System-size and beam energy dependence of the space-time extent of the pion emission source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pak, Robert; Phenix Collaboration

2014-09-01

Two-pion interferometry measurements are used to extract the Gaussian source radii Rout ,Rside and Rlong , of the pion emission sources produced in d + Au, Cu +Cu and Au +Au collisions for several beam collision energies at PHENIX experiment. The extracted radii, which are compared to recent STAR and ALICE data, show characteristic scaling patterns as a function of the initial transverse geometric size of the collision system, and the transverse mass of the emitted pion pairs. These scaling patterns indicate a linear dependence of Rside on the initial transverse size, as well as a smaller freeze-out size for the d + Au system. Mathematical combinations of the extracted radii generally associated with the emission source duration and expansion rate exhibit non-monotonic behavior, suggesting a change in the expansion dynamics over this beam energy range.

Large scale extraction of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) from Ralstonia eutropha H16 using sodium hypochlorite

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Isolation of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) from bacterial cell matter is a critical step in order to achieve a profitable production of the polymer. Therefore, an extraction method must lead to a high recovery of a pure product at low costs. This study presents a simplified method for large scale poly(3-hydroxybutyrate), poly(3HB), extraction using sodium hypochlorite. Poly(3HB) was extracted from cells of Ralstonia eutropha H16 at almost 96% purity. At different extraction volumes, a maximum recovery rate of 91.32% was obtained. At the largest extraction volume of 50 L, poly(3HB) with an average purity of 93.32% ± 4.62% was extracted with a maximum recovery of 87.03% of the initial poly(3HB) content. This process is easy to handle and requires less efforts than previously described processes. PMID:23164136

Mammalian poly(A)-binding protein is a eukaryotic translation initiation factor, which acts via multiple mechanisms.

PubMed

Kahvejian, Avak; Svitkin, Yuri V; Sukarieh, Rami; M'Boutchou, Marie-Noël; Sonenberg, Nahum

2005-01-01

Translation initiation is a multistep process involving several canonical translation factors, which assemble at the 5'-end of the mRNA to promote the recruitment of the ribosome. Although the 3' poly(A) tail of eukaryotic mRNAs and its major bound protein, the poly(A)-binding protein (PABP), have been studied extensively, their mechanism of action in translation is not well understood and is confounded by differences between in vivo and in vitro systems. Here, we provide direct evidence for the involvement of PABP in key steps of the translation initiation pathway. Using a new technique to deplete PABP from mammalian cell extracts, we show that extracts lacking PABP exhibit dramatically reduced rates of translation, reduced efficiency of 48S and 80S ribosome initiation complex formation, and impaired interaction of eIF4E with the mRNA cap structure. Supplementing PABP-depleted extracts with wild-type PABP completely rectified these deficiencies, whereas a mutant of PABP, M161A, which is incapable of interacting with eIF4G, failed to restore translation. In addition, a stronger inhibition (approximately twofold) of 80S as compared to 48S ribosome complex formation (approximately 65% vs. approximately 35%, respectively) by PABP depletion suggests that PABP plays a direct role in 60S subunit joining. PABP can thus be considered a canonical translation initiation factor, integral to initiation complex formation at the 5'-end of mRNA.

Mammalian poly(A)-binding protein is a eukaryotic translation initiation factor, which acts via multiple mechanisms

PubMed Central

Kahvejian, Avak; Svitkin, Yuri V.; Sukarieh, Rami; M'Boutchou, Marie-Noël; Sonenberg, Nahum

2005-01-01

Translation initiation is a multistep process involving several canonical translation factors, which assemble at the 5′-end of the mRNA to promote the recruitment of the ribosome. Although the 3′ poly(A) tail of eukaryotic mRNAs and its major bound protein, the poly(A)-binding protein (PABP), have been studied extensively, their mechanism of action in translation is not well understood and is confounded by differences between in vivo and in vitro systems. Here, we provide direct evidence for the involvement of PABP in key steps of the translation initiation pathway. Using a new technique to deplete PABP from mammalian cell extracts, we show that extracts lacking PABP exhibit dramatically reduced rates of translation, reduced efficiency of 48S and 80S ribosome initiation complex formation, and impaired interaction of eIF4E with the mRNA cap structure. Supplementing PABP-depleted extracts with wild-type PABP completely rectified these deficiencies, whereas a mutant of PABP, M161A, which is incapable of interacting with eIF4G, failed to restore translation. In addition, a stronger inhibition (approximately twofold) of 80S as compared to 48S ribosome complex formation (∼65% vs. ∼35%, respectively) by PABP depletion suggests that PABP plays a direct role in 60S subunit joining. PABP can thus be considered a canonical translation initiation factor, integral to initiation complex formation at the 5′-end of mRNA. PMID:15630022

Reductive reactivity of iron(III) oxides in the east china sea sediments: characterization by selective extraction and kinetic dissolution.

