each site at each time step and to provide GPS range corrections at the measurement level with millimeter accuracy at low elevation. AMF to the azimuthal anisotropy of the neutral atmosphere are designed to adapt to complex weather conditions by adaptively changing their truncations.

Trends of Underweight and Overweight/Obesity Among Japanese Schoolchildren From 2003 to 2012, Defined by Body Mass Index and Percentage Overweight Cutoffs

PubMed Central

Shirasawa, Takako; Ochiai, Hirotaka; Nanri, Hinako; Nishimura, Rimei; Ohtsu, Tadahiro; Hoshino, Hiromi; Tajima, Naoko; Kokaze, Akatsuki

2015-01-01

Background We investigated the prevalence and trends of underweight and overweight/obesity in a population-based sample of Japanese schoolchildren from 2003 to 2012, defined by body mass index (BMI) and percentage overweight (POW). Methods Subjects comprised fourth and seventh graders from the town of Ina, Japan, from 2003 to 2012. The height and weight of each subject were measured. Children were classified as underweight, normal weight, or overweight/obese using two criteria: BMI cutoff points proposed by the International Obesity Task Force and cutoffs based on POW in Japan. Results Data from 4367 fourth graders and 3724 seventh graders were analyzed. The prevalence of underweight and overweight as defined by POW criteria were lower than those based on BMI criteria. There was a decrease in the prevalence of overweight among fourth-grade boys and girls and seventh-grade girls according to BMI; this decrease was also observed when POW criteria were used for the definition of overweight. Conclusions The prevalence and trends of both underweight and overweight as defined by POW were underestimated among Japanese schoolchildren compared to those determined using BMI. The results of this study also suggest that trends in underweight and overweight/obesity using POW criteria are similar to those based on BMI criteria among schoolchildren in Japan. PMID:25986154

Textual production of children without learning difficulties.

PubMed

Santos, Maria Aparecida Gonçalves dos; Hage, Simone Rocha de Vasconcellos

2015-01-01

To characterize the writing skills of students, to compare the performance of students in public and private schools, and to identify enhancements in the course of the school year. Three texts (narrative, game rules description, and a note or letter) written by 160 students from public and private schools were analyzed based on a specific protocol. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed. To compare the overall performance by the protocol between school grades, the Kruskal-Wallis and Miller tests were used, and to compare results as to schools (private and public), Mann-Whitney test was used. Median values of aesthetic aspects, coherence, clarity, and concision for game rules description among public school students remained one point below the top score. Students from private schools achieved the highest score at medians. When comparing schools, private institutions had students with better performances, with significant difference. As to grades, statistical difference was found between the fourth and sixth grades of public schools and between the fourth and fifth grades of private schools. Most of the private school children showed consolidation of skills assessed in the different grades. However, public school children had this consolidation only at the sixth grade. Students from private schools had better performances compared to those from public schools. There is tendency to evolution from the fourth to sixth grades in public schools. However, the overall performance is similar in all grades in private schools.

Generation Mechanism for Interlinked Flux Tubes on the Magnetopause

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farinas Perez, G.; Cardoso, F. R.; Sibeck, D.; Gonzalez, W. D.; Facskó, G.; Coxon, J. C.; Pembroke, A. D.

2018-02-01

We use a global magnetohydrodynamics simulation to analyze transient magnetic reconnection processes at the magnetopause. The solar wind conditions have been kept constant, and an interplanetary magnetic field with large duskward BY and southward BZ components has been imposed. Five flux transfer events (FTEs) with clear bipolar magnetic field signatures have been observed. We observed a peculiar structure defined as interlinked flux tubes (IFTs) in the first and fourth FTE, which had very different generation mechanisms. The first FTE originates as an IFTs and remains with this configuration until its final moment. However, the fourth FTE develops as a classical flux rope but changes its 3-D magnetic configuration to that of IFTs. This work studies the mechanism for generating IFTs. The growth of the resistive tearing instability has been identified as the cause for the first IFTs formation. We believe that the instability has been triggered by the accumulation of interplanetary magnetic field at the subsolar point where the grid resolution is very high. The evidence shows that two new reconnection lines form northward and southward of the subsolar region. The IFTs have been generated with all the classical signatures of a single flux rope. The other IFTs detected in the fourth FTE developed as a result of magnetic reconnection inside its complex and twisted magnetic fields, which leads to a change in the magnetic configuration from a flux rope of twisted magnetic field lines to IFTs.

[Longitudinal perception of the educational environment in two medical schools with traditional curricula in Chile and Spain].

PubMed

Díaz-Véliz, Gabriela; Mora G, Sergio; Escanero, Jesús F

2016-11-01

To establish an educational environment that ensures the quality of the teaching-learning process is a challenge for any educational institution. The questionnaire DREEM (Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure) is used to identify strengths and weaknesses of an educational environment and to compare different medical schools. To evaluate the changes in the perception of educational environment by students of the Schools of Medicine of the University of Zaragoza, UZar (Spain) and the University of Chile, UCh (Chile) at two points in their curricula. DREEM questionnaire was answered by 90 students from the UZar and 87 students of the UCh, when they were in the first year (2009) and in the fourth year of their career (2012). At both universities the overall mean scores of DREAM were significantly higher in students in their first year than those obtained in the fourth year (137.5/118.3 for UZar and 128.6/118.8 for UCh). Items with worse perception in the fourth year were observed in subscales Learning Perception and Atmosphere Perception. Items with good evaluation (≥ 3.0) were the subscales Perception of teachers, academic self-perception, perception of Environment and Social Self-perception. The perception of Chilean and Spanish students about their educational environments indicates that the stage of their medical training is more important than the geographical context or educational institution.

Jacobi-Gauss-Lobatto collocation method for the numerical solution of 1+1 nonlinear Schrödinger equations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doha, E. H.; Bhrawy, A. H.; Abdelkawy, M. A.; Van Gorder, Robert A.

2014-03-01

A Jacobi-Gauss-Lobatto collocation (J-GL-C) method, used in combination with the implicit Runge-Kutta method of fourth order, is proposed as a numerical algorithm for the approximation of solutions to nonlinear Schrödinger equations (NLSE) with initial-boundary data in 1+1 dimensions. Our procedure is implemented in two successive steps. In the first one, the J-GL-C is employed for approximating the functional dependence on the spatial variable, using (N-1) nodes of the Jacobi-Gauss-Lobatto interpolation which depends upon two general Jacobi parameters. The resulting equations together with the two-point boundary conditions induce a system of 2(N-1) first-order ordinary differential equations (ODEs) in time. In the second step, the implicit Runge-Kutta method of fourth order is applied to solve this temporal system. The proposed J-GL-C method, used in combination with the implicit Runge-Kutta method of fourth order, is employed to obtain highly accurate numerical approximations to four types of NLSE, including the attractive and repulsive NLSE and a Gross-Pitaevskii equation with space-periodic potential. The numerical results obtained by this algorithm have been compared with various exact solutions in order to demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method. Indeed, for relatively few nodes used, the absolute error in our numerical solutions is sufficiently small.

The effect of a clinical posting in psychiatry on the attitudes of medical students towards psychiatry and mental illness in a Malaysian medical school.

PubMed

Reddy, J P; Tan, S M K; Azmi, M T; Shaharom, M H; Rosdinom, R; Maniam, T; Ruzanna, Z Z; Minas, I H

2005-09-01

The stigma attached to mental illness and the mentally ill is a universal phenomenon and a major barrier to the provision of mental health services. Stigmatising attitudes among doctors themselves can result in compromised patient care. The aim of this research project is to study the impact of a clinical posting in psychiatry on the attitudes of medical students to mental illness and to psychiatry. This paper reports the results of the first phase of a longitudinal study. A total of 122 year 4 medical students responded to this study. The Attitudes Towards Mental Illness (AMI) and Attitudes Towards Psychiatry (ATP) questionnaires were administered before and after an 8-week attachment in psychiatry. We found that students had somewhat favourable attitudes towards psychiatry and mental illness at the start of their attachment, with a mean score of 108.34 on ATP (neutral score, 90) and 68.24 on AMI (neutral score, 60). There was a significant increase in the mean scores of both scales following the psychiatric attachment for female students (ATP: P = 0.003; AMI: P <0.0005), but not male students (ATP: P = 0.435; AMI: P = 0.283). An 8-week clinical posting of fourth-year medical students in psychiatry was associated with an increase in positive attitudes to mental illness and to psychiatry among female students but not among male students.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender inclusion: Survey of campus climate in colleges and schools of pharmacy.

