Aerobic capacity over 16 years in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: Relationship to disease activity and risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

PubMed

Hörnberg, Kristina; Sundström, Björn; Innala, Lena; Rantapää-Dahlqvist, Solbritt; Wållberg-Jonsson, Solveig

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to analyse the change in aerobic capacity from disease onset of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) over 16.2 years, and its associations with disease activity and cardiovascular risk factors. Twenty-five patients (20 f/5 m), diagnosed with RA 1995-2002 were tested at disease onset and after mean 16.2 years. Parameters measured were: sub-maximal ergometer test for aerobic capacity, functional ability, self-efficacy, ESR, CRP and DAS28. At follow-up, cardiovascular risk factors were assessed as blood lipids, glucose concentrations, waist circumference, body mass index (BMI), body composition, pulse wave analysis and carotid intima-media thickness. Aerobic capacity [median (IQR)] was 32.3 (27.9-42.1) ml O2/kg x min at disease onset, and 33.2 (28.4-38.9) at follow-up (p>0.05). Baseline aerobic capacity was associated with follow-up values of: BMI (rs = -.401, p = .047), waist circumference (rs = -.498, p = .011), peripheral pulse pressure (rs = -.415, p = .039) self-efficacy (rs = .420, p = .037) and aerobic capacity (rs = .557, p = .004). In multiple regression models adjusted for baseline aerobic capacity, disease activity at baseline and over time predicted aerobic capacity at follow-up (AUC DAS28, 0-24 months; β = -.14, p = .004). At follow-up, aerobic capacity was inversely associated with blood glucose levels (rs = -.508, p = .016), BMI (rs = -.434, p = .030), body fat% (rs = -.419, p = .037), aortic pulse pressure (rs = -.405, p = .044), resting heart rate (rs = -.424, p = .034) and self-efficacy (rs = .464, p = .020) at follow-up. We conclude that the aerobic capacity was maintained over 16 years. High baseline aerobic capacity associated with favourable measures of cardiovascular risk factors at follow-up. Higher disease activity in early stages of RA predicted lower aerobic capacity after 16.2 years.

Cell source-dependent in vivo immunosuppressive properties of mesenchymal stem cells derived from the bone marrow and synovial fluid of minipigs

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

Lee, Won-Jae; Hah, Young-Sool; Ock, Sun-A.

The in vitro differentiation and immunosuppressive capacity of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived from synovial fluid (SF-MSCs) and bone marrow extract (BM-MSCs) in an isogenic background of minipigs were comparatively analyzed in a collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mouse model of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The proliferation capacity and expression of pluripotent transcription factors (Oct3/4 and Sox2) were significantly (P<0.05) higher in SF-MSCs than in BM-MSCs. The differentiation capacity of SF-MSCs into adipocytes, osteocytes and neurocytes was significantly (P<0.05) lower than that of BM-MSCs, and the differentiation capacity of SF-MSCs into chondrocytes was significantly (P<0.05) higher than that of BM-MSCs. Systemic injection ofmore » BM- and SF-MSCs significantly (P<0.05) ameliorated the clinical symptoms of CIA mice, with SF-MSCs having significantly (P<0.05) higher clinical and histopathological recovery scores than BM-MSCs. Furthermore, the immunosuppressive properties of SF-MSCs in CIA mice were associated with increased levels of the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-10, and decreased levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1β and osteoclast-related sRANKL. In conclusion, SF-MSCs exhibited eminent pluripotency and differentiation capacity into chondrocytes, addition to substantial in vivo immunosuppressive capacity by elevating IL-10 and reducing IL-1β levels in CIA mice. - Highlights: • Immunosuppressive capacity of BM-, SM-, and SF-MSCs was evaluated in an RA model. • Proliferation, pluripotency and chondrogenic differentiation capacity were higher in SF-MSCs. • SF-MSCs exhibited improved therapeutic effects than BM-MSCs. • SF-MSCs may have applications as immunosuppressive therapy in autoimmune diseases.« less

Distress tolerance and use of antiretroviral therapy among HIV-infected individuals in substance abuse treatment.

PubMed

Magidson, Jessica F; Seitz-Brown, C J; Listhaus, Alyson; Lindberg, Briana; Anderson, Katelyn E; Daughters, Stacey B

2013-09-01

Despite recent clinical guidelines recommending early initiation and widespread use of antiretroviral therapy (ART), many HIV-infected individuals are not receiving ART-in particular low-income, minority substance users. Few studies have examined psychological, as opposed to structural, factors related to not receiving ART in this population. Perceived capacity to tolerate physical and psychological distress, known as distress tolerance (DT), may be a particularly relevant yet understudied factor. The current study tested the relationship between self-reported physical and psychological DT and ART receipt among predominantly low-income, minority HIV-infected substance users (n=77). Psychiatric disorders, biological indicators of health status, ART use, structural barriers to health care, and self-reported physical and psychological DT were assessed. 61% of participants were receiving ART. The only factors that distinguished individuals not on ART were greater avoidance of physical discomfort, higher psychological DT, and higher CD4 count. Both DT measures remained associated with ART use after controlling for CD4 count and were associated with almost a two-fold decrease in likelihood of ART receipt. Current findings suggest higher perceived capacity to tolerate psychological distress and greater avoidance of physical discomfort are important factors associated with lower ART use among substance users and may be important intervention targets.

Correlation between Salivary Glucose and Blood Glucose and the Implications of Salivary Factors on the Oral Health Status in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients

PubMed Central

Puttaswamy, Kavitha A.; Puttabudhi, Jaishankar H.; Raju, Shashidara

2017-01-01

Aims and Objectives: The purpose of this study was to estimate and assess any correlation between random capillary blood glucose (RCBG) and unstimulated whole salivary glucose (UWSG), as well as to estimate various salivary parameters, such as flow rate, pH, buffering capacity, and the influence of these factors on the oral health status in type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). Materials and Methods: Sixty individuals suffering from type 2 DM and 40 healthy individuals in the age group of 30–60 years were included in the study. RCBG was estimated using glucometer and UWSG was estimated using photocolorimeter. Salivary parameters such as flow rate, pH, and buffering capacity were assessed using GC® Saliva kit. Oral health status was recorded using the Russell's periodontal index (RPI) and the Decayed Missing Filled Teeth (DMFT) index. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 16 was used for statistical analysis. Results: Type 2 diabetics had higher mean values for RCBG levels and UWSG. Type 2 diabetics had low mean salivary flow rate, pH, and buffering capacity. Type 2 diabetics had higher mean values for RPI. Conclusion: Among the salivary factors studied, salivary glucose significantly influenced the periodontal status in Type 2 diabetics. PMID:28316946

Correlation between Salivary Glucose and Blood Glucose and the Implications of Salivary Factors on the Oral Health Status in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients.

PubMed

Puttaswamy, Kavitha A; Puttabudhi, Jaishankar H; Raju, Shashidara

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to estimate and assess any correlation between random capillary blood glucose (RCBG) and unstimulated whole salivary glucose (UWSG), as well as to estimate various salivary parameters, such as flow rate, pH, buffering capacity, and the influence of these factors on the oral health status in type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). Sixty individuals suffering from type 2 DM and 40 healthy individuals in the age group of 30-60 years were included in the study. RCBG was estimated using glucometer and UWSG was estimated using photocolorimeter. Salivary parameters such as flow rate, pH, and buffering capacity were assessed using GC ® Saliva kit. Oral health status was recorded using the Russell's periodontal index (RPI) and the Decayed Missing Filled Teeth (DMFT) index. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 16 was used for statistical analysis. Type 2 diabetics had higher mean values for RCBG levels and UWSG. Type 2 diabetics had low mean salivary flow rate, pH, and buffering capacity. Type 2 diabetics had higher mean values for RPI. Among the salivary factors studied, salivary glucose significantly influenced the periodontal status in Type 2 diabetics.

Physical activity and total antioxidant capacity across an adult lifespan of men.

PubMed

Chrzczanowicz, Jacek; Gawron-Skarbek, Anna; Kostka, Joanna; Nowak, Dariusz; Drygas, Wojciech; Jegier, Anna; Kostka, Tomasz

2012-04-01

The aim of the study was to determine the association between the long-term physical activity (PA) and the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of blood serum and their association with coexisting risk factors of cardiometabolic diseases in a group of relatively healthy men. The research was conducted among 422 males age 19.2-89.8 yr, either sedentary or involved in recreational sports activities. Anthropometric measurements, lipid profile, and measurement of glucose and uric acid levels were performed in every man. Current PA, historical PA, and aerobic fitness (physical working capacity) were assessed. TAC was determined with two spectrophotometric methods: the ferric reducing ability of serum (TAC-FRAS) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (TAC-DPPH) tests. TAC was not related to the age of the subjects. Higher current and historical PA were associated with a more favorable cardiometabolic risk profile but not TAC. In fact, current PA level was connected with lower values of TAC-FRAS. Values of both TAC-FRAS and TAC-DPPH decreased with an increase of aerobic capacity. Individuals with coexisting anthropometric and biochemical risk factors of cardiovascular diseases and with elevated values of arterial pressure had higher TAC. Values of both TAC-FRAS (r = 0.66) and TAC-DPPH (r = 0.39) were strongly positively correlated with uric acid level. Overweight, obesity, higher blood pressure, unfavorable blood lipid profile, and especially higher uric acid levels are connected with greater TAC of blood serum across an adult man's life. High PA and fitness are associated with a more favorable overall risk profile of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases but are related to lower TAC.

Spatial heterogeneity in the carrying capacity of sika deer in Japan.

PubMed

Iijima, Hayato; Ueno, Mayumi

2016-06-09

Carrying capacity is 1 driver of wildlife population dynamics. Although in previous studies carrying capacity was considered to be a fixed entity, it may differ among locations due to environmental variation. The factors underlying variability in carrying capacity, however, have rarely been examined. Here, we investigated spatial heterogeneity in the carrying capacity of Japanese sika deer ( Cervus nippon ) from 2005 to 2014 in Yamanashi Prefecture, central Japan (mesh with grid cells of 5.5×4.6 km) by state-space modeling. Both carrying capacity and density dependence differed greatly among cells. Estimated carrying capacities ranged from 1.34 to 98.4 deer/km 2 . According to estimated population dynamics, grid cells with larger proportions of artificial grassland and deciduous forest were subject to lower density dependence and higher carrying capacity. We conclude that population dynamics of ungulates may vary spatially through spatial variation in carrying capacity and that the density level for controlling ungulate abundance should be based on the current density level relative to the carrying capacity for each area.

Cold acclimation induces distinctive changes in the chromatin state and transcript levels of COR genes in Cannabis sativa varieties with contrasting cold acclimation capacities.

PubMed

Mayer, Boris F; Ali-Benali, Mohamed Ali; Demone, Jordan; Bertrand, Annick; Charron, Jean-Benoit

2015-11-01

Little is known about the capacity of Cannabis sativa to cold-acclimate and develop freezing tolerance. This study investigates the cold acclimation (CA) capacity of nine C. sativa varieties and the underlying genetic and epigenetic responses. The varieties were divided into three groups based on their contrasting CA capacities by comparing the survival of non-acclimated and cold-acclimated plants in whole-plant freeze tests. In response to the CA treatment, all varieties accumulated soluble sugars but only the varieties with superior capacity for CA could maintain higher levels throughout the treatment. In addition, the varieties that acclimated most efficiently accumulated higher transcript levels of cold-regulated (COR) genes and genes involved in de novo DNA methylation while displaying locus- and variety-specific changes in the levels of H3K9ac, H3K27me3 and methylcytosine (MeC) during CA. Furthermore, these hardy C. sativa varieties displayed significant increases in MeC levels at COR gene loci when deacclimated, suggesting a role for locus-specific DNA methylation in deacclimation. This study uncovers the molecular mechanisms underlying CA in C. sativa and reveals higher levels of complexity regarding how genetic, epigenetic and environmental factors intertwine. © 2014 Scandinavian Plant Physiology Society.

Attitudes of Higher Education Students to New Venture Creation: The Relevance of Competencies and Contextual Factors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teixeira, Aurora A. C.; Davey, Todd

2010-01-01

Higher education institutions (HEIs) play an important role in the generation of high-tech "entrepreneurial capacity". As entrepreneurship education gives greater attention to the creation of new ventures, there is an urgent need for a better understanding of the attitudes of students, potentially the entrepreneurs of the future. Logit…

Building the Plane While It's Flying: Enhancing the Missed Opportunity for Quality Assurance and Capacity-Building in Australian Private Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shah, Mahsood; Nair, Chenicheri Sid

2011-01-01

Higher education across the world has experienced the growth of private higher education. Based on this growth, it is apparent that the sector will continue to grow as a result of many factors such as: change in government policy that allows such providers to grow; government funding of student places in private colleges; the growth and demand for…

Arsenic methylation capacity is associated with breast cancer in northern Mexico

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

López-Carrillo, Lizbeth; Hernández-Ramírez, Raúl Ulises; Gandolfi, A. Jay

Exposure to environmental contaminants, dietary factors and lifestyles may explain worldwide different breast cancer (BC) incidence. Inorganic arsenic (iAs) in the drinking water is a concern in many regions, such as northern Mexico. Studies in several countries have associated the proportion of urinary monomethylarsenic (%MMA) with increased risks for many As-related diseases, including cancer. To investigate the potential relationships between the risk of BC and the capacity to methylate iAs, a hospital-based case–control study (1016 cases/1028 controls) was performed in northern Mexico. Women were directly interviewed about their reproductive histories. The profile of As metabolites in urine was determined bymore » HPLC-ICP-MS and methylation capacity was assessed by metabolite percentages and indexes. Total urinary As, excluding arsenobetaine (TAs-AsB), ranged from 0.26 to 303.29 μg/L. Most women (86%) had TAs-AsB levels below As biological exposure index (35 μg/L). Women with higher %MMA and/or primary methylation index (PMI) had an increased BC risk (%MMA OR{sub Q5vs.Q1} = 2.63; 95%CI 1.89,3.66; p for trend < 0.001; PMI OR{sub Q5vs.Q1} = 1.90; 95%CI 1.39,2.59, p for trend < 0.001). In contrast, women with higher proportion of urinary dimethylarsenic (%DMA) and/or secondary methylation index (SMI) had a reduced BC risk (%DMA OR{sub Q5vs.Q1} = 0.63; 95%CI 0.45,0.87, p for trend 0.006; SMI OR{sub Q5vsQ1} = 0.42, 95%CI 0.31,0.59, p for trend < 0.001). Neither %iAs nor total methylation index was associated to BC risk. Inter-individual variations in iAs metabolism may play a role in BC carcinogenesis. Women with higher capacity to methylate iAs to MMA and/or a lower capacity to further methylate MMA to DMA were at higher BC risk. - Highlights: • Arsenic methylation capacity is associated to an increased breast cancer (BC) risk. • Women with higher capacity to methylate arsenic to MMA were at higher BC risk. • Women with higher capacity to methylate arsenic to DMA were at lower BC risk. • Associations occurred at urinary As levels near the biological exposure index.« less

Experimental Investigations on Axially and Eccentrically Loaded Masonry Walls

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keshava, Mangala; Raghunath, Seshagiri Rao

2017-12-01

In India, un-reinforced masonry walls are often used as main structural components in load bearing structures. Indian code on masonry accounts the reduction in strength of walls by using stress reduction factors in its design philosophy. This code was introduced in 1987 and reaffirmed in 1995. The present study investigates the use of these factors for south Indian masonry. Also, with the gaining popularity in block work construction, the aim of this study was to find out the suitability of these factors given in the Indian code to block work masonry. Normally, the load carrying capacity of masonry walls can be assessed in three ways, namely, (1) tests on masonry constituents, (2) tests on masonry prisms and (3) tests on full-scale wall specimens. Tests on bricks/blocks, cement-sand mortar, brick/block masonry prisms and 14 full-scale brick/block masonry walls formed the experimental investigation. The behavior of the walls was investigated under varying slenderness and eccentricity ratios. Hollow concrete blocks normally used as in-fill masonry can be considered as load bearing elements as its load carrying capacity was found to be high when compared to conventional brick masonry. Higher slenderness and eccentricity ratios drastically reduced the strength capacity of south Indian brick masonry walls. The reduction in strength due to slenderness and eccentricity is presented in the form of stress reduction factors in the Indian code. These factors obtained through experiments on eccentrically loaded brick masonry walls was lower while that of brick/block masonry under axial loads was higher than the values indicated in the Indian code. Also the reduction in strength is different for brick and block work masonry thus indicating the need for separate stress reduction factors for these two masonry materials.

76 FR 61985 - Fishing Capacity Reduction Program for the Southeast Alaska Purse Seine Salmon Fishery

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-06

... last few years, many factors are influencing the rising prices including higher catch levels of pink... Relinquishment Contract will result in irreparable damage to the SRA and other Permit Holders. Therefore, money...

Light-intensity grazing improves alpine meadow productivity and adaption to climate change on the Tibetan Plateau.

PubMed

Zhang, Tao; Zhang, Yangjian; Xu, Mingjie; Zhu, Juntao; Wimberly, Michael C; Yu, Guirui; Niu, Shuli; Xi, Yi; Zhang, Xianzhou; Wang, Jingsheng

2015-10-30

To explore grazing effects on carbon fluxes in alpine meadow ecosystems, we used a paired eddy-covariance (EC) system to measure carbon fluxes in adjacent fenced (FM) and grazed (GM) meadows on the Tibetan plateau. Gross primary productivity (GPP) and ecosystem respiration (Re) were greater at GM than FM for the first two years of fencing. In the third year, the productivity at FM increased to a level similar to the GM site. The higher productivity at GM was mainly caused by its higher photosynthetic capacity. Grazing exclusion did not increase carbon sequestration capacity for this alpine grassland system. The higher optimal photosynthetic temperature and the weakened ecosystem response to climatic factors at GM may help to facilitate the adaption of alpine meadow ecosystems to changing climate.

Intrinsic aerobic capacity correlates with greater inherent mitochondrial oxidative and H2O2 emission capacities without major shifts in myosin heavy chain isoform.

PubMed

Seifert, Erin L; Bastianelli, Mark; Aguer, Céline; Moffat, Cynthia; Estey, Carmen; Koch, Lauren G; Britton, Steven L; Harper, Mary-Ellen

2012-11-01

Exercise capacity and performance strongly associate with metabolic and biophysical characteristics of skeletal muscle, factors that also relate to overall disease risk. Despite its importance, the exact mechanistic features that connect aerobic metabolism with health status are unknown. To explore this, we applied artificial selection of rats for intrinsic (i.e., untrained) aerobic treadmill running to generate strains of low- and high-capacity runners (LCR and HCR, respectively), subsequently shown to diverge for disease risk. Concurrent breeding of LCR and HCR per generation allows the lines to serve as reciprocal controls for unknown environmental changes. Here we provide the first direct evidence in mitochondria isolated from skeletal muscle that intrinsic mitochondrial capacity is higher in HCR rats. Maximal phosphorylating respiration was ~40% greater in HCR mitochondria, independent of substrate and without altered proton leak or major changes in protein levels or muscle fiber type, consistent with altered control of phosphorylating respiration. Unexpectedly, H(2)O(2) emission was ~20% higher in HCR mitochondria, due to greater reduction of more harmful reactive oxygen species to H(2)O(2); indeed, oxidative modification of mitochondrial proteins was lower. When the higher mitochondrial yield was considered, phosphorylating respiration and H(2)O(2) emission were 70-80% greater in HCR muscle. Greater capacity of HCR muscle for work and H(2)O(2) signaling may result in enhanced and more immediate cellular repair, possibly explaining lowered disease risks.

Impaired Fasting Glucose in Nondiabetic Range: Is It a Marker of Cardiovascular Risk Factor Clustering?

PubMed Central

Valentino, Giovanna; Kramer, Verónica; Bustamante, María José; Casasbellas, Cinthia; Adasme, Marcela; Salazar, Alejandra; Acevedo, Mónica

2015-01-01

Background. Impaired fasting glucose (IFG) through the nondiabetic range (100–125 mg/dL) is not considered in the cardiovascular (CV) risk profile. Aim. To compare the clustering of CV risk factors (RFs) in nondiabetic subjects with normal fasting glucose (NFG) and IFG. Material and Methods. Cross-sectional study in 3739 nondiabetic subjects. Demographics, medical history, and CV risk factors were collected and lipid profile, fasting glucose levels (FBG), C-reactive protein (hsCRP), blood pressure (BP), anthropometric measurements, and aerobic capacity were determined. Results. 559 (15%) subjects had IFG: they had a higher mean age, BMI, waist circumference, non-HDL cholesterol, BP, and hsCRP (p < 0.0001) and lower HDL (p < 0.001) and aerobic capacity (p < 0.001). They also had a higher prevalence of hypertension (34% versus 25%; p < 0.001), dyslipidemia (79% versus 74%; p < 0.001), and obesity (29% versus 16%; p < 0.001) and a higher Framingham risk score (8% versus 6%; p < 0.001). The probability of presenting 3 or more CV RFs adjusted by age and gender was significantly higher in the top quintile of fasting glucose (≥98 mg/dL; OR = 2.02; 1.62–2.51). Conclusions. IFG in the nondiabetic range is associated with increased cardiovascular RF clustering. PMID:26504260

Reaction Time and Established Risk Factors for Total and Cardiovascular Disease Mortality: Comparison of Effect Estimates in the Follow-Up of a Large, UK-Wide, General-Population Based Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, Beverly A.; Der, Geoff; Deary, Ian J.; Batty, G. David

2009-01-01

Higher cognitive function is associated with faster choice reaction time (CRT), and both are associated with a reduced risk of mortality from all-causes and cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, comparison of the predictive capacity of CRT, an emerging risk factor, with that for established "classic" risk factors for mortality, such as…

Spatial heterogeneity in the carrying capacity of sika deer in Japan

PubMed Central

Iijima, Hayato; Ueno, Mayumi

2016-01-01

Abstract Carrying capacity is 1 driver of wildlife population dynamics. Although in previous studies carrying capacity was considered to be a fixed entity, it may differ among locations due to environmental variation. The factors underlying variability in carrying capacity, however, have rarely been examined. Here, we investigated spatial heterogeneity in the carrying capacity of Japanese sika deer ( Cervus nippon ) from 2005 to 2014 in Yamanashi Prefecture, central Japan (mesh with grid cells of 5.5×4.6 km) by state-space modeling. Both carrying capacity and density dependence differed greatly among cells. Estimated carrying capacities ranged from 1.34 to 98.4 deer/km 2 . According to estimated population dynamics, grid cells with larger proportions of artificial grassland and deciduous forest were subject to lower density dependence and higher carrying capacity. We conclude that population dynamics of ungulates may vary spatially through spatial variation in carrying capacity and that the density level for controlling ungulate abundance should be based on the current density level relative to the carrying capacity for each area. PMID:29692470

Functional capacity following univentricular repair--midterm outcome.

PubMed

Sen, Supratim; Bandyopadhyay, Biswajit; Eriksson, Peter; Chattopadhyay, Amitabha

2012-01-01

Previous studies have seldom compared functional capacity in children following Fontan procedure alongside those with Glenn operation as destination therapy. We hypothesized that Fontan circulation enables better midterm submaximal exercise capacity as compared to Glenn physiology and evaluated this using the 6-minute walk test. Fifty-seven children aged 5-18 years with Glenn (44) or Fontan (13) operations were evaluated with standard 6-minute walk protocols. Baseline SpO(2) was significantly lower in Glenn patients younger than 10 years compared to Fontan counterparts and similar in the two groups in older children. Postexercise SpO(2) fell significantly in Glenn patients compared to the Fontan group. There was no statistically significant difference in baseline, postexercise, or postrecovery heart rates (HRs), or 6-minute walk distances in the two groups. Multiple regression analysis revealed lower resting HR, higher resting SpO(2) , and younger age at latest operation to be significant determinants of longer 6-minute walk distance. Multiple regression analysis also established that younger age at operation, higher resting SpO(2) , Fontan operation, lower resting HR, and lower postexercise HR were significant determinants of higher postexercise SpO(2) . Younger age at operation and exercise, lower resting HR and postexercise HR, higher resting SpO(2) and postexercise SpO(2) , and dominant ventricular morphology being left ventricular or indeterminate/mixed had significant association with better 6-minute work on multiple regression analysis. Lower resting HR had linear association with longer 6-minute walk distances in the Glenn patients. Compared to Glenn physiology, Fontan operation did not have better submaximal exercise capacity assessed by walk distance or work on multiple regression analysis. Lower resting HR, higher resting SpO(2) , and younger age at operation were factors uniformly associated with better submaximal exercise capacity. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Guatemala-Penn Partners: An Innovative Inter-Institutional Model for Scientific Capacity-Building, Healthcare Education, and Public Health.

PubMed

Paniagua-Avila, Maria Alejandra; Messenger, Elizabeth; Nelson, Caroline A; Calgua, Erwin; Barg, Frances K; Bream, Kent W; Compher, Charlene; Dean, Anthony J; Martinez-Siekavizza, Sergio; Puac-Polanco, Victor; Richmond, Therese S; Roth, Rudolf R; Branas, Charles C

2017-01-01

Population health outcomes are directly related to robust public health programs, access to basic health services, and a well-trained health-care workforce. Effective health services need to systematically identify solutions, scientifically test these solutions, and share generated knowledge. The World Health Organization (WHO)'s Global Healthcare Workforce Alliance states that the capacity to perform research is an essential factor for well-functioning public health systems. Low- and middle-income countries have greater health-care worker shortages and lower research capacity than higher-income countries. International global health partnerships between higher-income countries and low-middle-income countries aim to directly address such inequalities through capacity building, a process by which human and institutional resources are strengthened and developed, allowing them to perform high-level functions, solve complex problems, and achieve important objectives. The Guatemala-Penn Partners (GPP) is a collaboration among academic centers in Guatemala and the University of Pennsylvania (Penn), in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that echoes the vision of the WHO's Global Healthcare Workforce Alliance. This article describes the historical development and present organization of the GPP according to its three guiding principles: university-to-university connections, dual autonomies with locally led capacity building, and mutually beneficial exchanges. It describes the GPP activities within the domains of science, health-care education, and public health, emphasizing implementation factors, such as sustainability and scalability, in relation to the guiding principles. Successes and limitations of this innovative model are also analyzed in the hope that the lessons learned may be applied to similar partnerships across the globe.

The Guatemala-Penn Partners: An Innovative Inter-Institutional Model for Scientific Capacity-Building, Healthcare Education, and Public Health

PubMed Central

Paniagua-Avila, Maria Alejandra; Messenger, Elizabeth; Nelson, Caroline A.; Calgua, Erwin; Barg, Frances K.; Bream, Kent W.; Compher, Charlene; Dean, Anthony J.; Martinez-Siekavizza, Sergio; Puac-Polanco, Victor; Richmond, Therese S.; Roth, Rudolf R.; Branas, Charles C.

2017-01-01

Population health outcomes are directly related to robust public health programs, access to basic health services, and a well-trained health-care workforce. Effective health services need to systematically identify solutions, scientifically test these solutions, and share generated knowledge. The World Health Organization (WHO)’s Global Healthcare Workforce Alliance states that the capacity to perform research is an essential factor for well-functioning public health systems. Low- and middle-income countries have greater health-care worker shortages and lower research capacity than higher-income countries. International global health partnerships between higher-income countries and low-middle-income countries aim to directly address such inequalities through capacity building, a process by which human and institutional resources are strengthened and developed, allowing them to perform high-level functions, solve complex problems, and achieve important objectives. The Guatemala–Penn Partners (GPP) is a collaboration among academic centers in Guatemala and the University of Pennsylvania (Penn), in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that echoes the vision of the WHO’s Global Healthcare Workforce Alliance. This article describes the historical development and present organization of the GPP according to its three guiding principles: university-to-university connections, dual autonomies with locally led capacity building, and mutually beneficial exchanges. It describes the GPP activities within the domains of science, health-care education, and public health, emphasizing implementation factors, such as sustainability and scalability, in relation to the guiding principles. Successes and limitations of this innovative model are also analyzed in the hope that the lessons learned may be applied to similar partnerships across the globe. PMID:28443274

Pork Quality Traits According to Postmortem pH and Temperature in Berkshire

PubMed Central

Kim, Tae Wan; Kim, Chul Wook; Yang, Mi Ra; No, Gun Ryoung; Kim, Il-Suk

2016-01-01

This study was performed to investigate the role of pH and temperature postmortem, and to demonstrate the importance of these factors in determining meat quality. Postmortem pH45min (pH at 45 min postmortem or initial pH) via analysis of Pearson’s correlation showed high positive correlation with pH change pHc24 (pH change from pH45min to pH24h postmortem). However, postmortem pH after 24 h (pH24h or ultimate pH) had a high negative correlation with pH change, pHc24, CIE L*, and protein content. Initial temperature postmortem (T1h ) was positively associated with a change in temperature from 45 min to 24 h postmortem (Tc24) and cooking loss, but negatively correlated with water holding capacity. Temperature at 24 h postmortem (T24h) was negatively associated with Tc24. Collectively, these results indicate that higher initial pH was associated with higher pHc24, T1h, and Tc24. However, higher initial pH was associated with a reduction in carcass weight, backfat thickness, CIE a* and b*, water holding capacity, collagen and fat content, drip loss, and cooking loss as well as decreased shear force. In contrast, CIE a* and b*, drip loss, cooking loss, and shear force in higher ultimate pH was showed by a similar pattern to higher initial pH, whereas pHc24, carcass weight, backfat thickness, water holding capacity, fat content, moisture content, protein content, T1h, T24h, and Tc24 were exhibited by completely differential patterns (p<0.05). Therefore, we suggest that initial pH, ultimate pH, and temperatures postmortem are important factors in determining the meat quality of pork. PMID:27499661

[Physiological characteristics and the level of risk factors for ischemic heart disease in marathon runners between 30 and 59 years of age].

PubMed

Kostka, T; Drygas, W; Mrozek, P

1989-02-06

The results of anthropometric, biochemical, cardiological and performance capacity studies in the 37 marathon runners, 113 men systematically practising recreational training programme with a domination of endurance exercises and 44 healthy men with little leisure time physical activity have been compared. In comparison with a group of physically non-active persons, the marathon runners are characterized by considerably higher physical working capacity, slimmer figure, lower resting heart rate, lower diastolic blood pressure, high concentration of HDL cholesterol and lower cholesterol: HDL cholesterol index. However, these differences are minimal in comparison with other systematically training persons, and with regard to the majority of factors statistically insignificant. It seems that for reaching the physiological effects desired from the point of view of ischemic heart disease prevention the endurance training of lower capacity and intensity would be sufficient.

An environmentally friendly method for the fabrication of reduced graphene oxide foam with a super oil absorption capacity.

PubMed

He, Yongqiang; Liu, Yue; Wu, Tao; Ma, Junkui; Wang, Xingrui; Gong, Qiaojuan; Kong, Weina; Xing, Fubao; Liu, Yu; Gao, Jianping

2013-09-15

Three kinds of graphene oxide (GO) foams were fabricated using different freezing methods (unidirectional freezing drying (UDF), non-directional freezing drying, and air freezing drying), and the corresponding reduced graphene oxide (RGO) foams were prepared by their thermal reduction of those GO foams. These RGO foams were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. The absorption process and the factors that influence the absorption capacity were investigated. The RGO foams are hydrophobic and showed extremely high absorbing abilities for organic liquids. The absorption capacity of the RGO foams made by UDF was higher than 100 g g(-1) for all the oils tested (gasoline, diesel oil, pump oil, lubricating oil and olive oil) and had the highest value of about 122 g g(-1) for olive oil. The oil absorption capacity of the GO foams was lower than that of the RGO foams, but for olive oil, the absorption capacity was still high than 70 g g(-1), which is higher than that of most oil absorbents. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Removal of Congo Red and Methylene Blue from Aqueous Solutions by Vermicompost-Derived Biochars.

PubMed

Yang, Gang; Wu, Lin; Xian, Qiming; Shen, Fei; Wu, Jun; Zhang, Yanzong

2016-01-01

Biochars, produced by pyrolyzing vermicompost at 300, 500, and 700°C were characterized and their ability to adsorb the dyes Congo red (CR) and Methylene blue (MB) in an aqueous solution was investigated. The physical and chemical properties of biochars varied significantly based on the pyrolysis temperatures. Analysis of the data revealed that the aromaticity, polarity, specific surface area, pH, and ash content of the biochars increased gradually with the increase in pyrolysis temperature, while the cation exchange capacity, and carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen contents decreased. The adsorption kinetics of CR and MB were described by pseudo-second-order kinetic models. Both of Langmuir and Temkin model could be employed to describe the adsorption behaviors of CR and MB by these biochars. The biochars generated at higher pyrolysis temperature displayed higher CR adsorption capacities and lower MB adsorption capacities than those compared with the biochars generated at lower pyrolysis temperatures. The biochar generated at the higher pyrolytic temperature displayed the higher ability to adsorb CR owing to its promoted aromaticity, and the cation exchange is the key factor that positively affects adsorption of MB.

Removal of Congo Red and Methylene Blue from Aqueous Solutions by Vermicompost-Derived Biochars

PubMed Central

Yang, Gang; Wu, Lin; Xian, Qiming; Shen, Fei; Wu, Jun; Zhang, Yanzong

2016-01-01

Biochars, produced by pyrolyzing vermicompost at 300, 500, and 700°C were characterized and their ability to adsorb the dyes Congo red (CR) and Methylene blue (MB) in an aqueous solution was investigated. The physical and chemical properties of biochars varied significantly based on the pyrolysis temperatures. Analysis of the data revealed that the aromaticity, polarity, specific surface area, pH, and ash content of the biochars increased gradually with the increase in pyrolysis temperature, while the cation exchange capacity, and carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen contents decreased. The adsorption kinetics of CR and MB were described by pseudo-second-order kinetic models. Both of Langmuir and Temkin model could be employed to describe the adsorption behaviors of CR and MB by these biochars. The biochars generated at higher pyrolysis temperature displayed higher CR adsorption capacities and lower MB adsorption capacities than those compared with the biochars generated at lower pyrolysis temperatures. The biochar generated at the higher pyrolytic temperature displayed the higher ability to adsorb CR owing to its promoted aromaticity, and the cation exchange is the key factor that positively affects adsorption of MB. PMID:27144922

Evaluation of Mercury Uptake and Distribution in Rice (Oryza sativa L.).

PubMed

Hang, Xiaoshuai; Gan, Fangqun; Chen, Yudong; Chen, Xiaoqin; Wang, Huoyan; Du, Changwen; Zhou, Jianmin

2018-03-01

Mercury (Hg) contamination in soil-rice systems from industry, mining and agriculture has received increasing attention recently in China. Pot experiments were conducted to research the Hg accumulation capacity of rice under exogenous Hg in the soil and study the major soil factors affecting translocation of Hg from soil to plant. Soil treated with 2 mg kg -1 Hg decreased rice grain yield and inhibited the growth of rice plants. With increased Hg contamination of the rice, the enrichment rate of Hg was significantly higher in the rice grain than that in the stalk and leaf. Soil pH and cation exchange capacity are the key factors controlling Hg bioavailability in soils.

Forging Strategic Business Partnerships to Develop the 21st Century Workforce: A Case Study of the University of Houston's Undergraduate Petroleum Engineering Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Business-Higher Education Forum, 2013

2013-01-01

The Business-Higher Education Forum (BHEF) is committed to aligning education and the workforce to create the talent and capacity for innovation necessary to keep regions, states, and the nation economically competitive. As part of that work, BHEF strives to analyze the factors that contribute to effective business and higher education…

Lack of Effect of Sleep Apnea on Oxidative Stress in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS) Patients

PubMed Central

Simiakakis, M.; Kapsimalis, F.; Chaligiannis, E.; Loukides, S.; Sitaras, N.; Alchanatis, M.

2012-01-01

Purpose The aim of this study was to evaluate markers of systemic oxidative stress and antioxidant capacity in subjects with and without OSAS in order to investigate the most important factors that determine the oxidant–antioxidant status. Methods A total of 66 subjects referred to our Sleep laboratory were examined by full polysomnography. Oxidative stress and antioxidant activity were assessed by measurement of the derivatives of reactive oxygen metabolites (d-ROMs) and the biological antioxidant capacity (BAP) in blood samples taken in the morning after the sleep study. Known risk factors for oxidative stress, such as age, sex, obesity, smoking, hypelipidemia, and hypertension, were investigated as possible confounding factors. Results 42 patients with OSAS (Apnea-Hypopnea index >15 events/hour) were compared with 24 controls (AHI<5). The levels of d-ROMS were significantly higher (p = 0.005) in the control group but the levels of antioxidant capacity were significantly lower (p = 0.004) in OSAS patients. The most important factors predicting the variance of oxidative stress were obesity, smoking habit, and sex. Parameters of sleep apnea severity were not associated with oxidative stress. Minimal oxygen desaturation and smoking habit were the most important predicting factors of BAP levels. Conclusion Obesity, smoking, and sex are the most important determinants of oxidative stress in OSAS subjects. Sleep apnea might enhance oxidative stress by the reduction of antioxidant capacity of blood due to nocturnal hypoxia. PMID:22761732

Is $50/MWh solar for real? Falling project prices and rising capacity factors drive utility-scale PV toward economic competitiveness

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

Bolinger, Mark; Weaver, Samantha; Zuboy, Jarett

Recently announced low-priced power purchase agreements (PPAs) for US utility-scale photovoltaic (PV) projects suggest $50/MWh solar might be viable under certain conditions. To explore this possibility, this paper draws on an increasing wealth of empirical data to analyze trends in three of the most important PPA price drivers: upfront installed project prices, operations, and maintenance (O&M) costs, and capacity factors. Average installed prices among a sample of utility-scale PV projects declined by more than one third (from 5.8/W AC to 3.7/WAC) from the 2007–2009 period through 2013, even as costlier systems with crystalline-silicon modules, sun tracking, and higher inverter loadingmore » ratios (ILRs) have constituted an increasing proportion of total utility-scale PV capacity (all values shown here are in 2013 dollars). Actual and projected O&M costs from a very small sample of projects appear to range from $20–$40/kW AC-year. Furthermore, the average net capacity factor is 30% for projects installed in 2012, up from 24% for projects installed in 2010, owing to better solar resources, higher ILRs, and greater use of tracking among the more recent projects. Based on these trends, a pro-forma financial model suggests that $50/MWh utility-scale PV is achievable using a combination of aggressive-but-achievable technical and financial input parameters (including receipt of the 30% federal investment tax credit). Although the US utility-scale PV market is still young, the rapid progress in the key metrics documented in this paper has made PV a viable competitor against other utility-scale renewable generators, and even conventional peaking generators, in certain regions of the country.« less

Is $50/MWh solar for real? Falling project prices and rising capacity factors drive utility-scale PV toward economic competitiveness

DOE PAGES

Bolinger, Mark; Weaver, Samantha; Zuboy, Jarett

2015-05-22

Recently announced low-priced power purchase agreements (PPAs) for US utility-scale photovoltaic (PV) projects suggest $50/MWh solar might be viable under certain conditions. To explore this possibility, this paper draws on an increasing wealth of empirical data to analyze trends in three of the most important PPA price drivers: upfront installed project prices, operations, and maintenance (O&M) costs, and capacity factors. Average installed prices among a sample of utility-scale PV projects declined by more than one third (from 5.8/W AC to 3.7/WAC) from the 2007–2009 period through 2013, even as costlier systems with crystalline-silicon modules, sun tracking, and higher inverter loadingmore » ratios (ILRs) have constituted an increasing proportion of total utility-scale PV capacity (all values shown here are in 2013 dollars). Actual and projected O&M costs from a very small sample of projects appear to range from $20–$40/kW AC-year. Furthermore, the average net capacity factor is 30% for projects installed in 2012, up from 24% for projects installed in 2010, owing to better solar resources, higher ILRs, and greater use of tracking among the more recent projects. Based on these trends, a pro-forma financial model suggests that $50/MWh utility-scale PV is achievable using a combination of aggressive-but-achievable technical and financial input parameters (including receipt of the 30% federal investment tax credit). Although the US utility-scale PV market is still young, the rapid progress in the key metrics documented in this paper has made PV a viable competitor against other utility-scale renewable generators, and even conventional peaking generators, in certain regions of the country.« less

Light-intensity grazing improves alpine meadow productivity and adaption to climate change on the Tibetan Plateau

PubMed Central

Zhang, Tao; Zhang, Yangjian; Xu, Mingjie; Zhu, Juntao; Wimberly, Michael C.; Yu, Guirui; Niu, Shuli; Xi, Yi; Zhang, Xianzhou; Wang, Jingsheng

2015-01-01

To explore grazing effects on carbon fluxes in alpine meadow ecosystems, we used a paired eddy-covariance (EC) system to measure carbon fluxes in adjacent fenced (FM) and grazed (GM) meadows on the Tibetan plateau. Gross primary productivity (GPP) and ecosystem respiration (Re) were greater at GM than FM for the first two years of fencing. In the third year, the productivity at FM increased to a level similar to the GM site. The higher productivity at GM was mainly caused by its higher photosynthetic capacity. Grazing exclusion did not increase carbon sequestration capacity for this alpine grassland system. The higher optimal photosynthetic temperature and the weakened ecosystem response to climatic factors at GM may help to facilitate the adaption of alpine meadow ecosystems to changing climate. PMID:26515954

Intrinsic aerobic capacity correlates with greater inherent mitochondrial oxidative and H2O2 emission capacities without major shifts in myosin heavy chain isoform

PubMed Central

Seifert, Erin L.; Bastianelli, Mark; Aguer, Céline; Moffat, Cynthia; Estey, Carmen; Koch, Lauren G.; Britton, Steven L.

2012-01-01

Exercise capacity and performance strongly associate with metabolic and biophysical characteristics of skeletal muscle, factors that also relate to overall disease risk. Despite its importance, the exact mechanistic features that connect aerobic metabolism with health status are unknown. To explore this, we applied artificial selection of rats for intrinsic (i.e., untrained) aerobic treadmill running to generate strains of low- and high-capacity runners (LCR and HCR, respectively), subsequently shown to diverge for disease risk. Concurrent breeding of LCR and HCR per generation allows the lines to serve as reciprocal controls for unknown environmental changes. Here we provide the first direct evidence in mitochondria isolated from skeletal muscle that intrinsic mitochondrial capacity is higher in HCR rats. Maximal phosphorylating respiration was ∼40% greater in HCR mitochondria, independent of substrate and without altered proton leak or major changes in protein levels or muscle fiber type, consistent with altered control of phosphorylating respiration. Unexpectedly, H2O2 emission was ∼20% higher in HCR mitochondria, due to greater reduction of more harmful reactive oxygen species to H2O2; indeed, oxidative modification of mitochondrial proteins was lower. When the higher mitochondrial yield was considered, phosphorylating respiration and H2O2 emission were 70–80% greater in HCR muscle. Greater capacity of HCR muscle for work and H2O2 signaling may result in enhanced and more immediate cellular repair, possibly explaining lowered disease risks. PMID:22995392

Achieving high energy absorption capacity in cellular bulk metallic glasses

PubMed Central

Chen, S. H.; Chan, K. C.; Wu, F. F.; Xia, L.

2015-01-01

Cellular bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) have exhibited excellent energy-absorption performance by inheriting superior strength from the parent BMGs. However, how to achieve high energy absorption capacity in cellular BMGs is vital but mysterious. In this work, using step-by-step observations of the deformation evolution of a series of cellular BMGs, the underlying mechanisms for the remarkable energy absorption capacity have been investigated by studying two influencing key factors: the peak stress and the decay of the peak stress during the plastic-flow plateau stages. An analytical model of the peak stress has been proposed, and the predicted results agree well with the experimental data. The decay of the peak stress has been attributed to the geometry change of the macroscopic cells, the formation of shear bands in the middle of the struts, and the “work-softening” nature of BMGs. The influencing factors such as the effect of the strut thickness and the number of unit cells have also been investigated and discussed. Strategies for achieving higher energy absorption capacity in cellular BMGs have been proposed. PMID:25973781

The association of genetic polymorphisms of hypoxia inducible factor-1 alpha and vascular endothelial growth factor with increased risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A case-control study.

PubMed

Yu, Zhen-Gang; Wang, Bing-Zhe; Cheng, Zhao-Zhong

2017-09-01

Accumulated data over the years have suggested that hypoxia inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α) and its downstream vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene may be linked with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This study aims to investigate the association of HIF-1α and VEGF genetic polymorphisms and their correlated risks with COPD. COPD patients (case group) and healthy individuals (control group) were recruited. DNA was extracted to detect HIF-1α and VEGF genetic polymorphisms. Basal lung volume and forced expiratory capacity in 1st second (FEV1)/forced vital capacity (FVC) and FEV 1 /predicted value (pred)% were calculated. Genotype and allele distributions in HIF-1α and VEGF genes were analyzed. Kaplan-Meier curves and logistic regression model were used for analysis of survival and COPD risk factors. Haplotypes for HIF-1α rs11549465 and rs11549467 were analyzed. FEV 1 /FVC and FEV1/pred% in the case group were lower than the control group. Frequencies of HIF-1α rs11549465 CT + TT genotype and T allele, and rs11549467 GA + AA genotype and A allele were higher in the case group than the control group. Patients with rs11549465 CT + TT had higher COPD risk than those with the CC genotype. Patients with rs11549467 GA + AA showed higher COPD risk and lower FEV 1 /FVC and FEV 1 /pred% than those with the GG genotype. Patients with HIF-1α TA haplotype showed higher COPD risk than those with the CG haplotype. Survival rate of patients with HIF-1α rs11549467 GG genotype was higher than those with the GA + AA genotype. HIF-1α rs11549467 polymorphism may be associated with COPD risk. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Taiwan.

Soil Water Holding Capacity Mitigates Downside Risk and Volatility in US Rainfed Maize: Time to Invest in Soil Organic Matter?

PubMed Central

Williams, Alwyn; Hunter, Mitchell C.; Kammerer, Melanie; Kane, Daniel A.; Jordan, Nicholas R.; Mortensen, David A.; Smith, Richard G.; Snapp, Sieglinde

2016-01-01

Yield stability is fundamental to global food security in the face of climate change, and better strategies are needed for buffering crop yields against increased weather variability. Regional- scale analyses of yield stability can support robust inferences about buffering strategies for widely-grown staple crops, but have not been accomplished. We present a novel analytical approach, synthesizing 2000–2014 data on weather and soil factors to quantify their impact on county-level maize yield stability in four US states that vary widely in these factors (Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota and Pennsylvania). Yield stability is quantified as both ‘downside risk’ (minimum yield potential, MYP) and ‘volatility’ (temporal yield variability). We show that excessive heat and drought decreased mean yields and yield stability, while higher precipitation increased stability. Soil water holding capacity strongly affected yield volatility in all four states, either directly (Minnesota and Pennsylvania) or indirectly, via its effects on MYP (Illinois and Michigan). We infer that factors contributing to soil water holding capacity can help buffer maize yields against variable weather. Given that soil water holding capacity responds (within limits) to agronomic management, our analysis highlights broadly relevant management strategies for buffering crop yields against climate variability, and informs region-specific strategies. PMID:27560666

Cost of wind energy: comparing distant wind resources to local resources in the midwestern United States.

PubMed

Hoppock, David C; Patiño-Echeverri, Dalia

2010-11-15

The best wind sites in the United States are often located far from electricity demand centers and lack transmission access. Local sites that have lower quality wind resources but do not require as much power transmission capacity are an alternative to distant wind resources. In this paper, we explore the trade-offs between developing new wind generation at local sites and installing wind farms at remote sites. We first examine the general relationship between the high capital costs required for local wind development and the relatively lower capital costs required to install a wind farm capable of generating the same electrical output at a remote site,with the results representing the maximum amount an investor should be willing to pay for transmission access. We suggest that this analysis can be used as a first step in comparing potential wind resources to meet a state renewable portfolio standard (RPS). To illustrate, we compare the cost of local wind (∼50 km from the load) to the cost of distant wind requiring new transmission (∼550-750 km from the load) to meet the Illinois RPS. We find that local, lower capacity factor wind sites are the lowest cost option for meeting the Illinois RPS if new long distance transmission is required to access distant, higher capacity factor wind resources. If higher capacity wind sites can be connected to the existing grid at minimal cost, in many cases they will have lower costs.

Seasonal variation in N uptake strategies in the understorey of a beech-dominated N-limited forest ecosystem depends on N source and species

PubMed Central

Li, Xiuyuan; Rennenberg, Heinz; Simon, Judy

2016-01-01

In forest ecosystems, species use different strategies to increase their competitive ability for nitrogen (N) acquisition. The acquisition of N by trees is regulated by tree internal and environmental factors including mycorrhizae. In this study, we investigated the N uptake strategies of three co-occurring tree species [European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.), sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus L.) and Norway maple (Acer platanoides L.)] in the understorey of a beech-dominated, N-limited forest on calcareous soil over two consecutive seasons. For this purpose, we studied 15N uptake capacity as well as the allocation to N pools in the fine roots. Our results show that European beech had a higher capacity for both inorganic and organic N acquisition throughout the whole growing season compared with sycamore maple and Norway maple. The higher capacity of N acquisition in beech indicates a better adaption of beech to the understorey conditions of beech forests compared with the seedlings of other tree competitors under N-limited conditions. Despite these differences, all three species preferred organic over inorganic N sources throughout the growing season and showed similar seasonal patterns of N acquisition with an increased N uptake capacity in summer. However, this pattern varied with N source and year indicating that other environmental factors not assessed in this study further influenced N acquisition by the seedlings of the three tree species. PMID:26786538

Conditioned reflex activity of rats at later periods after the end of flight aboard the Kosmos-605 biosatellite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Livshits, N. N.; Meyzerov, Y. S.; Apanasenko, Z. I.; Kuznetsova, M. A.

1978-01-01

The aftereffects of spaceflight on the higher nervous activity of rats were studied. A five lane maze with a feeding terminal was used to check such factors as transfer of experience, the habit and speed of reaching the goal in the maze, long term memory, and the dynamics of errors. During the 3rd-7th postflight week, functional disturbances in the rat HNA were manifested in the deterioration of the capacity for the transfer of experience and for locating the feeding compartment in the maze, thus indicating a general decrease of work capacity. The increased number of errors and failures pointed to exhaustion of higher nervous processes and to the weakened functional activity of the brain.

Uric acid and serum antioxidant capacity: a reaction to atherosclerosis?

PubMed

Nieto, F J; Iribarren, C; Gross, M D; Comstock, G W; Cutler, R G

2000-01-01

the evidence of a potential beneficial role of antioxidants in preventing atherosclerotic disease is not entirely consistent. to assess the longitudinal association of serum total antioxidant capacity and serum antioxidants with the presence of subclinical carotid atherosclerosis. Prospective case-control study nested within an historical cohort. Cases were 150 individuals with elevated carotid intimal-medial thickness measured by B-mode ultrasound at the first two examinations of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study (1987-92). Controls were 150 age-gender-matched individuals with low carotid intimal-medial thickness. Serum antioxidant vitamins, uric acid, and serum total antioxidant capacity were measured in frozen serum samples collected from the same individuals in 1974 (13-15 years prior to the determination of case-control status). Compared to controls, atherosclerosis cases had significantly higher levels of serum total antioxidant capacity in 1974 than controls. This difference was almost entirely explained by increased serum concentration of uric acid in cases. In contrast with cross-sectional results, uric acid serum concentration in 1974, was significantly higher in cases than in controls, even after adjusting for the main cardiovascular risk factors. Cases had significantly lower levels of alpha-carotene in the 1974 sera than controls, but no other differences in serum antioxidant vitamin concentrations were observed. The higher serum uric acid concentration seemed associated with elevated total serum antioxidant capacity among individuals with atherosclerosis. This finding is consistent with experimental evidence suggesting that hyperuricemia may be a compensatory mechanism to counteract oxidative damage related to atherosclerosis and aging in humans.

Comparative evaluation of aggressiveness traits in staphylococcal strains from severe infections versus nasopharyngeal carriage.

PubMed

Săndulescu, Oana; Bleotu, Coralia; Matei, Lilia; Streinu-Cercel, Anca; Oprea, Mihaela; Drăgulescu, Elena Carmina; Chifiriuc, Mariana Carmen; Rafila, Alexandru; Pirici, Daniel; Tălăpan, Daniela; Dorobăţ, Olga Mihaela; Neguţ, Alina Cristina; Oţelea, Dan; Berciu, Ioana; Ion, Daniela Adriana; Codiţă, Irina; Calistru, Petre Iacob; Streinu-Cercel, Adrian

2017-01-01

Despite their commensal status, staphylococci can become problematic pathogens expressing multiple and redundant virulence factors. This study aimed to evaluate aggressiveness markers comparatively in staphylococcal strains isolated from severe infections versus asymptomatic carriage in order to identify clinically relevant bacterial traits that could easily be detected in clinical practice and could be suggestive for particular host-pathogen interactions such as cyto-adhesion or biofilm formation, ultimately orienting the clinical decision-making process. We have used in vitro phenotypic methods to assess adhesion to and invasion of eukaryotic cells, biofilm development, and expression of soluble virulence factors in 92 Staphylococcus spp. strains. The adhesion index, invasion capacity, biofilm formation and expression of soluble factors did not differ significantly between clinical and commensal strains. The major bacterial traits we found to be significantly more prevalent in clinical staphylococci were the aggregative adhesion pattern (P = 0.012), cluster adhesion (P = 0.001) and tetrad morphology (P = 0.018). The aggregative adhesion pattern was correlated with higher cyto-adhesion (P < 0.001), higher invasion capacity (P = 0.003) and lower Carmeli scores (P = 0.002). Three major bacterial traits, namely tetrad morphology, aggregative adhesion pattern, and resistance to methicillin (acronym: TAM), can be used to compute an aggressiveness score (SAS) predictive of the staphylococcal strain's virulence and capacity to initiate and develop a biofilm-driven chronic infectious process versus a fulminant acute infection, in a susceptible host. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Oxidative Stress Induces Mitochondrial Dysfunction in a Subset of Autism Lymphoblastoid Cell Lines in a Well-Matched Case Control Cohort

PubMed Central

Rose, Shannon; Frye, Richard E.; Slattery, John; Wynne, Rebecca; Tippett, Marie; Pavliv, Oleksandra; Melnyk, Stepan; James, S. Jill

2014-01-01

There is increasing recognition that mitochondrial dysfunction is associated with the autism spectrum disorders. However, little attention has been given to the etiology of mitochondrial dysfunction or how mitochondrial abnormalities might interact with other physiological disturbances associated with autism, such as oxidative stress. In the current study we used respirometry to examine reserve capacity, a measure of the mitochondrial ability to respond to physiological stress, in lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) derived from children with autistic disorder (AD) as well as age and gender-matched control LCLs. We demonstrate, for the first time, that LCLs derived from children with AD have an abnormal mitochondrial reserve capacity before and after exposure to increasingly higher concentrations of 2,3-dimethoxy-1,4-napthoquinone (DMNQ), an agent that increases intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). Specifically, the AD LCLs exhibit a higher reserve capacity at baseline and a sharper depletion of reserve capacity when ROS exposure is increased, as compared to control LCLs. Detailed investigation indicated that reserve capacity abnormalities seen in AD LCLs were the result of higher ATP-linked respiration and maximal respiratory capacity at baseline combined with a marked increase in proton leak respiration as ROS was increased. We further demonstrate that these reserve capacity abnormalities are driven by a subgroup of eight (32%) of 25 AD LCLs. Additional investigation of this subgroup of AD LCLs with reserve capacity abnormalities revealed that it demonstrated a greater reliance on glycolysis and on uncoupling protein 2 to regulate oxidative stress at the inner mitochondria membrane. This study suggests that a significant subgroup of AD children may have alterations in mitochondrial function which could render them more vulnerable to a pro-oxidant microenvironment derived from intrinsic and extrinsic sources of ROS such as immune activation and pro-oxidant environmental toxicants. These findings are consistent with the notion that AD is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. PMID:24416410

Investment, managerial capacity, and bias in public health preparedness.

PubMed

Langabeer, James R; DelliFraine, Jami L; Tyson, Sandra; Emert, Jamie M; Herbold, John

2009-01-01

Nearly $7 billion has been invested through national cooperative funding since 2002 to strengthen state and local response capacity. Yet, very little outcome evidence exists to analyze funding effectiveness. The objective of this research is to analyze the relationship between investment (funding) and capacity (readiness) for public health preparedness (PHP). The aim of the authors is to use a management framework to evaluate capacity, and to explore the "immediacy bias" impact on investment stability. This study employs a longitudinal study design, incorporating survey research of the entire population of 68 health departments in the state of Texas. The authors assessed the investment-capacity relationship through several statistical methods. The authors created a structural measure of managerial capacity through principal components analysis, factorizing 10 independent variables and augment this with a perceived readiness level reported from PHP managers. The authors then employ analysis of variance, correlation analyses, and other descriptive statistics. There has been a 539 percent coefficient of variation in funding at the local level between the years 2004 and 2008, and a 63 percent reduction in total resources since the peak of funding, using paired sample data. Results suggest that investment is positively associated with readiness and managerial capacity in local health departments. The authors also find that investment was related to greater community collaboration, higher adoption of Incident Command System (ICS) structure, and more frequent operational drills and exercises. Greater investment is associated with higher levels of capacity and readiness. The authors conclude from this that investment should be stabilized and continued, and not be influenced by historical cognitive biases.

Adsorption of cadmium and lead onto oxidized nitrogen-doped multiwall carbon nanotubes in aqueous solution: equilibrium and kinetics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perez-Aguilar, Nancy Veronica; Muñoz-Sandoval, Emilio; Diaz-Flores, Paola Elizabeth; Rangel-Mendez, Jose Rene

2010-02-01

Nitrogen-doped multiwall carbon nanotubes (CNx) were chemically oxidized and tested to adsorb cadmium and lead from aqueous solution. Physicochemical characterization of carbon nanotubes included morphological analysis, textural properties, and chemical composition. In addition, the cadmium adsorption capacity of oxidized-CNx was compared with commercially available activated carbon and single wall carbon nanotubes. Carboxylic and nitro groups on the surface of oxidized CNx shifted the point of zero charge from 6.6 to 3.1, enhancing their adsorption capacity for cadmium and lead to 0.083 and 0.139 mmol/g, respectively, at pH 5 and 25 °C. Moreover, oxidized-CNx had higher selectivity for lead when both metal ions were in solution. Kinetic experiments for adsorption of cadmium showed that the equilibrium was reached at about 4 min. Finally, the small size, geometry, and surface chemical composition of oxidized-CNx are the key factors for their higher adsorption capacity than activated carbon.

Creativity and Education: Teaching the Unfamiliar

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pollard, Vikki

2012-01-01

The development of capacities of creativity has long been important in creative arts education (Morgan, 2012) and is increasingly becoming important to other fields in higher education (McWilliam and Haukka, 2008, Csikszentmihalyi, 2006, Edward, McGoldrick & Oliver, 2006). To develop such capabilities at least two factors need to be addressed:…

Functionalized Fullerenes for Highly Efficient Lithium Ion Storage: Structure-Property-Performance Correlation with Energy Implications

DOE PAGES

Shan, Changsheng; Yen, Hung -Ju; Wu, Kaifeng; ...

2017-08-19

Here, we report that spherical C 60 derivatives with well-defined molecular structures hold great promise to be advanced anode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). We studied four C 60 molecules with various functional groups, including pristine C 60, carboxyl C 60, ester C 60, and piperazine C 60. The comparison of these C 60s elucidated a strong correlation between functional group, overall packing (crystallinity), and the performance of C 60-based LIBs. Specifically, carboxyl C 60 and neutral ester C 60 showed higher charge capacities than pristine C 60, whereas positively-charged piperazine C 60 exhibited lower capacity. The highest charge capacitymore » was achieved on the carboxyl C 600 (861 mAh g -1 at 100th cycle), which is five times higher than that of pristine C 60 (170 mAh g -1), more than double the theoretical capacity of commercial graphite (372 mAh g -1), and even higher than the theoretical capacity of graphene (744 mAh g -1). Carboxyl C 60 also showed a high capacity at a fast discharge-charge rate (370 mAh g -1 at 5 C). The exceptional performance of carboxyl C 60 can be attributed to multiple key factors. They include the complex formation between lithium ions and oxygen atoms on the carboxyl group, the improved lithium-binding capability of C 60 cage due to electron donating from carboxylate groups, the electrostatic attraction between carboxylate groups and lithium ions, and the large lattice void space and high specific area due to carboxyl functionalization. In conclusion, this study indicates that, while maintaining the basic C 60 electronic properties, functionalization with desired groups can achieve remarkably enhanced capacity and rate performance for lithium storage, thus holding great promise for future LIBs.« less

Functionalized Fullerenes for Highly Efficient Lithium Ion Storage: Structure-Property-Performance Correlation with Energy Implications

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

Shan, Changsheng; Yen, Hung -Ju; Wu, Kaifeng

Here, we report that spherical C 60 derivatives with well-defined molecular structures hold great promise to be advanced anode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). We studied four C 60 molecules with various functional groups, including pristine C 60, carboxyl C 60, ester C 60, and piperazine C 60. The comparison of these C 60s elucidated a strong correlation between functional group, overall packing (crystallinity), and the performance of C 60-based LIBs. Specifically, carboxyl C 60 and neutral ester C 60 showed higher charge capacities than pristine C 60, whereas positively-charged piperazine C 60 exhibited lower capacity. The highest charge capacitymore » was achieved on the carboxyl C 600 (861 mAh g -1 at 100th cycle), which is five times higher than that of pristine C 60 (170 mAh g -1), more than double the theoretical capacity of commercial graphite (372 mAh g -1), and even higher than the theoretical capacity of graphene (744 mAh g -1). Carboxyl C 60 also showed a high capacity at a fast discharge-charge rate (370 mAh g -1 at 5 C). The exceptional performance of carboxyl C 60 can be attributed to multiple key factors. They include the complex formation between lithium ions and oxygen atoms on the carboxyl group, the improved lithium-binding capability of C 60 cage due to electron donating from carboxylate groups, the electrostatic attraction between carboxylate groups and lithium ions, and the large lattice void space and high specific area due to carboxyl functionalization. In conclusion, this study indicates that, while maintaining the basic C 60 electronic properties, functionalization with desired groups can achieve remarkably enhanced capacity and rate performance for lithium storage, thus holding great promise for future LIBs.« less

Acute energy deprivation in man: effect on serum immunoglobulins antibody response, complement factors 3 and 4, acute phase reactants and interferon-producing capacity of blood lymphocytes.

PubMed Central

Palmblad, J; Cantell, K; Holm, G; Norberg, R; Strander, H; Sunblad, L

1977-01-01

The effects of 10 days of total energy deprivation on serum levels of immunoglobulins, antibodies acute phase reactants and on interferon production were evaluated in fourteen healthy, normal-weight males. A significant depression was noted of the serum levels of complement factor 3, haptoglobin and orosomucoid. The titres of mercaptoethanol-sensitive specific antibodies to flagellin were higher in the subjects inoculated at the end of the starvation period than in controls and those inoculated at the start of the period. The serum levels of IgG, IgM, IgA, IgE, alpha-1-antitrypsin and complement factor 4, and the interferon-producing capacity of blood lymphocytes, were not changed. Thus, 10 days of total energy deprivation depresses the serum levels of several acute phase reactants and re-feeding may enhance antibody production. PMID:606438

Performance Analysis of Integrated Wireless Sensor and Multibeam Satellite Networks Under Terrestrial Interference

PubMed Central

Li, Hongjun; Yin, Hao; Gong, Xiangwu; Dong, Feihong; Ren, Baoquan; He, Yuanzhi; Wang, Jingchao

2016-01-01

This paper investigates the performance of integrated wireless sensor and multibeam satellite networks (IWSMSNs) under terrestrial interference. The IWSMSNs constitute sensor nodes (SNs), satellite sinks (SSs), multibeam satellite and remote monitoring hosts (RMHs). The multibeam satellite covers multiple beams and multiple SSs in each beam. The SSs can be directly used as SNs to transmit sensing data to RMHs via the satellite, and they can also be used to collect the sensing data from other SNs to transmit to the RMHs. We propose the hybrid one-dimensional (1D) and 2D beam models including the equivalent intra-beam interference factor β from terrestrial communication networks (TCNs) and the equivalent inter-beam interference factor α from adjacent beams. The terrestrial interference is possibly due to the signals from the TCNs or the signals of sinks being transmitted to other satellite networks. The closed-form approximations of capacity per beam are derived for the return link of IWSMSNs under terrestrial interference by using the Haar approximations where the IWSMSNs experience the Rician fading channel. The optimal joint decoding capacity can be considered as the upper bound where all of the SSs’ signals can be jointly decoded by a super-receiver on board the multibeam satellite or a gateway station that knows all of the code books. While the linear minimum mean square error (MMSE) capacity is where all of the signals of SSs are decoded singularly by a multibeam satellite or a gateway station. The simulations show that the optimal capacities are obviously higher than the MMSE capacities under the same conditions, while the capacities are lowered by Rician fading and converge as the Rician factor increases. α and β jointly affect the performance of hybrid 1D and 2D beam models, and the number of SSs also contributes different effects on the optimal capacity and MMSE capacity of the IWSMSNs. PMID:27754438

The relationship between wind power, electricity demand and winter weather patterns in Great Britain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thornton, Hazel E.; Scaife, Adam A.; Hoskins, Brian J.; Brayshaw, David J.

2017-06-01

Wind power generation in Great Britain has increased markedly in recent years. However due to its intermittency its ability to provide power during periods of high electricity demand has been questioned. Here we characterise the winter relationship between electricity demand and the availability of wind power. Although a wide range of wind power capacity factors is seen for a given demand, the average capacity factor reduces by a third between low and high demand. However, during the highest demand average wind power increases again, due to strengthening easterly winds. The nature of the weather patterns affecting Great Britain are responsible for this relationship. High demand is driven by a range of high pressure weather types, each giving cold conditions, but variable wind power availability. Offshore wind power is sustained at higher levels and offers a more secure supply compared to that onshore. However, during high demand periods in Great Britain neighbouring countries may struggle to provide additional capacity due to concurrent low temperatures and low wind power availability.

Development of pile foundation bias factors using observed behavior of platforms during Hurricane Andrew

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

Aggarwal, R.K.; Litton, R.W.; Cornell, C.A.

1996-12-31

The performance of more than 3,000 offshore platforms in the Gulf of Mexico was observed during the passage of Hurricane Andrew in August 1992. This event provided an opportunity to test the procedures used for platform analysis and design. A global bias was inferred for overall platform capacity and loads in the Andrew Joint Industry Project (JIP) Phase 1. It was predicted that the pile foundations of several platforms should have failed, but did not. These results indicated that the biases specific to foundation failure modes may be higher than those of jacket failure modes. The biases in predictions ofmore » foundation failure modes were therefore investigated further in this study. The work included capacity analysis and calibration of predictions with the observed behavior for 3 jacket platforms and 3 caissons using Bayesian updating. Bias factors for two foundation failure modes, lateral shear and overturning, were determined for each structure. Foundation capacity estimates using conventional methods were found to be conservatively biased overall.« less

The scope and control of attention as separate aspects of working memory.

PubMed

Shipstead, Zach; Redick, Thomas S; Hicks, Kenny L; Engle, Randall W

2012-01-01

The present study examines two varieties of working memory (WM) capacity task: visual arrays (i.e., a measure of the amount of information that can be maintained in working memory) and complex span (i.e., a task that taps WM-related attentional control). Using previously collected data sets we employ confirmatory factor analysis to demonstrate that visual arrays and complex span tasks load on separate, but correlated, factors. A subsequent series of structural equation models and regression analyses demonstrate that these factors contribute both common and unique variance to the prediction of general fluid intelligence (Gf). However, while visual arrays does contribute uniquely to higher cognition, its overall correlation to Gf is largely mediated by variance associated with the complex span factor. Thus we argue that visual arrays performance is not strictly driven by a limited-capacity storage system (e.g., the focus of attention; Cowan, 2001), but may also rely on control processes such as selective attention and controlled memory search.

The capacity-load model of non-communicable disease risk: understanding the effects of child malnutrition, ethnicity and the social determinants of health.

PubMed

Wells, Jonathan C K

2018-05-01

The capacity-load model is a conceptual model developed to improve understanding of the life-course aetiology of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and their ecological and societal risk factors. The model addresses continuous associations of both (a) nutrition and growth patterns in early life and (b) lifestyle factors at older ages with NCD risk. Metabolic capacity refers to physiological traits strongly contingent on early nutrition and growth during the first 1000 days, which promote the long-term capacity for homeostasis in the context of fuel metabolism and cardiovascular health. Metabolic load refers to components of nutritional status and lifestyle that challenge homeostasis. The higher the load, and the lower the capacity, the greater the NCD risk. The model therefore helps understand dose-response associations of both early development and later phenotype with NCD risk. Infancy represents a critical developmental period, during which slow growth can constrain metabolic capacity, whereas rapid weight gain may elevate metabolic load. Severe acute malnutrition in early childhood (stunting, wasting) may continue to deplete metabolic capacity, and confer elevated susceptibility to NCDs in the long term. The model can be applied to associations of NCD risk with socio-economic position (SEP): lower SEP is generally associated with lower capacity but often also with elevated load. The model can also help explain ethnic differences in NCD risk, as both early growth patterns and later body composition differ systematically between ethnic groups. Recent work has begun to clarify the role of organ development in metabolic capacity, which may further contribute to ethnic differences in NCD risk.

Urinary 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG) level can predict acute renal damage in young children with urinary tract infection.

PubMed

Chien, Jien-Wen; Wang, Lien-Yen; Cheng, Yu-Shan; Tsai, Yi-Giien; Liu, Chin-San

2014-06-01

There are no good biomarkers to predict renal parenchymal involvement in children with urinary tract infection (UTI). Children (N = 73) younger than 5 years with UTI were enrolled. Urinary levels of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were checked as markers of oxidative stress and antioxidant capacity, respectively. Tc99m-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) renal scintigraphy was used to find evidence of renal involvement. Patients with positive DMSA findings had higher levels of urinary 8-oxodG (p = 0.003) and higher urinary TAC (p = 0.001) than patients with normal DMSA findings. High level of urinary 8-oxodG may be a risk factor of severe renal damage.

[Experimental investigations of 211Am accumulation by macrophytes of the Yenisei River].

PubMed

Bolsunovskiĭ, A Ia; Zotina, T A

2002-01-01

Experiments were carried out in which 241Am was added to water samples containing macrophytes of the Yenisei River, and the radionuclide absorption rates and concentration factors were determined for the plants. It has been shown that the water moss (Fontinalis antipyretica) has a higher capacity to accumulate 241Am than the Canadian pondweed (Elodea canadensis) does. The laboratory experiments revealed that the capacity of dead biomass of the Canadian pondweed to accumulate 241Am is twice higher than that of living biomass. In contrast, no significant increase in 241Am accumulation by dead biomass of the water moss has been recorded. The transuranic element 241Am was firmly fixed by the plant biomass and was not released into water in the course of long-duration experiments.

Divergence in physiological factors affecting swimming performance between anadromous and resident populations of brook charr Salvelinus fontinalis.

PubMed

Crespel, A; Dupont-Prinet, A; Bernatchez, L; Claireaux, G; Tremblay, R; Audet, C

2017-05-01

In this study, an anadromous strain (L) and a freshwater-resident (R) strain of brook charr Salvelinus fontinalis as well as their reciprocal hybrids, were reared in a common environment and submitted to swimming tests combined with salinity challenges. The critical swimming speeds (U crit ) of the different crosses were measured in both fresh (FW) and salt water (SW) and the variations in several physiological traits (osmotic, energetic and metabolic capacities) that are predicted to influence swimming performance were documented. Anadromous and resident fish reached the same U crit in both FW and SW, with U crit being 14% lower in SW compared with FW. The strains, however, seemed to use different underlying strategies: the anadromous strain relied on its streamlined body shape and higher osmoregulatory capacity, while the resident strain had greater citrate synthase (FW) and lactate dehydrogenase (FW, SW) capacity and either greater initial stores or more efficient use of liver (FW, SW) and muscle (FW) glycogen during exercise. Compared with R ♀ L ♂ hybrids, L ♀ R ♂ hybrids had a 20% lower swimming speed, which was associated with a 24% smaller cardio-somatic index and higher physiological costs. Thus swimming performance depends on cross direction (i.e. which parental line was used as dam or sire). The study thus suggests that divergent physiological factors between anadromous and resident S. fontinalis may result in similar swimming capacities that are adapted to their respective lifestyles. © 2017 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

The role of cognitive and visual abilities as predictors in the Multifactorial Model of Driving Safety.

PubMed

Anstey, Kaarin J; Horswill, Mark S; Wood, Joanne M; Hatherly, Christopher

2012-03-01

The current study evaluated part of the Multifactorial Model of Driving Safety to elucidate the relative importance of cognitive function and a limited range of standard measures of visual function in relation to the Capacity to Drive Safely. Capacity to Drive Safely was operationalized using three validated screening measures for older drivers. These included an adaptation of the well validated Useful Field of View (UFOV) and two newer measures, namely a Hazard Perception Test (HPT), and a Hazard Change Detection Task (HCDT). Community dwelling drivers (n=297) aged 65-96 were assessed using a battery of measures of cognitive and visual function. Factor analysis of these predictor variables yielded factors including Executive/Speed, Vision (measured by visual acuity and contrast sensitivity), Spatial, Visual Closure, and Working Memory. Cognitive and Vision factors explained 83-95% of age-related variance in the Capacity to Drive Safely. Spatial and Working Memory were associated with UFOV, HPT and HCDT, Executive/Speed was associated with UFOV and HCDT and Vision was associated with HPT. The Capacity to Drive Safely declines with chronological age, and this decline is associated with age-related declines in several higher order cognitive abilities involving manipulation and storage of visuospatial information under speeded conditions. There are also age-independent effects of cognitive function and vision that determine driving safety. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Older adults do not notice their names: a new twist to a classic attention task.

PubMed

Naveh-Benjamin, Moshe; Kilb, Angela; Maddox, Geoffrey B; Thomas, Jenna; Fine, Hope C; Chen, Tina; Cowan, Nelson

2014-11-01

Although working memory spans are, on average, lower for older adults than young adults, we demonstrate in 5 experiments a way in which older adults paradoxically resemble higher capacity young adults. Specifically, in a selective-listening task, older adults almost always failed to notice their names presented in an unattended channel. This is an exaggeration of what high-span young adults show and the opposite of what low-span young adults show. This striking finding in older adults remained significant after controlling for working memory span and for noticing their names in an attended channel. The findings were replicated when presentation rate was slowed and when the ear in which the unattended name was presented was controlled. These results point to an account of older adults' performance involving not only an inhibition factor, which allows high-span young adults to suppress the channel to be ignored, but also an attentional capacity factor, with more unallocated capacity. This capacity allows low-span young adults to notice their names much more often than older adults with comparably low working memory spans do. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Factors Influencing Implementation of a Physical Activity Intervention in Residential Children's Homes.

PubMed

Lau, Erica Y; Saunders, Ruth P; Pate, Russell R

2016-11-01

The Environmental Intervention in Children's Homes (ENRICH) study was the first published physical activity intervention undertaken in residential children's homes (RCHs). The study revealed differences in implementation across the homes, which may be a key factor that affects program effectiveness. The purpose of this study was to examine the direct and indirect effects of organizational capacity, provider characteristics, and quality of prevention support system on level of implementation of the ENRICH intervention. This study analyzed the ENRICH process evaluation data collected from 24 RCHs. Bayesian Path analysis was used to examine the direct and indirect effects of organizational capacity, provider characteristics, and quality of prevention support system on level of implementation. Level of implementation across RCHs was variable, ranging from 38 to 97 % (M = 68.3, SD = 14.45). Results revealed that organizational capacity and provider characteristics had significant direct associations with level of implementation. Neither direct nor indirect associations between quality of prevention support system and level of implementation reached statistical significance. Conducting formative assessments on organizational capacity and provider characteristics and incorporating such information in implementation planning may increase the likelihood of achieving higher levels of implementation in future studies.

Discontinuous ventilator weaning of patients with acute SCI.

PubMed

Füssenich, Wout; Hirschfeld Araujo, Sven; Kowald, Birgitt; Hosman, Allard; Auerswald, Marc; Thietje, Roland

2018-05-01

Retrospective, single centre cohort study. To determine factors associated with ventilator weaning success and failure in patients with acute spinal cord injury (SCI); determine length of time and attempts required to wean from the ventilator successfully and determine the incidence of pneumonia. BG Klinikum Hamburg, Level 1 trauma centre, SCI Department, Germany. From 2010 until 2017, 165 consecutive patients with cervical SCI, initially dependent on a ventilator, were included and weaned discontinuously via tracheal cannula. Data related to anthropometric details, neurological injury, respiratory outcomes, and weaning parameters were prospectively recorded in a database and retrospectively analysed. Seventy-nine percent of all patients were successfully weaned from ventilation. Average duration of the complete weaning process was 37 days. Ninety-one percent of the successfully weaned patients completed this on first attempt. Age (>56 years), level of injury (C4 and/or above), vital capacity (<1500 ml), obesity (>25 kg/m 2 ), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) significantly decreased the chance of successful weaning. These factors also correlated with a higher number of weaning attempts. High level of injury, older age, and reduced vital capacity also increased the duration of the weaning process. Patients with low vital capacity and concurrent therapy with Baclofen and Dantrolene showed higher rates of pneumonia. We conclude that mentioned factors are associated with weaning outcome and useful for clinical recommendations and patient counselling. These data further support the complexity of ventilator weaning in the SCI population due to associated complications, therefore we recommend conducting weaning of patients with SCI on intensive or intermediate care units (ICU/IMCU) in specialised centres.

Compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue, anxiety, depression and stress in registered nurses in Australia: study 1 results.

PubMed

Hegney, Desley G; Craigie, Mark; Hemsworth, David; Osseiran-Moisson, Rebecca; Aoun, Samar; Francis, Karen; Drury, Vicki

2014-05-01

To explore compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction with the potential contributing factors of anxiety, depression and stress. To date, no studies have connected the quality of work-life with other contributing and co-existing factors such as depression, anxiety and stress. A self-report exploratory cross sectional survey of 132 nurses working in a tertiary hospital. The reflective assessment risk profile model provides an excellent framework for examining the relationships between the professional quality of work factors and contributing factors within the established risk profiles. The results show a definite pattern of risk progression for the six factors examined for each risk profile. Additionally, burnout and secondary traumatic stress were significantly related to higher anxiety and depression levels. Higher anxiety levels were correlated with nurses who were younger, worked full-time and without a postgraduate qualification. Twenty percent had elevated levels of compassion fatigue: 7.6% having a very distressed profile. At-risk nurses' stress and depression scores were significantly higher than nurses with higher compassion satisfaction scores. The employed nurse workforce would benefit from a psychosocial capacity building intervention that reduces a nurse's risk profile, thus enhancing retention. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Teachers' Perspective on Institutional Barriers to Academic Entrepreneurship--A Case of Uttarakhand State, India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sharma, Lalit

2017-01-01

The study explores the institutional factors which influence the impact of education in building academic entrepreneurship in higher educational institutes of Uttarakhand state, India. In order to understand the institutional barriers, the author interviewed 68 senior-level educationists, who were working in the capacity of Director General,…

Effects of open dumping of MSW on metal contamination of soil, plants, and earthworms in Ranchi, Jharkhand, India.

PubMed

Singh, Monika; Verma, Mohini; Kumar, R Naresh

2018-02-13

Influence of open dumping of municipal solid wastes (MSW) on metal contamination of soil, plants, and earthworms in Ranchi, Jharkhand, India, was studied over 6-month period. Dumpsite in the study area exists in two sections, old section where waste dumping has stopped and new section where wastes are currently disposed. Soil around dumpsite had high concentration of Co, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn than that at control site. Geoaccumulation index indicated uncontaminated to moderate level of soil contamination at old dumpsite and soil at new dumpsite was found to be uncontaminated. Parthenium hysterophorus, Lantana camara, and Calotropis procera were the main plants found in patchy distribution around dumpsite. Plants exhibited almost similar levels of metal concentration in roots and shoots. P. hysterophorus and L. camara showed high bioaccumulation capacity and low translocation capacity. C. procera showed moderate bioaccumulation capacity and high translocation capacity as the concentration of metals was higher in the shoot. P. hysterophorus and L. camara due to higher bioaccumulation capacity and lower translocation capacity appear to be suitable for phytostabilization of metal-contaminated soil. Earthworms present at the dumpsite showed high concentration of Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn with bioconcentration factor > 1. Results highlights that soil contamination due to metals is occurring at the dumpsite which is also leading to transfer of metals to plants and earthworms which can pose serious risk to environment and human health. The plants identified can be used for decontamination of metals from the dumpsite.

Geospatial approach for assessment of biophysical vulnerability to agricultural drought and its intra-seasonal variations.

PubMed

Sehgal, Vinay Kumar; Dhakar, Rajkumar

2016-03-01

The study presents a methodology to assess and map agricultural drought vulnerability during main kharif crop season at local scale and compare its intra-seasonal variations. A conceptual model of vulnerability based on variables of exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity was adopted, and spatial datasets of key biophysical factors contributing to vulnerability were generated using remote sensing and GIS for Rajasthan State of India. Hazard exposure was based on frequency and intensity of gridded standardized precipitation index (SPI). Agricultural sensitivity was based on soil water holding capacity as well as on frequency and intensity of normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI)-derived trend adjusted vegetation condition index (VCITadj). Percent irrigated area was used as a measure of adaptive capacity. Agricultural drought vulnerability was derived separately for early, mid, late, and whole kharif seasons by composting rating of factors using linear weighting scheme and pairwise comparison of multi-criteria evaluation. The regions showing very low to extreme rating of hazard exposure, drought sensitivity, and agricultural vulnerability were identified at all four time scales. The results indicate that high to extreme vulnerability occurs in more than 50% of net sown area in the state and such areas mostly occur in western, central, and southern parts. The higher vulnerability is on account of non-irrigated croplands, moderate to low water holding capacity of sandy soils, resulting in higher sensitivity, and located in regions with high probability of rainfall deficiency. The mid and late season vulnerability has been found to be much higher than that during early and whole season. Significant correlation of vulnerability rating with food grain productivity, drought recurrence period, crop area damaged in year 2009 and socioeconomic indicator of human development index (HDI) proves the general soundness of methodology. Replication of this methodology in other areas is expected to lead to better preparedness and mitigation-oriented management of droughts.

An estimation of finger-tapping rates and load capacities and the effects of various factors.