PubMed

Chen, Liang-Jin; Zhu, Mao-Xu; Yang, Gui-Peng; Huang, Xiang-Li

2013-01-01

Reactive Fe(III) oxides in gravity-core sediments collected from the East China Sea inner shelf were quantified by using three selective extractions (acidic hydroxylamine, acidic oxalate, bicarbonate-citrate buffered sodium dithionite). Also the reactivity of Fe(III) oxides in the sediments was characterized by kinetic dissolution using ascorbic acid as reductant at pH 3.0 and 7.5 in combination with the reactive continuum model. Three parameters derived from the kinetic method: m 0 (theoretical initial amount of ascorbate-reducible Fe(III) oxides), k' (rate constant) and γ (heterogeneity of reactivity), enable a quantitative characterization of Fe(III) oxide reactivity in a standardized way. Amorphous Fe(III) oxides quantified by acidic hydroxylamine extraction were quickly consumed in the uppermost layer during early diagenesis but were not depleted over the upper 100 cm depth. The total amounts of amorphous and poorly crystalline Fe(III) oxides are highly available for efficient buffering of dissolved sulfide. As indicated by the m 0, k' and γ, the surface sediments always have the maximum content, reactivity and heterogeneity of reactive Fe(III) oxides, while the three parameters simultaneously downcore decrease, much more quickly in the upper layer than at depth. Albeit being within a small range (within one order of magnitude) of the initial rates among sediments at different depths, incongruent dissolution could result in huge discrepancies of the later dissolution rates due to differentiating heterogeneity, which cannot be revealed by selective extraction. A strong linear correlation of the m 0 at pH 3.0 with the dithionite-extractable Fe(III) suggests that the m 0 may represent Fe(III) oxide assemblages spanning amorphous and crystalline Fe(III) oxides. Maximum microbially available Fe(III) predicted by the m 0 at pH 7.5 may include both amorphous and a fraction of other less reactive Fe(III) phases.

Reductive Reactivity of Iron(III) Oxides in the East China Sea Sediments: Characterization by Selective Extraction and Kinetic Dissolution

PubMed Central

Chen, Liang-Jin; Zhu, Mao-Xu; Yang, Gui-Peng; Huang, Xiang-Li

2013-01-01

Reactive Fe(III) oxides in gravity-core sediments collected from the East China Sea inner shelf were quantified by using three selective extractions (acidic hydroxylamine, acidic oxalate, bicarbonate-citrate buffered sodium dithionite). Also the reactivity of Fe(III) oxides in the sediments was characterized by kinetic dissolution using ascorbic acid as reductant at pH 3.0 and 7.5 in combination with the reactive continuum model. Three parameters derived from the kinetic method: m 0 (theoretical initial amount of ascorbate-reducible Fe(III) oxides), k′ (rate constant) and γ (heterogeneity of reactivity), enable a quantitative characterization of Fe(III) oxide reactivity in a standardized way. Amorphous Fe(III) oxides quantified by acidic hydroxylamine extraction were quickly consumed in the uppermost layer during early diagenesis but were not depleted over the upper 100 cm depth. The total amounts of amorphous and poorly crystalline Fe(III) oxides are highly available for efficient buffering of dissolved sulfide. As indicated by the m 0, k′ and γ, the surface sediments always have the maximum content, reactivity and heterogeneity of reactive Fe(III) oxides, while the three parameters simultaneously downcore decrease, much more quickly in the upper layer than at depth. Albeit being within a small range (within one order of magnitude) of the initial rates among sediments at different depths, incongruent dissolution could result in huge discrepancies of the later dissolution rates due to differentiating heterogeneity, which cannot be revealed by selective extraction. A strong linear correlation of the m 0 at pH 3.0 with the dithionite-extractable Fe(III) suggests that the m 0 may represent Fe(III) oxide assemblages spanning amorphous and crystalline Fe(III) oxides. Maximum microbially available Fe(III) predicted by the m 0 at pH 7.5 may include both amorphous and a fraction of other less reactive Fe(III) phases. PMID:24260377

Integrated utilization of red radish seeds for the efficient production of seed oil and sulforaphene.

PubMed

Zhang, Jie; Zhou, Xing; Fu, Min

2016-02-01

Supercritical CO2 was used to obtain seed oil from red radish seeds. The influence of pressure, temperature, CO2 flow rate and time on extraction yield of oil were investigated in detail. The maximum extraction yield of oil was 92.07 ± 0.76% at the optimal extraction conditions. The physicochemical properties and fatty acid composition of oil indicated that the seed oil can be used as a dietary oil. Meanwhile, the high purity sulforaphene (96.84 ± 0.17%) was separated by solvent extraction coupled with preparative high performance liquid chromatography from red radish seed meal. The initial pH, R, extraction temperature and extraction time for each cycle had a considerable influence both on the extraction yield and purity of sulforaphene of crude product. The extraction of oil was directly responsible for an increase of 18.32% in the yield of sulforaphene. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Probing collagen-enzyme mechanochemistry in native tissue with dynamic, enzyme-induced creep

PubMed Central

Zareian, Ramin; Church, Kelli P.; Saeidi, Nima; Flynn, Brendan P.; Beale, John W.; Ruberti, Jeffrey W.

2012-01-01

Mechanical strain or stretch of collagen has been shown to be protective of fibrils against both thermal and enzymatic degradation. The details of this mechanochemical relationship could change our understanding of load-bearing tissue formation, growth, maintenance and disease in vertebrate animals. However, extracting a quantitative relationship between strain and the rate of enzymatic degradation is extremely difficult in bulk tissue due to confounding diffusion effects. In this investigation, we develop a dynamic, enzyme-induced creep assay and diffusion/reaction rate scaling arguments to extract a lower bound on the relationship between strain and the cutting rate of bacterial collagenase (BC) at low strains. The assay method permits continuous, forced probing of enzyme-induced strain which is very sensitive to degradation rate differences between specimens at low initial strain. The results, obtained on uniaxially-loaded strips of bovine corneal tissue (0.1, 0.25 or 0.5 N), demonstrate that small differences in strain alter the enzymatic cutting rate of the BC substantially. It was estimated that a change in tissue elongation of only 1.5% (at ~5% strain) reduces the maximum cutting-rate of the enzyme by more than half. Estimation of the average load per monomer in the tissue strips indicates that this protective “cutoff” occurs when the collagen monomers are transitioning from an entropic to an energetic mechanical regime. The continuous tracking of the enzymatic cleavage rate as a function of strain during the initial creep response indicates that the decrease in the cleavage rate of the BC is non-linear (initially-steep between 4.5 and 6.5% then flattens out from 6.5–9.5%). The high sensitivity to strain at low strain implies that even lightly-loaded collagenous tissue may exhibit significant strain-protection. The dynamic, enzyme-induced creep assay described herein has the potential to permit the rapid characterization of collagen/enzyme mechanochemistry in many different tissue types. PMID:20429513

Study of optimal extraction conditions for achieving high yield and antioxidant activity of tomato seed oil.