PubMed

Jacobson, Anita N; Matson, Kelly L; Mathews, Jennifer L; Parkhill, Amy L; Scartabello, Thomas A

To quantify the implementation of inclusive policies and benefits as well as institutional commitment to support LGBT faculty, staff, and students in pharmacy schools nationwide. An anonymous, electronic survey was sent to administrators at 130 pharmacy schools. Forty-four survey responses were received, indicating a 34% response rate. The survey included questions relating to campus climate, inclusive policies and benefits, and institutional commitments to the LGBT community. Approximately half of the survey respondents reported that their school has public written statements about diversity and multiculturalism that include sexual orientation and/or gender identity. About one-fifth of the respondents indicated that their school has inclusive materials for faculty, staff, and student information regarding sexual orientation and gender identity. Nearly one-fourth of schools of pharmacy had participated in a voluntary LGBT training program, such as Safe Zone, Safe Space, or Ally Program. Over half of the respondents reported having access to LGBT organizations on campus, with two schools reporting having pharmacy organizations that specifically focus on LGBT student pharmacists and allies. Less than one-tenth of schools reported offering gender-neutral/single-occupancy restrooms and no schools reported knowledge of LGBT-related scholarships. Room for improvement exists regarding the implementation of inclusive practices to improve campus climate for LGBT students, faculty, and staff. Areas with the largest room for improvement include accessible gender-neutral restrooms and availability of LGBT trainings, scholarships, and events. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Volume dependence of baryon number cumulants and their ratios

DOE PAGES

Almási, Gábor A.; Pisarski, Robert D.; Skokov, Vladimir V.

2017-03-17

Here, we explore the influence of finite-volume effects on cumulants of baryon/quark number fluctuations in a nonperturbative chiral model. In order to account for soft modes, we use the functional renormalization group in a finite volume, using a smooth regulator function in momentum space. We compare the results for a smooth regulator with those for a sharp (or Litim) regulator, and show that in a finite volume, the latter produces spurious artifacts. In a finite volume there are only apparent critical points, about which we compute the ratio of the fourth- to the second-order cumulant of quark number fluctuations. Finally,more » when the volume is sufficiently small the system has two apparent critical points; as the system size decreases, the location of the apparent critical point can move to higher temperature and lower chemical potential.« less

Exploring Connectivity in Sequence Space of Functional RNA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wei, Chenyu; Pohorille, Andrzej; Popovic, Milena; Ditzler, Mark

2017-01-01

Emergence of replicable genetic molecules was one of the marking points in the origin of life, evolution of which can be conceptualized as a walk through the space of all possible sequences. A theoretical concept of fitness landscape helps to understand evolutionary processes through assigning a value of fitness to each genotype. Then, evolution of a phenotype is viewed as a series of consecutive, single-point mutations. Natural selection biases evolution toward peaks of high fitness and away from valleys of low fitness. whereas neutral drift occurs in the sequence space without direction as mutations are introduced at random. Large networks of neutral or near-neutral mutations on a fitness landscape, especially for sufficiently long genomes, are possible or even inevitable. Their detection in experiments, however, has been elusive. Although a few near-neutral evolutionary pathways have been found, recent experimental evidence indicates landscapes consist of largely isolated islands. The generality of these results, however, is not clear, as the genome length or the fraction of functional molecules in the genotypic space might have been insufficient for the emergence of large, neutral networks. Thorough investigation on the structure of the fitness landscape is essential to understand the mechanisms of evolution of early genomes. RNA molecules are commonly assumed to play the pivotal role in the origin of genetic systems. They are widely believed to be early, if not the earliest, genetic and catalytic molecules, with abundant biochemical activities as aptamers and ribozymes, i.e. RNA molecules capable, respectively, to bind small molecules or catalyze chemical reactions. Here, we present results of our recent studies on the structure of the sequence space of RNA ligase ribozymes selected through in vitro evolution. Several hundred thousands of sequences active to a different degree were obtained by way of deep sequencing. Analysis of these sequences revealed several large clusters defined such that every sequence in a cluster can be reached from any other sequence in the same cluster through a series of single point mutations. Sequences in a single cluster appear to adopt more than one secondary structure. The mechanism of refolding within a single cluster was examined. To shed light on possible evolutionary paths in the space of ribozymes, the connectivity between clusters was investigated. The effect of length of RNA molecules on the structure of the fitness landscape and possible evolutionary paths was examined by way of comparing functional sequences of 20 and 80 nucleobases in length. It was found that sequences of different lengths shared secondary structure motifs that were presumed responsible for catalytic activity, with increasing complexity and global structural rearrangements emerging in longer molecules.

Reflective Thinking Scale: A Validity and Reliability Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Basol, Gulsah; Evin Gencel, Ilke

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to adapt Reflective Thinking Scale to Turkish and investigate its validity and reliability over a Turkish university students' sample. Reflective Thinking Scale (RTS) is a 5 point Likert scale (ranging from 1 corresponding Agree Completely, 3 to Neutral, and 5 to Not Agree Completely), purposed to measure reflective…

21 CFR 172.830 - Succinylated monoglycerides.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... of glycerol with edible fat-forming fatty acids. (b) The additive meets the following specifications: Succinic acid content: 14.8%-25.6% Melting point: 50 °C-60 °C. Acid number: 70-120 (c) The additive is used... additive is a mixture of semi-and neutral succinic acid esters of mono- and diglycerides produced by the...

Tests of Local Position Invariance Using Continuously Running Atomic Clocks

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-22

of the difference in anomalous redshift parameters, β = β1 − β2. (a) Dark data points are previous measurements: (i) neutral strontium optical...and the ratio of the light quark mass to the quantum chromodynamics length scale, mq/ QCD, where mq is the average of the up and down quark masses [17

What PISA Measures: Some Remarks on Standardized Assessment and Science Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roehl, Tobias

2015-01-01

Drawing on a sociocultural perspective on educational assessment the empirical examples of Margareta Serder and Anders Jakobsson serve as a starting point for a critical analysis of PISA and the image of science education it perpetuates. While PISA claims to neutrally measure competencies relevant to science education, I argue that the test…

Emotional Design in Multimedia: Does Gender and Academic Achievement Influence Learning Outcomes?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kumar, Jeya Amantha; Muniandy, Balakrishnan; Yahaya, Wan Ahmad Jaafar Wan

2016-01-01

This study was designed as a preliminary study (N = 33) to explore the effects of gender and academic achievement (Cumulative Grade Point Average-CGPA) on polytechnic students' learning outcomes when exposed to Multimedia Learning Environments (MLE) designed to induce emotions. Three designs namely positive (PosD), neutral (NeuD) and negative…

[Embryotoxic and teratogenic effect of Pharmachem tetramisole].

PubMed

Stoianov, K; Todorov, S

1982-01-01

Studies were carried out to establish the effect of high rates of Tetramizol Pharmachim on the embryonal and fetal development in rats. The preparation was administered orally to pregnant animals under the form of a 1 per cent solution at the rate of 1/5 LD50 (=200 mg/kg), on the fourth and the thirteenth day of gestation. It was found that the amount of the preparation applied on the fourth day after conception took place led to rise of the preimplantation loss of embryos. The rate of the total embryonal mortality also rose. Accordingly, it was concluded that in high doses Tetramizol Pharmachim could produce an embryotoxic effect on rats. The application of the preparation later during pregnacy (the 13th day) did not have an adverse effect on the normal course of gestation. No abnormal effects were demonstrated on the growth and development of fetuses during all stages of investigation, which might point to the teratogenic action of Tetramizol.