PubMed

Ekşioğlu, Mahmut; İşeri, Ali

2015-06-01

The aim of this study was to estimate the finger-tapping rates and finger load capacities of eight fingers (excluding thumbs) for a healthy adult population and investigate the effects of various factors on tapping rate. Finger-tapping rate, the total number of finger taps per unit of time, can be used as a design parameter of various products and also as a psychomotor test for evaluating patients with neurologic problems. A 1-min tapping task was performed by 148 participants with maximum volitional tempo for each of eight fingers. For each of the tapping tasks, the participant with the corresponding finger tapped the associated key in the standard position on the home row of a conventional keyboard for touch typing. The index and middle fingers were the fastest fingers for both hands, and little fingers the slowest. All dominant-hand fingers, except little finger, had higher tapping rates than the fastest finger of the nondominant hand. Tapping rate decreased with age and smokers tapped faster than nonsmokers. Tapping duration and exercise had also significant effect on tapping rate. Normative data of tapping rates and load capacities of eight fingers were estimated for the adult population. In designs of psychomotor tests that require the use of tapping rate or finger load capacity data, the effects of finger, age, smoking, and tapping duration need to be taken into account. The findings can be used for ergonomic designs requiring finger-tapping capacity and also as a reference in psychomotor tests. © 2015, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

Neuropsychological Characteristics and Their Association with Higher-Level Functional Capacity in Parkinson's Disease

PubMed Central

Miura, Kayoko; Matsui, Mie; Takashima, Shutaro; Tanaka, Kortaro

2015-01-01

Background/Aims Little is known about the relationship between cognitive functions and higher-level functional capacity (e.g. intellectual activity, social role, and social participation) in Parkinson's disease (PD). The purpose of this study was to clarify neuropsychological characteristics and their association with higher-level functional capacity in PD patients. Methods Participants were 31 PD patients and 23 demographically matched healthy controls. Neuropsychological tests were conducted. One year later, a questionnaire survey evaluated higher-level functional capacity in daily living. Results The PD group scored significantly lower than the control group in all cognitive domains, particularly executive function and processing. Executive function, processing speed, language, and memory were significantly correlated with higher-level functional capacity in PD patients. Stepwise regression showed that only executive function (Trail Making Test-B), together with disease severity (HY stage), predicted the higher-level functional capacity. Conclusion Our findings provide evidence of a relationship between executive function and higher-level functional capacity in patients with PD. PMID:26273243

Relationships of flour solvent retention capacity, secondary structure and rheological properties with the cookie making characteristics of wheat cultivars.

PubMed

Kaur, Amritpal; Singh, Narpinder; Kaur, Seeratpreet; Ahlawat, Arvind Kumar; Singh, Anju Mahendru

2014-09-01

The relationships of grain, flour solvent retention capacity (SRC) and dough rheological properties with the cookie making properties of wheat cultivars were evaluated. Cultivars with higher proportion of intermolecular-β-sheets+antiparallel β sheets and lower α-helix had greater gluten strength. The grain weight and diameter positively correlated with the proportion of fine particles and the cookie spread factor (SF) and negatively to the grain hardness (GH) and Na2CO3 SRC. The SF was higher in the flour with a higher amount of fine particle and with a lower Na2CO3 SRC and dough stability (DS). The breaking strength (BS) of cookies was positively correlated to lactic acid (LA) SRC, DS, peak time, sedimentation value (SV), G' and G″. Na2CO3 SRC and GH were strongly correlated. The gluten performance index showed a strong positive correlation with SV, DS, G' and G″. The water absorption had a significant positive correlation with sucrose SRC and LASRC. Cultivars with higher GH produced higher amount of coarse particles in flours that had higher Na2CO3 SRC and lower cookie SF. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Anode Challenge for Lithium-Ion Batteries: A Mechanochemically Synthesized Sn-Fe-C Composite Anode Surpasses Graphitic Carbon

DOE PAGES

Dong, Zhixin; Zhang, Ruibo; Ji, Dongsheng; ...

2016-02-04

Carbon-based anodes are the key limiting factor in increasing the volumetric capacity of lithium-ion batteries. Tin-based composites are one alternative approach. Nanosized Sn–Fe–C anode materials are mechanochemically synthesized by reducing SnO with Ti in the presence of carbon. The optimum synthesis conditions are found to be 1:0.25:10 for initial ratio of SnO, Ti, and graphite with a total grinding time of 8 h. This optimized composite shows excellent extended cycling at the C/10 rate, delivering a first charge capacity as high as 740 mAh g –1 and 60% of which still remained after 170 cycles. The calculated volumetric capacity significantlymore » exceeds that of carbon. In conclusion, it also exhibits excellent rate capability, delivering volumetric capacity higher than 1.6 Ah cc –1 over 140 cycles at the 1 C rate.« less

Assessment of balance in mild and moderate stages of Alzheimer's disease: implications on falls and functional capacity.

PubMed

Kato-Narita, Eliane Mayumi; Nitrini, Ricardo; Radanovic, Marcia

2011-04-01

To analyze the correlation between balance, falls and loss of functional capacity in mild and moderate Alzheimer's disease(AD). 40 subjects without cognitive impairment (control group) and 48 AD patients (25 mild, 23 moderate) were evaluated with the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and the Disability Assessment for Dementia (DAD). Subjects answered a questionnaire about falls occurrence in the last twelve months. Moderate AD patients showed poorer balance (p=0.001) and functional capacity (p <0.0001) and it was observed a correlation between falls and balance (r= -0.613; p=0.045). There is a decline of balance related to AD which is a factor associated to the occurrence of falls, albeit not the most relevant one. The loss of functional capacity is associated with the disease's progress but not to a higher occurrence of falls. The balance impairment did not correlate with functional decline in AD patients.

The Influence of Background Music on Learning in the Light of Different Theoretical Perspectives and the Role of Working Memory Capacity.

PubMed

Lehmann, Janina A M; Seufert, Tina

2017-01-01

This study investigates how background music influences learning with respect to three different theoretical approaches. Both the Mozart effect as well as the arousal-mood-hypothesis indicate that background music can potentially benefit learning outcomes. While the Mozart effect assumes a direct influence of background music on cognitive abilities, the arousal-mood-hypothesis assumes a mediation effect over arousal and mood. However, the seductive detail effect indicates that seductive details such as background music worsen learning. Moreover, as working memory capacity has a crucial influence on learning with seductive details, we also included the learner's working memory capacity as a factor in our study. We tested 81 college students using a between-subject design with half of the sample listening to two pop songs while learning a visual text and the other half learning in silence. We included working memory capacity in the design as a continuous organism variable. Arousal and mood scores before and after learning were collected as potential mediating variables. To measure learning outcomes we tested recall and comprehension. We did not find a mediation effect between background music and arousal or mood on learning outcomes. In addition, for recall performance there were no main effects of background music or working memory capacity, nor an interaction effect of these factors. However, when considering comprehension we did find an interaction between background music and working memory capacity: the higher the learners' working memory capacity, the better they learned with background music. This is in line with the seductive detail assumption.

The Influence of Background Music on Learning in the Light of Different Theoretical Perspectives and the Role of Working Memory Capacity

PubMed Central

Lehmann, Janina A. M.; Seufert, Tina

2017-01-01

This study investigates how background music influences learning with respect to three different theoretical approaches. Both the Mozart effect as well as the arousal-mood-hypothesis indicate that background music can potentially benefit learning outcomes. While the Mozart effect assumes a direct influence of background music on cognitive abilities, the arousal-mood-hypothesis assumes a mediation effect over arousal and mood. However, the seductive detail effect indicates that seductive details such as background music worsen learning. Moreover, as working memory capacity has a crucial influence on learning with seductive details, we also included the learner’s working memory capacity as a factor in our study. We tested 81 college students using a between-subject design with half of the sample listening to two pop songs while learning a visual text and the other half learning in silence. We included working memory capacity in the design as a continuous organism variable. Arousal and mood scores before and after learning were collected as potential mediating variables. To measure learning outcomes we tested recall and comprehension. We did not find a mediation effect between background music and arousal or mood on learning outcomes. In addition, for recall performance there were no main effects of background music or working memory capacity, nor an interaction effect of these factors. However, when considering comprehension we did find an interaction between background music and working memory capacity: the higher the learners’ working memory capacity, the better they learned with background music. This is in line with the seductive detail assumption. PMID:29163283

Improved Low Temperature Performance of Supercapacitors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brandon, Erik J.; West, William C.; Smart, Marshall C.; Gnanaraj, Joe

2013-01-01

Low temperature double-layer capacitor operation enabled by: - Base acetonitrile / TEATFB salt formulation - Addition of low melting point formates, esters and cyclic ethers center dot Key electrolyte design factors: - Volume of co-solvent - Concentration of salt center dot Capacity increased through higher capacity electrodes: - Zeolite templated carbons - Asymmetric cell designs center dot Continuing efforts - Improve asymmetric cell performance at low temperature - Cycle life testing Motivation center dot Benchmark performance of commercial cells center dot Approaches for designing low temperature systems - Symmetric cells (activated carbon electrodes) - Symmetric cells (zeolite templated carbon electrodes) - Asymmetric cells (lithium titanate/activated carbon electrodes) center dot Experimental results center dot Summary

[Effect of actoprotectors on the work capacity of operators during modeling of various factors of space flight].

PubMed

Bobkov, Iu G; Epishkin, A K

1988-01-01

This paper presents experimental findings indicating that bemithyl, an actoprotective agent, has a beneficial effect on the health status and work capacity of operators during simulated space flight and 56-hour continuous work. The drug enhanced psychophysiological tolerance of the operators and improved the quality of their work: the quality of their compensatory tracking was on the average 10% higher, the number of errors of their porsuit tracking was 1.8 times lower, and the time of visual signal detection was 2.4 times shorter as compared to the placebo controls.

Relative Economic Merits of Storage and Combustion Turbines for Meeting Peak Capacity Requirements under Increased Penetration of Solar Photovoltaics

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

Denholm, Paul; Diakov, Victor; Margolis, Robert

Batteries with several hours of capacity provide an alternative to combustion turbines for meeting peak capacity requirements. Even when compared to state-of-the-art highly flexible combustion turbines, batteries can provide a greater operational value, which is reflected in a lower system-wide production cost. By shifting load and providing operating reserves, batteries can reduce the cost of operating the power system to a traditional electric utility. This added value means that, depending on battery life, batteries can have a higher cost than a combustion turbine of equal capacity and still produce a system with equal or lower overall life-cycle cost. For amore » utility considering investing in new capacity, the cost premium for batteries is highly sensitive to a variety of factors, including lifetime, natural gas costs, PV penetration, and grid generation mix. In addition, as PV penetration increases, the net electricity demand profile changes, which may reduce the amount of battery energy capacity needed to reliably meet peak demand.« less

Mixed artificial grasslands with more roots improved mine soil infiltration capacity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Gao-Lin; Yang, Zheng; Cui, Zeng; Liu, Yu; Fang, Nu-Fang; Shi, Zhi-Hua

2016-04-01

Soil water is one of the critical limiting factors in achieving sustainable revegetation. Soil infiltration capacity plays a vital role in determining the inputs from precipitation and enhancing water storage, which are important for the maintenance and survival of vegetation patches in arid and semi-arid areas. Our study investigated the effects of different artificial grasslands on soil physical properties and soil infiltration capacity. The artificial grasslands were Medicago sativa, Astragalus adsurgens, Agropyron mongolicum, Lespedeza davurica, Bromus inermis, Hedysarum scoparium, A. mongolicum + Artemisia desertorum, A. adsurgens + A. desertorum and M. sativa + B. inermis. The soil infiltration capacity index (SICI), which was based on the average infiltration rate of stage I (AIRSI) and the average infiltration rate of stage III (AIRS III), was higher (indicating that the infiltration capacity was greater) under the artificial grasslands than that of the bare soil. The SICI of the A. adsurgens + A. desertorum grassland had the highest value (1.48) and bare soil (-0.59) had the lowest value. It was evident that artificial grassland could improve soil infiltration capacity. We also used principal component analysis (PCA) to determine that the main factors that affected SICI were the soil water content at a depth of 20 cm (SWC20), the below-ground root biomasses at depths of 10 and 30 cm (BGB10, BGB30), the capillary porosity at a depth of 10 cm (CP10) and the non-capillary porosity at a depth of 20 cm (NCP20). Our study suggests that the use of Legume-poaceae mixtures and Legume-shrub mixtures to create grasslands provided an effective ecological restoration approach to improve soil infiltration properties due to their greater root biomasses. Furthermore, soil water content, below-ground root biomass, soil capillary porosity and soil non-capillary porosity were the main factors that affect the soil infiltration capacity.

The impact of rheumatoid arthritis on work capacity in Chinese patients: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiaoying; Mu, Rong; Wang, Xiuru; Xu, Chuanhui; Duan, Tianjiao; An, Yuan; Han, Shuling; Li, Xiaofeng; Wang, Lizhi; Wang, Caihong; Wang, Yongfu; Yang, Rong; Wang, Guochun; Lu, Xin; Zhu, Ping; Chen, Lina; Liu, Jinting; Jin, Hongtao; Liu, Xiangyuan; Sun, Lin; Wei, Ping; Wang, Junxiang; Chen, Haiying; Cui, Liufu; Shu, Rong; Liu, Bailu; Zhang, Zhuoli; Li, Guangtao; Li, Zhenbin; Yang, Jing; Li, Junfang; Jia, Bin; Zhang, Fengxiao; Tao, Jiemei; Lin, Jinying; Wei, Meiqiu; Liu, Xiaomin; Ke, Dan; Hu, Shaoxian; Ye, Cong; Yang, Xiuyan; Li, Hao; Huang, Cibo; Gao, Ming; Lai, Pei; Li, Xingfu; Song, Lijun; Wang, Yi; Wang, Xiaoyuan; Su, Yin; Li, Zhanguo

2015-08-01

To evaluate the impact of RA on work capacity and identify factors related to work capacity impairment in patients with RA. A cross-sectional multicentre study was performed in 21 tertiary care hospitals across China. A consecutive sample of 846 patients with RA was recruited, of which 589 patients of working age at disease onset constituted the study population. Information on the socio-demographic, clinical, working and financial conditions of the patients was collected. Logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with work capacity impairment. The rate of work capacity impairment was 48.0% in RA patients with a mean disease duration of 60 months (interquartile range 14-134 months), including 11.7% leaving the labour force early, 33.6% working reduced hours and 2.7% changing job. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that reduced working hours was significantly related to current smoking [odds ratio (OR) 2.07 (95% CI 1.08, 3.97)], no insurance [OR 1.94 (95% CI 1.20, 3.12)], in manual labour [OR 2.66 (95% CI 1.68, 4.20)] and higher HAQ score [OR 2.22 (95% CI 1.36, 3.60)]. There was an association of current smoking [OR 3.75 (95% CI 1.54, 9.15)], in manual labour [OR 2.33 (95% CI 1.17, 4.64)], longer disease duration [OR 1.01 (95% CI 1.00, 1.01)] and lower BMI [OR 0.90 (95% CI 0.82, 0.99)] with leaving the labour force early. There is a substantial impact of RA on the work capacity of patients in China. Social-demographic, disease- and work-related factors are all associated with work capacity impairment. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Rheumatology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

[Peculiarities of the psychological status of first-year students in terms of university education].

PubMed

Buduk-ool, L K; Khovalyg, A M

2016-01-01

Peculiarities There was performed the study of the mental status of first-year students enrolled in the Tuvan state University. There were detected levels of reactive and personal anxiety, adaptive capacity, the level of social and psychological adaptation and aggression. Adaptation potential in students is within limits of the satisfactory one, there was no detected person with poor adaptive capacity and failure of adaptation, that indicates to the genetically fixed ability of the students’ body to adapt to living conditions. In a state of psychological adjustment there was revealed the more higher level of anxiety in Tuvan students, which is caused by the poor living conditions. More satisfactory condition is typical for the social and psychological adaptation, since in all students values of test scales are within normal limits.There were shown gender differences in adaptation and psychological status of students. Boys have more lower indices of indirect and verbal aggression, anger, resentment, suspicion, guilt. Girls are characterized by higher hostility, at that it even exceeds standard values. In the group of students with a high personal anxiety no differences in adaptive capacities were found, and in students with moderate personal anxiety there were significantly more boys with stress adaptation than girls. Analysis of the socio-psychological adaptation of first-year students shows that in all students values of the test scales are normal, but in young men, indices are higher that indicates to a more successful socialization in the environment of the university. Correlation analysis of indices of aggressiveness and socio-psychological adaptation revealed weak negative relationships between index of aggressiveness with maladaptiveness, non-acceptance of others, emotional comfort in boys. In girls “aggressiveness” positively correlates with the such indices as acceptance of others and adaptation. Factor analysis in young men revealed the first factor, labeled as maladjustment because it included indirect aggression, maladaptiveness, self-rejection, emotional discomfort and external control. In girls first factor combines indices: adaptability, self-acceptance, adaptation (integral), self-acceptance, emotional comfort, the desire to dominate and this factor was labeled as adaptation.

Comprehensive Adsorption Studies of Doxycycline and Ciprofloxacin Antibiotics by Biochars Prepared at Different Temperatures

PubMed Central

Zeng, Zhi-wei; Tan, Xiao-fei; Liu, Yun-guo; Tian, Si-rong; Zeng, Guang-ming; Jiang, Lu-hua; Liu, Shao-bo; Li, Jiang; Liu, Ni; Yin, Zhi-hong

2018-01-01

This paper comparatively investigated the removal efficiency and mechanisms of rice straw biochars prepared under three pyrolytic temperatures for two kinds of tetracycline and quinolone antibiotics (doxycycline and ciprofloxacin). The influencing factors of antibiotic adsorption (including biochar dosage, pH, background electrolytes, humic acid, initial antibiotics concentration, contact time, and temperature) were comprehensively studied. The results suggest that biochars produced at high-temperature [i.e., 700°C (BC700)], have higher adsorption capacity for the two antibiotics than low-temperature (i.e., 300–500°C) biochars (BC300 and BC500). Higher surface area gives rise to greater volume of micropores and mesopores, and higher graphitic surfaces of the BC700 contributed to its higher functionality. The maximum adsorption capacity was found to be in the following order: DOX > CIP. The π-π EDA interaction and hydrogen bonding might be the predominant adsorption mechanisms. Findings in this study highlight the important roles of high-temperature biochars in controlling the contamination of tetracycline and quinolone antibiotics in the environment. PMID:29637067

Physiological and Medical Aspects That Put Women Soldiers at Increased Risk for Overuse Injuries.

PubMed

Epstein, Yoram; Fleischmann, Chen; Yanovich, Ran; Heled, Yuval

2015-11-01

Anthropometric and physiological factors place female soldiers at a disadvantage relative to male soldiers in most aspects of physical performance. Average aerobic and anaerobic fitness levels are lower in women than in men. Thus, women have a lower overall work capacity and must exert themselves more than men to achieve the same output. The lower weight and fat-free mass and the higher body fat of women are associated with lower muscle strength and endurance, placing them at a disadvantage compared with men in performing military tasks such as lifting and carrying weights, or marching with a load. Working at a higher percentage of their maximal capacity to achieve the same performance levels as men, women tire earlier. Their smaller size, skeletal anatomy, and different bone geometry also predispose women to a higher incidence of exercise-related injuries. Consequently, the attrition rate of female soldiers in combat units is higher than that of their male counterparts. This review summarizes the literature on gender-related physiological and anatomical differences that put female soldiers at an increased risk of exercise-related injuries.

Comprehensive adsorption studies of doxycycline and ciprofloxacin antibiotics by biochars prepared at different temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, Zhi-wei; Tan, Xiao-fei; Liu, Yun-guo; Tian, Si-rong; Zeng, Guang-ming; Jiang, Lu-hua; Liu, Shao-bo; Li, Jiang; Liu, Ni; Yin, Zhi-hong

2018-03-01

This paper comparatively investigated the removal efficiency and mechanisms of rice straw biochars prepared under three pyrolytic temperatures for two kinds of tetracycline and quinolone antibiotics (doxycycline and ciprofloxacin). The influencing factors of antibiotic adsorption (including biochar dosage, pH, background electrolytes, humic acid, initial antibiotics concentration, contact time, and temperature) were comprehensively studied. The results suggest that biochars produced at high-temperature (i.e., 700°C (BC700)), have higher adsorption capacity for the two antibiotics than low-temperature (i.e., 300-500°C) biochars (BC300 and BC500). Higher surface area gives rise to greater volume of micropores and mesopores, and higher graphitic surfaces of the BC700 contributed to its higher functionality. The maximum adsorption capacity was found to be in the following order: DOX > CIP. The π-π EDA interaction and hydrogen bonding might be the predominant adsorption mechanisms. Findings in this study highlight the important roles of high-temperature biochars in controlling the contamination of tetracycline and quinolone antibiotics in the environment.

Analysis on economic carrying capacity index of pig breeding in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leng, Bi-Bin; Liu, Jia-Ling; Xu, Yue-Feng

2017-08-01

In this paper, factor analysis method was employed to analyze and calculate the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita in the last decade, the proportion of research and experiment development (R&D) expenditure equivalent to GDP, urban and rural residents’ pork consumption and explored the scale of Chinese pig breeding on economic carrying capacity index. The result showed that the growth of GDP had led to better techniques and higher field investment, and stronger support like science and technology from the government provided good conditions for large scale of pig breeding. Besides, the substantial increase of pork consumption between rural and urban residents has contributed to the pig breeding in large scale. As a result, the economic carrying capacity index in Chinese pig farming is on the rise.

Nuclear respiratory factor-1 and bioenergetics in tamoxifen-resistant breast cancer cells

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

Radde, Brandie N.; Ivanova, Margarita M.; Mai, Huy Xuan

Acquired tamoxifen (TAM) resistance is a significant clinical problem in treating patients with estrogen receptor α (ERα)+ breast cancer. We reported that ERα increases nuclear respiratory factor-1 (NRF-1), which regulates nuclear-encoded mitochondrial gene transcription, in MCF-7 breast cancer cells and NRF-1 knockdown stimulates apoptosis. Whether NRF-1 and target gene expression is altered in endocrine resistant breast cancer cells is unknown. We measured NRF-1and metabolic features in a cell model of progressive TAM-resistance. NRF-1 and its target mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) were higher in TAM-resistant LCC2 and LCC9 cells than TAM-sensitive MCF-7 cells. Using extracellular flux assays we observed thatmore » LCC1, LCC2, and LCC9 cells showed similar oxygen consumption rate (OCR), but lower mitochondrial reserve capacity which was correlated with lower Succinate Dehydrogenase Complex, Subunit B in LCC1 and LCC2 cells. Complex III activity was lower in LCC9 than MCF-7 cells. LCC1, LCC2, and LCC9 cells had higher basal extracellular acidification (ECAR), indicating higher aerobic glycolysis, relative to MCF-7 cells. Mitochondrial bioenergetic responses to estradiol and 4-hydroxytamoxifen were reduced in the endocrine-resistant cells compared to MCF-7 cells. These results suggest the acquisition of altered metabolic phenotypes in response to long term antiestrogen treatment may increase vulnerability to metabolic stress. - Highlights: • NRF-1 and TFAM expression are higher in endocrine-resistant breast cancer cells. • Oxygen consumption rate is similar in endocrine-sensitive and resistant cells. • Mitochondrial reserve capacity is lower in endocrine-resistant cells. • Endocrine-resistant breast cancer cells have increased glycolysis. • Bioenergetic responses to E2 and tamoxifen are lower in endocrine-resistant cells.« less

Events Associated with Early Age-Related Decline in Adventitious Rooting Competence of Eucalyptus globulus Labill.

PubMed

Aumond, Márcio L; de Araujo, Artur T; de Oliveira Junkes, Camila F; de Almeida, Márcia R; Matsuura, Hélio N; de Costa, Fernanda; Fett-Neto, Arthur G

2017-01-01

The development of adventitious roots is affected by several factors, including the age of the cutting donor plant, which negatively affects rooting capacity. Eucalyptus globulus quickly loses rooting capacity of cuttings as the donor plant ages, although the molecular and biochemical mechanisms behind this process are still unclear. To better understand the bases of rooting competence loss in E. globulus , the time required for a significant decline in rhizogenic ability without exogenous auxin was determined in microcuttings derived from donor plants of different ages after sowing. Tip cuttings of donor plants were severed before and after loss of rooting competence of microcuttings to test the hypothesis that auxin and carbohydrate homeostasis regulate rooting competence decline. There were no significant changes in concentration of carbohydrates, flavonoids, or proteins before and after the loss of rooting capacity. Peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.7) total activity increased with loss of rooting competence. Auxin concentration showed the opposite pattern. In good agreement, TAA1 , a key gene in auxin biosynthesis, had lower expression after loss of rooting capacity. The same applied to the auxin receptor gene TIR1 , suggesting reduced auxin sensitivity. On the other hand, genes associated with auxin response repression ( TPL , IAA12 ) or with the action of cytokinins, the rhizogenesis inhibitor-related ARR1 , showed higher expression in plants with lower rooting competence. Taken together, data suggest that age negatively affects E. globulus rooting by a combination of factors. Decreased endogenous auxin concentration, possibly caused by less biosynthesis, lower auxin sensitivity, higher expression of genes inhibiting auxin action, as well as of genes related to the action of cytokinins, appear to play roles in this process.

Events Associated with Early Age-Related Decline in Adventitious Rooting Competence of Eucalyptus globulus Labill

PubMed Central

Aumond, Márcio L.; de Araujo, Artur T.; de Oliveira Junkes, Camila F.; de Almeida, Márcia R.; Matsuura, Hélio N.; de Costa, Fernanda; Fett-Neto, Arthur G.

2017-01-01

The development of adventitious roots is affected by several factors, including the age of the cutting donor plant, which negatively affects rooting capacity. Eucalyptus globulus quickly loses rooting capacity of cuttings as the donor plant ages, although the molecular and biochemical mechanisms behind this process are still unclear. To better understand the bases of rooting competence loss in E. globulus, the time required for a significant decline in rhizogenic ability without exogenous auxin was determined in microcuttings derived from donor plants of different ages after sowing. Tip cuttings of donor plants were severed before and after loss of rooting competence of microcuttings to test the hypothesis that auxin and carbohydrate homeostasis regulate rooting competence decline. There were no significant changes in concentration of carbohydrates, flavonoids, or proteins before and after the loss of rooting capacity. Peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.7) total activity increased with loss of rooting competence. Auxin concentration showed the opposite pattern. In good agreement, TAA1, a key gene in auxin biosynthesis, had lower expression after loss of rooting capacity. The same applied to the auxin receptor gene TIR1, suggesting reduced auxin sensitivity. On the other hand, genes associated with auxin response repression (TPL, IAA12) or with the action of cytokinins, the rhizogenesis inhibitor-related ARR1, showed higher expression in plants with lower rooting competence. Taken together, data suggest that age negatively affects E. globulus rooting by a combination of factors. Decreased endogenous auxin concentration, possibly caused by less biosynthesis, lower auxin sensitivity, higher expression of genes inhibiting auxin action, as well as of genes related to the action of cytokinins, appear to play roles in this process. PMID:29067033

Breast density and parenchymal texture measures as potential risk factors for estrogen-receptor positive breast cancer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keller, Brad M.; Chen, Jinbo; Conant, Emily F.; Kontos, Despina

2014-03-01

Accurate assessment of a woman's risk to develop specific subtypes of breast cancer is critical for appropriate utilization of chemopreventative measures, such as with tamoxifen in preventing estrogen-receptor positive breast cancer. In this context, we investigate quantitative measures of breast density and parenchymal texture, measures of glandular tissue content and tissue structure, as risk factors for estrogen-receptor positive (ER+) breast cancer. Mediolateral oblique (MLO) view digital mammograms of the contralateral breast from 106 women with unilateral invasive breast cancer were retrospectively analyzed. Breast density and parenchymal texture were analyzed via fully-automated software. Logistic regression with feature selection and was performed to predict ER+ versus ER- cancer status. A combined model considering all imaging measures extracted was compared to baseline models consisting of density-alone and texture-alone features. Area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and Delong's test were used to compare the models' discriminatory capacity for receptor status. The density-alone model had a discriminatory capacity of 0.62 AUC (p=0.05). The texture-alone model had a higher discriminatory capacity of 0.70 AUC (p=0.001), which was not significantly different compared to the density-alone model (p=0.37). In contrast the combined density-texture logistic regression model had a discriminatory capacity of 0.82 AUC (p<0.001), which was statistically significantly higher than both the density-alone (p<0.001) and texture-alone regression models (p=0.04). The combination of breast density and texture measures may have the potential to identify women specifically at risk for estrogen-receptor positive breast cancer and could be useful in triaging women into appropriate risk-reduction strategies.

Arsenic methylation capacity is associated with breast cancer in northern Mexico.

PubMed

López-Carrillo, Lizbeth; Hernández-Ramírez, Raúl Ulises; Gandolfi, A Jay; Ornelas-Aguirre, José Manuel; Torres-Sánchez, Luisa; Cebrian, Mariano E

2014-10-01

Exposure to environmental contaminants, dietary factors and lifestyles may explain worldwide different breast cancer (BC) incidence. Inorganic arsenic (iAs) in the drinking water is a concern in many regions, such as northern Mexico. Studies in several countries have associated the proportion of urinary monomethylarsenic (%MMA) with increased risks for many As-related diseases, including cancer. To investigate the potential relationships between the risk of BC and the capacity to methylate iAs, a hospital-based case-control study (1016 cases/1028 controls) was performed in northern Mexico. Women were directly interviewed about their reproductive histories. The profile of As metabolites in urine was determined by HPLC-ICP-MS and methylation capacity was assessed by metabolite percentages and indexes. Total urinary As, excluding arsenobetaine (TAs-AsB), ranged from 0.26 to 303.29μg/L. Most women (86%) had TAs-AsB levels below As biological exposure index (35μg/L). Women with higher %MMA and/or primary methylation index (PMI) had an increased BC risk (%MMA ORQ5vs.Q1=2.63; 95%CI 1.89,3.66; p for trend <0.001; PMI ORQ5vs.Q1=1.90; 95%CI 1.39,2.59, p for trend <0.001). In contrast, women with higher proportion of urinary dimethylarsenic (%DMA) and/or secondary methylation index (SMI) had a reduced BC risk (%DMA ORQ5vs.Q1=0.63; 95%CI 0.45,0.87, p for trend 0.006; SMI ORQ5vsQ1=0.42, 95%CI 0.31,0.59, p for trend <0.001). Neither %iAs nor total methylation index was associated to BC risk. Inter-individual variations in iAs metabolism may play a role in BC carcinogenesis. Women with higher capacity to methylate iAs to MMA and/or a lower capacity to further methylate MMA to DMA were at higher BC risk. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Adsorption of sulfur dioxide on ammonia-treated activated carbon fibers

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mangun, C.L.; DeBarr, J.A.; Economy, J.

2001-01-01

A series of activated carbon fibers (ACFs) and ammonia-treated ACFs prepared from phenolic fiber precursors have been studied to elucidate the role of pore size, pore volume, and pore surface chemistry on adsorption of sulfur dioxide and its catalytic conversion to sulfuric acid. As expected, the incorporation of basic functional groups into the ACFs was shown as an effective method for increasing adsorption of sulfur dioxide. The adsorption capacity for dry SO2 did not follow specific trends; however the adsorption energies calculated from the DR equation were found to increase linearly with nitrogen content for each series of ACFs. Much higher adsorption capacities were achieved for SO2 in the presence of oxygen and water due to its catalytic conversion to H2SO4. The dominant factor for increasing adsorption of SO2 from simulated flue gas for each series of fibers studied was the weight percent of basic nitrogen groups present. In addition, the adsorption energies calculated for dry SO2 were shown to be linearly related to the adsorption capacity of H2SO4 from this flue gas for all fibers. It was shown that optimization of this parameter along with the pore volume results in higher adsorption capacities for removal of SO2 from flue gases. ?? 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Revision of XLM-2013-1129 as invited by the Action Editor, Rebekah Smith

PubMed Central

Naveh-Benjamin, Moshe; Kilb, Angela; Maddox, Geoff; Thomas, Jenna; Fine, Hope; Chen, Tina; Cowan, Nelson

2014-01-01

Although older adults have lower working memory spans on average than young adults, we demonstrate in five experiments one way in which older adults paradoxically resemble higher-capacity young adults. Specifically, in a selective-listening task, older adults almost always failed to notice their names presented in an unattended channel. This is an exaggeration of what high-span young adults show, and the opposite of what low spans show. This striking finding in older adults remained significant after controlling for working memory span and for noticing their names in an attended channel. The findings were replicated when presentation rate was made slower and when the ear in which the unattended name was presented was controlled. These results point to an account of older adults’ performance involving not only an inhibition factor, which allows high-span young adults to suppress the channel to be ignored, but also an attentional capacity factor, with more unallocated capacity allowing low-span young adults to notice their names much more often than older adults with comparably low spans. PMID:24820668

Application of HB17, an Arabidopsis class II homeodomain-leucine zipper transcription factor, to regulate chloroplast number and photosynthetic capacity.

PubMed

Hymus, Graham J; Cai, Suqin; Kohl, Elizabeth A; Holtan, Hans E; Marion, Colleen M; Tiwari, Shiv; Maszle, Don R; Lundgren, Marjorie R; Hong, Melissa C; Channa, Namitha; Loida, Paul; Thompson, Rebecca; Taylor, J Philip; Rice, Elena; Repetti, Peter P; Ratcliffe, Oliver J; Reuber, T Lynne; Creelman, Robert A

2013-11-01

Transcription factors are proposed as suitable targets for the control of traits such as yield or food quality in plants. This study reports the results of a functional genomics research effort that identified ATHB17, a transcription factor from the homeodomain-leucine zipper class II family, as a novel target for the enhancement of photosynthetic capacity. It was shown that ATHB17 is expressed natively in the root quiescent centre (QC) from Arabidopsis embryos and seedlings. Analysis of the functional composition of genes differentially expressed in the QC from a knockout mutant (athb17-1) compared with its wild-type sibling revealed the over-representation of genes involved in auxin stimulus, embryo development, axis polarity specification, and plastid-related processes. While no other phenotypes were observed in athb17-1 plants, overexpression of ATHB17 produced a number of phenotypes in Arabidopsis including enhanced chlorophyll content. Image analysis of isolated mesophyll cells of 35S::ATHB17 lines revealed an increase in the number of chloroplasts per unit cell size, which is probably due to an increase in the number of proplastids per meristematic cell. Leaf physiological measurements provided evidence of improved photosynthetic capacity in 35S::ATHB17 lines on a per unit leaf area basis. Estimates of the capacity for ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate-saturated and -limited photosynthesis were significantly higher in 35S::ATHB17 lines.

Application of HB17, an Arabidopsis class II homeodomain-leucine zipper transcription factor, to regulate chloroplast number and photosynthetic capacity

PubMed Central

Kohl, Elizabeth A.; Tiwari, Shiv; Lundgren, Marjorie R.; Channa, Namitha; Creelman, Robert A.

2013-01-01

Transcription factors are proposed as suitable targets for the control of traits such as yield or food quality in plants. This study reports the results of a functional genomics research effort that identified ATHB17, a transcription factor from the homeodomain-leucine zipper class II family, as a novel target for the enhancement of photosynthetic capacity. It was shown that ATHB17 is expressed natively in the root quiescent centre (QC) from Arabidopsis embryos and seedlings. Analysis of the functional composition of genes differentially expressed in the QC from a knockout mutant (athb17-1) compared with its wild-type sibling revealed the over-representation of genes involved in auxin stimulus, embryo development, axis polarity specification, and plastid-related processes. While no other phenotypes were observed in athb17-1 plants, overexpression of ATHB17 produced a number of phenotypes in Arabidopsis including enhanced chlorophyll content. Image analysis of isolated mesophyll cells of 35S::ATHB17 lines revealed an increase in the number of chloroplasts per unit cell size, which is probably due to an increase in the number of proplastids per meristematic cell. Leaf physiological measurements provided evidence of improved photosynthetic capacity in 35S::ATHB17 lines on a per unit leaf area basis. Estimates of the capacity for ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate-saturated and -limited photosynthesis were significantly higher in 35S::ATHB17 lines. PMID:24006420

Evaluation of Water Resources Carrying Capacity in Shandong Province Based on Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Qiang; Gao, Qian; Zhu, Mingyue; Li, Xiumei

2018-06-01

Water resources carrying capacity is the maximum available water resources supporting by the social and economic development. Based on investigating and statisticing on the current situation of water resources in Shandong Province, this paper selects 13 factors including per capita water resources, water resources utilization, water supply modulus, rainfall, per capita GDP, population density, per capita water consumption, water consumption per million yuan, The water consumption of industrial output value, the agricultural output value of farmland, the irrigation rate of cultivated land, the water consumption rate of ecological environment and the forest coverage rate were used as the evaluation factors. Then,the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model was used to analyze the water resources carrying capacity Force status evaluation. The results showed : The comprehensive evaluation results of water resources in Shandong Province were lower than 0.6 in 2001-2009 and higher than 0.6 in 2010-2015, which indicating that the water resources carrying capacity of Shandong Province has been improved.; In addition, most of the years a value of less than 0.6, individual years below 0.4, the interannual changes are relatively large, from that we can see the level of water resources is generally weak, the greater the interannual changes in Shandong Province.

The Effect of Classroom Capacity on Vocal Fatigue as Quantified by the Vocal Fatigue Index.

PubMed

Banks, Russell E; Bottalico, Pasquale; Hunter, Eric J

2017-01-01

Previous research has concluded that teachers are at a higher-than-normal risk for voice issues that can cause occupational limitations. While some risk factors have been identified, there are still many unknowns. A survey was distributed electronically with 506 female teacher respondents. The survey included questions to quantify three aspects of vocal fatigue as captured by the Vocal Fatigue Index (VFI): (1) general tiredness of voice (performance), (2) physical discomfort associated with voicing (pain), and (3) improvement of symptoms with rest (recovery). The effect of classroom capacity on US teachers' self-reported experience of vocal fatigue was analyzed. The results indicated that a classroom's capacity significantly affected teachers' reported amounts of vocal fatigue, while a teacher's age also appeared to significantly affect the reported amount of vocal fatigue. A quadratic rather than linear effect was seen, with the largest age effect occurring at around 40-45 years in all three factors of the VFI. Further factors which may affect vocal fatigue must be explored in future research. By understanding what increases the risk for vocal fatigue, educators and school administrators can take precautions to mitigate the occupational risk of short- and long-term vocal health issues in school teachers. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Method of Calculating the Correction Factors for Cable Dimensioning in Smart Grids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simutkin, M.; Tuzikova, V.; Tlusty, J.; Tulsky, V.; Muller, Z.

2017-04-01

One of the main causes of overloading electrical equipment by currents of higher harmonics is the great increasing of a number of non-linear electricity power consumers. Non-sinusoidal voltages and currents affect the operation of electrical equipment, reducing its lifetime, increases the voltage and power losses in the network, reducing its capacity. There are standards that respects emissions amount of higher harmonics current that cannot provide interference limit for a safe level in power grid. The article presents a method for determining a correction factor to the long-term allowable current of the cable, which allows for this influence. Using mathematical models in the software Elcut, it was described thermal processes in the cable in case the flow of non-sinusoidal current. Developed in the article theoretical principles, methods, mathematical models allow us to calculate the correction factor to account for the effect of higher harmonics in the current spectrum for network equipment in any type of non-linear load.

[Effect of occupational stress on oxidation/antioxidant capacity in nurses].

PubMed

Cao, Lili; Tian, Honger; Zhang, Qingdong; Zhu, Xinyun; Zhan, Yongguo; Su, Jingguo; Xu, Tian; Zhu, Huabin; Liu, Ling

2014-02-01

To investigate the effect of occupational stress on the oxidation/antioxidant capacity in nurses. A total of 131 nurses were included as study subjects. The occupational health information collection system (based on the Internet of things) was used for measurement of occupational stress. Levels of hydroxyl free radicals and antioxidant enzymes were determined. The serum level of superoxide dismutase (SOD) was the highest in nurses under the age of 30 and the lowest in those over 45 (P < 0.05). The serum levels of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and peroxidase (POD) were the highest in nurses of working age less than 5 years, followed by those of 5-15 years, and nurses with more than 25 years' working experience showed the lowest GSH-Px and POD levels (P < 0.05). Furthermore, nurses with a university (college) degree had a higher GSH-Px level and a lower POD level compared with those with junior and senior high school degrees (P < 0.05). Job prospects and job control were positive occupational stress factors for SOD. Job hazards were negative occupational stress factors for POD. Psychological satisfaction was negative occupational stress reaction for hydroxyl free radicals. Calmness was positive occupational stress reaction for SOD, and daily stress was a negative one. The positive occupational stress reactions for GSH-Px were psychological satisfaction and job satisfaction, and daily stress was negative reaction. Nurses with higher occupational stress have stronger oxidation and weaker antioxidant capacity, which intensifies oxidant-antioxidant imbalance and leads to oxidative stress damage.

Digestive capacities, inbreeding and growth capacities in juvenile Arctic charr Salvelinus alpinus.

PubMed

Ditlecadet, D; Blier, P U; Le François, N R; Dufresne, F

2009-12-01

Genetic variation in growth performance was estimated in 26 families from two commercial strains of Arctic charr Salvelinus alpinus. Physiological determinants of growth and metabolic capacities were also assessed through enzymatic assays. A relatedness coefficient was attributed to each family using parental genotypes at seven microsatellite loci. After 15 months of growth, faster growing families had significantly lower relatedness coefficients than slower growing families, suggesting their value as indicators of growth potential. Individual fish that exhibited higher trypsin activity also displayed higher growth rate, suggesting that superior protein digestion capacities can be highly advantageous at early stages. Capacities to use amino acids as expressed by glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) activities were lower in the liver of fast-growing fish (13-20%), whereas white muscle of fast-growing fish showed higher activities than that of slow-growing fish for amino acid metabolism and aerobic capacity [22-32% increase for citrate synthase (CS), aspartate aminotransferase (AAT) and GDH]. The generally higher glycolytic capacities (PK and LDH) in white muscle of fast-growing fish indicated higher burst swimming capacities and hence better access to food.

Multilevel Analysis for Identifying Factors Influencing Academic Achievement of Students in Higher Education Institution: The Case of Wollo University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beyene, Kassu Mehari; Yimam, Jemal Ayalew

2016-01-01

Education is a process by which man transmits his experiences, new findings, and values accumulated over the years, in his struggle for survival and development, through generations. Accordingly, one of the aims of education is to strengthen the individual's and societies' problem solving capacity, ability and culture starting from basic education…

Iron-binding antioxidant capacity is impaired in diabetes mellitus.

PubMed

Van Campenhout, Ann; Van Campenhout, Christel; Lagrou, Albert R; Moorkens, Greta; De Block, Christophe; Manuel-y-Keenoy, Begoña

2006-05-15

Increased lipid peroxidation contributes to diabetic complications and redox-active iron is known to play an important role in catalyzing peroxidation reactions. We aimed to investigate if diabetes affects the capacity of plasma to protect against iron-driven lipid peroxidation and to identify underlying factors. Glycemic control, serum iron, proteins involved in iron homeostasis, plasma iron-binding antioxidant capacity in a liposomal model, and non-transferrin-bound iron were measured in 40 type 1 and 67 type 2 diabetic patients compared to 100 nondiabetic healthy control subjects. Iron-binding antioxidant capacity was significantly lower in the plasma of diabetic subjects (83 +/- 6 and 84 +/- 5% in type 1 and type 2 diabetes versus 88 +/- 6% in control subjects, p < 0.0005). The contribution of transferrin, ceruloplasmin, and albumin concentrations to the iron-binding antioxidant capacity was lost in diabetes (explaining only 4.2 and 6.3% of the variance in type 1 and type 2 diabetes versus 13.9% in control subjects). This observation could not be explained by differences in Tf glycation, lipid, or inflammatory status and was not associated with higher non-transferrin-bound iron levels. Iron-binding antioxidant capacity is decreased in diabetes mellitus.

Yield, Composition and Antioxidant Capacity of the Essential Oil of Sweet Basil and Holy Basil as Influenced by Distillation Methods.

PubMed

Shiwakoti, Santosh; Saleh, Osama; Poudyal, Shital; Barka, Abdulssamad; Qian, Yanping; Zheljazkov, Valtcho D

2017-04-01

The profile and bioactivity of essential oil (EO) depends on genetic, environmental, and other factors. We hypothesized that the basil EO may be influenced by the distillation methods. Hence, a study was conducted to evaluate the effect of steam distillation (SD) and hydrodistillation (HD) extraction method on the yield, composition, and bioactivity of EO of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) and holy basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum). In both basil species, the EO yield (content) was significantly higher from SD than from HD. There were significant differences in the compounds' concentrations of EO obtained from SD and HD as well, however, the same compounds were identified in the EO from HD and SD. In the EO of O. basilicum, the concentration of 74% of the identified compounds were higher in SD than HD, whereas in the EO of O. tenuiflorum, the concentration of 84% of identified compounds were higher in SD than in HD. However, the concentrations of two of the major compounds of O. basilicum EO (estragole and methyl cinnamate) and a major compound of O. tenuiflorum EO (methyl eugenol) were significantly higher in HD than in SD. The type of distillation did not affect the antioxidant capacity of basil EO within the species. This study demonstrated that the type of distillation may significantly affect oil yield and composition but not the antioxidant capacity of the EO from sweet and holy basil. © 2017 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.

Development Of A Multivariate Prognostic Model For Pain And Activity Limitation In People With Low Back Disorders Receiving Physiotherapy.

PubMed

Ford, Jon J; Richards BPhysio, Matt C; Surkitt BPhysio, Luke D; Chan BPhysio, Alexander Yp; Slater, Sarah L; Taylor, Nicholas F; Hahne, Andrew J

2018-05-28

To identify predictors for back pain, leg pain and activity limitation in patients with early persistent low back disorders. Prospective inception cohort study; Setting: primary care private physiotherapy clinics in Melbourne, Australia. 300 adults aged 18-65 years with low back and/or referred leg pain of ≥6-weeks and ≤6-months duration. Not applicable. Numerical rating scales for back pain and leg pain as well as the Oswestry Disability Scale. Prognostic factors included sociodemographics, treatment related factors, subjective/physical examination, subgrouping factors and standardized questionnaires. Univariate analysis followed by generalized estimating equations were used to develop a multivariate prognostic model for back pain, leg pain and activity limitation. Fifty-eight prognostic factors progressed to the multivariate stage where 15 showed significant (p<0.05) associations with at least one of the three outcomes. There were five indicators of positive outcome (two types of low back disorder subgroups, paresthesia below waist, walking as an easing factor and low transversus abdominis tone) and 10 indicators of negative outcome (both parents born overseas, deep leg symptoms, longer sick leave duration, high multifidus tone, clinically determined inflammation, higher back and leg pain severity, lower lifting capacity, lower work capacity and higher pain drawing percentage coverage). The preliminary model identifying predictors of low back disorders explained up to 37% of the variance in outcome. This study evaluated a comprehensive range of prognostic factors reflective of both the biomedical and psychosocial domains of low back disorders. The preliminary multivariate model requires further validation before being considered for clinical use. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Macrophage cell activation with acute apical abscess contents determined by interleukin-1 Beta and tumor necrosis factor alpha production.

PubMed

Sousa, Ezilmara L R; Martinho, Frederico C; Leite, Fabio R M; Nascimento, Gustavo G; Gomes, Brenda P F A

2014-11-01

This clinical study has investigated the antigenic activity of bacterial contents from exudates of acute apical abscesses (AAAs) and their paired root canal contents regarding the stimulation capacity by levels of interleukin (IL)-1 beta and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) throughout the root canal treatment against macrophage cells. Paired samples of infected root canals and exudates of AAAs were collected from 10 subjects. Endodontic contents were sampled before (root canal sample [RCS] 1) and after chemomechanical preparation (RCS2) and after 30 days of intracanal medication with calcium hydroxide + chlorhexidine gel (Ca[OH]2 + CHX gel) (RCS3). Polymerase chain reaction (16S rDNA) was used for detection of the target bacteria, whereas limulus amebocyte lysate was used to measure endotoxin levels. Raw 264.7 macrophages were stimulated with AAA exudates from endodontic contents sampled in different moments of root canal treatment. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were used to measure the levels of TNF-α and IL-1 beta. Parvimonas micra, Porphyromonas endodontalis, Dialister pneumosintes, and Prevotella nigrescens were the most frequently detected species. Higher levels of endotoxins were found in samples from periapical exudates at RCS1 (P < .005). In fact, samples collected from periapical exudates showed a higher stimulation capacity at RCS1 (P < .05). A positive correlation was found between endotoxins from exudates with IL-1 beta (r = 0.97) and TNF-α (r = 0.88) production (P < .01). The significant reduction of endotoxins and bacterial species achieved by chemomechanical procedures (RCS2) resulted in a lower capacity of root canal contents to stimulate the cells compared with that at RCS1 (P < .05). The use of Ca(OH)2 + CHX gel as an intracanal medication (RCS3) improved the removal of endotoxins and bacteria from infected root canals (P < .05) whose contents induced a lower stimulation capacity against macrophages cells at RCS1, RCS2, and RCS3 (P < .05). AAA exudates showed higher levels of endotoxins and showed a greater capacity of macrophage stimulation than the paired root canal samples. Moreover, the use of intracanal medication improved the removal of bacteria and endotoxins from infected root canals, which may have resulted in the reduction of the inflammatory potential of the root canal content. Copyright © 2014 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Closing oil palm yield gaps among Indonesian smallholders through industry schemes, pruning, weeding and improved seeds

PubMed Central

Soliman, T.; Lim, F. K. S.; Lee, J. S. H.

2016-01-01

Oil palm production has led to large losses of valuable habitats for tropical biodiversity. Sparing of land for nature could in theory be attained if oil palm yields increased. The efficiency of oil palm smallholders is below its potential capacity, but the factors determining efficiency are poorly understood. We employed a two-stage data envelopment analysis approach to assess the influence of agronomic, supply chain and management factors on oil palm production efficiency in 190 smallholders in six villages in Indonesia. The results show that, on average, yield increases of 65% were possible and that fertilizer and herbicide use was excessive and inefficient. Adopting industry-supported scheme management practices, use of high-quality seeds and higher pruning and weeding rates were found to improve efficiency. Smallholder oil palm production intensification in Indonesia has the capacity to increase production by 26%, an equivalent of 1.75 million hectares of land. PMID:27853605

Closing oil palm yield gaps among Indonesian smallholders through industry schemes, pruning, weeding and improved seeds.

PubMed

Soliman, T; Lim, F K S; Lee, J S H; Carrasco, L R

2016-08-01

Oil palm production has led to large losses of valuable habitats for tropical biodiversity. Sparing of land for nature could in theory be attained if oil palm yields increased. The efficiency of oil palm smallholders is below its potential capacity, but the factors determining efficiency are poorly understood. We employed a two-stage data envelopment analysis approach to assess the influence of agronomic, supply chain and management factors on oil palm production efficiency in 190 smallholders in six villages in Indonesia. The results show that, on average, yield increases of 65% were possible and that fertilizer and herbicide use was excessive and inefficient. Adopting industry-supported scheme management practices, use of high-quality seeds and higher pruning and weeding rates were found to improve efficiency. Smallholder oil palm production intensification in Indonesia has the capacity to increase production by 26%, an equivalent of 1.75 million hectares of land.

Improved two-temperature model including electron density of states effects for Au during femtosecond laser pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fang, Ranran; Wei, Hua; Li, Zhihua; Zhang, Duanming

2012-01-01

The electron temperature dependences of the electron-phonon coupling factor and electron heat capacity based on the electron density of states are investigated for precious metal Au under femtosecond laser irradiation. The thermal excitation of d band electrons is found to result in large deviations from the commonly used approximations of linear temperature dependence of the electron heat capacity, and the constant electron-phonon coupling factor. Results of the simulations performed with the two-temperature model demonstrate that the electron-phonon relaxation time becomes short for high fluence laser for Au. The satisfactory agreement between our numerical results and experimental data of threshold fluence indicates that the electron temperature dependence of the thermophysical parameters accounting for the thermal excitation of d band electrons should not be neglected under the condition that electron temperature is higher than 10 4 K.

Accelerating the design of molecularly imprinted nanocomposite membranes modified by Au@polyaniline for selective enrichment and separation of ibuprofen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Xiuling; Wu, Yilin; Dong, Hongjun; Zhao, Juan; Wang, Chen; Zhou, Shi; Lu, Jian; Yan, Yongsheng; Li, He

2018-01-01

A novel system for harvesting molecularly imprinted nanocomposite membranes (MINcMs) with Au-modified polyaniline (Au@polyaniline) nanocomposite structure was developed for selective enrichment and separation of ibuprofen. This unique nanocomposite structure obviously enhanced the adsorption capacity, perm-selectivity performance, and regeneration ability of MINcMs. The as-prepared MINcMs showed outstanding adsorption capacity (22.02 mg g-1) of ibuprofen, which was four times higher than that of non-imprinted nanocomposite membranes (NINcMs). Furthermore, the selectivity factor of MINcMs for ibuprofen reached up to 4.67 and the perm-selectivity factor β was about 8.74, which indicated MINcMs had a good selective separation performance of ibuprofen. We envision that this novel synthesis method will open a new direction to manipulation of molecularly imprinted membrane materials and provide a simple yet convenient way to selective separation of ibuprofen.

Walking Capacity of Bariatric Surgery Candidates

PubMed Central

King, WC; Engel, SG; Elder, KA; Chapman, WH; Eid, GM; Wolfe, BM; Belle, SH

2011-01-01

Background This study characterizes the walking limitations of bariatric surgery candidates by age and body mass index (BMI) and determines factors independently associated with walking capacity. Setting Multi-institutional at research university hospitals in the United States. Methods 2458 participants of the Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery study (age: 18-78 y, BMI: 33-94 kg/m2) attended a pre-operative research visit. Walking capacity was measured via self-report and the 400 meter Long Distance Corridor Walk (LDCW). Results Almost two-thirds (64%) of subjects reported limitations walking several blocks, 48% had an objectively-defined mobility deficit, and 16% reported at least some walking aid use. In multivariable analysis, BMI, older age, lower income and greater bodily pain were independently associated (p<.05) with walking aid use, physical discomfort during the LDCW, inability to complete the LDCW, and slower time to complete the LDCW. Female sex, Hispanic ethnicity (but not race), higher resting heart rate, history of smoking, several comoribidities (history of stroke, ischemic heart disease, diabetes, asthma, sleep apnea, venous edema with ulcerations), and depressive symptoms were also independently related (p<.05) to at least one measure of reduced walking capacity. Conclusions Walking limitations are common in bariatric surgery candidates, even among the least severely obese and youngest patients. Physical activity counseling must be tailored to individuals' abilities. While several factors identified in this study (e.g., BMI, age, pain, comorbidities) should be considered, directly assessing walking capacity will facilitate appropriate goal-setting. PMID:21937285

Human Umbilical Cord Perivascular Cells Exhibited Enhanced Migration Capacity towards Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Comparison with Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stromal Cells: A Role for Autocrine Motility Factor Receptor

PubMed Central

Aquino, Jorge B.; Malvicini, Mariana; Bolontrade, Marcela; Podhajcer, Osvaldo; Garcia, Mariana G.; Mazzolini, Guillermo

2014-01-01

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Unfortunately, the incidence and mortality associated with HCC are increasing. Therefore, new therapeutic strategies are urgently needed and the use of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) as carrier of therapeutic genes is emerging as a promising option. Different sources of MSCs are being studied for cell therapy and bone marrow-derived cells are the most extensively explored; however, birth associated-tissues represent a very promising source. The aim of this work was to compare the in vitro and in vivo migration capacity between bone marrow MSCs (BM-MSCs) and human umbilical cord perivascular cells (HUCPVCs) towards HCC. We observed that HUCPVCs presented higher in vitro and in vivo migration towards factors released by HCC. The expression of autocrine motility factor (AMF) receptor, genes related with the availability of the receptor on the cell surface (caveolin-1 and -2) and metalloproteinase 3, induced by the receptor activation and important for cell migration, was increased in HUCPVCs. The chemotactic response towards recombinant AMF was increased in HUCPVCs compared to BM-MSCs, and its inhibition in the conditioned medium from HCC induced higher decrease in HUCPVC migration than in BM-MSC. Our results indicate that HUCPVCs could be a useful cellular source to deliver therapeutic genes to HCC. PMID:25147818

Human umbilical cord perivascular cells exhibited enhanced migration capacity towards hepatocellular carcinoma in comparison with bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells: a role for autocrine motility factor receptor.

PubMed

Bayo, Juan; Fiore, Esteban; Aquino, Jorge B; Malvicini, Mariana; Rizzo, Manglio; Peixoto, Estanislao; Alaniz, Laura; Piccioni, Flavia; Bolontrade, Marcela; Podhajcer, Osvaldo; Garcia, Mariana G; Mazzolini, Guillermo

2014-01-01

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Unfortunately, the incidence and mortality associated with HCC are increasing. Therefore, new therapeutic strategies are urgently needed and the use of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) as carrier of therapeutic genes is emerging as a promising option. Different sources of MSCs are being studied for cell therapy and bone marrow-derived cells are the most extensively explored; however, birth associated-tissues represent a very promising source. The aim of this work was to compare the in vitro and in vivo migration capacity between bone marrow MSCs (BM-MSCs) and human umbilical cord perivascular cells (HUCPVCs) towards HCC. We observed that HUCPVCs presented higher in vitro and in vivo migration towards factors released by HCC. The expression of autocrine motility factor (AMF) receptor, genes related with the availability of the receptor on the cell surface (caveolin-1 and -2) and metalloproteinase 3, induced by the receptor activation and important for cell migration, was increased in HUCPVCs. The chemotactic response towards recombinant AMF was increased in HUCPVCs compared to BM-MSCs, and its inhibition in the conditioned medium from HCC induced higher decrease in HUCPVC migration than in BM-MSC. Our results indicate that HUCPVCs could be a useful cellular source to deliver therapeutic genes to HCC.

Chorion Mesenchymal Stem Cells Show Superior Differentiation, Immunosuppressive, and Angiogenic Potentials in Comparison With Haploidentical Maternal Placental Cells

PubMed Central

González, Paz L.; Carvajal, Catalina; Cuenca, Jimena; Alcayaga-Miranda, Francisca; Figueroa, Fernando E.; Bartolucci, Jorge; Salazar-Aravena, Lorena

2015-01-01

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) of placental origin have become increasingly translational owing to their abundance and accessibility. MSCs of different origin share several features but also present biological differences that might point to distinct clinical properties. Hence, mixing fetal and maternal cells from the same placenta can lead to contradicting results. We analyzed the biological characteristics of haploidentical MSCs isolated from fetal sources, including the umbilical cord (UC-MSCs) and chorion (Ch-MSCs), compared with maternal decidua MSCs (Dc-MSCs). All MSCs were analyzed for general stem cell properties. In addition, immunosuppressive capacity was assessed by the inhibition of T-cell proliferation, and angiogenic potential was evaluated in a Matrigel transplantation assay. The comparison between haploidentical MSCs displayed several distinct features, including (a) marked differences in the expression of CD56, (b) a higher proliferative capacity for Dc-MSCs and UC-MSCs than for Ch-MSCs, (c) a diversity of mesodermal differentiation potential in favor of fetal MSCs, (d) a higher capacity for Ch-MSCs to inhibit T-cell proliferation, and (e) superior angiogenic potential of Ch-MSCs evidenced by a higher capability to form tubular vessel-like structures and an enhanced release of hepatocyte growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor under hypoxic conditions. Our results suggest that assessing the prevalence of fetomaternal contamination within placental MSCs is necessary to increase robustness and limit side effects in their clinical use. Finally, our work presents evidence positioning fetoplacental cells and notably Ch-MSCs in the forefront of the quest for cell types that are superior for applications in regenerative medicine. Significance This study analyzed the biological characteristics of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) isolated from fetal and maternal placental origins. The findings can be summarized as follows: (a) important differences were found in the expression of CD56, (b) a different mesodermal differentiation potential was found in favor of fetal MSCs, (c) a higher immunosuppressive capacity for chorion MSCs was noted, and (d) superior angiogenic potential of Ch-MSCs was observed. These results suggest that assessing the prevalence of fetomaternal contamination within placental MSCs is necessary to increase robustness and limit side effects in their clinical use. The evidence should allow clinicians to view fetoplacental cells, notably Ch-MSCs, favorably as candidates for use in regenerative medicine. PMID:26273064

Variation in lung volumes and capacities among young males in relation to height.

PubMed

Bhatti, Urooj; Rani, Keenjher; Memon, Muhammad Qasim

2014-01-01

Vital Capacity (VC) is defined as a change in volume of lung after maximal inspiration followed by maximal expiration is called Vital Capacity of lungs. It is the sum of tidal volume, inspiratory reserve volume .and expiratory reserve volume. Vital capacity of normal adults ranges between 3 to 5 litres. A number of physiological factors like age, gender, height and ethnicity effect lung volumes. The reference values of lung volume and capacities were calculated previously and those studies played pivotal role in establishing the fact that air volume capacities measured in an individual fall within a wide range among healthy persons of same age, gender and height buit with different ethnicity. The objective of this study was to evaluate the changes in vital capacity in with height and gender. This cross-sectional study included 74 male students in the Department of Physiology, Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Jamshoro during January-March, 2014. The volunteers were divided into 2 groups of height ≤ 167.4 cm and > 167.4 cm. The volunteers' height was measured in cm. Vital capacity of the subjects was measured using standard protocol. Mean ± SD of age, height and vital capacity were calculated. Mean vital capacity in students with height > 167.4 cm was higher than average vital capacity of students with height ≤ 167.4 cm. It might be due to the increased surface area of the lungs in relation with increasing height. There are variations in vital capacity of individuals in relation to their heights, within the same ethnic and age groups.

Quantitative evolutionary design

PubMed Central

Diamond, Jared

2002-01-01

The field of quantitative evolutionary design uses evolutionary reasoning (in terms of natural selection and ultimate causation) to understand the magnitudes of biological reserve capacities, i.e. excesses of capacities over natural loads. Ratios of capacities to loads, defined as safety factors, fall in the range 1.2-10 for most engineered and biological components, even though engineered safety factors are specified intentionally by humans while biological safety factors arise through natural selection. Familiar examples of engineered safety factors include those of buildings, bridges and elevators (lifts), while biological examples include factors of bones and other structural elements, of enzymes and transporters, and of organ metabolic performances. Safety factors serve to minimize the overlap zone (resulting in performance failure) between the low tail of capacity distributions and the high tail of load distributions. Safety factors increase with coefficients of variation of load and capacity, with capacity deterioration with time, and with cost of failure, and decrease with costs of initial construction, maintenance, operation, and opportunity. Adaptive regulation of many biological systems involves capacity increases with increasing load; several quantitative examples suggest sublinear increases, such that safety factors decrease towards 1.0. Unsolved questions include safety factors of series systems, parallel or branched pathways, elements with multiple functions, enzyme reaction chains, and equilibrium enzymes. The modest sizes of safety factors imply the existence of costs that penalize excess capacities. Those costs are likely to involve wasted energy or space for large or expensive components, but opportunity costs of wasted space at the molecular level for minor components. PMID:12122135

Where is the ideal location for a US East Coast offshore grid?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dvorak, Michael J.; Stoutenburg, Eric D.; Archer, Cristina L.; Kempton, Willett; Jacobson, Mark Z.

2012-03-01

This paper identifies the location of an “ideal” offshore wind energy (OWE) grid on the U.S. East Coast that would (1) provide the highest overall and peak-time summer capacity factor, (2) use bottom-mounted turbine foundations (depth ≤50 m), (3) connect regional transmissions grids from New England to the Mid-Atlantic, and (4) have a smoothed power output, reduced hourly ramp rates and hours of zero power. Hourly, high-resolution mesoscale weather model data from 2006-2010 were used to approximate wind farm output. The offshore grid was located in the waters from Long Island, New York to the Georges Bank, ≈450 km east. Twelve candidate 500 MW wind farms were located randomly throughout that region. Four wind farms (2000 MW total capacity) were selected for their synergistic meteorological characteristics that reduced offshore grid variability. Sites likely to have sea breezes helped increase the grid capacity factor during peak time in the spring and summer months. Sites far offshore, dominated by powerful synoptic-scale storms, were included for their generally higher but more variable power output. By interconnecting all 4 farms via an offshore grid versus 4 individual interconnections, power was smoothed, the no-power events were reduced from 9% to 4%, and the combined capacity factor was 48% (gross). By interconnecting offshore wind energy farms ≈450 km apart, in regions with offshore wind energy resources driven by both synoptic-scale storms and mesoscale sea breezes, substantial reductions in low/no-power hours and hourly ramp rates can be made.

The relationship between sustained inattentional blindness and working memory capacity.

PubMed

Beanland, Vanessa; Chan, Esther Hiu Chung

2016-04-01

Inattentional blindness, whereby observers fail to detect unexpected stimuli, has been robustly demonstrated in a range of situations. Originally research focused primarily on how stimulus characteristics and task demands affect inattentional blindness, but increasingly studies are exploring the influence of observer characteristics on the detection of unexpected stimuli. It has been proposed that individual differences in working memory capacity predict inattentional blindness, on the assumption that higher working memory capacity confers greater attentional capacity for processing unexpected stimuli. Unfortunately, empirical investigations of the association between inattentional blindness and working memory capacity have produced conflicting findings. To help clarify this relationship, we examined the relationship between inattentional blindness and working memory capacity in two samples (Ns = 195, 147) of young adults. We used three common variants of sustained inattentional blindness tasks, systematically manipulating the salience of the unexpected stimulus and primary task practice. Working memory capacity, measured by automated operation span (both Experiments 1 & 2) and N-back (Experiment 1 only) tasks, did not predict detection of the unexpected stimulus in any of the inattentional blindness tasks tested. Together with previous research, this undermines claims that there is a robust relationship between inattentional blindness and working memory capacity. Rather, it appears that any relationship between inattentional blindness and working memory is either too small to have practical significance or is moderated by other factors and consequently varies with attributes such as the sample characteristics within a given study.

Sensation seeking, coping with stress, and readiness to engage in therapy: does ego development influence the psychosocial functioning of substance-abusing mothers?

PubMed

David, Daryn H; McMahon, Thomas J; Luthar, Suniya L; Suchman, Nancy E

2012-04-01

Ego development, the capacity to derive coherent, nuanced meaning from one's life experiences, often has significant impact on psychosocial adjustment during adulthood. Research with nonclinical populations has indicated links between higher ego development and healthy emotional coping and interpersonal relationships. Emerging research with substance-abusing mothers suggests that higher levels of ego development are associated with improved parenting but also with increased rates of psychopathology. Less is known about how ego development is related to other psychosocial factors important for substance-abusing mothers' functioning and capacity to parent, including the proclivity to engage in risky behaviors, adaptive coping behaviors, and readiness to engage in psychotherapy. The present study examines these links. Participants included 182 methadonemaintained women who expressed interest in a randomized clinical trial testing the efficacy of a relational parenting intervention for substance-abusing mothers (Luthar, Suchman, & Altomare, 2007). Data were analyzed using a series of MANCOVAs and ANCOVAs controlling for maternal IQ and depression. Mothers with higher levels of ego development reported more adaptive coping techniques and greater readiness to engage in psychotherapy but also reported a heightened desire for strong sensations. Findings are discussed in light of mothers' psychological processes and parenting capacities. The significance of findings for developing parenting interventions for substance-abusing mothers is also discussed. © 2012 American Orthopsychiatric Association.

Relationship between functional capacity and body mass index with plasma coenzyme Q10 and oxidative damage in community-dwelling elderly-people.

PubMed

Del Pozo-Cruz, Jesús; Rodríguez-Bies, Elizabeth; Navas-Enamorado, Ignacio; Del Pozo-Cruz, Borja; Navas, Plácido; López-Lluch, Guillermo

2014-04-01

The impact of aging and physical capacity on coenzyme Q10 (Q10) levels in human blood is unknown. Plasma Q10 is an important factor in cardiovascular diseases. To understand how physical activity in the elderly affects endogenous Q10 levels in blood plasma, we studied a cohort of healthy community-dwelling people. Volunteers were subjected to different tests of the Functional Fitness Test Battery including handgrip strength, six-minute walk, 30 s chair to stand, and time up and go tests. Anthropometric characteristics, plasma Q10 and lipid peroxidation (MDA) levels were determined. Population was divided according to gender and fitness. We found that people showing higher levels of functional capacity presented lower levels of cholesterol and lipid peroxidation accompanied by higher levels of Q10 in plasma. The ratio Q10/cholesterol and Q10/LDL increased in these people. No relationship was found when correlated to muscle strength or agility. On the other hand, obesity was related to lower Q10 and higher MDA levels in plasma affecting women more significantly. Our data demonstrate for the first time that physical activity at advanced age can increase the levels of Q10 and lower the levels of lipid peroxidation in plasma, probably reducing the progression of cardiovascular diseases. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Choice of reserve capacity by hospitals: a problem for prospective payment.

PubMed

Widmer, Philippe K; Trottmann, Maria; Zweifel, Peter

2018-06-01

This contribution analyzes the impact of prospective payment on hospital decisions with regard to reserve capacity, using Swiss hospital data covering the years 2004-2009. This data set is unique because it permits distinguishing of institutional characteristics (e.g., ownership status) from the mode of payment as determinants of hospital efficiency, due to the fact that some Swiss cantons introduced prospective payment early while others waited for federal legislation to be enacted in 2012. Since a hospital's choice of reserve capacity depends also on the risk preferences of management while affecting the cost function, heterogeneity is predicted even in the presence of identical technology and factor prices. For estimating hospitals' marginal costs, we employ the flexible representation of risk preferences by Pope and Chavas [Am J Agric Econ 76, 196-204 (1994)]. Production uncertainty is measured as the difference between actual admissions and admissions predicted by an autoregressive moving average model. Its effect on hospital cost is analyzed using a multilevel stochastic cost frontier model with random coefficients reflecting unobserved differences in technology. Public hospitals are found to opt for a higher probability of meeting unexpected demand, as predicted. Their operating cost is 1.1% higher than for private hospitals and even 1.9% higher than for teaching hospitals, creating an incentive to turn away patients or to keep them waiting for treatment.

Sensation Seeking, Coping With Stress, and Readiness to Engage in Therapy: Does Ego Development Influence the Psychosocial Functioning of Substance-Abusing Mothers?

PubMed Central

David, Daryn H.; McMahon, Thomas J.; Luthar, Suniya L.; Suchman, Nancy E.

2012-01-01

Ego development, the capacity to derive coherent, nuanced meaning from one’s life experiences, often has significant impact on psychosocial adjustment during adulthood. Research with nonclinical populations has indicated links between higher ego development and healthy emotional coping and interpersonal relationships. Emerging research with substance-abusing mothers suggests that higher levels of ego development are associated with improved parenting but also with increased rates of psychopathology. Less is known about how ego development is related to other psychosocial factors important for substance-abusing mothers’ functioning and capacity to parent, including the proclivity to engage in risky behaviors, adaptive coping behaviors, and readiness to engage in psychotherapy. The present study examines these links. Participants included 182 methadone-maintained women who expressed interest in a randomized clinical trial testing the efficacy of a relational parenting intervention for substance-abusing mothers (Luthar, Suchman, & Altomare, 2007). Data were analyzed using a series of MANCOVAs and ANCOVAs controlling for maternal IQ and depression. Mothers with higher levels of ego development reported more adaptive coping techniques and greater readiness to engage in psychotherapy but also reported a heightened desire for strong sensations. Findings are discussed in light of mothers’ psychological processes and parenting capacities. The significance of findings for developing parenting interventions for substance-abusing mothers is also discussed. PMID:22506525

Optimization of Extraction Conditions for Maximal Phenolic, Flavonoid and Antioxidant Activity from Melaleuca bracteata Leaves Using the Response Surface Methodology

PubMed Central

Hou, Wencheng; Zhang, Wei; Chen, Guode; Luo, Yanping

2016-01-01

Melaleuca bracteata is a yellow-leaved tree belonging to the Melaleuca genus. Species from this genus are known to be good sources of natural antioxidants, for example, the “tea tree oil” derived from M. alternifolia is used in food processing to extend the shelf life of products. In order to determine whether M. bracteata contains novel natural antioxidants, the components of M. bracteata ethanol extracts were analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were extracted and the antioxidant activities of the extracts evaluated. Single-factor experiments, central composite rotatable design (CCRD) and response surface methodology (RSM) were used to optimize the extraction conditions for total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC). Ferric reducing power (FRP) and 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH·) scavenging capacity were used as the evaluation indices of antioxidant activity. The results showed that the main components of M. bracteata ethanol extracts are methyl eugenol (86.86%) and trans-cinnamic acid methyl ester (6.41%). The single-factor experiments revealed that the ethanol concentration is the key factor determining the TPC, TFC, FRP and DPPH·scavenging capacity. RSM results indicated that the optimal condition of all four evaluation indices was achieved by extracting for 3.65 days at 53.26°C in 34.81% ethanol. Under these conditions, the TPC, TFC, FRP and DPPH·scavenging capacity reached values of 88.6 ± 1.3 mg GAE/g DW, 19.4 ± 0.2 mg RE/g DW, 2.37 ± 0.01 mM Fe2+/g DW and 86.0 ± 0.3%, respectively, which were higher than those of the positive control, methyl eugenol (FRP 0.97 ± 0.02 mM, DPPH·scavenging capacity 58.6 ± 0.7%) at comparable concentrations. Therefore, the extracts of M. bracteata leaves have higher antioxidant activity, which did not only attributed to the methyl eugenol. Further research could lead to the development of a potent new natural antioxidant. PMID:27611576

Optimization of Extraction Conditions for Maximal Phenolic, Flavonoid and Antioxidant Activity from Melaleuca bracteata Leaves Using the Response Surface Methodology.

PubMed

Hou, Wencheng; Zhang, Wei; Chen, Guode; Luo, Yanping

2016-01-01

Melaleuca bracteata is a yellow-leaved tree belonging to the Melaleuca genus. Species from this genus are known to be good sources of natural antioxidants, for example, the "tea tree oil" derived from M. alternifolia is used in food processing to extend the shelf life of products. In order to determine whether M. bracteata contains novel natural antioxidants, the components of M. bracteata ethanol extracts were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were extracted and the antioxidant activities of the extracts evaluated. Single-factor experiments, central composite rotatable design (CCRD) and response surface methodology (RSM) were used to optimize the extraction conditions for total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC). Ferric reducing power (FRP) and 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH·) scavenging capacity were used as the evaluation indices of antioxidant activity. The results showed that the main components of M. bracteata ethanol extracts are methyl eugenol (86.86%) and trans-cinnamic acid methyl ester (6.41%). The single-factor experiments revealed that the ethanol concentration is the key factor determining the TPC, TFC, FRP and DPPH·scavenging capacity. RSM results indicated that the optimal condition of all four evaluation indices was achieved by extracting for 3.65 days at 53.26°C in 34.81% ethanol. Under these conditions, the TPC, TFC, FRP and DPPH·scavenging capacity reached values of 88.6 ± 1.3 mg GAE/g DW, 19.4 ± 0.2 mg RE/g DW, 2.37 ± 0.01 mM Fe2+/g DW and 86.0 ± 0.3%, respectively, which were higher than those of the positive control, methyl eugenol (FRP 0.97 ± 0.02 mM, DPPH·scavenging capacity 58.6 ± 0.7%) at comparable concentrations. Therefore, the extracts of M. bracteata leaves have higher antioxidant activity, which did not only attributed to the methyl eugenol. Further research could lead to the development of a potent new natural antioxidant.

Higher Plasma Pyridoxal Phosphate Is Associated with Increased Antioxidant Enzyme Activities in Critically Ill Surgical Patients

PubMed Central

Cheng, Chien-Hsiang; Huang, Shih-Chien; Chiang, Ting-Yu; Wong, Yueching

2013-01-01

Critically ill patients experience severe stress, inflammation and clinical conditions which may increase the utilization and metabolic turnover of vitamin B-6 and may further increase their oxidative stress and compromise their antioxidant capacity. This study was conducted to examine the relationship between vitamin B-6 status (plasma and erythrocyte PLP) oxidative stress, and antioxidant capacities in critically ill surgical patients. Thirty-seven patients in surgical intensive care unit of Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan, were enrolled. The levels of plasma and erythrocyte PLP, serum malondialdehyde, total antioxidant capacity, and antioxidant enzyme activities (i.e., superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione S-transferase, and glutathione peroxidase) were determined on the 1st and 7th days of admission. Plasma PLP was positively associated with the mean SOD activity level on day 1 (r = 0.42, P < 0.05), day 7 (r = 0.37, P < 0.05), and on changes (Δ (day 7 − day 1)) (r = 0.56, P < 0.01) after adjusting for age, gender, and plasma C-reactive protein concentration. Higher plasma PLP could be an important contributing factor in the elevation of antioxidant enzyme activity in critically ill surgical patients. PMID:23819116

Falling Victim to Wasps in the Air: A Fate Driven by Prey Flight Morphology?

PubMed Central

Ballesteros, Yolanda; Polidori, Carlo; Tormos, José; Baños-Picón, Laura; Asís, Josep D.

2016-01-01

In prey-predator systems where the interacting individuals are both fliers, the flight performance of both participants heavily influences the probability of success of the predator (the prey is captured) and of the prey (the predator is avoided). While the flight morphology (an estimate of flight performance) of predatory wasps has rarely been addressed as a factor that may contribute to explain prey use, how the flight morphology of potential prey influences the output of predator-prey encounters has not been studied. Here, we hypothesized that flight morphology associated with flight ability (flight muscle mass to body mass ratio (FMR) and body mass to wing area ratio (wing loading, WL)) of Diptera affect their probability of being captured by specialized Diptera-hunting wasps (Bembix merceti and B. zonata), predicting a better manoeuvrability and acceleration capacity achieved by higher FMR and lower WL, and flight speed achieved by higher WL. In addition, wasp species with better flight morphology should be less limited by an advantageous Diptera flight morphology. Overall, the abundance of dipterans in the environment explained an important part of the observed variance in prey capture rate. However, it was not the only factor shaping prey capture. First, higher prey abundance was associated with greater capture rate for one species (B. merceti), although not for the other one. Second, the interaction observed between the environmental dipteran availability and dipteran WL for B. zonata suggests that greater dipteran WL (this probably meaning high cruising speed) decreased the probability of being captured, as long as fly abundance was high in the environment. Third, greater dipteran FMR (which likely means high manoeuvrability and acceleration capacity) helped to reduce predation by B. merceti if, again, dipterans were abundant in the environment. Wasp WL only varied with body mass but not between species, thereby hardly accounting for inter-specific differences in the wasps’ predatory patterns. However, the greater FMR of B. zonata, which implies better flight performance and greater load-lifting capacity, may explain why the capture rate in the two wasp species is affected by different factor interactions. In conclusion, although prey availability remains the primary factor shaping prey use, prey flight morphology seems to gain an additional role under conditions of abundant prey, when wasps can avoid flies with better flight ability. PMID:27046238

Heavy metal contents and transfer capacities of Phragmites australis and Suaeda salsa in the Yellow River Delta, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Shuai; Bai, Junhong; Wang, Wei; Huang, Laibing; Zhang, Guangliang; Wang, Dawei

2018-04-01

Plant samples including roots, stems and leaves of Phragmites australis and Suaeda salsa were collected in the short-term flooding and tidal flooding wetlands of the Yellow River Delta of China. Six heavy metals (e.g., As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn) were measured in roots, stems and leaves of each plant species using inductively coupled plasma atomic absorption spectrometry (ICP-AAS) to investigate the levels, and transfer capabilities of heavy metals in these two plant species. Our results showed that in the tidal flooding wetlands, the contents of As, Cr and Cd in roots of Phragmites australis and Suaeda salsa were higher than those in their stems and leaves. Suaeda salsa showed higher contents of Pb and Zn in leaves than those in roots and stems, whereas lower levels of Pb and Zn were observed in Phragmites australis. In the short-term flooding wetlands, heavy metal contents exhibited a big difference between different tissues of Phragmites australis and Suaeda salsa, and both plant species showed higher levels of Pb and Zn in leaves. Suaeda salsa roots enriched more As and Cd, whereas higher enrichment levels were observed in Phragmites australis leaves, which indicated different transfer capacities of these two wetland plants. The transfer factors for stems and leaves of Phragmites australis in the tidal flooding wetlands significantly differed from those in the short-term flooding wetlands, however, no significant differences in transfer factors for stems and leaves of Suaeda salsa were observed between these two types of wetlands.

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

Agusa, Tetsuro; Department of Legal Medicine, Shimane University Faculty of Medicine, Enya 89-1, Izumo 693-8501; Iwata, Hisato

To elucidate the role of genetic factors in arsenic (As) metabolism, we studied associations of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in As (+ 3 oxidation state) methyltransferase (AS3MT) with the As concentrations in hair and urine, and urinary As profile in residents in the Red River Delta, Vietnam. Concentrations of total As in groundwater were 0.7-502 {mu}g/l. Total As levels in groundwater drastically decreased by using sand filter, indicating that the filter could be effective to remove As from raw groundwater. Concentrations of inorganic As (IAs) in urine and total As in hair of males were higher than those of females.more » A significant positive correlation between monomethylarsonic acid (MMA)/IAs and age in females indicates that older females have higher methylation capacity from IAs to MMA. Body mass index negatively correlated with urinary As concentrations in males. Homozygote for SNPs 4602AA, 35991GG, and 37853GG, which showed strong linkage disequilibrium (LD), had higher percentage (%) of dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) in urine. SNPs 4740 and 12590 had strong LD and associated with urinary %DMA. Although SNPs 6144, 12390, 14215, and 35587 comprised LD cluster, homozygotes in SNPs 12390GG and 35587CC had lower DMA/MMA in urine, suggesting low methylation capacity from MMA to DMA in homo types for these SNPs. SNPs 5913 and 8973 correlated with %MMA and %DMA, respectively. Heterozygote for SNP 14458TC had higher MMA/IAs in urine than TT homozygote, indicating that the heterozygote may have stronger methylation ability of IAs. To our knowledge, this is the first study on the association of genetic factors with As metabolism in Vietnamese.« less

[Results of a physical therapy program in nursing home residents: A randomized clinical trial].

PubMed

Casilda-López, Jesús; Torres-Sánchez, Irene; Garzón-Moreno, Victor Manuel; Cabrera-Martos, Irene; Valenza, Marie Carmen

2015-01-01

The maintenance of the physical functionality is a key factor in the care of the elderly. Inactive people have a higher risk of death due to diseases associated with inactivity. In addition, the maintenance of optimal levels of physical and mental activity has been suggested as a protective factor against the development and progression of chronic illnesses and disability. The objective of this study is to assess the effectiveness of an 8-week exercise program with elastic bands, on exercise capacity, walking and balance in nursing home residents. A nursing home sample was divided into two groups, intervention group (n=26) and control group (n=25). The intervention group was included in an 8-week physical activity program using elastic bands, twice a week, while the control group was took part in a walking programme. Outcome measurements were descriptive variables (anthropometric characteristics, quality of life, fatigue, fear of movement) and fundamental variables (exercise capacity, walking and balance). A significant improvement in balance and walking speed was observed after the programme. Additionally, exercise capacity improved significantly (P≤.001), and the patients showed an improvement in perceived dyspnea after the physical activity programme in the intervention group. The exercise program was safe and effective in improving dyspnea, exercise capacity, walking, and balance in elderly. Copyright © 2014 SEGG. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Social Cognition in Psychosis: Multidimensional Structure, Clinical Correlates, and Relationship With Functional Outcome

PubMed Central

Mancuso, Francesco; Horan, William P.; Kern, Robert S.; Green, Michael F.