PubMed

Shao, Dongyan; Atungulu, Griffiths G; Pan, Zhongli; Yue, Tianli; Zhang, Ang; Li, Xuan

2012-08-01

Value of tomato seed has not been fully recognized. The objectives of this research were to establish suitable processing conditions for extracting oil from tomato seed by using solvent, determine the impact of processing conditions on yield and antioxidant activity of extracted oil, and elucidate kinetics of the oil extraction process. Four processing parameters, including time, temperature, solvent-to-solid ratio and particle size were studied. A second order model was established to describe the oil extraction process. Based on the results, increasing temperature, solvent-to-solid ratio, and extraction time increased oil yield. In contrast, larger particle size reduced the oil yield. The recommended oil extraction conditions were 8 min of extraction time at temperature of 25 °C, solvent-to-solids ratio of 5/1 (v/w) and particle size of 0.38 mm, which gave oil yield of 20.32% with recovery rate of 78.56%. The DPPH scavenging activity of extracted oil was not significantly affected by the extraction parameters. The inhibitory concentration (IC(50) ) of tomato seed oil was 8.67 mg/mL which was notably low compared to most vegetable oils. A 2nd order model successfully described the kinetics of tomato oil extraction process and parameters of extraction kinetics including initial extraction rate (h), equilibrium concentration of oil (C(s) ), and the extraction rate constant (k) could be precisely predicted with R(2) of at least 0.957. The study revealed that tomato seed which is typically treated as a low value byproduct of tomato processing has great potential in producing oil with high antioxidant capability. The impact of processing conditions including time, temperature, solvent-to-solid ratio and particle size on yield, and antioxidant activity of extracted tomato seed oil are reported. Optimal conditions and models which describe the extraction process are recommended. The information is vital for determining the extraction processing conditions for industrial production of high quality tomato seed oil. Journal of Food Science © 2012 Institute of Food Technologists® No claim to original US government works.

One-day rate measurements for estimating net nitrification potential in humid forest soils

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ross, D.S.; Fredriksen, G.; Jamison, A.E.; Wemple, B.C.; Bailey, S.W.; Shanley, J.B.; Lawrence, G.B.

2006-01-01

Measurements of net nitrification rates in forest soils have usually been performed by extended sample incubation (2-8 weeks), either in the field or in the lab. Because of disturbance effects, these measurements are only estimates of nitrification potential and shorter incubations may suffice. In three separate studies of northeastern USA forest soil surface horizons, we found that laboratory nitrification rates measured over 1 day related well to those measured over 4 weeks. Soil samples of Oa or A horizons were mixed by hand and the initial extraction of subsamples, using 2 mol L-1 KCl, occurred in the field as soon as feasible after sampling. Soils were kept near field temperature and subsampled again the following day in the laboratory. Rates measured by this method were about three times higher than the 4-week rates. Variability in measured rates was similar over either incubation period. Because NO3- concentrations were usually quite low in the field, average rates from 10 research watersheds could be estimated with only a single, 1-day extraction. Methodological studies showed that the concentration of NH4+ increased slowly during contact time with the KCl extractant and, thus, this contact time should be kept similar during the procedure. This method allows a large number of samples to be rapidly assessed. ?? 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

78 FR 57409 - U.S. Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative Public Outreach

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-18

.... Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative Public Outreach AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Interior... Industries Transparency Initiative (USEITI) candidacy application. By this notice, Interior is providing the...' commitment to participate in the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative. EITI is a signature...

Preliminary studies of using preheated carrier gas for on-line membrane extraction of semivolatile organic compounds.

PubMed

Liu, Xinyu; Pawliszyn, Janusz

2007-04-01

In this paper, we present results for the on-line determination of semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) in air using membrane extraction with a sorbent interface-ion mobility spectrometry (MESI-IMS) system with a preheated carrier (stripping) gas. The mechanism of the mass transfer of SVOCs across a membrane was initially studied. In comparison with the extraction of volatile analytes, the mass transfer resistance that originated from the slow desorption from the internal membrane surface during the SVOC extraction processes should be taken into account. A preheated carrier gas system was therefore built to facilitate desorption of analytes from the internal membrane surface. With the benefit of a temperature gradient existing between the internal and external membrane surfaces, an increase in the desorption rate of a specific analyte at the internal surface and the diffusion coefficient within the membrane could be achieved while avoiding a decrease of the distribution constant on the external membrane interface. This technique improved both the extraction rate and response times of the MESI-IMS system for the analysis of SVOCs. Finally, the MESI-IMS system was shown to be capable of on-site measurement by monitoring selected polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons emitted from cigarette smoke.

An anaesthesia information management system as a tool for a quality assurance program: 10years of experience.

PubMed

Motamed, Cyrus; Bourgain, Jean Louis

2016-06-01

Anaesthesia Information Management Systems (AIMS) generate large amounts of data, which might be useful for quality assurance programs. This study was designed to highlight the multiple contributions of our AIMS system in extracting quality indicators over a period of 10years. The study was conducted from 2002 to 2011. Two methods were used to extract anaesthesia indicators: the manual extraction of individual files for monitoring neuromuscular relaxation and structured query language (SQL) extraction for other indicators which were postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), pain, sedation scores, pain-related medications, scores and postoperative hypothermia. For each indicator, a program of information/meetings and adaptation/suggestions for operating room and PACU personnel was initiated to improve quality assurance, while data were extracted each year. The study included 77,573 patients. The mean overall completeness of data for the initial years ranged from 55 to 85% and was indicator-dependent, which then improved to 95% completeness for the last 5years. The incidence of neuromuscular monitoring was initially 67% and then increased to 95% (P<0.05). The rate of pharmacological reversal remained around 53% throughout the study. Regarding SQL data, an improvement of severe postoperative pain and PONV scores was observed throughout the study, while mild postoperative hypothermia remained a challenge, despite efforts for improvement. The AIMS system permitted the follow-up of certain indicators through manual sampling and many more via SQL extraction in a sustained and non-time-consuming way across years. However, it requires competent and especially dedicated resources to handle the database. Copyright © 2016 Société française d'anesthésie et de réanimation (Sfar). Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

A comparison of the effects of commercially available hawthorn preparations on calcium transients of isolated cardiomyocytes.