Western Shallow Oil Zone, Elk Hills Field, Kern County, California: General reservoir study, Appendix 4, Fourth Wilhelm sand

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

Carey, K.B.

1987-09-01

The general Reservoir Study of the Western Shallow Oil Zone was prepared by Evans, Carey and Crozier as Task Assignment 009 with the United States Department of Energy. This study, Appendix IV, addresses the Fourth Wilhelm Sand and its sub units and pools. Basic pressure, production and assorted technical data were provided by the US Department of Energy staff at Elk Hills. Basic pressure production and assorted technical data were provided by the US Department of Energy staff at Elk Hills. These data were accepted as furnished with no attempt being made by Evans, Carey and Crozier for independent verification.more » This study has identified the petrophysical properties and the past productive performance of the reservoir. Primary reserves have been determined and general means of enhancing future recovery have been suggested. It is hoped that this volume can now additionally serve as a take off point for exploitation engineers to develop specific programs toward the end. 12 figs., 9 tabs.« less

Electric vehicle system for charging and supplying electrical power

DOEpatents

Su, Gui Jia

2010-06-08

A power system that provides power between an energy storage device, an external charging-source/load, an onboard electrical power generator, and a vehicle drive shaft. The power system has at least one energy storage device electrically connected across a dc bus, at least one filter capacitor leg having at least one filter capacitor electrically connected across the dc bus, at least one power inverter/converter electrically connected across the dc bus, and at least one multiphase motor/generator having stator windings electrically connected at one end to form a neutral point and electrically connected on the other end to one of the power inverter/converters. A charging-sourcing selection socket is electrically connected to the neutral points and the external charging-source/load. At least one electronics controller is electrically connected to the charging-sourcing selection socket and at least one power inverter/converter. The switch legs in each of the inverter/converters selected by the charging-source/load socket collectively function as a single switch leg. The motor/generators function as an inductor.

Control of stationary crossflow modes in swept Hiemenz flows with dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zhefu; Wang, Liang; Fu, Song

2017-09-01

Sensitivity analyses and non-linear parabolized stability equations are solved to provide a computational assessment of the potential use of a Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD) plasma actuator for a prolonging laminar region in swept Hiemenz flow. The derivative of the kinetic energy with respect to the body force is deduced, and its components in different directions are defined as sensitivity functions. The results of sensitivity analyses and non-linear parabolized stability equations both indicate that the introduction of a body force as the plasma actuator at the bottom of a crossflow vortex can mitigate instability to delay flow transition. In addition, the actuator is more effective when placed more upstream until the neutral point. In fact, if the actuator is sufficiently close to the neutral point, it is likely to act as a strong disturbance over-riding the natural disturbance and dominating transition. Different operating voltages of the DBD actuators are tested, resulting in an optimal practice for transition delay. The results demonstrate that plasma actuators offer great potential for transition control.

A productive clash of perspectives? The interplay between articles' and authors' perspectives and their impact on Wikipedia edits in a controversial domain.

PubMed

Jirschitzka, Jens; Kimmerle, Joachim; Halatchliyski, Iassen; Hancke, Julia; Meurers, Detmar; Cress, Ulrike

2017-01-01

This study examined predictors of the development of Wikipedia articles that deal with controversial issues. We chose a corpus of articles in the German-language version of Wikipedia about alternative medicine as a representative controversial issue. We extracted edits made until March 2013 and categorized them using a supervised machine learning setup as either being pro conventional medicine, pro alternative medicine, or neutral. Based on these categories, we established relevant variables, such as the perspectives of articles and of authors at certain points in time, the (im)balance of an article's perspective, the number of non-neutral edits per article, the number of authors per article, authors' heterogeneity per article, and incongruity between authors' and articles' perspectives. The underlying objective was to predict the development of articles' perspectives with regard to the controversial topic. The empirical part of the study is embedded in theoretical considerations about editorial biases and the effectiveness of norms and rules in Wikipedia, such as the neutral point of view policy. Our findings revealed a selection bias where authors edited mainly articles with perspectives similar to their own viewpoint. Regression analyses showed that an author's perspective as well as the article's previous perspectives predicted the perspective of the resulting edits, albeit both predictors interact with each other. Further analyses indicated that articles with more non-neutral edits were altogether more balanced. We also found a positive effect of the number of authors and of the authors' heterogeneity on articles' balance. However, while the effect of the number of authors was reserved to pro-conventional medicine articles, the authors' heterogenity effect was restricted to pro-alternative medicine articles. Finally, we found a negative effect of incongruity between authors' and articles' perspectives that was pronounced for the pro-alternative medicine articles.

A productive clash of perspectives? The interplay between articles’ and authors’ perspectives and their impact on Wikipedia edits in a controversial domain

PubMed Central

Jirschitzka, Jens; Halatchliyski, Iassen; Hancke, Julia; Meurers, Detmar; Cress, Ulrike

2017-01-01

This study examined predictors of the development of Wikipedia articles that deal with controversial issues. We chose a corpus of articles in the German-language version of Wikipedia about alternative medicine as a representative controversial issue. We extracted edits made until March 2013 and categorized them using a supervised machine learning setup as either being pro conventional medicine, pro alternative medicine, or neutral. Based on these categories, we established relevant variables, such as the perspectives of articles and of authors at certain points in time, the (im)balance of an article’s perspective, the number of non-neutral edits per article, the number of authors per article, authors’ heterogeneity per article, and incongruity between authors’ and articles’ perspectives. The underlying objective was to predict the development of articles’ perspectives with regard to the controversial topic. The empirical part of the study is embedded in theoretical considerations about editorial biases and the effectiveness of norms and rules in Wikipedia, such as the neutral point of view policy. Our findings revealed a selection bias where authors edited mainly articles with perspectives similar to their own viewpoint. Regression analyses showed that an author’s perspective as well as the article’s previous perspectives predicted the perspective of the resulting edits, albeit both predictors interact with each other. Further analyses indicated that articles with more non-neutral edits were altogether more balanced. We also found a positive effect of the number of authors and of the authors’ heterogeneity on articles’ balance. However, while the effect of the number of authors was reserved to pro-conventional medicine articles, the authors’ heterogenity effect was restricted to pro-alternative medicine articles. Finally, we found a negative effect of incongruity between authors’ and articles’ perspectives that was pronounced for the pro-alternative medicine articles. PMID:28575077

$$B^0_{(s)}$$-mixing matrix elements from lattice QCD for the Standard Model and beyond

DOE PAGES

Bazavov, A.; Bernard, C.; Bouchard, C. M.; ...

2016-06-28

We calculate—for the first time in three-flavor lattice QCD—the hadronic matrix elements of all five local operators that contribute to neutral B 0- and B s-meson mixing in and beyond the Standard Model. We present a complete error budget for each matrix element and also provide the full set of correlations among the matrix elements. We also present the corresponding bag parameters and their correlations, as well as specific combinations of the mixing matrix elements that enter the expression for the neutral B-meson width difference. We obtain the most precise determination to date of the SU(3)-breaking ratio ξ=1.206(18)(6), where themore » second error stems from the omission of charm-sea quarks, while the first encompasses all other uncertainties. The threefold reduction in total uncertainty, relative to the 2013 Flavor Lattice Averaging Group results, tightens the constraint from B mixing on the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa (CKM) unitarity triangle. Our calculation employs gauge-field ensembles generated by the MILC Collaboration with four lattice spacings and pion masses close to the physical value. We use the asqtad-improved staggered action for the light-valence quarks and the Fermilab method for the bottom quark. We use heavy-light meson chiral perturbation theory modified to include lattice-spacing effects to extrapolate the five matrix elements to the physical point. We combine our results with experimental measurements of the neutral B-meson oscillation frequencies to determine the CKM matrix elements |V td| = 8.00(34)(8)×10 -3, |V ts| = 39.0(1.2)(0.4)×10 -3, and |V td/V ts| = 0.2052(31)(10), which differ from CKM-unitarity expectations by about 2σ. In addition, these results and others from flavor-changing-neutral currents point towards an emerging tension between weak processes that are mediated at the loop and tree levels.« less

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

Bazavov, A.; Bernard, C.; Bouchard, C. M.