2010-01-01

Social cognitive impairments are common, detectable across a wide range of tasks, and appear to play a key role in explaining poor outcome in schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders. However, little is known about the underlying factor structure of social cognition in people with psychotic disorders due to a lack of exploratory factor analyses using a relatively comprehensive social cognitive assessment battery. In a sample of 85 outpatients with psychosis, we examined the factor structure and clinical/functional correlates of eight indexes derived from five social cognition tasks that span the domains of emotional processing, social perception, attributional style, and Theory of Mind. Exploratory factor analysis revealed three factors with relatively low inter-correlations that explained a total of 54% of the variance: (1) Hostile attributional style, (2) Lower-level social cue detection, and (3) Higher-level inferential and regulatory processes. None of the factors showed significant correlations with negative symptoms. Factor 1 significantly correlated with clinical symptoms (positive, depression-anxiety, agitation) but not functional outcome, whereas Factors 2 and 3 significantly correlated with functional outcome (functional capacity and real-world social and work functioning) but not clinical symptoms. Furthermore, Factor 2 accounted for unique incremental variance in functional capacity, above and beyond non-social neurocognition (measured with MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery) and negative symptoms. Results suggest that multiple separable dimensions of social cognition can be identified in psychosis, and these factors show distinct patterns of correlation with clinical features and functional outcome. PMID:21112743

Memory self-efficacy predicts responsiveness to inductive reasoning training in older adults.

PubMed

Payne, Brennan R; Jackson, Joshua J; Hill, Patrick L; Gao, Xuefei; Roberts, Brent W; Stine-Morrow, Elizabeth A L

2012-01-01

In the current study, we assessed the relationship between memory self-efficacy at pretest and responsiveness to inductive reasoning training in a sample of older adults. Participants completed a measure of self-efficacy assessing beliefs about memory capacity. Participants were then randomly assigned to a waitlist control group or an inductive reasoning training intervention. Latent change score models were used to examine the moderators of change in inductive reasoning. Inductive reasoning showed clear improvements in the training group compared with the control. Within the training group, initial memory capacity beliefs significantly predicted change in inductive reasoning such that those with higher levels of capacity beliefs showed greater responsiveness to the intervention. Further analyses revealed that self-efficacy had effects on how trainees allocated time to the training materials over the course of the intervention. Results indicate that self-referential beliefs about cognitive potential may be an important factor contributing to plasticity in adulthood.

High-capacity adsorption of aniline using surface modification of lignocellulose-biomass jute fibers.

PubMed

Gao, Da-Wen; Hu, Qi; Pan, Hongyu; Jiang, Jiping; Wang, Peng

2015-10-01

Pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA) modified jute fiber (MJF) were prepared with microwave treatment to generate a biosorbent for aniline removal. The characterization of the biosorbent was investigated by SEM, BET and FT-IR analysis to discuss the adsorption mechanism. The studies of various factors influencing the adsorption behavior indicated that the optimum dosage for aniline adsorption was 3g/L, the maximum adsorption capacity was observed at pH 7.0 and the adsorption process is spontaneous and endothermic. The aniline adsorption follows the pseudo second order kinetic model and Langmuir isotherm model. Moreover, the biosorbent could be regenerated through the desorption of aniline by using 0.5M HCl solution, and the adsorption capacity after regeneration is even higher than that of virgin MJF. All these results prove MJF is a promising adsorbent for aniline removal in wastewater. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Correlates of Pro-Drinking Practices in Drinking Parents of Adolescents in Hong Kong

PubMed Central

Au, Wing Man; Ho, Sai Yin; Wang, Man Ping; Lo, Wing Sze; Tin, Sze Pui Pamela; Huang, Rong; Lam, Tai Hing

2015-01-01

Introduction and Aims Parental alcohol-related practices are important risk factors of adolescent drinking, but little is known about the factors associated with these parental pro-drinking practices (PPDPs). We investigated the correlates of 9 PPDPs in drinking parents of adolescents in Hong Kong. Methods A total of 2200 students (age 14.8±2.0; boys 63.2%) participated in a school-based cross-sectional survey in 2012. Analysis was restricted to 1087 (61.8%) students with at least 1 drinking parent as PPDPs were much more common in these families. Logistic regression was used to identify correlates of each PPDP. Results Among 1087 students, the prevalence of PPDPs ranged from 8.2% for training drinking capacity to 65.7% for seeing parents drink. Only 14.8% of students had not experienced any of these practices. More frequent maternal drinking predicted parental training of drinking capacity. Older age predicted helping parents buy alcohol and parental encouragement of drinking. Adolescent girls were more likely to have received parental training of drinking capacity than boys. Higher perceived family affluence was associated with hearing parents saying benefits of drinking, and helping parents open bottle and pour alcohol. Conclusions PPDPs were associated with parental drinking frequency and various socio-demographic factors. These results have implications on alcohol control programmes involving parents to tailor messages for reducing PPDPs based on the characteristics of adolescents and parents. PMID:25786105

The Role of Climatic and Density Dependent Factors in Shaping Mosquito Population Dynamics: The Case of Culex pipiens in Northwestern Italy

PubMed Central

Giacobini, Mario; Pugliese, Andrea; Merler, Stefano; Rosà, Roberto

2016-01-01

Culex pipiens mosquito is a species widely spread across Europe and represents a competent vector for many arboviruses such as West Nile virus (WNV), which has been recently circulating in many European countries, causing hundreds of human cases. In order to identify the main determinants of the high heterogeneity in Cx. pipiens abundance observed in Piedmont region (Northwestern Italy) among different seasons, we developed a density-dependent stochastic model that takes explicitly into account the role played by temperature, which affects both developmental and mortality rates of different life stages. The model was calibrated with a Markov chain Monte Carlo approach exploring the likelihood of recorded capture data gathered in the study area from 2000 to 2011; in this way, we disentangled the role played by different seasonal eco-climatic factors in shaping the vector abundance. Illustrative simulations have been performed to forecast likely changes if temperature or density–dependent inputs would change. Our analysis suggests that inter-seasonal differences in the mosquito dynamics are largely driven by different temporal patterns of temperature and seasonal-specific larval carrying capacities. Specifically, high temperatures during early spring hasten the onset of the breeding season and increase population abundance in that period, while, high temperatures during the summer can decrease population size by increasing adult mortality. Higher densities of adult mosquitoes are associated with higher larval carrying capacities, which are positively correlated with spring precipitations. Finally, an increase in larval carrying capacity is expected to proportionally increase adult mosquito abundance. PMID:27105065

Triptonide inhibits the pathological functions of gastric cancer-associated fibroblasts.

PubMed

Wang, Zhenfei; Ma, Daguang; Wang, Changshan; Zhu, Zhe; Yang, Yongyan; Zeng, Fenfang; Yuan, Jianlong; Liu, Xia; Gao, Yue; Chen, Yongxia; Jia, Yongfeng

2017-12-01

Direct attacks on tumour cells with chemotherapeutic drugs have the drawbacks of accelerating tumour metastasis and inducing tumour stem cell phenotypes. Inhibition of tumour-associated fibroblasts, which provide nourishment and support to tumour cells, is a novel and promising anti-tumour strategy. However, effective drugs against tumour-associated fibroblasts are currently lacking. In the present study, we explored the possibility of inhibiting the pathological functions of tumour-associated fibroblasts with triptonide. Paired gastric normal fibroblasts (GNFs) and gastric cancer-associated fibroblasts (GCAFs) were obtained from resected tissues. GCAFs showed higher capacities to induce colony formation, migration, and invasion of gastric cancer cells than GNFs. Triptonide treatment strongly inhibited the colony formation-, migration-, and invasion-promoting capacities of GCAFs. The expression of microRNA-301a was higher and that of microRNA-149 was lower in GCAFs than in GNFs. Triptonide treatment significantly down-regulated microRNA-301a expression and up-regulated microRNA-149 expression in GCAFs. Re-establishment of microRNA expression balance increased the production and secretion of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 2, a tumour suppressive factor, and suppressed the production and secretion of IL-6, an oncogenic factor, in GCAFs. Moreover, triptonide treatment abolished the ability of GCAFs to induce epithelial-mesenchymal transition in gastric cancer cells. These results indicate that triptonide inhibits the malignancy-promoting capacity of GCAFs by correcting abnormalities in microRNA expression. Thus, triptonide is a promisingly therapeutic agent for gastric cancer treatment, and traditional herbs may be a valuable source for developing new drugs that can regulate the tumour microenvironment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Eosinophils from eosinophilic oesophagitis patients have T cell suppressive capacity and express FOXP3.

PubMed

Lingblom, C; Wallander, J; Ingelsten, M; Bergquist, H; Bove, M; Saalman, R; Welin, A; Wennerås, C

2017-03-01

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is an antigen-driven T cell-mediated chronic inflammatory disease where food and environmental antigens are thought to have a role. Human eosinophils express the immunoregulatory protein galectin-10 and have T cell suppressive capacity similar to regulatory T cells (T regs ). We hypothesized that one function of eosinophils in EoE might be to regulate the T cell-driven inflammation in the oesophagus. This was tested by evaluating the suppressive capacity of eosinophils isolated from the blood of adult EoE patients in a mixed lymphocyte reaction. In addition, eosinophilic expression of forkhead box protein 3 (FOXP3), the canonical transcription factor of T regs , was determined by conventional and imaging flow cytometry, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), confocal microscopy and immunoblotting. It was found that blood eosinophils from EoE patients had T cell suppressive capacity, and that a fraction of the eosinophils expressed FOXP3. A comparison of EoE eosinophils with healthy control eosinophils indicated that the patients' eosinophils had inferior suppressive capacity. Furthermore, a higher percentage of the EoE eosinophils expressed FOXP3 protein compared with the healthy eosinophils, and they also had higher FOXP3 protein and mRNA levels. FOXP3 was found in the cytosol and nucleus of the eosinophils from both the patients and healthy individuals, contrasting with the strict nuclear localization of FOXP3 in T regs . To conclude, these findings suggest that the immunoregulatory function of eosinophils may be impaired in EoE. © 2016 British Society for Immunology.

Eosinophils from eosinophilic oesophagitis patients have T cell suppressive capacity and express FOXP3

PubMed Central

Lingblom, C.; Wallander, J.; Ingelsten, M.; Bergquist, H.; Bove, M.; Saalman, R.; Welin, A.

2016-01-01

Summary Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is an antigen‐driven T cell‐mediated chronic inflammatory disease where food and environmental antigens are thought to have a role. Human eosinophils express the immunoregulatory protein galectin‐10 and have T cell suppressive capacity similar to regulatory T cells (Tregs). We hypothesized that one function of eosinophils in EoE might be to regulate the T cell‐driven inflammation in the oesophagus. This was tested by evaluating the suppressive capacity of eosinophils isolated from the blood of adult EoE patients in a mixed lymphocyte reaction. In addition, eosinophilic expression of forkhead box protein 3 (FOXP3), the canonical transcription factor of Tregs, was determined by conventional and imaging flow cytometry, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), confocal microscopy and immunoblotting. It was found that blood eosinophils from EoE patients had T cell suppressive capacity, and that a fraction of the eosinophils expressed FOXP3. A comparison of EoE eosinophils with healthy control eosinophils indicated that the patients' eosinophils had inferior suppressive capacity. Furthermore, a higher percentage of the EoE eosinophils expressed FOXP3 protein compared with the healthy eosinophils, and they also had higher FOXP3 protein and mRNA levels. FOXP3 was found in the cytosol and nucleus of the eosinophils from both the patients and healthy individuals, contrasting with the strict nuclear localization of FOXP3 in Tregs. To conclude, these findings suggest that the immunoregulatory function of eosinophils may be impaired in EoE. PMID:27921303

Leaf-level photosynthetic capacity in lowland Amazonian and high-elevation Andean tropical moist forests of Peru.

PubMed

Bahar, Nur H A; Ishida, F Yoko; Weerasinghe, Lasantha K; Guerrieri, Rossella; O'Sullivan, Odhran S; Bloomfield, Keith J; Asner, Gregory P; Martin, Roberta E; Lloyd, Jon; Malhi, Yadvinder; Phillips, Oliver L; Meir, Patrick; Salinas, Norma; Cosio, Eric G; Domingues, Tomas F; Quesada, Carlos A; Sinca, Felipe; Escudero Vega, Alberto; Zuloaga Ccorimanya, Paola P; Del Aguila-Pasquel, Jhon; Quispe Huaypar, Katherine; Cuba Torres, Israel; Butrón Loayza, Rosalbina; Pelaez Tapia, Yulina; Huaman Ovalle, Judit; Long, Benedict M; Evans, John R; Atkin, Owen K

2017-05-01

We examined whether variations in photosynthetic capacity are linked to variations in the environment and/or associated leaf traits for tropical moist forests (TMFs) in the Andes/western Amazon regions of Peru. We compared photosynthetic capacity (maximal rate of carboxylation of Rubisco (V cmax ), and the maximum rate of electron transport (J max )), leaf mass, nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) per unit leaf area (M a , N a and P a , respectively), and chlorophyll from 210 species at 18 field sites along a 3300-m elevation gradient. Western blots were used to quantify the abundance of the CO 2 -fixing enzyme Rubisco. Area- and N-based rates of photosynthetic capacity at 25°C were higher in upland than lowland TMFs, underpinned by greater investment of N in photosynthesis in high-elevation trees. Soil [P] and leaf P a were key explanatory factors for models of area-based V cmax and J max but did not account for variations in photosynthetic N-use efficiency. At any given N a and P a , the fraction of N allocated to photosynthesis was higher in upland than lowland species. For a small subset of lowland TMF trees examined, a substantial fraction of Rubisco was inactive. These results highlight the importance of soil- and leaf-P in defining the photosynthetic capacity of TMFs, with variations in N allocation and Rubisco activation state further influencing photosynthetic rates and N-use efficiency of these critically important forests. © 2016 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2016 New Phytologist Trust.

Characterization of trichloroethylene adsorption onto waste biocover soil in the presence of landfill gas.

PubMed

He, Ruo; Su, Yao; Kong, Jiaoyan

2015-09-15

Waste biocover soils (WBS) have been demonstrated to have great potential in mitigating trichloroethylene (TCE) emission from landfills, due to the relatively high TCE-degrading capacity. In this study, the characteristics of TCE adsorption on WBS in the presence of the major landfill gas components (i.e., CH4 and CO2) were investigated in soil microcosms. The adsorption isotherm of TCE onto WBS was fitted well with linear model within the TCE concentrations of 7000 ppmv. The adsorption capacity of TCE onto WBS was affected by temperature, soil moisture content and particle size, of which, temperature was the dominant factor. The adsorption capacity of TCE onto the experimental materials increased with the increasing organic matter content. A significantly positive correlation was observed between the adsorption capacity of TCE and the organic matter content of experimental materials that had relatively higher organic content (r = 0.988, P = 0.044). To better understand WBS application in practice, response surface methodology was developed to predict TCE adsorption capacity and emissions through WBS in different landfills in China. These results indicated that WBS had high adsorption capacity of TCE in LFG and temperature should be paid more attention to manipulate WBS to reduce TCE emissions from landfills. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Assessment of salivary total antioxidant capacity in patients with primary untreated head and neck squamous cell carcinoma with ORAC.

PubMed

Wesołowski, Piotr; Zawada, Katarzyna; Wojtowicz, Andrzej; Strużycka, Izabela; Kamiński, Tomasz

2016-11-01

Oxidative DNA damage leads to abnormalities in endogenous cellular processes and constitutes a direct link between free radicals, antioxidants and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) method is used to measure antioxidant capacity versus oxygen free radicals. There is no report on the application of ORAC to evaluate salivary antioxidant capacity in patients with head and neck SCC. This study investigated the relation between total antioxidant capacity of saliva, measured with ORAC method, and the incidence, location, size and histopathological grading of SCC. Salivary antioxidant capacity was assessed in 30 male and female patients with histopathologically confirmed oral and laryngeal SCC. Histopathological grading of SCC was based on WHO classification. Mean ORAC in patients with SCC was higher than the mean value in the control group. Statistically significant difference was observed in the study group versus the control group. No significant differences were observed for ORAC values in relation to histopathological grading, tumour size and spread to lymph nodes. The obtained results can advocate local compensatory mechanism in saliva in response to increased oxidative stress associated with primary tumour. ORAC can become an additional factor in head and neck SCC prognosis, but further investigation is required. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Failed upregulation of TFAM protein and mitochondrial DNA in oxidatively deficient fibers of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease locomotor muscle.

PubMed

Konokhova, Yana; Spendiff, Sally; Jagoe, R Thomas; Aare, Sudhakar; Kapchinsky, Sophia; MacMillan, Norah J; Rozakis, Paul; Picard, Martin; Aubertin-Leheudre, Mylène; Pion, Charlotte H; Bourbeau, Jean; Hepple, Russell T; Taivassalo, Tanja

2016-01-01

Low mitochondrial content and oxidative capacity are well-established features of locomotor muscle dysfunction, a prevalent and debilitating systemic occurrence in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Although the exact cause is not firmly established, physical inactivity and oxidative stress are among the proposed underlying mechanisms. Here, we assess the impact of COPD pathophysiology on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) integrity, biogenesis, and cellular oxidative capacity in locomotor muscle of COPD patients and healthy controls. We hypothesized that the high oxidative stress environment of COPD muscle would yield a higher presence of deletion-containing mtDNA and oxidative-deficient fibers and impaired capacity for mitochondrial biogenesis. Vastus lateralis biopsies were analyzed from 29 COPD patients and 19 healthy age-matched controls for the presence of mtDNA deletions, levels of oxidatively damaged DNA, mtDNA copy number, and regulators of mitochondrial biogenesis as well the proportion of oxidative-deficient fibers (detected histologically as cytochrome c oxidase-deficient, succinate dehydrogenase positive (COX(-)/SDH(+) )). Additionally, mtDNA copy number and mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) content were measured in laser captured COX(-)SDH(+) and normal single fibers of both COPD and controls. Compared to controls, COPD muscle exhibited significantly higher levels of oxidatively damaged DNA (8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) levels = 387 ± 41 vs. 258 ± 21 pg/mL) and higher prevalence of mtDNA deletions (74 vs. 15 % of subjects in each group), which was accompanied by a higher abundance of oxidative-deficient fibers (8.0 ± 2.1 vs. 1.5 ± 0.4 %). Interestingly, COPD patients with mtDNA deletions had higher levels of 8-OHdG (457 ± 46 pg/mL) and longer smoking history (66.3 ± 7.5 years) than patients without deletions (197 ± 29 pg/mL; 38.0 ± 7.3 years). Transcript levels of regulators of mitochondrial biogenesis and oxidative metabolism were upregulated in COPD compared to controls. However, single fiber analyses of COX(-)/SDH(+) and normal fibers exposed an impairment in mitochondrial biogenesis in COPD; in healthy controls, we detected a marked upregulation of mtDNA copy number and TFAM protein in COX(-)/SDH(+) compared to normal fibers, reflecting the expected compensatory attempt by the oxidative-deficient cells to increase energy levels; in contrast, they were similar between COX(-)/SDH(+) and normal fibers in COPD patients. Taken together, these findings suggest that although the signaling factors regulating mitochondrial biogenesis are increased in COPD muscle, impairment in the translation of these signals prevents the restoration of normal oxidative capacity. Single fiber analyses provide the first substantive evidence that low muscle oxidative capacity in COPD cannot be explained by physical inactivity alone and is likely driven by the disease pathophysiology.

Plasma homocysteine is associated with increased oxidative stress and antioxidant enzyme activity in welders.

PubMed

Liu, Hung-Hsin; Shih, Tung-Sheng; Huang, Hsin-Ru; Huang, Shih-Chien; Lee, Lien-Hsiung; Huang, Yi-Chia

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the association of vitamin B6 status and plasma homocysteine with oxidative stress and antioxidant capacities in welders. Workers were divided into either the welding exposure group (n = 57) or the nonexposure controls (n = 42) based on whether they were employed as welders. There were no significant differences in vitamin B₆ status and plasma homocysteine concentration between the welding exposure group and the nonexposure controls. The welding exposure group had significantly higher levels of oxidized low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and lower erythrocyte glutathione concentration and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities when compared to nonexposure controls. Plasma pyridoxal 5'-phosphate concentration did not correlate with oxidative stress indicators or antioxidant capacities in either group. However, plasma homocysteine significantly correlated with total antioxidant capacity (TAC) (partial r(s) = -0.34, P < 0.05) and erythrocyte SOD activities (partial r(s) = 0.29, P < 0.05) after adjusting for potential confounders in the welding exposure group. In the welding exposure group, adequate vitamin B₆ status was not associated with oxidative stress or antioxidant capacities. However, elevated plasma homocysteine seemed to be a major contributing factor to antioxidant capacities (TAC and erythrocyte SOD activities) in welders.

Clinical Impact of Emphysema Evaluated by High-Resolution Computed Tomography on Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Diagnosed by Surgical Lung Biopsy.

PubMed

Kohashi, Yasuo; Arai, Toru; Sugimoto, Chikatoshi; Tachibana, Kazunobu; Akira, Masanori; Kitaichi, Masanori; Hayashi, Seiji; Inoue, Yoshikazu

2016-01-01

The prognosis of combined cases of pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema is unresolved partially because radiological differentiation between usual interstitial pneumonia and nonspecific interstitial pneumonia is difficult in coexisting emphysema cases. The purpose of this study was to clarify the clinical impact of emphysema on the survival of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). One hundred and seven patients with interstitial lung diseases were diagnosed by surgical lung biopsies between 2006 and 2012, and 47 patients were diagnosed with IPF through multidisciplinary discussion. Emphysema on high-resolution computed tomography scans was evaluated semiquantitatively by visual scoring. Eight out of the 47 IPF patients showed a higher emphysema score (>3) and were diagnosed to have IPF-emphysema. The median survival time of patients with IPF-emphysema (1,734 days) from the initial diagnosis was significantly shorter than that of patients with IPF alone (2,229 days) by Kaplan-Meier analysis (p = 0.007, log-rank test). Univariate Cox proportional hazard regression analyses revealed that a higher total emphysema score (>3.0) was a significantly poor prognostic factor in addition to Krebs von den Lungen-6, surfactant protein-D, arterial oxygen tension, percent forced vital capacity, and percent diffusing capacity of carbon monoxide (%DLCO). Multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analyses with the stepwise method showed that higher total emphysema score (>3) and %DLCO were significantly poor prognostic factors. The prognosis of IPF-emphysema was significantly worse than that of IPF alone. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Changes of Cerebral and/or Peripheral Adenosine A₁ Receptor and IGF-I Concentrations under Extended Sleep Duration in Rats.

PubMed

Chennaoui, Mounir; Arnal, Pierrick J; Dorey, Rodolphe; Sauvet, Fabien; Ciret, Sylvain; Gallopin, Thierry; Leger, Damien; Drogou, Catherine; Gomez-Merino, Danielle

2017-11-17

Extended sleep improves sustained attention and reduces sleep pressure in humans. Downregulation of adenosine A₁ receptor (A₁R) and modulation of the neurotrophic factor insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-I) in brain structures controlling attentional capacities could be involved. In the frontal cortex and hippocampus of rats, we measured adenosine A₁R and IGF-I protein concentrations after photoperiod-induced sleep extension. Two groups of twelve rats were adapted over 14 days to a habitual (CON) 12:12 light-dark (LD) schedule and an extended (EXT) 16:8 LD schedule. IGF-I content was also measured in plasma, liver, and skeletal muscle. In EXT, compared to CON rats, A₁R content in the frontal cortex was significantly lower ( p < 0.05), while IGF-I content was higher ( p < 0.001), and no significant change was observed in the hippocampus. IGF-I content in plasma and muscle was higher ( p < 0.001 and p < 0.01), while it was lower in liver ( p < 0.001). The absolute weight and weight gain were higher in EXT rats ( p < 0.01). These data suggest that 14 days under a 16:8 LD photoperiod respectively down- and upregulated cortical A₁R and IGF-I levels. This photoperiod induced an anabolic profile with increased weight gain and circulating and muscular IGF-I levels. An extension of sleep duration might favor cerebral and peripheral anabolism, which may help attentional and physical capacities.

Working memory brain activity and capacity link MAOA polymorphism to aggressive behavior during development

PubMed Central

Ziermans, T; Dumontheil, I; Roggeman, C; Peyrard-Janvid, M; Matsson, H; Kere, J; Klingberg, T

2012-01-01

A developmental increase in working memory capacity is an important part of cognitive development, and low working memory (WM) capacity is a risk factor for developing psychopathology. Brain activity represents a promising endophenotype for linking genes to behavior and for improving our understanding of the neurobiology of WM development. We investigated gene–brain–behavior relationships by focusing on 18 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located in six dopaminergic candidate genes (COMT, SLC6A3/DAT1, DBH, DRD4, DRD5, MAOA). Visuospatial WM (VSWM) brain activity, measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging, and VSWM capacity were assessed in a longitudinal study of typically developing children and adolescents. Behavioral problems were evaluated using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). One SNP (rs6609257), located ∼6.6 kb downstream of the monoamine oxidase A gene (MAOA) on human chromosome X, significantly affected brain activity in a network of frontal, parietal and occipital regions. Increased activity in this network, but not in caudate nucleus or anterior prefrontal regions, was correlated with VSWM capacity, which in turn predicted externalizing (aggressive/oppositional) symptoms, with higher WM capacity associated with fewer externalizing symptoms. There were no direct significant correlations between rs6609257 and behavioral symptoms. These results suggest a mediating role of WM brain activity and capacity in linking the MAOA gene to aggressive behavior during development. PMID:22832821

Working memory brain activity and capacity link MAOA polymorphism to aggressive behavior during development.

PubMed

Ziermans, T; Dumontheil, I; Roggeman, C; Peyrard-Janvid, M; Matsson, H; Kere, J; Klingberg, T

2012-02-28

A developmental increase in working memory capacity is an important part of cognitive development, and low working memory (WM) capacity is a risk factor for developing psychopathology. Brain activity represents a promising endophenotype for linking genes to behavior and for improving our understanding of the neurobiology of WM development. We investigated gene-brain-behavior relationships by focusing on 18 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located in six dopaminergic candidate genes (COMT, SLC6A3/DAT1, DBH, DRD4, DRD5, MAOA). Visuospatial WM (VSWM) brain activity, measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging, and VSWM capacity were assessed in a longitudinal study of typically developing children and adolescents. Behavioral problems were evaluated using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). One SNP (rs6609257), located ~6.6 kb downstream of the monoamine oxidase A gene (MAOA) on human chromosome X, significantly affected brain activity in a network of frontal, parietal and occipital regions. Increased activity in this network, but not in caudate nucleus or anterior prefrontal regions, was correlated with VSWM capacity, which in turn predicted externalizing (aggressive/oppositional) symptoms, with higher WM capacity associated with fewer externalizing symptoms. There were no direct significant correlations between rs6609257 and behavioral symptoms. These results suggest a mediating role of WM brain activity and capacity in linking the MAOA gene to aggressive behavior during development.

Factors Considered by Vocational Rehabilitation Professionals in Employability and Earning Capacity Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, John M.; Dunn, Patrick L.; Bast, Steve; Giesen, Judy

2006-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify the factors that contributed to vocational rehabilitation assessment of earning capacity. Rehabilitation professionals who attended a national forensic rehabilitation conference were asked to rate the importance of 26 variables in development of opinions of earning capacity. Exploratory factor analysis…

The influence of linguistic and cognitive factors on the time course of verb-based implicit causality.

PubMed

Koornneef, Arnout; Dotlačil, Jakub; van den Broek, Paul; Sanders, Ted

2016-01-01

In three eye-tracking experiments the influence of the Dutch causal connective "want" (because) and the working memory capacity of readers on the usage of verb-based implicit causality was examined. Experiments 1 and 2 showed that although a causal connective is not required to activate implicit causality information during reading, effects of implicit causality surfaced more rapidly and were more pronounced when a connective was present in the discourse than when it was absent. In addition, Experiment 3 revealed that-in contrast to previous claims-the activation of implicit causality is not a resource-consuming mental operation. Moreover, readers with higher and lower working memory capacities behaved differently in a dual-task situation. Higher span readers were more likely to use implicit causality when they had all their working memory resources at their disposal. Lower span readers showed the opposite pattern as they were more likely to use the implicit causality cue in the case of an additional working memory load. The results emphasize that both linguistic and cognitive factors mediate the impact of implicit causality on text comprehension. The implications of these results are discussed in terms of the ongoing controversies in the literature-that is, the focusing-integration debate and the debates on the source of implicit causality.

[Net photosynthesis and its affecting factors in a tropical seasonal rainforest ecosystem in southwest China].

PubMed

Song, Qing-hai; Zhang, Yi-ping; Tan, Zheng-hong; Zhang, Lei-ming; Yang, Zhen; Zhao, Shuang-ju; Sun, Xiao-min

2010-12-01

By using eddy covariance technique, this paper quantitatively analyzed the photosynthetic characteristics of tropical seasonal rainforest ecosystem and related environmental controlling factors in Xishuangbanna in 2003-2006. In the study period, less interannual difference was observed in the net photosynthesis of the ecosystem, with the maximum photosynthesis rate (P(eco,opt)), respiration at daytime (R(eco,d)), and apparent quantum yield (alpha) averaged by 0.813 mg x m(-2) x s(-1), 0.238 mg x m(-2) x s(-1), and 0.0023 mg x micromol(-1), respectively. As affected by the interaction of air temperature (Ta) and vapor pressure deficit (VPD), the photosynthetic characteristics had some seasonal differences. In rainy season, the ecosystem had the strongest photosynthetic capacity because of the higher precipitation and warmer air temperature; in foggy and cool season, fog drip played an important role in the water relations of plants, and thereby, the ecosystem photosynthetic capacity was still higher; in dry and hot season, due to the limited precipitation and high temperature, the Ta and VPD increased, inducing a decrease of ecosystem alpha and P(eco,opt). The net CO2 exchange of the ecosystem strongly depended on the Ta above 20 degrees C and the VPD above 1 kPa.

A primer on trace metal-sediment chemistry

USGS Publications Warehouse

Horowitz, Arthur J.

1985-01-01

In most aquatic systems, concentrations of trace metals in suspended sediment and the top few centimeters of bottom sediment are far greater than concentrations of trace metals dissolved in the water column. Consequently, the distribution, transport, and availability of these constituents can not be intelligently evaluated, nor can their environmental impact be determined or predicted solely through the sampling and analysis of dissolved phases. This Primer is designed to acquaint the reader with the basic principles that govern the concentration and distribution of trace metals associated with bottom and suspended sediments. The sampling and analysis of suspended and bottom sediments are very important for monitoring studies, not only because trace metal concentrations associated with them are orders of magnitude higher than in the dissolved phase, but also because of several other factors. Riverine transport of trace metals is dominated by sediment. In addition, bottom sediments serve as a source for suspended sediment and can provide a historical record of chemical conditions. This record will help establish area baseline metal levels against which existing conditions can be compared. Many physical and chemical factors affect a sediment's capacity to collect and concentrate trace metals. The physical factors include grain size, surface area, surface charge, cation exchange capacity, composition, and so forth. Increases in metal concentrations are strongly correlated with decreasing grain size and increasing surface area, surface charge, cation exchange capacity, and increasing concentrations of iron and manganese oxides, organic matter, and clay minerals. Chemical factors are equally important, especially for differentiating between samples having similar bulk chemistries and for inferring or predicting environmental availability. Chemical factors entail phase associations (with such sedimentary components as interstitial water, sulfides, carbonates, and organic matter) and ways in which the metals are entrained by the sediments (such as adsorption, complexation, and within mineral lattices).

Ex vivo study for the assessment of behavioral factor and gene polymorphisms in individual susceptibility to oxidative DNA damage metals-induced.

PubMed

Di Pietro, Angela; Baluce, Barbara; Visalli, Giuseppa; La Maestra, Sebastiano; Micale, Rosanna; Izzotti, Alberto

2011-06-01

Transition metals in fine particulate matter generated by combustion induce oxidative DNA damage and inflammation. However, there is remarkable inter-individual variability in susceptibility to these damages. To assess this variability, an ex vivo study was performed using lymphocytes of 47 Caucasian healthy subjects. Cell samples were exposed to a water solution of oil fly ash (OFA). This was formed by the distinctive transition metals vanadium, iron, and nickel. Oxidative DNA damage was evaluated by testing cell viability, intracellular ROS production and 8-oxo-dG. DNA fragmentation and DNA repair capacity were assessed by using the Alkaline-Halo assay. GSTM1, GSTT1, hOGG1, and C677T and A1298C MTHFR gene polymorphisms were tested. Demographic and behavioral factors, collected by questionnaire, were also considered. OFA induced damages showed: (a) a 20-fold variation in range among different subjects in ROS production, (b) a 7-fold variation in range of 8-oxo-dG, and (c) a 25-fold variation in range in DNA repair capacity. A significant increase in DNA damage was detected in GSTT1-deficent subjects compared with wild type genotype carriers. Increases in cytoplasmic ROS and decreases in DNA repair capacity (P<0.05) were observed in C677T and A1298C variants of MTHFR. A remarkable protective effect of high fruits and vegetable intake was observed for ROS production and DNA damage. Conversely, an adverse effect of meat intake was observed on ROS increase, DNA damage and repair capacity, probably due to the increased intake of bioavailable iron. Smoking decreased DNA repair capacity, while age increased OFA-induced DNA damage. The wide comparative analysis of the complex interactions network, between genetic and behavioral factors provides evidence of the remarkable role of several lifestyle factors. In comparison to genetic polymorphisms they seem to have a higher weight in determining individual susceptibility to the adverse effects of airborne pollutants as transition metals. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Risk Factors for Addiction and Their Association with Model-Based Behavioral Control.

PubMed

Reiter, Andrea M F; Deserno, Lorenz; Wilbertz, Tilmann; Heinze, Hans-Jochen; Schlagenhauf, Florian

2016-01-01

Addiction shows familial aggregation and previous endophenotype research suggests that healthy relatives of addicted individuals share altered behavioral and cognitive characteristics with individuals suffering from addiction. In this study we asked whether impairments in behavioral control proposed for addiction, namely a shift from goal-directed, model-based toward habitual, model-free control, extends toward an unaffected sample (n = 20) of adult children of alcohol-dependent fathers as compared to a sample without any personal or family history of alcohol addiction (n = 17). Using a sequential decision-making task designed to investigate model-free and model-based control combined with a computational modeling analysis, we did not find any evidence for altered behavioral control in individuals with a positive family history of alcohol addiction. Independent of family history of alcohol dependence, we however observed that the interaction of two different risk factors of addiction, namely impulsivity and cognitive capacities, predicts the balance of model-free and model-based behavioral control. Post-hoc tests showed a positive association of model-based behavior with cognitive capacity in the lower, but not in the higher impulsive group of the original sample. In an independent sample of particularly high- vs. low-impulsive individuals, we confirmed the interaction effect of cognitive capacities and high vs. low impulsivity on model-based control. In the confirmation sample, a positive association of omega with cognitive capacity was observed in highly impulsive individuals, but not in low impulsive individuals. Due to the moderate sample size of the study, further investigation of the association of risk factors for addiction with model-based behavior in larger sample sizes is warranted.

Plasma temperature during methylene blue/light treatment influences virus inactivation capacity and product quality.

PubMed

Gravemann, U; Handke, W; Sumian, C; Alvarez, I; Reichenberg, S; Müller, T H; Seltsam, A

2018-02-27

Photodynamic treatment using methylene blue (MB) and visible light is in routine use for pathogen inactivation of human plasma in different countries. Ambient and product temperature conditions for human plasma during production may vary between production sites. The influence of different temperature conditions on virus inactivation capacity and plasma quality of the THERAFLEX MB-Plasma procedure was investigated in this study. Plasma units equilibrated to 5 ± 2°C, room temperature (22 ± 2°C) or 30 ± 2°C were treated with MB/light and comparatively assessed for the inactivation capacity for three different viruses, concentrations of MB and its photoproducts, activity of various plasma coagulation factors and clotting time. Reduced solubility of the MB pill was observed at 5 ± 2°C. Photocatalytic degradation of MB increased with increasing temperature, and the greatest formation of photoproducts (mainly azure B) occurred at 30 ± 2°C. Inactivation of suid herpesvirus, bovine viral diarrhoea virus and vesicular stomatitis virus was significantly lower at 5 ± 2°C than at higher temperatures. MB/light treatment affected clotting times and the activity of almost all investigated plasma proteins. Factor VIII (-17·7 ± 8·3%, 22 ± 2°C) and fibrinogen (-14·4 ± 16·4%, 22 ± 2°C) showed the highest decreases in activity. Increasing plasma temperatures resulted in greater changes in clotting time and higher losses of plasma coagulation factor activity. Temperature conditions for THERAFLEX MB-Plasma treatment must be carefully controlled to assure uniform quality of pathogen-reduced plasma in routine production. Inactivation of cooled plasma is not recommended. © 2018 International Society of Blood Transfusion.

The invasion mode of GH(3) cells is conditioned by collagen subtype, and its efficiency depends on cell-cell adhesion.

PubMed

Azorín, Erika; Solano-Agama, Carmen; Mendoza-Garrido, M Eugenia

2012-12-15

The adaptation of GH(3) cells to different microenvironments is a consequence of a partial compromise with the tumor phenotype. A collagen type IV enriched microenvironment favors an invasive phenotype and increases the substrate adhesion capacity, whereas it decreases the phosphorylation of the regulatory myosin light chain and the aggregation capacity. In contrast, the higher internal tension and increased aggregation capacity induced by collagen type I/III are factors that reduce the invasion rate. Our results show, for the first time, the importance of collagen subtypes in determining the migratory strategy: collagen I/III favors mesenchymal-like motility, whereas collagen type IV induces an ameboid-type displacement. The reciprocal modulation of the myosin light chain kinase and the Rho-kinase determines the invasive capacity through changes in tissue cohesion, extracellular matrix affinity, regulatory myosin light chain phosphorylation and spatial distribution. The collagen subtype determines which of the mechano-transduction signaling pathways will regulate the tensional homeostasis and affect the invasion ability as well as the preferred migration strategy of the cells. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Toluene, Benzene and Acetone Adsorption by Activated Carbon Coated with PDMS].

PubMed

Liu, Han-bing; Jiang, Xin; Wang, Xin; Yang, Bing; Xue, Nan-dong; Zhang, Shi-lei

2016-04-15

To improve the adsorption selectivity of volatile organic compounds ( VOCs) , activated carbon ( AC) was modified by polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and characterized by BET analysis and Boehm titration. Dynamic adsorption column experiments were conducted and Yoon-Neslon(Y-N) model was used to identify adsorption effect for toluene, beuzene and acetone on AC when relative humidity was 0%, 50% and 90%, respectively. The results showed that the BET area, micropore volume and surface functional groups decreased with the PDMS modification, and surface hydrophobicity of the modified AC was enhanced leading to a lower water adsorption capacity. The results of dynamic adsorption showed that the adsorption kinetics and capacity of Bare-AC decreased with the increase of relative humidity, and the adsorption capacities of PDMS coated AC were 1.86 times (toluene) and 1.92 times (benzene) higher than those of Bare-AC, while a significant improvement of adsorption capacity for acetone was not observed. These findings suggest that polarity of molecule can be an important influencing factor for adsorption on hydrophobic surface developed by PDMS.

Measuring the Contribution of Higher Education to Innovation Capacity in the EU. Final Report: Revised Version

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

European Commission, 2017

2017-01-01

This current study is part of the actions taken aiming to analyse the links between the operations and effects of higher-education institutions on the capacity to innovate in the economies in Europe. Providing insights into the contribution of higher education to the innovative capacity of the EU economies is crucial for policy making and the…

Measuring the Contribution of Higher Education to Innovation Capacity in the EU. Executive Summary of the Final Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

European Commission, 2017

2017-01-01

This current study is part of the actions taken aiming to analyse the links between the operations and effects of higher-education institutions on the capacity to innovate in the economies in Europe. Providing insights into the contribution of higher education to the innovative capacity of the EU economies is crucial for policy making and the…

Long-term neurodevelopmental outcome and exercise capacity after corrective surgery for tetralogy of Fallot or ventricular septal defect in infancy.

PubMed

Hövels-Gürich, Hedwig H; Konrad, Kerstin; Skorzenski, Daniela; Nacken, Claudia; Minkenberg, Ralf; Messmer, Bruno J; Seghaye, Marie-Christine

2006-03-01

The purpose of this prospective study was to assess whether neurodevelopmental status and exercise capacity of children 5 to 10 years after corrective surgery for tetralogy of Fallot or ventricular septal defect in infancy was different compared with normal children and influenced by the preoperative condition of hypoxemia or cardiac insufficiency. Forty unselected children, 20 with tetralogy of Fallot and hypoxemia and 20 with ventricular septal defect and cardiac insufficiency, operated on with combined deep hypothermic circulatory arrest and low flow cardiopulmonary bypass at a mean age of 0.7 +/- 0.3 years (mean +/- SD), underwent, at mean age 7.4 +/- 1.6 years, standardized evaluation of neurologic status, gross motor function, intelligence, academic achievement, language, and exercise capacity. Results were compared between the groups and related to preoperative, perioperative, and postoperative status and management. Rate of mild neurologic dysfunction was increased compared with normal children, but not different between the groups. Exercise capacity and socioeconomic status were not different compared with normal children and between the groups. Compared with the normal population, motor function, formal intelligence, academic achievement, and expressive and receptive language were significantly reduced (p < 0.01 to p < 0.001) in the whole group and in the subgroups, except for normal intelligence in ventricular septal defect patients. Motor dysfunction was significantly higher in the Fallot group compared with the ventricular septal defect group (p < 0.01) and correlated with neurologic dysfunction, lower intelligence, and reduced expressive language (p < 0.05 each). Reduced New York Heart Association functional class was correlated with lower exercise capacity and longer duration of cardiopulmonary bypass (p < 0.05 each). Reduced socioeconomic status significantly influenced dysfunction in formal intelligence (p < 0.01) and academic achievement (p < 0.05). Preoperative risk factors such as prenatal hypoxia, perinatal asphyxia, and preterm birth, factors of perioperative management such as cardiac arrest, lowest nasopharyngeal temperature, and age at surgery, and postoperative risk factors as postoperative cardiocirculatory insufficiency and duration of mechanical ventilation were not different between the groups and had no influence on outcome. Degree of hypoxemia in Fallot patients and degree of cardiac insufficiency in ventricular septal defect patients did not influence the outcome within the subgroups. Children with preoperative hypoxemia in infancy are at higher risk for motor dysfunction than children with cardiac insufficiency. Corrective surgery in infancy for tetralogy of Fallot or ventricular septal defect with combined circulatory arrest and low flow bypass is associated with reduced neurodevelopmental outcome, but not with reduced exercise capacity in childhood. In our experience, the general risk of long-term neurodevelopmental impairment is related to unfavorable effects of the global perioperative management. Socioeconomic status influences cognitive capabilities.

Astragaloside IV inhibits pathological functions of gastric cancer-associated fibroblasts.

PubMed

Wang, Zhen-Fei; Ma, Da-Guang; Zhu, Zhe; Mu, Yong-Ping; Yang, Yong-Yan; Feng, Li; Yang, Hao; Liang, Jun-Qing; Liu, Yong-Yan; Liu, Li; Lu, Hai-Wen

2017-12-28

To investigate the inhibitory effect of astragaloside IV on the pathological functions of cancer-associated fibroblasts, and to explore the underlying mechanism. Paired gastric normal fibroblast (GNF) and gastric cancer-associated fibroblast (GCAF) cultures were established from resected tissues. GCAFs were treated with vehicle control or different concentrations of astragaloside IV. Conditioned media were prepared from GNFs, GCAFs, control-treated GCAFs, and astragaloside IV-treated GCAFs, and used to culture BGC-823 human gastric cancer cells. Proliferation, migration and invasion capacities of BGC-823 cells were determined by MTT, wound healing, and Transwell invasion assays, respectively. The action mechanism of astragaloside IV was investigated by detecting the expression of microRNAs and the expression and secretion of the oncogenic factor, macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF), and the tumor suppressive factor, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 2 (TIMP2), in different groups of GCAFs. The expression of the oncogenic pluripotency factors SOX2 and NANOG in BGC-823 cells cultured with different conditioned media was also examined. GCAFs displayed higher capacities to induce BGC-823 cell proliferation, migration, and invasion than GNFs ( P < 0.01). Astragaloside IV treatment strongly inhibited the proliferation-, migration- and invasion-promoting capacities of GCAFs ( P < 0.05 for 10 μmol/L, P < 0.01 for 20 μmol/L and 40 μmol/L). Compared with GNFs, GCAFs expressed a lower level of microRNA-214 ( P < 0.01) and a higher level of microRNA-301a ( P < 0.01). Astragaloside IV treatment significantly up-regulated microRNA-214 expression ( P < 0.01) and down-regulated microRNA-301a expression ( P < 0.01) in GCAFs. Reestablishing the microRNA expression balance subsequently suppressed M-CSF production ( P < 0.01) and secretion ( P < 0.05), and elevated TIMP2 production ( P < 0.01) and secretion ( P < 0.05). Consequently, the ability of GCAFs to increase SOX2 and NANOG expression in BGC-823 cells was abolished by astragaloside IV. Astragaloside IV can inhibit the pathological functions of GCAFs by correcting their dysregulation of microRNA expression, and it is promisingly a potent therapeutic agent regulating tumor microenvironment.

Astragaloside IV inhibits pathological functions of gastric cancer-associated fibroblasts

PubMed Central

Wang, Zhen-Fei; Ma, Da-Guang; Zhu, Zhe; Mu, Yong-Ping; Yang, Yong-Yan; Feng, Li; Yang, Hao; Liang, Jun-Qing; Liu, Yong-Yan; Liu, Li; Lu, Hai-Wen

2017-01-01

AIM To investigate the inhibitory effect of astragaloside IV on the pathological functions of cancer-associated fibroblasts, and to explore the underlying mechanism. METHODS Paired gastric normal fibroblast (GNF) and gastric cancer-associated fibroblast (GCAF) cultures were established from resected tissues. GCAFs were treated with vehicle control or different concentrations of astragaloside IV. Conditioned media were prepared from GNFs, GCAFs, control-treated GCAFs, and astragaloside IV-treated GCAFs, and used to culture BGC-823 human gastric cancer cells. Proliferation, migration and invasion capacities of BGC-823 cells were determined by MTT, wound healing, and Transwell invasion assays, respectively. The action mechanism of astragaloside IV was investigated by detecting the expression of microRNAs and the expression and secretion of the oncogenic factor, macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF), and the tumor suppressive factor, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 2 (TIMP2), in different groups of GCAFs. The expression of the oncogenic pluripotency factors SOX2 and NANOG in BGC-823 cells cultured with different conditioned media was also examined. RESULTS GCAFs displayed higher capacities to induce BGC-823 cell proliferation, migration, and invasion than GNFs (P < 0.01). Astragaloside IV treatment strongly inhibited the proliferation-, migration- and invasion-promoting capacities of GCAFs (P < 0.05 for 10 μmol/L, P < 0.01 for 20 μmol/L and 40 μmol/L). Compared with GNFs, GCAFs expressed a lower level of microRNA-214 (P < 0.01) and a higher level of microRNA-301a (P < 0.01). Astragaloside IV treatment significantly up-regulated microRNA-214 expression (P < 0.01) and down-regulated microRNA-301a expression (P < 0.01) in GCAFs. Reestablishing the microRNA expression balance subsequently suppressed M-CSF production (P < 0.01) and secretion (P < 0.05), and elevated TIMP2 production (P < 0.01) and secretion (P < 0.05). Consequently, the ability of GCAFs to increase SOX2 and NANOG expression in BGC-823 cells was abolished by astragaloside IV. CONCLUSION Astragaloside IV can inhibit the pathological functions of GCAFs by correcting their dysregulation of microRNA expression, and it is promisingly a potent therapeutic agent regulating tumor microenvironment. PMID:29358859

An information processing/associative learning account of behavioral disinhibition in externalizing psychopathology.

PubMed

Endres, Michael J; Donkin, Chris; Finn, Peter R

2014-04-01

Externalizing psychopathology (EXT) is associated with low executive working memory (EWM) capacity and problems with inhibitory control and decision-making; however, the specific cognitive processes underlying these problems are not well known. This study used a linear ballistic accumulator computational model of go/no-go associative-incentive learning conducted with and without a working memory (WM) load to investigate these cognitive processes in 510 young adults varying in EXT (lifetime problems with substance use, conduct disorder, ADHD, adult antisocial behavior). High scores on an EXT factor were associated with low EWM capacity and higher scores on a latent variable reflecting the cognitive processes underlying disinhibited decision-making (more false alarms, faster evidence accumulation rates for false alarms [vFA], and lower scores on a Response Precision Index [RPI] measure of information processing efficiency). The WM load increased disinhibited decision-making, decisional uncertainty, and response caution for all subjects. Higher EWM capacity was associated with lower scores on the latent disinhibited decision-making variable (lower false alarms, lower vFAs and RPI scores) in both WM load conditions. EWM capacity partially mediated the association between EXT and disinhibited decision-making under no-WM load, and completely mediated this association under WM load. The results underline the role that EWM has in associative-incentive go/no-go learning and indicate that common to numerous types of EXT are impairments in the cognitive processes associated with the evidence accumulation-evaluation-decision process. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

An information processing/associative learning account of behavioral disinhibition in externalizing psychopathology

PubMed Central

Endres, Michael J.; Donkin, Chris; Finn, Peter R.

2014-01-01

Externalizing psychopathology (EXT) is associated with low executive working memory (EWM) capacity and problems with inhibitory control and decision-making; however, the specific cognitive processes underlying these problems are not well known. This study used a linear ballistic accumulator computational model of go/no-go associative-incentive learning conducted with and without a working memory (WM) load to investigate these cognitive processes in 510 young adults varying in EXT (lifetime problems with substance use, conduct disorder, ADHD, adult antisocial behavior). High scores on an EXT factor were associated with low EWM capacity and higher scores on a latent variable reflecting the cognitive processes underlying disinhibited decision making (more false alarms, faster evidence accumulation rates for false alarms (vFA), and lower scores on a Response Precision Index (RPI) measure of information processing efficiency). The WM load increased disinhibited decision making, decisional uncertainty, and response caution for all subjects. Higher EWM capacity was associated with lower scores on the latent disinhibited decision making variable (lower false alarms, lower vFAs and RPI scores) in both WM load conditions. EWM capacity partially mediated the association between EXT and disinhibited decision making under no-WM load, and completely mediated this association under WM load. The results underline the role that EWM has in associative – incentive go/no-go learning and indicate that common to numerous types of EXT are impairments in the cognitive processes associated with the evidence accumulation – evaluation – decision process. PMID:24611834

K2 Mn4 O8 /Reduced Graphene Oxide Nanocomposites for Excellent Lithium Storage and Adsorption of Lead Ions.

PubMed

Hao, Shu-Meng; Qu, Jin; Yang, Jing; Gui, Chen-Xi; Wang, Qian-Qian; Li, Qian-Jie; Li, Xiaofeng; Yu, Zhong-Zhen

2016-03-01

Ion diffusion efficiency at the solid-liquid interface is an important factor for energy storage and adsorption from aqueous solution. Although K 2 Mn 4 O 8 (KMO) exhibits efficient ion diffusion and ion-exchange capacities, due to its high interlayer space of 0.70 nm, how to enhance its mass transfer performance is still an issue. Herein, novel layered KMO/reduced graphene oxide (RGO) nanocomposites are fabricated through the anchoring of KMO nanoplates on RGO with a mild solution process. The face-to-face structure facilitates fast transfer of lithium and lead ions; thus leading to excellent lithium storage and lead ion adsorption. The anchoring of KMO on RGO not only increases electrical conductivity of the layered nanocomposites, but also effectively prevents aggregation of KMO nanoplates. The KMO/RGO nanocomposite with an optimal RGO content exhibits a first cycle charge capacity of 739 mA h g -1 , which is much higher than that of KMO (326 mA h g -1 ). After 100 charge-discharge cycles, it still retains a charge capacity of 664 mA h g -1 . For the adsorption of lead ions, the KMO/RGO nanocomposite exhibits a capacity of 341 mg g -1 , which is higher than those of KMO (305 mg g -1 ) and RGO (63 mg g -1 ) alone. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Health Characteristics of Solo Grandparent Caregivers and Single Parents: A Comparative Profile Using the Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance Survey

PubMed Central

Whitley, Deborah M.

2015-01-01

Objectives. To describe the health characteristics of solo grandparents raising grandchildren compared with single parents. Methods. Using the 2012 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, respondents identified as a single grandparent raising a grandchild were categorized as a solo grandparent; grandparent responses were compared with single parents. Descriptive analysis compared health characteristics of 925 solo grandparents with 7,786 single parents. Results. Compared to single parents, grandparents have a higher prevalence of physical health problems (e.g., arthritis). Both parent groups have a high prevalence of lifetime depression. A larger share of grandparents actively smoke and did no recreational physical exercise in the last month. However, grandparents appear to have better access to health services in comparison with single parents. Conclusion. Solo grandparents may be at risk for diminished physical capacity and heightened prevalence of depression. Health professionals can be an important resource to increase grandparents' physical and emotional capacities. PMID:26448744

Candida spp. in periodontal disease: a brief review.

PubMed

Sardi, Janaina C O; Duque, Cristiane; Mariano, Flávia S; Peixoto, Iza T A; Höfling, José F; Gonçalves, Reginaldo B

2010-06-01

Although the main reservoir of Candida spp. is believed to be the buccal mucosa, these microorganisms can coaggregate with bacteria in subgingival biofilm and adhere to epithelial cells. Such interactions are associated with the capacity of Candida spp. to invade gingival conjunctive tissue, and may be important in the microbial colonization that contributes to progression of oral alterations caused by diabetes mellitus, some medications, and immunosuppressive diseases such as AIDS. In addition, immune deficiency can result in proliferation of Candida spp. and germination of forms that are more virulent and have a higher capacity to adhere to and penetrate cells in host tissues. The virulence factors of Candida spp. increase host susceptibility to proliferation of these microorganisms and are likely to be important in the study of periodontal disease. Herein, we briefly review the literature pertaining to the role of Candida spp. in periodontal disease, and consider the main virulence factors, the host immune response to these microorganisms, and the effect of concomitant immunosuppressive conditions.

Health Characteristics of Solo Grandparent Caregivers and Single Parents: A Comparative Profile Using the Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance Survey.

PubMed

Whitley, Deborah M; Fuller-Thomson, Esme; Brennenstuhl, Sarah

2015-01-01

Objectives. To describe the health characteristics of solo grandparents raising grandchildren compared with single parents. Methods. Using the 2012 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, respondents identified as a single grandparent raising a grandchild were categorized as a solo grandparent; grandparent responses were compared with single parents. Descriptive analysis compared health characteristics of 925 solo grandparents with 7,786 single parents. Results. Compared to single parents, grandparents have a higher prevalence of physical health problems (e.g., arthritis). Both parent groups have a high prevalence of lifetime depression. A larger share of grandparents actively smoke and did no recreational physical exercise in the last month. However, grandparents appear to have better access to health services in comparison with single parents. Conclusion. Solo grandparents may be at risk for diminished physical capacity and heightened prevalence of depression. Health professionals can be an important resource to increase grandparents' physical and emotional capacities.

Higher Capacity, Improved Conductive Matrix VB2/Air Batteries (Postprint)

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-02-18

AFRL-RX-WP-JA-2016-0326 HIGHER CAPACITY, IMPROVED CONDUCTIVE MATRIX VB2/AIR BATTERIES (POSTPRINT) Matthew Lefler, Jessica...Interim 8 September 2014 – 20 September 2015 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE HIGHER CAPACITY, IMPROVED CONDUCTIVE MATRIX VB2/AIR BATTERIES (POSTPRINT) 5a... batteries is that resistive oxide products impede the discharge depth, and only thin anode batteries (for example 10 mAh in a 1 cm diameter cell

Estimating the capacity value of concentrating solar power plants: A case study of the southwestern United States

DOE PAGES

Madaeni, Seyed Hossein; Sioshansi, Ramteen; Denholm, Paul

2012-01-27

Here, we estimate the capacity value of concentrating solar power (CSP) plants without thermal energy storage in the southwestern U.S. Our results show that CSP plants have capacity values that are between 45% and 95% of maximum capacity, depending on their location and configuration. We also examine the sensitivity of the capacity value of CSP to a number of factors and show that capacity factor-based methods can provide reasonable approximations of reliability-based estimates.

Factors promoting health-related quality of life in people with rheumatic diseases: a 12 month longitudinal study

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Rheumatic diseases have a significant adverse impact on the individual from physical, mental and social aspects, resulting in a low health-related quality of life (HRQL). There is a lack of longitudinal studies on HRQL in people with rheumatic diseases that focus on factors promoting HRQL instead of risk factors. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between suggested health promoting factors at baseline and outcome in HRQL at a 12 month follow-up in people with rheumatic diseases. Methods A longitudinal cohort study was conducted in 185 individuals with rheumatic diseases with questionnaires one week and 12 months after rehabilitation in a Swedish rheumatology clinic. HRQL was assessed by SF-36 together with suggested health factors. The associations between SF-36 subscales and the health factors were analysed by multivariable logistic regressions. Results Factors predicting better outcome in HRQL in one or several SF-36 subscales were being younger or middle-aged, feeling painless, having good sleep structure, feeling rested after sleep, performing low effort of exercise more than twice per week, having strong sense of coherence (SOC), emotional support and practical assistance, higher educational level and work capacity. The most important factors were having strong SOC, feeling rested after sleep, having work capacity, being younger or middle-aged, and having good sleep structure. Conclusions This study identified several factors that promoted a good outcome in HRQL to people with rheumatic diseases. These health factors could be important to address in clinical work with rheumatic diseases in order to optimise treatment strategies. PMID:21599884

Enhanced thermophilic fermentative hydrogen production from cassava stillage by chemical pretreatments.

PubMed

Wang, Wen; Luo, Gang; Xie, Li; Zhou, Qi

2013-01-01

Acid and alkaline pretreatments for enhanced hydrogen production from cassava stillage were investigated in the present study. The result showed that acid pretreatment was suitable for enhancement of soluble carbohydrate while alkaline pretreatment stimulated more soluble total organic carbon production from cassava stillage. Acid pretreatment thereby has higher capacity to promote hydrogen production compared with alkaline pretreatment. Effects of pretreatment temperature, time and acid concentration on hydrogen production were also revealed by response surface methodology. The results showed that the increase of all factors increased the soluble carbohydrate production, whereas hydrogen production was inhibited when the factors exceeded their optimal values. The optimal conditions for hydrogen production were pretreatment temperature 89.5 °C, concentration 1.4% and time 69 min for the highest hydrogen production of 434 mL, 67% higher than raw cassava stillage.

A decision model for selecting sustainable drinking water supply and greywater reuse systems for developing communities with a case study in Cimahi, Indonesia.

PubMed

Henriques, Justin J; Louis, Garrick E

2011-01-01

Capacity Factor Analysis is a decision support system for selection of appropriate technologies for municipal sanitation services in developing communities. Developing communities are those that lack the capability to provide adequate access to one or more essential services, such as water and sanitation, to their residents. This research developed two elements of Capacity Factor Analysis: a capacity factor based classification for technologies using requirements analysis, and a matching policy for choosing technology options. First, requirements analysis is used to develop a ranking for drinking water supply and greywater reuse technologies. Second, using the Capacity Factor Analysis approach, a matching policy is developed to guide decision makers in selecting the appropriate drinking water supply or greywater reuse technology option for their community. Finally, a scenario-based informal hypothesis test is developed to assist in qualitative model validation through case study. Capacity Factor Analysis is then applied in Cimahi Indonesia as a form of validation. The completed Capacity Factor Analysis model will allow developing communities to select drinking water supply and greywater reuse systems that are safe, affordable, able to be built and managed by the community using local resources, and are amenable to expansion as the community's management capacity increases. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Divergent predictions of carbon storage between two global land models: attribution of the causes through traceability analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rafique, Rashid; Xia, Jianyang; Hararuk, Oleksandra; Asrar, Ghassem R.; Leng, Guoyong; Wang, Yingping; Luo, Yiqi

2016-07-01

Representations of the terrestrial carbon cycle in land models are becoming increasingly complex. It is crucial to develop approaches for critical assessment of the complex model properties in order to understand key factors contributing to models' performance. In this study, we applied a traceability analysis which decomposes carbon cycle models into traceable components, for two global land models (CABLE and CLM-CASA') to diagnose the causes of their differences in simulating ecosystem carbon storage capacity. Driven with similar forcing data, CLM-CASA' predicted ˜ 31 % larger carbon storage capacity than CABLE. Since ecosystem carbon storage capacity is a product of net primary productivity (NPP) and ecosystem residence time (τE), the predicted difference in the storage capacity between the two models results from differences in either NPP or τE or both. Our analysis showed that CLM-CASA' simulated 37 % higher NPP than CABLE. On the other hand, τE, which was a function of the baseline carbon residence time (τ'E) and environmental effect on carbon residence time, was on average 11 years longer in CABLE than CLM-CASA'. This difference in τE was mainly caused by longer τ'E of woody biomass (23 vs. 14 years in CLM-CASA'), and higher proportion of NPP allocated to woody biomass (23 vs. 16 %). Differences in environmental effects on carbon residence times had smaller influences on differences in ecosystem carbon storage capacities compared to differences in NPP and τ'E. Overall, the traceability analysis showed that the major causes of different carbon storage estimations were found to be parameters setting related to carbon input and baseline carbon residence times between two models.

Divergent predictions of carbon storage between two global land models: Attribution of the causes through traceability analysis

DOE PAGES

Rafique, Rashid; Xia, Jianyang; Hararuk, Oleksandra; ...

2016-07-29

Representations of the terrestrial carbon cycle in land models are becoming increasingly complex. It is crucial to develop approaches for critical assessment of the complex model properties in order to understand key factors contributing to models' performance. In this study, we applied a traceability analysis which decomposes carbon cycle models into traceable components, for two global land models (CABLE and CLM-CASA') to diagnose the causes of their differences in simulating ecosystem carbon storage capacity. Driven with similar forcing data, CLM-CASA' predicted – 31 % larger carbon storage capacity than CABLE. Since ecosystem carbon storage capacity is a product of net primary productivitymore » (NPP) and ecosystem residence time ( τ E), the predicted difference in the storage capacity between the two models results from differences in either NPP or τ E or both. Our analysis showed that CLM-CASA'simulated 37 % higher NPP than CABLE. On the other hand, τ E, which was a function of the baseline carbon residence time ( τ' E) and environmental effect on carbon residence time, was on average 11 years longer in CABLE than CLM-CASA'. This difference in τ E was mainly caused by longer τ' E of woody biomass (23 vs. 14 years in CLM-CASA'), and higher proportion of NPP allocated to woody biomass (23 vs. 16 %). Differences in environmental effects on carbon residence times had smaller influences on differences in ecosystem carbon storage capacities compared to differences in NPP and τ' E. Altogether, the traceability analysis showed that the major causes of different carbon storage estimations were found to be parameters setting related to carbon input and baseline carbon residence times between two models.« less

Divergent predictions of carbon storage between two global land models: Attribution of the causes through traceability analysis

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

Rafique, Rashid; Xia, Jianyang; Hararuk, Oleksandra

Representations of the terrestrial carbon cycle in land models are becoming increasingly complex. It is crucial to develop approaches for critical assessment of the complex model properties in order to understand key factors contributing to models' performance. In this study, we applied a traceability analysis which decomposes carbon cycle models into traceable components, for two global land models (CABLE and CLM-CASA') to diagnose the causes of their differences in simulating ecosystem carbon storage capacity. Driven with similar forcing data, CLM-CASA' predicted – 31 % larger carbon storage capacity than CABLE. Since ecosystem carbon storage capacity is a product of net primary productivitymore » (NPP) and ecosystem residence time ( τ E), the predicted difference in the storage capacity between the two models results from differences in either NPP or τ E or both. Our analysis showed that CLM-CASA'simulated 37 % higher NPP than CABLE. On the other hand, τ E, which was a function of the baseline carbon residence time ( τ' E) and environmental effect on carbon residence time, was on average 11 years longer in CABLE than CLM-CASA'. This difference in τ E was mainly caused by longer τ' E of woody biomass (23 vs. 14 years in CLM-CASA'), and higher proportion of NPP allocated to woody biomass (23 vs. 16 %). Differences in environmental effects on carbon residence times had smaller influences on differences in ecosystem carbon storage capacities compared to differences in NPP and τ' E. Altogether, the traceability analysis showed that the major causes of different carbon storage estimations were found to be parameters setting related to carbon input and baseline carbon residence times between two models.« less

Place, health, and community attachment: Is community capacity associated with self-rated health at the individual level?

PubMed

Lovell, Sarah A; Gray, Andrew R; Boucher, Sara E

2017-12-01

Community-level interventions dominate contemporary public health responses to health inequalities as a lack of political will has discouraged action at a structural level. Health promoters commonly leverage community capacity to achieve programme goals, yet the health implications of low community capacity are unknown. In this study, we analyse perceptions of community capacity at the individual-level to explore how place-based understandings of identity and connectedness are associated with self-rated health. We examine associations between individual community capacity, self-rated health and income using a cross-sectional survey that was disseminated to 303 residents of four small (populations 1500-2000) New Zealand towns. Evidence indicating a relationship between individual community capacity and self-reported health was unconvincing once the effects of income were incorporated. That is, people who rated their community's capacity higher did not have better self-rated health. Much stronger evidence supported the relationship between income and both higher individual community capacity and higher self-rated health. We conclude that individual community capacity may mediate the positive association between income and health, however, overall we find no evidence suggesting that intervening to enhance individual community capacity is likely to improve health outcomes.

Assessment of Pb uptake, translocation and immobilization in kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) for phytoremediation of sand tailings.

PubMed

Ho, Wai Mun; Ang, Lai Hoe; Lee, Don Koo

2008-01-01

The potential of kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) for phytoremediation of lead (Pb) on sand tailings was investigated. A pot experiment employing factorial design with two main effects of fertilizer and lead was conducted in a nursery using sand tailings from an ex-tin mine as the growing medium. Results showed that Pb was found in the root, stem, and seed capsule of kenaf but not in the leaf. Application of organic fertilizer promoted greater biomass yield as well as higher accumulation capacity of Pb. In Pb-spiked treatments, roots accumulated more than 85% of total plant Pb which implies that kenaf root can be an important sink for bioavailable Pb. Scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) X-ray microanalysis confirmed that electron-dense deposits located along cell walls of kenaf roots were Pb precipitates. The ability of kenaf to tolerate Pb and avoid phytotoxicity could be attributed to the immobilization of Pb in the roots and hence the restriction of upward movement (translocation factor < 1). With the application of fertilizer, kenaf was also found to have higher biomass and subsequently higher bioaccumulation capacity, indicating its suitability for phytoremediation of Pb-contaminated site.

Variability in large-scale wind power generation: Variability in large-scale wind power generation

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

Kiviluoma, Juha; Holttinen, Hannele; Weir, David

2015-10-25

The paper demonstrates the characteristics of wind power variability and net load variability in multiple power systems based on real data from multiple years. Demonstrated characteristics include probability distribution for different ramp durations, seasonal and diurnal variability and low net load events. The comparison shows regions with low variability (Sweden, Spain and Germany), medium variability (Portugal, Ireland, Finland and Denmark) and regions with higher variability (Quebec, Bonneville Power Administration and Electric Reliability Council of Texas in North America; Gansu, Jilin and Liaoning in China; and Norway and offshore wind power in Denmark). For regions with low variability, the maximum 1more » h wind ramps are below 10% of nominal capacity, and for regions with high variability, they may be close to 30%. Wind power variability is mainly explained by the extent of geographical spread, but also higher capacity factor causes higher variability. It was also shown how wind power ramps are autocorrelated and dependent on the operating output level. When wind power was concentrated in smaller area, there were outliers with high changes in wind output, which were not present in large areas with well-dispersed wind power.« less

Factors associated with the motivation and de-motivation of health workforce in Nepal.

PubMed

Ghimire, J; Gupta, R P; Kumal, A B; Mahato, R K; Bhandari, R M; Thapa, N

2013-05-01

Health workforce plays an important role in improving the health of people but its shortage is a major problem facing Nepal. This is further compounded by prolonged absence, low motivation, and improper distribution. The objective of the study is to find out the factors determining motivation of health workforce in the public sector. A cross sectional study was conducted during September, 2012 to February, 2013. The health facilities were selected proportionately representing all the Illakas and then a simple random sampling was done to select individual facilities. Data was collected using questionnaire. The collected data was entered and analyzed in SPSS. Ethical approval was taken from the Nepal Health Research Council. More than a half (55%) of the health workers were satisfied with their current jobs and the financial benefits they acquired. The results revealed that higher age, higher education (OR:2.6; CI:1.414-4.660) and lower service duration (OR:2.567; CI:1.193-3.306) were significant factors for the motivation of health workers along with financial rewards (OR:4.706; CI:2.961-7.478), working environment (OR:2.344; CI:1.507-3.648) and opportunity for capacity development (OR:5.437; CI:3.344-8.840). The major de-motivational factors were: low remuneration (OR:3.215; CI:2.049-5.045), limited capacity development opportunity (OR:4.269; CI:2.672-6.821), poor working environment (OR:4.062; CI:2.528-6.526), non-recognition of performance (OR: 2.157; CI:1.389-3.350), and political interferences (OR:2.752; CI:1.754-4.320). Motivation of health workers is an important factor for smooth functioning of health intuitions and increased access to quality services. The good working environment, salary and other financial benefits matter greatly for enhanced performance of health workers along with additional factors.

Maternal Child-Centered Attributions and Harsh Discipline: The Moderating Role of Maternal Working Memory Across Socioeconomic Contexts

PubMed Central

Sturge-Apple, Melissa L.; Suor, Jennifer H.; Skibo, Michael A.

2015-01-01

Cognitive models of parenting give emphasis to the central role that parental cognitions may play in parental socialization goals. In particular, dual process models suggest that parental attribution styles affect the way parents interpret caregiving situations and enact behaviors, particularly within the realm of discipline. Although research has documented the negative behavioral repercussions of dysfunctional child-centered responsibility biases, there is heterogeneity in the level of these associations. Research has also demonstrated that parental working memory capacity may serve as an individual difference factor in influencing caregiving behaviors. Thus, our first aim was to document how maternal working memory capacity may moderate the association between mother’s dysfunctional child-oriented attributions and use of harsh discipline. In addition, from an ecological perspective, a second aim was to examine how socioeconomic risk may further potentiate the impact of maternal working memory. To accomplish these aims, a socioeconomically diverse sample of 185 mothers and their three-year old children were recruited to participate in a laboratory-based research assessment. Findings revealed that lower maternal working memory capacity may operate as a risk factor for attributional biases and harsh discipline, while higher working memory may serve as a protective factor in this relationship. Socioeconomic risk further moderated these findings. Results suggest that the moderating role of working memory may be particularly pronounced under conditions of socio-economic risk. The theoretical and clinical implications of these findings are discussed. PMID:25221969

Maternal child-centered attributions and harsh discipline: the moderating role of maternal working memory across socioeconomic contexts.

PubMed

Sturge-Apple, Melissa L; Suor, Jennifer H; Skibo, Michael A

2014-10-01

Cognitive models of parenting give emphasis to the central role that parental cognitions may play in parental socialization goals. In particular, dual process models suggest that parental attribution styles affect the way parents interpret caregiving situations and enact behaviors, particularly within the realm of discipline. Although research has documented the negative behavioral repercussions of dysfunctional child-centered responsibility biases, there is heterogeneity in the level of these associations. Research has also demonstrated that parental working memory capacity may serve as an individual difference factor in influencing caregiving behaviors. Thus, our first aim was to document how maternal working memory capacity may moderate the association between mother's dysfunctional child-oriented attributions and use of harsh discipline. In addition, from an ecological perspective, a second aim was to examine how socioeconomic risk may further potentiate the impact of maternal working memory. To accomplish these aims, a socioeconomically diverse sample of 185 mothers and their 3-year old children were recruited to participate in a laboratory-based research assessment. Findings revealed that lower maternal working memory capacity may operate as a risk factor for attributional biases and harsh discipline, and higher working memory may serve as a protective factor in this relationship. Socioeconomic risk further moderated these findings. Results suggest that the moderating role of working memory may be particularly pronounced under conditions of socioeconomic risk. The theoretical and clinical implications of these findings are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved).

An innovative framework for psychosocial assessment in complex mental capacity evaluations.

PubMed

Newberry, Andrea M; Pachet, Arlin K

2008-08-01

This study describes an innovative tool developed by the Regional Capacity Assessment Team (RCAT) to assess unique psychosocial factors related to capacity evaluations. Capacity is a socio-legal construct entailing the ability to understand choices, appreciate consequences and follow through (or direct a surrogate) with chosen options. RCAT's targeted psychosocial assessment includes medico-legal factors, social history and supports, coping skills, religious/cultural factors and risk of abuse. RCAT completes the psychosocial assessment to determine whether a full capacity assessment is required (referral disposition) and to determine the impact of an adult's social functioning on their decision-making capacity (capacity determination). RCAT's psychosocial assessment protocol was developed after a comprehensive literature review of capacity assessment and incorporates recommended practices in geriatric social work and psychology. This study will synthesise the pertinent literature, discuss cultural interviewing processes significant to capacity, caregiver assessment and describe the tool itself. Suggestions for future research and appropriate implementation of this tool are provided.

Regeneration in the Pituitary After Cell-Ablation Injury: Time-Related Aspects and Molecular Analysis.

PubMed

Willems, Christophe; Fu, Qiuli; Roose, Heleen; Mertens, Freya; Cox, Benoit; Chen, Jianghai; Vankelecom, Hugo

2016-02-01

We recently showed that the mouse pituitary holds regenerative competence. Young-adult GHCre/iDTR mice, expressing diphtheria toxin (DT) receptor in GH-producing cells, regenerate the GH(+) cells, as ablated by 3-day DT treatment (3DT), up to 60% after 5 months. The pituitary's stem cells participate in this restoration process. Here, we characterized this regenerative capacity in relation to age and recovery period and started to search for underlying molecular mechanisms. Extending the recovery period (up to 19 mo) does not result in higher regeneration levels. In addition, the regenerative competence disappears at older age, coinciding with a reduction in pituitary stem cell number and fitness. Surprisingly, prolonging DT treatment of young-adult mice to 10 days (10DT) completely blocks the regeneration, although the stem cell compartment still reacts by promptly expanding, and retains in vitro stem cell functionality. To obtain a first broad view on molecular grounds underlying reparative capacity and/or failure, the stem cell-clustering side population was analyzed by whole-genome expression analysis. A number of stemness factors and components of embryonic, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, growth factor and Hippo pathways are higher expressed in the stem cell-clustering side population of the regenerating pituitary (after 3DT) when compared with the basal gland and to the nonregenerating pituitary (after 10DT). Together, the regenerative capacity of the pituitary is limited both in age-related terms and final efficacy, and appears to rely on stem cell-associated pathway activation. Dissection of the molecular profiles may eventually identify targets to induce or boost regeneration in situations of (injury-related) pituitary deficiency.

Enhanced susceptibility to acute pneumococcal otitis media in mice deficient in complement C1qa, factor B, and factor B/C2.

PubMed

Tong, Hua Hua; Li, Yong Xing; Stahl, Gregory L; Thurman, Joshua M

2010-03-01

To define the roles of specific complement activation pathways in host defense against Streptococcus pneumoniae in acute otitis media (AOM), we investigated the susceptibility to AOM in mice deficient in complement factor B and C2 (Bf/C2(-/)(-)), C1qa (C1qa(-/)(-)), and factor B (Bf(-)(/)(-)). Bacterial titers of both S. pneumoniae serotype 6A and 14 in the middle ear lavage fluid samples from Bf/C2(-/)(-), Bf(-)(/)(-), and C1qa(-/)(-) mice were significantly higher than in samples from wild-type mice 24 h after transtympanical infection (P < 0.05) and remained persistently higher in samples from Bf/C2(-/)(-) mice than in samples from wild-type mice. Bacteremia occurred in Bf/C2(-/)(-), Bf(-)(/)(-), and C1qa(-/)(-) mice infected with both strains, but not in wild-type mice. Recruitment of inflammatory cells was paralleled by enhanced production of inflammatory mediators in the middle ear lavage samples from Bf/C2(-/)(-) mice. C3b deposition on both strains was greatest for sera obtained from wild-type mice, followed by C1qa(-)(/)(-) and Bf(-)(/)(-) mice, and least for Bf/C2(-)(/)(-) mice. Opsonophagocytosis and whole-blood killing capacity of both strains were significantly decreased in the presence of sera or whole blood from complement-deficient mice compared to wild-type mice. These findings indicate that both the classical and alternative complement pathways are critical for middle ear immune defense against S. pneumoniae. The reduced capacity of complement-mediated opsonization and phagocytosis in the complement-deficient mice appears to be responsible for the impaired clearance of S. pneumoniae from the middle ear and dissemination to the bloodstream during AOM.

When Higher Working Memory Capacity Hinders Insight

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeCaro, Marci S.; Van Stockum, Charles A., Jr.; Wieth, Mareike B.

2016-01-01

Higher working memory capacity (WMC) improves performance on a range of cognitive and academic tasks. However, a greater ability to control attention sometimes leads individuals with higher WMC to persist in using complex, attention-demanding approaches that are suboptimal for a given task. We examined whether higher WMC would hinder insight…

A TECHNIQUE FOR DETERMINING THE OPERATING CAPACITIES OF JUNIOR COLLEGE INSTRUCTIONAL FACILITIES.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

CLAWSON, KENNETH TED

A TECHNIQUE FOR DETERMINING THE CAPACITY OF A COLLEGE PLANT SHOULD (1) CONSIDER THE FUNCTIONAL USE OF THE PLANT, (2) ATTACK THE CAPACITY PROBLEM DIRECTLY RATHER THAN THROUGH STATUS STUDIES, (3) INVOLVE THE SIGNIFICANT FACTORS RELATED TO CAPACITY, (4) USE OBJECTIVE FACTORS, (5) BE UNIVERSAL IN ITS APPLICATION, (6) NOT INVOLVE ABSTRACT STANDARDS,…

A situation-specific approach to measure attention in adults with ADHD: The everyday life attention scale (ELAS).

PubMed

Groen, Yvonne; Fuermaier, Anselm B M; Tucha, Lara; Weisbrod, Matthias; Aschenbrenner, Steffen; Tucha, Oliver

2018-03-14

This study describes the development and utility of a new self-report measure of attentional capacities of adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): the Everyday Life Attention Scale (ELAS). Different from previous attention scales, attentional capacities are rated for nine everyday situations. Study 1 investigated the factor structure, validity, and reliability of the ELAS in 1206 healthy participants. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a situation-specific approach which categorizes everyday attention into nine situation scales: Reading, Movie, Activity, Lecture, Conversation, Assignment, Cooking, Cleaning up, and Driving. Each scale was composed of ratings for sustained, focused, selective, and divided attention as well as motivation, and had good internal consistency. Most scales showed weak correlations with ADHD Symptoms, Executive Functioning, and Memory Efficacy. Study 2 further investigated the sensitivity of the ELAS in 80 adults with ADHD compared to matched healthy controls and a mixed clinical group of 56 patients diagnosed with other psychiatric disorders. Compared to healthy controls, patients with ADHD reported reduced attentional capacities with large effect sizes on all situation scales and had a substantially higher number of situations with impaired attention scores. The ELAS may become useful in the clinical evaluation of ADHD and related psychiatric disorders in adults.

Exploring the Relationship Between Surgical Capacity and Output in Ghana: Current Capacity Assessments May Not Tell the Whole Story.

PubMed

Stewart, Barclay T; Gyedu, Adam; Gaskill, Cameron; Boakye, Godfred; Quansah, Robert; Donkor, Peter; Volmink, Jimmy; Mock, Charles

2018-03-13

Capacity assessments serve as surrogates for surgical output in low- and middle-income countries where detailed registers do not exist. The relationship between surgical capacity and output was evaluated in Ghana to determine whether a more critical interpretation of capacity assessment data is needed on which to base health systems strengthening initiatives. A standardized surgical capacity assessment was performed at 37 hospitals nationwide using WHO guidelines; availability of 25 essential resources and capabilities was used to create a composite capacity score that ranged from 0 (no availability of essential resources) to 75 (constant availability) for each hospital. Data regarding the number of essential operations performed over 1 year, surgical specialties available, hospital beds, and functional operating rooms were also collected. The relationship between capacity and output was explored. The median surgical capacity score was 37 [interquartile range (IQR) 29-48; range 20-56]. The median number of essential operations per year was 1480 (IQR 736-1932) at first-level hospitals; 1545 operations (IQR 984-2452) at referral hospitals; and 11,757 operations (IQR 3769-21,256) at tertiary hospitals. Surgical capacity and output were not correlated (p > 0.05). Contrary to current understanding, surgical capacity assessments may not accurately reflect surgical output. To improve the validity of surgical capacity assessments and facilitate maximal use of available resources, other factors that influence output should also be considered, including demand-side factors; supply-side factors and process elements; and health administration and management factors.

Physical and psychosocial factors associated with physical activity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

PubMed

Hartman, Jorine E; Boezen, H Marike; de Greef, Mathieu H; Ten Hacken, Nick H

2013-12-01

To assess physical activity and sitting time in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and to investigate which physical and psychosocial factors are associated with physical activity and sitting time. Cross-sectional study. Patients were recruited at outpatient clinics of general hospitals and from general practitioners. Patients (N=113) with mild to very severe COPD. Not applicable. Physical activity and sitting time were measured with a triaxial accelerometer (24h/d). Mean locomotion time per 24 hours was 6.8% (range, 0.7%-20.4%). Elevated physical activity was independently associated with higher self-efficacy, higher functional exercise capacity, and lower lung hyperinflation. Decreased physical activity was strongest in more severe stages of COPD, in which the patients were mainly limited by physical disease-specific factors (higher lung hyperinflation, worse dyspnea severity, worse leg muscle function, and oxygen use). In less severe patients, physical activity was independently associated with more generic factors (higher self-efficacy and the spring/summer season). Sitting time did not differ between severity stages, and longer sitting time in the total group was independently associated with more positive perception of treatment control, less autonomous motivation to exercise, not using sleep medication, and oxygen use. Both physical and psychosocial factors were associated with physical activity in patients with COPD. The factors associated with physical activity differed between disease severity stages, raising the question of whether physical activity enhancement programs should differ as well. Sitting time should be investigated further. Copyright © 2013 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Income, personality, and subjective financial well-being: the role of gender in their genetic and environmental relationships

PubMed Central

Zyphur, Michael J.; Li, Wen-Dong; Zhang, Zhen; Arvey, Richard D.; Barsky, Adam P.