PubMed

Rodriguez, Michelle E; Poindexter, Brian J; Bick, Roger J; Dasgupta, Amitava

2008-12-01

We studied the potential cardiac effects of two alcohol extracts of commercially available hawthorn using rat cardiomyocytes and measuring calcium transients by real-time fluorescence spectrophotometry. One preparation was a blend of hawthorn flowers, leaves, and berries (extract #1), and the other (extract #2) was from a "berries-only" preparation. Fluorescent images and calcium transients were acquired concurrently. Addition of extract #1 resulted in the initiation of robust calcium transients and eventual calcium overload, while addition of extract #2 caused increased calcium sparking, initiation of calcium transients, and an increased beating rate but no calcium overload. To identify the mechanisms of increased calcium influx, adult rat cardiomyocytes were challenged with 10 microM ouabain, a Na(+),K(+)-ATPase inhibitor, and the calcium channel blocker nifedipine. The findings revealed that equal volumes of the two readily available hawthorn preparations demonstrated markedly different effects on isolated adult rat cardiomyocytes, suggesting important implications for patients who are using these preparations to supplement or even replace their prescribed cardiac medications as to which preparation(s) to use, and potential dire consequences, particularly in cardiac patients. Our study indicates that the mechanism of cardiac activity of hawthorn is via the Na(+),K(+)-ATPase and intracellular calcium concentrations are influenced.

Reaction Wheel Disturbance Model Extraction Software - RWDMES

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blaurock, Carl

2009-01-01

The RWDMES is a tool for modeling the disturbances imparted on spacecraft by spinning reaction wheels. Reaction wheels are usually the largest disturbance source on a precision pointing spacecraft, and can be the dominating source of pointing error. Accurate knowledge of the disturbance environment is critical to accurate prediction of the pointing performance. In the past, it has been difficult to extract an accurate wheel disturbance model since the forcing mechanisms are difficult to model physically, and the forcing amplitudes are filtered by the dynamics of the reaction wheel. RWDMES captures the wheel-induced disturbances using a hybrid physical/empirical model that is extracted directly from measured forcing data. The empirical models capture the tonal forces that occur at harmonics of the spin rate, and the broadband forces that arise from random effects. The empirical forcing functions are filtered by a physical model of the wheel structure that includes spin-rate-dependent moments (gyroscopic terms). The resulting hybrid model creates a highly accurate prediction of wheel-induced forces. It accounts for variation in disturbance frequency, as well as the shifts in structural amplification by the whirl modes, as the spin rate changes. This software provides a point-and-click environment for producing accurate models with minimal user effort. Where conventional approaches may take weeks to produce a model of variable quality, RWDMES can create a demonstrably high accuracy model in two hours. The software consists of a graphical user interface (GUI) that enables the user to specify all analysis parameters, to evaluate analysis results and to iteratively refine the model. Underlying algorithms automatically extract disturbance harmonics, initialize and tune harmonic models, and initialize and tune broadband noise models. The component steps are described in the RWDMES user s guide and include: converting time domain data to waterfall PSDs (power spectral densities); converting PSDs to order analysis data; extracting harmonics; initializing and simultaneously tuning a harmonic model and a wheel structural model; initializing and tuning a broadband model; and verifying the harmonic/broadband/structural model against the measurement data. Functional operation is through a MATLAB GUI that loads test data, performs the various analyses, plots evaluation data for assessment and refinement of analysis parameters, and exports the data to documentation or downstream analysis code. The harmonic models are defined as specified functions of frequency, typically speed-squared. The reaction wheel structural model is realized as mass, damping, and stiffness matrices (typically from a finite element analysis package) with the addition of a gyroscopic forcing matrix. The broadband noise model is realized as a set of speed-dependent filters. The tuning of the combined model is performed using nonlinear least squares techniques. RWDMES is implemented as a MATLAB toolbox comprising the Fit Manager for performing the model extraction, Data Manager for managing input data and output models, the Gyro Manager for modifying wheel structural models, and the Harmonic Editor for evaluating and tuning harmonic models. This software was validated using data from Goodrich E wheels, and from GSFC Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) wheels. The validation testing proved that RWDMES has the capability to extract accurate disturbance models from flight reaction wheels with minimal user effort.

Experimental Magnetohydrodynamic Energy Extraction from a Pulsed Detonation

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-03-01

experimental data taken in this thesis will follow voltage profiles similar to Fig. 2. Notice the initial section in Fig. 2 shows exponential decay consistent...equal that time constant. The exponential curves in Fig. 2 show how changing the time constant can change the charge and/or discharge rate of the...see Fig. 1), at a sampling rate of 1 MHz. Shielded wire and a common ground were used throughout the DAQ system to avoid capacitive issues in the

Leachate flush strategies for managing volatile fatty acids accumulation in leach-bed reactors.