We calculate—for the first time in three-flavor lattice QCD—the hadronic matrix elements of all five local operators that contribute to neutral B 0- and B s-meson mixing in and beyond the Standard Model. We present a complete error budget for each matrix element and also provide the full set of correlations among the matrix elements. We also present the corresponding bag parameters and their correlations, as well as specific combinations of the mixing matrix elements that enter the expression for the neutral B-meson width difference. We obtain the most precise determination to date of the SU(3)-breaking ratio ξ=1.206(18)(6), where themore » second error stems from the omission of charm-sea quarks, while the first encompasses all other uncertainties. The threefold reduction in total uncertainty, relative to the 2013 Flavor Lattice Averaging Group results, tightens the constraint from B mixing on the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa (CKM) unitarity triangle. Our calculation employs gauge-field ensembles generated by the MILC Collaboration with four lattice spacings and pion masses close to the physical value. We use the asqtad-improved staggered action for the light-valence quarks and the Fermilab method for the bottom quark. We use heavy-light meson chiral perturbation theory modified to include lattice-spacing effects to extrapolate the five matrix elements to the physical point. We combine our results with experimental measurements of the neutral B-meson oscillation frequencies to determine the CKM matrix elements |V td| = 8.00(34)(8)×10 -3, |V ts| = 39.0(1.2)(0.4)×10 -3, and |V td/V ts| = 0.2052(31)(10), which differ from CKM-unitarity expectations by about 2σ. In addition, these results and others from flavor-changing-neutral currents point towards an emerging tension between weak processes that are mediated at the loop and tree levels.« less

Biological signatures of dynamic river networks from a coupled landscape evolution and neutral community model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stokes, M.; Perron, J. T.

2017-12-01

Freshwater systems host exceptionally species-rich communities whose spatial structure is dictated by the topology of the river networks they inhabit. Over geologic time, river networks are dynamic; drainage basins shrink and grow, and river capture establishes new connections between previously separated regions. It has been hypothesized that these changes in river network structure influence the evolution of life by exchanging and isolating species, perhaps boosting biodiversity in the process. However, no general model exists to predict the evolutionary consequences of landscape change. We couple a neutral community model of freshwater organisms to a landscape evolution model in which the river network undergoes drainage divide migration and repeated river capture. Neutral community models are macro-ecological models that include stochastic speciation and dispersal to produce realistic patterns of biodiversity. We explore the consequences of three modes of speciation - point mutation, time-protracted, and vicariant (geographic) speciation - by tracking patterns of diversity in time and comparing the final result to an equilibrium solution of the neutral model on the final landscape. Under point mutation, a simple model of stochastic and instantaneous speciation, the results are identical to the equilibrium solution and indicate the dominance of the species-area relationship in forming patterns of diversity. The number of species in a basin is proportional to its area, and regional species richness reaches its maximum when drainage area is evenly distributed among sub-basins. Time-protracted speciation is also modeled as a stochastic process, but in order to produce more realistic rates of diversification, speciation is not assumed to be instantaneous. Rather, each new species must persist for a certain amount of time before it is considered to be established. When vicariance (geographic speciation) is included, there is a transient signature of increased regional diversity after river capture. The results indicate that the mode of speciation and the rate of speciation relative to the rate of divide migration determine the evolutionary signature of river capture.

The evolvability of programmable hardware.

PubMed

Raman, Karthik; Wagner, Andreas

2011-02-06

In biological systems, individual phenotypes are typically adopted by multiple genotypes. Examples include protein structure phenotypes, where each structure can be adopted by a myriad individual amino acid sequence genotypes. These genotypes form vast connected 'neutral networks' in genotype space. The size of such neutral networks endows biological systems not only with robustness to genetic change, but also with the ability to evolve a vast number of novel phenotypes that occur near any one neutral network. Whether technological systems can be designed to have similar properties is poorly understood. Here we ask this question for a class of programmable electronic circuits that compute digital logic functions. The functional flexibility of such circuits is important in many applications, including applications of evolutionary principles to circuit design. The functions they compute are at the heart of all digital computation. We explore a vast space of 10(45) logic circuits ('genotypes') and 10(19) logic functions ('phenotypes'). We demonstrate that circuits that compute the same logic function are connected in large neutral networks that span circuit space. Their robustness or fault-tolerance varies very widely. The vicinity of each neutral network contains circuits with a broad range of novel functions. Two circuits computing different functions can usually be converted into one another via few changes in their architecture. These observations show that properties important for the evolvability of biological systems exist in a commercially important class of electronic circuitry. They also point to generic ways to generate fault-tolerant, adaptable and evolvable electronic circuitry.

Prediction of HIV-1 sensitivity to broadly neutralizing antibodies shows a trend towards resistance over time.

PubMed

Hake, Anna; Pfeifer, Nico

2017-10-01

Treatment with broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) has proven effective against HIV-1 infections in humanized mice, non-human primates, and humans. Due to the high mutation rate of HIV-1, resistance testing of the patient's viral strains to the bNAbs is still inevitable. So far, bNAb resistance can only be tested in expensive and time-consuming neutralization experiments. Here, we introduce well-performing computational models that predict the neutralization response of HIV-1 to bNAbs given only the envelope sequence of the virus. Using non-linear support vector machines based on a string kernel, the models learnt even the important binding sites of bNAbs with more complex epitopes, i.e., the CD4 binding site targeting bNAbs, proving thereby the biological relevance of the models. To increase the interpretability of the models, we additionally provide a new kind of motif logo for each query sequence, visualizing those residues of the test sequence that influenced the prediction outcome the most. Moreover, we predicted the neutralization sensitivity of around 34,000 HIV-1 samples from different time points to a broad range of bNAbs, enabling the first analysis of HIV resistance to bNAbs on a global scale. The analysis showed for many of the bNAbs a trend towards antibody resistance over time, which had previously only been discovered for a small non-representative subset of the global HIV-1 population.

The evolvability of programmable hardware

PubMed Central

Raman, Karthik; Wagner, Andreas

2011-01-01

In biological systems, individual phenotypes are typically adopted by multiple genotypes. Examples include protein structure phenotypes, where each structure can be adopted by a myriad individual amino acid sequence genotypes. These genotypes form vast connected ‘neutral networks’ in genotype space. The size of such neutral networks endows biological systems not only with robustness to genetic change, but also with the ability to evolve a vast number of novel phenotypes that occur near any one neutral network. Whether technological systems can be designed to have similar properties is poorly understood. Here we ask this question for a class of programmable electronic circuits that compute digital logic functions. The functional flexibility of such circuits is important in many applications, including applications of evolutionary principles to circuit design. The functions they compute are at the heart of all digital computation. We explore a vast space of 1045 logic circuits (‘genotypes’) and 1019 logic functions (‘phenotypes’). We demonstrate that circuits that compute the same logic function are connected in large neutral networks that span circuit space. Their robustness or fault-tolerance varies very widely. The vicinity of each neutral network contains circuits with a broad range of novel functions. Two circuits computing different functions can usually be converted into one another via few changes in their architecture. These observations show that properties important for the evolvability of biological systems exist in a commercially important class of electronic circuitry. They also point to generic ways to generate fault-tolerant, adaptable and evolvable electronic circuitry. PMID:20534598

Prediction of HIV-1 sensitivity to broadly neutralizing antibodies shows a trend towards resistance over time