2015-01-01

Increasing levels of financial inequality prompt questions about the relationship between income and well-being. Using a twins sample from the Survey of Midlife Development in the U. S. and controlling for personality as core self-evaluations (CSE), we found that men, but not women, had higher subjective financial well-being (SFWB) when they had higher incomes. This relationship was due to ‘unshared environmental’ factors rather than genes, suggesting that the effect of income on SFWB is driven by unique experiences among men. Further, for women and men, we found that CSE influenced income and SFWB, and that both genetic and environmental factors explained this relationship. Given the relatively small and male-specific relationship between income and SFWB, and the determination of both income and SFWB by personality, we propose that policy makers focus on malleable factors beyond merely income in order to increase SFWB, including financial education and building self-regulatory capacity. PMID:26483742

Day/Night and Summer/Winter Changes in Serum Total Antioxidant Capacity.

PubMed

Morera-Fumero, Armando L; Abreu-Gonzalez, Pedro; Henry-Benitez, Manuel; Fernandez-Lopez, Lourdes; Diaz-Mesa, Estefania; Del Rosario Cejas-Mendez, Maria; Guillen-Pino, Fernando

2018-01-01

Seasonal and circadian changes are two factors described to affect blood levels of some biological molecules. The Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC) is one global measure of the antioxidant capacity of a system. There is no agreement about the existence of day/night changes in TAC levels as well as there is no information about seasonal changes in TAC levels. The aims of this research are studying if there are summer/winter changes in TAC concentrations or if TAC concentrations have day/night changes. Ninety-eight healthy subjects took part in the summer study of whom 64 participated in the winter one. Blood was sampled at 09:00, 12:00 and 00:00 h. TAC was measured by the ABTS radical cation technique. Results are expressed in mmol/L of trolox equivalents. The subjects had significantly higher TAC levels in summer than winter at the three-time point studied. Summer 09:00 TAC concentration was significantly higher than the 12:00 and 00:00 h concentrations (1.34±0.26 vs 0.83±0.19, 0.75±0.18). Summer TAC 12:00 h concentrations were significantly higher than the 00:00 h concentrations (0.83±0.19 vs. 0.75±0.18). Winter 09:00 TAC concentrations were significantly higher than the 12:00 and 00:00 h concentrations (1.24±0.16 vs. 0.73±0.10, 0.67±0.13). There were no significant differences between the 12:00 and 00:00 h TAC concentrations. Strong methodological biases may be made if the seasonal and circadian changes in serum TAC concentration are not taken into account when researching in this area. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Women with endometriosis have a higher DNA repair capacity and diminished breast cancer risk

PubMed Central

Matta, Jaime L.; Flores, Idhaliz; Morales, Luisa M.; Monteiro, Janice; Alvarez-Garriga, Carolina; Bayona, Manuel

2014-01-01

Introduction Breast cancer (BC) and endometriosis are important reproductive health diseases for women. Although endometriosis is not a malignant condition, some of its characteristics mimic that of a malignancy. Endometriosis is associated with increased risk of certain cancers; however, whether it alters BC risk is unclear. This study evaluates the association of endometriosis and BC and explores whether DNA repair capacity (DRC) plays a role in such a relationship. Materials and Methods A case-control study of 991 women (385 with BC and 606 controls, all recruited over 5 years) was undertaken in Puerto Rico. Eighty participants with self-reported surgically diagnosed endometriosis were identified, 20 of whom also had a diagnosis of BC. Data from a structured questionnaire and DRC measurements were assessed to determine the association between BC, DRC, and endometriosis. Results Participants with BC cases were 50% less likely to have history of endometriosis (OR = 0.5 95%CI: 0.3, 0.9, p = 0.038) than women without BC controls. Findings that did not reach statistical significance included the following: women with history of endometriosis had a slightly higher DRC level than those without it; BC cases and history of endometriosis were less likely to have had endometriosis diagnosis before age 38 as compared to controls with endometriosis. Discussion Here we report an inverse association between endometriosis and BC, the former possibly conferring a protective effect on the latter. Although the mechanisms involved are unknown they may include protection provided by higher DRC and or hormonal treatments for endometriosis. A larger sample of endometriosis cases is necessary to confirm these results and answer the question of whether a higher DRC capacity may contribute to this potential protection, and to identify other factors at play. PMID:25473592

The association of serum long-chain n-3 PUFA and hair mercury with exercise cardiac power in men.

PubMed

Tajik, Behnam; Kurl, Sudhir; Tuomainen, Tomi-Pekka; Virtanen, Jyrki K

2016-08-01

Long-chain n-3 PUFA from fish and exercise capacity are associated with CVD risk. Fish, especially large and old predatory fish, may contain Hg, which may attenuate the inverse association of long-chain n-3 PUFA with CVD. However, the associations of long-chain n-3 PUFA or Hg exposure with exercise capacity are not well known. We aimed to evaluate the associations of serum long-chain n-3 PUFA EPA, docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) and DHA and hair Hg with exercise cardiac power (ECP, a ratio of VO2max:maximal systolic blood pressure (SBP) during an exercise test), a measure for exercise capacity. For this, data from the population-based Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study were analysed cross-sectionally in order to determine the associations between serum long-chain n-3 PUFA, hair Hg and ECP in 1672 men without CVD, aged 42-60 years. After multivariate adjustments, serum total long-chain n-3 PUFA concentration was associated with higher ECP and VO2max (P trend across quartiles=0·04 and P trend=0·02, respectively), but not with maximal SBP (P trend=0·69). Associations were generally similar when EPA, DPA and DHA were evaluated individually. Hair Hg was not associated with ECP, VO2max or maximal SBP. However, the associations of total long-chain n-3 PUFA (P interaction=0·03) and EPA (P interaction=0·02) with higher VO2max were stronger among men with lower hair Hg. Higher serum long-chain n-3 PUFA concentration, mainly a marker for fish consumption in this study population, was associated with higher ECP and VO2max in middle-aged men from eastern Finland.

Evaluation of injection methods for fast, high peak capacity separations with low thermal mass gas chromatography.

PubMed

Fitz, Brian D; Mannion, Brandyn C; To, Khang; Hoac, Trinh; Synovec, Robert E

2015-05-01

Low thermal mass gas chromatography (LTM-GC) was evaluated for rapid, high peak capacity separations with three injection methods: liquid, headspace solid phase micro-extraction (HS-SPME), and direct vapor. An Agilent LTM equipped with a short microbore capillary column was operated at a column heating rate of 250 °C/min to produce a 60s separation. Two sets of experiments were conducted in parallel to characterize the instrumental platform. First, the three injection methods were performed in conjunction with in-house built high-speed cryo-focusing injection (HSCFI) to cryogenically trap and re-inject the analytes onto the LTM-GC column in a narrower band. Next, the three injection methods were performed natively with LTM-GC. Using HSCFI, the peak capacity of a separation of 50 nl of a 73 component liquid test mixture was 270, which was 23% higher than without HSCFI. Similar peak capacity gains were obtained when using the HSCFI with HS-SPME (25%), and even greater with vapor injection (56%). For the 100 μl vapor sample injected without HSCFI, the preconcentration factor, defined as the ratio of the maximum concentration of the detected analyte peak relative to the analyte concentration injected with the syringe, was determined to be 11 for the earliest eluting peak (most volatile analyte). In contrast, the preconcentration factor for the earliest eluting peak using HSCFI was 103. Therefore, LTM-GC is demonstrated to natively provide in situ analyte trapping, although not to as great an extent as with HSCFI. We also report the use of LTM-GC applied with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOFMS) detection for rapid, high peak capacity separations from SPME sampled banana peel headspace. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Capacity factor analysis for evaluating water and sanitation infrastructure choices for developing communities.

PubMed

Bouabid, Ali; Louis, Garrick E

2015-09-15

40% of the world's population lacks access to adequate supplies of water and sanitation services to sustain human health. In fact, more than 780 million people lack access to safe water supplies and about 2.5 billion people lack access to basic sanitation. Appropriate technology for water supply and sanitation (Watsan) systems is critical for sustained access to these services. Current approaches for the selection of Watsan technologies in developing communities have a high failure rate. It is estimated that 30%-60% of Watsan installed infrastructures in developing countries are not operating. Inappropriate technology is a common explanation for the high rate of failure of Watsan infrastructure, particularly in lower-income communities (Palaniappan et al., 2008). This paper presents the capacity factor analysis (CFA) model, for the assessment of a community's capacity to manage and sustain access to water supply and sanitation services. The CFA model is used for the assessment of a community's capacity to operate, and maintain a municipal sanitation service (MSS) such as, drinking water supply, wastewater and sewage treatment, and management of solid waste. The assessment of the community's capacity is based on seven capacity factors that have been identified as playing a key role in the sustainability of municipal sanitation services in developing communities (Louis, 2002). These capacity factors and their constituents are defined for each municipal sanitation service. Benchmarks and international standards for the constituents of the CFs are used to assess the capacity factors. The assessment of the community's capacity factors leads to determine the overall community capacity level (CCL) to manage a MSS. The CCL can then be used to assist the community in the selection of appropriate Watsan technologies for their MSS needs. The selection is done from Watsan technologies that require a capacity level to operate them that matches the assessed CCL of the community. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of abiotic factors on ecosystem health of Taihu Lake, China based on eco-exergy theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Ce; Bi, Jun; Fath, Brian D.

2017-02-01

A lake ecosystem is continuously exposed to environmental stressors with non-linear interrelationships between abiotic factors and aquatic organisms. Ecosystem health depicts the capacity of system to respond to external perturbations and still maintain structure and function. In this study, we explored the effects of abiotic factors on ecosystem health of Taihu Lake in 2013, China from a system-level perspective. Spatiotemporal heterogeneities of eco-exergy and specific eco-exergy served as thermodynamic indicators to represent ecosystem health in the lake. The results showed the plankton community appeared more energetic in May, and relatively healthy in Gonghu Bay with both higher eco-exergy and specific eco-exergy; a eutrophic state was likely discovered in Zhushan Bay with higher eco-exergy but lower specific eco-exergy. Gradient Boosting Machine (GBM) approach was used to explain the non-linear relationships between two indicators and abiotic factors. This analysis revealed water temperature, inorganic nutrients, and total suspended solids greatly contributed to the two indicators that increased. However, pH rise driven by inorganic carbon played an important role in undermining ecosystem health, particularly when pH was higher than 8.2. This implies that climate change with rising CO2 concentrations has the potential to aggravate eutrophication in Taihu Lake where high nutrient loads are maintained.

Effects of abiotic factors on ecosystem health of Taihu Lake, China based on eco-exergy theory

PubMed Central

Wang, Ce; Bi, Jun; Fath, Brian D.

2017-01-01

A lake ecosystem is continuously exposed to environmental stressors with non-linear interrelationships between abiotic factors and aquatic organisms. Ecosystem health depicts the capacity of system to respond to external perturbations and still maintain structure and function. In this study, we explored the effects of abiotic factors on ecosystem health of Taihu Lake in 2013, China from a system-level perspective. Spatiotemporal heterogeneities of eco-exergy and specific eco-exergy served as thermodynamic indicators to represent ecosystem health in the lake. The results showed the plankton community appeared more energetic in May, and relatively healthy in Gonghu Bay with both higher eco-exergy and specific eco-exergy; a eutrophic state was likely discovered in Zhushan Bay with higher eco-exergy but lower specific eco-exergy. Gradient Boosting Machine (GBM) approach was used to explain the non-linear relationships between two indicators and abiotic factors. This analysis revealed water temperature, inorganic nutrients, and total suspended solids greatly contributed to the two indicators that increased. However, pH rise driven by inorganic carbon played an important role in undermining ecosystem health, particularly when pH was higher than 8.2. This implies that climate change with rising CO2 concentrations has the potential to aggravate eutrophication in Taihu Lake where high nutrient loads are maintained. PMID:28220835

Interaction of Human Complement Factor H Variants Tyr402 and His402 with Leptospira spp.

PubMed Central

Silva, Aldacilene Souza; Valencia, Mónica Marcela Castiblanco; Cianciarullo, Aurora Marques; Vasconcellos, Sílvio Arruda; Barbosa, Angela Silva; Isaac, Lourdes

2011-01-01

Leptospirosis is a zoonosis caused by pathogenic bacteria from the genus Leptospira. The disease represents a serious public health problem in underdeveloped tropical countries. Leptospires infect hosts through small abrasions in the skin or mucous membranes and they rapidly disseminate to target organs. The capacity of some pathogenic leptospiral strains to acquire the negative complement regulators factor H (FH) and C4b binding protein correlates with their ability to survive in human serum. In this study we assessed the functional consequences of the age macular degeneration-associated polymorphism FH His402 or FH Tyr402 on FH–Leptospira interactions. In binding assays using sub-saturating amounts of FH, the FH Tyr402 variant interacted with all the strains tested more strongly than the FH His402 variant. At higher concentrations, differences tended to disappear. We then compared cofactor activities displayed by FH His402 and FH Tyr402 bound to the surface of L. interrogans. Both variants exhibit similar activity as cofactors for Factor I-mediated cleavage of C3b, thus indicating that they do not differ in their capacity to regulate the complement cascade. PMID:22566834

Intergranular Cracking as a Major Cause of Long-Term Capacity Fading of Layered Cathodes.

PubMed

Liu, Hao; Wolf, Mark; Karki, Khim; Yu, Young-Sang; Stach, Eric A; Cabana, Jordi; Chapman, Karena W; Chupas, Peter J

2017-06-14

Capacity fading has limited commercial layered Li-ion battery electrodes to <70% of their theoretical capacity. Higher capacities can be achieved initially by charging to higher voltages, however, these gains are eroded by a faster fade in capacity. Increasing lifetimes and reversible capacity are contingent on identifying the origin of this capacity fade to inform electrode design and synthesis. We used operando X-ray diffraction to observe how the lithiation-delithiation reactions within a LiNi 0.8 Co 0.15 Al 0.05 O 2 (NCA) electrode change after capacity fade following months of slow charge-discharge. The changes in the reactions that underpin energy storage after long-term cycling directly correlate to the capacity loss; heterogeneous reaction kinetics observed during extended cycles quantitatively account for the capacity loss. This reaction heterogeneity is ultimately attributed to intergranular fracturing that degrades the connectivity of subsurface grains within the polycrystalline NCA aggregate.

Associations between Depressive State and Impaired Higher-Level Functional Capacity in the Elderly with Long-Term Care Requirements.

PubMed

Ogata, Soshiro; Hayashi, Chisato; Sugiura, Keiko; Hayakawa, Kazuo

2015-01-01

Depressive state has been reported to be significantly associated with higher-level functional capacity among community-dwelling elderly. However, few studies have investigated the associations among people with long-term care requirements. We aimed to investigate the associations between depressive state and higher-level functional capacity and obtain marginal odds ratios using propensity score analyses in people with long-term care requirements. We conducted a cross-sectional study based on participants aged ≥ 65 years (n = 545) who were community dwelling and used outpatient care services for long-term preventive care. We measured higher-level functional capacity, depressive state, and possible confounders. Then, we estimated the marginal odds ratios (i.e., the change in odds of impaired higher-level functional capacity if all versus no participants were exposed to depressive state) by logistic models using generalized linear models with the inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) for propensity score and design-based standard errors. Depressive state was used as the exposure variable and higher-level functional capacity as the outcome variable. The all absolute standardized differences after the IPTW using the propensity scores were < 10% which indicated negligible differences in the mean or prevalence of the covariates between non-depressive state and depressive state. The marginal odds ratios were estimated by the logistic models with IPTW using the propensity scores. The marginal odds ratios were 2.17 (95%CI: 1.13-4.19) for men and 2.57 (95%CI: 1.26-5.26) for women. Prevention of depressive state may contribute to not only depressive state but also higher-level functional capacity.

Enhancing Nitrogen Availability, Ammonium Adsorption-Desorption, and Soil pH Buffering Capacity using Composted Paddy Husk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Latifah, O.; Ahmed, O. H.; Abdul Majid, N. M.

2017-12-01

Form of nitrogen present in soils is one of the factors that affect nitrogen loss. Nitrate is mobile in soils because it does not absorb on soil colloids, thus, causing it to be leached by rainfall to deeper soil layers or into the ground water. On the other hand, temporary retention and timely release of ammonium in soils regulate nitrogen availability for crops. In this study, composted paddy husk was used in studies of soil leaching, buffering capacity, and ammonium adsorption and desorption to determine the: (i) availability of exchangeable ammonium, available nitrate, and total nitrogen in an acid soil after leaching the soil for 30 days, (ii) soil buffering capacity, and (iii) ability of the composted paddy husk to adsorb and desorb ammonium from urea. Leaching of ammonium and nitrate were lower in all treatments with urea and composted paddy husk compared with urea alone. Higher retention of soil exchangeable ammonium, available nitrate, and total nitrogen of the soils with composted paddy husk were due to the high buffering capacity and cation exchange capacity of the amendment to adsorb ammonium thus, improving nitrogen availability through temporary retention on the exchange sites of the humic acids of the composted paddy husk. Nitrogen availability can be enhanced if urea is amended with composted paddy husk.

Plasma Homocysteine Is Associated with Increased Oxidative Stress and Antioxidant Enzyme Activity in Welders

PubMed Central

Liu, Hung-Hsin; Shih, Tung-Sheng; Huang, Hsin-Ru; Huang, Shih-Chien; Lee, Lien-Hsiung; Huang, Yi-Chia

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the association of vitamin B6 status and plasma homocysteine with oxidative stress and antioxidant capacities in welders. Workers were divided into either the welding exposure group (n = 57) or the nonexposure controls (n = 42) based on whether they were employed as welders. There were no significant differences in vitamin B6 status and plasma homocysteine concentration between the welding exposure group and the nonexposure controls. The welding exposure group had significantly higher levels of oxidized low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and lower erythrocyte glutathione concentration and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities when compared to nonexposure controls. Plasma pyridoxal 5′-phosphate concentration did not correlate with oxidative stress indicators or antioxidant capacities in either group. However, plasma homocysteine significantly correlated with total antioxidant capacity (TAC) (partial r s = −0.34, P < 0.05) and erythrocyte SOD activities (partial r s = 0.29, P < 0.05) after adjusting for potential confounders in the welding exposure group. In the welding exposure group, adequate vitamin B6 status was not associated with oxidative stress or antioxidant capacities. However, elevated plasma homocysteine seemed to be a major contributing factor to antioxidant capacities (TAC and erythrocyte SOD activities) in welders. PMID:24106453

Lymphocyte DNA damage and oxidative stress in patients with iron deficiency anemia.

PubMed

Aslan, Mehmet; Horoz, Mehmet; Kocyigit, Abdurrahim; Ozgonül, Saadet; Celik, Hakim; Celik, Metin; Erel, Ozcan

2006-10-10

Oxidant stress has been shown to play an important role in the pathogenesis of iron deficiency anemia. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between lymphocyte DNA damage, total antioxidant capacity and the degree of anemia in patients with iron deficiency anemia. Twenty-two female with iron deficiency anemia and 22 healthy females were enrolled in the study. Peripheral DNA damage was assessed using alkaline comet assay and plasma total antioxidant capacity was determined using an automated measurement method. Lymphocyte DNA damage of patients with iron deficiency anemia was significantly higher than controls (p<0.05), while total antioxidant capacity was significantly lower (p<0.001). While there was a positive correlation between total antioxidant capacity and hemoglobin levels (r=0.706, p<0.001), both total antioxidant capacity and hemoglobin levels were negatively correlated with DNA damage (r=-0.330, p<0.05 and r=-0.323, p<0.05, respectively). In conclusion, both oxidative stress and DNA damage are increased in IDA patients. Increased oxidative stress seems as an important factor that inducing DNA damage in those IDA patients. The relationships of oxidative stress and DNA damage with the severity of anemia suggest that both oxidative stress and DNA damage may, in part, have a role in the pathogenesis of IDA.

Economically sustainable scaling of photovoltaics to meet climate targets

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

Needleman, David Berney; Poindexter, Jeremy R.; Kurchin, Rachel C.

To meet climate targets, power generation capacity from photovoltaics (PV) in 2030 will have to be much greater than is predicted from either steady state growth using today's manufacturing capacity or industry roadmaps. Analysis of whether current technology can scale, in an economically sustainable way, to sufficient levels to meet these targets has not yet been undertaken, nor have tools to perform this analysis been presented. Here, we use bottom-up cost modeling to predict cumulative capacity as a function of technological and economic variables. We find that today's technology falls short in two ways: profits are too small relative tomore » upfront factory costs to grow manufacturing capacity rapidly enough to meet climate targets, and costs are too high to generate enough demand to meet climate targets. We show that decreasing the capital intensity (capex) of PV manufacturing to increase manufacturing capacity and effectively reducing cost (e.g., through higher efficiency) to increase demand are the most effective and least risky ways to address these barriers to scale. We also assess the effects of variations in demand due to hard-to-predict factors, like public policy, on the necessary reductions in cost.Lastly, we review examples of redundant technology pathways for crystalline silicon PV to achieve the necessary innovations in capex, performance, and price.« less

Economically sustainable scaling of photovoltaics to meet climate targets

DOE PAGES

Needleman, David Berney; Poindexter, Jeremy R.; Kurchin, Rachel C.; ...

2016-04-21

To meet climate targets, power generation capacity from photovoltaics (PV) in 2030 will have to be much greater than is predicted from either steady state growth using today's manufacturing capacity or industry roadmaps. Analysis of whether current technology can scale, in an economically sustainable way, to sufficient levels to meet these targets has not yet been undertaken, nor have tools to perform this analysis been presented. Here, we use bottom-up cost modeling to predict cumulative capacity as a function of technological and economic variables. We find that today's technology falls short in two ways: profits are too small relative tomore » upfront factory costs to grow manufacturing capacity rapidly enough to meet climate targets, and costs are too high to generate enough demand to meet climate targets. We show that decreasing the capital intensity (capex) of PV manufacturing to increase manufacturing capacity and effectively reducing cost (e.g., through higher efficiency) to increase demand are the most effective and least risky ways to address these barriers to scale. We also assess the effects of variations in demand due to hard-to-predict factors, like public policy, on the necessary reductions in cost.Lastly, we review examples of redundant technology pathways for crystalline silicon PV to achieve the necessary innovations in capex, performance, and price.« less

Memory Self-Efficacy Predicts Responsiveness to Inductive Reasoning Training in Older Adults

PubMed Central

Jackson, Joshua J.; Hill, Patrick L.; Gao, Xuefei; Roberts, Brent W.; Stine-Morrow, Elizabeth A. L.

2012-01-01

Objectives. In the current study, we assessed the relationship between memory self-efficacy at pretest and responsiveness to inductive reasoning training in a sample of older adults. Methods. Participants completed a measure of self-efficacy assessing beliefs about memory capacity. Participants were then randomly assigned to a waitlist control group or an inductive reasoning training intervention. Latent change score models were used to examine the moderators of change in inductive reasoning. Results. Inductive reasoning showed clear improvements in the training group compared with the control. Within the training group, initial memory capacity beliefs significantly predicted change in inductive reasoning such that those with higher levels of capacity beliefs showed greater responsiveness to the intervention. Further analyses revealed that self-efficacy had effects on how trainees allocated time to the training materials over the course of the intervention. Discussion. Results indicate that self-referential beliefs about cognitive potential may be an important factor contributing to plasticity in adulthood. PMID:21743037

Normalization of respiratory sinus arrhythmia by factoring in tidal volume.

PubMed

Kobayashi, H

1998-09-01

The amplitude of respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) was measured in eight healthy young male students with special reference to the effect of tidal volume (Vt). Under simultaneously controlled respiratory frequency and Vt, the heart rate variability (HRV) of the subjects was measured. While the respiratory frequency was adjusted to either 0.25 or 0.10 Hz, the Vt was controlled at 13 different volumes for each frequency. Linear relationships between RSA amplitude and Vt were observed and close correlations were obtained for 0.25 Hz compared with 0.10 Hz. However, regression equations showed a marked variation among subjects. Furthermore, RSA amplitude was related to vital capacity. Subjects who had lower vital capacity tended to show higher RSA amplitudes at the same Vt. Therefore, the ratio (% Vt) of Vt to vital capacity is a more effective index in normalizing RSA than raw tidal volume. From these results, we have proposed a normalized RSA (RSA amplitude/% Vt) as a new index of autonomic activity that provides a constant value regardless of Vt.

Oxygen limitation and tissue metabolic potential of the African fish Barbus neumayeri: roles of native habitat and acclimatization

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Oxygen availability in aquatic habitats is a major environmental factor influencing the ecology, behaviour, and physiology of fishes. This study evaluates the contribution of source population and hypoxic acclimatization of the African fish, Barbus neumayeri, in determining growth and tissue metabolic enzyme activities. Individuals were collected from two sites differing dramatically in concentration of dissolved oxygen (DO), Rwembaita Swamp (annual average DO 1.35 mgO2 L-1) and Inlet Stream West (annual average DO 5.58 mgO2 L-1) in Kibale National Park, Uganda, and reciprocally transplanted using a cage experiment in the field, allowing us to maintain individuals under natural conditions of oxygen, food availability, and flow. Fish were maintained under these conditions for four weeks and sampled for growth rate and the activities of phosphofructokinase (PFK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), citrate synthase (CS), and cytochrome c oxidase (CCO) in four tissues, liver, heart, brain, and skeletal muscle. Results Acclimatization to the low DO site resulted in lower growth rates, lower activities of the aerobic enzyme CCO in heart, and higher activities of the glycolytic enzyme PFK in heart and skeletal muscle. The activity of LDH in liver tissue was correlated with site of origin, being higher in fish collected from a hypoxic habitat, regardless of acclimatization treatment. Conclusions Our results suggest that the influence of site of origin and hypoxic acclimatization in determining enzyme activity differs among enzymes and tissues, but both factors contribute to higher glycolytic capacity and lower aerobic capacity in B. neumayeri under naturally-occurring conditions of oxygen limitation. PMID:21251277

Oxygen limitation and tissue metabolic potential of the African fish Barbus neumayeri: roles of native habitat and acclimatization.

PubMed

Martínez, Mery L; Raynard, Erin L; Rees, Bernard B; Chapman, Lauren J

2011-01-20

Oxygen availability in aquatic habitats is a major environmental factor influencing the ecology, behaviour, and physiology of fishes. This study evaluates the contribution of source population and hypoxic acclimatization of the African fish, Barbus neumayeri, in determining growth and tissue metabolic enzyme activities. Individuals were collected from two sites differing dramatically in concentration of dissolved oxygen (DO), Rwembaita Swamp (annual average DO 1.35 mgO2 L(-1)) and Inlet Stream West (annual average DO 5.58 mgO2 L(-1)) in Kibale National Park, Uganda, and reciprocally transplanted using a cage experiment in the field, allowing us to maintain individuals under natural conditions of oxygen, food availability, and flow. Fish were maintained under these conditions for four weeks and sampled for growth rate and the activities of phosphofructokinase (PFK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), citrate synthase (CS), and cytochrome c oxidase (CCO) in four tissues, liver, heart, brain, and skeletal muscle. Acclimatization to the low DO site resulted in lower growth rates, lower activities of the aerobic enzyme CCO in heart, and higher activities of the glycolytic enzyme PFK in heart and skeletal muscle. The activity of LDH in liver tissue was correlated with site of origin, being higher in fish collected from a hypoxic habitat, regardless of acclimatization treatment. Our results suggest that the influence of site of origin and hypoxic acclimatization in determining enzyme activity differs among enzymes and tissues, but both factors contribute to higher glycolytic capacity and lower aerobic capacity in B. neumayeri under naturally-occurring conditions of oxygen limitation.

Ontogeny of intestinal safety factors: lactase capacities and lactose loads.

PubMed

O'Connor, T P; Diamond, J

1999-03-01

We measured intestinal safety factors (ratio of a physiological capacity to the load on it) for lactose digestion in developing rat pups. Specifically, we assessed the quantitative relationships between lactose load and the series capacities of lactase and the Na+-glucose cotransporter (SGLT-1). Both capacities increased significantly with age in suckling pups as a result of increasing intestinal mass and maintenance of mass-specific activities. The youngest pups examined (5 days) had surprisingly high safety factors of 8-13 for both lactase and SGLT-1, possibly because milk contains lactase substrates other than lactose; it also, however, suggests that their intestinal capacities were being prepared to meet future demands rather than just current ones. By day 10 (and also at day 15), increased lactose loads resulted in lower safety factors of 4-6, values more typical of adult intestines. The safety factor of SGLT-1 in day 30 (weanling) and day 100 (adult) rats was only approximately 1.0. This was initially unexpected, because most adult intestines maintain a modest reserve capacity beyond nutrient load values, but postweaning rats appear to use hindgut fermentation, assessed by gut morphology and hydrogen production assays, as a built-in reserve capacity. The series capacities of lactase and SGLT-1 varied in concert with each other over ontogeny and as lactose load was manipulated by experimental variation in litter size.

No correlation between adiposity and food intake: why are working class children fatter?

PubMed

Rolland-Cachera, M F; Bellisle, F

1986-12-01

Many studies have failed to show a correlation between individual energy intake and obesity. However, the prevalence of overweight is higher in populations with higher caloric intake. In this study on a population of French children, no correlation was found between energy intake and individual corpulence (wt/ht2 index or skinfold thickness), but a higher proportion of overweight children was found in lower social classes where energy intake is traditionally higher. A hypothesis is proposed to account for this apparent contradiction: the typical lifestyle or diet in a given population challenges individual adaptive capacities; the more caloric the socially accepted diet, the higher the proportion of individuals who are challenged beyond their adaptive threshold. Socially determined factors such as a high calorie diet act in a permissive way in the development of obesity although the caloric intake of obese individuals may be no different from that of nonobese peers.

Groundwater nitrate contamination: Factors and indicators

PubMed Central

Wick, Katharina; Heumesser, Christine; Schmid, Erwin

2012-01-01

Identifying significant determinants of groundwater nitrate contamination is critical in order to define sensible agri-environmental indicators that support the design, enforcement, and monitoring of regulatory policies. We use data from approximately 1200 Austrian municipalities to provide a detailed statistical analysis of (1) the factors influencing groundwater nitrate contamination and (2) the predictive capacity of the Gross Nitrogen Balance, one of the most commonly used agri-environmental indicators. We find that the percentage of cropland in a given region correlates positively with nitrate concentration in groundwater. Additionally, environmental characteristics such as temperature and precipitation are important co-factors. Higher average temperatures result in lower nitrate contamination of groundwater, possibly due to increased evapotranspiration. Higher average precipitation dilutes nitrates in the soil, further reducing groundwater nitrate concentration. Finally, we assess whether the Gross Nitrogen Balance is a valid predictor of groundwater nitrate contamination. Our regression analysis reveals that the Gross Nitrogen Balance is a statistically significant predictor for nitrate contamination. We also show that its predictive power can be improved if we account for average regional precipitation. The Gross Nitrogen Balance predicts nitrate contamination in groundwater more precisely in regions with higher average precipitation. PMID:22906701

Vascular nutritional correlates of late-life depression.

PubMed

Payne, Martha E; Hybels, Celia F; Bales, Connie W; Steffens, David C

2006-09-01

The authors sought to examine the association of vascular nutritional factors and depression in an elderly cohort of depression (currently and recently depressed) and comparison (never depressed) subjects. Nutrient intake over the past year was assessed in 196 elderly depression and comparison individuals with a Block 1998 food-frequency questionnaire. Nutrient intake, body mass index, and Keys score (a measure of the serum cholesterol-raising capacity of the diet) were determined. Subjects were age 60 and over and were participants in a longitudinal study of major depression. All subjects received psychiatric and medical comorbidity assessments; depression subjects also received psychiatric treatment. Vascular nutritional factors differed between depression and comparison subjects. The depression group had higher intake of saturated fat and cholesterol, higher body mass indices, lower alcohol intake, and higher Keys score than the comparison group. After controlling for age, sex, education, race, and medical comorbidity, associations remained for cholesterol, alcohol, and Keys score. Depression was found to be associated with overall dietary pattern as defined by total kilocalories, saturated fat, cholesterol, body mass index, polyunsaturated fat, sodium, and alcohol. This study provides evidence that dietary vascular risk factors differ in individuals with current or prior depression when compared with individuals with no history of depression.

Curriculum enactment patterns and associated factors from teachers' perspectives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Son, Ji-Won; Kim, Ok-Kyeong

2016-12-01

As part of a larger effort to improve teacher capacity for high-quality mathematics instruction, we investigated the factors that are associated with different enactment patterns at three levels: contextual (e.g., type and quality of textbook), individual (e.g., teacher knowledge), and teachers' opportunity-to-learn (e.g., professional development experiences). Analysis of 183 teachers' self-reports on their practices revealed three notable findings. First, the factors at the three levels were all found to be significantly related to the different patterns of enacted curriculum. However, the use of quality textbooks and the alignment of teachers' views and instructional goals with curriculum goals were found to be the two factors that are most strongly associated with the enactment pattern of high-level problems and high-level teacher questions in instruction. Furthermore, teachers with the enactment pattern of increasing lower cognitive demand of problems into higher ones tended to rate their curriculum knowledge higher than teachers with the enactment pattern of using low-level problems and teacher questions in their teaching. In particular, deviation from and dissatisfaction with their assigned low-quality textbooks were found to be critical factors that are associated with the enactment pattern of increasing lower cognitive demands of problems in instruction.

SEPALLATA3: the 'glue' for MADS box transcription factor complex formation

PubMed Central

Immink, Richard GH; Tonaco, Isabella AN; de Folter, Stefan; Shchennikova, Anna; van Dijk, Aalt DJ; Busscher-Lange, Jacqueline; Borst, Jan W; Angenent, Gerco C

2009-01-01

Background Plant MADS box proteins play important roles in a plethora of developmental processes. In order to regulate specific sets of target genes, MADS box proteins dimerize and are thought to assemble into multimeric complexes. In this study a large-scale yeast three-hybrid screen is utilized to provide insight into the higher-order complex formation capacity of the Arabidopsis MADS box family. SEPALLATA3 (SEP3) has been shown to mediate complex formation and, therefore, special attention is paid to this factor in this study. Results In total, 106 multimeric complexes were identified; in more than half of these at least one SEP protein was present. Besides the known complexes involved in determining floral organ identity, various complexes consisting of combinations of proteins known to play a role in floral organ identity specification, and flowering time determination were discovered. The capacity to form this latter type of complex suggests that homeotic factors play essential roles in down-regulation of the MADS box genes involved in floral timing in the flower via negative auto-regulatory loops. Furthermore, various novel complexes were identified that may be important for the direct regulation of the floral transition process. A subsequent detailed analysis of the APETALA3, PISTILLATA, and SEP3 proteins in living plant cells suggests the formation of a multimeric complex in vivo. Conclusions Overall, these results provide strong indications that higher-order complex formation is a general and essential molecular mechanism for plant MADS box protein functioning and attribute a pivotal role to the SEP3 'glue' protein in mediating multimerization. PMID:19243611

Carrying the past to the future: Distinct brain networks underlie individual differences in human spatial working memory capacity.

PubMed

Liu, Siwei; Poh, Jia-Hou; Koh, Hui Li; Ng, Kwun Kei; Loke, Yng Miin; Lim, Joseph Kai Wei; Chong, Joanna Su Xian; Zhou, Juan

2018-08-01

Spatial working memory (SWM) relies on the interplay of anatomically separated and interconnected large-scale brain networks. EEG studies often observe load-associated sustained negative activity during SWM retention. Yet, whether and how such sustained negative activity in retention relates to network-specific functional activation/deactivation and relates to individual differences in SWM capacity remain to be elucidated. To cover these gaps, we recorded concurrent EEG-fMRI data in 70 healthy young adults during the Sternberg delayed-match-to-sample SWM task with three memory load levels. To a subset of participants (N = 28) that performed the task properly and had artefact-free fMRI and EEG data, we employed a novel temporo-spatial principal component analysis to derive load-dependent negative slow wave (NSW) from retention-related event-related potentials. The associations between NSW responses with SWM capacity were divergent in the higher (N = 14) and lower (N = 14) SWM capacity groups. Specifically, larger load-related increase in NSW amplitude was associated with greater SWM capacity for the higher capacity group but lower SWM capacity for the lower capacity group. Furthermore, for the higher capacity group, larger NSW amplitude was related to greater activation in bilateral parietal areas of the fronto-parietal network (FPN) and greater deactivation in medial frontal gyrus and posterior mid-cingulate cortex of the default mode network (DMN) during retention. In contrast, the lower capacity group did not show similar pattern. Instead, greater NSW was linked to higher deactivation in right posterior middle temporal gyrus. Our findings shed light on the possible differential EEG-informed neural network mechanism during memory maintenance underlying individual differences in SWM capacity. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An Objective Measure of Interconnection Usage for High Levels of Wind Integration

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

Yasuda, Yoh; Gomez-Lazaro, Emilio; Holttinen, Hannele

2014-11-13

This paper analyzes selected interconnectors in Europe using several evaluation factors; capacity factor, congested time, and congestion ratio. In a quantitative and objective evaluation, the authors propose to use publically available data on maximum net transmission capacity (NTC) levels during a single year to study congestion rates, realizing that the capacity factor depends upon the chosen capacity of the selected interconnector. This value will be referred to as 'the annual maximum transmission capacity (AMTC)', which gives a transparent and objective evaluation of interconnector usage based on the published grid data. While the method is general, its initial application is motivatedmore » by transfer of renewable energy.« less

Evaluation of porogen factors for the preparation of ion imprinted polymer monoliths used in mercury removal

PubMed Central

Rahman, Siti Khadijah Ab.; Yusof, Nor Azah; Abdullah, Abdul Halim; Idris, Azni; Al-lohedan, Hamad A.

2018-01-01

In the present study, ion imprinted polymer monoliths (IIPMs) were developed to overcome the limitations of ion imprinted polymer particles (IIPPs) used for the removal of Hg(II) ions from waste water samples. The adsorbents preparation, characterization and Hg(II) removal were very well reported. The IIPMs on porogen optimization was prepared using the molding technique with Hg(II) as a template ion, [2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl]trimethylammonium cysteine (MAETC) as ligand, methacrylic acid (MAA) as functional monomer, ethylene glycol dimethacrylamide (EGDMA) as cross-linker, benzoyl peroxide as an initiator and methanol and acetonitrile as porogen in the polypropylene tube (drinking straw) as mold. The IIPMs prepared with higher volumes of porogen were indicated to have a good adsorption rate for the Hg(II) removal along with good water permeability and larger porosity as compared to a lower volume of porogen. The IIPMs prepared using the binary porogen were able to improve the porosity and surface area of the monolithic polymers as compared to the single porogen added IIPMs. Finally, we indicate from our analysis that the IIPM having the efficient capacity for the Hg(II) ions is easy to prepare, and has higher water permeability along with high porosity and high adsorption capacity and all these factors making it one of the suitable adsorbent for the successful removal of Hg(II) ions. PMID:29649325

Psychopathology, psychopharmacological properties, decision-making capacity to consent to clinical research and the willingness to participate among long-term hospitalized patients with schizophrenia.

PubMed

Wu, Bo-Jian; Liao, Hsun-Yi; Chen, Hsing-Kang; Lan, Tsuo-Hung

2016-03-30

Many studies discuss factors related to the decision-making capacity to consent to clinical research (DMC) of patients with schizophrenia. However, these studies rarely approached willingness to participate and the association between psychopharmacological properties (e.g., antipsychotic-induced side effects) and DMC. This study aimed to explore factors related to DMC and willingness to participate in patients with schizophrenia. All 139 patients with schizophrenia were assessed with the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool for Clinical Research (MacCAT-CR) and other measures. A linear regression model was used to find the predictors of MacCAT-CR scores. A logistic regression model was used for exploring the predictors of willingness to participate. Patients with more severe negative symptoms performed poorly in DMC outcomes. In addition, females, those with fewer years of education and reduced cognitive function are more likely to experience difficulties in decision-making. Forty-three subjects (30.4%) chose to participate. Patients with higher level of positive symptoms, longer length of stay, higher burden of anticholinergics and users of atypical antipsychotics were more likely to participate in a clinical study which aimed to "enhance cognition". These finding suggest that research investigators should consider many variables for patients who require more intensive screening for impaired DMC. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Demographic profile of states with human cloning laws: morality policy meets political economy.

PubMed

Stabile, Bonnie

2007-03-01

This analysis seeks to identify factors that may shape the policy stance - whether restrictive or permissive - that each state in the United States with a human cloning law in place takes toward human therapeutic cloning. The investigation also considers if cloning policy is more the product of morality politics or political economy. Results show that among states with human cloning policies in place, those with a greater biotechnological capacity, more permissive abortion laws, fewer Evangelical Protestants, and higher political liberalism rankings are more likely to have permissive cloning laws. A higher Roman Catholic population is strongly associated with permissive cloning laws, rather than restrictive cloning laws as originally supposed. Factors with morality policy and economic bases were both found to be associated with cloning policy outcomes. Results suggest that morality policies, though distinct in some ways, do share determinants with public policies based on political economy.

Architectural and Mechanical Cues Direct Mesenchymal Stem Cell Interactions with Crosslinked Gelatin Scaffolds

PubMed Central

McAndrews, Kathleen M.; Kim, Min Jeong; Lam, Tuyet Y.; McGrail, Daniel J.

2014-01-01

Naturally derived biomaterials have emerged as modulators of cell function and tissue substitutes. Here, we developed crosslinked glutaraldehyde (GTA) scaffolds for the expansion and differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). The mechanical and architectural properties of the scaffolds were altered by varying the concentration of gelatin and GTA. Higher GTA concentrations were associated with an increase in more confined pores and osteogenic differentiation. In addition, myogenic potential varied with crosslinking degree, although bulk mechanical properties were unaltered. Correlation analysis revealed that ALP activity of differentiated MSCs on higher gelatin concentration scaffolds was dependent on traditional effectors, including environment elasticity and spread area. In contrast, the differentiation capacity of cells cultured on lower gelatin concentration scaffolds did not correlate with these factors, instead it was dependent on the hydrated pore structure. These results suggest that scaffold composition can determine what factors direct differentiation and may have critical implications for biomaterial design. PMID:24873687

Intergranular Cracking as a Major Cause of Long-Term Capacity Fading of Layered Cathodes

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

Liu, Hao; Wolf, Mark; Karki, Khim

Capacity fading has limited commercial layered Li-ion battery electrodes to <70% of their theoretical capacity. Higher capacities can be achieved initially by charging to higher voltages, however, these gains are quickly eroded by a faster fade in capacity. In-creasing lifetimes and reversible capacity is contingent on identifying the origin of this capacity fade to inform electrode design and synthesis. We must understand how the battery reactions change following capacity loss after long-term cycling. Using operando X-ray diffraction, we followed the reaction of a LiNi 0.8Co 0.15Al 0.05O 2 (NCA) electrode after months of charge-discharge cycles. Furthermore, the heterogeneous reaction kineticsmore » observed during extended cycles quantitatively explain the capacity loss, which is ultimately attributed to inter-granular fracturing that degrades the connectivity of sub-surface grains within the polycrystalline NCA aggregate.« less

Intergranular Cracking as a Major Cause of Long-Term Capacity Fading of Layered Cathodes

DOE PAGES

Liu, Hao; Wolf, Mark; Karki, Khim; ...

2017-05-26

Capacity fading has limited commercial layered Li-ion battery electrodes to <70% of their theoretical capacity. Higher capacities can be achieved initially by charging to higher voltages, however, these gains are quickly eroded by a faster fade in capacity. In-creasing lifetimes and reversible capacity is contingent on identifying the origin of this capacity fade to inform electrode design and synthesis. We must understand how the battery reactions change following capacity loss after long-term cycling. Using operando X-ray diffraction, we followed the reaction of a LiNi 0.8Co 0.15Al 0.05O 2 (NCA) electrode after months of charge-discharge cycles. Furthermore, the heterogeneous reaction kineticsmore » observed during extended cycles quantitatively explain the capacity loss, which is ultimately attributed to inter-granular fracturing that degrades the connectivity of sub-surface grains within the polycrystalline NCA aggregate.« less

Generating capacity in US electric utilities: How is it used? How much is needed over the decade

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keelin, T. W.; Oatman, E. N.; Gent, M. R.

1982-10-01

This report addresses: how US generating capacity is used to supply today's consumers with electricity; whether new capacity planned over the next decade is enough to provide a secure supply of electricity; how delays and cancellations of planned capacity would result in higher electricity costs and threaten the security of electricity supply; and how today's decisions determine electricity supply for the next decade and beyond. It is concluded that there is not an electricity supply crisis currently, but there is a planning crisis. This conclusion is based on the following: existing capacity supplies current needs, but provides little room for economic growth; new capacity is planned to provide a secure supply of electricity for the demand projected by utilities; if demand is lower, planned capacity will reduce costs and, if demand is higher, planned capacity will not be adequate; planned capacity may not be realized.

Leanness and heightened nonresting energy expenditure: role of skeletal muscle activity thermogenesis

PubMed Central

Mukherjee, Sromona; Shukla, Charu; Britton, Steven L.; Koch, Lauren G.; Shi, Haifei; Novak, Colleen M.

2014-01-01

A high-calorie diet accompanied by low levels of physical activity (PA) accounts for the widespread prevalence of obesity today, and yet some people remain lean even in this obesogenic environment. Here, we investigate the cause for this exception. A key trait that predicts high PA in both humans and laboratory rodents is intrinsic aerobic capacity. Rats artificially selected as high-capacity runners (HCR) are lean and consistently more physically active than their low-capacity runner (LCR) counterparts; this applies to both males and females. Here, we demonstrate that HCR show heightened total energy expenditure (TEE) and hypothesize that this is due to higher nonresting energy expenditure (NREE; includes activity EE). After matching for body weight and lean mass, female HCR consistently had heightened nonresting EE, but not resting EE, compared with female LCR. Because of the dominant role of skeletal muscle in nonresting EE, we examined muscle energy use. We found that lean female HCR had higher muscle heat dissipation during activity, explaining their low economy of activity and high activity EE. This may be due to the amplified skeletal muscle expression levels of proteins involved in EE and reduced expression levels of proteins involved in energy conservation in HCR relative to LCR. This is also associated with an increased sympathetic drive to skeletal muscle in HCR compared with LCR. We find little support for the hypothesis that resting metabolic rate is correlated with maximal aerobic capacity if body size and composition are fully considered; rather, the critical factor appears to be activity thermogenesis. PMID:24398400

Plasma total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in obese Malaysian subjects.

PubMed

Lim, S H; Fan, S H; Say, Y H

2012-12-01

There is a pressing need to better understand the complex biochemical pathways that lead to the pathogenesis of obesity. Increased oxidative stress and decreased antioxidant capacity have been identified to be associated with obesity. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to determine the plasma total antioxidant capacity (TAC) levels of Malaysian subjects and to evaluate its potential association with obesity and related anthropometric measurements. Plasma TAC of 362 multi-ethnic Malaysian subjects from the Kampar Health Clinic (138 males, 224 females; 124 ethnic Malays, 152 Chinese, 86 Indians; 192 non-obese, 170 obese) was measured using Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) 96-well plate assay. Plasma TAC was significantly lower in obese subjects (M +/- SE = 292 +/- 10.4 micromol/L) compared to non-obese subjects (397 +/- 8.58 micromol/L), whereas it was significantly higher in males and those in the 21-30 age group. Those with salty food preference and practising a strict vegetarian diet also had significantly higher plasma TAC. However, no association was found for other dietary habits (coffee intake) and lifestyle factors (physical activity, smoking). Plasma TAC was also significantly negatively correlated with diastolic blood pressure, waist and hip circumferences, weight, body mass index, total body fat, % subcutaneous fat, visceral fat level, resting metabolism and % skeletal muscle. Plasma TAC was found to be associated with obesity, strict vegetarian practice, salty food preference and all obesity anthropometric indicators, except systolic blood pressure and pulse rate. Obese people have decreased plasma TAC indicating a compromised systemic antioxidant defence and increased oxidative stress.

Can state early intervention programs meet the increased demand of children suspected of having autism spectrum disorders?

PubMed

Wise, Marissa D; Little, Alison A; Holliman, Jaime Bruce; Wise, Paul H; Wang, C Jason

2010-01-01

To determine whether Early Intervention programs have the capacity to accommodate the expected increase in referrals following the American Academy of Pediatrics' 2007 recommendation for universal screening of 18- and 24-month-old children for Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). We conducted a telephone survey of all state and territory early. Intervention coordinators about the demand for ASD evaluations, services, and program capacity. We used multivariate models to examine state-level factors associated with the capacity to serve children with ASD. Fifty-two of the 57 coordinators (91%) responded to the survey. Most states reported an increase in demand for ASD-related evaluations (65%) and services (58%) since 2007. In addition, 46% reported that their current capacity poses a challenge to meeting the 45-day time limit for creating the Individualized Family Service Plan. Many states reported that they have shortages of ASD-related personnel, including behavioral therapists (89%), speech-language pathologists (82%), and occupational therapists (79%). Among states that reported the number of service hours (n = 34) 44% indicated that children with ASD receive 5 or fewer weekly service hours. Multivariate models showed that states with a higher percentage of African-American and Latino children were more likely to have provider shortages whereas states with higher population densities were more likely to offer a greater number of service hours. Many Early Intervention programs may not have the capability to address the expected increase in demand for ASD services. Early Intervention programs will likely need enhanced resources to provide all children with suspected ASD with appropriate evaluations and services.

Work and diet-related risk factors of cardiovascular diseases: comparison of two occupational groups.

PubMed

Hartung, Danielle; Stadeler, Martina; Grieshaber, Romano; Keller, Sylvia; Jahreis, Gerhard

2010-03-22

Although work related risk factors associated with Cardiovascular Diseases (CD) have been well researched, there is no detailed knowledge regarding disparate occupational groups each with a different risk exposition. Therefore, two occupational groups (chefs and office workers) were compared with a focus on nutritional and psychosocial factors. Two groups of subjects were tested for work and diet-related risks of CD (45 chefs and 48 office workers). The groups matched both for gender (male) and age (30 to 45 years). The study included a medical check-up, bioelectrical impedance analysis as well as an evaluation of questionnaires on health, nutritional behaviour and coping capacity. In addition, volunteers were required to compile a 7-day-dietary-record and collect their urine 24 h prior to their check-up. Blood samples drawn were analysed for glucose and lipid metabolism, homocysteine, vitamin B12, folic acid; C-reactive protein, uric acid, red blood cell fatty acids, plant sterols, antioxidative capacity and oxidative stress. On average, the chefs showed one risk factor more compared to the office workers. The most frequent risk factors in both groups included overweight/obesity (chef group [CG]: 62.2%; office group [OG]: 58.3%) and elevated TC (CG: 62.2%; OG: 43.8%]. Moreover, although the chefs often had higher CRP-concentrations (40.0%), more office workers suffered from hypertension (37.5%).Chefs showed significant higher concentrations of saturated fatty acids and oleic acid, whereas docosahexaenoic acid, Omega-6- and trans fatty acids were found more frequently in the red blood cell membranes of office workers. While there were no significant differences in analysed plant sterols between the two occupational groups, 7,8-dihydro-8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine was significantly increased in office workers.Concerning the work-related psychosocial factors, the chefs were characterised by a stronger subjective importance of work, a greater degree of professional aspiration and enhanced efforts at perfectionism at their workplace. The chefs in the study bear a higher risk of CD compared to the office-workers. Although, CD is not exclusively a result of workplace-conditions, study results show that work-related influences can not be ignored. Thus, prevention of CD may be an important task attributable to occupational physicians.

Work and diet-related risk factors of cardiovascular diseases: comparison of two occupational groups

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Although work related risk factors associated with Cardiovascular Diseases (CD) have been well researched, there is no detailed knowledge regarding disparate occupational groups each with a different risk exposition. Therefore, two occupational groups (chefs and office workers) were compared with a focus on nutritional and psychosocial factors. Methods Two groups of subjects were tested for work and diet-related risks of CD (45 chefs and 48 office workers). The groups matched both for gender (male) and age (30 to 45 years). The study included a medical check-up, bioelectrical impedance analysis as well as an evaluation of questionnaires on health, nutritional behaviour and coping capacity. In addition, volunteers were required to compile a 7-day-dietary-record and collect their urine 24 h prior to their check-up. Blood samples drawn were analysed for glucose and lipid metabolism, homocysteine, vitamin B12, folic acid; C-reactive protein, uric acid, red blood cell fatty acids, plant sterols, antioxidative capacity and oxidative stress. Results On average, the chefs showed one risk factor more compared to the office workers. The most frequent risk factors in both groups included overweight/obesity (chef group [CG]: 62.2%; office group [OG]: 58.3%) and elevated TC (CG: 62.2%; OG: 43.8%]. Moreover, although the chefs often had higher CRP-concentrations (40.0%), more office workers suffered from hypertension (37.5%). Chefs showed significant higher concentrations of saturated fatty acids and oleic acid, whereas docosahexaenoic acid, Omega-6- and trans fatty acids were found more frequently in the red blood cell membranes of office workers. While there were no significant differences in analysed plant sterols between the two occupational groups, 7,8-dihydro-8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine was significantly increased in office workers. Concerning the work-related psychosocial factors, the chefs were characterised by a stronger subjective importance of work, a greater degree of professional aspiration and enhanced efforts at perfectionism at their workplace. Conclusions The chefs in the study bear a higher risk of CD compared to the office-workers. Although, CD is not exclusively a result of workplace-conditions, study results show that work-related influences can not be ignored. Thus, prevention of CD may be an important task attributable to occupational physicians. PMID:20307278

What Does Leadership Capacity Really Mean?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lambert, Linda

2005-01-01

Schools have differing levels of ability to develop leadership capacity. Yet even high leadership capacity schools may not always sustain improvements in student achievement. Several factors are key to realizing the promise of leadership. These factors challenge traditional concepts about leadership and the distribution of power, but when…

Physiological employment standards IV: integration of women in combat units physiological and medical considerations.

PubMed

Epstein, Yoram; Yanovich, Ran; Moran, Daniel S; Heled, Yuval

2013-11-01

Anthropometric and physiological factors place the average female soldier at a disadvantage relative to male soldiers in most aspects of physical performance. Aerobic and anaerobic fitness levels are lower in women than in men. Thus, women have a lower overall work capacity and must therefore exert themselves more than men to achieve the same output. The lower weight and fat-free mass and the higher body fat of women are associated with lower muscle strength and endurance, placing them at disadvantage compared with men in carrying out military tasks such as lifting and carrying weights or marching with a load. Working at a higher percentage of their maximal capacity to achieve the same performance levels as men, women tire earlier and are at increased risk of overuse injuries. Their smaller size, different bone geometry and lower bone strength also predispose women to a higher incidence of stress fractures. Although training in gender-integrated groups narrows the gaps in fitness, significant differences between the genders after basic training still remain. Nevertheless, integration of women into military combat professions is feasible in many cases. Some 'close combat roles' will still be an exception, mainly because of the extreme physical demands that are required in those units that are beyond the physiological adaptability capacities of an average female. There is no direct evidence that women have a negative impact on combat effectiveness. Once the gender differences are acknowledged and operational doctrines adjusted accordingly, female soldiers in mixed-gender units can meet the physical standards for the assigned missions.

Method to Increase Performance of Foil Bearings Through Passive Thermal Management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bruckner, Robert

2013-01-01

This invention is a new approach to designing foil bearings to increase their load capacity and improve their reliability through passive thermal management. In the present case, the bearing is designed in such a way as to prevent the carryover of lubricant from the exit of one sector to the inlet of the ensuing sector of the foil bearing. When such passive thermal management techniques are used, bearing load capacity is improved by multiples, and reliability is enhanced when compared to current foil bearings. This concept has recently been tested and validated, and shows that load capacity performance of foil bearings can be improved by a factor of two at relatively low speeds with potentially greater relative improvements at higher speeds. Such improvements in performance with respect to speed are typical of foil bearings. Additionally, operation of these newly conceived bearings shows much more reliability and repeatable performance. This trait can be exploited in machine design to enhance safety, reliability, and overall performance. Finally, lower frictional torque has been demonstrated when operating at lower (non-load capacity) loads, thus providing another improvement above the current state of the art. The objective of the invention is to incorporate features into a foil bearing that both enhance passive thermal management and temperature control, while at the same time improve the hydrodynamic (load capacity) performance of the foil bearing. Foil bearings are unique antifriction devices that can utilize the working fluid of a machine as a lubricant (typically air for turbines and motors, liquids for pumps), and as a coolant to remove excess energy due to frictional heating. The current state of the art of foil bearings utilizes forced cooling of the bearing and shaft, which represents poor efficiency and poor reliability. This invention embodies features that utilize the bearing geometry in such a manner as to both support load and provide an inherent and passive cooling mechanism. This cooling mechanism functions in such a way as to prevent used (higher temperature) lubricant from being carried over from the exit of one sector into the entry of the next sector of the foil bearing. The disclosed innovation is an improved foil bearing design that reduces or eliminates the need for force cooling of the bearing, while at the same time improving the load capacity of the bearing by at least a factor of two. These improvements are due to the elimination of lubricant carryover from the trailing edge of one sector into the leading edge of the next, and the mixing of used lubricant with the surrounding ambient fluid.

The Transportation of Debris by Running Water

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gilbert, Grove Karl; Murphy, Edward Charles

1914-01-01

Scope.-The finer debris transported by a stream is borne in suspension. The coarser is swept along the channel bed. The suspended load is readily sampled and estimated, and much is known as to its quantity. The bed load is inaccessible and we are without definite information as to its amount. The primary purpose of the investigation was to learn the laws which control the movement of bed load, and especially to determine how the quantity of load is related to the stream's slope and discharge and to the degree of comminution of the debris. Method.-To this end a laboratory was equipped at Berkeley, Cal., and experiments were performed in which each of the three conditions mentioned was separately varied and the resulting variations of load were observed and measured. Sand and gravel were sorted by sieves into grades of uniform size. Determinate discharges were used. In each experiment a specific load was fed to a stream of specific width and discharge, and measurement was made of the slope to which the stream automatically adjusted its bed so as to enable the current to transport the load. The slope factor.-For each combination of discharge, width, and grade of debris there is a slope, called competent slope, which limits transportation. With lower slopes there is no load, or the stream has no capacity for load. With higher slopes capacity exists; and increase of slope gives increase of capacity. The value of capacity is approximately proportional to a power of the excess of slope above competent slope. If S equal the stream's slope and sigma equal competent slope, then the stream's capacity varies as (S - sigma)n. This is not a deductive, but an empiric law. The exponent n has not a fixed value, but an indefinite series of values depending on conditions. Its range of values in the experience of the laboratory is from 0.93 to 2.37, the values being greater as the discharges are smaller or the debris is coarser. The discharge factor.-For each combination of width, slope, and grade of debris there is a competent discharge, k. Calling the stream's discharge Q, the stream's capacity varies as (Q - k)o. The observed range of values for o is from 0.81 to 1.24, the values being greater as the slopes are smaller or the debris is coarser. Under like conditions o is less than n; or, in other words, capacity is less sensitive to change3 of discharge than to changes of slope. The fineness factor.-For each combination of width, slope, and discharge there is a limiting fineness of debris below which no transportation takes place. Calling fineness (or degree of comminution) F and competent fineness o, the stream's capacity varies with (F - o)p. The observed range of values for p is from 0.50 to 0.62, the values being greater as slopes and discharges are smaller. Capacity is less sensitive to changes in fineness of debris than to changes in discharge or slope. The form factor.-Most of the experiments were with straight channels. A few with crooked channels yielded nearly the same estimates of capacity. The ratio of depth to width is a more important factor. For any combination of slope, discharge, and fineness it is possible to reduce capacity to zero by making the stream very wide and shallow or very narrow and deep. Between these extremes is a particular ratio of depth to width, p, corresponding to a maximum capacity. The values of p range, under laboratory conditions, from 0.5 to 0.04, being greater as slope, discharge, and fineness are less. Velocity.-The velocity which determines capacity for bed load is that near the stream's bed, but attempts to measure bed velocity were not successful. Mean velocity was measured instead. To make a definite comparison between capacity and mean velocity it is necessary to postulate constancy in some accessory condition. If slope be the constant, in which case velocity changes with discharge, capacity varies on the average with the 3.2 power of velocity. If discharge be the constant, in w

Development of a project on North Unit Irrigation District’s Main Canal at the Monroe Drop, using a novel low-head hydropower technology called the SLH100

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

Schneider, Abraham; Schneider, Gia; McKinstry, Katherine

Natel Energy is a low­-head, distributed hydropower company based out of Alameda, CA. Natel manufactures and sells proprietary hydroelectric turbines called hydroEngines® that are suitable for low-­head, high-­flow settings, and range from 30kW to 1 MW of capacity per unit. Natel’s hydroEngine is a state­-of­the-­art two stage impulse turbine, using blades mounted symmetrically on two belts perpendicular to the axis of travel, and using linearly­-moving foils, rather than a rotor, to enable efficient conversion of kinetic energy of large volumes of water at low head with no risk of cavitation. In addition, the hydroEngine can be installed at or abovemore » tailwater level, reducing the excavation necessary to build the powerhouse and thus reducing total installed cost and project footprint. Thus, the hydroEngine technology enables a new generation of small hydro installations with low cost of project development, fish-­friendly operations, and small project footprint. In September of 2015, Natel Energy formally commissioned its first project installation in Madras, Oregon, installing 1 SLH100 turbine at an existing drop structure on the North Unit Irrigation District (NUID) Main Canal. The water falls between 13.5 feet to 16.5 feet at this structure, depending on flow. The plant has an installed capacity of 250 kW and an expected annual generation of approximately 873 MWh. The plant operates at an annual capacity factor of 40%, and a capacity factor over the irrigation season, or period of available flow, of 80%. Annual capacity factor is calculated as a percentage of plant operating hours relative to a total of 8,760 hours in a year; because the irrigation canal in which the Project is located only runs water from April to October, the available flow capacity factor is higher. Net greenhouse gas reductions from the Monroe Project are estimated to be 602 tCO2/year. The purpose of this report is to provide an overview of the specifications for Natel’s first commissioned project, the project development process, the plant’s performance, project costs, and the construction, installation, and commissioning process. We hope that this report will provide useful context for assessment of the hydroEngine as a viable technology choice for future distributed, low-­head hydropower projects, as well as assessment of the bankability, performance, reliability, and cost of the hydroEngine.« less

Association of Trajectories of Higher-Level Functional Capacity with Mortality and Medical and Long-Term Care Costs Among Community-Dwelling Older Japanese.

PubMed

Taniguchi, Yu; Kitamura, Akihiko; Nofuji, Yu; Ishizaki, Tatsuro; Seino, Satoshi; Yokoyama, Yuri; Shinozaki, Tomohiro; Murayama, Hiroshi; Mitsutake, Seigo; Amano, Hidenori; Nishi, Mariko; Matsuyama, Yutaka; Fujiwara, Yoshinori; Shinkai, Shoji

2018-03-26

Higher-level functional capacity is crucial component for independent living in later life. We used repeated-measures analysis to identify aging trajectories in higher-level functional capacity. We then determined whether these trajectories were associated with all-cause mortality and examined differences in medical and long-term care costs between trajectories among community-dwelling older Japanese. 2,675 adults aged 65-90 years participated in annual geriatric health assessments and biennial health monitoring surveys during the period from October 2001 through August 2011. The average number of follow-up assessments was 4.0, and the total number of observations was 10,609. Higher-level functional capacity, which correspond to the fourth and fifth sublevels of Lawton's hierarchical model, was assessed with the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology-Index of Competence (TMIG-IC). We identified four distinct trajectory patterns (high-stable, late-onset decreasing, early-onset decreasing, and low-decreasing) on the TMIG-IC through age 65-90 years. As compared with the high-stable trajectory group, participants in the late-onset decreasing, early-onset decreasing, and low-decreasing TMIG-IC trajectory groups had adjusted hazard ratios for mortality of 1.22 (95% confidence interval: 1.01-1.47), 1.90 (1.53-2.36), and 2.87 (2.14-3.84), respectively. Participants with high-stable and late-onset decreasing higher-level functional capacity trajectories had lower mean monthly medical costs and long-term care costs. In contrast, mean total costs were higher for those with low-decreasing trajectories, after excluding the large increase in such costs at the end of life. People with a low-decreasing aging trajectory in higher-level functional capacity had higher risks of death and had high monthly total costs.

Uncertainty Analysis of Power Grid Investment Capacity Based on Monte Carlo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qin, Junsong; Liu, Bingyi; Niu, Dongxiao

By analyzing the influence factors of the investment capacity of power grid, to depreciation cost, sales price and sales quantity, net profit, financing and GDP of the second industry as the dependent variable to build the investment capacity analysis model. After carrying out Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, get the probability distribution of each influence factor. Finally, obtained the grid investment capacity uncertainty of analysis results by Monte Carlo simulation.

Fermented pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) ingredients in pasta products.

PubMed

Torres, Alexia; Frias, J; Granito, M; Vidal-Valverde, C

2006-09-06

Pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan var. aroíto) seeds were fermented in order to remove antinutritional factors and to obtain functional legume flour to be used as pasta ingredients. Fermentation brought about a drastic reduction of alpha-galactosides (82%), phytic acid (48%), and trypsin inhibitor activity (39%). Fermented legume flours presented a notable increase of fat and total soluble available carbohydrates, a slight decrease of protein, dietary fiber, calcium, vitamin B2, vitamin E, and total antioxidant capacity, and a decrease of soluble dietary fiber, Na, K, Mg, and Zn contents. No changes were observed in the level of starch and tannins as a consequence of fermentation. The fermented flour was used as an ingredient to make pasta products in a proportion of 5, 10, and 12%. The supplemented pasta products obtained had longer cooking times, higher cooking water absorptions, higher cooking loss, and higher protein loss in water than control pasta (100% semolina). From sensory evaluations, fortified pasta with 5 and 10% fermented pigeon pea flour had an acceptability score similar to control pasta. Pasta supplemented with 10% fermented pigeon pea flour presented higher levels of protein, fat, dietary fiber, mineral, vitamin E, and Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity than 100% semolina pasta and similar vitamins B1 and B2 contents. Protein efficiency ratios and true protein digestibility improved (73 and 6%, respectively) after supplementation with 10% fermented pigeon pea flour; therefore, the nutritional value was enhanced.

Comparative Study of Antioxidant Status in Androgenic Embryos of Aesculus hippocastanum and Aesculus flava

PubMed Central

Štajner, Dubravka; Popović, Boris M.; Ćalić, Dušica; Štajner, Marijana

2014-01-01

In vivo (leaves and seed embryos) and in vitro (androgenic embryos) antioxidant scavenging activity of Aesculus hippocastanum and Aesculus flava medical plants was examined. Here we report antioxidant enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, guaiacol peroxidase and glutathione peroxidase, reduced glutathione quantity, flavonoids, soluble protein contents, quantities of malondialdehyde, and •OH radical presence in the investigated plant samples. Total antioxidant capacity of all the samples of A. hippocastanum and A. flava was determined using FRAP, DPPH, and NO• radical scavenger capacity. The leaves of A. flava collected from the botanical garden exhibited stronger antioxidant activity (higher activities of SOD, and higher quantities of GSH, TSH, TPC, and scavenging abilities of DPPH and NO•, and higher FRAP values and lowest quantities of •OH and MDA) than in vitro obtained cultures. However, the leaves of A. flava showed higher antioxidant activity than the leaves of A. hippocastanum, and therefore they have a stronger tolerance of oxidative stress. Androgenic embryos of both species had low amount of antioxidants due to controlled in vitro environmental conditions (T, photoperiod, humidity, nutritive factors, and pathogen-free). Our results confirmed that we found optimal in vitro conditions for producing androgenic embryos of both Aesculus species. Also, we assume that horse chestnut androgenic embryos can be used as an alternative source for large-scale aescin production. PMID:24672369

Comparative study of antioxidant status in androgenic embryos of Aesculus hippocastanum and Aesculus flava.

PubMed

Štajner, Dubravka; Popović, Boris M; Ćalić, Dušica; Št, Marijana

2014-01-01

In vivo (leaves and seed embryos) and in vitro (androgenic embryos) antioxidant scavenging activity of Aesculus hippocastanum and Aesculus flava medical plants was examined. Here we report antioxidant enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, guaiacol peroxidase and glutathione peroxidase, reduced glutathione quantity, flavonoids, soluble protein contents, quantities of malondialdehyde, and (•)OH radical presence in the investigated plant samples. Total antioxidant capacity of all the samples of A. hippocastanum and A. flava was determined using FRAP, DPPH, and NO(•) radical scavenger capacity. The leaves of A. flava collected from the botanical garden exhibited stronger antioxidant activity (higher activities of SOD, and higher quantities of GSH, TSH, TPC, and scavenging abilities of DPPH and NO(•), and higher FRAP values and lowest quantities of (•)OH and MDA) than in vitro obtained cultures. However, the leaves of A. flava showed higher antioxidant activity than the leaves of A. hippocastanum, and therefore they have a stronger tolerance of oxidative stress. Androgenic embryos of both species had low amount of antioxidants due to controlled in vitro environmental conditions (T, photoperiod, humidity, nutritive factors, and pathogen-free). Our results confirmed that we found optimal in vitro conditions for producing androgenic embryos of both Aesculus species. Also, we assume that horse chestnut androgenic embryos can be used as an alternative source for large-scale aescin production.

Adaptational phenomena and mechanical responses during running: effect of surface, aging and task experience.

PubMed

Karamanidis, Kiros; Arampatzis, Adamantios; Brüggemann, Gert-Peter

2006-10-01

The goals of the study were to identify adaptational phenomena in running mechanics over a variety of surfaces due to age related changes in the muscle-tendon units (MTUs) capacities, to examine whether running experience is associated with adaptational effects on running mechanics over a variety of surfaces even at old age, and to investigate whether surface condition affects running mechanics. The investigation was executed on 30 old and 19 young including 29 runners and 20 non-active subjects. In a previous study we documented that the older had lower MTUs capacities. In the present study running mechanics were analysed as the same subjects ran at 2.7 m/s over three surfaces having different compliance. Surface condition did not affect centre of mass trajectory, duty factor or joint kinetics (P > 0.01). Older react to the reduced MTUs capacity by increasing duty factor and benefiting from a mechanical advantage for the triceps surae MTU and a lower rate of force generation on all surfaces (P < 0.01). Runners displayed lower average horizontal forces and a higher mechanical advantage for the quadriceps femoris MTU for all surfaces (P < 0.01). The results provided strong evidence on that running strategy remained essentially unchanged over a variety of surfaces. Adaptive improvements in running mechanics due to task experience were present for all surfaces and did not depend on age. We further concluded that older adults were able to recalibrate their running strategy to adjust the task effort to the reduced MTUs capacities in a feedforward control manner for a variety of mechanical environments.

Replication capacity in relation to immunologic and virologic outcomes in HIV-1-infected treatment-naive subjects.

PubMed

Skowron, Gail; Spritzler, John G; Weidler, Jodi; Robbins, Gregory K; Johnson, Victoria A; Chan, Ellen S; Asmuth, David M; Gandhi, Rajesh T; Lie, Yolanda; Bates, Michael; Pollard, Richard B

2009-03-01

To evaluate the association between baseline (BL) replication capacity (RC) (RCBL) and immunologic/virologic parameters (at BL and after 48 weeks on therapy) in HIV-1-infected subjects initiating antiretroviral therapy. RCBL was determined using a modified Monogram PhenoSense HIV drug susceptibility assay on plasma HIV-1 from 321 treatment-naive subjects from AIDS Clinical Trials Group 384. Univariate and multivariable analyses were performed to determine the association of RCBL with BL and on-therapy virologic and immunologic outcomes. Higher RCBL was associated with lower baseline CD4 (CD4BL) (r = -0.23, P < 0.0001), higher baseline HIV-1 RNA (r = 0.25, P < 0.0001), higher CD4BL activation percent (r = 0.23, P < 0.0001), and lower CD4BL memory count (r = -0.21, P = 0.0002). In a multivariable model, week 48 CD4 increase (DeltaCD448) was associated with lower CD4BL memory count and higher CD4BL-naive percent (P = 0.004, P = 0.015, respectively). The interaction between CD4BL and RCBL was significant (P = 0.018), with a positive association between RCBL and DeltaCD448 in subjects with higher CD4BL and a negative association at lower absCD4BL. At baseline, higher RC was significantly associated with higher HIV-1 RNA, higher CD4 cell activation, lower CD4 cell count, and lower CD4 memory cell count. These factors may interact, directly or indirectly, to modify the extent to which CD4 recovery occurs in patients starting antiretroviral therapy at different CD4BL counts.

Replication Capacity in Relation to Immunologic and Virologic Outcomes in HIV-1 infected, Treatment-Naïve Subjects

PubMed Central

Skowron, Gail; Spritzler, John G.; Weidler, Jodi; Robbins, Gregory K.; Johnson, Victoria A.; Chan, Ellen S.; Asmuth, David M.; Gandhi, Rajesh T.; Lie, Yolanda; Bates, Michael; Pollard, Richard B.

2012-01-01

Objectives To evaluate the association between baseline (BL) replication capacity (RC) [RCBL] and immunologic/virologic parameters (at BL and after 48 weeks on therapy) in HIV-1 infected subjects initiating antiretroviral therapy. Methods RCBL was determined using a modified Monogram PhenoSense HIV drug susceptibility assay on plasma HIV-1 from 321 treatment-naïve subjects from ACTG384. Univariate and multivariable analyses were performed to determine the association of RCBL with BL and on-therapy virologic and immunologic outcomes. Results Higher RCBL was associated with lower baseline CD4 (CD4BL) (r=−0.23, p<0.0001), higher baseline HIV-1 (RNABL) (r=0.25, p<0.0001), higher CD4BL activation percent (r=0.23, p<0.0001) and lower CD4BL memory count (r=−0.21, p=0.0002). In a multivariable model, week 48 CD4 increase (ΔCD448) was associated with lower CD4BL memory count and higher CD4BL naive percent (p=0.004, p=0.015, respectively). The interaction between CD4BL and RCBL was significant (p=0.018), with a positive association between RCBL and ΔCD448 in subjects with higher CD4BL, and a negative association at lower absCD4BL. Conclusions At baseline, higher RC was significantly associated with higher HIV-1 RNA, higher CD4 cell activation, lower CD4 cell count, and lower CD4 memory cell count. These factors may interact, directly or indirectly, to modify the extent to which CD4 recovery occurs in patients starting antiretroviral therapy at different baseline CD4 counts. PMID:19194319

Correlation between polymerization shrinkage stress and C-factor depends upon cavity compliance.

PubMed

Wang, Zhengzhi; Chiang, Martin Y M

2016-03-01

The literature reports inconsistent results regarding using configuration factor (C-factor) as an indicator to reflect the generation of polymerization shrinkage stress (PS) from dental restorative composites due to the constraint of cavity configuration. The current study aimed at unraveling the complex effects of C-factor on PS based on analytical and experimental approaches together, such that the reported inconsistency can be explained and a significance of C-factor in clinic can be comprehensively provided. Analytical models based on linear elasticity were established to predict PS measured in instruments (testing systems) with different compliances, and complex effects of C-factor on PS were derived. The analyses were validated by experiments using a cantilever beam-based instrument and systematic variation of instrumental compliance. For a general trend, PS decreased with increasing C-factor when measured by instruments with high compliance. However, this trend gradually diminished and eventually reversed (PS became increased with increasing C-factor) by decreasing the system compliance. Our study indicates that the correlation between PS and C-factor are highly dependent on the compliance of testing instrument for PS measurement. This suggests that the current concept on the role of C-factor in the stress development and transmission to tooth structures, higher C-factor produces higher PS due to reduced flow capacity of more confined materials, can be misleading. Thus, the compliance of the prepared tooth (cavity) structure should also be considered in the effect of C-factor on PS. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

[Beijing common green tree leaves' accumulation capacity for heavy metals].

PubMed

Li, Shao-Ning; Kong, Ling-Wei; Lu, Shao-Wei; Chen, Bo; Gao, Chen; Shi, Yuan

2014-05-01

Seasonal variation of heavy metal contents in leaves and their relationships with soil heavy metal pollution levels were studied through measuring and analyzing the leaves of the common tree species in Beijing and soil heavy metal contents, to detect heavy metal accumulation ability of plant leaves. The results showed that: (1) the contents of Cu, Pb, Zn in plant leaves first decreased and then increased, again declined with changing the seasons (from spring to winter). Cr concentration showed the trend of first increase and then decrease from spring to winter, and the highest in the autumn; the accumulation capacities of Cu for Babylonica and Japonica were higher in the spring, summer and autumn, while Tabuliformis was in winter; the higher accumulation capacities for Cr, Pb were Japonica and Platycladus, and in winter were Platycladus and Bungeana; the higher accumulation capacities for Zn were Babylonica and Bungeana, while Platycladus in winter; (2) the pollution degree of four kinds of heavy metals (Cu, Cr, Pb, Zn) from downtown to suburbs showed that: Jingshan (C =2.48, C is contamination factor) > Olympic (C = 1.27) > Songshan (C = 1.20) > Shuiguan (C = 1. 18); (3) the heavy metals concentration of same plant leaves in the water of the Great Wall changed larger, but those in the other three areas showed that: Jingshan > Olympic > Songshan; the ability of same species leaf to absorb different sorts of heavy metals showed that: Zn >Cu >Pb >Cr; the difference between Zn content and Cr content was significant (P <0.01); (4) the relationship between heavy metal content in plant leaves and soil heavy metal pollution levels presented a quadratic polynomial relation; the significant correlation was found between other three heavy metal contents of plant samples and soil samples, but they were not the case for the Cu, and the correlation coefficients were above 0. 9.

Integrative Conductance of Oxygen During Exercise at Altitude.

PubMed

Calbet, José A L; Lundby, Carsten; Boushel, Robert

2016-01-01

In the oxygen (O2) cascade downstream steps can never achieve higher flows of O2 than the preceding ones. At the lung the transfer of O2 is determined by the O2 gradient between the alveolar space and the lung capillaries and the O2 diffusing capacity (DLO2). While DLO2 may be increased several times during exercise by recruiting more lung capillaries and by increasing the oxygen carrying capacity of blood due to higher peripheral extraction of O2, the capacity to enhance the alveolocapillary PO2 gradient is more limited. The transfer of oxygen from the alveolar space to the hemoglobin (Hb) must overcome first the resistance offered by the alveolocapillary membrane (1/DM) and the capillary blood (1/θVc). The fractional contribution of each of these two components to DLO2 remains unknown. During exercise these resistances are reduced by the recruitment of lung capillaries. The factors that reduce the slope of the oxygen dissociation curve of the Hb (ODC) (i.e., lactic acidosis and hyperthermia) increase 1/θVc contributing to limit DLO2. These effects are accentuated in hypoxia. Reducing the size of the active muscle mass improves pulmonary gas exchange during exercise and reduces the rightward shift of the ODC. The flow of oxygen from the muscle capillaries to the mitochondria is pressumably limited by muscle O2 conductance (DmcO2) (an estimation of muscle oxygen diffusing capacity). However, during maximal whole body exercise in normoxia, a higher flow of O2 is achieved at the same pressure gradients after increasing blood [Hb], implying that in healthy humans exercising in normoxia there is a functional reserve in DmcO2. This conclusion is supported by the fact that during small muscle exercise in chronic hypoxia, peak exercise DmcO2 is similar to that observed during exercise in normoxia despite a markedly lower O2 pressure gradient driving diffusion.

Continued clearance of apoptotic cells critically depends on the phagocyte Ucp2 protein

PubMed Central

Park, Daeho; Han, Claudia; Elliott, Michael R.; Kinchen, Jason M.; Trampont, Paul C.; Das, Soumita; Collins, Sheila; Lysiak, Jeffrey J.; Hoehn, Kyle L.; Ravichandran, Kodi S.

2012-01-01

Rapid and efficient removal of apoptotic cells by phagocytes plays a key role during development, tissue homeostasis, and in controlling immune responses1–5. An important feature of efficient clearance is the capacity of a single phagocyte to ingest multiple apoptotic cells successively, and to process the increased load of corpse-derived cellular material6–9. However, factors that influence sustained phagocytic capacity or how they in turn influence continued clearance by phagocytes are not known. Here we identify that the ability of a phagocyte to control its mitochondrial membrane potential is a critical factor in the capacity of a phagocyte to engulf apoptotic cells. Changing the phagocyte mitochondrial membrane potential (genetically or pharmacologically) significantly affected phagocytosis, with lower potential enhancing engulfment and higher membrane potential inhibiting uptake. We then identified that Ucp2, a mitochondrial membrane protein that acts to lower the mitochondrial membrane potential10–12, is upregulated in phagocytes engulfing apoptotic cells (but not synthetic targets, bacteria, or yeast). Loss of Ucp2 limited the capacity of phagocytes to continually ingest apoptotic cells, while overexpression of Ucp2 increased the capacity for engulfment and the ability to engulf multiple apoptotic cells. Mutational and pharmacological inhibition of Ucp2 uncoupling activity reversed the positive effect of Ucp2 on engulfment capacity, suggesting a direct role for Ucp2-mediated mitochondrial function in phagocytosis. Macrophages from Ucp2-deficient mice13, 14 were impaired in their capacity to engulf apoptotic cells in vitro, and Ucp2-deficient mice displayed profound in vivo defects in clearing dying cells in the thymus and the testes. Collectively, these data suggest that phagocytes alter the mitochondrial membrane potential during engulfment to regulate uptake of sequential apoptotic cells, and that Ucp2 is a key molecular determinant of this step in vivo. Since Ucp2 function has also been linked to metabolic diseases and atherosclerosis14–16, these data identifying a new role for Ucp2 in regulating apoptotic cell clearance may provide additional insights toward understanding the complex etiology and pathogenesis of these diseases. PMID:21857682

CO2 Adsorption in Low-Rank Coals: Progress Toward Assessing the National Capacity to Store CO2 in the Subsurface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stanton, R. W.; Burruss, R. C.; Flores, R. M.; Warwick, P. D.

2001-05-01

Subsurface environments for geologic storage of CO2 from combustion of fossil fuel include saline formations, depleted oil and gas reservoirs, and unmineable coalbeds. Of these environments, storage in petroleum reservoirs and coal beds offers a potential economic benefit of enhanced recovery of energy resources. Meaningful assessment of the volume and geographic distribution of storage sites requires quantitative estimates of geologic factors that control storage capacity. The factors that control the storage capacity of unmineable coalbeds are poorly understood. In preparation for a USGS assessment of CO2 storage capacity we have begun new measurements of CO2 and CH4 adsorption isotherms of low-rank coal samples from 4 basins. Initial results for 13 samples of low-rank coal beds from the Powder River Basin (9 subbituminous coals), Greater Green River Basin (1 subbituminous coal), Williston Basin (2 lignites) and the Gulf Coast (1 lignite) indicate that their adsorption capacity is up to 10 times higher than it is for CH4. These values contrast with published measurements of the CO2 adsorption capacity of bituminous coals from the Fruitland Formation, San Juan basin, and Gates Formation, British Columbia, that indicate about twice as much carbon dioxide as methane can be adsorbed on coals. Because CH4 adsorption isotherms are commonly measured on coals, CO2 adsorption capacity can be estimated if thecorrect relationship between the gases is known. However, use a factor to predict CO2 adsorption that is twice that of CH4 adsorption, which is common in the published literature, grossly underestimates the storage capacity of widely distributed, thick low-rank coal beds. Complete petrographic and chemical characterization of these low-rank coal samples is in progress. Significant variations in adsorption measurements among samples are depicted depending on the reporting basis used. Properties were measured on an "as received" (moist) basis but can be converted to a dry basis, ash-free basis (moist), or dry ash-free basis to emphasize the property having the greatest effect on the adsorption isotherm. Initial results show that moisture content has a strong effect on CO2 adsorption. Our current sample base covers a limited range of coal rank and composition. Full characterization of the storage capacity of coalbeds in the US will require additional samples that cover a broader range of coal compositions, ranks, and depositional environments. Even at this preliminary stage, we can use results from the recent USGS assessment of the Powder River Basin (Wyoming and Montana) to examine the impact of these new measurements on estimates of storage capacity. At depths greater than 500 feet, the Wyodak-Anderson coal zone contains 360 billion metric tons of coal. Using the new measurements of CO2 storage capacity, this coal zone could, theoretically, sequester about 290 trillion cubic feet (TCF) of CO2. This estimate contrasts sharply with an estimated capacity of 70 TCF based on the published values for bituminous coals.