PubMed

Riggio, S; Torrijos, M; Vives, G; Esposito, G; van Hullebusch, E D; Steyer, J P; Escudié, R

2017-05-01

In anaerobic leach-bed reactors (LBRs) co-digesting an easily- and a slowly-degradable substrate, the importance of the leachate flush both on extracting volatile fatty acids (VFAs) at the beginning of newly-started batches and on their consumption in mature reactors was tested. Regarding VFA extraction three leachate flush-rate conditions were studied: 0.5, 1 and 2Lkg -1 TSd -1 . Results showed that increasing the leachate flush-rate during the acidification phase is essential to increase degradation kinetics. After this initial phase, leachate injection is less important and the flush-rate could be reduced. The injection in mature reactors of leachate with an acetic acid concentration of 5 or 10gL -1 showed that for an optimized VFA consumption in LBRs, VFAs should be provided straight after the methane production peak in order to profit from a higher methanogenic activity, and every 6-7h to maintain a high biogas production rate. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Plant uptake of pentachlorophenol from sludge-amended soils

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

Bellin, C.A.; O'Connor, G.A.

A greenhouse study was conducted to determine the effects of sludge on plant uptake of {sup 14}C-pentachlorophenol (PCP). Plants included tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.), lettuce (Latuca sativa L.), carrot (Daucus carota L.), and chile pepper (Capsicum annum L.). Minimal intact PCP was detected in the fescue and lettuce by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis. No intact PCP was detected in the carrot tissue extracts. Chile pepper was not analyzed for intact PCP because methylene chloride extracts contained minimal {sup 14}C. The GC/MS analysis of soil extracts at harvest suggests a half-life of PCP of about 10 d independent ofmore » sludge rate or PCP loading rate. Rapid degradation of PCP in the soil apparently limited PCP availability to the plant. Bioconcentration factors (dry plant wt./initial soil PCP concentration) based on intact PCP were <0.01 for all crops, suggesting little PCP uptake. Thus, food-chain crop PCP uptake in these alkaline soils should not limit land application of sludge.« less

Plant uptake of pentachlorophenol from sludge-amended soils

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

Bellin, C.A.; O'Connor, G.A.

A greenhouse study was conducted to determine the effects of sludge on plant uptake of {sup 14}C-pentachlorophenol (PCP). Plants included tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.), lettuce (Latuca sativa L.), carrot (Daucus carota L.), and chile pepper (Capsicum annum L.). Minimal intact PCP was detected in the fescue and lettuce by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis. No intact PCP was detected in the carrot tissue extracts. Chile pepper was not analyzed for intact PCP because methylene chloride extracts contained minimal {sup 14}C. The GC/MS analysis of soil extracts at harvest suggests a half-life of PCP of about 10 d independent ofmore » sludge rate or PCP loading rate. Rapid degradation of PCP in the soil apparently limited PCP availability to the plant. Bioconcentration factors (dry plant wt./initial soil PCP concentration) based on intact PCP were < 0.01 for all crops, suggesting little PCP uptake. Thus, food-chain crop PCP uptake in these alkaline soils should not limit land application of sludge.« less

FECAL INDICATOR BACTERIA MEASUREMENTS BY QUANTITATIVE POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION (QPCR) ANALYSIS IN FRESH ARCHIVED DNA EXTRACT OF WATER SAMPLE FILTRATES

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. EPA has initiated a new recreational water study to evaluate the correlation between illness rates in swimmers and Enterococcus concentrations determined by the mEI agar membrane filter (MF) method and several new technologies including QPCR analysis. Results of this stu...

[The release of biologically active compounds from peat peloids].

PubMed

Babaskin, D V

2011-01-01

This work had the objective to study kinetics of the release of flavonoides from peat peloid compositions containing extracts of medicinal herbs in model systems.The key parameters of the process are defined. The rate of liberation of flavonoides is shown to depend on their initial concentration in the compositions being used. The influence of the flavonoide composition of the tested extracts and dimethylsulfoxide on the release of biologically active compounds contained in the starting material in the model environment is estimated. The possibility of the layer-by-layer deposition of the compositions and peat peloids in order to increase the efficacy of flavonoide release from the starting composition and to ensure more rational utilization of the extracts of medicinal plants is demonstrated.

Determination of initiation of DNA replication before and after nuclear formation in Xenopus egg cell free extracts

PubMed Central

1993-01-01

Xenopus egg extracts prepared before and after egg activation retain M- and S-phase specific activity, respectively. Staurosporine, a potent inhibitor of protein kinase, converted M-phase extracts into interphase- like extracts that were capable of forming nuclei upon the addition of sperm DNA. The nuclei formed in the staurosporine treated M-phase extract were incapable of replicating DNA, and they were unable to initiate replication upon the addition of S-phase extracts. Furthermore, replication was inhibited when the staurosporine-treated M- phase extract was added in excess to the staurosporine-treated S-phase extract before the addition of DNA. The membrane-depleted S-phase extract supported neither nuclear formation nor replication; however, preincubation of sperm DNA with these extracts allowed them to form replication-competent nuclei upon the addition of excess staurosporine- treated M-phase extract. These results demonstrate that positive factors in the S-phase extracts determined the initiation of DNA replication before nuclear formation, although these factors were unable to initiate replication after nuclear formation. PMID:8253833

Active surface model improvement by energy function optimization for 3D segmentation.

PubMed

Azimifar, Zohreh; Mohaddesi, Mahsa

2015-04-01

This paper proposes an optimized and efficient active surface model by improving the energy functions, searching method, neighborhood definition and resampling criterion. Extracting an accurate surface of the desired object from a number of 3D images using active surface and deformable models plays an important role in computer vision especially medical image processing. Different powerful segmentation algorithms have been suggested to address the limitations associated with the model initialization, poor convergence to surface concavities and slow convergence rate. This paper proposes a method to improve one of the strongest and recent segmentation algorithms, namely the Decoupled Active Surface (DAS) method. We consider a gradient of wavelet edge extracted image and local phase coherence as external energy to extract more information from images and we use curvature integral as internal energy to focus on high curvature region extraction. Similarly, we use resampling of points and a line search for point selection to improve the accuracy of the algorithm. We further employ an estimation of the desired object as an initialization for the active surface model. A number of tests and experiments have been done and the results show the improvements with regards to the extracted surface accuracy and computational time of the presented algorithm compared with the best and recent active surface models. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Initiation of Anaerobic Degradation of p-Cresol by Formation of 4-Hydroxybenzylsuccinate in Desulfobacterium cetonicum