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Treatment with broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) has proven effective against HIV-1 infections in humanized mice, non-human primates, and humans. Due to the high mutation rate of HIV-1, resistance testing of the patient’s viral strains to the bNAbs is still inevitable. So far, bNAb resistance can only be tested in expensive and time-consuming neutralization experiments. Here, we introduce well-performing computational models that predict the neutralization response of HIV-1 to bNAbs given only the envelope sequence of the virus. Using non-linear support vector machines based on a string kernel, the models learnt even the important binding sites of bNAbs with more complex epitopes, i.e., the CD4 binding site targeting bNAbs, proving thereby the biological relevance of the models. To increase the interpretability of the models, we additionally provide a new kind of motif logo for each query sequence, visualizing those residues of the test sequence that influenced the prediction outcome the most. Moreover, we predicted the neutralization sensitivity of around 34,000 HIV-1 samples from different time points to a broad range of bNAbs, enabling the first analysis of HIV resistance to bNAbs on a global scale. The analysis showed for many of the bNAbs a trend towards antibody resistance over time, which had previously only been discovered for a small non-representative subset of the global HIV-1 population. PMID:29065122

ELENA MCP detector: absolute detection efficiency for low-energy neutral atoms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rispoli, R.; De Angelis, E.; Colasanti, L.; Vertolli, N.; Orsini, S.; Scheer, J. A.; Mura, A.; Milillo, A.; Wurz, P.; Selci, S.; Di Lellis, A. M.; Leoni, R.; D'Alessandro, M.; Mattioli, F.; Cibella, S.

2012-09-01

Microchannel Plates (MCP) detectors are frequently used in space instrumentation for detecting a wide range of radiation and particles. In particular, the capability to detect non-thermal low energy neutral species is crucial for the sensor ELENA (Emitted Low-Energy Neutral Atoms), part of the package SERENA (Search for Exospheric Refilling and Emitted Natural Abundances) on board the BepiColombo mission of ESA to Mercury to be launched in 2015. ELENA is a Time of Flight (TOF) sensor, based on a novel concept using an ultra-sonic oscillating shutter (Start section), which is operated at frequencies up to 50 kHz; a MCP detector is used as a Stop detector. The scientific objective of ELENA is to detect energetic neutral atoms in the range 10 eV - 5 keV, within 76° FOV, perpendicular to the S/C orbital plane. ELENA will monitor the emission of neutral atoms from the whole surface of Mercury thanks to the spacecraft motion. The major scientific objectives are the interaction between the plasma environment and the planet’s surface, the global particle loss-rate and the remote sensing of the surface properties. In particular, surface release processes are investigated by identifying particles released from the surface, via solar wind-induced ion sputtering (< 1eV - < 100 eV) as well as Hydrogen back-scattered at hundreds eV. MCP absolute detection efficiency for very low energy neutral atoms (E < 30 eV) is a crucial point for this investigation. At the MEFISTO facility of the Physical Institute of the University of Bern (CH), measurements on three different types of MCP (with and without coating) have been performed providing the detection efficiencies in the energy range 10eV - 1keV. Outcomes from such measurements are discussed here.

ELENA MCP detector: absolute efficiency measurement for low energy neutral atoms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rispoli, R.; De Angelis, E.; Colasanti, L.; Vertolli, N.; Orsini, S.; Scheer, J.; Mura, A.; Milillo, A.; Wurz, P.; Selci, S.; Di Lellis, A. M.; Leoni, R.; D'Alessandro, M.; Mattioli, F.; Cibella, S.

2012-04-01

MicroChannel plates (MCP) detectors are frequently used in space instrumentation for detecting a wide range of radiation and particles. In particular, the capability to detect non-thermal low energy neutral species is crucial for the sensor ELENA (Emitted Low-Energy Neutral Atoms), part of the package SERENA (Search for Exospheric Refilling and Emitted Natural Abundances) on board the BepiColombo mission to Mercury to be launched in 2014. ELENA is a TOF sensor, based on a novel concept ultra-sonic oscillating shutter (Start section)which is operated at frequencies up to 50 kHz; a MCP detector is used as a Stop section. It is aimed to detect neutral atoms in the range 10 eV - 5 keV, within 70° FOV, perpendicular to the S/C orbital plane. ELENA will monitor the emission of neutral atoms from the whole surface of Mercury thanks to the spacecraft motion. The major scientific objectives are the interaction between the environment and the planet, the global particle loss-rate and the remote sensing of the surface properties. In particular, surface release processes are investigated by identifying particles release from the surface, via solar wind-induced ion sputtering (<1eV and >100 eV) as well as Hydrogen back-scattered at hundreds eV. MCP absolute detection efficiency for very low energy neutral atoms (E< 30eV) is a crucial point not yet investigated. At the MEFISTO facility of the Physical Institute of University of Bern (CH), measurements on three different type of MCPs coating have been performed providing the behaviors of MCP detection efficiency in the range 10eV-1keV. Outcomes from such measurements are here discussed.

Conserved stem fragment from H3 influenza hemagglutinin elicits cross-clade neutralizing antibodies through stalk-targeted blocking of conformational change during membrane fusion.

PubMed

Gong, Xin; Yin, He; Shi, Yuhua; Guan, Shanshan; He, Xiaoqiu; Yang, Lan; Yu, Yongjiao; Kuai, Ziyu; Jiang, Chunlai; Kong, Wei; Wang, Song; Shan, Yaming

2016-04-01

Currently available influenza vaccines typically fail to elicit/boost broadly neutralizing antibodies due to the mutability of virus sequences and conformational changes during protective immunity, thereby limiting their efficacy. This problem needs to be addressed by further understanding the mechanisms of neutralization and finding the desired neutralizing site during membrane fusion. This study specifically focused on viruses of the H3N2 subtype, which have persisted as a principal source of influenza-related morbidity and mortality in humans since the 1968 influenza pandemic. Through sequence alignment and epitope prediction, a series of highly conserved stem fragments (spanning 47 years) were found and coupled to the Keyhole Limpet Hemocyanin (KLH) protein. By application of a combinatorial display library and crystal structure modeling, a stem fragment immunogen, located at the turning point of the HA neck undergoing conformational change during membrane fusion with both B- and T-cell epitopes, was identified. After synthesis of the optimal stem fragment using a multiple antigen peptide (MAP) system, strong humoral immune responses and cross-clade neutralizing activities against strains from the H3 subtype of group 2 influenza viruses after animal immunizations were observed. By detection of nuclear protein immunofluorescence with acid bypass treatment, antisera raised against MAP4 immunogens of the stem fragment showed the potential to inhibit the conformational change of HA in stem-targeted virus neutralization. The identification of this conserved stem fragment provides great potential for exploitation of this site of vulnerability in therapeutic and vaccine design. Copyright © 2016 European Federation of Immunological Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Topological Structure of the Space of Phenotypes: The Case of RNA Neutral Networks

PubMed Central

Aguirre, Jacobo; Buldú, Javier M.; Stich, Michael; Manrubia, Susanna C.

2011-01-01

The evolution and adaptation of molecular populations is constrained by the diversity accessible through mutational processes. RNA is a paradigmatic example of biopolymer where genotype (sequence) and phenotype (approximated by the secondary structure fold) are identified in a single molecule. The extreme redundancy of the genotype-phenotype map leads to large ensembles of RNA sequences that fold into the same secondary structure and can be connected through single-point mutations. These ensembles define neutral networks of phenotypes in sequence space. Here we analyze the topological properties of neutral networks formed by 12-nucleotides RNA sequences, obtained through the exhaustive folding of sequence space. A total of 412 sequences fragments into 645 subnetworks that correspond to 57 different secondary structures. The topological analysis reveals that each subnetwork is far from being random: it has a degree distribution with a well-defined average and a small dispersion, a high clustering coefficient, and an average shortest path between nodes close to its minimum possible value, i.e. the Hamming distance between sequences. RNA neutral networks are assortative due to the correlation in the composition of neighboring sequences, a feature that together with the symmetries inherent to the folding process explains the existence of communities. Several topological relationships can be analytically derived attending to structural restrictions and generic properties of the folding process. The average degree of these phenotypic networks grows logarithmically with their size, such that abundant phenotypes have the additional advantage of being more robust to mutations. This property prevents fragmentation of neutral networks and thus enhances the navigability of sequence space. In summary, RNA neutral networks show unique topological properties, unknown to other networks previously described. PMID:22028856

Emotion recognition in borderline personality disorder: effects of emotional information on negative bias.