Correlation of the Capacity Factor in Vesicular Electrokinetic Chromatography with the Octanol:Water Partition Coefficient for Charged and Neutral Analytes

PubMed Central

Razak, J. L.; Cutak, B. J.; Larive, C. K.; Lunte, C. E.

2008-01-01

Purpose The aim of this study was to develop a method based upon electrokinetic chromatography (EKC) using oppositely charged surfactant vesicles as a buffer modifier to estimate hydrophobicity (log P) for a range of neutral and charged compounds. Methods Vesicles were formed from cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and sodium n-octyl sulfate (SOS). The size and polydispersity of the vesicles were characterized by electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, and pulsed-field gradient NMR (PFG-NMR). PFG-NMR was also used to determine if ion-pairing between cationic analytes and free SOS monomer occurred. The CTAB/SOS vesicles were used as a buffer modifier in capillary electrophoresis (CE). The capacity factor (log k′) was calculated by determining the mobility of the analytes both in the presence and absence of vesicles. Log k′ was determined for 29 neutral and charged analytes. Results There was a linear relationship between the log of capacity factor (log k′) and octanol/water partition coefficient (log P) for both neutral and basic species at pH 6.0, 7.3, and 10.2. This indicated that interaction between the cation and vesicle was dominated by hydrophobic forces. At pH 4.3, the log k′ values for the least hydrophobic basic analytes were higher than expected, indicating that electrostatic attraction as well as hydrophobic forces contributed to the overall interaction between the cation and vesicle. Anionic compounds could not be evaluated using this system. Conclusion Vesicular electrokinetic chromatography (VEKC) using surfactant vesicles as buffer modifiers is a promising method for the estimation of hydrophobicity. PMID:11336344

Quantity not quality: The relationship between fluid intelligence and working memory capacity

PubMed Central

Fukuda, Keisuke; Vogel, Edward; Mayr, Ulrich; Awh, Edward

2010-01-01

A key motivation for understanding capacity in working memory (WM) is its relationship with fluid intelligence. Recent evidence has suggested a 2-factor model that distinguishes between the number of representations that can be maintained in WM and the resolution of those representations. To determine how these factors relate to fluid intelligence, we conducted an exploratory factor analysis on multiple number-limited and resolution-limited measures of WM ability. The results strongly supported the 2-factor model, with fully orthogonal factors accounting for performance in the number-limited and resolution-limited conditions. Furthermore, the reliable relationship between WM capacity and fluid intelligence was exclusively supported by the number factor (r = .66), while the resolution factor made no reliable contribution (r = −.05). Thus, the relationship between WM capacity and standard measures of fluid intelligence is mediated by the number of representations that can be simultaneously maintained in WM rather than by the precision of those representations. PMID:21037165

Human Platelet Lysate as a Replacement for Fetal Bovine Serum in Limbal Stem Cell Therapy.

PubMed

Suri, Kunal; Gong, Hwee K; Yuan, Ching; Kaufman, Stephen C

2016-10-01

To evaluate the use of human platelet lysate (HPL) as an alternative supplement for limbal explant culture. Culture media were prepared using either 10% pooled HPL (PHPL), single donor HPL, or fetal bovine serum (FBS). Limbal tissues, obtained from the Minnesota Lions Eye Bank, were cultured in each medium on plastic plates or on denuded amniotic membrane (AM). Immunofluorescence staining was performed for ABCG2, tumor protein p63α, and cytokeratin 3 (K3). Quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to evaluate the expression of ABCG2 and p63. Limbal explants grown in each medium were labeled with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) to assess the proliferative capacity in each medium. Concentration of growth factors including epidermal growth factor (EGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), and platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) in HPL and PHPL was compared to that in human serum (HS). Immunofluorescence staining on AM showed prominent expression of ABCG2, p63α but sparse expression of K3 in HPL and PHPL supplemented medium. Real time-PCR showed 1.7 fold higher expression of ABCG2 in PHPL supplemented medium (p = 0.03), and similar expression of p63 in HPL and PHPL supplemented medium compared to FBS medium. The proliferation assay showed that LSCs retained their proliferative potential in HPL supplemented medium. Higher concentration of growth factors were found in HPL, compared to HS. Human platelet lysate has higher concentration of grown factors and is effective in maintaining growth and stem cell phenotype of corneal limbal explant cultures.

Enhancement of crop photosynthesis by diffuse light: quantifying the contributing factors

PubMed Central

Li, T.; Heuvelink, E.; Dueck, T. A.; Janse, J.; Gort, G.; Marcelis, L. F. M.

2014-01-01

Background and Aims Plants use diffuse light more efficiently than direct light. However, experimental comparisons between diffuse and direct light have been obscured by co-occurring differences in environmental conditions (e.g. light intensity). This study aims to analyse the factors that contribute to an increase in crop photosynthesis in diffuse light and to quantify their relative contribution under different levels of diffuseness at similar light intensities. The hypothesis is that the enhancement of crop photosynthesis in diffuse light results not only from the direct effects of more uniform vertical and horizontal light distribution in the crop canopy, but also from crop physiological and morphological acclimation. Methods Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) crops were grown in three greenhouse compartments that were covered by glass with different degrees of light diffuseness (0, 45 and 71 % of the direct light being converted into diffuse light) while maintaining similar light transmission. Measurements of horizontal and vertical photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) distribution in the crop, leaf photosynthesis light response curves and leaf area index (LAI) were used to quantify each factor's contribution to an increase in crop photosynthesis in diffuse light. In addition, leaf temperature, photoinhibition, and leaf biochemical and anatomical properties were studied. Key Results The highest degree of light diffuseness (71 %) increased the calculated crop photosynthesis by 7·2 %. This effect was mainly attributed to a more uniform horizontal (33 % of the total effect) and vertical PPFD distribution (21 %) in the crop. In addition, plants acclimated to the high level of diffuseness by gaining a higher photosynthetic capacity of leaves in the middle of the crop and a higher LAI, which contributed 23 and 13 %, respectively, to the total increase in crop photosynthesis in diffuse light. Moreover, diffuse light resulted in lower leaf temperatures and less photoinhibition at the top of the canopy when global irradiance was high. Conclusions Diffuse light enhanced crop photosynthesis. A more uniform horizontal PPFD distribution played the most important role in this enhancement, and a more uniform vertical PPFD distribution and higher leaf photosynthetic capacity contributed more to the enhancement of crop photosynthesis than did higher values of LAI. PMID:24782436

Identifying factors which enhance capacity to engage in clinical education among podiatry practitioners: an action research project.

PubMed

Abey, Sally; Lea, Susan; Callaghan, Lynne; Shaw, Steve; Cotton, Debbie

2015-01-01

Health profession students develop practical skills whilst integrating theory with practice in a real world environment as an important component of their training. Research in the area of practice placements has identified challenges and barriers to the delivery of effective placement learning. However, there has been little research in podiatry and the question of which factors impact upon clinical educators' capacity to engage with the role remains an under-researched area. This paper presents the second phase of an action research project designed to determine the factors that impact upon clinical educators' capacity to engage with the mentorship role. An online survey was developed and podiatry clinical educators recruited through National Health Service (NHS) Trusts. The survey included socio-demographic items, and questions relating to the factors identified as possible variables influencing clinical educator capacity; the latter was assessed using the 'Clinical Educator Capacity to Engage' scale (CECE). Descriptive statistics were used to explore demographic data whilst the relationship between the CECE and socio-demographic factors were examined using inferential statistics in relation to academic profile, career profile and organisation of the placement. The survey response rate was 42 % (n = 66). Multiple linear regression identified four independent variables which explain a significant proportion of the variability of the dependent variable, 'capacity to engage with clinical education', with an adjusted R2 of 0.428. The four variables were: protected mentorship time, clinical educator relationship with university, sign-off responsibility, and volunteer status. The identification of factors that impact upon clinical educators' capacity to engage in mentoring of students has relevance for strategic planning and policy-making with the emphasis upon capacity-building at an individual level, so that the key attitudes and characteristics that are linked with good clinical supervision are preserved.

What helps or undermines adolescents' anticipated capacity to cope with mental illness stigma following psychiatric hospitalization.

PubMed

Moses, Tally

2015-05-01

Better understanding of the individual and environmental factors that promote adolescents' use of more or less adaptive coping strategies with mental illness stigma would inform interventions designed to bolster youth resilience. This cross-sectional study draws on data from research on adolescents' well-being after discharge from a first psychiatric hospitalization to explore the relationships between anticipated coping in reaction to a hypothetical social stigma scenario, and various factors conceptualized as 'coping resource' and 'coping vulnerability' factors. Focusing on coping strategies also identified in the companion article, we hypothesize that primary and secondary control engagement coping would relate to more coping resource and less coping vulnerability factors, and the opposite would be true for disengagement, aggression/confrontation and efforts to disconfirm stereotypes. Data were elicited from interviews with 102 adolescents within 7 days of discharge. Hypothesized coping resource factors included social resources, optimistic illness perceptions, better hospital experiences and higher self-esteem. Vulnerability factors included more previous stigma experiences, desire for concealment of treatment, more contingent self-worth, higher symptom levels and higher anticipated stress. Multivariate ordinary least squares (OLS) regression was used to analyze associations between coping strategy endorsement and correlates. Although some coping correlates 'behaved' contrary to expectations, for the most part, our hypotheses were confirmed. As expected, youth anticipating reacting to the stigmatizing situation with greater disengagement, aggression/confrontation or efforts to disconfirm stenotypes rated significantly lower on 'coping resources' such as self-esteem and higher on vulnerability factors such as symptom severity. The opposite was true for youth who anticipated exercising more primary and secondary control engagement coping. This study begins to identify factors that promote more and less adaptive coping strategies among youth at high risk for social stigma. Some factors that can be modified in the shorter term point to useful directions for clinical interventions. © The Author(s) 2014.

Conceptual Design of a 100 MWe Modular Molten Salt Power Tower Plant

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

James E. Pacheco; Carter Moursund, Dale Rogers, David Wasyluk

2011-09-20

A conceptual design of a 100 MWe modular molten salt solar power tower plant has been developed which can provide capacity factors in the range of 35 to 75%. Compared to single tower plants, the modular design provides a higher degree of flexibility in achieving the desired customer's capacity factor and is obtained simply by adjusting the number of standard modules. Each module consists of a standard size heliostat field and receiver system, hence reengineering and associated unacceptable performance uncertainties due to scaling are eliminated. The modular approach with multiple towers also improves plant availability. Heliostat field components, receivers andmore » towers are shop assembled allowing for high quality and minimal field assembly. A centralized thermal-storage system stores hot salt from the receivers, allowing nearly continuous power production, independent of solar energy collection, and improved parity with the grid. A molten salt steam generator converts the stored thermal energy into steam, which powers a steam turbine generator to produce electricity. This paper describes the conceptual design of the plant, the advantages of modularity, expected performance, pathways to cost reductions, and environmental impact.« less

Wave energy resource of Brazil: An analysis from 35 years of ERA-Interim reanalysis data

PubMed Central

Araújo, Alex Maurício

2017-01-01

This paper presents a characterization of the wave power resource and an analysis of the wave power output for three (AquaBuoy, Pelamis and Wave Dragon) different wave energy converters (WEC) over the Brazilian offshore. To do so it used a 35 years reanalysis database from the ERA-Interim project. Annual and seasonal statistical analyzes of significant height and energy period were performed, and the directional variability of the incident waves were evaluated. The wave power resource was characterized in terms of the statistical parameters of mean, maximum, 95th percentile and standard deviation, and in terms of the temporal variability coefficients COV, SV e MV. From these analyses, the total annual wave power resource available over the Brazilian offshore was estimated in 89.97 GW, with largest mean wave power of 20.63 kW/m in the southernmost part of the study area. The analysis of the three WEC was based in the annual wave energy output and in the capacity factor. The higher capacity factor was 21.85% for Pelamis device at the southern region of the study area. PMID:28817731

Wave energy resource of Brazil: An analysis from 35 years of ERA-Interim reanalysis data.

PubMed

Espindola, Rafael Luz; Araújo, Alex Maurício

2017-01-01

This paper presents a characterization of the wave power resource and an analysis of the wave power output for three (AquaBuoy, Pelamis and Wave Dragon) different wave energy converters (WEC) over the Brazilian offshore. To do so it used a 35 years reanalysis database from the ERA-Interim project. Annual and seasonal statistical analyzes of significant height and energy period were performed, and the directional variability of the incident waves were evaluated. The wave power resource was characterized in terms of the statistical parameters of mean, maximum, 95th percentile and standard deviation, and in terms of the temporal variability coefficients COV, SV e MV. From these analyses, the total annual wave power resource available over the Brazilian offshore was estimated in 89.97 GW, with largest mean wave power of 20.63 kW/m in the southernmost part of the study area. The analysis of the three WEC was based in the annual wave energy output and in the capacity factor. The higher capacity factor was 21.85% for Pelamis device at the southern region of the study area.

Green Tea Consumption after Intense Taekwondo Training Enhances Salivary Defense Factors and Antibacterial Capacity

PubMed Central

Lin, Shiuan-Pey; Li, Chia-Yang; Suzuki, Katsuhiko; Chang, Chen-Kang; Chou, Kuei-Ming; Fang, Shih-Hua

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the short-term effects of green tea consumption on selected salivary defense proteins, antibacterial capacity and anti-oxidation activity in taekwondo (TKD) athletes, following intensive training. Twenty-two TKD athletes performed a 2-hr TKD training session. After training, participants ingested green tea (T, caffeine 6 mg/kg and catechins 22 mg/kg) or an equal volume of water (W). Saliva samples were collected at three time points: before training (BT-T; BT-W), immediately after training (AT-T; AT-W), and 30 min after drinking green tea or water (Rec-T; Rec-W). Salivary total protein, immunoglobulin A (SIgA), lactoferrin, α-amylase activity, free radical scavenger activity (FRSA) and antibacterial capacity were measured. Salivary total protein, lactoferrin, SIgA concentrations and α-amylase activity increased significantly immediately after intensive TKD training. After tea drinking and 30 min rest, α-amylase activity and the ratio of α-amylase to total protein were significantly higher than before and after training. In addition, salivary antibacterial capacity was not affected by intense training, but green tea consumption after training enhanced salivary antibacterial capacity. Additionally, we observed that salivary FRSA was markedly suppressed immediately after training and quickly returned to pre-exercise values, regardless of which fluid was consumed. Our results show that green tea consumption significantly enhances the activity of α-amylase and salivary antibacterial capacity. PMID:24498143

Polyhydroxy glucose functionalized silica for the dehydration of bio-ethanol distillate.

PubMed

Tang, Baokun; Bi, Wentao; Row, Kyung Ho

2014-07-01

Although most of the water in a bio-ethanol fermentation broth can be removed by distillation, a small amount of water remains in the bio-ethanol distillate as the water-ethanol azeotrope. To improve the use of ethanol as a fuel, glucose-modified silica, as an adsorbent, was prepared using a facile method and applied to the dehydration of bio-ethanol distillate. The factors affecting the adsorption capacity of the adsorbent, such as the particle size, initial concentration of water in the samples, adsorption temperature and adsorbent dose, were examined by measuring the adsorption kinetics and equilibrium. The Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin isotherms were used to evaluate the adsorption efficiency. Of these, the Freundlich and Temkin isotherms showed a good correlation with the experimental data. The Langmuir isotherm showed some deviation from the experimental results, and indicated that adsorption in this case was not a simple monolayer adsorption. The property of the adsorbent was attributed to functionalized silica with many hydroxyl groups on its surface. An examination of the separation factors of water/ethanol revealed the modified silica to have preferential selectivity for water. Compared to activated carbon and silica, glucose-modified silica exhibited higher adsorption capacity for water under the same adsorption conditions. In addition, the glucose-modified silica adsorbent exhibited a relatively constant adsorption capacity for five adsorption/desorption cycles.

Seasonal foraging patterns of forest-grazing Japanese Black heifers with increased plasma total antioxidant capacity.

PubMed

Haga, Satoshi; Nakano, Miwa; Nakao, Seiji; Hirano, Kiyoshi; Yamamoto, Yoshito; Sasaki, Hiroyuki; Ishizaki, Hiroshi

2016-02-01

Forest-grazing enables the intake of high total antioxidant capacity (TAC) plants that might be beneficial for the TAC status of cattle. This study evaluated the relation between the seasonal foraging patterns of forest-grazing Japanese Black (JB) heifers or the TAC levels in shrubs and trees and the changes of plasma TAC. We examined 12 JB heifers, four each of which were allocated to forest-grazing (F), pasture-grazing, and pen-housed groups. The plasma TAC level in F heifers on July 26, August 13, 30 and September 17 were significantly higher than those on April 27 and June 4 (P < 0.05). In F group, the mean rates of foraging frequency (FF) of shrubs and trees during July 5-8 and September 13-16 were much higher than that during May 31-June 3 (P < 0.05). The rate of FF of grass significantly decreased later in the season (P < 0.05). The mean TAC levels in these shrubs and trees were higher than those in grasses, concentrates, and timothy hay. Results suggest that an important factor in the increase of plasma TAC in forest-grazing cattle might be the increased foraging of TAC-rich shrubs and trees during summer-fall. © 2015 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

Capacity Payments in Restructured Markets under Low and High Penetration Levels of Renewable Energy

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

Jenkin, Thomas; Beiter, Philipp; Margolis, Robert

2016-02-01

Growing levels of variable renewable energy resources arguably create new challenges for capacity market designs, because variable renewable energy suppresses wholesale energy prices while providing relatively little capacity. This effect becomes more pronounced the higher the variable renewable energy penetration in a market. The purpose of this report is threefold. First, we provide a brief outline of the purpose and design of various capacity markets using administratively determined capacity demand curves. Second, we discuss some of the main challenges raised in existing literature and a set of interviews that we conducted with market participants, regulators, and observers. Third, we considermore » some of the challenges to capacity markets that arise with higher variable renewable energy penetration.« less

Predicting and mapping soil available water capacity in Korea.

PubMed

Hong, Suk Young; Minasny, Budiman; Han, Kyung Hwa; Kim, Yihyun; Lee, Kyungdo

2013-01-01

The knowledge on the spatial distribution of soil available water capacity at a regional or national extent is essential, as soil water capacity is a component of the water and energy balances in the terrestrial ecosystem. It controls the evapotranspiration rate, and has a major impact on climate. This paper demonstrates a protocol for mapping soil available water capacity in South Korea at a fine scale using data available from surveys. The procedures combined digital soil mapping technology with the available soil map of 1:25,000. We used the modal profile data from the Taxonomical Classification of Korean Soils. The data consist of profile description along with physical and chemical analysis for the modal profiles of the 380 soil series. However not all soil samples have measured bulk density and water content at -10 and -1500 kPa. Thus they need to be predicted using pedotransfer functions. Furthermore, water content at -10 kPa was measured using ground samples. Thus a correction factor is derived to take into account the effect of bulk density. Results showed that Andisols has the highest mean water storage capacity, followed by Entisols and Inceptisols which have loamy texture. The lowest water retention is Entisols which are dominated by sandy materials. Profile available water capacity to a depth of 1 m was calculated and mapped for Korea. The western part of the country shows higher available water capacity than the eastern part which is mountainous and has shallower soils. The highest water storage capacity soils are the Ultisols and Alfisols (mean of 206 and 205 mm, respectively). Validation of the maps showed promising results. The map produced can be used as an indication of soil physical quality of Korean soils.

Cognitive Spare Capacity as an Index of Listening Effort.

PubMed

Rudner, Mary

2016-01-01

Everyday listening may be experienced as effortful, especially by individuals with hearing loss. This may be due to internal factors, such as cognitive load, and external factors, such as noise. Even when speech is audible, internal and external factors may combine to reduce cognitive spare capacity, or the ability to engage in cognitive processing of spoken information. A better understanding of cognitive spare capacity and how it can be optimally allocated may guide new approaches to rehabilitation and ultimately improve outcomes. This article presents results of three tests of cognitive spare capacity:1. Sentence-final Word Identification and Recall (SWIR) test2. Cognitive Spare Capacity Test (CSCT)3. Auditory Inference Span Test (AIST)Results show that noise reduces cognitive spare capacity even when speech intelligibility is retained. In addition, SWIR results show that hearing aid signal processing can increase cognitive spare capacity, and CSCT and AIST results show that increasing load reduces cognitive spare capacity. Correlational evidence suggests that while the effect of noise on cognitive spare capacity is related to working memory capacity, the effect of load is related to executive function. Future studies should continue to investigate how hearing aid signal processing can mitigate the effect of load on cognitive spare capacity, and whether such effects can be enhanced by developing executive skills through training. The mechanisms modulating cognitive spare capacity should be investigated by studying their neural correlates, and tests of cognitive spare capacity should be developed for clinical use in conjunction with developing new approaches to rehabilitation.

The Implementation of Integrated Behavioral Health Protocols In Primary Care Settings in Project Care.

PubMed

Padwa, Howard; Teruya, Cheryl; Tran, Elise; Lovinger, Katherine; Antonini, Valerie P; Overholt, Colleen; Urada, Darren

2016-03-01

The majority of adults with mental health (MH) and substance use (SU) disorders in the United States do not receive treatment. The Affordable Care Act will create incentives for primary care centers to begin providing behavioral health (MH and SU) services, thus promising to address the MH and SU treatment gaps. This paper examines the implementation of integrated care protocols by three primary care organizations. The Behavioral Health Integration in Medical Care (BHIMC) tool was used to evaluate the integrated care capacity of primary care organizations that chose to participate in the Kern County (California) Mental Health Department's Project Care annually for 3years. For a subsample of clinics, change over time was measured. Informed by the Conceptual Model of Evidence-Based Practice Implementation in Public Service Sectors, inner and outer contextual factors impacting implementation were identified and analyzed using multiple data sources and qualitative analytic methods. The primary care organizations all offered partially integrated (PI) services throughout the study period. At baseline, organizations offered minimally integrated/partially integrated (MI/PI) services in the Program Milieu, Clinical Process - Treatment, and Staffing domains of the BHIMC, and scores on all domains were at the partially integrated (PI) level or higher in the first and second follow-ups. Integrated care services emphasized the identification and management of MH more than SU in 52.2% of evaluated domains, but did not emphasize SU more than MH in any of them. Many of the gaps between MH and SU emphases were associated with limited capacities related to SU medications. Several outer (socio-political context, funding, leadership) and inner (organizational characteristics, individual adopter characteristics, leadership, innovation-values fit) contextual factors impacted the development of integrated care capacity. This study of a small sample of primary care organizations showed that it is possible to improve their integrated care capacity as measured by the BHIMC, though it may be difficult or unfeasible for them to provide fully integrated behavioral health services. Integrated services emphasized MH more than SU, and enhancing primary care clinic capacities related to SU medications may help close this gap. Both inner and outer contextual factors may impact integrated service capacity development in primary care clinics. Study findings may be used to inform future research on integrated care and inform the implementation of efforts to enhance integrated care capacity in primary care clinics. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Functional Capacity and Self-Esteem of People With Cerebral Palsy.

PubMed

Espín-Tello, Sandra Martina; Dickinson, Heather Olivia; Bueno-Lozano, Manuel; Jiménez-Bernadó, María Teresa; Caballero-Navarro, Ana Luisa

We assessed whether functional capacity predicts self-esteem in people with cerebral palsy (CP). We conducted a cross-sectional observational study of 108 people with CP, ages 16-65 yr, who were residents of Spain. Self-esteem was captured using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), and functional capacity using the Barthel Index (BI). Sociodemographic characteristics were recorded. The relationship between the RSES score and the BI score was analyzed using linear regression. RSES scores increased significantly as BI scores increased (regression coefficient = 0.047, 95% confidence interval [0.017, 0.078], p = .003). People with a higher level of education, active employment, and independent living arrangements tended to have better functional capacity and higher self-esteem. Greater functional capacity predicted higher self-esteem; this effect is probably partly mediated by education, employment, and living arrangements. Copyright © 2018 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

Two-dimensional signal processing using a morphological filter for holographic memory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kondo, Yo; Shigaki, Yusuke; Yamamoto, Manabu

2012-03-01

Today, along with the wider use of high-speed information networks and multimedia, it is increasingly necessary to have higher-density and higher-transfer-rate storage devices. Therefore, research and development into holographic memories with three-dimensional storage areas is being carried out to realize next-generation large-capacity memories. However, in holographic memories, interference between bits, which affect the detection characteristics, occurs as a result of aberrations such as the deviation of a wavefront in an optical system. In this study, we pay particular attention to the nonlinear factors that cause bit errors, where filters with a Volterra equalizer and the morphologies are investigated as a means of signal processing.

Developmental and genetic components explain enhanced pulmonary volumes of female Peruvian Quechua.

PubMed

Kiyamu, Melisa; Bigham, Abigail; Parra, Esteban; León-Velarde, Fabiola; Rivera-Chira, María; Brutsaert, Tom D

2012-08-01

High altitude natives have enlarged vital capacities and residual volumes (RV). Because pulmonary volumes are an indication of functionally relevant traits, such as diffusion capacity, the understanding of the factors (genetic/developmental) that influence lung volumes provides insight into the adaptive responses of highlanders. In order to test for the effect of growth and development at high altitude on lung volumes, we obtained forced vital capacities (FVC), RV, and total lung capacities (TLC) for a sample of 65 Peruvian females of mostly Quechua origins (18-34 years) who were sub-divided into two well-matched groups: 1) sea-level born and raised females (BSL, n = 34) from Lima, Peru (150 m), and 2) high-altitude born and raised females (BHA, n = 31) from Cerro de Pasco, Peru (4,338 m). To determine Quechua origins, Native American ancestry proportion (NAAP) for each individual was assessed using a panel of 70 ancestry informative markers. NAAP was similar between groups (BSL = 91.71%; BHA = 89.93%; P = 0.240), and the analysis confirmed predominantly Quechua origins. After adjusting for body size and NAAP, BHA females had significantly higher FVC (3.79 ± 0.06 l; P < 0.001), RV (0.98 ± 0.03 l; P < 0.001) and TLC (4.80 ± 0.07 l; P < 0.001) compared to BSL females (FVC = 3.33 ± 0.05 l; RV = 0.69 ± 0.03 l; TLC = 4.02 ± 0.06 l). NAAP was not associated with FVC (P = 0.352) or TLC (P = 0.506). However, NAAP was positively associated with RV (P = 0.004). In summary, results indicate that developmental exposure to high altitude in females constitutes an important factor for all lung volumes, whereas both genetic and developmental factors seem to be important for RV. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Identification of a boron nitride nanosphere-binding peptide for the intracellular delivery of CpG oligodeoxynucleotides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Huijie; Yamazaki, Tomohiko; Zhi, Chunyi; Hanagata, Nobutaka

2012-09-01

CpG oligonucleotides (CpG ODNs) interact with Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9), which results in the induction of immunostimulatory cytokines. We delivered CpG ODNs intracellularly using boron nitride nanospheres (BNNS). To enhance the loading capacity of CpG ODNs on BNNS, we used a phage display technique to identify a 12-amino acid peptide designated as BP7, with specific affinity for BNNS, and used it as a linker to load CpG ODNs on BNNS. The tyrosine residue (Y) at the eighth position from the N-terminus played a crucial role in the affinity of BP7 to BNNS. BNNS that bound BP7 (BNNS-BP7) were taken up by cells and showed no cytotoxicity, and CpG ODNs were successfully crosslinked with BP7 to create BP7-CpG ODN conjugates. Using BP7 as a linker, the loading efficiency of CpG ODNs on BNNS increased 5-fold compared to the direct binding of CpG ODNs to BNNS. Furthermore, the BP7-CpG ODN conjugate-loaded BNNS had a greater capacity to induce interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) production from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) than that of CpG ODNs directly loaded on BNNS. The higher amount of cytokine induction by BP7-CpG ODN conjugate-loaded BNNS may be attributed to a higher loading capacity and stronger binding to BNNS of the linker BP7. The greater functionality of BP7-conjugated CpG ODNs on BNNS expands the potential of BNNS for drug delivery applications.CpG oligonucleotides (CpG ODNs) interact with Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9), which results in the induction of immunostimulatory cytokines. We delivered CpG ODNs intracellularly using boron nitride nanospheres (BNNS). To enhance the loading capacity of CpG ODNs on BNNS, we used a phage display technique to identify a 12-amino acid peptide designated as BP7, with specific affinity for BNNS, and used it as a linker to load CpG ODNs on BNNS. The tyrosine residue (Y) at the eighth position from the N-terminus played a crucial role in the affinity of BP7 to BNNS. BNNS that bound BP7 (BNNS-BP7) were taken up by cells and showed no cytotoxicity, and CpG ODNs were successfully crosslinked with BP7 to create BP7-CpG ODN conjugates. Using BP7 as a linker, the loading efficiency of CpG ODNs on BNNS increased 5-fold compared to the direct binding of CpG ODNs to BNNS. Furthermore, the BP7-CpG ODN conjugate-loaded BNNS had a greater capacity to induce interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) production from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) than that of CpG ODNs directly loaded on BNNS. The higher amount of cytokine induction by BP7-CpG ODN conjugate-loaded BNNS may be attributed to a higher loading capacity and stronger binding to BNNS of the linker BP7. The greater functionality of BP7-conjugated CpG ODNs on BNNS expands the potential of BNNS for drug delivery applications. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c2nr31189e

Retention of bile salts in micellar electrokinetic chromatography: relation of capacity factor to octanol-water partition coefficient and critical micellar concentration.

PubMed

Lucangioli, S E; Carducci, C N; Tripodi, V P; Kenndler, E

2001-12-25

The capacity factors of 16 anionic cholates (from six bile salts, including their glyco- and tauro-conjugates) were determined in a micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) system consisting of buffer, pH 7.5 (phosphate-boric acid; 20 mmol/l) with 50 mmol/l sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) as micelle former and 10% acetonitrile as organic modifier. The capacity factors of the fully dissociated, negatively charged analytes (ranging between 0.2 and 60) were calculated from their mobilities, with a reference background electrolyte (BGE) without SDS representing "free" solution. For comparison, the capacity factors were derived for a second reference BGE where the SDS concentration (5 mmol/l) is close to the critical micellar concentration (CMC). The capacity factors are compared with the logarithm of the octanol-water partition coefficient, log Pow, as measure for lipophilicity. Clear disagreement between these two parameters is found especially for epimeric cholates with the hydroxy group in position 7. In contrast, fair relation between the capacity factor of the analytes and their CMC is observed both depending strongly on the orientation of the OH groups, and tauro-conjugation as well. In this respect the retention behaviour of the bile salts in MEKC seems to reflect their role as detergents in living systems, and might serve as model parameter beyond lipophilicity.

Applied physiology of marathon running.

PubMed

Sjödin, B; Svedenhag, J

1985-01-01

Performance in marathon running is influenced by a variety of factors, most of which are of a physiological nature. Accordingly, the marathon runner must rely to a large extent on a high aerobic capacity. But great variations in maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max) have been observed among runners with a similar performance capacity, indicating complementary factors are of importance for performance. The oxygen cost of running or the running economy (expressed, e.g. as VO2 15 at 15 km/h) as well as the fractional utilisation of VO2 max at marathon race pace (%VO2 Ma X VO2 max-1) [where Ma = mean marathon velocity] are additional factors which are known to affect the performance capacity. Together VO2 max, VO2 15 and %VO2 Ma X VO2 max-1 can almost entirely explain the variation in marathon performance. To a similar degree, these variables have also been found to explain the variations in the 'anaerobic threshold'. This factor, which is closely related to the metabolic response to increasing exercise intensities, is the single variable that has the highest predictive power for marathon performance. But a major limiting factor to marathon performance is probably the choice of fuels for the exercising muscles, which factor is related to the %VO2 Ma X VO2 max-1. Present indications are that marathon runners, compared with normal individuals, have a higher turnover rate in fat metabolism at given high exercise intensities expressed both in absolute (m/sec) and relative (%VO2 max) terms. The selection of fat for oxidation by the muscles is important since the stores of the most efficient fuel, the carbohydrates, are limited. The large amount of endurance training done by marathon runners is probably responsible for similar metabolic adaptations, which contribute to a delayed onset of fatigue and raise the VO2 Ma X VO2max-1. There is probably an upper limit in training kilometrage above which there are no improvements in the fractional utilisation of VO2 max at the marathon race pace. The influence of training on VO2 max and, to some extent, on the running economy appears, however, to be limited by genetic factors.

Rumen conditions that predispose cattle to pasture bloat.

PubMed

Majak, W; Howarth, R E; Cheng, K J; Hall, J W

1983-08-01

Rumen contents from the dorsal sac were examined before alfalfa ingestion to determine factors that predispose cattle to pasture bloat. Chlorophyll concentration, buoyancy of particulate matter, and rates of gas production were significantly higher in cattle that subsequently bloated than in those that did not. Higher chlorophyll in bloat cases indicated accumulation of suspended chloroplast particles in the dorsal sac, perhaps due to increased buoyancy of the particulate matter. The higher fermentation rates (in the presence of glucose) suggested that the latent capacity for gas production was due to microbial colonization of suspended feed particles. Chlorophyll 4 h after feeding was also higher in bloated as compared to unbloated animals. In short, the microbial colonization and retention of particulate matter provided active inocula for promoting rapid legume digestion. Consequently, gas production was enhanced when feeding commenced, but the fermentation gases were trapped by the buoyant, frothy ingesta, resulting in the condition of pasture bloat.

Predictive factors for work capacity in patients with musculoskeletal disorders.

PubMed

Lydell, Marie; Baigi, Amir; Marklund, Bertil; Månsson, Jörgen

2005-09-01

To identify predictive factors for work capacity in patients with musculoskeletal disorders. A descriptive, evaluative, quantitative study. The study was based on 385 patients who participated in a rehabilitation programme. Patients were divided into 2 groups depending on their ability to work. The groups were compared with each other with regard to sociodemographic factors, diagnoses, disability pension and number of sick days. The patient's level of exercise habits, ability to undertake activities, physical capacity, pain and quality of life were compared further using logistic regression analysis. Predictive factors for work capacity, such as ability to undertake activities, quality of life and fitness on exercise, were identified as important independent factors. Other well-known factors, i.e. gender, age, education, pain and earlier sickness certification periods, were also identified. Factors that were not significantly different between the groups were employment status, profession, diagnosis and levels of exercise habits. Identifying predictors for ability to return to work is an essential task for deciding on suitable individual rehabilitation. This study identified new predictive factors, such as ability to undertake activities, quality of life and fitness on exercise.

Wind resource quality affected by high levels of renewables

DOE PAGES

Diakov, Victor

2015-06-17

For solar photovoltaic (PV) and wind resources, the capacity factor is an important parameter describing the quality of the resource. As the share of variable renewable resources (such as PV and wind) on the electric system is increasing, so does curtailment (and the fraction of time when it cannot be avoided). At high levels of renewable generation, curtailments effectively change the practical measure of resource quality from capacity factor to the incremental capacity factor. The latter accounts only for generation during hours of no curtailment and is directly connected with the marginal capital cost of renewable generators for a givenmore » level of renewable generation during the year. The Western U.S. wind generation is analyzed hourly for a system with 75% of annual generation from wind, and it is found that the value for the system of resources with equal capacity factors can vary by a factor of 2, which highlights the importance of using the incremental capacity factor instead. Finally, the effect is expected to be more pronounced in smaller geographic areas (or when transmission limitations imposed) and less pronounced at lower levels of renewable energy in the system with less curtailment.« less

Comparison of three methods for wind turbine capacity factor estimation.

PubMed

Ditkovich, Y; Kuperman, A

2014-01-01

Three approaches to calculating capacity factor of fixed speed wind turbines are reviewed and compared using a case study. The first "quasiexact" approach utilizes discrete wind raw data (in the histogram form) and manufacturer-provided turbine power curve (also in discrete form) to numerically calculate the capacity factor. On the other hand, the second "analytic" approach employs a continuous probability distribution function, fitted to the wind data as well as continuous turbine power curve, resulting from double polynomial fitting of manufacturer-provided power curve data. The latter approach, while being an approximation, can be solved analytically thus providing a valuable insight into aspects, affecting the capacity factor. Moreover, several other merits of wind turbine performance may be derived based on the analytical approach. The third "approximate" approach, valid in case of Rayleigh winds only, employs a nonlinear approximation of the capacity factor versus average wind speed curve, only requiring rated power and rotor diameter of the turbine. It is shown that the results obtained by employing the three approaches are very close, enforcing the validity of the analytically derived approximations, which may be used for wind turbine performance evaluation.

Physiological and psychological factors associated with onset of high-altitude headache in Chinese men upon acute high-altitude exposure at 3700 m.

PubMed

Guo, Wen-Yun; Bian, Shi-Zhu; Zhang, Ji-Hang; Li, Qian-Ning; Yu, Jie; Chen, Jian-Fei; Tang, Cai-Fa; Rao, Rong-Sheng; Yu, Shi-Yong; Jin, Jun; Huang, Lan

2017-04-01

Aim We aimed to identify clinical characteristics and risk factors associated with onset of high-altitude headache (HAH) after acute exposure at 3700 m. Method In two hours, 163 individuals ascended by plane to 3700 m. Demographic information, physiological and psychological measurements, cognitive function, physical work capacity tests and profile of mood states within one week prior to the departure and within 24 hours after arrival were examined. Results HAH patients featured significantly higher vertebral artery diastolic velocity (V d ), heart rate (HR) and pulmonary artery diameter. HAH was also associated with a more negative mood state, including scores for tension anxiety, depression, hostility, fatigue and confusion, as well as lower vigor (all p values <0.05). Furthermore, negative emotions were positively related to HAH severity. HAH slightly decreased cognitive functioning. HR, V d , lack of vigor, confusion and self-reported anxiety (all p values <0.05) were independent risk factors for HAH. We have identified three independent baseline predictors for HAH including internal diameter of the left ventricle (LVD), Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS) and confusion score. Conclusions Higher HR, V d , confusion and self-reported anxiety and insufficient vigor were independent risk factors for HAH. Furthermore, higher baseline LVD, AIS and confusion score are independent predictors of HAH.

Mathematical solution of the stone column effect on the load bearing capacity and settlement using numerical analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madun, A.; Meghzili, S. A.; Tajudin, SAA; Yusof, M. F.; Zainalabidin, M. H.; Al-Gheethi, A. A.; Dan, M. F. Md; Ismail, M. A. M.

2018-04-01

The most important application of various geotechnical construction techniques is for ground improvement. Many soil improvement project had been developed due to the ongoing increase in urban and industrial growth and the need for greater access to lands. Stone columns are one of the best effective and feasible techniques for soft clay soil improvement. Stone columns increase the bearing capacity and reduce the settlement of soil. Finite element analyses were performed using the program PLAXIS 2D. An elastic-perfectly plastic constitutive relation, based on the Mohr–Coulomb criterion, governs the soft clay and stone column behaviour. This paper presents on how the response surface methodology (RSM) software is used to optimize the effect of the diameters and lengths of column on the load bearing capacity and settlement of soft clay. Load tests through the numerical modelling using Plaxis 2D were carried out on the loading plate at 66 mm. Stone column load bearing capacity increases with the increasing diameter of the column and settlement decreases with the increasing length of the column. Results revealed that the bigger column diameter, the higher load bearing capacity of soil while the longer column length, the lower settlement of soil. However, the optimum design of stone column was varied with each factor (diameter and length) separately for improvement.

Aging Affects Dopaminergic Neural Mechanisms of Cognitive Flexibility

DOE PAGES

Berry, Anne S.; Shah, Vyoma D.; Baker, Suzanne L.; ...

2016-12-14

Aging is accompanied by profound changes in the brain’s dopamine system that affect cognitive function. Evidence of powerful individual differences in cognitive aging has sharpened focus on identifying biological factors underlying relative preservation versus vulnerability to decline. Dopamine represents a key target in these efforts. Alterations of dopamine receptors and dopamine synthesis are seen in aging, with receptors generally showing reduction and synthesis demonstrating increases. Using the PET tracer 6-[ 18F]fluoro-L- m-tyrosine, we found strong support for upregulated striatal dopamine synthesis capacity in healthy older adult humans free of amyloid pathology, relative to young people. We next used fMRI tomore » define the functional impact of elevated synthesis capacity on cognitive flexibility, a core component of executive function. We found clear evidence in young adults that low levels of synthesis capacity were suboptimal, associated with diminished cognitive flexibility and altered frontoparietal activation relative to young adults with highest synthesis values. Critically, these relationships between dopamine, performance, and activation were transformed in older adults with higher synthesis capacity. Variability in synthesis capacity was related to intrinsic frontoparietal functional connectivity across groups, suggesting that striatal dopamine synthesis influences the tuning of networks underlying cognitive flexibility. Altogether, these findings define striatal dopamine’s association with cognitive flexibility and its neural underpinnings in young adults, and reveal the alteration in dopamine-related neural processes in aging.« less

Ultra-high adsorption capacity of zeolitic imidazole framework-67 (ZIF-67) for removal of malachite green from water.

PubMed

Lin, Kun-Yi Andrew; Chang, Hsuan-Ang

2015-11-01

Zeolitic imidazole frameworks (ZIFs), a new class of adsorbents, are proposed to adsorb Malachite Green (MG) in water. Particularly, ZIF-67 was selected owing to its stability in water and straightforward synthesis. The as-synthesized ZIF-67 was characterized and used to adsorb MG from water. Factors affecting the adsorption capacity were investigated including mixing time, temperature, the presence of salts and pH. The kinetics, adsorption isotherm and thermodynamics of the MG adsorption to ZIF-67 were also studied. The adsorption capacity of ZIF-67 for MG could be as high as 2430mgg(-1) at 20°C, which could be improved at the higher temperatures. Such an ultra-high adsorption capacity of ZIF-67 was almost 10-times of those of conventional adsorbents, including activated carbons and biopolymers. A mechanism for the high adsorption capacity was proposed and possibly attributed to the π-π stacking interaction between MG and ZIF-67. ZIF-67 also could be conveniently regenerated by washing with ethanol and the regeneration efficiency could remain 95% up to 4 cycles of the regeneration. ZIF-67 was also able to remove MG from the aquaculture wastewater, in which MG can be typically found. These features enable ZIF-67 to be one of the most effective and promising adsorbent to remove MG from water. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Aging Affects Dopaminergic Neural Mechanisms of Cognitive Flexibility

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

Berry, Anne S.; Shah, Vyoma D.; Baker, Suzanne L.

Aging is accompanied by profound changes in the brain’s dopamine system that affect cognitive function. Evidence of powerful individual differences in cognitive aging has sharpened focus on identifying biological factors underlying relative preservation versus vulnerability to decline. Dopamine represents a key target in these efforts. Alterations of dopamine receptors and dopamine synthesis are seen in aging, with receptors generally showing reduction and synthesis demonstrating increases. Using the PET tracer 6-[ 18F]fluoro-L- m-tyrosine, we found strong support for upregulated striatal dopamine synthesis capacity in healthy older adult humans free of amyloid pathology, relative to young people. We next used fMRI tomore » define the functional impact of elevated synthesis capacity on cognitive flexibility, a core component of executive function. We found clear evidence in young adults that low levels of synthesis capacity were suboptimal, associated with diminished cognitive flexibility and altered frontoparietal activation relative to young adults with highest synthesis values. Critically, these relationships between dopamine, performance, and activation were transformed in older adults with higher synthesis capacity. Variability in synthesis capacity was related to intrinsic frontoparietal functional connectivity across groups, suggesting that striatal dopamine synthesis influences the tuning of networks underlying cognitive flexibility. Altogether, these findings define striatal dopamine’s association with cognitive flexibility and its neural underpinnings in young adults, and reveal the alteration in dopamine-related neural processes in aging.« less

Prevalence of Hydronephrosis in Women With Advanced Pelvic Organ Prolapse.

PubMed

Dancz, Christina E; Walker, Daphne; Thomas, Diane; Özel, Begüm

2015-08-01

To describe the prevalence of hydronephrosis in advanced pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and to describe clinical and urodynamic parameters associated with hydronephrosis. Prospective, observational cohort study examining the prevalence of hydronephrosis in advanced POP. Women with a POP-Q examination of at least +1 for points C, Aa, or Ba were enrolled and screened for hydronephrosis. Basic demographics, clinical, and urodynamic findings among women with and without hydronephrosis were compared. The University of Southern California IRB approved this protocol. A total of 180 participants were enrolled. Fifty-five women had some hydronephrosis, for a prevalence of 30.6% (24.3%-37.6%). Mean age was 57.9 (±9.0) years and mean body mass index was 29.2 kg/m(2) (± 4.6). Of the participants, 80.6% were postmenopausal. The presence of diabetes mellitus was significantly associated with hydronephrosis (8% without vs 21.8% with, P = .009), as was the degree of anterior and apical (median Aa, Ba, C, and D higher with hydronephrosis than without, P <.01) but not posterior POP (median Ap and Bp, P = .13, and .2, respectively). On multichannel urodynamics, participants with hydronephrosis had higher mean post void residuals (64.8 vs 38.5 mL, P = .007), lower mean first leak (199.6 vs 280.8 mL, P = .006), and higher mean maximum cystometric capacity (525.2 vs 476.7 mL, P = .02) compared with participants without hydronephrosis. The prevalence of hydronephrosis in women with advanced POP is 30.6%. Clinical factors associated with hydronephrosis include degree of anterior or apical POP and diabetes mellitus. Urodynamic factors associated with hydronephrosis include elevated postvoid residuals, larger cystometric capacity, and lower volume at first leak. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Factors influencing the measurement of closing volume.

PubMed

Make, B; Lapp, N L

1975-06-01

The various factors influencing closing volume were studied by performing the single-breath N2 test on 9 healthy nonsmokers. Time of day, day of the week, and preceding volume history had no effect on either closing volume or alveolar plateau. Slow inspiratory flow resulted in larger ratio of closing volume to vital capacity, ratio of closing capacity to total lung capacity, and change in N2 concentration than fast inspiratory flow. Voluntary regulation of the expiratory flow resulted in smaller ratios of closing volume to vital capacity and closing capacity to total lung capacity than when flow was regulated by a resistance. Prolonged breath holding of the inspired O2 led to larger ratio of closing volume to vital capacity and ratio of closing capacity to total lung capacity. To obtain uniform, comparable closing volumes, it is suggested that the subject inspire slowly, control expiratory flow (preferably voluntarily), and not pause between inspiration and expiration.

Voluntary Running Aids to Maintain High Body Temperature in Rats Bred for High Aerobic Capacity

PubMed Central

Karvinen, Sira M.; Silvennoinen, Mika; Ma, Hongqiang; Törmäkangas, Timo; Rantalainen, Timo; Rinnankoski-Tuikka, Rita; Lensu, Sanna; Koch, Lauren G.; Britton, Steven L.; Kainulainen, Heikki

2016-01-01

The production of heat, i.e., thermogenesis, is a significant component of the metabolic rate, which in turn affects weight gain and health. Thermogenesis is linked to physical activity (PA) level. However, it is not known whether intrinsic exercise capacity, aging, and long-term voluntary running affect core body temperature. Here we use rat models selectively bred to differ in maximal treadmill endurance running capacity (Low capacity runners, LCR and High capacity Runners, HCR), that as adults are divergent for aerobic exercise capacity, aging, and metabolic disease risk to study the connection between PA and body temperature. Ten high capacity runner (HCR) and ten low capacity runner (LCR) female rats were studied between 9 and 21 months of age. Rectal body temperature of HCR and LCR rats was measured before and after 1-year voluntary running/control intervention to explore the effects of aging and PA. Also, we determined whether injected glucose and spontaneous activity affect the body temperature differently between LCR and HCR rats at 9 vs. 21 months of age. HCRs had on average 1.3°C higher body temperature than LCRs (p < 0.001). Aging decreased the body temperature level of HCRs to similar levels with LCRs. The opportunity to run voluntarily had a significant impact on the body temperature of HCRs (p < 0.001) allowing them to maintain body temperature at a similar level as when at younger age. Compared to LCRs, HCRs were spontaneously more active, had higher relative gastrocnemius muscle mass and higher UCP2, PGC-1α, cyt c, and OXPHOS levels in the skeletal muscle (p < 0.050). These results suggest that higher PA level together with greater relative muscle mass and higher mitochondrial content/function contribute to the accumulation of heat in the HCRs. Interestingly, neither aging nor voluntary training had a significant impact on core body temperature of LCRs. However, glucose injection resulted in a lowering of the body temperature of LCRs (p < 0.050), but not that of HCRs. In conclusion, rats born with high intrinsic capacity for aerobic exercise and better health have higher body temperature compared to rats born with low exercise capacity and disease risk. Voluntary running allowed HCRs to maintain high body temperature during aging, which suggests that high PA level was crucial in maintaining the high body temperature of HCRs. PMID:27504097

Voluntary Running Aids to Maintain High Body Temperature in Rats Bred for High Aerobic Capacity.

PubMed

Karvinen, Sira M; Silvennoinen, Mika; Ma, Hongqiang; Törmäkangas, Timo; Rantalainen, Timo; Rinnankoski-Tuikka, Rita; Lensu, Sanna; Koch, Lauren G; Britton, Steven L; Kainulainen, Heikki

2016-01-01

The production of heat, i.e., thermogenesis, is a significant component of the metabolic rate, which in turn affects weight gain and health. Thermogenesis is linked to physical activity (PA) level. However, it is not known whether intrinsic exercise capacity, aging, and long-term voluntary running affect core body temperature. Here we use rat models selectively bred to differ in maximal treadmill endurance running capacity (Low capacity runners, LCR and High capacity Runners, HCR), that as adults are divergent for aerobic exercise capacity, aging, and metabolic disease risk to study the connection between PA and body temperature. Ten high capacity runner (HCR) and ten low capacity runner (LCR) female rats were studied between 9 and 21 months of age. Rectal body temperature of HCR and LCR rats was measured before and after 1-year voluntary running/control intervention to explore the effects of aging and PA. Also, we determined whether injected glucose and spontaneous activity affect the body temperature differently between LCR and HCR rats at 9 vs. 21 months of age. HCRs had on average 1.3°C higher body temperature than LCRs (p < 0.001). Aging decreased the body temperature level of HCRs to similar levels with LCRs. The opportunity to run voluntarily had a significant impact on the body temperature of HCRs (p < 0.001) allowing them to maintain body temperature at a similar level as when at younger age. Compared to LCRs, HCRs were spontaneously more active, had higher relative gastrocnemius muscle mass and higher UCP2, PGC-1α, cyt c, and OXPHOS levels in the skeletal muscle (p < 0.050). These results suggest that higher PA level together with greater relative muscle mass and higher mitochondrial content/function contribute to the accumulation of heat in the HCRs. Interestingly, neither aging nor voluntary training had a significant impact on core body temperature of LCRs. However, glucose injection resulted in a lowering of the body temperature of LCRs (p < 0.050), but not that of HCRs. In conclusion, rats born with high intrinsic capacity for aerobic exercise and better health have higher body temperature compared to rats born with low exercise capacity and disease risk. Voluntary running allowed HCRs to maintain high body temperature during aging, which suggests that high PA level was crucial in maintaining the high body temperature of HCRs.

Overview on platelet preservation: better controls over storage lesion.

PubMed

Ohto, Hitoshi; Nollet, Kenneth E

2011-06-01

Platelet storage lesion (PSL), correlating with reduced in vivo recovery/survival and hemostatic capacity after transfusion, is characterized essentially by morphological and molecular evidence of platelet activation and energy consumption in the medium. Processes that limit shelf-life are multifactorial, and include both necrosis and apoptosis. PSL is greatly influenced by factors including duration of storage, temperature, ratio of platelet number to media volume, solution composition with respect to energy content and buffering capacity, and gas permeability of the container. Recent progress for slowing PSL has been made with storage media that more effectively fuel ATP production and buffer the inevitable effects of metabolism. Improved oxygen-permeability of containers also helps to maintain aerobic-dominant glycolysis. Patients stand to benefit from platelet products of higher intrinsic quality that store well until the moment of transfusion. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Gender and age do not influence the ability to work.

PubMed

Padula, Rosimeire Simprini; da Silva Valente, Luciana do Socorro; de Moraes, Mônica Vasconcelos; Chiavegato, Luciana Dias; Cabral, Cristina Maria Nunes

2012-01-01

Work capacity is related to physical, environmental and psychosocial factors and is influenced by individual characteristics and occupations. The aim of this study was to evaluated the relationship between work capacity, gender and age. 360 people employed at an institution of higher education of both genders and similar age were asked to participate in this study. The ability to work was analyzed using Work Ability Index (WAI). Descriptive statistical, Pearson correlations and ANOVA test was applied. Of these, 197 workers who participated in the study completed and returned the questionnaire. The results show there weren't any significant differences between work ability in relation to gender and age, but we observed an increase variability of responses for WAI score in older workers. No significant differences in the perception of the ability of work between men and women..

[Functional capacity of elderly patients attended in SUS primary healthcare units].

PubMed

Pilger, Calíope; Menon, Mario Umberto; Mathias, Thais Aidar de Freitas

2013-12-01

This study aimed to analyze the functional capacity of elderly registered in Basic Health Units of Guarapuava-PR, Brazil. The subjects were 359 elderly, interviewed from January to April 2010, using Section I and IV of the questionnaire Brazil Old Age Schedule. The results showed that 89.9% had some degree of dependency, of which 70.8% light and 19.2% moderate or severe dependence. Women have a higher degree of mild (70.5%) and moderate and severe dependence (62.3%). Factors associated with the degree of dependence among the elderly living in Guarapuava were age, schooling, living arrangements, employment, place of residence, marital status and family income. It is concluded that most of the elderly in the community is affected by limitations and live with some kind of dependence to perform basic activities of daily living.

Effect of Abiotic Factors on Degradation of Imidacloprid.

PubMed

Mahapatra, Bibhab; Adak, Totan; Patil, Naveen K B; Pandi, G Guru P; Gowda, G Basana; Yadav, Manoj Kumar; Mohapatra, S D; Rath, P C; Munda, Sushmita; Jena, Mayabini

2017-10-01

The role of soil moisture, light and pH on imidacloprid dissipation was investigated. A high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) based method was developed to quantify imidacloprid present in soil with a recovery of more than 82%. Rate of dissipation of imidacloprid from soil was faster in submerged condition compared to field capacity and air dried condition. Imidacloprid dissipated non-significantly between sterile and non-sterile soils, but at field capacity, the dissipation was faster in non-sterile soil compared to sterile soil after 60 days of incubation. Similarly, under submergence, the dissipation of imidacloprid was 66.2% and 79.8% of the initial in sterile and non-sterile soils, respectively. Imidacloprid was rather stable in acidic and neutral water but was prone to photo-degradation. Therefore, imidacloprid degradation will be faster under direct sunlight and at higher soil moisture.

Intermittent Theta Burst Stimulation Increases Reward Responsiveness in Individuals with Higher Hedonic Capacity.

PubMed

Duprat, Romain; De Raedt, Rudi; Wu, Guo-Rong; Baeken, Chris

2016-01-01

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) has been documented to influence striatal and orbitofrontal dopaminergic activity implicated in reward processing. However, the exact neuropsychological mechanisms of how DLPFC stimulation may affect the reward system and how trait hedonic capacity may interact with the effects remains to be elucidated. In this sham-controlled study in healthy individuals, we investigated the effects of a single session of neuronavigated intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) on reward responsiveness, as well as the influence of trait hedonic capacity. We used a randomized crossover single session iTBS design with an interval of 1 week. We assessed reward responsiveness using a rewarded probabilistic learning task and measured individual trait hedonic capacity (the ability to experience pleasure) with the temporal experience of pleasure scale questionnaire. As expected, the participants developed a response bias toward the most rewarded stimulus (rich stimulus). Reaction time and accuracy for the rich stimulus were respectively shorter and higher as compared to the less rewarded stimulus (lean stimulus). Active or sham stimulation did not seem to influence the outcome. However, when taking into account individual trait hedonic capacity, we found an early significant increase in the response bias only after active iTBS. The higher the individual's trait hedonic capacity, the more the response bias toward the rich stimulus increased after the active stimulation. When taking into account trait hedonic capacity, one active iTBS session over the left DLPFC improved reward responsiveness in healthy male participants with higher hedonic capacity. This suggests that individual differences in hedonic capacity may influence the effects of iTBS on the reward system.

Edaphic Conditions Regulate Denitrification Directly and Indirectly by Altering Denitrifier Abundance in Wetlands along the Han River, China.

PubMed

Xiong, Ziqian; Guo, Laodong; Zhang, Quanfa; Liu, Guihua; Liu, Wenzhi

2017-05-16

Riparian wetlands play a critical role in retaining nitrogen (N) from upland runoff and improving river water quality, mainly through biological processes such as soil denitrification. However, the relative contribution of abiotic and biotic factors to riparian denitrification capacity remains elusive. Here we report the spatiotemporal dynamics of potential and unamended soil denitrification rates in 20 wetlands along the Han River, an important water source in central China. We also quantified the abundance of soil denitrifying microorganisms using nirK and nirS genes. Results showed that soil denitrification rates were significantly different between riparian and reservoir shoreline wetlands, but not between mountain and lowland wetlands. In addition, soil denitrification rates showed strong seasonality, with higher values in August (summer) and April (spring) but lower values in January (winter). The potential and unamended denitrification rates were positively correlated with edaphic conditions (moisture and carbon concentration), denitrifier abundance, and plant species richness. Path analysis further revealed that edaphic conditions could regulate denitrification rates both directly and indirectly through their effects on denitrifier abundance. Our findings highlight that not only environmental factors, but also biotic factors including denitrifying microorganisms and standing vegetation, play an important role in regulating denitrification rate and N removal capacity in riparian wetlands.

Factors involved in the paradox of reverse epidemiology.

PubMed

Martín-Ponce, Esther; Santolaria, Francisco; Alemán-Valls, María-Remedios; González-Reimers, Emilio; Martínez-Riera, Antonio; Rodríguez-Gaspar, Melchor; Rodríguez-Rodríguez, Eva

2010-08-01

The hypothesis of reverse epidemiology holds that some cardiovascular risk factors, such as obesity, hypercholesterolemia and hypertension, in the elderly or in some chronic diseases are not harmful but permit better survival. However, this phenomenon is controversial and the underlying reasons are poorly understood. To search for factors simultaneously linked to reverse epidemiology and to short or long term survival. We included 400 patients, older than 60 years, hospitalized in a general internal medicine unit; 61 died in hospital and 338 were followed up by telephone. Obesity, higher blood pressure and serum cholesterol, besides being related to lower mortality both in hospital and after discharge, were associated with better nutrition and functional capacity, less intense acute phase reaction and organ dysfunction, and lower incidence of high-mortality diseases such as dementia, pneumonia, sepsis or cancer. These associations may explain why obesity and other reverse epidemiology data are inversely related to mortality. Weight loss was related to mortality independently of BMI. Patients with BMI under 30 kg/m(2) who died in hospital showed more weight loss than those who survived; the lower the BMI, the greater the weight loss. In contrast, patients with BMI over 30 kg/m(2) who died in hospital gained more weight than those who survived; the higher the BMI, the greater the weight gain. In patients over 60 years of age admitted to an internal medicine ward, obesity did not show independent survival value, being displaced by other nutritional parameters, functional capacity, acute phase reaction, organ dysfunction and diseases with poor prognosis. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.

Female Leadership Capacity and Effectiveness: A Critical Analysis of the Literature on Higher Education in Saudi Arabia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alomair, Miznah O.

2015-01-01

In light of the progressive changes occurring in Saudi Arabia, developing female leadership capacity and effectiveness in the country's higher education is vital. This literature review examines the scholarship and research on female leadership in higher education in Saudi Arabia, describes the major barriers for female leaders, and provides a…

Risk distribution across multiple health insurance funds in rural Tanzania.

PubMed

Chomi, Eunice Nahyuha; Mujinja, Phares Gamba; Enemark, Ulrika; Hansen, Kristian; Kiwara, Angwara Dennis

2014-01-01

Multiple insurance funds serving different population groups may compromise equity due to differential revenue raising capacity and an unequal distribution of high risk members among the funds. This occurs when the funds exist without mechanisms in place to promote income and risk cross-subsidisation across the funds. This paper analyses whether the risk distribution varies across the Community Health Fund (CHF) and National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) in two districts in Tanzania. Specifically we aim to 1) identify risk factors associated with increased utilisation of health services and 2) compare the distribution of identified risk factors among the CHF, NHIF and non-member households. Data was collected from a survey of 695 households. A multivariate logisitic regression model was used to identify risk factors for increased health care utilisation. Chi-square tests were performed to test whether the distribution of identified risk factors varied across the CHF, NHIF and non-member households. There was a higher concentration of identified risk factors among CHF households compared to those of the NHIF. Non-member households have a similar wealth status to CHF households, but a lower concentration of identified risk factors. Mechanisms for broader risk spreading and cross-subsidisation across the funds are necessary for the promotion of equity. These include risk equalisation to adjust for differential risk distribution and revenue raising capacity of the funds. Expansion of CHF coverage is equally important, by addressing non-financial barriers to CHF enrolment to encourage wealthy non-members to join, as well as subsidised membership for the poorest.

Correlation between Body Composition and Walking Capacity in Severe Obesity

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Background Obesity is associated with mobility reduction due to mechanical factors and excessive body fat. The six-minute walk test (6MWT) has been used to assess functional capacity in severe obesity. Objective To determine the association of BMI, total and segmental body composition with distance walked (6MWD) during the six-minute walk test (6MWT) according to gender and obesity grade. Setting University of São Paulo Medical School, Brazil; Public Practice. Methods Functional capacity was assessed by 6MWD and body composition (%) by bioelectrical impedance analysis in 90 patients. Results The mean 6MWD was 514.9 ± 50.3 m for both genders. The male group (M: 545.2 ± 46.9 m) showed a 6MWD higher (p = 0.002) than the female group (F: 505.6 ± 47.9 m). The morbid obese group (MO: 524.7 ± 44.0 m) also showed a 6MWD higher (p = 0.014) than the super obese group (SO: 494.2 ± 57.0 m). There was a positive relationship between 6MWD and fat free mass (FFM), FFM of upper limps (FFM_UL), trunk (FFM_TR) and lower limbs (FFM_LL). Female group presented a positive relationship between 6MWD and FFM, FFM_UL and FFM_LL and male group presented a positive relationship between 6MWD and FFM_TR. In morbid obese group there was a positive relationship between 6MWD with FFM, FFM_UL, FFM_TR and FFM_LL. The super obese group presented a positive relationship between 6MWD with FFM, FFM_TR and FFM_LL. Conclusions Total and segmental FFM is associated with a better walking capacity than BMI. PMID:26098769

Correlation between Body Composition and Walking Capacity in Severe Obesity.

PubMed

Correia de Faria Santarém, G; de Cleva, R; Santo, Marco Aurélio; Bernhard, Aline Biaseto; Gadducci, Alexandre Vieira; Greve, Julia Maria D'Andrea; Silva, Paulo Roberto Santos

2015-01-01

Obesity is associated with mobility reduction due to mechanical factors and excessive body fat. The six-minute walk test (6MWT) has been used to assess functional capacity in severe obesity. To determine the association of BMI, total and segmental body composition with distance walked (6MWD) during the six-minute walk test (6MWT) according to gender and obesity grade. University of São Paulo Medical School, Brazil; Public Practice. Functional capacity was assessed by 6MWD and body composition (%) by bioelectrical impedance analysis in 90 patients. The mean 6MWD was 514.9 ± 50.3 m for both genders. The male group (M: 545.2 ± 46.9 m) showed a 6MWD higher (p = 0.002) than the female group (F: 505.6 ± 47.9 m). The morbid obese group (MO: 524.7 ± 44.0 m) also showed a 6MWD higher (p = 0.014) than the super obese group (SO: 494.2 ± 57.0 m). There was a positive relationship between 6MWD and fat free mass (FFM), FFM of upper limps (FFM_UL), trunk (FFM_TR) and lower limbs (FFM_LL). Female group presented a positive relationship between 6MWD and FFM, FFM_UL and FFM_LL and male group presented a positive relationship between 6MWD and FFM_TR. In morbid obese group there was a positive relationship between 6MWD with FFM, FFM_UL, FFM_TR and FFM_LL. The super obese group presented a positive relationship between 6MWD with FFM, FFM_TR and FFM_LL. Total and segmental FFM is associated with a better walking capacity than BMI.

Factors Affecting Lung Function: A Review of the Literature.

PubMed

Talaminos Barroso, Alejandro; Márquez Martín, Eduardo; Roa Romero, Laura María; Ortega Ruiz, Francisco

2018-06-01

Lung function reference values are traditionally based on anthropometric factors, such as weight, height, sex, and age. FVC and FEV 1 decline with age, while volumes and capacities, such as RV and FRC, increase. TLC, VC, RV, FVC and FEV 1 are affected by height, since they are proportional to body size. This means that a tall individual will experience greater decrease in lung volumes as they get older. Some variables, such as FRC and ERV, decline exponentially with an increase in weight, to the extent that tidal volume in morbidly obese patients can be close to that of RV. Men have longer airways than women, causing greater specific resistance in the respiratory tract. The increased work of breathing to increase ventilation among women means that their consumption of oxygen is higher than men under similar conditions of physical intensity. Lung volumes are higher when the subject is standing than in other positions. DLCO is significantly higher in supine positions than in sitting or standing positions, but the difference between sitting and standing positions is not significant. Anthropometric characteristics are insufficient to explain differences in lung function between different ethnic groups, underlining the importance of considering other factors in addition to the conventional anthropometric measurements. Copyright © 2018 SEPAR. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Hematopoietic Stem Cells in Neonates: Any Differences between Very Preterm and Term Neonates?

PubMed Central

Wisgrill, Lukas; Schüller, Simone; Bammer, Markus; Berger, Angelika; Pollak, Arnold; Radke, Teja Falk; Kögler, Gesine; Spittler, Andreas; Helmer, Hanns; Husslein, Peter; Gortner, Ludwig

2014-01-01

Background In the last decades, human full-term cord blood was extensively investigated as a potential source of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs). Despite the growing interest of regenerative therapies in preterm neonates, only little is known about the biological function of HSPCs from early preterm neonates under different perinatal conditions. Therefore, we investigated the concentration, the clonogenic capacity and the influence of obstetric/perinatal complications and maternal history on HSPC subsets in preterm and term cord blood. Methods CD34+ HSPC subsets in UCB of 30 preterm and 30 term infants were evaluated by flow cytometry. Clonogenic assays suitable for detection of the proliferative potential of HSPCs were conducted. Furthermore, we analyzed the clonogenic potential of isolated HSPCs according to the stem cell marker CD133 and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity. Results Preterm cord blood contained a significantly higher concentration of circulating CD34+ HSPCs, especially primitive progenitors, than term cord blood. The clonogenic capacity of HSPCs was enhanced in preterm cord blood. Using univariate analysis, the number and clonogenic potential of circulating UCB HSPCs was influenced by gestational age, birth weight and maternal age. Multivariate analysis showed that main factors that significantly influenced the HSPC count were maternal age, gestational age and white blood cell count. Further, only gestational age significantly influenced the clonogenic potential of UCB HSPCs. Finally, isolated CD34+/CD133+, CD34+/CD133– and ALDHhigh HSPC obtained from preterm cord blood showed a significantly higher clonogenic potential compared to term cord blood. Conclusion We demonstrate that preterm cord blood exhibits a higher HSPC concentration and increased clonogenic capacity compared to term neonates. These data may imply an emerging use of HSPCs in autologous stem cell therapy in preterm neonates. PMID:25181353

Preterm newborns show slower repair of oxidative damage and paternal smoking associated DNA damage.

PubMed

Vande Loock, Kim; Ciardelli, Roberta; Decordier, Ilse; Plas, Gina; Haumont, Dominique; Kirsch-Volders, Micheline

2012-09-01

Newborns have to cope with hypoxia during delivery and a sudden increase in oxygen at birth. Oxygen will partly be released as reactive oxygen species having the potential to cause damage to DNA and proteins. In utero, increase of most (non)-enzymatic antioxidants occurs during last weeks of gestation, making preterm neonates probably more sensitive to oxidative stress. Moreover, it has been hypothesized that oxidative stress might be the common etiological factor for certain neonatal diseases in preterm infants. The aim of this study was to assess background DNA damage; in vitro H(2)O(2) induced oxidative DNA damage and repair capacity (residual DNA damage) in peripheral blood mononucleated cells from 25 preterm newborns and their mothers. In addition, demographic data were taken into account and repair capacity of preterm was compared with full-term newborns. Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that preterm infants from smoking fathers have higher background DNA damage levels than those from non-smoking fathers, emphasizing the risk of paternal smoking behaviour for the progeny. Significantly higher residual DNA damage found after 15-min repair in preterm children compared to their mothers and higher residual DNA damage after 2 h compared to full-term newborns suggest a slower DNA repair capacity in preterm children. In comparison with preterm infants born by caesarean delivery, preterm infants born by vaginal delivery do repair more slowly the in vitro induced oxidative DNA damage. Final impact of passive smoking and of the slower DNA repair activity of preterm infants need to be confirmed in a larger study population combining transgenerational genetic and/or epigenetic effects, antioxidant levels, genotypes, repair enzyme efficiency/levels and infant morbidity.

[Mental capacity and capacity to consent: multicentric study in a involuntary psychiatric hospitalized patients sample].

PubMed

Carabellese, Felice; Mandarelli, Gabriele; La Tegola, Donatella; Parmigiani, Giovanna; Ferracuti, Stefano; Quartesan, Roberto; Bellomo, Antonello; Catanesi, Roberto

2017-01-01

The purpose of this longitudinal observational study is to evaluate the course and impact of clinical, social, and behavioral variables on the involuntary readmission of psychiatric patients, during a 6-months follow-up after discharge from a prior involuntary hospitalization. N=131 involuntarily committed psychiatric patients were enrolled in three university hospitals (Bari n=57; Perugia n=42; Rome n=32). At the first assessment cognitive functioning (MMSE), psychiatric symptoms severity (BPRS-E), capacity to consent to treatment (MacCAT-T) as well as principal socio-demographic and clinical variables were collected. At 6-months follow-up, we collected data concerning involuntary psychiatric readmissions, pharmacotherapy adherence, new deliberate self-harm or harm to others as well as having been legally prosecuted. N=120 patients were reevaluated at follow-up (M=188 days, SD=12.6); among these n=15 (12.5%) have had a new involuntary psychiatric admission due to an acute mental disorder. Re-hospitalized patients showed higher rates of harm to others (p<0.05) and legal prosecution (p<0.05); there was moreover a trend toward higher pharmacological dropout rates in involuntarily rehospitalized patients. We found no differences between the two groups in baseline psychiatric symptoms severity and cognitive functioning, whereas involuntary re-hospitalization was associated with more frequent involuntary hospitalization during last year (p<0.05) and higher MacCAT-T reasoning (p<0.05). Involuntary psychiatric readmission rates proved to be poorly associated with clinical features assessed during previous hospitalization. Our data suggest that social and legal factors, including those connected to patients' dangerousness, could play a role also in a civil commitment system based solely on the need for treatment.

Physicochemical, melissopalynological and antioxidant properties of artisanal honeys from Lebanon.

PubMed

Jaafar, Katherine; Haidar, Janay; Kuraydiyyah, Sawsan; Ghaddar, Tarek; Knio, Khouzama; Ismail, Baraem; Toufeili, Imad

2017-07-01

Sixteen honeydew and 15 floral honeys from Lebanon were analyzed for pollen spectra and physicochemical parameters. A total of 37 families and 67 taxa were recorded with the honeybees producing honeydew honey exhibiting a more diverse foraging behavior than those making floral honeys. The honeydew and floral honeys exhibited differences in moisture content, pH, electrical conductivity, color, protein and Maillard reaction products. The honeydew honeys contained more total phenols, had higher antioxidant contents, and displayed higher antioxidant capacities than the floral samples in the Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity, oxygen radical absorbance capacity, inhibition of superoxide dismutase activity and protection of red blood cells against hemolysis assays. The honey samples exhibited higher antioxidant capacities, in the aforementioned assays, than their corresponding methanol-extractable phenol fractions although the differences did not reach statistical significance in the floral samples. The relative antioxidant capacity indices which integrate measures of antioxidant capacity from the different assays of the honey samples and their corresponding extracts exhibited similar patterns ( r  = 0.9774, 0.9937) thereby indicating that the antioxidative behavior of the entire honeys is mirrored by their methanol-extractable phenolic fractions.

Retroreflective systems for remote readout

DOEpatents

Deason, V.A.; Colwell, F.S.; Ricks, K.L.

1998-10-13

A sensing device is described for sensing an environmental factor. The device includes a retroreflective layer disposed in a parallel, facing relationship with a sensing layer. The sensing layer has an initial optical absorption capacity for (1) sensing a presence of an environmental factor, (2) experiencing a change in optical absorption capacity responsive to said environmental factor, and (3) transmitting and attenuating light. A first portion of the sensing layer is sealed off from exposure to the environment while a second portion remains exposed to the environment such that, when the environmental factor is present, the first portion of the sensing layer is prevented from experiencing a change in optical absorption capacity responsive to said environmental factor. Well-collimated light beams are passed through the sensing layer and are reflected back from the retroreflective layer for processing. When the environmental factor is present, the beams which pass through the second portion are attenuated responsive to an increase in optical absorption capacity and are compared with the non-attenuated beams passing through the first portion to calculate the presence and quantity of the environmental factor. 7 figs.

Retroreflective systems for remote readout

DOEpatents

Deason, Vance A.; Colwell, Frederick S.; Ricks, Kirk L.

1998-01-01

A sensing device for sensing an environmental factor. The device includes a retroreflective layer disposed in a parallel, facing relationship with a sensing layer. The sensing layer has an initial optical absorption capacity for (i) sensing a presence of an environmental factor, (ii) experiencing a change in optical absorption capacity responsive to said environmental factor, and (iii) transmitting and attenuating light. A first portion of the sensing layer is sealed off from exposure to the environment while a second portion remains exposed to the environment such that, when the environmental factor is present, the first portion of the sensing layer is prevented from experiencing a change in optical absorption capacity responsive to said environmental factor. Well-collimated light beams are passed through the sensing layer and are reflected back from the retroreflective layer for processing. When the environmental factor is present, the beams which pass through the second portion are attenuated responsive to an increase in optical absorption capacity and are compared with the non-attenuated beams passing through the first portion to calculate the presence and quantity of the environmental factor.

Electrical Properties of Cement-Based Composites with Carbon Nanotubes, Graphene, and Graphite Nanofibers.

PubMed

Yoo, Doo-Yeol; You, Ilhwan; Lee, Seung-Jung

2017-05-08

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of the carbon-based nanomaterial type on the electrical properties of cement paste. Three different nanomaterials, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), graphite nanofibers (GNFs), and graphene (G), were incorporated into the cement paste at a volume fraction of 1%. The self-sensing capacity of the cement composites was also investigated by comparing the compressive stress/strain behaviors by evaluating the fractional change of resistivity (FCR). The electrical resistivity of the plain cement paste was slightly reduced by adding 1 vol % GNFs and G, whereas a significant decrease of the resistivity was achieved by adding 1 vol % MWCNTs. At an identical volume fraction of 1%, the composites with MWCNTs provided the best self-sensing capacity with insignificant noise, followed by the composites containing GNFs and G. Therefore, the addition of MWCNTs was considered to be the most effective to improve the self-sensing capacity of the cement paste. Finally, the composites with 1 vol % MWCNTs exhibited a gauge factor of 113.2, which is much higher than commercially available strain gauges.

Electrical Properties of Cement-Based Composites with Carbon Nanotubes, Graphene, and Graphite Nanofibers

PubMed Central

Yoo, Doo-Yeol; You, Ilhwan; Lee, Seung-Jung

2017-01-01

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of the carbon-based nanomaterial type on the electrical properties of cement paste. Three different nanomaterials, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), graphite nanofibers (GNFs), and graphene (G), were incorporated into the cement paste at a volume fraction of 1%. The self-sensing capacity of the cement composites was also investigated by comparing the compressive stress/strain behaviors by evaluating the fractional change of resistivity (FCR). The electrical resistivity of the plain cement paste was slightly reduced by adding 1 vol % GNFs and G, whereas a significant decrease of the resistivity was achieved by adding 1 vol % MWCNTs. At an identical volume fraction of 1%, the composites with MWCNTs provided the best self-sensing capacity with insignificant noise, followed by the composites containing GNFs and G. Therefore, the addition of MWCNTs was considered to be the most effective to improve the self-sensing capacity of the cement paste. Finally, the composites with 1 vol % MWCNTs exhibited a gauge factor of 113.2, which is much higher than commercially available strain gauges. PMID:28481296

Correlates of physical fitness and activity in Taiwanese children.

PubMed

Chen, J-L; Unnithan, V; Kennedy, C; Yeh, C-H

2008-03-01

This cross-sectional study examined factors related to children's physical fitness and activity levels in Taiwan. A total of 331 Taiwanese children, aged 7 and 8, and their mothers participated in the study. Children performed physical fitness tests, recorded their physical activities during two weekdays and completed self-esteem questionnaires. Research assistants measured the children's body mass and stature. Mothers completed demographic, parenting style and physical activity questionnaires. Attending urban school, lower body mass index (BMI), older age and better muscular endurance contributed to the variance in better aerobic capacity, and attending rural school and better aerobic capacity contributed to the variance in better muscular endurance in boys. Attending urban school, lower BMI and better athletic competence contributed to the variance in better aerobic capacity, and younger age, rural school and higher household income contributed to the variance in better flexibility in girls. Despite the limitations of the study, with many countries and regions, including Taiwan, now emphasizing the importance of improving physical fitness and activity in children, an intervention that is gender-, geographically, and developmentally appropriate can improve the likelihood of successful physical fitness and activity programmes.

Differences of urinary arsenic metabolites and methylation capacity between individuals with and without skin lesions in Inner Mongolia, Northern China.

PubMed

Zhang, Qiang; Li, Yongfang; Liu, Juan; Wang, Da; Zheng, Quanmei; Sun, Guifan

2014-07-18

Incomplete arsenic (As) methylation has been considered a risk factor of As-related diseases. This study aimed to examine the difference of urinary As metabolites and the methylation capacity between subjects with and without skin lesions. Urinary inorganic arsenic (iAs), monomethylarsonic acid (MMA), and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) were analyzed. The percentage of each As species (iAs%, MMA%, and DMA%), the primary methylation index (PMI) and secondary methylation index (SMI) were calculated. The results showed that subjects with skin lesions have higher levels of urinary iAs (99.08 vs. 70.63 μg/g Cr, p = 0.006) and MMA (69.34 vs. 42.85 μg/g Cr, p = 0.016) than subjects without skin lesions after adjustment for several confounders. Significant differences of urianry MMA% (15.49 vs. 12.11, p = 0.036) and SMI (0.74 vs. 0.81, p = 0.025) were found between the two groups. The findings of the present study suggest that subjects with skin lesions may have a lower As methylation capacity than subjects without skin lesions.

Monitoring of trace element atmospheric deposition using dry and wet moss bags: accumulation capacity versus exposure time.

PubMed

Anicić, M; Tomasević, M; Tasić, M; Rajsić, S; Popović, A; Frontasyeva, M V; Lierhagen, S; Steinnes, E

2009-11-15

To clarify the peculiarities of trace element accumulation in moss bags technique (active biomonitoring), samples of the moss Sphagnum girgensohnii Rusow were exposed in bags with and without irrigation for 15 days up to 5 months consequently in the semi-urban area of Belgrade (Serbia) starting from July 2007. The accumulation capacity for 49 elements determined by ICP-MS in wet and dry moss bags was compared. The concentration of some elements, i.e. Al, V, Cr, Fe, Zn, As, Se, Sr, Pb, and Sm increased continuously with exposure time in both dry and wet moss bags, whereas concentration of Na, Cl, K, Mn, Rb, Cs, and Ta decreased. Irrigation of moss resulted in a higher accumulation capacity for most of the elements, especially for Cr, Zn, As, Se, Br, and Sr. Principal component analysis was performed on the datasets of element concentrations in wet and dry moss bags for source identification. Results of the factor analysis were similar but not identical in the two cases due to possible differences in element accumulation mechanisms.

Sex Differences in World-Record Performance: The Influence of Sport Discipline and Competition Duration.

PubMed

Sandbakk, Øyvind; Solli, Guro Strøm; Holmberg, Hans-Christer

2018-01-01

The current review summarizes scientific knowledge concerning sex differences in world-record performance and the influence of sport discipline and competition duration. In addition, the way that physiological factors relate to sex dimorphism is discussed. While cultural factors played a major role in the rapid improvement of performance of women relative to men up until the 1990s, sex differences between the world's best athletes in most events have remained relatively stable at approximately 8-12%. The exceptions are events in which upper-body power is a major contributor, where this difference is more than 12%, and ultraendurance swimming, where the gap is now less than 5%. The physiological advantages in men include a larger body size with more skeletal-muscle mass, a lower percentage of body fat, and greater maximal delivery of anaerobic and aerobic energy. The greater strength and anaerobic capacity in men normally disappear when normalized for fat-free body mass, whereas the higher hemoglobin concentrations lead to 5-10% greater maximal oxygen uptake in men with such normalization. The higher percentage of muscle mass in the upper body of men results in a particularly large sex difference in power production during upper-body exercise. While the exercise efficiency of men and women is usually similar, women have a better capacity to metabolize fat and demonstrate better hydrodynamics and more even pacing, which may be advantageous, in particular during long-lasting swimming competitions.

Quercetin Feeding in Newborn Dairy Calves Cannot Compensate Colostrum Deprivation: Study on Metabolic, Antioxidative and Inflammatory Traits

PubMed Central

Gruse, Jeannine; Kanitz, Ellen; Weitzel, Joachim M.; Tuchscherer, Armin; Stefaniak, Tadeusz; Jawor, Paulina; Wolffram, Siegfried; Hammon, Harald M.