PubMed Central

Müller, Jochen A.; Galushko, Alexander S.; Kappler, Andreas; Schink, Bernhard

2001-01-01

The anaerobic bacterium Desulfobacterium cetonicum oxidized p-cresol completely to CO2 with sulfate as the electron acceptor. During growth, 4-hydroxybenzylsuccinate accumulated in the medium. This finding indicated that the methyl group of p-cresol is activated by addition to fumarate, analogous to anaerobic toluene, m-xylene, and m-cresol degradation. In cell extracts, the formation of 4-hydroxybenzylsuccinate from p-cresol and fumarate was detected at an initial rate of 0.57 nmol min−1 (mg of protein)−1. This activity was specific for extracts of p-cresol-grown cells. 4-Hydroxybenzylsuccinate was degraded further to 4-hydroxybenzoyl-coenzyme A (CoA), most likely via β-oxidation. 4-Hydroxybenzoyl-CoA was reductively dehydroxylated to benzoyl-CoA. There was no evidence of degradation of p-cresol via methyl group oxidation by p-cresol-methylhydroxylase in this bacterium. PMID:11133971

Factors associated to continuing breastfeeding after returning to work in a group of mothers in Puerto Rico.

PubMed

García-Fragoso, Lourdes; Medina, Mariel; Ortiz, Nerian

2012-01-01

Working outside the home is related to lower rates of breastfeeding initiation and duration. Enacted laws promote and support breastfeeding in working places. To determine factors associated to breastfeeding after returning to work. Anonymous questionnaires distributed among breastfeeding working mothers. The study subjects were 100 mothers. Most of them (77%) worked for the government. Fifty-six percent continued breastfeeding after returning to work. In 33% of the workplaces there was an area designated for milk extraction.Thirty-six percent of employers allowed the 30 minute periods mandated by law for extraction. Factors associated to continuing breastfeeding were: working in the private setting, having a place designated for extraction, knowing that employers were mandated to have such a place, being allowed time for extraction, and knowing the laws protecting breastfeeding. There is need for more education to working mothers about their rights to continue breastfeeding after returning to work.

Rapid and reliable high-throughput methods of DNA extraction for use in barcoding and molecular systematics of mushrooms.

PubMed

Dentinger, Bryn T M; Margaritescu, Simona; Moncalvo, Jean-Marc

2010-07-01

We present two methods for DNA extraction from fresh and dried mushrooms that are adaptable to high-throughput sequencing initiatives, such as DNA barcoding. Our results show that these protocols yield ∼85% sequencing success from recently collected materials. Tests with both recent (<2 year) and older (>100 years) specimens reveal that older collections have low success rates and may be an inefficient resource for populating a barcode database. However, our method of extracting DNA from herbarium samples using small amount of tissue is reliable and could be used for important historical specimens. The application of these protocols greatly reduces time, and therefore cost, of generating DNA sequences from mushrooms and other fungi vs. traditional extraction methods. The efficiency of these methods illustrates that standardization and streamlining of sample processing should be shifted from the laboratory to the field. © 2009 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Bioactivity-guided fractionation for the butyrylcholinesterase inhibitory activity of furanocoumarins from Angelica archangelica L. roots and fruits.

PubMed

Wszelaki, Natalia; Paradowska, Katarzyna; Jamróz, Marta K; Granica, Sebastian; Kiss, Anna K

2011-09-14

Isolation and identification of the inhibitors of butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), obtained from the extracts of roots and fruits of Angelica archangelica L., are reported. Our results confirmed the weak inhibitory effect of Angelica roots on acetylcholinesterase activity. BChE inhibition was much more pronounced at a concentration of 100 μg/mL for hexane extracts and attained a higher rate than 50%. The TLC bioautography guided fractionation and spectroscopic analysis led to the isolation and identification of imperatorin from the fruit's hexane extract and of heraclenol-2'-O-angelate from the root's hexane extract. Both compounds showed significant BChE inhibition activity with IC(50) = 14.4 ± 3.2 μM and IC(50) = 7.5 ± 1.8 μM, respectively. Only C8-substituted and C5-unsubstituted furanocoumarins were active, which could supply information about the initial structures of specific BChE inhibitors.

78 FR 18624 - U.S. Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative Multi-Stakeholder Group (USEITI MSG) Advisory...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-27

... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Office of the Secretary [Docket No. ONRR-2012-0003] U.S. Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative Multi- Stakeholder Group (USEITI MSG) Advisory Committee AGENCY: Policy..., teleconference and the May 1-2, 2013, meeting of the United States Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative...

Biosynthesis of poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) from glycerol by Paracoccus denitrificans in a batch bioreactor: effect of process variables.

PubMed

Kalaiyezhini, D; Ramachandran, K B

2015-01-01

In this study, the kinetics of poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) biosynthesis from glycerol by Paracoccus denitrificans DSMZ 413 were explored in a batch bioreactor. Effects of inorganic and organic nitrogen source, carbon to nitrogen ratio, and other process variables such as pH, aeration, and initial glycerol concentration on PHB production were investigated in a 2.5-L bioreactor. Yeast extract was found to be the best nitrogen source compared to several organic nitrogen sources tested. At pH 6, specific growth rate, product formation rate, and accumulation of PHB within the cell were maximum. Specific growth rate increased with increase in oxygen transfer rate, but moderate oxygen transfer rate promoted PHB production. High glycerol concentration inhibited specific product formation rate but not growth. High initial carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratio favored PHB accumulation and its productivity. At a C/N ratio of 21.4 (mol mol(-1)), 10.7 g L(-1) of PHB corresponding to 72% of cell dry weight was attained.