PubMed

Fenske, Sabrina; Lis, Stefanie; Liebke, Lisa; Niedtfeld, Inga; Kirsch, Peter; Mier, Daniela

2015-01-01

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is characterized by severe deficits in social interactions, which might be linked to deficits in emotion recognition. Research on emotion recognition abilities in BPD revealed heterogeneous results, ranging from deficits to heightened sensitivity. The most stable findings point to an impairment in the evaluation of neutral facial expressions as neutral, as well as to a negative bias in emotion recognition; that is the tendency to attribute negative emotions to neutral expressions, or in a broader sense to report a more negative emotion category than depicted. However, it remains unclear which contextual factors influence the occurrence of this negative bias. Previous studies suggest that priming by preceding emotional information and also constrained processing time might augment the emotion recognition deficit in BPD. To test these assumptions, 32 female BPD patients and 31 healthy females, matched for age and education, participated in an emotion recognition study, in which every facial expression was preceded by either a positive, neutral or negative scene. Furthermore, time constraints for processing were varied by presenting the facial expressions with short (100 ms) or long duration (up to 3000 ms) in two separate blocks. BPD patients showed a significant deficit in emotion recognition for neutral and positive facial expression, associated with a significant negative bias. In BPD patients, this emotion recognition deficit was differentially affected by preceding emotional information and time constraints, with a greater influence of emotional information during long face presentations and a greater influence of neutral information during short face presentations. Our results are in line with previous findings supporting the existence of a negative bias in emotion recognition in BPD patients, and provide further insights into biased social perceptions in BPD patients.

In-situ observation of Martian neutral exosphere: Results from MENCA aboard Indian Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhardwaj, Anil; Pratim Das, Tirtha; Dhanya, M. B.; Thampi, Smitha V.

2016-07-01

Till very recently, the only in situ measurements of the Martian upper atmospheric composition was from the mass spectrometer experiments aboard the two Viking landers, which covered the altitude region from 120 to 200 km. Hence, the exploration by the Mars Exospheric Neutral Composition Analyser (MENCA) aboard the Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) spacecraft of ISRO and the Neutral Gas and Ion Mass Spectrometer (NGIMS) experiment aboard the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile ENvironment (MAVEN) mission of NASA are significant steps to further understand the Martian neutral exosphere and its variability. MENCA is a quadrupole based neutral mass spectrometer which observes the radial distribution of the Martian neutral exosphere. The analysis of the data from MENCA has revealed unambiguous detection of the three major constituents, which are amu 44 (CO2), amu 28 (contributions from CO and N2) and amu 16 (atomic O), as well as a few minor species. Since MOM is in a highly elliptical orbit, the MENCA observations pertain to different local times, in the low-latitude region. Examples of such observations would be presented, and compared with NGIMS results. Emphasis would be given to the observations pertaining to high solar zenith angles and close to perihelion period. During the evening hours, the transition from CO2 to O dominated region is observed near 270 km, which is significantly different from the previous observations corresponding to sub-solar point and SZA of ~45°. The mean evening time exospheric temperature derived using these observations is 271±5 K. These are the first observations corresponding to the Martian evening hours, which would help to provide constraints to the thermal escape models.

Fourth-generation spinal instrumentation: experience with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis at a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan

PubMed Central

Fazal, Akil; Lakdawala, Riaz H

2012-01-01

Objective To evaluate the radiological and functional outcome of surgical treatment of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis using fourth-generation posterior spinal instrumentation at The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan. Design Case series. Place and duration of study The Aga Khan University Hospital after a minimum of 2 years postoperatively. Patients and methods A total of 20 patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis were recruited into the study and evaluated for radiological and functional outcome. The study period was from 2000 to 2005. Radiological outcome was assessed using Cobb angle measurement pre and postoperatively, hence assessing percentage correction. The lower instrumented vertebra was taken as the neutral vertebra and the level was recorded. Functional outcome was determined using the Scoliosis Research Society patient administered questionnaire. All patients were called to the clinic and asked to fill in the form. Those patients who were out of the city were mailed the forms and requested via telephone to complete and return. Results Of the 20 patients operated on, twelve were female and eight were male. The average age at operation was 12.7 years. The mean Cobb angle was 69° preoperatively and 20° postoperatively, representing a percentage correction of 71%. The average duration of follow-up was 3.6 years. There was one major complication involving neurological injury post-op and two minor complications involving wound infection. The average Scoliosis Research Society score (on a scale of 1–5, with 5 being best) for pain was 4.5, self-image was 4.2, functional status was 4.1, mental status was 3.8, and satisfaction was 4.4. There was no relationship between the percentage correction of scoliosis and the functional outcome. Those patients with a high preoperative Cobb angle tended to have a better outcome for functional and mental status postoperatively. There was no relation between the lower instrumented vertebra and functional outcome. Conclusion In the correct indications, fourth-generation posterior instrumentation and fusion is a reliable and satisfactory technique to treat adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. PMID:22393301

Taking the Radio Blinders Off of M83: A Wide Spectrum Analysis of the Historical Point Source Population

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stockdale, Christopher; Keefe, Clayton; Nichols, Michael; Rujevcan, Colton; Blair, William P.; Cowan, John J.; Godfrey, Leith; Miller-Jones, James; Kuntz, K. D.; Long, Knox S.; Maddox, Larry A.; Plucinsky, Paul P.; Pritchard, Tyler A.; Soria, Roberto; Whitmore, Bradley C.; Winkler, P. Frank

2015-01-01

We present low frequency observations of the grand design spiral galaxy, M83, using the C and L bands of the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA). With recent optical (HST) and X-ray (Chandra) observations and utilizing the newly expanded bandwidth of the VLA, we are exploring the radio spectral properties of the historical radio point sources in M83. These observations allow us to probe the evolution of supernova remnants (SNRs) and to find previously undiscovered SNRs. These observations represent the fourth epoch of deep VLA observations of M83. The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is a facility of the National Science Foundation operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities.

Modified Fourth-Order Kinetic Energy Gradient Expansion with Hartree Potential-Dependent Coefficients.

PubMed

Constantin, Lucian A; Fabiano, Eduardo; Della Sala, Fabio

2017-09-12

Using the semiclassical neutral atom theory, we developed a modified fourth-order kinetic energy (KE) gradient expansion (GE4m) that keeps unchanged all the linear-response terms of the uniform electron gas and gives a significant improvement with respect to the known semilocal functionals for both large atoms and jellium surfaces. On the other hand, GE4m is not accurate for light atoms; thus, we modified the GE4m coefficients making them dependent on a novel ingredient, the reduced Hartree potential, recently introduced in the Journal of Chemical Physics 2016, 145, 084110, in the context of exchange functionals. The resulting KE gradient expansion functional, named uGE4m, belongs to the novel class of u-meta-generalized-gradient-approximations (uMGGA) whose members depend on the conventional ingredients (i.e., the reduced gradient and Laplacian of the density) as well as on the reduced Hartree potential. To test uGE4m, we defined an appropriate benchmark (including total KE and KE differences for atoms, molecules and jellium clusters) for gradient expansion functionals, that is, including only those systems which are mainly described by a slowly varying density regime. While most of the GGA and meta-GGA KE functionals (we tested 18 of them) are accurate for some properties and inaccurate for others, uGE4m shows a consistently good performance for all the properties considered. This represents a qualitative boost in the KE functional development and highlights the importance of the reduced Hartree potential for the construction of next-generation KE functionals.