2016-01-01

Immaturity of the neonatal immune system is causative for high morbidity in calves and colostrum intake is crucial for acquiring passive immunity. Pathogenesis is promoted by reactive oxygen species accumulating at birth if counter-regulation is inadequate. The flavonol quercetin exerts antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects that may enhance neonatal health. The aim of this work was to study effects of quercetin feeding on metabolic, antioxidative and inflammatory parameters in neonatal calves to investigate whether quercetin could compensate for insufficient colostrum supply. Twenty-eight newborn calves were assigned to two dietary groups fed colostrum or milk-based formula on day 1 and 2 and milk replacer thereafter. From day 2 onwards, 7 calves per diet group were additionally fed quercetin aglycone (50 mg/(kg body weight × day)). Blood samples were taken repeatedly to measure plasma concentrations of flavonols, glucose, lactate, total protein, albumin, urea, non-esterified fatty acids, triglycerides, cholesterol, insulin, glucagon, cortisol, immunoglobulins, fibrinogen, haptoglobin and serum amyloid A. Trolox equivalent antioxidative capacity, ferric reducing ability of plasma, thiobarbituric acid reactive species and F2-isoprostanes were analyzed to evaluate plasma antioxidative status. Expression of tumor necrosis factor, interleukin-1α, interleukin-1β, serum amyloid A, haptoglobin, fibrinogen, C-reactive protein, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase mRNA were measured in liver tissue on day 8. Plasma flavonol concentrations were detectable only after quercetin-feeding without differences between colostrum and formula feeding. Plasma glucose, lactate, total protein, immunoglobulins, triglycerides, cholesterol, trolox equivalent antioxidative capacity and thiobarbituric acid reactive species were higher after colostrum feeding. Body temperature, fecal fluidity and plasma concentrations of cortisol and haptoglobin were higher in formula- than in colostrum-fed groups. Hepatic mRNA expression of tumor necrosis factor was higher after quercetin feeding and expression of C-reactive protein was higher after formula feeding. Data confirm that colostrum improves neonatal health and indicate that quercetin feeding cannot compensate for insufficient colostrum supply. PMID:26752173

Canopy storage capacity of xerophytic shrubs in Northwestern China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xin-ping; Zhang, Ya-feng; Hu, Rui; Pan, Yan-xia; Berndtsson, Ronny

2012-08-01

SummaryThe capacity of shrub canopy water storage is a key factor in controlling the rainfall interception. Thus, it affects a variety of hydrological processes in water-limited arid desert ecosystems. Vast areas of revegetated desert ecosystems in Northwestern China are occupied by shrub and dwarf shrub communities. Yet, data are still scarce regarding their rainwater storage capacity. In this study, simulated rainfall tests were conducted in controlled conditions for three dominant xerophytic shrub types in the arid Tengger Desert. Eight rainfall intensities varying from 1.15 to 11.53 mm h-1 were used to determine the canopy water storage capacity. The simulated rainfall intensities were selected according to the long-term rainfall records in the study area. The results indicate that canopy storage capacity (expressed in water storage per leaf area, canopy projection area, biomass, and volume of shrub respectively) increased exponentially with increase in rainfall intensity for the selected shrubs. Linear relationships were found between canopy storage capacity and leaf area (LA) or leaf area index (LAI), although there was a striking difference in correlation between storage capacity and LA or LAI of Artemisia ordosica compared to Caragana korshinskii and Hedysarum scoparium. This is a result of differences in biometric characteristics, especially canopy morphology between the shrub species. Pearson correlation coefficient indicated that LA and dry biomass are better predictors as compared to canopy projection area and volume of samples for precise estimation of canopy water storage capacity. In terms of unit leaf area, mean storage capacity was 0.39 mm (range of 0.24-0.53 mm), 0.43 mm (range of 0.28-0.60 mm), and 0.61 mm (range of 0.29-0.89 mm) for C. korshinskii, H. scoparium, and A. ordosica, respectively. Correspondingly, divided per unit dry biomass, mean storage capacity was 0.51 g g-1 (range of 0.30-0.70 g g-1), 0.41 g g-1 (range of 0.26-0.57 g g-1), and 0.73 g g-1 (range of 0.38-1.05 g g-1) for C. korshinskii, H. scoparium, and A. ordosica, respectively, when the rainfall intensities ranged from 1.15, 2.31, 3.46, 4.61, 6.92, 9.23 to 11.53 mm h-1. The needle-leaved species A. ordosica had a higher canopy water storage capacity than the ovate-leaved species C. korshinskii and H. scoparium at the same magnitude of rainfall intensity, except for C. korshinskii when it was expressed in unit of canopy projection area. Consequently, A. ordosica will generate higher interception losses as compared to C. korshinskii and H. scoparium. This is especially the case as it often forms dense dwarf shrub communities despite its small size.

Comparison of toluene adsorption among granular activated carbon and different types of activated carbon fibers (ACFs).

PubMed

Balanay, Jo Anne G; Crawford, Shaun A; Lungu, Claudiu T

2011-10-01

Activated carbon fiber (ACF) has been demonstrated to be a good adsorbent for the removal of organic vapors in air. Some ACF has a comparable or larger surface area and higher adsorption capacity when compared with granular activated carbon (GAC) commonly used in respiratory protection devices. ACF is an attractive alternative adsorbent to GAC because of its ease of handling, light weight, and decreasing cost. ACF may offer the potential for short-term respiratory protection for first responders and emergency personnel. This study compares the critical bed depths and adsorption capacities for toluene among GAC and ACF of different forms and surface areas. GAC and ACF in cloth (ACFC) and felt (ACFF) forms were challenged in stainless steel chambers with a constant concentration of 500 ppm toluene via conditioned air at 25°C, 50% RH, and constant airflow (7 L/min). Breakthrough data were obtained for each adsorbent using gas chromatography with flame ionization detector. Surface areas of each adsorbent were determined using a physisorption analyzer. Results showed that the critical bed depth of GAC is 275% higher than the average of ACFC but is 55% lower than the average of ACFF. Adsorption capacity of GAC (with a nominal surface area of 1800 m(2)/g) at 50% breakthrough is 25% higher than the average of ACF with surface area of 1000 m(2)/g, while the rest of ACF with surface area of 1500 m(2)/g and higher have 40% higher adsorption capacities than GAC. ACFC with higher surface area has the smallest critical bed depth and highest adsorption capacity, which makes it a good adsorbent for thinner and lighter respirators. We concluded that ACF has great potential for application in respiratory protection considering its higher adsorption capacity and lower critical bed depth in addition to its advantages over GAC, particularly for ACF with higher surface area.

The joint impact of smoking and exercise capacity on clinical outcomes among women with suspected myocardial ischemia: the WISE study.

PubMed

Linke, Sarah E; Rutledge, Thomas; Johnson, B Delia; Olson, Marian B; Bittner, Vera; Cornell, Carol E; Shaw, Leslee J; Eteiba, Wafia; Parashar, Susmita; Sheps, David S; Vido, Diane A; Mulukutla, Suresh; Bairey Merz, C Noel

2009-04-01

Although extensive research has been conducted on both smoking and low exercise capacity alone, few studies have examined the joint impact or interaction of these two risk factors. We examined the joint and interactive effects of smoking and self-reported exercise capacity on subsequent clinical events (heart failure, myocardial infarction [MI], stroke, and cardiovascular-related mortality) among women with suspected myocardial ischemia. At baseline (1996-1999), 789 women completed angiographic testing of coronary artery disease (CAD) severity and provided self-report information about their smoking history and exercise capacity as well as demographic and other risk factor data. Incidence of clinical events among the women was tracked for a median of 5.9 years; this analysis was conducted in 2008. In an adjusted survival analysis, women with a positive smoking history and self-reported low exercise capacity had the greatest risk of experiencing a clinical event (HR = 7.7, 95% CI 2.3, 25.5), followed by women with a positive smoking history and self-reported high exercise capacity (HR = 6.9, 95% CI 2.0, 24.6) and those with a negative smoking history and self-reported low exercise capacity (HR = 4.9, 95% CI 1.5, 15.8), relative to women with a negative smoking history and self-reported high exercise capacity. Additional analyses revealed a significant interaction between smoking history and exercise capacity, such that (1) women with a positive smoking history did not experience an additional significantly greater risk due to low exercise capacity, unlike those with a negative smoking history, and (2) all women experienced a significantly greater risk due to a positive smoking history regardless of their exercise capacity. Among women with suspected myocardial ischemia, the combined protective health effects of self-reported high exercise capacity and a negative smoking history remained significant after controlling for preexisting CAD severity and other established risk factors. These findings highlight the importance of studying behavioral risk factors in combination.

Understanding levels of morbidity and hospitalization in Kerala, India.

PubMed Central

Dilip, T. R.

2002-01-01

The prevalence of ailments and hospitalization in Kerala was examined using data from the 52 nd National Sample Survey Data on Health Care in Kerala in 1995-6. The survey included 24401 people from 4928 households. Age and seasonality had considerable effects on the morbidity of individuals. The burden of ill health was higher in rural areas than in urban areas. People who were more likely to have a better lifestyle had a higher level of morbidity and hospitalization. Regional differences were seen, with levels of morbidity and hospitalization higher in the comparatively developed regions of Southern Kerala than in Northern Kerala. Factors like physical accessibility of health care services and capacity to seek health care services could create artificial differences in morbidity and hospitalization among different subgroups of the population in Kerala. PMID:12378294

Risk factors associated with the surgical management of craniopharyngiomas in pediatric patients: analysis of 1961 patients from a national registry database.

PubMed

Bakhsheshian, Joshua; Jin, Diana L; Chang, Ki-Eun; Strickland, Ben A; Donoho, Dan A; Cen, Steven; Mack, William J; Attenello, Frank; Christian, Eisha A; Zada, Gabriel

2016-12-01

OBJECTIVE Patient demographic characteristics, hospital volume, and admission status have been shown to impact surgical outcomes of sellar region tumors in adults; however, the data available following the resection of craniopharyngiomas in the pediatric population remain limited. The authors sought to identify potential risk factors associated with outcomes following surgical management of pediatric craniopharyngiomas. METHODS The Nationwide Inpatient Sample database and Kids' Inpatient Database were analyzed to include admissions for pediatric patients (≤ 18 years) who underwent a transcranial or transsphenoidal craniotomy for resection of a craniopharyngioma. Patient-level factors, including age, race, comorbidities, and insurance type, as well as hospital factors were collected. Outcomes analyzed included mortality rate, endocrine and nonendocrine complications, hospital charges, and length of stay. A multivariate model controlling for variables analyzed was constructed to examine significant independent risk factors. RESULTS Between 2000 and 2011, 1961 pediatric patients were identified who underwent a transcranial (71.2%) or a transsphenoidal (28.8%) craniotomy for resection of a craniopharyngioma. A major predilection for age was observed with the selection of a transcranial (23.4% in < 7-year-olds, 28.1% in 7- to 12-year-olds, and 19.7% in 13- to 18-year-olds) versus transphenoidal (2.9% in < 7-year-olds, 7.4% in 7- to 12-year-olds, and 18.4% in 13- to 18-year-olds) approach. No significant outcomes were associated with a particular surgical approach, except that 7- to 12-year-old patients had a higher risk of nonendocrine complications (relative risk [RR] 2.42, 95% CI 1.04-5.65, p = 0.04) with the transsphenoidal approach when compared with 13- to 18-year-old patients. The overall inpatient mortality rate was 0.5% and the most common postoperative complication was diabetes insipidus (64.2%). There were no independent factors associated with inpatient mortality rates and no significant differences in outcomes among groups based on sex and race. The average length of stay was 11.8 days, and the mean hospital charge was $116,5 22. Hospitals with medium and large bed capacity were protective against nonendocrine complications (RR 0.53, 95% CI 0.3-0.93, p = 0.03 [medium]; RR 0.45, 95% CI 0.25-0.8, p < 0.01 [large]) and total complications (RR 0.73, 95% CI 0.55-0.97, p = 0.03 [medium]; RR 0.68, 95% CI 0.51-0.9, p < 0.01 [large]) when compared with hospitals with small bed capacity (< 200 beds). Patients admitted to rural hospitals had an increased risk for nonendocrine complications (RR 2.56, 95% CI 1.11-5.9, p = 0.03). The presence of one or more medical comorbidities increased the risk of higher total complications (RR 1.38, 95% CI 1.14-1.68), p < 0.01 [1 comorbidity]; RR 2.37, 95% CI 1.98-2.84, p < 0.01 [≥ 2 comorbidities]) and higher total hospital charges (RR 2.9, 95% CI 1.08-7.81, p = 0.04 [1 comorbidity]; RR 9.1, 95% CI 3.74-22.12, p < 0.01 [≥ 2 comorbidities]). CONCLUSIONS This analysis identified patient age, comorbidities, insurance type, hospital bed capacity, and rural or nonteaching hospital status as independent risk factors for postoperative complications and/or increased hospital charges in pediatric patients with craniopharyngioma. Transsphenoidal surgery in younger patients with craniopharyngioma was a risk factor for nonendocrine complications.

Determinants of expiratory flow limitation in healthy women during exercise.

PubMed

Dominelli, Paolo B; Guenette, Jordan A; Wilkie, Sabrina S; Foster, Glen E; Sheel, A William

2011-09-01

Expiratory flow limitation (EFL) can occur in healthy young women during exercise. We questioned whether the occurrence and severity of EFL were related to aerobic fitness or anatomical factors. Twenty-two healthy young (<40 yr) women performed a progressive cycle test to exhaustion. The subjects' maximum expiratory flow-volume curve was compiled from several effort-graded vital capacity maneuvers before and after exercise. The maximum expiratory flow-volume curve, along with inspiratory capacity maneuvers, was used to determine lung volumes and expiratory flows and to quantify EFL. To determine relative airway size, we used a ratio sensitive to both airway size and lung volume, called the dysanapsis ratio. The subjects were partitioned into two groups based upon the appearance of >5% EFL. Ten subjects showed EFL during exercise. Forced vital capacities (4.4 ± 0.4 vs 3.7 ± 0.4 L, P < 0.001) and forced expiratory flows for any given lung volume were significantly larger in the non-expiratory flow-limited (NEFL) group. The NEFL group's dysanapsis ratio was significantly larger than that of the EFL group (0.27 ± 0.06 vs 0.21 ± 0.04, respectively, P < 0.05), indicating larger airways in the NEFL group. There was no difference between the NEFL and EFL groups with respect to maximal aerobic capacity (50.8 ± 10.0 vs 46.7 ± 5.9 mL·kg(-1)·min(-1), respectively, P = 0.264). At peak exercise, the NEFL group had a significantly higher end-expiratory lung volume than the EFL group (40.1% ± 4.8% vs 33.7% ± 5.7% FVC, respectively, P < 0.05). We conclude that EFL in women can largely be explained by anatomical factors that influence the capacity to generate flow and volume during exercise rather than fitness per se.

The Relationship Between Walking Capacity, Biopsychosocial Factors, Self-Efficacy and Walking Activity in Individuals Post Stroke

PubMed Central

Danks, Kelly A.; Pohlig, Ryan T.; Roos, Margie; Wright, Tamara R.; Reisman, Darcy S.

2016-01-01

Background/Purpose Many factors appear to be related to physical activity after stroke, yet it is unclear how these factors interact and which ones might be the best predictors. Therefore, the purpose of this study was twofold: 1) to examine the relationship between walking capacity and walking activity, and 2) to investigate how biopsychosocial factors and self-efficacy relate to walking activity, above and beyond walking capacity impairment post-stroke. Methods Individuals greater than 3 months post-stroke (n=55) completed the Yesavage Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), Modified Cumulative Illness Rating (MCIR) Scale, Walk 12, Activities Specific Balance Confidence (ABC) Scale, Functional Gait Assessment (FGA), and oxygen consumption testing. Walking activity data was collected via a StepWatch Activity Monitor (SAM). Predictors were grouped into 3 constructs: (1) Walking Capacity: oxygen consumption and FGA; (2) Biopsychosocial: GDS, FSS, and MCIR; (3) Self-Efficacy: Walk 12 and ABC. Moderated sequential regression models were used to examine what factors best predicted walking activity. Results Walking capacity explained 35.9% (p<0.001) of the variance in walking activity. Self-efficacy (ΔR2 = 0.15, p<0.001) and the interaction between the FGA*ABC (ΔR2 = 0.047, p<0.001) significantly increased the variability explained. FGA (β=0.37, p=0.01), MCIR (β=−0.26, p=0.01), and Walk 12 (β=−0.45, p=0.00) were each individually significantly associated with walking activity. Discussion/Conclusion While measures of walking capacity and self-efficacy significantly contributed to "real-world" walking activity, balance self-efficacy moderated the relationship between walking capacity and walking activity. Improving low balance self-efficacy may augment walking capacity and translate to improved walking activity post-stroke. PMID:27548750

Variation in piñon pine growth responses to climate across gradients of environmental stress using an individual-based approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Redmond, M. D.; Kelsey, K.; Urza, A.; Barger, N. N.

2015-12-01

Forest and woodland ecosystems play a crucial role in the global carbon cycle and may be strongly affected by changing climate. Here we use an individual-based approach to model piñon pine (Pinus edulis) radial growth responses to climate across gradients of environmental stress. We sampled piñon pine trees at 24 sites across southwestern Colorado that varied in soil available water capacity, elevation, and latitude, obtaining a total of 552 pinon pine tree ring series. We used linear mixed effect models to assess piñon pine growth responses to climate and site-level environmental stress (mean annual climatic water deficit and soil available water capacity). Using a similar modeling approach, we also determined long-term growth trends across our gradients of environmental stress. Piñon pine growth was strongly positively associated with winter precipitation and strongly negatively associated with summer vapor pressure deficit. However, the strength of the relationship between winter precipitation and piñon pine growth was affected by site-level environmental stress. Trees at sites with greater climatic water deficit (i.e. hotter, drier sites) were more sensitive to winter precipitation. Interestingly, trees at sites with greater soil available water capacity were also more sensitive to winter precipitation, as these trees had much higher growth rates during years of high precipitation. We found weak evidence of long-term declines in piñon growth rates over the past century within our study area. Growth trends overtime did vary across our soil available water capacity gradient: trees growing at sites with higher soil available water capacity responded more positively to the cool, wet climate conditions of the 1910s and 1980s, whereas tree growth rates at sites with lower soil available water capacity declined more linearly over the last century. Our findings suggest that the sensitivity of woodland ecosystems to changing climate will vary across the landscape due to differences in edaphic and physiographic factors. These results support recent dendroecology studies that emphasize the need to use a more individual-based approach to enhance our understanding of tree growth responses to climate.

Decreased cholesterol efflux capacity and atherogenic lipid profile in young women with PCOS.

PubMed

Roe, Andrea; Hillman, Jennifer; Butts, Samantha; Smith, Mathew; Rader, Daniel; Playford, Martin; Mehta, Nehal N; Dokras, Anuja

2014-05-01

Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have a high prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors including dyslipidemia. Lipoproteins are heterogeneous, and measurement of serum lipids provides only the size of the pool and does not predict their function or composition. Recently, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) function, as determined by cholesterol efflux capacity from macrophages, has been shown to be an independent predictor of subclinical CVD. The aim of the study was to comprehensively evaluate lipoprotein profile including lipid particle size and number and cholesterol efflux capacity in PCOS to better define CVD risk. A case control study was performed at an academic PCOS center. Women with PCOS (n = 124) and geographically matched controls (n = 67) were included in the study. The primary outcome was to measure HDL-C efflux capacity by an ex vivo system involving the incubation of macrophages with apolipoprotein (Apo) B-depleted serum from subjects, and the secondary outcome was to measure lipid particle size and number using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Women with PCOS had significantly higher body mass index and blood pressure but similar HDL-C and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels compared to controls. The mean ApoA1 levels were lower, and the ApoB/ApoA1 ratio was higher in PCOS subjects compared to controls (P < .01). There were no differences in ApoB levels. Women with PCOS had an 7% decrease in normalized cholesterol efflux capacity compared to controls (P < .003). Cholesterol efflux capacity in PCOS correlated with body mass index, ApoA1, HDL-C, and the presence of metabolic syndrome. In a multivariable regression model, PCOS was significantly associated with diminished cholesterol efflux. PCOS was also associated with an atherogenic profile including an increase in large very low-density lipoprotein particles, very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) size, and small low-density lipoprotein cholesterol particles (P < .01). Our novel findings of decreased cholesterol efflux and an atherogenic lipid particle number and size pattern in women with PCOS, independent of obesity, further substantiate the increased risk of CVD in this population.

Decreased Cholesterol Efflux Capacity and Atherogenic Lipid Profile in Young Women With PCOS

PubMed Central

Roe, Andrea; Hillman, Jennifer; Butts, Samantha; Smith, Mathew; Rader, Daniel; Playford, Martin; Mehta, Nehal N.

2014-01-01

Context: Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have a high prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors including dyslipidemia. Lipoproteins are heterogeneous, and measurement of serum lipids provides only the size of the pool and does not predict their function or composition. Recently, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) function, as determined by cholesterol efflux capacity from macrophages, has been shown to be an independent predictor of subclinical CVD. Objective: The aim of the study was to comprehensively evaluate lipoprotein profile including lipid particle size and number and cholesterol efflux capacity in PCOS to better define CVD risk. Design and Setting: A case control study was performed at an academic PCOS center. Patients: Women with PCOS (n = 124) and geographically matched controls (n = 67) were included in the study. Main Outcome Measures: The primary outcome was to measure HDL-C efflux capacity by an ex vivo system involving the incubation of macrophages with apolipoprotein (Apo) B-depleted serum from subjects, and the secondary outcome was to measure lipid particle size and number using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Results: Women with PCOS had significantly higher body mass index and blood pressure but similar HDL-C and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels compared to controls. The mean ApoA1 levels were lower, and the ApoB/ApoA1 ratio was higher in PCOS subjects compared to controls (P < .01). There were no differences in ApoB levels. Women with PCOS had an 7% decrease in normalized cholesterol efflux capacity compared to controls (P < .003). Cholesterol efflux capacity in PCOS correlated with body mass index, ApoA1, HDL-C, and the presence of metabolic syndrome. In a multivariable regression model, PCOS was significantly associated with diminished cholesterol efflux. PCOS was also associated with an atherogenic profile including an increase in large very low-density lipoprotein particles, very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) size, and small low-density lipoprotein cholesterol particles (P < .01). Conclusions: Our novel findings of decreased cholesterol efflux and an atherogenic lipid particle number and size pattern in women with PCOS, independent of obesity, further substantiate the increased risk of CVD in this population. PMID:24512495

Larval food quantity affects development time, survival and adult biological traits that influence the vectorial capacity of Anopheles darlingi under laboratory conditions.

PubMed

Araújo, Maisa da-Silva; Gil, Luiz Herman S; e-Silva, Alexandre de-Almeida

2012-08-02

The incidence of malaria in the Amazon is seasonal and mosquito vectorial capacity parameters, including abundance and longevity, depend on quantitative and qualitative aspects of the larval diet. Anopheles darlingi is a major malaria vector in the Amazon, representing >95% of total Anopheles population present in the Porto Velho region. Despite its importance in the transmission of the Plasmodium parasite, knowledge of the larval biology and ecology is limited. Studies regarding aspects of adult population ecology are more common than studies on larval ecology. However, in order develop effective control strategies and laboratory breeding conditions for this species, more data on the factors affecting vector biology is needed. The aim of the present study is to assess the effects of larval food quantity on the vectorial capacity of An. darling under laboratory conditions. Anopheles darlingi was maintained at 28°C, 80% humidity and exposed to a daily photoperiod of 12 h. Larvae were divided into three experimental groups that were fed either a low, medium, or high food supply (based on the food amounts consumed by other species of culicids). Each experiment was replicated for six times. A cohort of adults were also exposed to each type of diet and assessed for several biological characteristics (e.g. longevity, bite frequency and survivorship), which were used to estimate the vectorial capacity of each experimental group. The group supplied with higher food amounts observed a reduction in development time while larval survival increased. In addition to enhanced longevity, increasing larval food quantity was positively correlated with increasing frequency of bites, longer blood meal duration and wing length, resulting in greater vectorial capacity. However, females had greater longevity than males despite having smaller wings. Overall, several larval and adult biological traits were significantly affected by larval food availability. Greater larval food supply led to enhance larval and production and larger mosquitoes with longer longevity and higher biting frequency. Thus, larval food availability can alter important biological traits that influence the vectorial capacity of An. darlingi.

Erasmus+: Capacity Building in Higher Education. EU Support to Higher Education Institutions around the World

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jongsma, Ard

2016-01-01

The aim of this brochure is to introduce those who are new to working with European Union funding, to the philosophy of Erasmus+ "capacity-building in higher education" projects. European Union experience of working on these types of projects will be shared. Examples of existing projects are scattered throughout the text to inspire you…

Enhancing capacity for risk factor surveillance at the regional/local level: a follow-up review of the findings of the Canadian Think Tank Forum after 4 years.

PubMed

Choi, Bernard Ck; Decou, Mary Lou; Rasali, Drona; Martens, Patricia J; Mancuso, Michelina; Plotnikoff, Ronald C; Neudorf, Cory; Thanos, Joanne; Svenson, Lawrence W; Denny, Keith; Orpana, Heather; Stewart, Paula; King, Michael; Griffith, Jane; Erickson, Tannis; van Dorp, Renate; White, Deanna; Ali, Amira

2014-01-22

National health surveys are sometimes used to provide estimates on risk factors for policy and program development at the regional/local level. However, as regional/local needs may differ from national ones, an important question is how to also enhance capacity for risk factor surveillance regionally/locally. A Think Tank Forum was convened in Canada to discuss the needs, characteristics, coordination, tools and next steps to build capacity for regional/local risk factor surveillance. A series of follow up activities to review the relevant issues pertaining to needs, characteristics and capacity of risk factor surveillance were conducted. Results confirmed the need for a regional/local risk factor surveillance system that is flexible, timely, of good quality, having a communication plan, and responsive to local needs. It is important to conduct an environmental scan and a gap analysis, to develop a common vision, to build central and local coordination and leadership, to build on existing tools and resources, and to use innovation. Findings of the Think Tank Forum are important for building surveillance capacity at the local/county level, both in Canada and globally. This paper provides a follow-up review of the findings based on progress over the last 4 years.

Mitochondrial uncoupling reduces exercise capacity despite several skeletal muscle metabolic adaptations.

PubMed

Schlagowski, A I; Singh, F; Charles, A L; Gali Ramamoorthy, T; Favret, F; Piquard, F; Geny, B; Zoll, J

2014-02-15

The effects of mitochondrial uncoupling on skeletal muscle mitochondrial adaptation and maximal exercise capacity are unknown. In this study, rats were divided into a control group (CTL, n = 8) and a group treated with 2,4-dinitrophenol, a mitochondrial uncoupler, for 28 days (DNP, 30 mg·kg(-1)·day(-1) in drinking water, n = 8). The DNP group had a significantly lower body mass (P < 0.05) and a higher resting oxygen uptake (Vo2, P < 0.005). The incremental treadmill test showed that maximal running speed and running economy (P < 0.01) were impaired but that maximal Vo2 (Vo2max) was higher in the DNP-treated rats (P < 0.05). In skinned gastrocnemius fibers, basal respiration (V0) was higher (P < 0.01) in the DNP-treated animals, whereas the acceptor control ratio (ACR, Vmax/V0) was significantly lower (P < 0.05), indicating a reduction in OXPHOS efficiency. In skeletal muscle, DNP activated the mitochondrial biogenesis pathway, as indicated by changes in the mRNA expression of PGC1-α and -β, NRF-1 and -2, and TFAM, and increased the mRNA expression of cytochrome oxidase 1 (P < 0.01). The expression of two mitochondrial proteins (prohibitin and Ndufs 3) was higher after DNP treatment. Mitochondrial fission 1 protein (Fis-1) was increased in the DNP group (P < 0.01), but mitofusin-1 and -2 were unchanged. Histochemical staining for NADH dehydrogenase and succinate dehydrogenase activity in the gastrocnemius muscle revealed an increase in the proportion of oxidative fibers after DNP treatment. Our study shows that mitochondrial uncoupling induces several skeletal muscle adaptations, highlighting the role of mitochondrial coupling as a critical factor for maximal exercise capacities. These results emphasize the importance of investigating the qualitative aspects of mitochondrial function in addition to the amount of mitochondria.

Optimization of nanoparticles for cardiovascular tissue engineering.

PubMed

Izadifar, Mohammad; Kelly, Michael E; Haddadi, Azita; Chen, Xiongbiao

2015-06-12

Nano-particulate delivery systems have increasingly been playing important roles in cardiovascular tissue engineering. Properties of nanoparticles (e.g. size, polydispersity, loading capacity, zeta potential, morphology) are essential to system functions. Notably, these characteristics are regulated by fabrication variables, but in a complicated manner. This raises a great need to optimize fabrication process variables to ensure the desired nanoparticle characteristics. This paper presents a comprehensive experimental study on this matter, along with a novel method, the so-called Geno-Neural approach, to analyze, predict and optimize fabrication variables for desired nanoparticle characteristics. Specifically, ovalbumin was used as a protein model of growth factors used in cardiovascular tissue regeneration, and six fabrication variables were examined with regard to their influence on the characteristics of nanoparticles made from high molecular weight poly(lactide-co-glycolide). The six-factor five-level central composite rotatable design was applied to the conduction of experiments, and based on the experimental results, a geno-neural model was developed to determine the optimum fabrication conditions. For desired particle sizes of 150, 200, 250 and 300 nm, respectively, the optimum conditions to achieve the low polydispersity index, higher negative zeta potential and higher loading capacity were identified based on the developed geno-neural model and then evaluated experimentally. The experimental results revealed that the polymer and the external aqueous phase concentrations and their interactions with other fabrication variables were the most significant variables to affect the size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, loading capacity and initial burst release of the nanoparticles, while the electron microscopy images of the nanoparticles showed their spherical geometries with no sign of large pores or cracks on their surfaces. The release study revealed that the onset of the third phase of release can be affected by the polymer concentration. Circular dichroism spectroscopy indicated that ovalbumin structural integrity is preserved during the encapsulation process. Findings from this study would greatly contribute to the design of high molecular weight poly(lactide-co-glycolide) nanoparticles for prolonged release patterns in cardiovascular engineering.

Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells: Subpopulations and Their Difference in Cell Biology and Effects on Retinal Degeneration in RCS Rats.

PubMed

Wang, L; Li, P; Tian, Y; Li, Z; Lian, C; Ou, Q; Jin, C; Gao, F; Xu, J-Y; Wang, J; Wang, F; Zhang, J; Zhang, J; Li, W; Tian, H; Lu, L; Xu, G-T

2017-01-01

Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) are potential candidates for treating retinal degeneration (RD). To further study the biology and therapeutic effects of the hUC-MSCs on retinal degeneration. Two hUC-MSC subpopulations, termed hUC-MSC1 and hUC-MSC2, were isolated by single-cell cloning method and their therapeutic functions were compared in RCS rat, a RD model. Although both subsets satisfied the basic requirements for hUC-MSCs, they were significantly different in morphology, proliferation rate, differentiation capacity, phenotype and gene expression. Furthermore, only the smaller, fibroblast-like, faster growing subset hUC-MSC1 displayed stronger colony forming potential as well as adipogenic and osteogenic differentiation capacities. When the two subsets were respectively transplanted into the subretinal spaces of RCS rats, both subsets survived, but only hUC-MSC1 expressed RPE cell markers Bestrophin and RPE65. More importantly, hUC-MSC1 showed stronger rescue effect on the retinal function as indicated by the higher b-wave amplitude on ERG examination, thicker retinal nuclear layer, and decreased apoptotic photoreceptors. When both subsets were treated with interleukin-6, mimicking the inflammatory environment when the cells were transplanted into the eyes with degenerated retina, hUC-MSC1 expressed much higher levels of trophic factors in comparison with hUC-MSC2. The data here, in addition to prove the heterogeneity of hUC-MSCs, confirmed that the stronger therapeutic effects of hUC-MSC1 were attributed to its stronger anti-apoptotic effect, paracrine of trophic factors and potential RPE cell differentiation capacity. Thus, the subset hUC-MSC1, not the other subset or the ungrouped hUC-MSCs should be used for effective treatment of RD. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Prevalence of airflow obstruction and reduced forced vital capacity in an Aboriginal Australian population: The cross-sectional BOLD study.

PubMed

Cooksley, Nathania A J B; Atkinson, David; Marks, Guy B; Toelle, Brett G; Reeve, David; Johns, David P; Abramson, Michael J; Burton, Deborah L; James, Alan L; Wood-Baker, Richard; Walters, E Haydn; Buist, A Sonia; Maguire, Graeme P

2015-07-01

Mortality and hospital separation data suggest a higher burden of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in indigenous than non-indigenous subpopulations of high-income countries. This study sought to accurately measure the true prevalence of post-bronchodilator airflow obstruction and forced vital capacity reduction in representative samples of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. This study applies cross-sectional population-based survey of Aboriginal and non-Indigenous residents of the Kimberley region of Western Australia aged 40 years or older, following the international Burden Of Lung Disease (BOLD) protocol. Quality-controlled spirometry was conducted before and after bronchodilator. COPD was defined as Global initiative for chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) Stage 2 and above (post-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 s/forced vital capacity (FEV1 /FVC) ratio <0.7 and FEV1  < 80% predicted). Complete data were available for 704 participants. The prevalence of COPD, adjusted for age, gender and body weight in Aboriginal participants (7.2%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.9 to 10.4) was similar to that seen in non-Indigenous Kimberley participants (8.2%, 95% CI 5.7 to 10.7) and non-Indigenous residents of the remainder of Australia (7.1%, 95% CI 6.1 to 8.0). The prevalence of low FVC (<80% predicted) was substantially higher in Aboriginal compared with non-Indigenous participants (74.0%, 95% CI 69.1 to 78.8, vs 9.7%, 95% CI 7.1 to 12.4). Low FVC, rather than airflow obstruction, characterizes the impact of chronic lung disease previously attributed to COPD in this population subject to significant social and economic disadvantage. Environmental risk factors other than smoking as well as developmental factors must be considered. These findings require further investigation and have implications for future prevention of chronic lung disease in similar populations. © 2015 Asian Pacific Society of Respirology.

Sorption-desorption of antimony species onto calcined hydrotalcite: Surface structure and control of competitive anions.

PubMed

Constantino, Leonel Vinicius; Quirino, Juliana Nunes; Abrão, Taufik; Parreira, Paulo Sérgio; Urbano, Alexandre; Santos, Maria Josefa

2018-02-15

Calcined hydrotalcite can be applied to remove anionic contaminants from aqueous systems such as antimony species due to its great anion exchange capacity and high surface area. Hence, this study evaluated antimonite and antimonate sorption-desorption processes onto calcined hydrotalcite in the presence of nitrate, sulfate and phosphate. Sorption and desorption experiments of antimonite and antimonate were carried out in batch equilibrium and the post-sorption solids were analyzed by X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF). Sorption data were better fitted by dual-mode Langmuir-Freundlich model (R 2 >0.99) and desorption data by Langmuir model. High maximum sorption capacities were found for the calcined hydrotalcite, ranging from 617 to 790meqkg -1 . The competing anions strongly affected the antimony sorption. EDXRF analysis and mathematical modelling showed that sulfate and phosphate presented higher effect on antimonite and antimonate sorption, respectively. High values for sorption efficiency (SE=99%) and sorption capacity were attributed to the sorbent small particles and the large surface area. Positive hysteresis indexes and low mobilization factors (MF>3%) suggest very low desorption capacity to antimony species from LDH. These calcined hydrotalcite characteristics are desirable for sorption of antimony species from aqueous solutions. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

A Lower Olfactory Capacity Is Related to Higher Circulating Concentrations of Endocannabinoid 2-Arachidonoylglycerol and Higher Body Mass Index in Women.

PubMed

Pastor, Antoni; Fernández-Aranda, Fernando; Fitó, Montserrat; Jiménez-Murcia, Susana; Botella, Cristina; Fernández-Real, Jose M; Frühbeck, Gema; Tinahones, Francisco J; Fagundo, Ana B; Rodriguez, Joan; Agüera, Zaida; Langohr, Klaus; Casanueva, Felipe F; de la Torre, Rafael

2016-01-01

The endocannabinoid (eCB) system can promote food intake by increasing odor detection in mice. The eCB system is over-active in human obesity. Our aim is to measure circulating eCB concentrations and olfactory capacity in a human sample that includes people with obesity and explore the possible interaction between olfaction, obesity and the eCB system. The study sample was made up of 161 females with five groups of body mass index sub-categories ranging from under-weight to morbidly obese. We assessed olfactory capacity with the "Sniffin´Sticks" test, which measures olfactory threshold-discrimination-identification (TDI) capacity. We measured plasma concentrations of the eCBs 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) and N-arachidonoylethanolamine or anandamide (AEA), and several eCB-related compounds, 2-acylglycerols and N-acylethanolamines. 2-AG and other 2-acylglycerols fasting plasma circulating plasma concentrations were higher in obese and morbidly obese subjects. AEA and other N-acylethanolamine circulating concentrations were lower in under-weight subjects. Olfactory TDI scores were lower in obese and morbidly obese subjects. Lower TDI scores were independently associated with higher 2-AG fasting plasma circulating concentrations, higher %body fat, and higher body mass index, after controlling for age, smoking, menstruation, and use of contraceptives. Our results show that obese subjects have a lower olfactory capacity than non-obese ones and that elevated fasting plasma circulating 2-AG concentrations in obesity are linked to a lower olfactory capacity. In agreement with previous studies we show that eCBs AEA and 2-AG, and their respective congeners have a distinct profile in relation to body mass index. The present report is the first study in humans in which olfactory capacity and circulating eCB concentrations have been measured in the same subjects.

The effect of modifiable healthy practices on higher-level functional capacity decline among Japanese community dwellers.

PubMed

Otsuka, Rei; Nishita, Yukiko; Tange, Chikako; Tomida, Makiko; Kato, Yuki; Nakamoto, Mariko; Ando, Fujiko; Shimokata, Hiroshi; Suzuki, Takao

2017-03-01

This study aimed to clarify the effects of the accumulation of 8 modifiable practices related to health, including smoking, alcohol drinking, physical activity, sleeping hours, body mass index, dietary diversity, ikigai (life worth living), and health checkup status, on higher-level functional capacity decline among Japanese community dwellers. Data were derived from the National Institute for Longevity Sciences - Longitudinal Study of Aging. Subjects comprised 1269 men and women aged 40 to 79 years at baseline (1997-2000) who participated in a follow-up postal survey (2013). Higher-level functional capacity was measured using the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology Index of Competence (total score and 3 subscales: instrumental self-maintenance, intellectual activity, and social role). The odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for a decline in higher-level functional capacity in the follow-up study according to the total number of healthy practices were analyzed using the lowest category as a reference. Multivariate adjusted ORs (95% CIs) for the total score of higher-level functional capacity, which declined according to the total number of healthy practices (0-4, 5-6, 7-8 groups) were 1.00 (reference), 0.63 (0.44-0.92), and 0.54 (0.31-0.94). For the score of social role decline, multivariate adjusted ORs (95% CIs) were 1.00 (reference), 0.62 (0.40-0.97), and 0.46 (0.23-0.90), respectively (P for trend = 0.04). Having more modifiable healthy practices, especially in social roles, may protect against a decline in higher-level functional capacity among middle-aged and elderly community dwellers in Japan.

Comparison of Three Methods for Wind Turbine Capacity Factor Estimation

PubMed Central

Ditkovich, Y.; Kuperman, A.

2014-01-01

Three approaches to calculating capacity factor of fixed speed wind turbines are reviewed and compared using a case study. The first “quasiexact” approach utilizes discrete wind raw data (in the histogram form) and manufacturer-provided turbine power curve (also in discrete form) to numerically calculate the capacity factor. On the other hand, the second “analytic” approach employs a continuous probability distribution function, fitted to the wind data as well as continuous turbine power curve, resulting from double polynomial fitting of manufacturer-provided power curve data. The latter approach, while being an approximation, can be solved analytically thus providing a valuable insight into aspects, affecting the capacity factor. Moreover, several other merits of wind turbine performance may be derived based on the analytical approach. The third “approximate” approach, valid in case of Rayleigh winds only, employs a nonlinear approximation of the capacity factor versus average wind speed curve, only requiring rated power and rotor diameter of the turbine. It is shown that the results obtained by employing the three approaches are very close, enforcing the validity of the analytically derived approximations, which may be used for wind turbine performance evaluation. PMID:24587755

An analysis on the magnetic fluid seal capacity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meng, Zhao; Jibin, Zou; Jianhui, Hu

2006-08-01

The capacity of the magnetic fluid seal depends on the magnetic field and the saturation magnetization of the magnetic fluid. There are many factors that influence the magnetic field and the seal capacity of the magnetic fluid seal, such as the sealing gap, the shaft eccentricity, the shaft diameter, and the centrifugal force. In this paper, these factors are analyzed by numerical computations. When the material and structure are the same, the magnetic fluid seal capacity will reduce with the increasing of the sealing gap. When the shaft diameter is large the gravity should be considered. The centrifugal force has influence on the magnetic fluid seal capacity.

Contrasting responses to a climate regime change by sympatric, ice-dependent predators.

PubMed

Younger, Jane L; van den Hoff, John; Wienecke, Barbara; Hindell, Mark; Miller, Karen J

2016-03-15

Models that predict changes in the abundance and distribution of fauna under future climate change scenarios often assume that ecological niche and habitat availability are the major determinants of species' responses to climate change. However, individual species may have very different capacities to adapt to environmental change, as determined by intrinsic factors such as their dispersal ability, genetic diversity, generation time and rate of evolution. These intrinsic factors are usually excluded from forecasts of species' abundance and distribution changes. We aimed to determine the importance of these factors by comparing the impact of the most recent climate regime change, the late Pleistocene glacial-interglacial transition, on two sympatric, ice-dependent meso-predators, the emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) and Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii). We reconstructed the population trend of emperor penguins and Weddell seals in East Antarctica over the past 75,000 years using mitochondrial DNA sequences and an extended Bayesian skyline plot method. We also assessed patterns of contemporary population structure and genetic diversity. Despite their overlapping distributions and shared dependence on sea ice, our genetic data revealed very different responses to climate warming between these species. The emperor penguin population grew rapidly following the glacial-interglacial transition, but the size of the Weddell seal population did not change. The expansion of emperor penguin numbers during the warm Holocene may have been facilitated by their higher dispersal ability and gene flow among colonies, and fine-scale differences in preferred foraging locations. The vastly different climate change responses of two sympatric ice-dependent predators suggests that differing adaptive capacities and/or fine-scale niche differences can play a major role in species' climate change responses, and that adaptive capacity should be considered alongside niche and distribution in future species forecasts.

Government capacities and stakeholders: what facilitates ehealth legislation?

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Newly established high-technology areas such as eHealth require regulations regarding the interoperability of health information infrastructures and data protection. It is argued that government capacities as well as the extent to which public and private organizations participate in policy-making determine the level of eHealth legislation. Both explanatory factors are influenced by international organizations that provide knowledge transfer and encourage private actor participation. Methods Data analysis is based on the Global Observatory for eHealth - ATLAS eHealth country profiles which summarizes eHealth policies in 114 countries. Data analysis was carried out using two-component hurdle models with a truncated Poisson model for positive counts and a hurdle component model with a binomial distribution for zero or greater counts. Results The analysis reveals that the participation of private organizations such as donors has negative effects on the level of eHealth legislation. The impact of public-private partnerships (PPPs) depends on the degree of government capacities already available and on democratic regimes. Democracies are more responsive to these new regulatory demands than autocracies. Democracies find it easier to transfer knowledge out of PPPs than autocracies. Government capacities increase the knowledge transfer effect of PPPs, thus leading to more eHealth legislation. Conclusions All international regimes – the WHO, the EU, and the OECD – promote PPPs in order to ensure the construction of a national eHealth infrastructure. This paper shows that the development of government capacities in the eHealth domain has to be given a higher priority than the establishment of PPPs, since the existence of some (initial) capacities is the sine qua non of further capacity building. PMID:24410989

Higher Self-Control Capacity Predicts Lower Anxiety-Impaired Cognition during Math Examinations.

PubMed

Bertrams, Alex; Baumeister, Roy F; Englert, Chris

2016-01-01

We assumed that self-control capacity, self-efficacy, and self-esteem would enable students to keep attentional control during tests. Therefore, we hypothesized that the three personality traits would be negatively related to anxiety-impaired cognition during math examinations. Secondary school students (N = 158) completed measures of self-control capacity, self-efficacy, and self-esteem at the beginning of the school year. Five months later, anxiety-impaired cognition during math examinations was assessed. Higher self-control capacity, but neither self-efficacy nor self-esteem, predicted lower anxiety-impaired cognition 5 months later, over and above baseline anxiety-impaired cognition. Moreover, self-control capacity was indirectly related to math grades via anxiety-impaired cognition. The findings suggest that improving self-control capacity may enable students to deal with anxiety-related problems during school tests.

Higher Self-Control Capacity Predicts Lower Anxiety-Impaired Cognition during Math Examinations

PubMed Central

Bertrams, Alex; Baumeister, Roy F.; Englert, Chris

2016-01-01

We assumed that self-control capacity, self-efficacy, and self-esteem would enable students to keep attentional control during tests. Therefore, we hypothesized that the three personality traits would be negatively related to anxiety-impaired cognition during math examinations. Secondary school students (N = 158) completed measures of self-control capacity, self-efficacy, and self-esteem at the beginning of the school year. Five months later, anxiety-impaired cognition during math examinations was assessed. Higher self-control capacity, but neither self-efficacy nor self-esteem, predicted lower anxiety-impaired cognition 5 months later, over and above baseline anxiety-impaired cognition. Moreover, self-control capacity was indirectly related to math grades via anxiety-impaired cognition. The findings suggest that improving self-control capacity may enable students to deal with anxiety-related problems during school tests. PMID:27065013

Oxygen radical absorbance capacity of different varieties of strawberry and the antioxidant stability in storage.

PubMed

Li, Chunyang; Huang, Wu-Yang; Wang, Xing-Na; Liu, Wen-Xu

2013-01-25

Total antioxidant capacity of different varieties of strawberry (Ningfeng, Ningyu, Zijin 4, Toyonoka, Benihope, Sweet Charlie) in different developmental stages (including green unripe stages, half red stages, and red ripe stages) was investigated by oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay. In addition, effects of the antioxidant properties of strawberry stored at 4 °C or -18 °C for a period of five months were studied. The results showed that antioxidant capacity of strawberry changed based on tested part, developmental stage, variety, and time of collection. Calyces had significantly higher ORAC values compared with fruits. Strawberry fruits had higher ORAC values during the green unripe stages than the half red stages and red ripe stages. Strawberries got higher ORAC values during short-time storage, and then decreased during long-time storage. Samples stored at -18 °C exhibited higher antioxidant capacity than those stored at 4 °C, while vacuum treatment could further increase ORAC values. The results indicated the potential market role of strawberries as a functional food and could provide great value in preventing oxidation reaction in food processing and storage for the dietary industry.

Differences in the Aerobic Capacity of Flight Muscles between Butterfly Populations and Species with Dissimilar Flight Abilities

PubMed Central

Rauhamäki, Virve; Wolfram, Joy; Jokitalo, Eija; Hanski, Ilkka; Dahlhoff, Elizabeth P.

2014-01-01

Habitat loss and climate change are rapidly converting natural habitats and thereby increasing the significance of dispersal capacity for vulnerable species. Flight is necessary for dispersal in many insects, and differences in dispersal capacity may reflect dissimilarities in flight muscle aerobic capacity. In a large metapopulation of the Glanville fritillary butterfly in the Åland Islands in Finland, adults disperse frequently between small local populations. Individuals found in newly established populations have higher flight metabolic rates and field-measured dispersal distances than butterflies in old populations. To assess possible differences in flight muscle aerobic capacity among Glanville fritillary populations, enzyme activities and tissue concentrations of the mitochondrial protein Cytochrome-c Oxidase (CytOx) were measured and compared with four other species of Nymphalid butterflies. Flight muscle structure and mitochondrial density were also examined in the Glanville fritillary and a long-distance migrant, the red admiral. Glanville fritillaries from new populations had significantly higher aerobic capacities than individuals from old populations. Comparing the different species, strong-flying butterfly species had higher flight muscle CytOx content and enzymatic activity than short-distance fliers, and mitochondria were larger and more numerous in the flight muscle of the red admiral than the Glanville fritillary. These results suggest that superior dispersal capacity of butterflies in new populations of the Glanville fritillary is due in part to greater aerobic capacity, though this species has a low aerobic capacity in general when compared with known strong fliers. Low aerobic capacity may limit dispersal ability of the Glanville fritillary. PMID:24416122

Working Towards Net Zero Energy at Fort Irwin, CA

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-09-01

capacity factor for the solar photovoltaic analysis was based on simu- lations conducted by National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) for Las Vegas, NV...kWhAC/kWhDC) x 8760 hrs = 5240 kWhAC/yr Savings for annual electricity savings are: 5240 kWh x 8.3 cents/kWh = $435/yr The capacity factor for the...43,668 kWh/yr Annual electricity savings are: 43,668 kWh x 8.3 cents/kWh = $3624/yr The capacity factor for the solar photovoltaic analysis was

Adsorption coefficients for TNT on soil and clay minerals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rivera, Rosángela; Pabón, Julissa; Pérez, Omarie; Muñoz, Miguel A.; Mina, Nairmen

2007-04-01

To understand the fate and transport mechanisms of TNT from buried landmines is it essential to determine the adsorption process of TNT on soil and clay minerals. In this research, soil samples from horizons Ap and A from Jobos Series at Isabela, Puerto Rico were studied. The clay fractions were separated from the other soil components by centrifugation. Using the hydrometer method the particle size distribution for the soil horizons was obtained. Physical and chemical characterization studies such as cation exchange capacity (CEC), surface area, percent of organic matter and pH were performed for the soil and clay samples. A complete mineralogical characterization of clay fractions using X-ray diffraction analysis reveals the presence of kaolinite, goethite, hematite, gibbsite and quartz. In order to obtain adsorption coefficients (K d values) for the TNT-soil and TNT-clay interactions high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used. The adsorption process for TNT-soil was described by the Langmuir model. A higher adsorption was observed in the Ap horizon. The Freundlich model described the adsorption process for TNT-clay interactions. The affinity and relative adsorption capacity of the clay for TNT were higher in the A horizon. These results suggest that adsorption by soil organic matter predominates over adsorption on clay minerals when significant soil organic matter content is present. It was found that, properties like cation exchange capacity and surface area are important factors in the adsorption of clayey soils.

Arterial Stiffness Measured with the Cuff Oscillometric Method Is Predictive of Exercise Capacity in Patients with Cardiac Diseases.

PubMed

Tazawa, Yasushi; Mori, Nobuyoshi; Ogawa, Yoshiko; Ito, Osamu; Kohzuki, Masahiro

2016-06-01

Arterial stiffness is widely used in assessing arteriosclerosis in the background of increased cardiovascular events. Arteriosclerosis also causes reduction in exercise capacity, which is a most important prognostic factor in patients with cardiovascular disease; however, data on the association between arterial stiffness and exercise capacity are limited. Therefore, a simple and noninvasive measurement of arterial stiffness that reflects the central circulation and exercise capacity is needed. The arterial velocity pulse index (AVI) is a parameter of arterial stiffness measurable with the cuff oscillometric method; however, the clinical utility of this method is unclear. We aimed to evaluate the trend of AVI in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), and the association between AVI and exercise capacity. A cross-sectional study of 116 patients with cardiac disease (34 CAD and 82 non-CAD patients) was performed. Non-CAD patients were those with any cardiac diseases who did not have proven CAD. The results showed that the AVI was significantly higher in CAD patients than non-CAD patients (P < 0.05, analysis of covariance). The AVI was inversely correlated with peakVO2 (r = -0.239, P < 0.05) and was a significant explanatory variable for peakVO2 in stepwise regression analysis (β = -14.62, t = -2.5, P < 0.05). These results indicate that the AVI is strongly associated with CAD and predictive of the exercise capacity in patients with cardiac diseases. We, therefore, propose that the cuff oscillometric method is clinically useful in evaluating arterial stiffness in patients with cardiac diseases, especially CAD.

Building Innovation Capacity: The Role of Human Capital Formation in Enterprises--A Review of the Literature. Occasional Paper

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Andrew; Courvisanos, Jerry; Tuck, Jacqueline; McEachern, Steven

2011-01-01

This literature review examines the role of human capital formation in building innovative capacity in firms. The aim of the review is to develop a model of human capital development factors to be used as a basis for a larger research project where the factors that develop innovation capacity in enterprises will be investigated. The review finds…

Investigating the influence of working memory capacity when driving behavior is combined with cognitive load: An LCT study of young novice drivers.

PubMed

Ross, Veerle; Jongen, Ellen M M; Wang, Weixin; Brijs, Tom; Brijs, Kris; Ruiter, Robert A C; Wets, Geert

2014-01-01

Distracted driving has received increasing attention in the literature due to potential adverse safety outcomes. An often posed solution to alleviate distraction while driving is hands-free technology. Interference by distraction can occur however at the sensory input (e.g., visual) level, but also at the cognitive level where hands-free technology induces working memory (WM) load. Active maintenance of goal-directed behavior in the presence of distraction depends on WM capacity (i.e., Lavie's Load theory) which implies that people with higher WM capacity are less susceptible to distractor interference. This study investigated the interaction between verbal WM load and WM capacity on driving performance to determine whether individuals with higher WM capacity were less affected by verbal WM load, leading to a smaller deterioration of driving performance. Driving performance of 46 young novice drivers (17-25 years-old) was measured with the lane change task (LCT). Participants drove without and with verbal WM load of increasing complexity (auditory-verbal response N-back task). Both visuospatial and verbal WM capacity were investigated. Dependent measures were mean deviation in the lane change path (MDEV), lane change initiation (LCI) and percentage of correct lane changes (PCL). Driving experience was included as a covariate. Performance on each dependent measure deteriorated with increasing verbal WM load. Meanwhile, higher WM capacity related to better LCT performance. Finally, for LCI and PCL, participants with higher verbal WM capacity were influenced less by verbal WM load. These findings entail that completely eliminating distraction is necessary to minimize crash risks among young novice drivers. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Alexithymia and anesthetic bladder capacity in interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome.

PubMed

Chiu, Chui-De; Lee, Ming-Huei; Chen, Wei-Chih; Ho, Hoi Lam; Wu, Huei-Ching

2017-09-01

In contrast to the inconsistent results of organic causes, it has been found that psychological risk factors are reliably related to functional somatic syndromes (FSSs), including interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS). Compared to patients with acute cystitis, a subgroup of IC/BPS patients with a history of childhood relational trauma reported intensified unregulated affective states (i.e., anxiety and depression) and trauma-related psychopathology (i.e., dissociation). Nevertheless, it remains unknown whether psychosocial risk factors can be separated from bladder-centric factors. This study aimed to verify whether psychosocial factors such as alexithymia, which is a key psychological factor of FSSs, are less likely to be linked to a low bladder capacity in patients with IC/BPS. Ninety-four female IC/BPS patients were recruited from the outpatient departments of urology, obstetrics, and gynecology. Anxiety, depression, dissociation, childhood relational trauma, and alexithymia were assessed using standardized scales, and anesthetic bladder capacity was examined by cystoscopic hydrodistention. Positive correlations were found between anesthetic bladder capacity and the psychosocial variables, including alexithymia. An increased bladder capacity was associated with anxiety, dissociation, and childhood relational trauma, and a combination of high cognitive and low affective alexithymia mediated the correlations between bladder capacity and the psychosocial variables. Psychosocial variables that are associated with an aversive childhood relational environment and affect dysregulation may constitute a pathogenic trajectory that differs from bladder-centric defects such as a lower bladder capacity. The findings of this study support the notion that IC/BPS in some patients may be due to an FSS. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Modeling for the allocation of oil spill recovery capacity considering environmental and economic factors.

PubMed

Ha, Min-Jae

2018-01-01

This study presents a regional oil spill risk assessment and capacities for marine oil spill response in Korea. The risk assessment of oil spill is carried out using both causal factors and environmental/economic factors. The weight of each parameter is calculated using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Final regional risk degrees of oil spill are estimated by combining the degree and weight of each existing parameter. From these estimated risk levels, oil recovery capacities were determined with reference to the recovery target of 7500kl specified in existing standards. The estimates were deemed feasible, and provided a more balanced distribution of resources than existing capacities set according to current standards. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

New Stream-reach Development: A Comprehensive Assessment of Hydropower Energy Potential in the United States

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

Kao, Shih-Chieh; McManamay, Ryan A; Stewart, Kevin M

2014-04-01

The rapid development of multiple national geospatial datasets related to topography, hydrology, and environmental characteristics in the past decade have provided new opportunities for the refinement of hydropower resource potential from undeveloped stream-reaches. Through 2011 to 2013, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) was tasked by the Department of Energy (DOE) Water Power Program to evaluate the new stream-reach development (NSD) resource potential for more than 3 million US streams. A methodology was designed that contains three main components: (1) identification of stream-reaches with high energy density, (2) topographical analysis of stream-reaches to estimate inundated surface area and reservoir storage,more » and (3) environmental attribution to spatially join information related to the natural ecological systems, social and cultural settings, policies, management, and legal constraints to stream-reaches of energy potential. An initial report on methodology (Hadjerioua et al., 2013) was later reviewed and revised based on the comments gathered from two peer review workshops. After implementing the assessment across the entire United States, major findings were summarized in this final report. The estimated NSD capacity and generation, including both higher-energy-density (>1 MW per reach) and lower-energy-density (<1 MW per reach) stream-reaches is 84.7 GW, around the same size as the existing US conventional hydropower nameplate capacity (79.5 GW; NHAAP, 2013). In terms of energy, the total undeveloped NSD generation is estimated to be 460 TWh/year, around 169% of average 2002 2011 net annual generation from existing conventional hydropower plants (272 TWh/year; EIA, 2013). Given the run-of-river assumption, NSD stream-reaches have higher capacity factors (53 71%), especially compared with conventional larger-storage peaking-operation projects that usually have capacity factors of around 30%. The highest potential is identified in the Pacific Northwest Region (32%), followed by Missouri Region (15%) and California Region (9%). In terms of states, the highest potential is found in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, the three states in the Pacific Northwest, followed by California, Alaska, Montana, and Colorado. In addition to the resource potential, abundant environmental attributes were also organized and attributed to the identified stream-reaches to support further hydropower market analysis. The prevalence of environmental variables and proportion of capacity from stream-reaches intersecting environmental variables varied according to hydrologic region. Detailed NSD findings are organized by hydrologic regions and presented in each chapter of this report.« less

Factors that affect functional capacity in patients with musculoskeletal pain: a Delphi study among scientists, clinicians, and patients.

PubMed

Lakke, Sandra E; Wittink, Harriët; Geertzen, Jan H; van der Schans, Cees P; Reneman, Michiel F

2012-03-01

To reach consensus on the most important biopsychosocial factors that influence functional capacity results in patients with chronic nonspecific musculoskeletal pain, arranged in the framework of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. Three-round, internet-based Delphi survey. Not applicable. Participants were scientists, clinicians, and patients familiar with functional capacity testing. Scientists were invited through purposive sampling based on the number of relevant publications in peer-reviewed journals. The scientists recruited clinicians and patients through snowball sampling. Not applicable. Consensus was reached if at least moderate influence (25%) was achieved and an interquartile range of no more than 1 point was reached. Thirty-three scientists, 21 clinicians, and 21 patients from 9 countries participated. Participants reached consensus on 6 factors that can influence the outcome of the lifting test, having a median of severe influence (50%-95%): catastrophic thoughts and fear, patient adherence to "doctor's orders," internal and external motivation, muscle power, chronic pain behavior, and avoidance behavior. Motivation, chronic pain behavior, and sensation of pain were the top 3 factors affecting postural tolerance and repetitive movement functional capacity tests. Furthermore, participants reported 28 factors having a median of moderate influence (25%-49%) that could influence the outcome of lifting, postural tolerance, and repetitive movement tests. Overall, chronic pain behavior, motivation, and sensation of pain are the main factors that can influence functional capacity results. We recommend that scientists and clinicians, respectively, consider the most important factors when planning future studies and when interpreting functional capacity test results. Copyright © 2012 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Exercise capacity and muscle strength and risk of vascular disease and arrhythmia in 1.1 million young Swedish men: cohort study.

PubMed

Andersen, Kasper; Rasmussen, Finn; Held, Claes; Neovius, Martin; Tynelius, Per; Sundström, Johan

2015-09-16

To investigate the associations of exercise capacity and muscle strength in late adolescence with risk of vascular disease and arrhythmia. Cohort study. General population in Sweden. 1.1 million men who participated in mandatory military conscription between 1 August 1972 and 31 December 1995, at a median age of 18.2 years. Participants were followed until 31 December 2010. Associations between exercise capacity and muscle strength with risk of vascular disease and subgroups (ischaemic heart disease, heart failure, stroke, and cardiovascular death) and risk of arrhythmia and subgroups (atrial fibrillation or flutter, bradyarrhythmia, supraventricular tachycardia, and ventricular arrhythmia or sudden cardiac death). Maximum exercise capacity was estimated by the ergometer bicycle test, and muscle strength was measured as handgrip strength by a hand dynamometer. High exercise capacity or muscle strength was deemed as above the median level. During a median follow-up of 26.3 years, 26 088 vascular disease events and 17 312 arrhythmia events were recorded. Exercise capacity was inversely associated with risk of vascular disease and its subgroups. Muscle strength was also inversely associated with vascular disease risk, driven by associations of higher muscle strength with lower risk of heart failure and cardiovascular death. Exercise capacity had a U shaped association with risk of arrhythmia, driven by a direct association with risk of atrial fibrillation and a U shaped association with bradyarrhythmia. Higher muscle strength was associated with lower risk of arrhythmia (specifically, lower risk of bradyarrhythmia and ventricular arrhythmia). The combination of high exercise capacity and high muscle strength was associated with a hazard ratio of 0.67 (95% confidence interval 0.65 to 0.70) for vascular events and 0.92 (0.88 to 0.97) for arrhythmia compared with the combination of low exercise capacity and low muscle strength. Exercise capacity and muscle strength in late adolescence are independently and jointly associated with long term risk of vascular disease and arrhythmia. The health benefit of lower risk of vascular events with higher exercise capacity was not outweighed by higher risk of arrhythmia. © Andersen et al 2015.

Advancing coalition theory: the effect of coalition factors on community capacity mediated by member engagement

PubMed Central

Kegler, Michelle C.; Swan, Deanne W.

2012-01-01

Community coalitions have the potential to enhance a community’s capacity to engage in effective problem solving for a range of community concerns. Although numerous studies have documented correlations between member engagement and coalition processes and structural characteristics, fewer have examined associations between coalition factors and community capacity outcomes. The current study uses data from an evaluation of the California Healthy Cities and Communities program to examine pathways between coalition factors (i.e. membership, processes), member engagement (i.e. participation, satisfaction) and community capacity as hypothesized by the Community Coalition Action Theory (CCAT). Surveys were completed by 231 members of 19 healthy cities and communities coalitions. Multilevel mediation analyses were used to examine possible mediating effects of member engagement on three community capacity indicators: new skills, sense of community and social capital. Results generally supported CCAT. Member engagement mediated the effects of leadership and staffing on community capacity outcomes. Results also showed that member engagement mediated several relationships between process variables (i.e. task focus, cohesion) and community capacity, but several unmediated direct effects were also observed. This suggests that although member engagement does explain some relationships, it alone is not sufficient to explain how coalition processes influence indicators of community capacity. PMID:21911845

Genotype by temperature interactions in the metabolic rate of the Glanville fritillary butterfly.

PubMed

Niitepõld, Kristjan

2010-04-01

Metabolic rate is a highly plastic trait. Here I examine factors that influence the metabolic rate of the Glanville fritillary butterfly (Melitaea cinxia) in pupae and resting and flying adults. Body mass and temperature had consistent positive effects on metabolic rate in pupae and resting adults but not in flying adults. There was also a consistent nonlinear effect of the time of the day, which was strongest in pupae and weakest in flying adults. Flight metabolic rate was strongly affected by an interaction between the phosphoglucose isomerase (Pgi) genotype and temperature. Over a broad range of measurement temperatures, heterozygous individuals at a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in Pgi had higher peak metabolic rate in flight, but at high temperatures homozygous individuals performed better. The two genotypes did not differ in resting metabolic rate, suggesting that the heterozygotes do not pay an additional energetic cost for their higher flight capacity. Mass-independent resting and flight metabolic rates were at best weakly correlated at the individual level, and therefore, unlike in many vertebrates, resting metabolic rate does not serve as a useful surrogate of the metabolic capacity of this butterfly.

[Optimum population analysis of Jilin Province, China based on comprehensive carrying capacity.

PubMed

Li, Xiu Xia; Meng, Mei

2017-10-01

The regional moderate population model was constructed using state-space method, and the weights of relevant factors were obtained using principal component analysis. The optimum population of Jilin Province during 2005-2014 was calculated and the causes for its formation were discussed. The results showed that the optimum population of Jilin Province was in deficit from 2005-2014, and the imbalance existed between the population, resources and environment. The resources carrying population was significantly higher than the economic carrying and the ecological carrying population, indicating that the economic development of Jilin Province was established at the expense of destroying the environment. Moreover, the land resources carrying population was substantially higher than the water and energy carrying population, which was at a deficit, indicating that the economic development of Jilin Province was based on the depletion of energy and water resources. In the future, water resources carrying capacity should be improved according to the local conditions, the energy efficiency should be enhanced via the development of new energy sources, the extensive and consumption-based resource utilization should be transformed to the intensive and low-carbon type, and the production mode and consumption patterns should be changed to protect the ecological environment.

Thermal degradation kinetics of anthocyanins extracted from juçara (Euterpe edulis Martius) and "Italia" grapes (Vitis vinifera L.), and the effect of heating on the antioxidant capacity.

PubMed

Peron, D V; Fraga, S; Antelo, F

2017-10-01

The effect of temperature on the degradation of anthocyanins in juçara and "Italia" grape extracts was determined between 50 and 90°C. For both species, thermal degradation followed a first-order kinetic model. The decimal reduction time decreased with increasing temperature, and dependence on the thermodegradable factor was lower at higher temperatures. The anthocyanins from juçara degraded more slowly than those extracted from "Italia" grapes. The activation enthalpy and free energy of inactivation indicated an endothermic reaction, not spontaneous degradation, whereas the activation entropy suggested that the transition state has less structural freedom than that of the reactants. The antioxidant capacity of the extracts was reduced when subjected to 90°C heat treatment, however, significant quantities of this bioactive compound still remained. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Adsorption properties of congo red from aqueous solution onto N,O-carboxymethyl-chitosan.

PubMed

Wang, Li; Wang, Aiqin

2008-03-01

N,O-carboxymethyl-chitosans (N,O-CMC) with different degree of substitution (DS) were synthesized under heterogeneous conditions by controlling the reaction temperature. The factors influencing adsorption capacity of N,O-CMC such as the DS of N,O-CMC, initial pH value of the dye solution and adsorption temperature for anionic dye congo red (CR) were investigated. Compared with chitosan (78.90 mg/g), N,O-CMC with the DS of 0.35 exhibited much higher adsorption capacity (330.62 mg/g) for CR at the same adsorption conditions. The adsorption kinetics and isotherms showed that the sorption processes were better fitted by pseudo-second-order equation and the Langmuir equation, respectively. The adsorption mechanism of N,O-CMC was also discussed by means of IR and XPS spectra. The results in this study indicated that N,O-CMC was an attractive candidate for removing CR from the dye wastewater.

Fathers' Investments of Money and Time Across Residential Contexts.

PubMed

Carlson, Marcia J; VanOrman, Alicia G; Turner, Kimberly J

2017-02-01

Fathers' roles in family life have changed dramatically over the past 50 years. In addition to ongoing breadwinning responsibilities, many fathers are now involved in direct caregiving and engagement with children. Yet there is considerable variation in what fathers do, especially depending on whether they live with or away from their child. In this article, the authors use data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (N = 3,869) to describe how fathers' economic capacities (money) and direct involvement with children (time) are associated over child ages 1 to 9 for resident versus nonresident fathers, net of confounding factors. They found suggestive evidence that money and time investments operate differently across residential contexts: Resident fathers experience a trade-off between market work and time involved with children. In contrast, nonresident fathers' higher economic capacities are associated with more time involvement, underscoring the greater challenge for such fathers to remain actively involved.

Relationship of trehalose accumulation with ethanol fermentation in industrial Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast strains.

PubMed

Wang, Pin-Mei; Zheng, Dao-Qiong; Chi, Xiao-Qin; Li, Ou; Qian, Chao-Dong; Liu, Tian-Zhe; Zhang, Xiao-Yang; Du, Feng-Guang; Sun, Pei-Yong; Qu, Ai-Min; Wu, Xue-Chang

2014-01-01

The protective effect and the mechanisms of trehalose accumulation in industrial Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains were investigated during ethanol fermentation. The engineered strains with more intercellular trehalose achieved significantly higher fermentation rates and ethanol yields than their wild strain ZS during very high gravity (VHG) fermentation, while their performances were not different during regular fermentation. The VHG fermentation performances of these strains were consistent with their growth capacity under osmotic stress and ethanol stress, the key stress factors during VHG fermentation. These results suggest that trehalose accumulation is more important for VHG fermentation of industrial yeast strains than regular one. The differences in membrane integrity and antioxidative capacity of these strains indicated the possible mechanisms of trehalose as a protectant under VHG condition. Therefore, trehalose metabolic engineering may be a useful strategy for improving the VHG fermentation performance of industrial yeast strains. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Investigating the effect of increased wind generation capacity on investment in transmission infrastructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Braswell, Michael G.

The transmission network that connects electricity generators with consumers is a critical yet often-overlooked component of the nation's electrical power infrastructure. However, the transmission grid has suffered from chronic underinvestment in recent decades due to various economic and regulatory factors that impede timely and efficient investments in transmission. One factor that might help offset these obstacles to transmission is the growth in wind power generation. The assumption among many in the electrical power industry is that wind power investments necessarily require greater investment in transmission due to the fact that wind power is a geographically-restricted resource and cannot always be situated close to areas of high electricity demand. However, to date there have been few, if any, empirical studies to verify this connection. This paper discusses a state-by-state empirical study exploring the relationship between increased wind generation capacity and the level of investment in transmission infrastructure. This study begins with the hypothesis that increases in installed wind generation capacity, in combination with other policies that promote wind energy more generally, should result in higher levels of transmission investment. Using data from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), this paper develops regression models suggesting that wind investment has a small but distinct positive impact on transmission investment. This paper then explores the effects of other state renewable energy promotion policies, and discusses the policy implications of these findings.

Removal of cesium from simulated liquid waste with countercurrent two-stage adsorption followed by microfiltration.

PubMed

Han, Fei; Zhang, Guang-Hui; Gu, Ping

2012-07-30

Copper ferrocyanide (CuFC) was used as an adsorbent to remove cesium. Jar test results showed that the adsorption capacity of CuFC was better than that of potassium zinc hexacyanoferrate. Lab-scale tests were performed by an adsorption-microfiltration process, and the mean decontamination factor (DF) was 463 when the initial cesium concentration was 101.3μg/L, the dosage of CuFC was 40mg/L and the adsorption time was 20min. The cesium concentration in the effluent continuously decreased with the operation time, which indicated that the used adsorbent retained its adsorption capacity. To use this capacity, experiments on a countercurrent two-stage adsorption (CTA)-microfiltration (MF) process were carried out with CuFC adsorption combined with membrane separation. A calculation method for determining the cesium concentration in the effluent was given, and batch tests in a pressure cup were performed to verify the calculated method. The results showed that the experimental values fitted well with the calculated values in the CTA-MF process. The mean DF was 1123 when the dilution factor was 0.4, the initial cesium concentration was 98.75μg/L and the dosage of CuFC and adsorption time were the same as those used in the lab-scale test. The DF obtained by CTA-MF process was more than three times higher than the single-stage adsorption in the jar test. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Risk factors for mortality in patients undergoing hemodialysis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Ma, Lijie; Zhao, Sumei

2017-07-01

No consensus exists regarding the factors influencing mortality in patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD). This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the impact of various patient characteristics on the risk of mortality in such patients. PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central were searched for studies evaluating the risk factors for mortality in patients undergoing HD. The factors included age, gender, diabetes mellitus (DM), body mass index (BMI), previous cardiovascular disease (CVD), HD duration, hemoglobin, albumin, white blood cell, C-reactive protein (CRP), parathyroid hormone, total iron binding capacity (TIBC), iron, ln ferritin, adiponectin, apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1), ApoA2, ApoA3, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), total cholesterol, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), serum phosphate, troponin T (TnT), and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP). Relative risks with 95% confidence intervals were derived. Data were synthesized using the random-effects model. Age (per 1-year increment), DM, previous CVD, CRP (higher versus lower), ln ferritin, adiponectin (per 10.0μg/mL increment), HbA1c (higher versus lower), TnT, and BNP were associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality. BMI (per 1kg/m 2 increment), hemoglobin (per 1d/dL increment), albumin (higher versus lower), TIBC, iron, ApoA2, and ApoA3 were associated with reduced risk of all-cause mortality. Age (per 1-year increment), gender (women versus men), DM, previous CVD, HD duration, ln ferritin, HDL, and HbA1c (higher versus lower) significantly increased the risk of cardiac death. Albumin (higher versus lower), TIBC, and ApoA2 had a beneficial impact on the risk of cardiac death. Multiple markers and factors influence the risk of mortality and cardiac death in patients undergoing HD. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Investigation the foam dynamics capacity of SDS in foam generator by affecting the presence of organic and inorganic contaminant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haryanto, Bode; Siswarni, M. Z.; Sianipar, Yosef C. H.; Sinaga, Tongam M. A.; Bestari, Imam

2017-05-01

The effect of negative charge SDS monomer on its foam capacity with the presence of contaminants was investigated in foam generator. Generally, surfactant with higher concentration has higher foam capacity. The higher concentration will increase the number of monomer then increase the micelles in liquid phase. Increasing the number of monomer with the negative charge is a potential to increase interaction with metal ion with positive charge in solution. The presence of inorganic compound as metal ion with positive charge and organic compound (colloid) as particle of coffee impacting to generate the foam lamella with monomer is evaluated. Foam dynamic capacity of only SDS with variation of CMC, 1 x; 2 x; 3 x have the height 7.5, 8.0 and 8.3 cm respectively with the different range time were investigated. The Height of foam dynamic capacity with the presence of 20 ppm Cd2+ ion contaminant was 8.0, 8.3 and 8.4 cm at the same CMC variation of SDS. The presence of metal ion contaminant within the foam was confirmed by AAS. The black coffee particles and oil as contaminant decreased the foam capacity significantly in comparing to metal ions.

Exogenously applied abscisic acid to Yan73 (V. vinifera) grapes enhances phenolic content and antioxidant capacity of its wine.

PubMed

Xi, Zhu-Mei; Meng, Jiang-Fei; Huo, Shan-Shan; Luan, Li-Ying; Ma, Li-Na; Zhang, Zhen-Wen

2013-06-01

Yan73 is a 'teinturier' red wine variety cultivated in China and widely used in winemaking to strengthen red wine colour. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of exogenous abscisic acid (ABA) applied to the grapevine cluster on the antioxidant capacity and phenolic content of the wine made from Yan73. Two hundred mg/l ABA was applied on Yan73 grapevine cluster during veraison. As they mature, these ABA-treated and untreated grape berries were transformed into wines, respectively, and the phenolic content and antioxidant capacity of these wines were compared. The results showed that phenolic content (total phenolics, tannins, flavonoids and anthocyanins) and antioxidant capacity were higher in the wine produced with ABA-treated Yan73 grapes than those in the wine from untreated grapes. Compared to Cabernet Sauvignon wine, Yan73 wine had higher phenolic content and stronger antioxidant capacity. These strongly suggest that exogenously applied ABA to Yan73 grapes can enhance phenolic content and antioxidant capacity of its wine, and Yan73 wine has the higher utilization value and potential for development.

Data mining for rapid prediction of facility fit and debottlenecking of biomanufacturing facilities.

PubMed

Yang, Yang; Farid, Suzanne S; Thornhill, Nina F

2014-06-10

Higher titre processes can pose facility fit challenges in legacy biopharmaceutical purification suites with capacities originally matched to lower titre processes. Bottlenecks caused by mismatches in equipment sizes, combined with process fluctuations upon scale-up, can result in discarding expensive product. This paper describes a data mining decisional tool for rapid prediction of facility fit issues and debottlenecking of biomanufacturing facilities exposed to batch-to-batch variability and higher titres. The predictive tool comprised advanced multivariate analysis techniques to interrogate Monte Carlo stochastic simulation datasets that mimicked batch fluctuations in cell culture titres, step yields and chromatography eluate volumes. A decision tree classification method, CART (classification and regression tree) was introduced to explore the impact of these process fluctuations on product mass loss and reveal the root causes of bottlenecks. The resulting pictorial decision tree determined a series of if-then rules for the critical combinations of factors that lead to different mass loss levels. Three different debottlenecking strategies were investigated involving changes to equipment sizes, using higher capacity chromatography resins and elution buffer optimisation. The analysis compared the impact of each strategy on mass output, direct cost of goods per gram and processing time, as well as consideration of extra capital investment and space requirements. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Uranium from Seawater Marine Testing Program at the University of Miami’s Broad Key Island Research Station

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

Gill, Gary A.; Kuo, Li-Jung; Strivens, Jonathan E.

Marine testing at Broad Key Island (BKI), Florida was conducted to validate adsorption capacity and adsorption kinetics results obtained for several formulations of the ORNL amidoxime-based polymeric adsorbents in Sequim Bay, Washington in another location with different oceanographic and water quality conditions (e.g. temperature, dissolved organic carbon, salinity and trace element content). Broad Key is a small island off the southeast coast of Florida at the southern end of Biscayne Bay. Flow-through column and recirculating flume experiments were conducted at BKI using ambient filtered seawater and identical exposure systems as were used at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s (PNNL) Marinemore » Sciences laboratory (MSL). Testing was conducted in two periods in FY 2015 and FY 2016 with five different amidoxime-based adsorbent materials, four produced by ORNL (AF1, AI8, AF8, and AF1-DMSO) and one by LCW technologies (LCW-10). All exposures were conducted at ambient seawater temperatures, with moderate temperature control on the ambient seawater to mitigate large daily swings in the seawater temperature. The ORNL adsorbents AF1, AI8 and AF1-AO-DMSO all had fairly similar adsorption capacities (6.0 to 6.6 g U/ kg adsorbent) after 56 days of exposure at ambient temperature (26 to 31 °C) and salinity (35.7 to 37.4), but the AF8 adsorbent was considerably lower at 4.4 g U/kg adsorbent. All the adsorbents tested at BKI had higher capacities than was observed at PNNL, with the higher temperatures likely a major factor contributing to this difference. In general, the elemental distribution (expressed as a relative percentage) on all the adsorbents agreed well, including good agreement with the elemental distribution pattern for AF1 adsorbent exposed at PNNL. The most notable exception to a uniform elemental distributional pattern across the various adsorbents occurs with vanadium. The relative mass percentage for vanadium retained by the adsorbents ranged from a minimum of 13% for the AF8 formulation to a maximum of 29% for the AI8 formulation. All the V/U mass ratios at BKI are lower than observed for the AF1 adsorbent at PNNL (3.0). Temperature likely plays a significant role in the V/U mass ratio difference between BKI and PNNL. Because uranium has a higher adsorption capacity at higher temperatures, one would expect that warmer exposures would favor a lower V/U mass ratio, which could explain why the V/U mass ratio for the PNNL exposures are higher than observed for the BKI exposures. Marine Testing at BKI offers the opportunity to test adsorbent performance under warmer ambient and more saline conditions than exist at the marine test site on Sequim Bay. This is particularly important since the amidoxime-based adsorbents respond strongly to temperature. In addition, since salinities are about 15% higher at BKI compared to Sequim Bay (36 vs. 31), uranium adsorption capacities are about 15% higher at the BKI site compared to Sequim Bay.« less

Maternal emotion and cognitive control capacities and parenting: A conceptual framework

PubMed Central

Crandall, AliceAnn; Deater-Deckard, Kirby; Riley, Anne W.

2015-01-01

Purpose Emerging evidence suggests that maternal emotion and cognitive control capacities are critical to the development and maintenance of parenting practices and may be related to parents’ ability to seek and use parenting help. The purpose of this paper is to present a cohesive conceptual framework on the intersection of maternal emotion and cognitive control capacities and parenting based on a review of literature. Methods We conducted a comprehensive literature review of articles published between 2000 and February 2014 that addressed maternal emotion and cognitive control and parenting. The 35 articles identified were assigned a methodological quality score. Results Low maternal emotion and cognitive control capacity is associated with increased risk of engaging in child maltreatment, whereas higher maternal emotion and cognitive regulation is associated with sensitive, involved parenting. Contextual factors, such as SES and household organization, play a complex and not clearly understood role on the association between maternal cognitive control and parenting. A conceptual framework was developed based on the results of the literature review. Conclusions The conceptual framework developed can be used to inform future research and practice. Longitudinal studies that assess the temporal relationship of maternal emotion and cognitive control and parenting are necessary to establish causality. Research that addresses how maternal emotion regulation and cognitive control capacities are related to mothers’ enrollment and participation in parenting and early intervention programs is an important next step to strengthening policy and intervention work. PMID:26028796

[Lipid and metabolic profiles in adolescents are affected more by physical fitness than physical activity (AVENA study)].

PubMed

García-Artero, Enrique; Ortega, Francisco B; Ruiz, Jonatan R; Mesa, José L; Delgado, Manuel; González-Gross, Marcela; García-Fuentes, Miguel; Vicente-Rodríguez, Germán; Gutiérrez, Angel; Castillo, Manuel J

2007-06-01

To determine whether the level of physical activity or physical fitness (i.e., aerobic capacity and muscle strength) in Spanish adolescents influences lipid and metabolic profiles. From a total of 2859 Spanish adolescents (age 13.0-18.5 years) taking part in the AVENA (Alimentación y Valoración del Estado Nutricional en Adolescentes) study, 460 (248 male, 212 female) were randomly selected for blood analysis. Their level of physical activity was determined by questionnaire. Aerobic capacity was assessed using the Course-Navette test. Muscle strength was evaluated using manual dynamometry, the long jump test, and the flexed arm hang test. A lipid-metabolic cardiovascular risk index was derived from the levels of triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC), and glucose. No relationship was found between the level of physical activity and lipid-metabolic index in either sex. In contrast, there was an inverse relationship between the lipid-metabolic index and aerobic capacity in males (P=.003) after adjustment for physical activity level and muscle strength. In females, a favorable lipid-metabolic index was associated with greater muscle strength (P=.048) after adjustment for aerobic capacity. These results indicate that, in adolescents, physical fitness, and not physical activity, is related to lipid and metabolic cardiovascular risk. Higher aerobic capacity in males and greater muscle strength in females were associated with lower lipid and metabolic risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

Where are we on the diffusion curve? Trends and drivers of primary care physicians' use of health information technology.