Numerical modelling of lithospheric flexure in front of subduction zones in Japan and its role to initiate melt extraction from the LVZ.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bessat, A.; Pilet, S.; Duretz, T.; Schmalholz, S. M.

2017-12-01

Petit-spot volcanoes were found fifteen years ago by Japanese researchers at the top of the subducting plate in Japan (Hirano 2006). This discovery is of great significance as it highlights the importance of tectonic processes for the initiation of intraplate volcanism. The location of these small lava flows is unusual and seems to be related to the plate flexure, which may facilitate the extraction of low degree melts from the base of the lithosphere, a hypothesis previously suggested to explain changes in electric and seismic properties at 70-90 km depth, i.e. within the low velocity zone (LVS) (Sifré 2014). A critical question is related to the process associated with the extraction of this low degree melts from the LVZ. First models suggested that extension associated to plate bending allows large cracks to propagate across the lithosphere and could promote the extraction of low degree melts at the base of the lithosphere (Hirano 2006 & Yamamoto 2014). However, the study of petit-spot mantle xenoliths from Japan (Pilet 2016) has demonstrated that low degree melts are not directly extracted to the surface but percolate, interact and metasomatize the oceanic lithosphere. In order to understand the melt extraction process in the region of plate bending, we performed 2D thermo-mechanical simulations of Japanese-type subduction. The numerical model considers viscoelastoplastic deformation. This allows the quantification of state of the stress, strain rates, and viscosities which will control the percolation of melt initially stocked at the base of the lithosphere. Initial results show that plate flexure changes the distribution of the deformation mechanism in the flexure zone, between 40 km to 80 km depth. A change of the dominant deformation mechanism from diffusion creep to dislocation creep and from there to Peierls creep was observed about 200 to 300 km from the trench. These changes are linked to the augmentation of the stresses in the flexure zone. At the base of the lithosphere diffusion creep is observed as a thin layer (20 km), which becomes smaller (10 km) as the subduction progresses in favour of the dislocation creep. Further work will be necessary to prove whether the associated stress distributions is compatible with the development of porosity waves, a critical process to extract melts in low porosity media.

Hierarchical Leak Detection and Localization Method in Natural Gas Pipeline Monitoring Sensor Networks

PubMed Central

Wan, Jiangwen; Yu, Yang; Wu, Yinfeng; Feng, Renjian; Yu, Ning

2012-01-01

In light of the problems of low recognition efficiency, high false rates and poor localization accuracy in traditional pipeline security detection technology, this paper proposes a type of hierarchical leak detection and localization method for use in natural gas pipeline monitoring sensor networks. In the signal preprocessing phase, original monitoring signals are dealt with by wavelet transform technology to extract the single mode signals as well as characteristic parameters. In the initial recognition phase, a multi-classifier model based on SVM is constructed and characteristic parameters are sent as input vectors to the multi-classifier for initial recognition. In the final decision phase, an improved evidence combination rule is designed to integrate initial recognition results for final decisions. Furthermore, a weighted average localization algorithm based on time difference of arrival is introduced for determining the leak point’s position. Experimental results illustrate that this hierarchical pipeline leak detection and localization method could effectively improve the accuracy of the leak point localization and reduce the undetected rate as well as false alarm rate. PMID:22368464

Hierarchical leak detection and localization method in natural gas pipeline monitoring sensor networks.

PubMed

Wan, Jiangwen; Yu, Yang; Wu, Yinfeng; Feng, Renjian; Yu, Ning

2012-01-01

In light of the problems of low recognition efficiency, high false rates and poor localization accuracy in traditional pipeline security detection technology, this paper proposes a type of hierarchical leak detection and localization method for use in natural gas pipeline monitoring sensor networks. In the signal preprocessing phase, original monitoring signals are dealt with by wavelet transform technology to extract the single mode signals as well as characteristic parameters. In the initial recognition phase, a multi-classifier model based on SVM is constructed and characteristic parameters are sent as input vectors to the multi-classifier for initial recognition. In the final decision phase, an improved evidence combination rule is designed to integrate initial recognition results for final decisions. Furthermore, a weighted average localization algorithm based on time difference of arrival is introduced for determining the leak point's position. Experimental results illustrate that this hierarchical pipeline leak detection and localization method could effectively improve the accuracy of the leak point localization and reduce the undetected rate as well as false alarm rate.

78 FR 64525 - U.S. Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative Multi-Stakeholder Group (USEITI MSG) Advisory...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-29

... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Office of the Secretary [Docket No. ONRR-2012-0003; DS63600000 DR2PS0000.PX8000 134D0102R2] U.S. Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative Multi- Stakeholder Group...: This notice announces the rescheduling of the U.S. Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative...

Quantitative assessments of arousal by analyzing microsaccade rates and pupil fluctuations prior to slow eye movements.

PubMed

Honda, Shogo; Kohama, Takeshi; Tanaka, Tatsuro; Yoshida, Hisashi

2014-01-01

It is well known that a decline of arousal level causes of poor performance of movements or judgments. Our previous study indicates that microsaccade (MS) rates and pupil fluctuations change before slow eye movements (SEMs) (Honda et al. 2013). However, SEM detection of this study was obscure and insufficient. In this study, we propose a new SEM detection method and analyze MS rates and pupil fluctuations while subjects maintain their gaze on a target. We modified Shin et al.'s method, which is optimized for EOG (electrooculography) signals, to extract the period of sustaining SEMs using a general eye tracker. After SEM detection, we analyzed MS rates and pupil fluctuations prior to the initiation of SEMs. As a result, we were able to detect SEMs more precisely than in our previous study. Moreover, the results of eye movements and pupil fluctuations analyses show that gradual rise of MS rate and longitudinal miosis are observed prior to the initiation of SEMs, which is consistent with our previous study. These findings suggest that monitoring eye movements and pupil fluctuations may evaluate the arousal level more precisely. Further, we found that these tendencies become more significant when they are restricted to the initial SEMs.