Metatarsal Shape and Foot Type: A Geometric Morphometric Analysis.

PubMed

Telfer, Scott; Kindig, Matthew W; Sangeorzan, Bruce J; Ledoux, William R

2017-03-01

Planus and cavus foot types have been associated with an increased risk of pain and disability. Improving our understanding of the geometric differences between bones in different foot types may provide insights into injury risk profiles and have implications for the design of musculoskeletal and finite-element models. In this study, we performed a geometric morphometric analysis on the geometry of metatarsal bones from 65 feet, segmented from computed tomography (CT) scans. These were categorized into four foot types: pes cavus, neutrally aligned, asymptomatic pes planus, and symptomatic pes planus. Generalized procrustes analysis (GPA) followed by permutation tests was used to determine significant shape differences associated with foot type and sex, and principal component analysis was used to find the modes of variation for each metatarsal. Significant shape differences were found between foot types for all the metatarsals (p < 0.01), most notably in the case of the second metatarsal which showed significant pairwise differences across all the foot types. Analysis of the principal components of variation showed pes cavus bones to have reduced cross-sectional areas in the sagittal and frontal planes. The first (p = 0.02) and fourth metatarsals (p = 0.003) were found to have significant sex-based differences, with first metatarsals from females shown to have reduced width, and fourth metatarsals from females shown to have reduced frontal and sagittal plane cross-sectional areas. Overall, these findings suggest that metatarsal bones have distinct morphological characteristics that are associated with foot type and sex, with implications for our understanding of anatomy and numerical modeling of the foot.

Effects of a Context Shift and Multiple Context Extinction on Reactivity to Alcohol Cues

PubMed Central

MacKillop, James; Lisman, Stephen A.

2008-01-01

Cue exposure treatment (CET) attempts to reduce the influence of conditioned substance cues on addictive behavior via prolonged cue exposure with response prevention (i.e., extinction), but has received only modest empirical support in clinical trials. This may be because extinction learning appears to be context dependent and a change in context may result in a return of conditioned responding (i.e., renewal), although this has received only limited empirical examination. The current study used a four-session laboratory analogue of CET to examine whether a change in context following three sessions of alcohol cue exposure with response prevention would result in renewal of conditioned responding. In addition, this study examined whether conducting extinction in multiple contexts would attenuate renewal of conditioned responding. In a one-way between-subjects design, 73 heavy drinkers (71% male) were randomized to three conditions: 1) single context extinction (extinction to alcohol cues in the same context for three sessions followed by a context shift at the fourth session); 2) multiple context extinction (extinction to alcohol cues in different contexts each day for all four sessions); and 3) pseudo-extinction control condition (exposure to neutral cues in the same context for three sessions followed by exposure to alcohol cues at the fourth session). The results revealed the predicted cue reactivity and extinction effects, but the hypotheses that a context shift would generate renewed cue reactivity and that multiple contexts would enhance extinction were not supported. Methodological aspects of the study and the need for parametric data on the context dependency of extinction to alcohol cues are discussed. PMID:18729687

Recent enhancements to the GRIDGEN structured grid generation system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steinbrenner, John P.; Chawner, John R.

1992-01-01

Significant enhancements are being implemented into the GRIDGEN3D, multiple block, structured grid generation software. Automatic, point-to-point, interblock connectivity will be possible through the addition of the domain entity to GRIDBLOCK's block construction process. Also, the unification of GRIDGEN2D and GRIDBLOCK has begun with the addition of edge grid point distribution capability to GRIDBLOCK. The geometric accuracy of surface grids and the ease with which databases may be obtained is being improved by adding support for standard computer-aided design formats (e.g., PATRAN Neutral and IGES files). Finally, volume grid quality was improved through addition of new SOR algorithm features and the new hybrid control function type to GRIDGEN3D.

Measuring the isoelectric point of the edges of clay mineral particles: the case of montmorillonite.

PubMed

Pecini, Eliana M; Avena, Marcelo J

2013-12-03

The isoelectric point (IEP) of the edge surface of a montmorillonite sample was determined by using electrophoretic mobility measurements. This parameter, which is fundamental for the understanding of the charging behavior of clay mineral surfaces, was never measured so far because of the presence of permanent negative charges within the montmorillonite structure, charges that mask the electrokinetic behavior of the edges. The strategy was to block or neutralize the structural charges with two different cations, methylene blue (MB(+)) and tetraethylenepentaminecopper(II) ([Cu(tetren)](2+)), so that the charging behavior of the particles becomes that of the edge surfaces. Adsorption isotherms of MB(+) and [Cu(tetren)](2+) at different ionic strengths (NaCl) were performed to establish the uptakes that neutralize the cation exchange capacity (CEC, 0.96 meq g(-1)) of the sample. At high adsorptive concentrations, there was a superequivalent adsorption of MB(+) (adsorption exceeding the CEC) and an equivalent adsorption of [Cu(tetren)](2+) (adsorption reaching the CEC). In both cases, structural charges were neutralized at uptakes very close to the CEC. Zeta potential (ζ) vs pH data at different ionic strengths of montmorillonite with adsorbed MB(+) allowed to estimate an upper limit of the edge's IEP, 5.3 ± 0.2. The same kind of data obtained with adsorbed [Cu(tetren)](2+) provided a lower limit of the IEP, 4.0 ± 0.2. These values are in agreement with previously informed IEP and point of zero charge of pyrophyllite, which is structurally analogous to montmorillonite but carries no permanent charges. The importance of knowing the IEP of the edge surface of clay minerals is discussed. This value characterizes the intrinsic reactivity of edges, that is, the protonating capacity of edge groups in absence of any electric field generated by structural charges. It also allows us to correct relative edge charge vs pH curves obtained by potentiometric titrations and to obtain the true edge charge vs pH curves at different electrolyte concentrations.

Minimally important difference of the Treatment Satisfaction with Medicines Questionnaire (SATMED-Q)

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background A previous study has documented the reliability and validity of the Treatment Satisfaction with Medicines Questionnaire (SATMED-Q) in exploring patient satisfaction with medicines for chronic health conditions in routine medical practice, but the minimally important difference (MID) of this tool is as yet unknown. The objective of this research was to estimate the MID for the SATMED-Q total score and six constituent domains. Methods The sample of patients (456 subjects, mean age 59 years, 53% male) used for testing psychometric properties was also used to assess MID. Item #14 of the Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication (TSQM) was used as an anchor reference since it directly explores satisfaction with medicine on a 7-point ordinal scale (from extremely satisfied to extremely dissatisfied, with a neutral category). Patients were classified into four categories according to responses to this item (extremely satisfied/dissatisfied, very satisfied/dissatisfied, satisfied/dissatisfied, neither satisfied nor dissatisfied (neutral), and calculations were made for the total score and each domain of the SATMED-Q using standardised scores. The mean absolute differences in total score (and domains) between the neutral category and the satisfied/dissatisfied category were considered to be the MID. Effect sizes (ES) were also computed. Results The MID for the total score was 13.4 (ES = 0.91), while the domain values ranged from 10.3 (medical care domain, ES = 0.43) to 20.6 (impact on daily living, ES = 0.85). Mean differences in satisfaction (as measured by the total SATMED-Q score and domain scores) using the levels of satisfaction established by item #14 were significantly different, with F values ranging from 12.2 to 88.8 (p < 0.001 in all cases). Conclusion The SATMED-Q was demonstrated to be responsive to different levels of patient satisfaction with therapy in chronically ill subjects. The MID obtained was 13.4 points for the overall normalised scoring scale, and between 10.3 and 20.6 points for domains. PMID:22014277

Object Recognition Using Range Images.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-12-01

and Reflectance Data to Find Planar Suface Regions," IEEE Transactions on Pattern Reco1iio n and Machine Intelligence , PAMI-l: 259-271 (July 1979...large number of data points. The dashed curve in the second through fourth qua- drants was drawn so as to parallel the curve in the first quadrant. One...find too much data . This lack of data has to do with the discri- mination ability of SDFs for objects of which the SDF’s are not composed. Thus for

Earth observations taken from shuttle Atlantis during STS-84 mission

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-05-23

STS084-714-007 (15-24 May 1997) --- This 70mm image of the island of Corsica was photographed from the Space Shuttle Atlantis during the STS-84 mission. Birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte, Corsica is the fourth largest island (after Sicily, Sardinia, and Cyprus) in the Mediterranean. Two-thirds of the island is mountainous with the majority of the population (1990-249, 737) living on the east coast (the "handle on the island points north). French is the official language.