PubMed

Audet, Anne-Marie; Squires, David; Doty, Michelle M

2014-02-01

To describe trends in primary care physicians' use of health information technology (HIT) between 2009 and 2012, examine practice characteristics associated with greater HIT capacity in 2012, and explore factors such as delivery system and payment reforms that may affect adoption and functionality. We used data from the 2012 and 2009 Commonwealth Fund International Health Policy Surveys of Primary Care Physicians. The data were collected in both years by postal mail between March and July among a nationally representative sample of primary care physicians in the United States. We compared primary care physicians' HIT capacity in 2009 and 2012. We employed multivariable logistic regression to analyze whether participating in an integrated delivery system, sharing resources and support with other practices, and being eligible for financial incentives were associated with greater HIT capacity in 2012. Primary care physicians' HIT capacity has significantly expanded since 2009, although solo practices continue to lag. Practices that are part of an integrated delivery system or share resources with other practices have higher rates of electronic medical record (EMR) adoption, multifunctional HIT, electronic information exchange, and electronic access for patients. Receiving or being eligible for financial incentives is associated with greater adoption of EMRs and information exchange. Federal efforts to increase adoption have coincided with a rapid increase in HIT capacity. Delivery system and payment reforms and federally funded extension programs could offer promising pathways for further diffusion. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

Antioxidant and isozyme features of two strains of Laminaria japonica (Phaeophyceae)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, You; Tang, Xuexi; Li, Yongqi; Yu, Zhiming

2007-01-01

Healthy sporophytes of two gametophyte mutants of Laminaria japonica with different heat resistances: kelp 901 ( 901, with comparatively stronger heat-resistance) and Rongcheng No.1 ( RC, sensitive to heat stress), were respectively collected during October to December 2002 from Yantai and Rongcheng Sea Farm in the Shandong Peninsula of China. The contents of some biochemical materials and antioxidant capacity were analyzed under controlled laboratory conditions to identify if there is any relation between the overall antioxidant capacity and the heat-resistance in L. japonica and to understand possible mechanism of heat-resistance. Results show that: (1) the overall antioxidant capacity in healthy sporophyte of 901, such as vitamin E, polyphenol, and ascorbic acid contents and the enzymatic activity of SOD, POD, CAT, Gpx, PPO, and PAL, were not always higher than that of RC under controlled laboratory conditions, and no significance ( P>0.05) was shown in total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) in 901 and RC. Result suggested that the difference in antioxidant capacity was not a decisive factor for different heat-resistances in L. japonica; (2) the simultaneous assay on isozymes was carried out using vertical polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). Considerable differences in peroxide (PRX), malate dehydrogenase (MDH), malic enzyme (ME), polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) were obtained in 901 and RC from either the band number, relative mobility ( R f ), or staining intensity, and ME could be used as an indicator to distinguish healthy sporophyte of 901 and RC under controlled laboratory conditions.

Factors that influence the beta-diversity of spider communities in northwestern Argentinean Grasslands

PubMed Central

Rodriguez-Artigas, Sandra M.; Ballester, Rodrigo

2016-01-01

Beta-diversity, defined as spatial replacement in species composition, is crucial to the understanding of how local communities assemble. These changes can be driven by environmental or geographic factors (such as geographic distance), or a combination of the two. Spiders have been shown to be good indicators of environmental quality. Accordingly, spiders are used in this work as model taxa to establish whether there is a decrease in community similarity that corresponds to geographic distance in the grasslands of the Campos & Malezales ecoregion (Corrientes). Furthermore, the influence of climactic factors and local vegetation heterogeneity (environmental factors) on assemblage composition was evaluated. Finally, this study evaluated whether the differential dispersal capacity of spider families is a factor that influences their community structure at a regional scale. Spiders were collected with a G-Vac from vegetation in six grassland sites in the Campos & Malezales ecoregion that were separated by a minimum of 13 km. With this data, the impact of alpha-diversity and different environmental variables on the beta-diversity of spider communities was analysed. Likewise, the importance of species replacement and nesting on beta-diversity and their contribution to the regional diversity of spider families with different dispersion capacities was evaluated. The regional and site-specific inventories obtained were complete. The similarity between spider communities declined as the geographic distance between sites increased. Environmental variables also influenced community composition; stochastic events and abiotic forces were the principal intervening factors in assembly structure. The differential dispersal capacity of spider groups also influenced community structure at a regional scale. The regional beta-diversity, as well as species replacement, was greater in high and intermediate vagility spiders; while nesting was greater in spiders with low dispersion capacity. Geographic distance, among other factors (climate, and active and passive dispersion capacity), explains assembly structure and the decrease spider community similarity between geographically distant sites. Spiders with the highest dispersal capacity showed greater species replacement. This may be due to the discontinuity (both natural and anthropic) of the grasslands in this ecoregion, which limits the dispersal capacity of these spiders, and their close dependence on microhabitats. The dispersal capacity of the least vagile spiders is limited by geographic distance and biotic factors, such as competition, which could explain the nesting observed between their communities. PMID:27123380

Optical components damage parameters database system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tao, Yizheng; Li, Xinglan; Jin, Yuquan; Xie, Dongmei; Tang, Dingyong

2012-10-01

Optical component is the key to large-scale laser device developed by one of its load capacity is directly related to the device output capacity indicators, load capacity depends on many factors. Through the optical components will damage parameters database load capacity factors of various digital, information technology, for the load capacity of optical components to provide a scientific basis for data support; use of business processes and model-driven approach, the establishment of component damage parameter information model and database systems, system application results that meet the injury test optical components business processes and data management requirements of damage parameters, component parameters of flexible, configurable system is simple, easy to use, improve the efficiency of the optical component damage test.

Utility-Scale Solar 2016: An Empirical Analysis of Project Cost, Performance, and Pricing Trends in the United States

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

Bolinger, Mark; Seel, Joachim; LaCommare, Kristina Hamachi

The utility-scale solar sector has led the overall U.S. solar market in terms of installed capacity since 2012. In 2016, the utility-scale sector installed more than 2.5 times as much new capacity as did the residential and commercial sectors combined, and is expected to maintain its dominant position for at least another five years. This report—the fifth edition in an ongoing annual series—provides data-driven analysis of the utility-scale solar project fleet in the United States. We analyze not just installed project prices, but also operating costs, capacity factors, and power purchase agreement ("PPA") prices from a large sample of utility-scalemore » PV and CSP projects throughout the United States. Highlights from this year's edition include the following: Installation Trends: The use of solar tracking devices dominated 2016 installations, at nearly 80% of all new capacity. In a reflection of the ongoing geographic expansion of the market beyond California and the Southwest, the median long-term average insolation level at newly built project sites declined again in 2016. While new fixed-tilt projects are now seen predominantly in less-sunny regions, tracking projects are increasingly pushing into these same regions. The median inverter loading ratio has stabilized in 2016 at 1.3 for both tracking and fixed-tilt projects. Installed Prices: Median installed PV project prices within a sizable sample have fallen by two-thirds since the 2007-2009 period, to $2.2/WAC (or $1.7/WDC) for projects completed in 2016. The lowest 20th percentile of projects within our 2016 sample were priced at or below $2.0/WAC, with the lowest-priced projects around $1.5/WAC. Overall price dispersion across the entire sample and across geographic regions decreased significantly in 2016. Operation and Maintenance (“O&M”) Costs: What limited empirical O&M cost data are publicly available suggest that PV O&M costs were in the neighborhood of $18/kWAC-year, or $8/MWh, in 2016. These numbers include only those costs incurred to directly operate and maintain the generating plant. Capacity Factors: The cumulative net AC capacity factors of individual PV projects range widely, from 15.4% to 35.5%, with a sample median of 26.3%. This project-level variation is based on a number of factors, including the strength of the solar resource at the project site, whether the array is mounted at a fixed-tilt or on a tracking mechanism, the inverter loading ratio, degradation, and curtailment. Changes in at least the first three of these factors drove mean capacity factors higher from 2010- to 2013-vintage projects, where they’ve remained fairly steady among both 2014- and 2015-vintage projects as an ongoing increase in the prevalence of tracking has been offset by a build-out of lower resource sites. Meanwhile, several of the newer CSP projects in the United States are struggling to match long-term performance expectations. PPA Prices: Driven by lower installed project prices and improving capacity factors, levelized PPA prices for utility-scale PV have fallen dramatically over time. Most recent PPAs in our sample are priced at or below $50/MWh levelized, with a few priced as aggressively as ~$30/MWh. Though impressive in pace and scale, these falling PPA prices have been offset to some degree by declining wholesale market value within high penetration markets like California, where in 2016 a MWh of solar generation was worth just 83% of a MWh of flat, round-the-clock generation. At the end of 2016, there were at least 121.4 GW of utility-scale solar power capacity within the interconnection queues across the nation. The growth within these queues is widely distributed across all regions of the country: California and the Southeast each account for 23% of the 83.3 GW of solar that first entered the queues in 2016, followed by the Northeast (17%), the Southwest (16%), the Central region (12%), Texas (6%) and the Northwest (3%). The widening geographic distribution of solar projects is a clear sign that the utility-scale market is maturing and expanding outside of its traditional high-insolation comfort zones.« less

Is Strategic Development of Leadership Capacity for the Higher Education Workplace Possible?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Majorie Angel

2012-01-01

Beginning graduate students who are working in higher education can benefit from establishing a professional development plan designed to enhance leadership capacity. The challenge is to align personal goals with those of the graduate program, yet ensure that collegial socialization and professional competency development occurs. Professional…

Using Successorship to Build Leadership Capacity in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Furtek, Diane

2012-01-01

Professionals in higher education face many challenges. Chief among them are increasing leadership and organizational effectiveness. A variety of approaches can be used to build competencies to increase leadership that results in organizational effectiveness. For the purposes of this article, leadership is "the capacity to influence others by…

An exploratory study of phonological awareness and working memory differences and literacy performance of people that use AAC.

PubMed

Gómez Taibo, María Luisa; Vieiro Iglesias, Pilar; González Raposo, María del Salvador; Sotillo Méndez, María

2010-11-01

Twelve cerebral palsied adolescents and young adults with complex communicative needs who used augmentative and alternative communication were studied. They were classified according to their working memory capacity (high vs. low) into two groups of 6 participants. They were also divided into two groups of 6 participants according to their high vs. low phonological skills. These groups were compared on their performance in reading tests -orthographic knowledge, a word test and a pseudoword reading test- and in the spelling of words, pseudowords and pictures' names. Statistical differences were found between high vs. low phonological skills groups, and between high and low working memory groups. High working memory capacity group scored significantly higher than low working memory group in the orthographic and word reading tests. The high phonological skills group outperformed the low phonological skills group in the word reading test and in the spelling of pseudowords and pictures' names. From a descriptive point of view, phonological skills and working memory, factors known to be highly predictive of literacy skills in people without disabilities, also hold as factors for the participants that used AAC in our study. Implications of the results are discussed.

Enhancing capacity for risk factor surveillance at the regional/local level: a follow-up review of the findings of the Canadian Think Tank Forum after 4 years

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background National health surveys are sometimes used to provide estimates on risk factors for policy and program development at the regional/local level. However, as regional/local needs may differ from national ones, an important question is how to also enhance capacity for risk factor surveillance regionally/locally. Methods A Think Tank Forum was convened in Canada to discuss the needs, characteristics, coordination, tools and next steps to build capacity for regional/local risk factor surveillance. A series of follow up activities to review the relevant issues pertaining to needs, characteristics and capacity of risk factor surveillance were conducted. Results Results confirmed the need for a regional/local risk factor surveillance system that is flexible, timely, of good quality, having a communication plan, and responsive to local needs. It is important to conduct an environmental scan and a gap analysis, to develop a common vision, to build central and local coordination and leadership, to build on existing tools and resources, and to use innovation. Conclusions Findings of the Think Tank Forum are important for building surveillance capacity at the local/county level, both in Canada and globally. This paper provides a follow-up review of the findings based on progress over the last 4 years. PMID:24451555

[Users' and community leaders' perceptions of their capacity to influence the quality of health care: case studies of Colombia and Brazil].

PubMed

Delgado-Gallego, María Eugenia; Vázquez, María Luisa

2009-01-01

Health system reforms in Colombia and Brazil introduced policies that promote social participation in health care quality control. The objective of this paper was to analyze users' and leaders' perceptions of their capacity to achieve changes in the countries' health services. An exploratory and descriptive qualitative study was performed with individual interviews and focus groups of users and leaders in Colombia and Brazil. Most informants perceived themselves as having the capacity to induce changes to improve the quality of health services. They attributed this capacity primarily to internal factors related to their participatory behavior, plus only one external factor, the availability of institutional participatory spaces. The lack of capacity to influence change was only related to passive attitudes and fear of retaliation in Colombia. The existence of a population with high self-perceived capacity to achieve change appears as a potential factor to be strengthened, while institutional democratic space needs to improve in order to enhance the effectiveness of social participation in health policies.

GATS and the Steering Capacity of a Nation State in Higher Education: Case Studies of the Czech Republic and the Netherlands

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vlk, Ales; Westerheijden, Don; van der Wende, Marijk

2008-01-01

This paper looks at the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) as an important part of the international trade law system and explores if and how it affects the steering capacity of a nation state regarding higher education. It offers a new conceptual framework to look on the impact of GATS on higher education within its increasingly…

Bridging complexity theory and resilience to develop surge capacity in health systems.

PubMed

Therrien, Marie-Christine; Normandin, Julie-Maude; Denis, Jean-Louis

2017-03-20

Purpose Health systems are periodically confronted by crises - think of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, H1N1, and Ebola - during which they are called upon to manage exceptional situations without interrupting essential services to the population. The ability to accomplish this dual mandate is at the heart of resilience strategies, which in healthcare systems involve developing surge capacity to manage a sudden influx of patients. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach This paper relates insights from resilience research to the four "S" of surge capacity (staff, stuff, structures and systems) and proposes a framework based on complexity theory to better understand and assess resilience factors that enable the development of surge capacity in complex health systems. Findings Detailed and dynamic complexities manifest in different challenges during a crisis. Resilience factors are classified according to these types of complexity and along their temporal dimensions: proactive factors that improve preparedness to confront both usual and exceptional requirements, and passive factors that enable response to unexpected demands as they arise during a crisis. The framework is completed by further categorizing resilience factors according to their stabilizing or destabilizing impact, drawing on feedback processes described in complexity theory. Favorable order resilience factors create consistency and act as stabilizing forces in systems, while favorable disorder factors such as diversity and complementarity act as destabilizing forces. Originality/value The framework suggests a balanced and innovative process to integrate these factors in a pragmatic approach built around the fours "S" of surge capacity to increase health system resilience.

Association between social factors and performance during Functional Capacity Evaluations: a systematic review.

PubMed

Ansuategui Echeita, Jone; van Holland, Berry J; Gross, Douglas P; Kool, Jan; Oesch, Peter; Trippolini, Maurizio A; Reneman, Michiel F

2018-03-09

Determine the association of different social factors with Functional Capacity Evaluation (FCE) performance in adults. A systematic literature search was performed in MEDLINE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO electronic databases. Studies were eligible if they studied social factor's association with the performance of adults undergoing FCE. Studies were assessed on methodological quality and quality of evidence. The review was performed using best-evidence synthesis methods. Thirteen studies were eligible and 11 social factors were studied. Considerable heterogeneity regarding measurements, populations, and methods existed among the studies. High quality of evidence was found for the association of FCE performance with the country of FCE and examiner's fear behavior; moderate quality of evidence with previous job salary; and low or very low quality of evidence with compensation status, litigation status, type of instruction, time of day (workday), primary or mother language, and ethnicity. Other social factors were not studied. Evidence for associations of various social factors with FCE performance was found, but robust conclusions about the strength of the associations cannot be made. Quality of evidence ranged from high to very low. Further research on social factors, also within a biopsychosocial context, is necessary to provide a better understanding of FCE performance. Implications for Rehabilitation Research on Functional Capacity Evaluation (FCE) performance and its association with biopsychosocial factors have scarcely addressed the impact of social factors, limiting full understanding of FCE results. The social factors, healthcare (examiner's fear behavior and type of instruction), personal or cultural systems (country of FCE, primary or mother language, and ethnicity), workplace system (previous job salary, time of day (workday)), and legislative and insurance system (compensation and litigation status), have a bearing in FCE performance. Better understanding of factors associating with functional capacity provide insights in FCE, allowing clinicians to improve the evaluations and interpretations of the assessment and better design the rehabilitation program. Better understanding of factors that influence FCE performance, and of unstudied factors, will allow researchers guidance to further investigate the construct of functional capacity.

The Role of School Context in Implementing a Statewide Anti-Bullying Policy and Protecting Students

PubMed Central

Hall, William J.; Chapman, Mimi V.

2016-01-01

Bullying is a significant problem in U.S. schools. Policies have been developed to reduce bullying, yet policy implementation by educators is an essential yet difficult and complex process. Few studies have investigated factors that act as barriers to or facilitators of bullying policy implementation and teacher protection of students. This study examined the influence of school context on educators’ capacity to implement a statewide bullying law and protect students from bullying following the enactment of the policy. Data were collected from 505 educators in 324 schools. School administrators tended to rate fidelity of policy implementation and teacher protection of students higher than teachers, education support professionals, and student service professionals. Policy implementation fidelity scores were higher in high schools than elementary schools. School size and the prevalence of student suspensions were inversely related to implementation fidelity. Higher levels of teacher protection were reported in elementary schools.

The Role of School Context in Implementing a Statewide Anti-Bullying Policy and Protecting Students.

PubMed

Hall, William J; Chapman, Mimi V

2018-06-01

Bullying is a significant problem in U.S. schools. Policies have been developed to reduce bullying, yet policy implementation by educators is an essential yet difficult and complex process. Few studies have investigated factors that act as barriers to or facilitators of bullying policy implementation and teacher protection of students. This study examined the influence of school context on educators' capacity to implement a statewide bullying law and protect students from bullying following the enactment of the policy. Data were collected from 505 educators in 324 schools. School administrators tended to rate fidelity of policy implementation and teacher protection of students higher than teachers, education support professionals, and student service professionals. Policy implementation fidelity scores were higher in high schools than elementary schools. School size and the prevalence of student suspensions were inversely related to implementation fidelity. Higher levels of teacher protection were reported in elementary schools.

Three-Dimensional Porous Particles Composed of Curved, Two-Dimensional, Nano-Sized Layers for Li-Ion Batteries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yushin, Gleb; Evanoff, Kara; Magasinski, Alexander

2012-01-01

Thin Si films coated on porous 3D particles composed of curved 2D graphene sheets have been synthesized utilizing techniques that allow for tunable properties. Since graphene exhibits specific surface area up to 100 times higher than carbon black or graphite, the deposition of the same mass of Si on graphene is much faster in comparison -- a factor which is important for practical applications. In addition, the distance between graphene layers is tunable and variation in the thickness of the deposited Si film is feasible. Both of these characteristics allow for optimization of the energy and power characteristics. Thicker films will allow higher capacity, but slower rate capabilities. Thinner films will allow more rapid charging, or higher power performance. In this innovation, uniform deposition of Si and C layers on high-surface area graphene produced granules with specific surface area (SSA) of 5 sq. m/g.

Altered Achilles tendon function during walking in people with diabetic neuropathy: implications for metabolic energy saving.

PubMed

Petrovic, M; Maganaris, C N; Deschamps, K; Verschueren, S M; Bowling, F L; Boulton, A J M; Reeves, N D

2018-05-01

The Achilles tendon (AT) has the capacity to store and release elastic energy during walking, contributing to metabolic energy savings. In diabetes patients, it is hypothesized that a stiffer Achilles tendon may reduce the capacity for energy saving through this mechanism, thereby contributing to an increased metabolic cost of walking (CoW). The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of diabetes and diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) on the Achilles tendon and plantarflexor muscle-tendon unit behavior during walking. Twenty-three nondiabetic controls (Ctrl); 20 diabetic patients without peripheral neuropathy (DM), and 13 patients with moderate/severe DPN underwent gait analysis using a motion analysis system, force plates, and ultrasound measurements of the gastrocnemius muscle, using a muscle model to determine Achilles tendon and muscle-tendon length changes. During walking, the DM and particularly the DPN group displayed significantly less Achilles tendon elongation (Ctrl: 1.81; DM: 1.66; and DPN: 1.54 cm), higher tendon stiffness (Ctrl: 210; DM: 231; and DPN: 240 N/mm), and higher tendon hysteresis (Ctrl: 18; DM: 21; and DPN: 24%) compared with controls. The muscle fascicles of the gastrocnemius underwent very small length changes in all groups during walking (~0.43 cm), with the smallest length changes in the DPN group. Achilles tendon forces were significantly lower in the diabetes groups compared with controls (Ctrl: 2666; DM: 2609; and DPN: 2150 N). The results strongly point toward the reduced energy saving capacity of the Achilles tendon during walking in diabetes patients as an important factor contributing to the increased metabolic CoW in these patients. NEW & NOTEWORTHY From measurements taken during walking we observed that the Achilles tendon in people with diabetes and particularly people with diabetic peripheral neuropathy was stiffer, was less elongated, and was subject to lower forces compared with controls without diabetes. These altered properties of the Achilles tendon in people with diabetes reduce the tendon's energy saving capacity and contribute toward the higher metabolic energy cost of walking in these patients.

Understanding the Origins of Higher Capacities at Faster Rates in Lithium-Excess Li xNi 2–4x/3Sb x/3O 2

DOE PAGES

Twu, Nancy; Metzger, Michael; Balasubramanian, Mahalingam; ...

2017-02-08

Here, the lithium-excess Li xNi 2-4x/3Sb x/3O 2 (LNSO) materials were previously shown to demonstrate higher capacities and improved cyclability with increasing lithium content. While the performance trend is promising, observed capacities are much lower than theoretical capacities, pointing to a need for further understanding of active redox processes in these materials. In this work, we study the electrochemical behavior of the LNSO materials as a function of lithium content and at slow and fast rates. Surprisingly, Li 1.15Ni 0.47Sb 0.38O 2 (LNSO-15) exhibits higher discharge capacities at faster rates and traverses distinct voltage curves at slow and fast rates.more » To understand these two peculiarities, we characterize the redox activity of nickel, antimony, and oxygen at different rates. While experiments confirm some nickel redox activity and oxygen loss, these two mechanisms cannot account for all observed capacity. We propose that the balance of the observed capacity may be due reversible oxygen redox and that the rate-dependent voltage curve features may derive from irreversible nickel migration occurring on slow charge. As future high energy density cathodes are likely to contain both lithium excess and high nickel content, both of these findings have important implications for the development of novel high capacity cathode materials.« less

Associations between state economic and health systems capacities and service use by children with special health care needs.

PubMed

Margolis, Lewis H; Mayer, Michelle; Clark, Kathryn A; Farel, Anita M

2011-08-01

To examine the relationship between measures of state economic, political, health services, and Title V capacity and individual level measures of the well-being of CSHCN. We selected five measures of Title V capacity from the Title V Information System and 13 state capacity measures from a variety of data sources, and eight indicators of intermediate health outcomes from the National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs. To assess the associations between Title V capacity and health services outcomes, we used stepwise regression to identify significant capacity measures while accounting for the survey design and clustering of observations by state. To assess the associations between economic, political and health systems capacity and health outcomes we fit weighted logistic regression models for each outcome, using a stepwise procedure to reduce the models. Using statistically significant capacity measures from the stepwise models, we fit reduced random effects logistic regression models to account for clustering of observations by state. Few measures of Title V and state capacity were associated with health services outcomes. For health systems measures, a higher percentage of uninsured children was associated with decreased odds of receipt of early intervention services, decreased odds of receipt of professional care coordination, and increased odds of delayed or missed care. Parents in states with higher per capita Medicaid expenditures on children were more likely to report receipt of special education services. Only two state capacity measures were associated explicitly with Title V: states with higher generalist physician to population ratios were associated with a greater likelihood of parent report of having heard of Title V and states with higher per capita gross state product were less likely to be associated with a report of using Title V services, conditional on having heard of Title V. The state level measure of family participation in Title V governance was negatively associated with receipt of care coordination and having used Title V services. The measures of state economic, political, health systems, and Title V capacity that we have analyzed are only weakly associated with the well-being of children with special health care needs. If Congress and other policymakers increase the expectations of the states in assuring that the needs of CSHCN and their families are addressed, it is essential to be cognizant of the capacities of the states to undertake that role.

Interactive effects of λ-cyhalothrin, soil moisture, and temperature on Folsomia candida and Sinella curviseta (Collembola).

PubMed

Bandow, Cornelia; Coors, Anja; Karau, Nora; Römbke, Jörg

2014-03-01

The authors investigated whether and how 2 environmental factors could influence the toxicity of a pyrethroid to 2 representatives of an important group of soil organisms. The impacts of different temperatures (20 °C and 26 °C) and soil moisture levels (30%, 50%, and 70% of water holding capacity) were investigated in combination with the insecticide λ-cyhalothrin on the reproduction success of Folsomia candida and Sinella curviseta in a full factorial design. Testing was based on the standard collembolan reproduction test (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, guideline 232) following an effect concentration design. The results showed an effect of environmental and chemical factors on the number of juveniles of these animals. Particularly in dry soil, the reproduction of both species was reduced, while higher soil moisture levels influenced the number of juveniles positively compared with the middle soil moisture level. In general, however, higher soil moisture led to increased sensitivity to λ-cyhalothrin. In both organisms, temperature affected the toxicity of the pesticide but in different directions: high temperature led to higher toxicity in F. candida but to lower toxicity in S. curviseta. © 2013 SETAC.

Statistical Analysis of Main and Interaction Effects on Cu(II) and Cr(VI) Decontamination by Nitrogen-Doped Magnetic Graphene Oxide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Xinjiang; Wang, Hui; Liu, Yunguo

2016-10-01

A nitrogen-doped magnetic graphene oxide (NMGO) was synthesized and applied as an adsorbent to remove Cu(II) and Cr(VI) ions from aqueous solutions. The individual and combined effects of various factors (A: pH, B: temperature, C: initial concentration of metal ions, D: CaCl2, and E: humic acid [HA]) on the adsorption were analyzed by a 25-1 fractional factorial design (FFD). The results from this study indicated that the NMGO had higher adsorption capacities for Cu(II) ions than for Cr(VI) ions under most conditions, and the five selected variables affected the two adsorption processes to different extents. A, AC, and C were the very important factors and interactions for Cu(II) adsorption. For Cr(VI) adsorption, A, B, C, AB, and BC were found to be very important influencing variables. The solution pH (A) was the most important influencing factor for removal of both the ions. The main effects of A-E on the removal of Cu(II) were positive. For Cr(VI) adsorption, the main effects of A and D were negative, while B, C, and E were observed to have positive effects. The maximum adsorption capacities for Cu(II) and Cr(VI) ions over NMGO were 146.365 and 72.978 mg/g, respectively, under optimal process conditions.

Enhancement of crop photosynthesis by diffuse light: quantifying the contributing factors.

PubMed

Li, T; Heuvelink, E; Dueck, T A; Janse, J; Gort, G; Marcelis, L F M

2014-07-01

Plants use diffuse light more efficiently than direct light. However, experimental comparisons between diffuse and direct light have been obscured by co-occurring differences in environmental conditions (e.g. light intensity). This study aims to analyse the factors that contribute to an increase in crop photosynthesis in diffuse light and to quantify their relative contribution under different levels of diffuseness at similar light intensities. The hypothesis is that the enhancement of crop photosynthesis in diffuse light results not only from the direct effects of more uniform vertical and horizontal light distribution in the crop canopy, but also from crop physiological and morphological acclimation. Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) crops were grown in three greenhouse compartments that were covered by glass with different degrees of light diffuseness (0, 45 and 71 % of the direct light being converted into diffuse light) while maintaining similar light transmission. Measurements of horizontal and vertical photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) distribution in the crop, leaf photosynthesis light response curves and leaf area index (LAI) were used to quantify each factor's contribution to an increase in crop photosynthesis in diffuse light. In addition, leaf temperature, photoinhibition, and leaf biochemical and anatomical properties were studied. The highest degree of light diffuseness (71 %) increased the calculated crop photosynthesis by 7·2 %. This effect was mainly attributed to a more uniform horizontal (33 % of the total effect) and vertical PPFD distribution (21 %) in the crop. In addition, plants acclimated to the high level of diffuseness by gaining a higher photosynthetic capacity of leaves in the middle of the crop and a higher LAI, which contributed 23 and 13 %, respectively, to the total increase in crop photosynthesis in diffuse light. Moreover, diffuse light resulted in lower leaf temperatures and less photoinhibition at the top of the canopy when global irradiance was high. Diffuse light enhanced crop photosynthesis. A more uniform horizontal PPFD distribution played the most important role in this enhancement, and a more uniform vertical PPFD distribution and higher leaf photosynthetic capacity contributed more to the enhancement of crop photosynthesis than did higher values of LAI. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Key factors of clinical research network capacity building.

PubMed

Li, Guowei; Wu, Qianyu; Jin, Yanling; Vanniyasingam, Thuva; Thabane, Lehana

2018-01-01

In general, clinical research network capacity building refers to programs aimed at enhancing networks of researchers to conduct clinical research. Although in the literature there is a large body of research on how to develop and build capacity in clinical research networks, the conceptualizations and implementations remain controversial and challenging. Moreover, the experiences learnt from the past accomplishments and failures can assist in the future capacity building efforts to be more practical, effective and efficient. In this paper, we aim to provide an overview of capacity building in clinical research network by (1) identifying the key barriers to clinical research network capacity building, (2) providing insights into how to overcome those obstacles, and (3) sharing our experiences in collaborating with national and international partners to build capacity in clinical research networks. In conclusion, we have provided some insight into how to address the key factors of clinical research network capacity building and shared some empirical experiences. A successful capacity building practice requires a joint endeavor to procure sufficient resources and support from the relevant stakeholders, to ensure its efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability.

The effect of social alliances on wolf population on their survival under hunting

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

Cebrat, S.; Kakol, J.

1997-04-01

We have introduced the modified Verhulst factor to simulate the dynamics of wolves` population. The new factor enlarges the capacity of environment for organisms living in organized groups. Under this factor, social behavior allows the population to reach the larger size in the same ecological niche. The other effect of the introduced factor is that additional non-selective killing factors limit the population size not only directly but also by shrinking the effective ecological niche capacity.

The Effect of Social Alliances on Wolf Population on Their Survival Under Hunting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cebrat, Stanisław; Kakol, Jerzy

We have introduced the modified Verhulst factor to simulate the dynamics of wolves' population. The new factor enlarges the capacity of environment for organisms living in organized groups. Under this factor, social behavior allows the population to reach the larger size in the same ecological niche. The other effect of the introduced factor is that additional non-selective killing factors limit the population size not only directly but also by shrinking the effective ecological niche capacity.

The development of novel Nexar block copolymer/Ultem composite membranes for C2-C4 alcohols dehydration via pervaporation.

PubMed

Zuo, Jian; Shi, Gui Min; Wei, Shawn; Chung, Tai-Shung

2014-08-27

Novel composite membranes comprising sulfonated styrenic Nexar pentablock copolymers were developed by dip-coating on poly(ether imide) hollow fibers for pervaporation dehydration of C2-C4 alcohols. The advantages of using block copolymers as the selective layer are (1) their effectiveness to synergize the physicochemical properties of different chemical and structural moieties and (2) tunable nanoscale morphology and nanostructure via molecular engineering. To achieve high-performance composite membranes, the effects of coating time, ion exchange capacity (IEC) of the copolymer, and solvent systems for coating were investigated. It is revealed that a minimum coating time of 30 s is needed for the formation of a continuous and less-defective top layer. A higher IEC value results in a membrane with a higher flux and lower separation factor because of enhanced hydrophilicity and stretched chain conformation. Moreover, the composite membranes prepared from hexane/ethanol mixtures show higher separation factors and lower fluxes than those from the hexane solvent owing to microdomain segregation induced by ethanol and a smooth and dense top selective layer. These hypotheses were verified by atomic force microscopy and positron annihilation spectroscopy. The newly developed composite membranes demonstrate impressive separation performance with fluxes exceeding 2 kg/m(2) h and separation factors more than 200 for isopropyl alcohol and n-butanol dehydration from 85/15 wt % alcohol/water feed mixtures at 50 °C.

Association between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and oxidative stress.

PubMed

Dai, Jun; Jones, Dean P; Goldberg, Jack; Ziegler, Thomas R; Bostick, Roberd M; Wilson, Peter W; Manatunga, Amita K; Shallenberger, Lucy; Jones, Linda; Vaccarino, Viola

2008-11-01

The cardioprotective property of the Mediterranean diet has been attributed to its antioxidant capacity, but direct investigation of this mechanism has been limited. We examined the association between the Mediterranean diet and an established plasma marker of oxidative stress, the ratio of reduced to oxidized glutathione (GSH/GSSG), in a well-controlled study of twins. We administered the Willett food-frequency questionnaire to 138 monozygotic and dizygotic twin pairs and to 21 unpaired twins and derived a score measuring adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Fasting plasma GSH and GSSG concentrations were measured to calculate the GSH/GSSG ratio. The higher the ratio, the lower the oxidative stress. Mixed-effect regression analysis was used to partition the association into between- and within-twin pair differences. When within-pair effects are examined, twins are matched for sociodemographic and familial factors. A one-unit increment in the diet score was associated with a 7% higher GSH/GSSG ratio (P = 0.03) after adjustment for energy intake, other nutritional factors, cardiovascular disease risk factors, and medication use. The association persisted within twin pairs: a one-unit within-pair absolute difference in the diet score was associated with a 10% (95% CI: 2.7, 18.0) higher GSH/GSSG ratio in the twin with the higher score than in the co-twin with the lower score (P = 0.007). Results were similar in monozygotic and dizygotic twin pairs. The association between the Mediterranean diet and plasma oxidative stress is robust and is not confounded by genetic or shared environmental factors. Decreased oxidative stress is a plausible mechanism linking the Mediterranean diet to reduced cardiovascular disease risk.

Analysis of pavement structure sensitivity to passage of oversized heavy duty vehicle in terms of bearing capacity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dawid, Rys; Piotr, Jaskula

2018-05-01

Oversized heavy duty vehicles occur in traffic very rarely but they reach extremely high weights, even up to 800 tonne. The detrimental impact of these vehicles on pavement structure is much higher than in case of commercial vehicles that comprise typical traffic, thus it is necessary to assess the sensitivity of pavement structure to passage of oversized vehicles. The paper presents results of sample calculations of load equivalency factor of a heavy duty oversized vehicle with usage of mechanistic-empirical approach. The effects of pavement thickness, type of distress (cracking or rutting) and pavement condition (new or old with structural damage) were considered in the paper. Analysis revealed that a single pass of an 800 tonne oversized vehicle is equivalent to pass of up to 377 standard 100 kN axles. Load equivalency factor calculated for thin structures is almost 3 times lower than for thick structures, however, the damage effect caused by one pass of an oversized vehicle is higher in the case of thin structure. Bearing capacity of a pavement structure may be qualified as sufficient for passage of an oversized heavy duty vehicle when the measured deflection, for example in an FWD test, does not exceed the maximum deflections derived from mechanistic-empirical analysis. The paper presents sample calculation of maximum deflections which allow to consider passage of an oversized vehicle as safe over different pavement structures. The paper provides road administration with a practical tool which helps to decide whether to issue a permit of passage for a given oversized vehicle.

Importance of adhesins in the recurrence of pharyngeal infections caused by Streptococcus pyogenes.

PubMed

Wozniak, Aniela; Scioscia, Natalia; Geoffroy, Enrique; Ponce, Iván; García, Patricia

2017-04-01

Pharyngo-amygdalitis is the most common infection caused by Streptococcus pyogenes (S. pyogenes). Reinfection with strains of different M types commonly occurs. However, a second infection with a strain of the same M type can still occur and is referred to as recurrence. We aimed to assess whether recurrence of S. pyogenes could be associated to erythromycin resistance, biofilm formation or surface adhesins like fibronectin-binding proteins and pilus proteins, both located in the fibronectin-binding, collagen-binding, T-antigen (FCT) region. We analyed clinical isolates of S. pyogenes obtained from children with multiple positive cultures of throat swabs. We analysed potential associations between M types, clonal patterns, biofilm production and FCT types with their capacity of producing a recurrent infection. We genetically defined recurrence as an infection with the same M type (same strain) and reinfection as an infection with a different M type. No differences were observed between recurrent and reinfection isolates in relation to erythromycin resistance, presence and number of domains of prtF1 gene, and biofilm formation capacity; the only significant difference was the higher frequency of FCT-4 type among recurrent isolates. However, when all the factors that could contribute to recurrence (erythromycin resistance, biofilm production, presence of prtF1 gene and FCT-4 type) were analysed together, we observed that recurrent isolates have a higher number of factors than reinfection isolates. Recurrence seems not to be associated with biofilm formation. However, pili and fibronectin-binding proteins could be associated with recurrence because FCT-4 isolates which harbour two fibronectin-binding proteins are more frequent among recurrent isolates.

Immunization Documentation Practices and Vaccine-Preventable Disease Surveillance Capacity among Institutions of Higher Education in Indiana

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stevens, Taryn; Golwalkar, Mugdha

2018-01-01

ABSTRACTObjective: Complete and accurate documentation of immunization records and surveillance of disease transmission are critical to the public health response to outbreaks of communicable disease in institutions of higher education (IHEs). This study aims to describe immunization documentation practices and disease surveillance capacity among…

Access, Equity, and Capacity in Asia-Pacific Higher Education. International and Development Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neubauer, Deane, Ed.; Tanaka, Yoshiro, Ed.

2011-01-01

Access, equity and capacity are elements within the higher education environment that interact in complex ways to affect virtually all other aspects of such institutions. This volume examines various features of how these concepts are generated, transformed throughout policy environments, and deployed across the complex differences of higher…

Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor enhances protection by anti-K1 capsular IgM antibody in murine Escherichia coli sepsis.

PubMed

Hustinx, W; Benaissa-Trouw, B; Van Kessel, K; Kuenen, J; Tavares, L; Kraaijeveld, K; Verhoef, J; Hoepelman, A

1997-12-01

Combined prophylactic treatment with recombinant murine granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and a suboptimal dose of anti-K1 capsular IgM monoclonal antibody (MAb) significantly enhanced survival in an experimental mouse Escherichia coli O7:K1 peritonitis model compared with untreated animals (67% vs. 11% survival; P < 0.001) and with either treatment alone (67 vs. 29% and 27% survival, respectively; P < 0.01), which suggests synergism between these agents. Enhanced survival by combined treatment was associated with increased neutrophil counts in blood and peritoneal lavage fluid, lower systemic and higher levels of local tumour necrosis factor (TNF) and lower bacterial counts in blood cultures. Mouse neutrophils treated with G-CSF but not infected with E. coli showed enhanced phagocytic and respiratory burst capacity, down-regulation of L-selectin receptors and enhanced expression of Fc RII-III receptors but not of complement receptors.

Study on the Effect of a Cogeneration System Capacity on its CO2 Emissions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fonseca, J. G. S., Jr.; Asano, Hitoshi; Fujii, Terushige; Hirasawa, Shigeki

With the global warming problem aggravating and subsequent implementation of the Kyoto Protocol, CO2 emissions are becoming an important factor when verifying the usability of cogeneration systems. Considering this, the purpose of this work is to study the effect of the capacity of a cogeneration system on its CO2 emissions under two kinds of operation strategies: one focused on exergetic efficiency and another on running cost. The system meets the demand pattern typical of a hospital in Japan, operating during one year with an average heat-to-power ratio of 1.3. The main equipments of the cogeneration system are: a gas turbine with waste heat boiler, a main boiler and an auxiliary steam turbine. Each of these equipments was characterized with partial load models, and the turbine efficiencies at full load changed according to the system capacity. Still, it was assumed that eventual surplus of electricity generated could be sold. The main results showed that for any of the capacities simulated, an exergetic efficiency-focused operational strategy always resulted in higher CO2 emissions reduction when compared to the running cost-focused strategy. Furthermore, the amount of reduction in emissions decreased when the system capacity decreased, reaching a value of 1.6% when the system capacity was 33% of the maximum electricity demand with a heat-to-power ratio of 4.1. When the system operated focused on running cost, the economic savings increased with the capacity and reached 42% for a system capacity of 80% of maximum electricity demand and with a heat-to-power ratio of 2.3. In such conditions however, there was an increase in emissions of 8.5%. Still for the same capacity, an exergetic efficiency operation strategy presented the best balance between cost and emissions, generating economic savings of 29% with a decrease in CO2 emissions of 7.1%. The results found showed the importance of an exergy-focused operational strategy and also indicated that lower capacities resulted in lesser gains of both CO2 emissions and running cost reduction.

Phenolics composition and antioxidant activity of wine produced from spine grape (Vitis davidii Foex) and Cherokee rose (Rosa laevigata Michx.) fruits from South China.

PubMed

Meng, Jiangfei; Fang, Yulin; Gao, Jinshan; Qiao, Lingling; Zhang, Ang; Guo, Zhijun; Qin, Minyang; Huang, Jizhuang; Hu, Ying; Zhuang, Xifu

2012-01-01

Wines made from 3 spine grape (Vitis davidii Foex) genotypes-Junzi 1# (JZ 1#), Junzi 2# (JZ 2#), and Liantang (LT)-and Cherokee rose (Rosa laevigata Michx., CR) were evaluated for their phenolics composition and antioxidant activities by several assays, including 2,2'-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS scavenging capacity, cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity, and metal-chelating capacity). The results showed that CR wine had higher contents of total phenolics, total flavonoids, and oligomeric proanthocyanidins than the 3 spine grape genotype wines and Cabernet Sauvignon (CS) wine. Among the 3 varieties of spine grape wines, JZ 1# had higher contents than the 2 other genotypes. Moreover, the total monomeric anthocyanins in JZ 1# was about 4.5-fold higher than those in CS wine and CR wine. A significance analysis demonstrated that the antioxidant capacity (as measured by the ABTS scavenging capacity and cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity) of CR wine was significantly higher than that of the control and spine grape wines. With respect to metal-chelating capacity, the CR wine was the strongest amongst all the wine samples tested, followed by JZ 1#. This indicates that CR and JZ 1# wines can potentially be considered as wild fruit wines with abundant phenolic compounds and antioxidant activities. Spine grape (Vitis davidii Foex) and Cherokee rose (Rosa laevigata Michx.) are 2 species of important wild plants in South China. However, they have not yet been effectively developed and utilized. Recently, some researchers attempted to convert their juice to wine. We anticipate that this research will provide sufficient experimental evidence for their good antioxidant activity and potential for further development and utilization. © 2011 Institute of Food Technologists®

Age-Related Changes in Visual Temporal Order Judgment Performance: Relation to Sensory and Cognitive Capacities

PubMed Central

Busey, Thomas; Craig, James; Clark, Chris; Humes, Larry

2010-01-01

Five measures of temporal order judgments were obtained from 261 participants, including 146 elder, 44 middle aged, and 71 young participants. Strong age group differences were observed in all five measures, although the group differences were reduced when letter discriminability was matched for all participants. Significant relations were found between these measures of temporal processing and several cognitive and sensory assays, and structural equation modeling revealed the degree to which temporal order processing can be viewed as a latent factor that depends in part on contributions from sensory and cognitive capacities. The best-fitting model involved two different latent factors representing temporal order processing at same and different locations, and the sensory and cognitive factors were more successful predicting performance in the different location factor than the same-location factor. Processing speed, even measured using high-contrast symbols on a paper-and-pencil test, was a surprisingly strong predictor of variability in both latent factors. However, low-level sensory measures also made significant contributions to the latent factors. The results demonstrate the degree to which temporal order processing relates to other perceptual and cognitive capacities, and address the question of whether age-related declines in these capacities share a common cause. PMID:20580644

Age-related changes in visual temporal order judgment performance: Relation to sensory and cognitive capacities.

PubMed

Busey, Thomas; Craig, James; Clark, Chris; Humes, Larry

2010-08-06

Five measures of temporal order judgments were obtained from 261 participants, including 146 elder, 44 middle aged, and 71 young participants. Strong age group differences were observed in all five measures, although the group differences were reduced when letter discriminability was matched for all participants. Significant relations were found between these measures of temporal processing and several cognitive and sensory assays, and structural equation modeling revealed the degree to which temporal order processing can be viewed as a latent factor that depends in part on contributions from sensory and cognitive capacities. The best-fitting model involved two different latent factors representing temporal order processing at same and different locations, and the sensory and cognitive factors were more successful predicting performance in the different location factor than the same-location factor. Processing speed, even measured using high-contrast symbols on a paper-and-pencil test, was a surprisingly strong predictor of variability in both latent factors. However, low-level sensory measures also made significant contributions to the latent factors. The results demonstrate the degree to which temporal order processing relates to other perceptual and cognitive capacities, and address the question of whether age-related declines in these capacities share a common cause. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A New Supercapacitor and Li-ion Battery Hybrid System for Electric Vehicle in ADVISOR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Xiao; Shuhai, Quan; Changjun, Xie

2017-02-01

The supercapacitor (SC) and Li-ion battery(BT) hybrid energy storage system(HESS) electric vehicle(EV) is gaining universal attention. The topology is of importance for the SC/BT HESS. A new SC/BT topology HESS with a rule-based energy management strategy for EV was proposed. The BT pack is connected directly to the DC link via a controlled switch. The SC pack is connected to the DC link via a controlled switch. A uni-directional DC/DC converter is connected between the SC pack and the BT pack. The braking regeneration energy is all harvested by the SC pack. The output power of BT pack is limited. The different SC/BT configurations with varied BT maximum Ah capacity factor and SC maximum capacity factor are simulated in ADVISOR. Simulation results show that BT maximum Ah capacity factor has little impact on vehicle acceleration performance and maximum speed. SC maximum capacity factor has significant impact on vehicle acceleration performance and maximum speed. The fuel economy isn’t affected.

Among-Individual Variation in Desert Iguanas (Squamata: Dipsosaurus dorsalis): Endurance Capacity Is Positively Related to Home Range Size.

PubMed

Singleton, Jennifer M; Garland, Theodore

Among species of lizards, endurance capacity measured on a motorized treadmill is positively related to daily movement distance and time spent moving, but few studies have addressed such relationships at the level of individual variation within a sex and age category in a single population. Both endurance capacity and home range size show substantial individual variation in lizards, rendering them suitable for such studies. We predicted that these traits would be positively related because endurance capacity is one of the factors that has the potential to limit home range size. We measured the endurance capacity and home range size of adult male desert iguanas (Dipsosaurus dorsalis). Lizards were field captured for measurements of endurance, and home range data were gathered using visual identification of previously marked individuals. Endurance was significantly repeatable between replicate trials, conducted 1-17 d apart ([Formula: see text] for log-transformed values, [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]). The log of the higher of two endurance trials was positively but not significantly related to log body mass. The log of home range area was positively but not significantly related to log body mass, the number of sightings, or the time span from first to last sighting. As predicted, log endurance was positively correlated with log home range area ([Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], one-tailed [Formula: see text]; for body-mass residual endurance values: [Formula: see text], one-tailed [Formula: see text]). These results suggest that endurance capacity may have a permissive effect on home range size. Alternatively, individuals with larger home ranges may experience training effects (phenotypic plasticity) that increase their endurance.

Impact of hydrogen refueling configurations and market parameters on the refueling cost of hydrogen

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

Reddi, Krishna; Elgowainy, Amgad; Rustagi, Neha

The cost of hydrogen in early fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) markets is dominated by the cost of refueling stations, mainly due to the high cost of refueling equipment, small station capacities, lack of economies of scale, and low utilization of the installed refueling capacity. Using the hydrogen delivery scenario analysis model (HDSAM), this study estimates the impacts of these factors on the refueling cost for different refueling technologies and configurations, and quantifies the potential reduction in future hydrogen refueling cost compared to today’s cost in the United States. The current hydrogen refueling station levelized cost, for a 200 kg/daymore » dispensing capacity, is in the range of 6–8 dollars/kg H 2 when supplied with gaseous hydrogen, and 8–9 dollars/kg H 2 for stations supplied with liquid hydrogen. After adding the cost of hydrogen production, packaging, and transportation to the station’s levelized cost, the current cost of hydrogen at dispensers for FCEVs in California is in the range of 13–15 dollars/kg H 2. The refueling station capacity utilization strongly influences the hydrogen refueling cost. The underutilization of station capacity in early FCEV markets, such as in California, results in a levelized station cost that is approximately 40% higher than it would be in a scenario where the station had been fully utilized since it began operating. In future mature hydrogen FCEV markets, with a large demand for hydrogen, the refueling station’s levelized cost can be reduced to 2 dollars/kg H 2 as a result of improved capacity utilization and reduced equipment cost via learning and economies of scale.« less

Impact of hydrogen refueling configurations and market parameters on the refueling cost of hydrogen

DOE PAGES

Reddi, Krishna; Elgowainy, Amgad; Rustagi, Neha; ...

2017-06-30

The cost of hydrogen in early fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) markets is dominated by the cost of refueling stations, mainly due to the high cost of refueling equipment, small station capacities, lack of economies of scale, and low utilization of the installed refueling capacity. Using the hydrogen delivery scenario analysis model (HDSAM), this study estimates the impacts of these factors on the refueling cost for different refueling technologies and configurations, and quantifies the potential reduction in future hydrogen refueling cost compared to today’s cost in the United States. The current hydrogen refueling station levelized cost, for a 200 kg/daymore » dispensing capacity, is in the range of 6–8 dollars/kg H 2 when supplied with gaseous hydrogen, and 8–9 dollars/kg H 2 for stations supplied with liquid hydrogen. After adding the cost of hydrogen production, packaging, and transportation to the station’s levelized cost, the current cost of hydrogen at dispensers for FCEVs in California is in the range of 13–15 dollars/kg H 2. The refueling station capacity utilization strongly influences the hydrogen refueling cost. The underutilization of station capacity in early FCEV markets, such as in California, results in a levelized station cost that is approximately 40% higher than it would be in a scenario where the station had been fully utilized since it began operating. In future mature hydrogen FCEV markets, with a large demand for hydrogen, the refueling station’s levelized cost can be reduced to 2 dollars/kg H 2 as a result of improved capacity utilization and reduced equipment cost via learning and economies of scale.« less

Light dependence of carboxylation capacity for C3 photosynthesis models

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Photosynthesis at high light is often modelled by assuming limitation by the maximum capacity of Rubisco carboxylation at low carbon dioxide concentrations, by electron transport capacity at higher concentrations, and sometimes by triose-phosphate utilization rate at the highest concentrations. Pho...

Design approach for solar cell and battery of a persistent solar powered GPS tracker

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sahraei, Nasim; Watson, Sterling M.; Pennes, Anthony; Marius Peters, Ian; Buonassisi, Tonio

2017-08-01

Sensors with wireless communication can be powered by photovoltaic (PV) devices. However, using solar power requires thoughtful design of the power system, as well as a careful management of the power consumption, especially for devices with cellular communication (because of their higher power consumption). A design approach can minimize system size, weight, and/or cost, while maximizing device performance (data transmission rate and persistence). In this contribution, we describe our design approach for a small form-factor, solar-powered GPS tracker with cellular communication. We evaluate the power consumption of the device in different stages of operation. Combining measured power consumption and the calculated energy-yield of a solar cell, we estimate the battery capacity and solar cell area required for 5 years of continuous operation. We evaluate trade-offs between PV and battery size by simulating the battery state of charge. The data show a trade-off between battery capacity and solar-cell area for given target data transmission rate and persistence. We use this analysis to determine the combination of solar panel area and battery capacity for a given application and the data transmission rate that results in minimum cost or total weight of the system.

Correlates of physical fitness and activity in Taiwanese children

PubMed Central

Chen, J.-L.; Unnithan, V.; Kennedy, C.; Yeh, C.-H.

2010-01-01

Aim This cross-sectional study examined factors related to children’s physical fitness and activity levels in Taiwan. Methods A total of 331 Taiwanese children, aged 7 and 8, and their mothers participated in the study. Children performed physical fitness tests, recorded their physical activities during two weekdays and completed self-esteem questionnaires. Research assistants measured the children’s body mass and stature. Mothers completed demographic, parenting style and physical activity questionnaires. Results Attending urban school, lower body mass index (BMI), older age and better muscular endurance contributed to the variance in better aerobic capacity, and attending rural school and better aerobic capacity contributed to the variance in better muscular endurance in boys. Attending urban school, lower BMI and better athletic competence contributed to the variance in better aerobic capacity, and younger age, rural school and higher household income contributed to the variance in better flexibility in girls. Conclusion Despite the limitations of the study, with many countries and regions, including Taiwan, now emphasizing the importance of improving physical fitness and activity in children, an intervention that is gender-, geographically, and developmentally appropriate can improve the likelihood of successful physical fitness and activity programmes. PMID:18275540

Assessing social capacity and vulnerability of private households to natural hazards - integrating psychological and governance factors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Werg, J.; Grothmann, T.; Schmidt, P.

2013-06-01

People are unequally affected by extreme weather events in terms of mortality, morbidity and financial losses; this is the case not only for developing, but also for industrialized countries. Previous research has established indicators for identifying who is particularly vulnerable and why, focusing on socio-demographic factors such as income, age, gender, health and minority status. However, these factors can only partly explain the large disparities in the extent to which people are affected by natural hazards. Moreover, these factors are usually not alterable in the short to medium term, which limits their usefulness for strategies of reducing social vulnerability and building social capacity. Based on a literature review and an expert survey, we propose an approach for refining assessments of social vulnerability and building social capacity by integrating psychological and governance factors.

Selecting the Best Graphite for Long-Life, High-Energy Li-Ion Batteries

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

Mao, Chengyu; Wood, Marissa; David, Lamuel Abraham

Here, most lithium-ion batteries still rely on intercalation-type graphite materials for anodes, so it is important to consider their role in full cells for applications in electric vehicles. Here, we systematically evaluate the chemical and physical properties of six commercially-available natural and synthetic graphites to establish which factors have the greatest impact on the cycling stability of full cells with nickel-rich LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2 (NMC811) cathodes. Electrochemical data and post-mortem characterization explain the origin of capacity fade. The NMC811 cathode shows large irreversible capacity loss and impedance growth, accounting for much of full cell degradation. However, six graphite anodes demonstrate significant differencesmore » with respect to structural change, surface area, impedance growth, and SEI chemistry, which impact overall capacity retention. We found long cycle life correlated most strongly with stable graphite crystallite size. In addition, graphites with lower surface area generally had higher coulombic efficiencies during formation cycles, which led to more stable long-term cycling. The best graphite screened here enables a capacity retention around 90% in full pouch cells over extensive long-term cycling compared to only 82% for cells with the lowest performing graphite. The results show that optimal graphite selection improves cycling stability of high energy lithium-ion cells.« less

Switch between life history strategies due to changes in glycolytic enzyme gene dosage in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

PubMed

Wang, Shaoxiao; Spor, Aymé; Nidelet, Thibault; Montalent, Pierre; Dillmann, Christine; de Vienne, Dominique; Sicard, Delphine

2011-01-01

Adaptation is the process whereby a population or species becomes better fitted to its habitat through modifications of various life history traits which can be positively or negatively correlated. The molecular factors underlying these covariations remain to be elucidated. Using Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model system, we have investigated the effects on life history traits of varying the dosage of genes involved in the transformation of resources into energy. Changing gene dosage for each of three glycolytic enzyme genes (hexokinase 2, phosphoglucose isomerase, and fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase) resulted in variation in enzyme activities, glucose consumption rate, and life history traits (growth rate, carrying capacity, and cell size). However, the range of effects depended on which enzyme was expressed differently. Most interestingly, these changes revealed a genetic trade-off between carrying capacity and cell size, supporting the discovery of two extreme life history strategies already described in yeast populations: the "ants," which have lower glycolytic gene dosage, take up glucose slowly, and have a small cell size but reach a high carrying capacity, and the "grasshoppers," which have higher glycolytic gene dosage, consume glucose more rapidly, and allocate it to a larger cell size but reach a lower carrying capacity. These results demonstrate antagonist pleiotropy for glycolytic genes and show that altered dosage of a single gene drives a switch between two life history strategies in yeast.

The influential role of personal advice networks on general practitioners' performance: a social capital perspective.

PubMed

Calciolari, Stefano; González-Ortiz, Laura G; Lega, Federico

2017-08-08

In several health systems of advanced countries, reforms have changed primary care in the last two decades. The literature has assessed the effects of a variety of interventions and individual factors on the behavior of general practitioners (GPs). However, there has been a lack of investigation concerning the influence of the resources embedded in the GPs' personal advice networks (i.e., social capital) on GPs' capacity to meet defined objectives. The present study has two goals: (a) to assess the GPs' personal advice networks according to the social capital framework and (b) to test the influence of such relationships on GPs' capacity to accomplish organizational goals. The data collection relied on administrative data provided by an Italian local health authority (LHA) and a survey administered to the GPs of the selected LHA. The GPs' personal advice networks were assessed through an ad-hoc instrument and interpreted as egocentric networks. Multivariate regression analyses assessed two different performance measures. Social capital may influence the GPs' capacity to meet targets, though the influence differs according to the objective considered. In particular, the higher the professional heterogeneity of a GP personal advice network, the lower her/his capacity is to meet targets of prescriptive appropriateness. Our findings might help to design more effective primary care reforms depending on the pursued goals. However, further research is needed.

Selecting the Best Graphite for Long-Life, High-Energy Li-Ion Batteries

DOE PAGES

Mao, Chengyu; Wood, Marissa; David, Lamuel Abraham; ...

2018-06-16

Here, most lithium-ion batteries still rely on intercalation-type graphite materials for anodes, so it is important to consider their role in full cells for applications in electric vehicles. Here, we systematically evaluate the chemical and physical properties of six commercially-available natural and synthetic graphites to establish which factors have the greatest impact on the cycling stability of full cells with nickel-rich LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2 (NMC811) cathodes. Electrochemical data and post-mortem characterization explain the origin of capacity fade. The NMC811 cathode shows large irreversible capacity loss and impedance growth, accounting for much of full cell degradation. However, six graphite anodes demonstrate significant differencesmore » with respect to structural change, surface area, impedance growth, and SEI chemistry, which impact overall capacity retention. We found long cycle life correlated most strongly with stable graphite crystallite size. In addition, graphites with lower surface area generally had higher coulombic efficiencies during formation cycles, which led to more stable long-term cycling. The best graphite screened here enables a capacity retention around 90% in full pouch cells over extensive long-term cycling compared to only 82% for cells with the lowest performing graphite. The results show that optimal graphite selection improves cycling stability of high energy lithium-ion cells.« less

Predicting individual differences in autonomy-connectedness: the role of body awareness, alexithymia, and assertiveness.

PubMed

Bekker, Marrie H J; Croon, Marcel A; van Balkom, Esther G A; Vermee, Jennifer B G

2008-06-01

Autonomy-connectedness is the capacity for being on one's own as well as for satisfactorily engaging in interpersonal relationships. Associations have been shown between autonomy-connectedness components (self-awareness, sensitivity to others, and the capacity for managing new situations) and various indices of psychopathology. Both in a theoretical sense as well as for enhancing treatment and prevention, it is relevant to identify which factors most powerfully predict individual differences in autonomy-connectedness: body awareness, alexithymia, or assertiveness. The present study examined this question in a clinical sample of women who were diagnosed as having autonomy problems (N=52) and in a female nonclinical community sample (N=59). In line with expectations, assertiveness was a strong predictor of (all three components of) autonomy-connectedness, as was emotionalizing, one of the alexithymia-components, but the latter in an opposite direction than we had expected: the higher an individual's ability to emotionalize was, the less self-aware and capable to manage new situations that person was, and the more sensitive to others. Cognitive alexithymia contributed to self-awareness as well as to the capacity for managing new situations, and one of the components of body awareness appeared to predict capacity for managing new situations. Our results indicate that assertiveness training and the enhancement of emotion regulation are important elements of autonomy-connectedness targeted interventions. (c) 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

[Cardiorespiratory fitness and cardiometabolic risk in young adults].

PubMed

Secchi, Jeremías D; García, Gastón C

2013-01-01

The assessment of VO₂max allow classify subjects according to the health risk. However the factors that may affect the classifications have been little studied. The main purpose was to determine whether the type of VO₂max prediction equation and the Fitnessgram criterion-referenced standards modified the proportion of young adults classified with a level of aerobic capacity cardiometabolic risk indicative. The study design was observational, cross-sectional and relational. Young adults (n= 240) participated voluntarily. The VO₂max was estimated by 20-m shuttle run test applying 9 predictive equations. The differences in the classifications were analyzed with the Cochran Q and McNemar tests. The level of aerobic capacity indicative of cardiometabolic risk ranged between 7.1% and 70.4% depending on the criterion-referenced standards and predictive equation used (p<0.001). A higher percentage of women were classified with an unhealthy level in all equations (women: 29.4% to 85.3% vs 4.8% to 51% in men), regardless of the criterion-referenced standards (p<0.001). Both sexes and irrespective of the equation applied the old criterion-referenced standards classified a lower proportion of subjects (men: 4.8% to 48.1% and women: 39.4% a 68.4%) with unhealthy aerobic capacity (p ≤ 0.004). The type of VO₂max prediction equation and Fitnessgram criterion-referenced standards changed classifications young adults with a level of aerobic capacity of cardiometabolic risk indicative.

Mesoporous nitrogen-doped carbon-glass ceramic cathodes for solid-state lithium-oxygen batteries.

PubMed

Kichambare, Padmakar; Rodrigues, Stanley; Kumar, Jitendra

2012-01-01

The composite of nitrogen-doped carbon (N-C) blend with lithium aluminum germanium phosphate (LAGP) was studied as cathode material in a solid-state lithium-oxygen cell. Composite electrodes exhibit high electrochemical activity toward oxygen reduction. Compared to the cell capacity of N-C blend cathode, N-C/LAGP composite cathode exhibits six times higher discharge cell capacity. A significant enhancement in cell capacity is attributed to higher electrocatalytic activity and fast lithium ion conduction ability of LAGP in the cathode. © 2011 American Chemical Society

Preservation of the capacity to appoint a proxy decision maker: implications for dementia research.

PubMed

Kim, Scott Y H; Karlawish, Jason H; Kim, H Myra; Wall, Ian F; Bozoki, Andrea C; Appelbaum, Paul S

2011-02-01

Research involving persons with impaired decision-making capacity (such as persons with Alzheimer disease [AD]) remains ethically challenging, especially when the research involves significant risk. If individuals incapable of consenting to research studies were able to appoint a research proxy, it would allow for an appointed surrogate (rather than a de facto surrogate) to represent the subject. To assess the extent to which persons with AD retain their capacity to appoint a research proxy. Interview study. Academic research. One hundred eighty-eight persons with AD were interviewed for their capacity to appoint a proxy for research and to provide consent to 2 hypothetical research scenarios, a lower-risk randomized clinical trial testing a new drug (drug RCT) and a higher-risk randomized clinical trial testing neurosurgical cell implants using a sham control condition (neurosurgical RCT). Categorical capacity status for each subject was determined by independent videotaped reviews of capacity interviews by 5 experienced psychiatrists. Categorical capacity determinations for the capacity to appoint a research proxy, capacity to consent to a drug RCT, and capacity to consent to a neurosurgical RCT. Data showed that 37.7% (40 of 106) of those deemed incapable of consenting to the drug RCT and 54.8% (86 of 157) of those deemed incapable of consenting to the neurosurgical RCT were found capable of appointing a research proxy. Only 7 of 186 (3.8%) were deemed capable of consenting to the neurosurgical RCT by all 5 psychiatrists. A substantial proportion of persons with AD who were thought incapable of consenting to lower-risk or higher-risk studies have preserved capacity for appointing a research proxy. Because few persons are found to be unequivocally capable of providing independent consent to higher-risk AD research, providing for an appointed surrogate even after the onset of AD, which might best be done in the early stages of the illness, may help address key ethical challenges to AD research.

Measuring organizational flexibility in community pharmacy: Building the capacity to implement cognitive pharmaceutical services.

PubMed

Feletto, Eleonora; Wilson, Laura Kate; Roberts, Alison Sarah; Benrimoj, Shalom Isaac

2011-03-01

Community pharmacy is undergoing transformation with increasing pressure to build its capacity to deliver cognitive pharmaceutical services ("services"). The theoretical framework of organizational flexibility (OF) may be used to assess the capacity of community pharmacy to implement change programs and guide capacity-building initiatives. To test the applicability of an existing scale measuring OF to the industry of community pharmacy in Australia. A mail survey was used to test a preexisting scale measuring OF amended from 28 items to 20 items testing 3 underlying factors of operational, structural, and strategic flexibility in the Australian community pharmacy context. The sample was 2006 randomly-stratified community pharmacies. A confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to assess the validity and reliability of the 1-factor models for each underlying construct and the full measurement model. Responses were received from a total of 395 (19.7%) community pharmacies. The 1-factor models of operational, structural, and strategic flexibility fit the data with appropriate respecification. Overall, the favorable fit of the individual factor constructs suggested that the multiple-factor measurement model should be tested. However, this model did not yield an interpretable response. Operational flexibility covaried negatively to the other factors, whereas structural and strategic flexibility shared covariance. Despite this, the results highlighting the individual factor fit suggest the constructs have application to pharmacy. The individual OF constructs were useful in the development and initial testing of a scale adapted for community pharmacy. When further developed and validated, the scale could be used to identify group of pharmacies that require individualized assistance to build capacity and integrate services and other new endeavors. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

In Situ X-ray Diffraction Studies on the Mechanism of Capacity Retention Improvement by Coating at the Surface of Li CoO2

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

Chung,K.; Yoon, W.; McBreen, J.

2007-01-01

Synchrotron based in situ X-ray diffraction technique has been used to study the mechanism of capacity fading of LiCoO2 cycled to a higher voltage above the normal 4.2 V limit and to investigate the mechanism of capacity retention improvement by ZrO2 surface coating on LiCoO2. It was found that the capacity fading of LiCoO2 cycled at higher voltage limit is closely related to the increased polarization rather than the bulk crystal structure damage. The capacity of uncoated LiCoO2 sample dropped to less than 70 mAh g-1 when charged to 4.8 V after high voltage cycling. However, when the voltage limitmore » was further increased to 8.35 V, the capacity was partially restored and the corresponding structural changes were recovered to the similar level as seen in fresh sample. This indicates that the integrity of the bulk crystal structure of LiCoO2 was not seriously damaged during cycling to 4.8 V. The increased polarization seems to be responsible for the fading capacity and the uncompleted phase transformation of LiCoO2. The polarization-induced capacity fading can be significantly improved by ZrO2 surface coating. It was proposed that the effect of ZrO2-coating layer on the capacity retention during high voltage cycling is through the formation of protection layer on the surface of LiCoO2 particles, which can reduce the decomposition of the electrolyte at higher voltages.« less

Correlation between charge input and cycle life of MgNi electrode for Ni-MH batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruggeri, Stéphane; Roué, Lionel

Amorphous MgNi material has been prepared by mechanically alloying magnesium and nickel powders for 10 h. Its cycle life as a negative electrode for nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) batteries has been studied with charge inputs varying from 0 to 600 mAh/g. For charge inputs lower than 400 mAh/g, the first cycle discharge capacity is superior to the charge input capacity. This surplus discharge capacity can be associated with the alloy oxidation to Mg(OH) 2 and Ni(OH) 2. For charge inputs higher than 400 mAh/g, the initial discharge capacity becomes inferior to the charge input capacity due to the progressive decrease of the charge efficiency related to the hydrogen evolution side reaction. From the second charge/discharge cycle, no additional discharge capacity appears and no discharge capacity degradation occurs for charge inputs inferior or equal to 233 mAh/g. In contrast, for higher charge input values, an important decay in the discharge capacity appears, which is accentuated with increasing charge input. The thresholds charge input of 233 mAh/g corresponds to an amount of hydrogen absorbed into the alloy of 0.8 wt.% (MgNiH 0.7). For higher absorbed hydrogen amounts, it is assumed that extended electrode pulverization occurs, which breaks the passive surface layer of Mg(OH) 2 formed during the first charge/discharge cycle. This creates unprotected fresh MgNi surfaces and consequently, leads to electrode capacity degradation. The stability of the MgNi electrode for absorbed hydrogen content lower than 0.8 wt.% may be related to its amorphous character, which favors a gradual volume expansion upon hydrogen absorption in contrast to crystalline compounds characterized by an abrupt α-to-β lattice expansion.

How environmental and genetic factors combine to cause autism: A redox/methylation hypothesis.

PubMed

Deth, Richard; Muratore, Christina; Benzecry, Jorge; Power-Charnitsky, Verna-Ann; Waly, Mostafa

2008-01-01

Recently higher rates of autism diagnosis suggest involvement of environmental factors in causing this developmental disorder, in concert with genetic risk factors. Autistic children exhibit evidence of oxidative stress and impaired methylation, which may reflect effects of toxic exposure on sulfur metabolism. We review the metabolic relationship between oxidative stress and methylation, with particular emphasis on adaptive responses that limit activity of cobalamin and folate-dependent methionine synthase. Methionine synthase activity is required for dopamine-stimulated phospholipid methylation, a unique membrane-delimited signaling process mediated by the D4 dopamine receptor that promotes neuronal synchronization and attention, and synchrony is impaired in autism. Genetic polymorphisms adversely affecting sulfur metabolism, methylation, detoxification, dopamine signaling and the formation of neuronal networks occur more frequently in autistic subjects. On the basis of these observations, a "redox/methylation hypothesis of autism" is described, in which oxidative stress, initiated by environment factors in genetically vulnerable individuals, leads to impaired methylation and neurological deficits secondary to reductions in the capacity for synchronizing neural networks.

Impaired visual short-term memory capacity is distinctively associated with structural connectivity of the posterior thalamic radiation and the splenium of the corpus callosum in preterm-born adults.

PubMed

Menegaux, Aurore; Meng, Chun; Neitzel, Julia; Bäuml, Josef G; Müller, Hermann J; Bartmann, Peter; Wolke, Dieter; Wohlschläger, Afra M; Finke, Kathrin; Sorg, Christian

2017-04-15

Preterm birth is associated with an increased risk for lasting changes in both the cortico-thalamic system and attention; however, the link between cortico-thalamic and attention changes is as yet little understood. In preterm newborns, cortico-cortical and cortico-thalamic structural connectivity are distinctively altered, with increased local clustering for cortico-cortical and decreased integrity for cortico-thalamic connectivity. In preterm-born adults, among the various attention functions, visual short-term memory (vSTM) capacity is selectively impaired. We hypothesized distinct associations between vSTM capacity and the structural integrity of cortico-thalamic and cortico-cortical connections, respectively, in preterm-born adults. A whole-report paradigm of briefly presented letter arrays based on the computationally formalized Theory of Visual Attention (TVA) was used to quantify parameter vSTM capacity in 26 preterm- and 21 full-term-born adults. Fractional anisotropy (FA) of posterior thalamic radiations and the splenium of the corpus callosum obtained by diffusion tensor imaging were analyzed by tract-based spatial statistics and used as proxies for cortico-thalamic and cortico-cortical structural connectivity. The relationship between vSTM capacity and cortico-thalamic and cortico-cortical connectivity, respectively, was significantly modified by prematurity. In full-term-born adults, the higher FA in the right posterior thalamic radiation the higher vSTM capacity; in preterm-born adults this FA-vSTM-relationship was inversed. In the splenium, higher FA was correlated with higher vSTM capacity in preterm-born adults, whereas no significant relationship was evident in full-term-born adults. These results indicate distinct associations between cortico-thalamic and cortico-cortical integrity and vSTM capacity in preterm-and full-term-born adults. Data suggest compensatory cortico-cortical fiber re-organization for attention deficits after preterm delivery. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Organizational capacity for change in health care: Development and validation of a scale.

PubMed

Spaulding, Aaron; Kash, Bita A; Johnson, Christopher E; Gamm, Larry

We do not have a strong understanding of a health care organization's capacity for attempting and completing multiple and sometimes competing change initiatives. Capacity for change implementation is a critical success factor as the health care industry is faced with ongoing demands for change and transformation because of technological advances, market forces, and regulatory environment. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a tool to measure health care organizations' capacity to change by building upon previous conceptualizations of absorptive capacity and organizational readiness for change. A multistep process was used to develop the organizational capacity for change survey. The survey was sent to two populations requesting answers to questions about the organization's leadership, culture, and technologies in use throughout the organization. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to validate the survey as a measurement tool for organizational capacity for change in the health care setting. The resulting organizational capacity for change measurement tool proves to be a valid and reliable method of evaluating a hospital's capacity for change through the measurement of the population's perceptions related to leadership, culture, and organizational technologies. The organizational capacity for change measurement tool can help health care managers and leaders evaluate the capacity of employees, departments, and teams for change before large-scale implementation.

A Comprehensive Evaluation System for Military Hospitals' Response Capability to Bio-terrorism.

PubMed

Wang, Hui; Jiang, Nan; Shao, Sicong; Zheng, Tao; Sun, Jianzhong

2015-05-01

The objective of this study is to establish a comprehensive evaluation system for military hospitals' response capacity to bio-terrorism. Literature research and Delphi method were utilized to establish the comprehensive evaluation system for military hospitals' response capacity to bio-terrorism. Questionnaires were designed and used to survey the status quo of 134 military hospitals' response capability to bio-terrorism. Survey indicated that factor analysis method was suitable to for analyzing the comprehensive evaluation system for military hospitals' response capacity to bio-terrorism. The constructed evaluation system was consisted of five first-class and 16 second-class indexes. Among them, medical response factor was considered as the most important factor with weight coefficient of 0.660, followed in turn by the emergency management factor with weight coefficient of 0.109, emergency management consciousness factor with weight coefficient of 0.093, hardware support factor with weight coefficient of 0.078, and improvement factor with weight coefficient of 0.059. The constructed comprehensive assessment model and system are scientific and practical.

Comparative analysis of rat mesenchymal stem cells derived from slow and fast skeletal muscle in vitro.

PubMed

Okumachi, Etsuko; Lee, Sang Yang; Niikura, Takahiro; Iwakura, Takashi; Dogaki, Yoshihiro; Waki, Takahiro; Takahara, Shunsuke; Ueha, Takeshi; Sakai, Yoshitada; Kuroda, Ryosuke; Kurosaka, Masahiro

2015-03-01

Skeletal muscle comprises different kinds of muscle fibres that can be classified as slow and fast fibres. The purpose of this study was to compare the yield, proliferation, and multi-potentiality of rat mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from the tibialis anterior (TA; fast muscle) and soleus (SO; slow muscle) in vitro. The TA and SO muscles were harvested, and isolated cells were plated. After two hours, the cells were washed extensively to remove any cell that did not adhere to the cell culture plate. The adherent cells, namely MSCs, were then cultured. Both types of MSCs were differentiated toward the osteogenic, chondrogenic and adipogenic lineages using lineage specific induction factors. The colony-forming unit fibroblast (CFU-F) assay revealed that the SO contained significantly higher quantities of MSCs than the TA. The self-renewal capacity of MSCs derived from the TA was significantly higher at later passages (passage 9-11). Both types of MSCs exhibited similar cell surface antigens to bone marrow (BM)-derived MSCs and were positive for CD29, CD44, and CD90 and negative for CD11b, CD34, and CD45. TA-derived MSCs were superior in terms of osteogenic differentiation capacity, but there was no significant difference in chondrogenic and adipogenic differentiation capacity. Our results demonstrated significant differences in the properties of muscle-derived MSCs from different muscle types (i.e. fast or slow muscles). The greater expandability and osteogenic differentiation ability of TA-derived MSCs suggests that fast muscle may be a better source for generating large numbers of MSCs for bone regeneration.

Improved Isolation, Proliferation, and Differentiation Capacity of Mouse Ovarian Putative Stem Cells.

PubMed

Yazdekhasti, Hossein; Hosseini, Marzieh Agha; Rajabi, Zahra; Parvari, Soraya; Salehnia, Mojdeh; Koruji, Morteza; Izadyar, Fariborz; Aliakbari, Fereshte; Abbasi, Mehdi

2017-04-01

The recent discovery of ovarian stem cells in postnatal mammalian ovaries, also referred to as putative stem cells (PSCs), and their roles in mammalian fertility has challenged the long-existing theory that women are endowed with a certain number of germ cells. The rare amount of PSCs is the major limitation for utilizing them through different applications. Therefore, this study was conducted in six phases to find a way to increase the number of Fragilis- and mouse vasa homolog (MVH)-positive sorted cells from 14-day-old NMRI strain mice. Results showed that there is a population of Fragilis- and MVH-positive cells with pluripotent stem cell characteristics, which can be isolated and expanded for months in vitro. PSCs increase their proliferation capacity under the influence of some mitogenic agents, and our results showed that different doses of stem cell factor (SCF) induce PSC proliferation with the maximum increase observed at 50 ng/mL. SCF was also able to increase the number of Fragilis- and MVH-positive cells after sorting by magnetic-activated cell sorting and enhance colony formation efficiency in sorted cells. Differentiation capacity assay indicated that there is a basic level of spontaneous differentiation toward oocyte-like cells during 3 days of culture. However, relative gene expression was significantly higher in the follicle-stimulating hormone-treated groups, especially in the Fragilis- sorted PSCs. We suggest that higher number of PSCs provides us either a greater source of energy that can be injected into energy-impaired oocytes in women with a history of repeat IVF failure or a good source for research.

Water Vapor Permeability of the Advanced Crew Escape Suit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bue, Grant; Kuznetz, Larry; Gillis, David; Jones, Jeffery; Daniel, Brian; Gernhardt, Michael; Hamilton, Douglas

2009-01-01

Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) crewmembers are expected to return to earth wearing a suit similar to the current Advanced Crew Escape Suit (ACES). To ensure optimum cognitive performance, suited crewmembers must maintain their core body temperature within acceptable limits. There are currently several options for thermal maintenance in the post-landing phase. These include the current baseline, which uses an ammonia boiler, purge flow using oxygen in the suit, accessing sea water for liquid cooling garment (LCG) cooling and/or relying on the evaporative cooling capacity of the suit. These options vary significantly in mass, power, engineering and safety factors, with relying on the evaporative cooling capacity of the suit being the least difficult to implement. Data from previous studies indicates that the evaporative cooling capacity of the ACES was much higher than previously expected, but subsequent tests were performed for longer duration and higher metabolic rates to better define the water vapor permeability of the ACES. In these tests five subjects completed a series of tests performing low to moderate level exercise in order to control for a target metabolic rate while wearing the ACES in an environmentally controlled thermal chamber. Four different metabolic profiles at a constant temperature of 95 F and relative humidity of 50% were evaluated. These tests showed subjects were able to reject about twice as much heat in the permeable ACES as they were in an impermeable suit that had less thermal insulation. All of the heat rejection differential is attributed to the increased evaporation capability through the Gortex bladder of the suit.

Superhydrophobic graphene-based sponge as a novel sorbent for crude oil removal under various environmental conditions.

PubMed

Shiu, Ruei-Feng; Lee, Chon-Lin; Hsieh, Ping-Yen; Chen, Chi-Shuo; Kang, Yun-Yi; Chin, Wei-Chun; Tai, Nyan-Hwa

2018-05-15

Mechanical recovery of oils using oil sorbents is one of the most important approaches to manage marine oil spills. However, the properties of the oils spilled into sea are influenced by external environmental conditions. In this study, we present a graphene-based (GB) sponge as a novel sorbent for crude oil removal and compare its performance with that of a commercial sorbent sheet under various environmental parameters. The GB sponge with excellent superhydrophobic and superoleophilic characteristics is demonstrated to be an efficient sorbent for crude oils, with high sorption capacity (up to 85-95 times its weight) and good reusability. The crude-oil-sorption capacity of our GB sponge is remarkably higher (about 4-5 times) than that of the commercial sheet and most other previously reported sponge sorbents. Moreover, several challenging environmental conditions were examined for their effects on the sorption performance, including the weathering time of oils, seawater temperature, and turbulence (wave effect). The results show that the viscosity of the oil increased with increasing weathering time or decreasing temperature; therefore, the sorption rate seemed to decrease with longer weathering times and lower temperatures. Turbulence can facilitate inner sorption and promote higher oil sorption. Our results indicate that the extent of the effects of weather and other environmental factors on crude oil should be considered in the assessment of the effective adsorption capacity and efficiency of sorbents. The present work also highlights the widespread potential applications of our GB sponge in marine spilled-oil cleanup and hydrophobic solvent removal. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Studies on Some Factors Affecting the Quantitative Estimation of the Exchange Capacity of Organic Matter

Treesearch

Walter M. Broadfoot; Edward H. Tyner

1939-01-01

Methods which are satisfactory for determining the base-exchange capacity of mineral soils can not be applied indiscriminately for determining the exchange capacity of fresh or decomposed plant residues.

Phenolics and antioxidant capacity of table grape (Vitis vinifera L.) cultivars grown in Chile.

PubMed

Lutz, Mariane; Jorquera, Katterin; Cancino, Beatriz; Ruby, Rene; Henriquez, Carolina

2011-09-01

Grapes (Vitis vinifera L.) possess health-promoting effects attributed to their supply of a wide variety of bioactive phenolics. Juice and skin fractions of 4 varieties of table grapes: Red Globe, Crimson Seedless, Autumn Royal, and Ribier were prepared to determine and compare their total phenolics content, antioxidant capacity (DPPH, FRAP, and ORAC), anthocyanins, and specific phenolics (caffeic acid, gallic acid, resveratrol, and catechin) content, since a series of positive health benefits are expected from the intake of any of these fractions. Higher amounts of total phenolics and antioxidant capacity were observed in the skin fractions (P < 0.05). Blue grapes (Autumn Royal and Ribier) exhibited higher phenolics content and antioxidant capacity (P < 0.05) than red grapes. The most abundant phenolic compound observed was catechin (P < 0.05). Significant correlations between the antioxidant capacity and total phenolics were observed in grape juice and skin fractions. Autumn Royal juice provides a very high amount of phenolics, anthocyanins, and exhibits the highest antioxidant capacity, offering the best health promoting properties compared with the other grape varieties studied. Grapes possess health-promoting effects attributed to their supply of a wide variety of bioactive phenolics. Grape juice made with blue grapes (Autumn Royal, Ribier) exhibit higher phenolics content and antioxidant capacity than juice elaborated with red grapes (Red Globe, Crimson Seedless). The skin is a good source of phenolics and has a high antioxidant capacity. Specific health-promoting phenolics are more abundant in blue grapes, mainly in their skin fraction, which should not be discarded. © 2011 Institute of Food Technologists®

Performance Assessment of Flashed Steam Geothermal Power Plant

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

Alt, Theodore E.

1980-12-01

Five years of operating experience at the Comision Federal de Electricidad (CFE) Cerro Prieto flashed steam geothermal power plant are evaluated from the perspective of U. S. utility operations. We focus on the design and maintenance of the power plant that led to the achievement of high plant capacity factors for Units No. 1 and 2 since commercial operation began in 1973. For this study, plant capacity factor is the ratio of the average load on the machines or equipment for the period of time considered to the capacity rating of the machines or equipment. The plant capacity factor ismore » the annual gross output in GWh compared to 657 GWh (2 x 37.5 MW x 8760 h). The CFE operates Cerro Prieto at base load consistent with the system connected electrical demand of the Baja California Division. The plant output was curtailed during the winter months of 1973-1975 when the system electric demand was less than the combined output capability of Cerro Prieto and the fossil fuel plant near Tijuana. Each year the system electric demand has increased and the Cerro Prieto units now operate at full load all the time. The CFE added Units 3 and 4 to Cerro Prieto in 1979 which increased the plant name plate capacity to 150 MW. Part of this additional capacity will supply power to San Diego Gas and Electric Company through an interconnection across the border. The achievement of a high capacity factor over an extensive operating period was influenced by operation, design, and maintenance of the geothermal flash steam power plant.« less

A Probabilistic Model of Visual Working Memory: Incorporating Higher Order Regularities into Working Memory Capacity Estimates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brady, Timothy F.; Tenenbaum, Joshua B.