KSC-03pd0518

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-02-28

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- A member of the Columbia Restoration Project Team places a piece of debris on the floor of the RLV Hangar at KSC. A fourth shipment of Columbia debris has arrived at KSC. The team is examining pieces and attempting to reconstruct the orbiter as part of the investigation into the accident that caused the destruction of Columbia as it returned to Earth on mission STS-107. To date, four shipments have arrived from Barksdale AFB, Shreveport, La., the collection point for debris.

Design and Production of Color Calibration Targets for Digital Input Devices

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-07-01

gamuts . Fourth, color transform form CIELCH to sRGB will be described. Fifth, the relevant target mockups will be created. Sixth, the quality will be...Implement statistical _ • process controls Print, process and measure •, reject Transfer the measured CIEXYZ of I the target patches to SRGB a Genterate...Kodak Royal VII paper and sRGB . This plot shows all points on the a*-b* plane without information about the L*. The sRGB’s color gamut is obtained from

Investigation of stress concentration at corner points for orthotropic plate bending problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vasilyan, N. G.

2018-04-01

This article deals with the bending problem for an orthotropic semi-infinite plate strip when three edges of the plate are hinged and the fourth edge goes to infinity. The plate is loaded with distributed load of intensity q(y). A. Nadai’s approach is applied, which says that to obtain the solution at a far distance from the edge, it is necessary to solve the problem of cylindrical bending. The generalized shearing forces on the fixed edge are investigated.

Sub-diffusion and trapped dynamics of neutral and charged probes in DNA-protein coacervates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arfin, Najmul; Yadav, Avinash Chand; Bohidar, H. B.

2013-11-01

The physical mechanism leading to the formation of large intermolecular DNA-protein complexes has been studied. Our study aims to explain the occurrence of fast coacervation dynamics at the charge neutralization point, followed by the appearance of smaller complexes and slower coacervation dynamics as the complex experiences overcharging. Furthermore, the electrostatic potential and probe mobility was investigated to mimic the transport of DNA / DNA-protein complex in a DNA-protein complex coacervate medium [N. Arfin and H. B. Bohidar, J. Phys. Chem. B 116, 13192 (2012)] by assigning neutral, negative, or positive charge to the probe particle. The mobility of the neutral probe was maximal at low matrix concentrations and showed random walk behavior, while its mobility ceased at the jamming concentration of c = 0.6, showing sub-diffusion and trapped dynamics. The positively charged probe showed sub-diffusive random walk followed by trapped dynamics, while the negatively charged probe showed trapping with occasional hopping dynamics at much lower concentrations. Sub-diffusion of the probe was observed in all cases under consideration, where the electrostatic interaction was used exclusively as the dominant force involved in the dynamics. For neutral and positive probes, the mean square displacement ⟨R2⟩ exhibits a scaling with time as ⟨R2⟩ ˜ tα, distinguishing random walk and trapped dynamics at α = 0.64 ± 0.04 at c = 0.12 and c = 0.6, respectively. In addition, the same scaling factors with the exponent β = 0.64 ± 0.04 can be used to distinguish random walk and trapped dynamics for the neutral and positive probes using the relation between the number of distinct sites visited by the probe, S(t), which follows the scaling, S(t) ˜ tβ/ln (t). Our results established the occurrence of a hierarchy of diffusion dynamics experienced by a probe in a dense medium that is either charged or neutral.

Identification of an HIV-1 Clade A Envelope That Exhibits Broad Antigenicity and Neutralization Sensitivity and Elicits Antibodies Targeting Three Distinct Epitopes

PubMed Central

Hoffenberg, Simon; Powell, Rebecca; Carpov, Alexei; Wagner, Denise; Wilson, Aaron; Kosakovsky Pond, Sergei; Lindsay, Ross; Arendt, Heather; DeStefano, Joanne; Phogat, Sanjay; Poignard, Pascal; Fling, Steven P.; Simek, Melissa; LaBranche, Celia; Montefiori, David; Wrin, Terri; Phung, Pham; Burton, Dennis; Koff, Wayne; King, C. Richter; Parks, Christopher L.

2013-01-01

Broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) PG9 and PG16 were isolated from an International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) Protocol G subject infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) clade A. Both antibodies are highly potent and neutralize greater than 70% of viruses tested. We sought to begin immunogen design based on viral sequences from this patient; however, pseudoviruses prepared with 19 envelope sequences from this subject were resistant to neutralization by PG9 and PG16. Therefore, we used a bioinformatics approach to identify closely related viruses that were potentially sensitive to PG9 and PG16. A most-recent common ancestor (MRCA) sequence for the viral envelope (Env) was determined and aligned with 99 subtype A gp160 sequences from the Los Alamos HIV database. Virus BG505.W6M.ENV.C2 (BG505) was found to have the highest degree of homology (73%) to the MRCA sequence. Pseudoviruses prepared with this Env were sensitive to neutralization with a broad panel of bNAbs, including PG9 and PG16. When expressed by 293T cells as soluble gp120, the BG505 monomer bound well to both PG9 and PG16. We further showed that a point mutation (L111A) enabled more efficient production of a stable gp120 monomer that preserves the major neutralization epitopes. Finally, we showed that an adjuvanted formulation of this gp120 protein elicited neutralizing antibodies in rabbits (following a gp120 DNA vaccine prime) and that the antisera competed with bNAbs from 3 classes of nonoverlapping epitopes. Thus, the BG505 Env protein warrants further investigation as an HIV vaccine candidate, as a stand-alone protein, or as a component of a vaccine vector. PMID:23468492

Metals and dust in the neutral ISM: the Galaxy, Magellanic Clouds, and damped Lyman-α absorbers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Cia, Annalisa

2018-05-01

Context. The presence of dust in the neutral interstellar medium (ISM) dramatically changes the metal abundances that we measure. Understanding the metal content in the neutral ISM, and a direct comparison between different environments, has been hampered to date because of the degeneracy to the observed ISM abundances caused by the effects of metallicity, the presence of dust, and nucleosynthesis. Aims: We study the metal and dust content in the neutral ISM consistently in different environments, and assess the universality of recently discovered sequences of relative abundances. We also intend to assess the validity of [Zn/Fe] as a tracer of dust in the ISM. This has recently been cast into doubt based on observations of stellar abundances, and needs to be addressed before we can safely use it to study the ISM. Methods: In this letter we present a simple comparison of relative abundances observed in the neutral ISM in the Galaxy, the Magellanic Clouds, and damped Lyman-α absorbers (DLAs). The main novelty in this comparison is the inclusion of the Magellanic Clouds. Results: The same sequences of relative abundances are valid for the Galaxy, Magellanic Clouds, and DLAs. These sequences are driven by the presence of dust in the ISM and seem "universal". Conclusions: The metal and dust properties in the neutral ISM appear to follow a similar behaviour in different environments. This suggests that a dominant fraction of the dust budget is built up from grain growth in the ISM depending of the physical conditions and regardless of the star formation history of the system. In addition, the DLA gas behaves like the neutral ISM, at least from a chemical point of view. Finally, despite the deviations in [Zn/Fe] observed in stellar abundances, [Zn/Fe] is a robust dust tracer in the ISM of different environments, from the Galaxy to DLAs.