2013-01-01

When remembering a real-world scene, people encode both detailed information about specific objects and higher order information like the overall gist of the scene. However, formal models of change detection, like those used to estimate visual working memory capacity, assume observers encode only a simple memory representation that includes no…

Antioxidant Capacity as a Marker for Assessing the In Vitro Performance of the Endangered Cistus heterophyllus

PubMed Central

López-Orenes, Antonio; Ros-Marín, Antonio F.; Ferrer, María A.; Calderón, Antonio A.

2013-01-01

Cistus heterophyllus subsp. carthaginensis is an endemic and endangered species from the SE Mediterranean coastal region of Spain. Within the framework of the efforts aiming to species conservation, in vitro culture techniques could be of interest. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant capacity of C. heterophyllus shoot cultures as a possible marker of in vitro performance. The effects of five different basal salt formulations and cytokinin levels on in vitro performance and antioxidant capacity were examined. K+/Na+ and Ca2+/Na+ ratios initially present in culture media greatly affected the antioxidant capacity (the lower the ratios the higher the antioxidant capacity). Increasing concentrations of BA resulted in higher antioxidant capacity. The results obtained point to antioxidant capacity as being a marker of incidence of stress conditions in in vitro cultured C. heterophyllus. A good correlation was found between antioxidant capacity and total soluble phenolics present in Cistus extracts. Catechin was identified in all the extracts and its levels were found to change parallel to the antioxidant capacity, pointing to a prominent role played by this flavonoid in C. heterophyllus defence against oxidative stress, which in turn affects the in vitro performance of this species. PMID:24453805

LDL oxidation, antioxidant capacity and growth of cultured grey mullet ( Mugil cephalus ) fed dietary sorghum distillery residue pretreated with polyethylene glycol.

PubMed

Lee, Shin Mei; Cheng, Hui Ling; Pan, Bonnie Sun

2009-09-09

Dietary sorghum distillery residue (SDR) showed antioxidant and blood thinning effects on grey mullet during winter, but inhibited their growth. The objective of this study was to establish a preliminary treatment of the dietary SDR with polyethylene glycol (PEG), a tannin-binding agent, to enhance growth and blood antioxidant capacity of grey mullet ( Mugil cephalus ) feed. The feeding trial was carried out from June to November. The water temperature was between 25 and 30 degrees C; the specific growth rate of mullet was reduced significantly by feeding diet containing 20% SDR in comparison to fish fed the control diet or diet containing 20% SDR and PEG. In the period of October-November, the water temperature decreased to 19-25 degrees C; the specific growth rates of the 20% SDR-PEG group and the 20% SDR group were 0.13 and 0.19% day(-1), respectively, significantly higher than those fed the control diet (0.07% day(-1)). Feeding with 20% SDR or 20% SDR-PEG diets resulted in prolonged lag phase of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation compared to fish fed the control diet. The total antioxidant capacity of the plasma of the grey mullet fed 20% SDR-PEG was 1.24 mmol/L, significantly higher than those in the fish fed 20% SDR diet (0.84 mmol/L) or the control (0.72 mmol/L). In vivo observations found that preliminary treatment of SDR with PEG eliminated the endogenous undesirable growth inhibitory factors but maintained its protective effects against LDL oxidation in blood and improved the total antioxidant capacity and cold adaptation of grey mullet. The ethanol extract of SDR contained 31.9 +/- 7.8 mg/g gallic acids equivalent. The concentration needed to scavenge 50% of the DPPH radicals (IC(50)) was 0.86 mg/mL. Increased gallic acid equivalent and decreased IC(50) of DPPH scavenging activity of SDR fed to fish increased the total antioxidant capacity in blood plasma of grey mullet significantly.

Colloidal silica films for high-capacity DNA arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glazer, Marc Irving

The human genome project has greatly expanded the amount of genetic information available to researchers, but before this vast new source of data can be fully utilized, techniques for rapid, large-scale analysis of DNA and RNA must continue to develop. DNA arrays have emerged as a powerful new technology for analyzing genomic samples in a highly parallel format. The detection sensitivity of these arrays is dependent on the quantity and density of immobilized probe molecules. We have investigated substrates with a porous, "three-dimensional" surface layer as a means of increasing the surface area available for the synthesis of oligonucleotide probes, thereby increasing the number of available probes and the amount of detectable bound target. Porous colloidal silica films were created by two techniques. In the first approach, films were deposited by spin-coating silica colloid suspensions onto flat glass substrates, with the pores being formed by the natural voids between the solid particles (typically 23nm pores, 35% porosity). In the second approach, latex particles were co-deposited with the silica and then pyrolyzed, creating films with larger pores (36 nm), higher porosity (65%), and higher surface area. For 0.3 mum films, enhancements of eight to ten-fold and 12- to 14-fold were achieved with the pure silica films and the films "templated" with polymer latex, respectively. In gene expression assays for up to 7,000 genes using complex biological samples, the high-capacity films provided enhanced signals and performed equivalently or better than planar glass on all other functional measures, confirming that colloidal silica films are a promising platform for high-capacity DNA arrays. We have also investigated the kinetics of hybridization on planar glass and high-capacity substrates. Adsorption on planar arrays is similar to ideal Langmuir-type adsorption, although with an "overshoot" at high solution concentration. Hybridization on high-capacity films is controlled by traditional adsorption (ka) and desorption (kd) coefficients, as well as morphology factors and transient binding interactions between the target and probes. The strength of the transient probe/target binding interactions are on the order of 5--7 DNA base pairs, which suggests the formation of nucleation or other metastable complexes, rather than fully-zippered duplexes.

Effect of degree of deacetylation of chitosan on adsorption capacity and reusability of chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol/TiO2 nano composite.

PubMed

Habiba, Umma; Joo, Tan Chin; Siddique, Tawsif A; Salleh, Areisman; Ang, Bee Chin; Afifi, Amalina M

2017-11-01

The chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol/TiO 2 composite was synthesized. Two different degrees of deacetylation of chitosan were prepared by hydrolysis to compare the effectiveness of them. The composite was analyzed via field emission scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared, X-ray diffraction, thermal gravimetric analysis, weight loss test and adsorption study. The FTIR and XRD results proved the interaction among chitosan, PVA and TiO 2 without any chemical reaction. It was found that, chitosan with higher degree of deacetylation has better stability. Furthermore, it also showed that higher DD of chitosan required less time to reach equilibrium for methyl orange. The adsorption followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models were fitted well for isotherm study. Adsorption capacity was higher for the composite containing chitosan with higher DD. The dye removal rate was independent of the dye's initial concentration. The adsorption capacity was increased with temperature and it was found from reusability test that the composite containing chitosan with higher DD is more reusable. It was notable that adsorption capacity was even after 15 runs. Therefore, chitosan/PVA/TiO 2 composite can be a very useful material for dye removal. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Construct validity of functional capacity tests in healthy workers

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Functional Capacity (FC) is a multidimensional construct within the activity domain of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health framework (ICF). Functional capacity evaluations (FCEs) are assessments of work-related FC. The extent to which these work-related FC tests are associated to bio-, psycho-, or social factors is unknown. The aims of this study were to test relationships between FC tests and other ICF factors in a sample of healthy workers, and to determine the amount of statistical variance in FC tests that can be explained by these factors. Methods A cross sectional study. The sample was comprised of 403 healthy workers who completed material handling FC tests (lifting low, overhead lifting, and carrying) and static work FC tests (overhead working and standing forward bend). The explainable variables were; six muscle strength tests; aerobic capacity test; and questionnaires regarding personal factors (age, gender, body height, body weight, and education), psychological factors (mental health, vitality, and general health perceptions), and social factors (perception of work, physical workloads, sport-, leisure time-, and work-index). A priori construct validity hypotheses were formulated and analyzed by means of correlation coefficients and regression analyses. Results Moderate correlations were detected between material handling FC tests and muscle strength, gender, body weight, and body height. As for static work FC tests; overhead working correlated fair with aerobic capacity and handgrip strength, and low with the sport-index and perception of work. For standing forward bend FC test, all hypotheses were rejected. The regression model revealed that 61% to 62% of material handling FC tests were explained by physical factors. Five to 15% of static work FC tests were explained by physical and social factors. Conclusions The current study revealed that, in a sample of healthy workers, material handling FC tests were related to physical factors but not to the psychosocial factors measured in this study. The construct of static work FC tests remained largely unexplained. PMID:23758870

Factors that drive the gap in diabetes rates between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people in non-remote NSW.

PubMed

Reeve, Rebecca; Church, Jody; Haas, Marion; Bradford, Wylie; Viney, Rosalie

2014-10-01

To identify factors underpinning the gap in diabetes rates between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people in non-remote NSW. This will indicate appropriate target areas for policy and for monitoring progress towards reducing the gap. Data from the 2004-05 National Health Survey and National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey were used to estimate differences in self-reported diabetes rates and risk/prevention factors between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people in non-remote NSW. Logistic regression models were used to investigate the contribution of each factor to predicting the probability of diabetes. Risk factors for diabetes are more prevalent and diabetes rates 2.5 to 4 times higher in Aboriginal compared to non-Aboriginal adults in non-remote NSW. The odds of (known) diabetes for both groups are significantly higher for older people, those with low levels of education and those who are overweight or obese. In the Aboriginal sample, the odds of diabetes are significantly higher for people reporting forced removal of their relatives. Differences in BMI and education appear to be driving the diabetes gap, together with onset at younger ages in the Aboriginal population. Psychological distress, indicated by removal of relatives, may contribute to increased risk of diabetes in the Aboriginal population. The results imply that improved nutrition and exercise, capacity to access and act upon health care information and early intervention are required to reduce the diabetes gap. Current strategies appear to be appropriately aligned with the evidence; however, further research is required to determine whether implementation methods are effective. © 2014 Public Health Association of Australia.

Utility-Scale Energy Technology Capacity Factors | Energy Analysis | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Transparent Cost Database Button This chart indicates the range of recent capacity factor estimates for utility-scale technology cost and performance estimates, please visit the Transparent Cost Database website for NREL's information regarding vehicles, biofuels, and electricity generation. Capital Cost

Occupational health physicians have better work conditions for handling sickness certification compared with general practitioners: results from a nationwide survey in Sweden.

PubMed

Ljungquist, Therese; Alexanderson, Kristina; Kjeldgård, Linnea; Arrelöv, Britt; Nilsson, Gunnar H

2015-02-01

To study whether occupational health physicians (OPs) have a better work situation regarding handling of sickness certification compared with other physicians, in particular general practitioners (GPs), and to analyze associations between OPs' experiences of assessing and providing a long-term prognosis of patients' work capacity and some potentially interrelated factors. Answers to a nationwide survey from physicians who had sickness certification consultations at least once monthly were analyzed. Differences among OPs (n=481), GPs (n=4257) and physicians working in other clinical settings (n=9452) were estimated by chi square tests. Associations between OPs' experiences as above and potentially interrelated factors were estimated using logistic regression analyses. Among OPs, a lower proportion experienced clinical work situations related to sickness certifications as 'very problematic', compared with the other physicians, and especially so compared with GPs. A higher proportion of OPs also had organizational support for handling sickness certifications. For OPs, experience of sickness certification consultations as problematic once a month or less often, not experiencing sickness certification tasks as a work environment problem, and having a well-established workplace policy regarding sickness certification matters were significantly positively associated with finding assessing and providing a long-term prognosis of work capacity as 'not at all/somewhat problematic'. OPs' work situation regarding sickness certifications was favorable compared with that of other physicians, and especially compared with that of GPS. Our results underline the importance of organizational support for ensuring physicians' experience of having professional competence in handling assessments of patients' work capacity. © 2014 the Nordic Societies of Public Health.

Community characteristics affecting emergency department use by Medicaid enrollees.

PubMed

Lowe, Robert A; Fu, Rongwei; Ong, Emerson T; McGinnis, Paul B; Fagnan, Lyle J; Vuckovic, Nancy; Gallia, Charles

2009-01-01

In seeking to identify modifiable, system-level factors affecting emergency department (ED) use, we used a statewide Medicaid database to study community variation in ED use and ascertain community characteristics associated with higher use. This historical cohort study used administrative data from July 1, 2003 to December 31, 2004. Residence ZIP codes were used to assign all 555,219 Medicaid enrollees to 130 primary care service areas (PCSAs). PCSA characteristics studied included rural/urban status, presence of hospital(s), driving time to hospital, and several measures of primary care capacity. Statistical analyses used a 2-stage model. In the first stage (enrollee level), ED utilization rates adjusted for enrollee demographics and medical conditions were calculated for each PCSA. In the second stage (community level), a mixed effects linear model was used to determine the association between PCSA characteristics and ED use. ED utilization rates varied more than 20-fold among the PCSAs. Compared with PCSAs with primary care capacity less than need, PCSAs with capacity 1 to 2 times the need had 0.12 (95% CI: -0.044, -0.20) fewer ED visits/person/yr. Compared with PCSAs with the nearest hospital accessible within 10 minutes, PCSAs with the nearest hospital >30 minutes' drive had 0.26 (95% CI: -0.38, -0.13) fewer ED visits/person/yr. Within this Medicaid population, ED utilization was determined not only by patient characteristics but by community characteristics. Better understanding of system-level factors affecting ED use can enable communities to improve their health care delivery systems-augmenting access to care and reducing reliance on EDs.

Metabolic activity, experiment M171. [space flight effects on human metabolism

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Michel, E. L.; Rummel, J. A.

1973-01-01

The Skylab metabolic activity experiment determines if man's metabolic effectiveness in doing mechanical work is progressively altered by a simulated Skylab environment, including environmental factors such as slightly increased pCO2. This test identified several hardware/procedural anomalies. The most important of these were: (1) the metabolic analyzer measured carbon dioxide production and expired water too high; (2) the ergometer load module failed under continuous high workload conditions; (3) a higher than desirable number of erroneous blood pressure measurements were recorded; (4) vital capacity measurements were unreliable; and (5) anticipated crew personal exercise needs to be more structured.

Electroplating lithium transition metal oxides.

PubMed

Zhang, Huigang; Ning, Hailong; Busbee, John; Shen, Zihan; Kiggins, Chadd; Hua, Yuyan; Eaves, Janna; Davis, Jerome; Shi, Tan; Shao, Yu-Tsun; Zuo, Jian-Min; Hong, Xuhao; Chan, Yanbin; Wang, Shuangbao; Wang, Peng; Sun, Pengcheng; Xu, Sheng; Liu, Jinyun; Braun, Paul V

2017-05-01

Materials synthesis often provides opportunities for innovation. We demonstrate a general low-temperature (260°C) molten salt electrodeposition approach to directly electroplate the important lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery cathode materials LiCoO 2 , LiMn 2 O 4 , and Al-doped LiCoO 2 . The crystallinities and electrochemical capacities of the electroplated oxides are comparable to those of the powders synthesized at much higher temperatures (700° to 1000°C). This new growth method significantly broadens the scope of battery form factors and functionalities, enabling a variety of highly desirable battery properties, including high energy, high power, and unprecedented electrode flexibility.

[Surgical research in Germany--an international comparison].

PubMed

Fendrich, V; Rothmund, M

2010-04-01

Surgical research in Germany occupies a lower position in international ranking than expected. According to the size of the population, the economic impact, the gross domestic product and the research funding capacity, the impact of German surgical research should be much higher. Reasons are a more intensive commitment to patient care, structural differences and a changing lifestyle in younger doctors in comparison to many leading countries. If the situation is to be improved all factors have to be evaluated and, if possible, changed. Overall, German surgeons are underrepresented as readers and authors in the scientific market, which is mostly in the English language.

Thermal acclimation in Antarctic fish: transcriptomic profiling of metabolic pathways.

PubMed

Windisch, Heidrun Sigrid; Kathöver, Raphaela; Pörtner, Hans-Otto; Frickenhaus, Stephan; Lucassen, Magnus

2011-11-01

It is widely accepted that adaptation to the extreme cold has evolved at the expense of high thermal sensitivity. However, recent studies have demonstrated significant capacities for warm acclimation in Antarctic fishes. Here, we report on hepatic metabolic reorganization and its putative molecular background in the Antarctic eelpout (Pachycara brachycephalum) during warm acclimation to 5°C over 6 wk. Elevated capacities of cytochrome c oxidase suggest the use of warm acclimation pathways different from those in temperate fish. The capacity of this enzyme rose by 90%, while citrate synthase (CS) activity fell by 20% from the very beginning. The capacity of lipid oxidation by hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase remained constant, whereas phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase as a marker for gluconeogenesis displayed 40% higher activities. These capacities in relation to CS indicate a metabolic shift from lipid to carbohydrate metabolism. The finding was supported by large rearrangements of the related transcriptome, both functional genes and potential transcription factors. A multivariate analysis (canonical correspondence analyses) of various transcripts subdivided the incubated animals in three groups, one control group and two responding on short and long timescales, respectively. A strong dichotomy in the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors-1α and -β receptors was most striking and has not previously been reported. Altogether, we identified a molecular network, which responds sensitively to warming beyond the realized ecological niche. The shift from lipid to carbohydrate stores and usage may support warm hardiness, as the latter sustain anaerobic metabolism and may prepare for hypoxemic conditions that would develop upon warming beyond the present acclimation temperature.

Sex Differences in Concomitant Trajectories of Self-Reported Disability and Measured Physical Capacity in Older Adults

PubMed Central

Allore, Heather G.; Mendes de Leon, Carlos F.; Gahbauer, Evelyne A.; Gill, Thomas M.

2016-01-01

Background: Despite documented age-related declines in self-reported functional status and measured physical capacity, it is unclear whether these functional indicators follow similar trajectories over time or whether the patterns of change differ by sex. Methods: We used longitudinal data from 687 initially nondisabled adults, aged 70 or older, from the Precipitating Events Project, who were evaluated every 18 months for nearly 14 years. Self-reported disability was assessed with a 12-item disability scale. Physical capacity was measured using grip strength and a modified version of Short Physical Performance Battery. Hierarchical linear models estimated the intra-individual trajectory of each functional indicator and differences in trajectories’ intercept and slope by sex. Results: Self-reported disability, grip strength, and Short Physical Performance Battery score declined over 13.5 years following nonlinear trajectories. Women experienced faster accumulation of self-reported disability, but slower declines in measured physical capacity, compared with men. Trajectory intercepts revealed that women had significantly weaker grip strength and reported higher levels of disability compared with men, with no differences in starting Short Physical Performance Battery scores. These findings were robust to adjustments for differences in sociodemographic characteristics, length-of-survival, health risk factors, and chronic-disease status. Conclusions: Despite the female disadvantage in self-reported disability, older women preserve measured physical capacity better than men over time. Self-reported and measured indicators should be viewed as complementary rather than interchangeable assessments of functional status for both clinical and research purposes, especially for sex-specific comparisons. PMID:27071781

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions: a duopoly market pricing competition and cooperation under the carbon emissions cap.

PubMed

Jian, Ming; He, Hua; Ma, Changsong; Wu, Yan; Yang, Hao

2017-05-17

This article studies the price competition and cooperation in a duopoly that is subjected to carbon emissions cap. The study assumes that in a departure from the classical Bertrand game, there is still a market for both firms' goods regardless of the product price, even though production capacity is limited by carbon emissions regulation. Through the decentralized decision making of both firms under perfect information, the results are unstable. The firm with the lower maximum production capacity under carbon emissions regulation and the firm with the higher maximum production capacity both seek market price cooperation. By designing an internal carbon credits trading mechanism, we can ensure that the production capacity of the firm with the higher maximum production capacity under carbon emissions regulation reaches price equilibrium. Also, the negotiation power of the duopoly would affect the price equilibrium.

Bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity of buriti (Mauritia flexuosa L.f.) from the Cerrado and Amazon biomes.

PubMed

Cândido, T L N; Silva, M R; Agostini-Costa, T S

2015-06-15

Pulp of buriti palms (Mauritia flexuosa L.f.) from two Brazilian regions had their phenolic and carotenoid contents and antioxidant capacity evaluated through different methods (ABTS, DPPH, FRAP and ORAC). Buriti pulp from the Cerrado presented higher phenolic levels (435.08 mg AGE 100 g(-1)) and elevated antioxidant capacity in all tests. The fruits from the Amazon region had a higher total carotenoid content (52.86 mg 100 g(-1)). Carotenoid profile has confirmed β-carotene predominance in both regions studied. The buritis' region of origin influenced bioactive compound contents and antioxidant capacity of the fruits analyzed. A significant positive correlation (r ⩽ 0.95; p<0.05) was observed between total phenolics and antioxidant capacity through the different methods applied. Results showed promising prospects for the future exploitation of buriti fruits as a potential source of carotenoids and natural antioxidants. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Mind wandering and reading comprehension: examining the roles of working memory capacity, interest, motivation, and topic experience.

PubMed

Unsworth, Nash; McMillan, Brittany D

2013-05-01

Individual differences in mind wandering and reading comprehension were examined in the current study. In particular, individual differences in mind wandering, working memory capacity, interest in the current topic, motivation to do well on the task, and topic experience and their relations with reading comprehension were examined in the current study. Using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling it was found that variation in mind wandering while reading was influenced by working memory capacity, topic interest, and motivation. Furthermore, these same factors, along with topic experience, influenced individual differences in reading comprehension. Importantly, several factors had direct effects on reading comprehension (and mind wandering), while the relation between reading comprehension (and mind wandering) and other factors occurred via indirect effects. These results suggest that both domain-general and domain-specific factors contribute to mind wandering while reading and to reading comprehension.

Chemical and functional properties of fibre concentrates obtained from by-products of coconut kernel.

PubMed

Yalegama, L L W C; Nedra Karunaratne, D; Sivakanesan, Ramiah; Jayasekara, Chitrangani

2013-11-01

The coconut kernel residues obtained after extraction of coconut milk (MR) and virgin coconut oil (VOR) were analysed for their potential as dietary fibres. VOR was defatted and treated chemically using three solvent systems to isolate coconut cell wall polysaccharides (CCWP). Nutritional composition of VOR, MR and CCWPs indicated that crude fibre, neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent fibre and hemicelluloses contents were higher in CCWPs than in VOR and MR. MR contained a notably higher content of fat than VOR and CCWPs. The oil holding capacity, water holding capacity and swelling capacity were also higher in CCWPs than in VOR and MR. All the isolates and MR and VOR had high metal binding capacities. The CCWPs when compared with commercially available fibre isolates, indicated improved dietary fibre properties. These results show that chemical treatment of coconut kernel by-products can enhance the performance of dietary fibre to yield a better product. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modeling and simulation of emergent behavior in transportation infrastructure restoration

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ojha, Akhilesh; Corns, Steven; Shoberg, Thomas G.; Qin, Ruwen; Long, Suzanna K.

2018-01-01

The objective of this chapter is to create a methodology to model the emergent behavior during a disruption in the transportation system and that calculates economic losses due to such a disruption, and to understand how an extreme event affects the road transportation network. The chapter discusses a system dynamics approach which is used to model the transportation road infrastructure system to evaluate the different factors that render road segments inoperable and calculate economic consequences of such inoperability. System dynamics models have been integrated with business process simulation model to evaluate, design, and optimize the business process. The chapter also explains how different factors affect the road capacity. After identifying the various factors affecting the available road capacity, a causal loop diagram (CLD) is created to visually represent the causes leading to a change in the available road capacity and the effects on travel costs when the available road capacity changes.

Geographical, meteorological and vectorial factors related to malaria re-emergence in Huang-Huai River of central China.

PubMed

Zhou, Shui S; Huang, Fang; Wang, Jian J; Zhang, Shao S; Su, Yun P; Tang, Lin H

2010-11-24

Malaria still represents a significant public health problem in China, and the cases dramatically increased in the areas along the Huang-Huai River of central China after 2001. Considering spatial aggregation of malaria cases and specific vectors, the geographical, meteorological and vectorial factors were analysed to determine the key factors related to malaria re-emergence in these particular areas. The geographic information of 357 malaria cases and 603 water bodies in 113 villages were collected to analyse the relationship between the residence of malaria cases and water body. Spearman rank correlation, multiple regression, curve fitting and trend analysis were used to explain the relationship between the meteorological factors and malaria incidence. Entomological investigation was conducted in two sites to get the vectorial capacity and the basic reproductive rate to determine whether the effect of vector lead to malaria re-emergence. The distances from household of cases to the nearest water-body was positive-skew distributed, the median was 60.9 m and 74% malaria cases were inhabited in the extent of 60 m near the water body, and the risk rate of people live there attacked by malaria was higher than others(OR = 1.6, 95%CI (1.042, 2.463), P < 0.05). The annual average temperature and rainfall may have close relationship with annual incidence. The average monthly temperature and rainfall were the key factors, and the correlation coefficients are 0.501 and 0.304(P < 0.01), respectively. Moreover, 75.3% changes of monthly malaria incidence contributed to the average monthly temperature (T(mean)), the average temperature of last two months(T(mean₀₁)) and the average rainfall of current month (R(mean)) and the regression equation was Y = -2.085 + 0.839I₁ + 0.998T(mean₀) - 0.86T(mean₀₁) + 0.16R(mean₀). All the collected mosquitoes were Anopheles sinensis. The vectorial capacity and the basic reproductive rate of An. sinensis in two sites were 0.6969, 0.4983 and 2.1604, 1.5447, respectively. The spatial distribution between malaria cases and water-body, the changing of meteorological factors, and increasing vectorial capacity and basic reproductive rate of An. sinensis leaded to malaria re-emergence in these areas.

Geographical, meteorological and vectorial factors related to malaria re-emergence in Huang-Huai River of central China

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Malaria still represents a significant public health problem in China, and the cases dramatically increased in the areas along the Huang-Huai River of central China after 2001. Considering spatial aggregation of malaria cases and specific vectors, the geographical, meteorological and vectorial factors were analysed to determine the key factors related to malaria re-emergence in these particular areas. Methods The geographic information of 357 malaria cases and 603 water bodies in 113 villages were collected to analyse the relationship between the residence of malaria cases and water body. Spearman rank correlation, multiple regression, curve fitting and trend analysis were used to explain the relationship between the meteorological factors and malaria incidence. Entomological investigation was conducted in two sites to get the vectorial capacity and the basic reproductive rate to determine whether the effect of vector lead to malaria re-emergence. Results The distances from household of cases to the nearest water-body was positive-skew distributed, the median was 60.9 m and 74% malaria cases were inhabited in the extent of 60 m near the water body, and the risk rate of people live there attacked by malaria was higher than others(OR = 1.6, 95%CI (1.042, 2.463), P < 0.05). The annual average temperature and rainfall may have close relationship with annual incidence. The average monthly temperature and rainfall were the key factors, and the correlation coefficients are 0.501 and 0.304(P < 0.01), respectively. Moreover, 75.3% changes of monthly malaria incidence contributed to the average monthly temperature (Tmean), the average temperature of last two months(Tmean01) and the average rainfall of current month (Rmean) and the regression equation was Y = -2.085 + 0.839I1 + 0.998Tmean0 - 0.86Tmean01 + 0.16Rmean0. All the collected mosquitoes were Anopheles sinensis. The vectorial capacity and the basic reproductive rate of An. sinensis in two sites were 0.6969, 0.4983 and 2.1604, 1.5447, respectively. Conclusion The spatial distribution between malaria cases and water-body, the changing of meteorological factors, and increasing vectorial capacity and basic reproductive rate of An. sinensis leaded to malaria re-emergence in these areas. PMID:21092326

Remote sensing-based characterization of land management and biophysical factors in grassland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramspott, Matthew E.

Land use and management are important factors influencing ecosystem functions, including the cycling of carbon (C) in plant/soil systems. Information about land use and management, needed to prioritize conservation efforts in managed grasslands of the Central Great Plains, can be obtained using remote sensing techniques, but this process is complex in grasslands because of the subtle class differences, large within-class variability, and complex seasonal changes in canopy spectral characteristics. In this study, time-series of remotely sensed data were used to derive vegetation index (VI) and image texture measures. The utility of these measures for classification of five managed grassland types was assessed using ANOVA and stepwise discriminant analysis methods. Image texture was found to improve the accuracy of classification by ˜13% over the use of VI alone. The optimal timing of data acquisition for classification with VI was found to be in April/May and in October; optimal timing for acquisition of texture was in June. Remotely sensed VI have been commonly used to model photosynthetic capacity and net primary production in ecosystems. Since VI theoretically assume canopy conditions of uniform geometry and greenness, seasonally variable management-induced changes in the grassland canopy can potentially influence the VI response and therefore the strength and stability of the model. This study examined the seasonal and inter-annual stability of the relationship between VI and photosynthetic capacity under both idealized and realized conditions. With regression analysis, the relationship between VI and field-measured estimates of photosynthetic capacity was established and evaluated. This work identified two types of management activity strongly influencing the stability of this relationship: (1) Conservation management, in which the vegetation is neither hayed nor grazed, results in accumulation of senescent canopy material and leads to lower than expected VI response; (2) Heavy grazing management leads to elevated levels of forb (non-grass species) cover in the canopy coupled with low photosynthetic capacity and high levels of bare ground, resulting in higher than expected VI response. When sites exhibiting these characteristics were removed, the relationship between VI and photosynthetic capacity was found to be stable seasonally and between years.

Computation and measurement of cell decision making errors using single cell data

PubMed Central

Habibi, Iman; Cheong, Raymond; Levchenko, Andre; Emamian, Effat S.; Abdi, Ali

2017-01-01

In this study a new computational method is developed to quantify decision making errors in cells, caused by noise and signaling failures. Analysis of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) signaling pathway which regulates the transcription factor Nuclear Factor κB (NF-κB) using this method identifies two types of incorrect cell decisions called false alarm and miss. These two events represent, respectively, declaring a signal which is not present and missing a signal that does exist. Using single cell experimental data and the developed method, we compute false alarm and miss error probabilities in wild-type cells and provide a formulation which shows how these metrics depend on the signal transduction noise level. We also show that in the presence of abnormalities in a cell, decision making processes can be significantly affected, compared to a wild-type cell, and the method is able to model and measure such effects. In the TNF—NF-κB pathway, the method computes and reveals changes in false alarm and miss probabilities in A20-deficient cells, caused by cell’s inability to inhibit TNF-induced NF-κB response. In biological terms, a higher false alarm metric in this abnormal TNF signaling system indicates perceiving more cytokine signals which in fact do not exist at the system input, whereas a higher miss metric indicates that it is highly likely to miss signals that actually exist. Overall, this study demonstrates the ability of the developed method for modeling cell decision making errors under normal and abnormal conditions, and in the presence of transduction noise uncertainty. Compared to the previously reported pathway capacity metric, our results suggest that the introduced decision error metrics characterize signaling failures more accurately. This is mainly because while capacity is a useful metric to study information transmission in signaling pathways, it does not capture the overlap between TNF-induced noisy response curves. PMID:28379950

Removal efficiency of particulate matters at different underlying surfaces in Beijing.

PubMed

Liu, Jiakai; Mo, Lichun; Zhu, Lijuan; Yang, Yilian; Liu, Jiatong; Qiu, Dongdong; Zhang, Zhenming; Liu, Jinglan

2016-01-01

Particulate matter (PM) pollution has been increasingly becoming serious in Beijing and has drawn the attention of the local government and general public. This study was conducted during early spring of 2013 and 2014 to monitor the concentration of PM at three different land surfaces (bare land, urban forest, and lake) in the Olympic Park in Beijing and to analyze its effect on the concentration of meteorological factors and the dry deposition onto different land cover types. The results showed that diurnal variation of PM concentrations at the three different land surfaces had no significant regulations, and sharp short-term increases in PM10 (particulate matter having an aerodynamic diameter <10 μm) occurred occasionally. The concentrations also differed from one land cover type to another at the same time, but the regulation was insignificant. The most important meteorological factor influencing the PM concentration is relative humidity; it is positively correlated with the PM concentration. While in the forests, the wind speed and irradiance also influenced the PM concentration by affecting the capture capacity of trees and dry deposition velocity. Other factors were not correlated with or influenced by the PM concentration. In addition, the hourly dry deposition in unit area (μg/m(2)) onto the three types of land surfaces and the removal efficiency based on the ratio of dry deposition and PM concentration were calculated. The results showed that the forest has the best removal capacity for both PM2.5 (particulate matter having an aerodynamic diameter <2.5 μm) and PM10 because of the faster deposition velocity and relatively low resuspension rate. The lake's PM10 removal efficiency is higher than that of the bare land because of the relatively higher PM resuspension rates on the bare land. However, the PM2.5 removal efficiency is lower than that of the bare land because of the significantly lower dry deposition velocity.

Computation and measurement of cell decision making errors using single cell data.

PubMed

Habibi, Iman; Cheong, Raymond; Lipniacki, Tomasz; Levchenko, Andre; Emamian, Effat S; Abdi, Ali

2017-04-01

In this study a new computational method is developed to quantify decision making errors in cells, caused by noise and signaling failures. Analysis of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) signaling pathway which regulates the transcription factor Nuclear Factor κB (NF-κB) using this method identifies two types of incorrect cell decisions called false alarm and miss. These two events represent, respectively, declaring a signal which is not present and missing a signal that does exist. Using single cell experimental data and the developed method, we compute false alarm and miss error probabilities in wild-type cells and provide a formulation which shows how these metrics depend on the signal transduction noise level. We also show that in the presence of abnormalities in a cell, decision making processes can be significantly affected, compared to a wild-type cell, and the method is able to model and measure such effects. In the TNF-NF-κB pathway, the method computes and reveals changes in false alarm and miss probabilities in A20-deficient cells, caused by cell's inability to inhibit TNF-induced NF-κB response. In biological terms, a higher false alarm metric in this abnormal TNF signaling system indicates perceiving more cytokine signals which in fact do not exist at the system input, whereas a higher miss metric indicates that it is highly likely to miss signals that actually exist. Overall, this study demonstrates the ability of the developed method for modeling cell decision making errors under normal and abnormal conditions, and in the presence of transduction noise uncertainty. Compared to the previously reported pathway capacity metric, our results suggest that the introduced decision error metrics characterize signaling failures more accurately. This is mainly because while capacity is a useful metric to study information transmission in signaling pathways, it does not capture the overlap between TNF-induced noisy response curves.

Comprehensive manual handling limits for lowering, pushing, pulling and carrying activities.

PubMed

Shoaf, C; Genaidy, A; Karwowski, W; Waters, T; Christensen, D

1997-11-01

The objective of this study was to develop a set of mathematical models for manual lowering, pushing, pulling and carrying activities that would result in establishing load capacity limits to protect the lower back against occupational low-back disorders. In order to establish safe guidelines, a three-stage process was used. First, psychophysical data was used to generate the models' discounting factors and recommended load capacities. Second, biomechanical analysis was used to refine the recommended load capacities. Third, physiological criteria were used to validate the models' discounting factors. Both task and personal factors were considered in the models' development. When compared to the results from prior psychophysical research for these activities, the developed load capacity values are lower than previously established limits. The results of this study allowed the authors to validate the hypothesis proposed and tested by Karwowski (1983) that states that the combination of physiological and biomechanical stresses should lead to the overall measure of task acceptability or the psychophysical stress. This study also found that some of the discounting factors for the task frequency parameters recommended in the prior psychophysical research should not be used as several of the high frequency factors violated physiological limits.

Tracking the career development of scientists in low- and middle-income countries trained through TDR's research capacity strengthening programmes: Learning from monitoring and impact evaluation.

PubMed

Halpaap, Béatrice; Vahedi, Mahnaz; Certain, Edith; Alvarado, Tini; Saint Martin, Caroline; Merle, Corinne; Mihut, Michael; Launois, Pascal

2017-12-01

The Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR) co-sponsored by UNICEF, UNDP, World Bank and WHO has been supporting research capacity strengthening in low- and middle-income countries for over 40 years. In order to assess and continuously optimize its capacity strengthening approaches, an evaluation of the influence of TDR training grants on research career development was undertaken. The assessment was part of a larger evaluation conducted by the European Science Foundation. A comprehensive survey questionnaire was developed and sent to a group of 117 trainees supported by TDR who had completed their degree (masters or PhD) between 2000 and 2012; of these, seventy seven (77) responded. Most of the respondents (80%) rated TDR support as a very important factor that influenced their professional career achievements. The "brain drain" phenomenon towards high-income countries was particularly low amongst TDR grantees: the rate of return to their region of origin upon completion of their degree was 96%. A vast majority of respondents are still working in research (89%), with 81% of respondents having participated in multidisciplinary research activities; women engaged in multidisciplinary collaboration to a higher extent than men. However, only a minority of all have engaged in intersectoral collaboration, an aspect that would require further study. The post-degree career choices made by the respondents were strongly influenced by academic considerations. At the time of the survey, 92% of all respondents hold full-time positions, mainly in the public sector. Almost 25% of the respondents reported that they had influenced policy and practice changes. Some of the challenges and opportunities faced by trainees at various stages of their research career have been identified. Modalities to overcome these will require further investigation. The survey evidenced how TDR's research capacity grant programmes made a difference on researchers' career development and on south-south collaborations, by strengthening and localizing research capacity in lower income regions, and also showed there is more that needs to be done. The factors involved, challenges and lessons learnt may help donors and policy makers improve their future interventions with regard to designing capacity strengthening programmes and setting funding priorities.

Tracking the career development of scientists in low- and middle-income countries trained through TDR’s research capacity strengthening programmes: Learning from monitoring and impact evaluation

PubMed Central

Halpaap, Béatrice; Vahedi, Mahnaz; Certain, Edith; Alvarado, Tini; Saint Martin, Caroline; Merle, Corinne; Mihut, Michael

2017-01-01

The Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR) co-sponsored by UNICEF, UNDP, World Bank and WHO has been supporting research capacity strengthening in low- and middle-income countries for over 40 years. In order to assess and continuously optimize its capacity strengthening approaches, an evaluation of the influence of TDR training grants on research career development was undertaken. The assessment was part of a larger evaluation conducted by the European Science Foundation. A comprehensive survey questionnaire was developed and sent to a group of 117 trainees supported by TDR who had completed their degree (masters or PhD) between 2000 and 2012; of these, seventy seven (77) responded. Most of the respondents (80%) rated TDR support as a very important factor that influenced their professional career achievements. The “brain drain” phenomenon towards high-income countries was particularly low amongst TDR grantees: the rate of return to their region of origin upon completion of their degree was 96%. A vast majority of respondents are still working in research (89%), with 81% of respondents having participated in multidisciplinary research activities; women engaged in multidisciplinary collaboration to a higher extent than men. However, only a minority of all have engaged in intersectoral collaboration, an aspect that would require further study. The post-degree career choices made by the respondents were strongly influenced by academic considerations. At the time of the survey, 92% of all respondents hold full-time positions, mainly in the public sector. Almost 25% of the respondents reported that they had influenced policy and practice changes. Some of the challenges and opportunities faced by trainees at various stages of their research career have been identified. Modalities to overcome these will require further investigation. The survey evidenced how TDR’s research capacity grant programmes made a difference on researchers’ career development and on south-south collaborations, by strengthening and localizing research capacity in lower income regions, and also showed there is more that needs to be done. The factors involved, challenges and lessons learnt may help donors and policy makers improve their future interventions with regard to designing capacity strengthening programmes and setting funding priorities. PMID:29216192

Performance evaluation on an air-cooled heat exchanger for alumina nanofluid under laminar flow.

PubMed

Teng, Tun-Ping; Hung, Yi-Hsuan; Teng, Tun-Chien; Chen, Jyun-Hong

2011-08-09

This study analyzes the characteristics of alumina (Al2O3)/water nanofluid to determine the feasibility of its application in an air-cooled heat exchanger for heat dissipation for PEMFC or electronic chip cooling. The experimental sample was Al2O3/water nanofluid produced by the direct synthesis method at three different concentrations (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 wt.%). The experiments in this study measured the thermal conductivity and viscosity of nanofluid with weight fractions and sample temperatures (20-60°C), and then used the nanofluid in an actual air-cooled heat exchanger to assess its heat exchange capacity and pressure drop under laminar flow. Experimental results show that the nanofluid has a higher heat exchange capacity than water, and a higher concentration of nanoparticles provides an even better ratio of the heat exchange. The maximum enhanced ratio of heat exchange and pressure drop for all the experimental parameters in this study was about 39% and 5.6%, respectively. In addition to nanoparticle concentration, the temperature and mass flow rates of the working fluid can affect the enhanced ratio of heat exchange and pressure drop of nanofluid. The cross-section aspect ratio of tube in the heat exchanger is another important factor to be taken into consideration.

Performance evaluation on an air-cooled heat exchanger for alumina nanofluid under laminar flow

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

This study analyzes the characteristics of alumina (Al2O3)/water nanofluid to determine the feasibility of its application in an air-cooled heat exchanger for heat dissipation for PEMFC or electronic chip cooling. The experimental sample was Al2O3/water nanofluid produced by the direct synthesis method at three different concentrations (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 wt.%). The experiments in this study measured the thermal conductivity and viscosity of nanofluid with weight fractions and sample temperatures (20-60°C), and then used the nanofluid in an actual air-cooled heat exchanger to assess its heat exchange capacity and pressure drop under laminar flow. Experimental results show that the nanofluid has a higher heat exchange capacity than water, and a higher concentration of nanoparticles provides an even better ratio of the heat exchange. The maximum enhanced ratio of heat exchange and pressure drop for all the experimental parameters in this study was about 39% and 5.6%, respectively. In addition to nanoparticle concentration, the temperature and mass flow rates of the working fluid can affect the enhanced ratio of heat exchange and pressure drop of nanofluid. The cross-section aspect ratio of tube in the heat exchanger is another important factor to be taken into consideration. PMID:21827644

Myogenin induces higher oxidative capacity in pre-existing mouse muscle fibres after somatic DNA transfer

PubMed Central

Ekmark, Merete; Grønevik, Eirik; Schjerling, Peter; Gundersen, Kristian

2003-01-01

Muscle is a permanent tissue, and in the adult pronounced changes can occur in pre-existing fibres without the formation of new fibres. Thus, the mechanisms responsible for phenotype transformation in the adult might be distinct from mechanisms regulating muscle differentiation during muscle formation and growth. Myogenin is a muscle-specific, basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor that is important during early muscle differentiation. It is also expressed in the adult, where its role is unknown. In this study we have overexpressed myogenin in glycolytic fibres of normal adult mice by electroporation and single-cell intracellular injection of expression vectors. Myogenin had no effects on myosin heavy chain fibre type, but induced a considerable increase in succinate dehydrogenase and NADH dehydrogenase activity, with some type IIb fibres reaching the levels observed histochemically in normal type IIx and IIa fibres. mRNA levels for malate dehydrogenase were similarly altered. The size of the fibres overexpressing myogenin was reduced by 30–50 %. Thus, the transfected fibres acquired a phenotype reminiscent of the phenotype obtained by endurance training in man and other animals, with a higher oxidative capacity and smaller size. We conclude that myogenin can alter pre-existing glycolytic fibres in the intact adult animal. PMID:12598590

Dispersion of nanocrystalline Fe 3O 4 within composite electrodes: Insights on battery-related electrochemistry

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

David C. Bock; Takeuchi, Kenneth J.; Pelliccione, Christopher J.

2016-04-20

Aggregation of nanosized materials in composite lithium-ion-battery electrodes can be a significant factor influencing electrochemical behavior. In this study, aggregation was controlled in magnetite, Fe 3O 4, composite electrodes via oleic acid capping and subsequent dispersion in a carbon black matrix. A heat treatment process was effective in the removal of the oleic acid capping agent while preserving a high degree of Fe 3O 4 dispersion. Electrochemical testing showed that Fe 3O 4 dispersion is initially beneficial in delivering a higher functional capacity, in agreement with continuum model simulations. However, increased capacity fade upon extended cycling was observed for themore » dispersed Fe 3O 4 composites relative to the aggregated Fe 3O 4 composites. X-ray absorption spectroscopy measurements of electrodes post cycling indicated that the dispersed Fe 3O 4 electrodes are more oxidized in the discharged state, consistent with reduced reversibility compared with the aggregated sample. Higher charge-transfer resistance for the dispersed sample after cycling suggests increased surface-film formation on the dispersed, high-surface-area nanocrystalline Fe 3O 4 compared to the aggregated materials. Furthermore, this study provides insight into the specific effects of aggregation on electrochemistry through a multiscale view of mechanisms for magnetite composite electrodes.« less

Dispersion of Nanocrystalline Fe 3 O 4 within Composite Electrodes: Insights on Battery-Related Electrochemistry

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

Bock, David C.; Pelliccione, Christopher J.; Zhang, Wei

2016-04-20

Aggregation of nanosized materials in composite lithium-ion-battery electrodes can be a significant factor influencing electrochemical behavior. In this study, aggregation was controlled in magnetite, Fe 3O 4, composite electrodes via oleic acid capping and subsequent dispersion in a carbon black matrix. A heat treatment process was effective in the removal of the oleic acid capping agent while preserving a high degree of Fe 3O 4 dispersion. Electrochemical testing showed that Fe 3O 4 dispersion is initially beneficial in delivering a higher functional capacity, in agreement with continuum model simulations. However, increased capacity fade upon extended cycling was observed for themore » dispersed Fe 3O 4 composites relative to the aggregated Fe 3O 4 composites. X-ray absorption spectroscopy measurements of electrodes post cycling indicated that the dispersed Fe 3O 4 electrodes are more oxidized in the discharged state, consistent with reduced reversibility compared with the aggregated sample. Higher charge-transfer resistance for the dispersed sample after cycling suggests increased surface-film formation on the dispersed, high-surface-area nanocrystalline Fe 3O 4 compared to the aggregated materials. This study provides insight into the specific effects of aggregation on electrochemistry through a multiscale view of mechanisms for magnetite composite electrodes.« less

Thrombin Generating Capacity and Phenotypic Association in ABO Blood Groups.

PubMed

Kremers, Romy M W; Mohamed, Abdulrahman B O; Pelkmans, Leonie; Hindawi, Salwa; Hemker, H Coenraad; de Laat, H Bas; Huskens, Dana; Al Dieri, Raed

2015-01-01

Individuals with blood group O have a higher bleeding risk than non-O blood groups. This could be explained by the lower levels of FVIII and von Willebrand Factor (VWF) levels in O individuals. We investigated the relationship between blood groups, thrombin generation (TG), prothrombin activation and thrombin inactivation. Plasma levels of VWF, FVIII, antithrombin, fibrinogen, prothrombin and α2Macroglobulin (α2M) levels were determined. TG was measured in platelet rich (PRP) and platelet poor plasma (PPP) of 217 healthy donors and prothrombin conversion and thrombin inactivation were calculated. VWF and FVIII levels were lower (75% and 78%) and α2M levels were higher (125%) in the O group. TG is 10% lower in the O group in PPP and PRP. Less prothrombin was converted in the O group (86%) and the thrombin decay capacity was lower as well. In the O group, α2M plays a significantly larger role in the inhibition of thrombin (126%). In conclusion, TG is lower in the O group due to lower prothrombin conversion, and a larger contribution of α2M to thrombin inactivation. The former is unrelated to platelet function because it is similar in PRP and PPP, but can be explained by the lower levels of FVIII.

Thrombin Generating Capacity and Phenotypic Association in ABO Blood Groups

PubMed Central

Hindawi, Salwa; Hemker, H. Coenraad; de Laat, H. Bas; Huskens, Dana; Al Dieri, Raed

2015-01-01

Individuals with blood group O have a higher bleeding risk than non-O blood groups. This could be explained by the lower levels of FVIII and von Willebrand Factor (VWF) levels in O individuals. We investigated the relationship between blood groups, thrombin generation (TG), prothrombin activation and thrombin inactivation. Plasma levels of VWF, FVIII, antithrombin, fibrinogen, prothrombin and α2Macroglobulin (α2M) levels were determined. TG was measured in platelet rich (PRP) and platelet poor plasma (PPP) of 217 healthy donors and prothrombin conversion and thrombin inactivation were calculated. VWF and FVIII levels were lower (75% and 78%) and α2M levels were higher (125%) in the O group. TG is 10% lower in the O group in PPP and PRP. Less prothrombin was converted in the O group (86%) and the thrombin decay capacity was lower as well. In the O group, α2M plays a significantly larger role in the inhibition of thrombin (126%). In conclusion, TG is lower in the O group due to lower prothrombin conversion, and a larger contribution of α2M to thrombin inactivation. The former is unrelated to platelet function because it is similar in PRP and PPP, but can be explained by the lower levels of FVIII. PMID:26509437

Effects of land preparation and artificial vegetation on soil moisture variation in a loess hilly catchment of China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Tianjiao; Wei, Wei; Chen, Liding; Yu, Yang

2017-04-01

In the dryland regions, soil moisture is the main factor to determine vegetation growth and ecosystem restoration. Land preparation and vegetation restoration are the principal means for improving soil water content(SWC). Thus, it is important to analyze the coupling role of these two means on soil moisture. In this study, soil moisture were monitored at a semi-arid loess hilly catchment of China, during the growing season of 2014 and 2015. Four different land preparation methods (level ditches, fish-scale pits, adverse grade tablelands and level benches)and vegetation types(Prunus armeniaca, Platycladus orientalis, Platycladus orientalis and Caragana microphylla) were included in the experimental design. Our results showed that: (1)Soil moisture content differed across land preparation types, which is higher for fish-scale pits and decreased in the order of level ditches and adverse grade tablelands.(2) Rainwater harvesting capacity of fish-scale pits is greater than adverse grade tablelands. However the water holding capacity is much higher at soils prepared with the adverse grade tablelands method than the ones prepared by fish-scale pits methods. (3) When land preparation method is similar, vegetation play a key role in soil moisture variation. For example, the mean soil moisture under a Platycladus orientalis field is 26.72% higher than a Pinus tabulaeformis field, with the same land preparation methods. (4)Soil moisture in deeper soil layers is more affected by changes in the vegetation cover while soil moisture in the shallower layers is more affected by the variation in the land preparation methods. Therefore, we suggest that vegetation types such as: Platycladus orientalisor as well as soil preparation methods such as level ditch and fish-scale pit are the most appropriate vegetation cover and land preparation methods for landscape restoration in semi-arid loess hilly area. This conclusion was made based on the vegetation type and land preparation with the best water-holding capacity.

Influence of Size and Shape of Silica Supports on the Sol⁻Gel Surface Molecularly Imprinted Polymers for Selective Adsorption of Gossypol.

PubMed

Zhi, Keke; Wang, Lulu; Zhang, Yagang; Jiang, Yingfang; Zhang, Letao; Yasin, Akram

2018-05-11

The influence of various silica gel supports with different shapes and sizes on the recognition properties of surface molecular imprinted polymers (MIPs) was investigated. MIPs for selective recognition and adsorption of gossypol were synthesized via the sol⁻gel process with a surface imprinting technique on silica gel substrates. 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) and tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) were chosen as the functional monomer and the cross-linker. The morphology and structure of the gossypol-MIPs were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and a standard Brunauer⁻Emett⁻Teller (BET) analysis. Results indicated that the surface imprinted polymer layer facilitated the removal and rebinding of the template, and thus, achieved fast binding kinetics. Compared with the MIPs prepared on irregularly shaped silica with a broad particle size distribution, the MIPs using regularly-shaped silica of uniform size showed higher imprinting factor (IF), and the MIP made with a relatively larger sized (60 μm) spherical silica, demonstrated higher adsorption capacity compared to the MIPs made with smaller sized, spherical silica. The MIP prepared with 60 μm spherically shaped silica, featured a fast adsorption kinetic of 10 min, and a saturated adsorption capacity of 204 mg·g −1 . The gossypol-MIP had higher selectivity (IF = 2.20) for gossypol over its structurally-similar analogs ellagic acid (IF = 1.13) and quercetin (IF = 1.20). The adsorption data of the MIP correlated well with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and the Freundlich isotherm model, which implied that chemical adsorption dominated, and that multilayer adsorption occurred. Furthermore, the MIP exhibited an excellent regeneration performance, and the adsorption capacity of the MIP for gossypol only decreased by 6% after six reused cycles, indicating good application potential for selective adsorption of gossypol.

Oxidative and antioxidative status of children with acute bronchiolitis.

PubMed

Dundaroz, Rusen; Erenberk, Ufuk; Turel, Ozden; Demir, Aysegul Dogan; Ozkaya, Emin; Erel, Ozcan

2013-01-01

Oxidative stress has been shown to contribute to the pathogenesis of acute and chronic lung inflammatory diseases. This article aimed to evaluate the oxidant/antioxidant status of children with acute bronchiolitis through the measurement of plasma total antioxidant capacity, total oxidant status, and oxidative stress index. Children with acute bronchiolitis admitted to the pediatric emergency department of a university hospital between January and April of 2012 were compared with age-matched healthy controls. Patients with acute bronchiolitis were classified as mild and moderate bronchiolitis. Oxidative and antioxidative status were assessed by measurement of plasma total antioxidant capacity, total oxidant status, and oxidative stress index. Thirty-one children with acute bronchiolitis aged between 3 months and 2 years, and 39 healthy children were included. Total oxidative status (TOS) was higher in patients with acute bronchiolitis than the control group (5.16±1.99 μmol H2O2 versus 3.78±1.78 μmol H2O2 [p=0.004]). Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) was lower in children with bronchiolitis than the control group (2.51±0.37 μmol Trolox eqv/L versus 2.75±0.39 μmol Trolox eqv/L [p=0.013]). Patients with moderate bronchiolitis presented higher TOS levels than those with mild bronchiolitis and the control group (p=0.03, p<0.001, respectively). Patients with moderate bronchiolitis had higher oxidative stress index levels than the control group (p=0.015). Oxygen saturation level of bronchiolitis patients was inversely correlated with TOS (r=-0.476, p<0.05). The balance between oxidant and antioxidant systems is disrupted in children with moderate bronchiolitis, which indicates that this stress factor may have a role in the pathogenesis of the disease. Copyright © 2013 Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

The Urban Context: A Place to Eliminate Health Disparities and Build Organizational Capacity

PubMed Central

GILBERT, KEON L.; QUINN, SANDRA CROUSE; FORD, ANGELA F.; THOMAS, STEPHEN B.

2011-01-01

This study seeks to examine the process of building the capacity to address health disparities in several urban African American neighborhoods. An inter-organizational network consisting of a research university, community members, community organizations, media partners, and foundations was formed to develop a community-based intervention designed to provide health promotion and disease prevention strategies for type 2 diabetes and hypertension. In-depth qualitative interviews (n = 18) with foundation executives and project directors, civic organization leadership, community leaders, county epidemiologist, and university partners were conducted. Our study contextualizes a process to build a public health partnership using cultural, community, organizational, and societal factors necessary to address health disparities. Results showed 5 important factors to build organizational capacity: leadership, institutional commitment, trust, credibility, and inter-organizational networks. These factors reflected other important organizational and community capacity indicators such as: community context, organizational policies, practices and structures, and the establishment of new commitments and partnerships important to comprehensively address urban health disparities. Understanding these factors to address African American health disparities will provide lessons learned for health educators, researchers, practitioners, foundations, and communities interested in building and sustaining capacity efforts through the design, implementation, and maintenance of a community-based health promotion intervention. PMID:21271434

Working memory and fluid intelligence: capacity, attention control, and secondary memory retrieval.

PubMed

Unsworth, Nash; Fukuda, Keisuke; Awh, Edward; Vogel, Edward K

2014-06-01

Several theories have been put forth to explain the relation between working memory (WM) and gF. Unfortunately, no single factor has been shown to fully account for the relation between these two important constructs. In the current study we tested whether multiple factors (capacity, attention control, and secondary memory) would collectively account for the relation. A large number of participants performed multiple measures of each construct and latent variable analyses were used to examine the data. The results demonstrated that capacity, attention control, and secondary memory were uniquely related to WM storage, WM processing, and gF. Importantly, the three factors completely accounted for the relation between WM (both processing and storage) and gF. Thus, although storage and processing make independent contributions to gF, both of these contributions are accounted for by variation in capacity, attention control and secondary memory. These results are consistent with the multifaceted view of WM, suggesting that individual differences in capacity, attention control, and secondary memory jointly account for individual differences in WM and its relation with gF. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Working Memory and Fluid Intelligence: Capacity, Attention Control, and Secondary Memory Retrieval

PubMed Central

Unsworth, Nash; Fukuda, Keisuke; Awh, Edward; Vogel, Edward K.

2015-01-01

Several theories have been put forth to explain the relation between working memory (WM) and gF. Unfortunately, no single factor has been shown to fully account for the relation between these two important constructs. In the current study we tested whether multiple factors (capacity, attention control, and secondary memory) would collectively account for the relation. A large number of participants performed multiple measures of each construct and latent variable analyses were used to examine the data. The results demonstrated that capacity, attention control, and secondary memory were uniquely related to WM storage, WM processing, and gF. Importantly, the three factors completely accounted for the relation between WM (both processing and storage) and gF. Thus, although storage and processing make independent contributions to gF, both of these contributions are accounted for by variation in capacity, attention control and secondary memory. These results are consistent with the multifaceted view of WM, suggesting that individual differences in capacity, attention control, and secondary memory jointly account for individual differences in WM and its relation with gF. PMID:24531497

Factors influencing the temporal growth rate of the high order TM{sub 0n} modes in the Ka-band overmoded Cherenkov oscillator

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

Wu, Dapeng, E-mail: vipbenjamin@163.com; Shu, Ting; Ju, Jinchuan

2015-06-15

When the wavelength of overmoded Cherenkov oscillator goes into Ka-band, power handling capacity becomes an essential issue. Using the TM{sub 02} mode or higher order TM{sub 0n} modes as the operating mode is a potential solution. This paper is aimed to find some proper parameters to make the temporal growth rate of the TM{sub 02} mode higher in our previously studied Gigawatt (GW)-class Ka band oscillator. An accurate and fast calculation method of the “hot” dispersion equation is derived for rectangular corrugated SWSs, which are widely used in the high frequency Cherenkov devices. Then, factors that affect the temporal growthmore » rate of the high order TM{sub 0n} modes are analyzed, including the depth of corrugation, the radius of drift tube, and the diode voltage. Results show that, when parameters are chosen properly, the temporal growth rate of the TM{sub 02} mode can be as high as 0.3 ns{sup −1}.« less

Global scale environmental control of plant photosynthetic capacity

DOE PAGES

Ali, Ashehad; Xu, Chonggang; Rogers, Alistair; ...

2015-12-01

Photosynthetic capacity, determined by light harvesting and carboxylation reactions, is a key plant trait that determines the rate of photosynthesis; however, in Earth System Models (ESMs) at a reference temperature, it is either a fixed value for a given plant functional type or derived from a linear function of leaf nitrogen content. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive analysis that considered correlations of environmental factors with photosynthetic capacity as determined by maximum carboxylation (V c,m) rate scaled to 25°C (i.e., V c,25; μmol CO 2·m –2·s –1) and maximum electron transport rate (Jmax) scaled to 25°C (i.e., J 25;more » μmol electron·m –2·s –1) at the global scale. Our results showed that the percentage of variation in observed Vc,25 and J25 explained jointly by the environmental factors (i.e., day length, radiation, temperature, and humidity) were 2–2.5 times and 6–9 times of that explained by area-based leaf nitrogen content, respectively. Environmental factors influenced photosynthetic capacity mainly through photosynthetic nitrogen use efficiency, rather than through leaf nitrogen content. The combination of leaf nitrogen content and environmental factors was able to explain ~56% and ~66% of the variation in V c,25 and J 25 at the global scale, respectively. As a result, our analyses suggest that model projections of plant photosynthetic capacity and hence land–atmosphere exchange under changing climatic conditions could be substantially improved if environmental factors are incorporated into algorithms used to parameterize photosynthetic capacity in ESMs.« less

Technologies to Increase PV Hosting Capacity in Distribution Feeders: Preprint

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

Ding, Fei; Mather, Barry; Gotseff, Peter

This paper studies the distributed photovoltaic (PV) hosting capacity in distribution feeders by using the stochastic analysis approach. Multiple scenario simulations are conducted to analyze several factors that affect PV hosting capacity, including the existence of voltage regulator, PV location, the power factor of PV inverter and Volt/VAR control. Based on the conclusions obtained from simulation results, three approaches are then proposed to increase distributed PV hosting capacity, which can be formulated as the optimization problem to obtain the optimal solution. All technologies investigated in this paper utilize only existing assets in the feeder and therefore are implementable for amore » low cost. Additionally, the tool developed for these studies is described.« less

Technologies to Increase PV Hosting Capacity in Distribution Feeders

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

Ding, Fei; Mather, Barry; Gotseff, Peter

This paper studies the distributed photovoltaic (PV) hosting capacity in distribution feeders by using the stochastic analysis approach. Multiple scenario simulations are conducted to analyze several factors that affect PV hosting capacity, including the existence of voltage regulator, PV location, the power factor of PV inverter and Volt/VAR control. Based on the conclusions obtained from simulation results, three approaches are then proposed to increase distributed PV hosting capacity, which can be formulated as the optimization problem to obtain the optimal solution. All technologies investigated in this paper utilize only existing assets in the feeder and therefore are implementable for amore » low cost. Additionally, the tool developed for these studies is described.« less

Arsenic Metabolites and Methylation Capacity Among Individuals Living in a Rural Area with Endemic Arseniasis in Inner Mongolia, China.

PubMed

Wei, Binggan; Yu, Jiangping; Li, Hairong; Yang, Linsheng; Xia, Yajuan; Wu, Kegong; Gao, Jianwei; Guo, Zhiwei; Cui, Na

2016-04-01

More than 0.3 million individuals are subject to chronic exposure to arsenic via their drinking water in Inner Mongolia, China. To determine arsenic methylation capacity profiles for such individuals, concentrations of urinary arsenic metabolites were measured for 548 subjects using high-performance liquid chromatography and a hydride generator combined with inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Mean urinary concentrations of dimethylarsonic acid (DMA), monomethylarsonic acid (MMA), inorganic arsenic (iAs), and total arsenic (TAs) were 200.50, 46.71, 52.96, and 300.17 μg/L, respectively. The %iAs, %DMA, and %MMA were 15.98, 69.72, and 14.29%. Mean urinary %iAs and %MMA were higher in males, while urinary %DMA was higher in females. There was a strong positive correlation between %iAs and %MMA, with negative correlations between %iAs and %DMA, and %iAs and %MMA. In addition, %iAs and %MMA were positively associated with total arsenic in drinking water (WAs), while %DMA was negatively related with WAs. Regression analysis indicated that the primary methylation index (PMI) and secondary methylation index (SMI) generally decreased with increasing WAs. Females had a higher arsenic methylation capacity compared to males. Younger subjects had lower primary arsenic methylation capacity. However, the secondary arsenic methylation capacity was hardly affected by age. Moreover, both primary and secondary arsenic methylation capacities were negatively related to WAs.

Cluster analysis identifies three urodynamic patterns in patients with orthotopic neobladder reconstruction.

PubMed

Kim, Kwang Hyun; Yoon, Hyun Suk; Song, Wan; Choo, Hee Jung; Yoon, Hana; Chung, Woo Sik; Sim, Bong Suk; Lee, Dong Hyeon

2017-01-01

To classify patients with orthotopic neobladder based on urodynamic parameters using cluster analysis and to characterize the voiding function of each group. From January 2012 to November 2015, 142 patients with bladder cancer underwent radical cystectomy and Studer neobladder reconstruction at our institute. Of the 142 patients, 103 with complete urodynamic data and information on urinary functional outcomes were included in this study. K-means clustering was performed with urodynamic parameters which included maximal cystometric capacity, residual volume, maximal flow rate, compliance, and detrusor pressure at maximum flow rate. Three groups emerged by cluster analysis. Urodynamic parameters and urinary function outcomes were compared between three groups. Group 1 (n = 44) had ideal urodynamic parameters with a mean maximal bladder capacity of 513.3 ml and mean residual urine volume of 33.1 ml. Group 2 (n = 42) was characterized by small bladder capacity with low compliance. Patients in group 2 had higher rates of daytime incontinence and nighttime incontinence than patients in group 1. Group 3 (n = 17) was characterized by large residual urine volume with high compliance. When we examined gender differences in urodynamics and functional outcomes, residual urine volume and the rate of daytime incontinence were only marginally significant. However, females were significantly more likely to belong to group 2 or 3 (P = 0.003). In multivariate analysis to identify factors associated with group 1 which has the most ideal urodynamic pattern, age (OR 0.95, P = 0.017) and male gender (OR 7.57, P = 0.003) were identified as significant factors. While patients with ileal neobladder present with various voiding symptoms, three urodynamic patterns were identified by cluster analysis. Approximately half of patients had ideal urodynamic parameters. The other two groups were characterized by large residual urine and small capacity bladder with low compliance. Young age and male gender appear to have a favorable impact on urodynamic and voiding outcomes in patients undergoing orthotopic neobladder reconstruction.

Association of prospective lower extremity musculoskeletal injury and musculoskeletal, balance, and physiological characteristics in Special Operations Forces.

PubMed

Keenan, Karen A; Wohleber, Meleesa F; Perlsweig, Katherine A; Baldwin, Thomas M; Caviston, Michael; Lovalekar, Mita; Connaboy, Christopher; Nindl, Bradley C; Beals, Kim

2017-11-01

Previous research has examined lower extremity (LE) musculoskeletal injury (MSI) patterns and risk factors in Special Operations Forces (SOF) trainees, conventional military personnel, and athletes; however, it is unclear if SOF have the same patterns/risk factors. This study aimed to determine the association of musculoskeletal, balance, and physiological characteristics with LE MSI in SOF. Cohort study. A total of 726 Air Force (N=140), Navy Sea, Air, and Land (N=301), and Special Warfare Combatant Crewmen (N=285) SOF (age=25.72±4.77years, height=178.34±6.63cm, weight=84.28±9.03kg) participated in laboratory testing, including: LE muscular strength and flexibility; balance; body composition; anaerobic power/capacity; and aerobic capacity. Medical charts were reviewed for LE MSI 365days following laboratory testing. Participants were assigned by injury status and laboratory data stratified by tertile. Chi-square statistics were calculated to determine the frequency of LE MSI across tertiles for each characteristic. There was a significant association between LE MSI and: ankle inversion strength (weaker side: Χ(2)=17.703; stronger side: Χ(2)=18.911; p≤0.001); ankle eversion/inversion strength ratio (lower side: Χ(2)=13.456; higher side: Χ(2)=16.885; p≤0.001); hamstring flexibility (less flexible: Χ(2)=19.930; more flexible Χ(2)=15.185; p≤0.001); gastrocnemius-soleus flexibility (less flexible: Χ(2)=7.889, p=0.019); dynamic balance asymmetry (Χ(2)=7.444, p=0.024); Vestibular and Preference ratios (Χ(2)=9.124, p=0.010 and Χ(2)=6.572, p=0.037, respectively); and aerobic capacity (Χ(2)=13.935, p=0.001). Characteristics associated with LE MSI are unique in SOF. Human performance program initiatives should include efforts to optimize ankle strength and flexibility, maintain moderate hamstring flexibility, expand dynamic balance strategies, and maximize aerobic capacity to reduce LE MSI risk. Copyright © 2017 Sports Medicine Australia. All rights reserved.

Assessment of risk of peripheral vascular disease and vascular care capacity in low- and middle-income countries.

PubMed

Gyedu, A; Stewart, B T; Nakua, E; Quansah, R; Donkor, P; Mock, C; Hardy, M; Yangni-Angate, K H

2016-01-01

This study aimed to describe national peripheral vascular disease (PVD) risk and health burden, and vascular care capacity in Ghana. The gap between PVD burden and vascular care capacity in low- and middle-income countries was defined, and capacity improvement priorities were identified. Data to estimate PVD risk factor burden were obtained from the World Health Organization Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health (SAGE), Ghana, and the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation Global Burden of Disease (IHME GBD) database. In addition, a novel nationwide assessment of vascular care capacity was performed, with 20 vascular care items assessed at 40 hospitals in Ghana. Factors contributing to specific item deficiency were described. From the SAGE database, there were 4305 respondents aged at least 50 years with data to estimate PVD risk. Of these, 57·4 per cent were at moderate to risk high of PVD with at least three risk factors; extrapolating nationally, the estimate was 1 654 557 people. Based on IHME GBD data, the estimated disability-adjusted life-years incurred from PVD increased fivefold from 1990 to 2010 (from 6·3 to 31·7 per 100 000 persons respectively). Vascular care capacity assessment demonstrated marked deficiencies in items for diagnosis, and in perioperative and vascular surgical care. Deficiencies were most often due to absence of equipment, lack of training and technology breakage. Risk factor reduction and management as well as optimization of current resources are paramount to avoid the large burden of PVD falling on healthcare systems in low- and middle-income countries. These countries are not well equipped to handle vascular surgical care, and rapid development of such capacity would be difficult and expensive. © 2015 BJS Society Ltd Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Assay dilution factors confound measures of total antioxidant capacity in polyphenol-rich juices

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The extent to which sample dilution factor (DF) affects Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC) values is poorly understood. Thus, we examined the impact of DF on the ORAC, FRAP, DPPH, and Total Phenols (TP) assays using pomegranate juice (PJ), grape juice (GJ), selected flavonoids, ascorbic acid, and ella...

Factors influencing research engagement: research interest, confidence and experience in an Australian speech-language pathology workforce.

PubMed

Finch, Emma; Cornwell, Petrea; Ward, Elizabeth C; McPhail, Steven M

2013-04-19

Recent initiatives within an Australia public healthcare service have seen a focus on increasing the research capacity of their workforce. One of the key initiatives involves encouraging clinicians to be research generators rather than solely research consumers. As a result, baseline data of current research capacity are essential to determine whether initiatives encouraging clinicians to undertake research have been effective. Speech pathologists have previously been shown to be interested in conducting research within their clinical role; therefore they are well positioned to benefit from such initiatives. The present study examined the current research interest, confidence and experience of speech language pathologists (SLPs) in a public healthcare workforce, as well as factors that predicted clinician research engagement. Data were collected via an online survey emailed to an estimated 330 SLPs working within Queensland, Australia. The survey consisted of 30 questions relating to current levels of interest, confidence and experience performing specific research tasks, as well as how frequently SLPs had performed these tasks in the last 5 years. Although 158 SLPs responded to the survey, complete data were available for only 137. Respondents were more confident and experienced with basic research tasks (e.g., finding literature) and less confident and experienced with complex research tasks (e.g., analysing and interpreting results, publishing results). For most tasks, SLPs displayed higher levels of interest in the task than confidence and experience. Research engagement was predicted by highest qualification obtained, current job classification level and overall interest in research. Respondents generally reported levels of interest in research higher than their confidence and experience, with many respondents reporting limited experience in most research tasks. Therefore SLPs have potential to benefit from research capacity building activities to increase their research skills in order to meet organisational research engagement objectives. However, these findings must be interpreted with the caveats that a relatively low response rate occurred and participants were recruited from a single state-wide health service, and therefore may not be representative of the wider SLP workforce.

Normative Data on Audiovisual Speech Integration Using Sentence Recognition and Capacity Measures

PubMed Central

Altieri, Nicholas; Hudock, Daniel

2016-01-01

Objective The ability to use visual speech cues and integrate them with auditory information is important, especially in noisy environments and for hearing-impaired (HI) listeners. Providing data on measures of integration skills that encompass accuracy and processing speed will benefit researchers and clinicians. Design The study consisted of two experiments: First, accuracy scores were obtained using CUNY sentences, and capacity measures that assessed reaction-time distributions were obtained from a monosyllabic word recognition task. Study Sample We report data on two measures of integration obtained from a sample comprised of 86 young and middle-age adult listeners: Results To summarize our results, capacity showed a positive correlation with accuracy measures of audiovisual benefit obtained from sentence recognition. More relevant, factor analysis indicated that a single-factor model captured audiovisual speech integration better than models containing more factors. Capacity exhibited strong loadings on the factor, while the accuracy-based measures from sentence recognition exhibited weaker loadings. Conclusions Results suggest that a listener’s integration skills may be assessed optimally using a measure that incorporates both processing speed and accuracy. PMID:26853446

Normative data on audiovisual speech integration using sentence recognition and capacity measures.

PubMed

Altieri, Nicholas; Hudock, Daniel

2016-01-01

The ability to use visual speech cues and integrate them with auditory information is important, especially in noisy environments and for hearing-impaired (HI) listeners. Providing data on measures of integration skills that encompass accuracy and processing speed will benefit researchers and clinicians. The study consisted of two experiments: First, accuracy scores were obtained using City University of New York (CUNY) sentences, and capacity measures that assessed reaction-time distributions were obtained from a monosyllabic word recognition task. We report data on two measures of integration obtained from a sample comprised of 86 young and middle-age adult listeners: To summarize our results, capacity showed a positive correlation with accuracy measures of audiovisual benefit obtained from sentence recognition. More relevant, factor analysis indicated that a single-factor model captured audiovisual speech integration better than models containing more factors. Capacity exhibited strong loadings on the factor, while the accuracy-based measures from sentence recognition exhibited weaker loadings. Results suggest that a listener's integration skills may be assessed optimally using a measure that incorporates both processing speed and accuracy.

New developments in optical phase-change memory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ovshinsky, Stanford R.; Czubatyj, Wolodymyr

2001-02-01

Phase change technology has progressed from the original invention of Ovshinsky to become the leading choice for rewritable optical disks. ECD's early work in phase change materials and methods for operating in a direct overwrite fashion were crucial to the successes that have been achieved. Since the introduction of the first rewritable phase change products in 1991, the market has expanded from CD-RW into rewritable DVD with creative work going on worldwide. Phase change technology is ideally suited to address the continuous demand for increased storage capacity. First, laser beams can be focused to ever-smaller spot sizes using shorter wavelength lasers and higher performance optics. Blue lasers are now commercially viable and high numerical aperture and near field lenses have been demonstrated. Second, multilevel approaches can be used to increase capacity by a factor of three or more with concomitant increases in data transfer rate. In addition, ECD has decreased manufacturing costs through the use of innovative production technology. These factors combine to accelerate the widespread use of phase change technology. As in all our technologies, such as thin film photovoltaics, nickel metal hydride batteries, hydrogen storage systems, fuel cells, electrical memory, etc., we have invented the materials, the products, the production machines and the production processes for high rate, low-cost manufacture.

The characteristic and influence factors of extinction depth of shallow groundwater on the high-latitude region: a case study on the Sanjiang Plain, northeast China.

PubMed

Wang, Xihua

2018-03-01

Accurate estimation of extinction depth of shallow groundwater (EDSG) and identification of its influence factors are important for sustainable management of groundwater resources, ecological protection, and human health in intensively irrigated region. In this study, the ratio of actual groundwater depth and EDSG (RAE) method was used to understand the spatial variability of EDSG in the Sanjiang Plain, one of China's largest grain production bases and China's largest inland freshwater wetland region. The study showed a large spatial variation of EDSG in the region. Spatially, the sites, which were in the northeast and center had the deepest and the shallowest EDSG, whereby, indicate that it has higher and lower pumping potential capacity. Many factors including climate, soil parameters, vegetation and topography affected the EDSG. We also identified an area of 3.86 × 10 10  m 2 , which accounting for 35.3% of the entire Sanjiang Plain, has exceeded the ESGD by over exploited for years. Knowledge of the variation and influence factors of EDSG for a certain plant system and the current shallow groundwater condition in the higher latitude region can be a key to the development of preventive actions for large quantity pumping groundwater and protection regional and sustainable development of irrigated agriculture.

Toxic compound, anti-nutritional factors and functional properties of protein isolated from detoxified Jatropha curcas seed cake.

PubMed

Saetae, Donlaporn; Suntornsuk, Worapot

2010-12-28

Jatropha curcas is a multipurpose tree, which has potential as an alternative source for biodiesel. All of its parts can also be used for human food, animal feed, fertilizer, fuel and traditional medicine. J. curcas seed cake is a low-value by-product obtained from biodiesel production. The seed cake, however, has a high amount of protein, with the presence of a main toxic compound: phorbol esters as well as anti-nutritional factors: trypsin inhibitors, phytic acid, lectin and saponin. The objective of this work was to detoxify J. curcas seed cake and study the toxin, anti-nutritional factors and also functional properties of the protein isolated from the detoxified seed cake. The yield of protein isolate was approximately 70.9%. The protein isolate was obtained without a detectable level of phorbol esters. The solubility of the protein isolate was maximal at pH 12.0 and minimal at pH 4.0. The water and oil binding capacities of the protein isolate were 1.76 g water/g protein and 1.07 mL oil/g protein, respectively. The foam capacity and stability, including emulsion activity and stability of protein isolate, had higher values in a range of basic pHs, while foam and emulsion stabilities decreased with increasing time. The results suggest that the detoxified J. curcas seed cake has potential to be exploited as a novel source of functional protein for food applications.

Toxic Compound, Anti-Nutritional Factors and Functional Properties of Protein Isolated from Detoxified Jatropha curcas Seed Cake

PubMed Central

Saetae, Donlaporn; Suntornsuk, Worapot

2011-01-01

Jatropha curcas is a multipurpose tree, which has potential as an alternative source for biodiesel. All of its parts can also be used for human food, animal feed, fertilizer, fuel and traditional medicine. J. curcas seed cake is a low-value by-product obtained from biodiesel production. The seed cake, however, has a high amount of protein, with the presence of a main toxic compound: phorbol esters as well as anti-nutritional factors: trypsin inhibitors, phytic acid, lectin and saponin. The objective of this work was to detoxify J. curcas seed cake and study the toxin, anti-nutritional factors and also functional properties of the protein isolated from the detoxified seed cake. The yield of protein isolate was approximately 70.9%. The protein isolate was obtained without a detectable level of phorbol esters. The solubility of the protein isolate was maximal at pH 12.0 and minimal at pH 4.0. The water and oil binding capacities of the protein isolate were 1.76 g water/g protein and 1.07 mL oil/g protein, respectively. The foam capacity and stability, including emulsion activity and stability of protein isolate, had higher values in a range of basic pHs, while foam and emulsion stabilities decreased with increasing time. The results suggest that the detoxified J. curcas seed cake has potential to be exploited as a novel source of functional protein for food applications. PMID:21339978

Predictors of mortality in patients with emphysema and severe airflow obstruction.

PubMed

Martinez, Fernando J; Foster, Gregory; Curtis, Jeffrey L; Criner, Gerard; Weinmann, Gail; Fishman, Alfred; DeCamp, Malcolm M; Benditt, Joshua; Sciurba, Frank; Make, Barry; Mohsenifar, Zab; Diaz, Philip; Hoffman, Eric; Wise, Robert

2006-06-15

Limited data exist describing risk factors for mortality in patients having predominantly emphysema. A total of 609 patients with severe emphysema (ages 40-83 yr; 64.2% male) randomized to the medical therapy arm of the National Emphysema Treatment Trial formed the study group. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was used to investigate risk factors for all-cause mortality. Risk factors examined included demographics, body mass index, physiologic data, quality of life, dyspnea, oxygen utilization, hemoglobin, smoking history, quantitative emphysema markers on computed tomography, and a modification of a recently described multifunctional index (modified BODE). Overall, high mortality was seen in this cohort (12.7 deaths per 100 person-years; 292 total deaths). In multivariate analyses, increasing age (p=0.001), oxygen utilization (p=0.04), lower total lung capacity % predicted (p=0.05), higher residual volume % predicted (p=0.04), lower maximal cardiopulmonary exercise testing workload (p=0.002), greater proportion of emphysema in the lower lung zone versus the upper lung zone (p=0.005), and lower upper-to-lower-lung perfusion ratio (p=0.007), and modified BODE (p=0.02) were predictive of mortality. FEV1 was a significant predictor of mortality in univariate analysis (p=0.005), but not in multivariate analysis (p=0.21). Although patients with advanced emphysema experience significant mortality, subgroups based on age, oxygen utilization, physiologic measures, exercise capacity, and emphysema distribution identify those at increased risk of death.

Elevated Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyl Transferase in Skeletal Muscle Augments Exercise Performance and Mitochondrial Respiratory Capacity Following Exercise Training

PubMed Central

Brouwers, Bram; Stephens, Natalie A.; Costford, Sheila R.; Hopf, Meghan E.; Ayala, Julio E.; Yi, Fanchao; Xie, Hui; Li, Jian-Liang; Gardell, Stephen J.; Sparks, Lauren M.; Smith, Steven R.

2018-01-01

Mice overexpressing NAMPT in skeletal muscle (NamptTg mice) develop higher exercise endurance and maximal aerobic capacity (VO2max) following voluntary exercise training compared to wild-type (WT) mice. Here, we aimed to investigate the mechanisms underlying by determining skeletal muscle mitochondrial respiratory capacity in NamptTg and WT mice. Body weight and body composition, tissue weight (gastrocnemius, quadriceps, soleus, heart, liver, and epididymal white adipose tissue), skeletal muscle and liver glycogen content, VO2max, skeletal muscle mitochondrial respiratory capacity (measured by high-resolution respirometry), skeletal muscle gene expression (measured by microarray and qPCR), and skeletal muscle protein content (measured by Western blot) were determined following 6 weeks of voluntary exercise training (access to running wheel) in 13-week-old male NamptTg (exercised NamptTg) mice and WT (exercised WT) mice. Daily running distance and running time during the voluntary exercise training protocol were recorded. Daily running distance (p = 0.51) and running time (p = 0.85) were not significantly different between exercised NamptTg mice and exercised WT mice. VO2max was higher in exercised NamptTg mice compared to exercised WT mice (p = 0.02). Body weight (p = 0.92), fat mass (p = 0.49), lean mass (p = 0.91), tissue weight (all p > 0.05), and skeletal muscle (p = 0.72) and liver (p = 0.94) glycogen content were not significantly different between exercised NamptTg mice and exercised WT mice. Complex I oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) respiratory capacity supported by fatty acid substrates (p < 0.01), maximal (complex I+II) OXPHOS respiratory capacity supported by glycolytic (p = 0.02) and fatty acid (p < 0.01) substrates, and maximal uncoupled respiratory capacity supported by fatty acid substrates (p < 0.01) was higher in exercised NamptTg mice compared to exercised WT mice. Transcriptomic analyses revealed differential expression for genes involved in oxidative metabolism in exercised NamptTg mice compared to exercised WT mice, specifically, enrichment for the gene set related to the SIRT3-mediated signaling pathway. SIRT3 protein content correlated with NAMPT protein content (r = 0.61, p = 0.04). In conclusion, NamptTg mice develop higher exercise capacity following voluntary exercise training compared to WT mice, which is paralleled by higher mitochondrial respiratory capacity in skeletal muscle. The changes in SIRT3 targets suggest that these effects are due to remodeling of mitochondrial function. PMID:29942262