Healing of ungrafted and grafted extraction sockets after 12 weeks: a prospective clinical study.

PubMed

Heberer, Susanne; Al-Chawaf, Bassem; Jablonski, Carlo; Nelson, John J; Lage, Hermann; Nelson, Katje

2011-01-01

In this prospective study, bone formation in human extraction sockets augmented with Bio-Oss Collagen after a 12-week healing period was quantified and compared to bone formation in unaugmented extraction sockets. Selected patients with four-walled extraction sockets were included in this prospective study. After extraction, the sockets were randomly augmented using Bio-Oss Collagen or left to heal unfilled without raising a mucoperiosteal flap. At the time of implant placement, histologic specimens were obtained from the socket and analyzed. Statistical analysis was performed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Twenty-five patients with a total of 39 sockets (20 augmented, 19 unaugmented) were included in the study and the histologic specimens analyzed. All specimens were free of inflammatory cells. The mean overall new bone formation in the augmented sites was 25% (range, 8%-41%) and in the unaugmented sockets it was 44% (range, 3%-79%). There was a significant difference in the rate of new bone formation between the grafted and ungrafted sockets and a significant difference in the bone formation rate in the apical compared to the coronal regions of all sockets, independent of the healing mode. This descriptive study demonstrated that bone formation in Bio-Oss Collagen-grafted human extraction sockets was lower than bone formation in ungrafted sockets. Bone formation occurred in all specimens with varying degrees of maturation independent of the grafting material and was initiated from the apical region.

Extraction of Polysaccharide from Spirulina and Evaluation of Its Activities.

PubMed

Wang, Bingyue; Liu, Qian; Huang, Yinghong; Yuan, Yueling; Ma, Qianqian; Du, Manling; Cai, Tiange; Cai, Yu

2018-01-01

Polysaccharide of Spirulina platensis (PSP) is a kind of water-soluble polysaccharide extracted from Spirulina platensis . It has been proved to have antitumor, antioxidation, antiaging, and antivirus properties. And it has a promising prospect for wide application. This study aims to identify an extraction process for high-purity polysaccharide in Spirulina (PSP) through a series of optimization methods and then evaluates its initial antiaging activities. Four kinds of extraction methods-hot-water extraction, alkali extraction, ultrasonic-assisted extraction, and freeze-thaw extraction-were compared to find the optimal one, which was further optimized by response surface methodology. PSP was obtained after the crude PSP was deproteinized and depigmented. The antiaging effects of PSP were preliminarily evaluated through in vitro cell experiments. The alkali extraction method was determined as the optimal method, with the optimized extraction process consisting of a solid-liquid ratio of 1 : 50, a pH value of 10.25, a temperature of 89.24°C, and a time of 9.99 h. The final PSP contained 71.65% of polysaccharide and 8.54% of protein. At a concentration of 50  μ g/mL, PSP exerted a significant promoting effect on the proliferation and traumatic fusion of human immortalized epidermal cells HaCaT. An extraction method for high-purity PSP with a high extraction rate was established, and in vitro results suggest antioxidation and antiaging activities.

[Determination of estrogen residues in drinking water by on-line solid phase extraction based on sol-gel technique coupled with high performance liquid chromatography].

PubMed

Li, Longfei; Su, Min; Shi, Xiaolei; Wang, Yana; Wang, Minmin; He, Jinxing

2014-02-01

A method for the determination of diethylstilbestrol (DES), hexestrol (HEX) and dienestrol (DS) residues in drinking water was established by on-line solid phase extraction (SPE) coupled with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The material synthesized on the base of sol-gel technology was employed as adsorbent. This material was prepared using 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) as the functional monomer, tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) as the crosslinking agent, and acetic acid as the initiator. The synthesized adsorbent showed outstanding property for the estrogen extraction. The estrogen can be caught effectively from water samples and the extraction can be achieved rapidly. Some important parameters, such as pH of sample solution, eluent solvents, loading flow rate, which might influence extraction efficiency, were optimized. The results indicated that the limit of detection (S/N = 3) of the developed method could reach 0.07-0.13 microg/L under the conditions of pH 7.0 of sample solution, methanol and 1% (v/v) acetic acid aqueous solution as the eluent solvent and the loading flow rate of 2 mL/min. The recoveries of the three estrogens from the water samples at three spiked levels ranged from 82.31% to 99.43% with RSD of 1.61%-7.15%. The method was simple, rapid, and suitable to detect the trace residues of estrogens in drinking water.

Leaching kinetics of cobalt from the scraps of spent aerospace magnetic materials.

PubMed

Zhou, Xuejiao; Chen, Yongli; Yin, Jianguo; Xia, Wentang; Yuan, Xiaoli; Xiang, Xiaoyan

2018-06-01

Based on physicochemical properties of the scraps of spent aerospace magnetic materials, a roasting - magnetic separation followed by sulfuric acid leaching process was proposed to extract cobalt. Roasting was performed at 500 °C to remove organic impurity. Non-magnetic impurities were reduced by magnetic separation and then the raw material was sieved into desired particle sizes. Acid leaching was carried out to extract cobalt from the scraps and experimental parameters included agitation speed, particle size, initial concentration of sulfuric acid and temperature. Agitation speed higher than 300 r/min had a relatively small impact on the cobalt extraction. As the particle size reduced, the content of cobalt in the raw material decreases and the extraction of cobalt by acid leaching increased at first and decreased afterwards. Raising the initial concentration of sulfuric acid and temperature contributed to improve the cobalt extraction and the influence of temperature was more remarkable. SEM image revealed that the spent aerospace magnetic materials mainly existed in the sliced strip flake with a loose surface and porous structure. Under the experimental condition, the leaching rate of cobalt from the scraps in sulfuric acid solution could be expressed as ln(-ln(1 - α)) = lnk + nlnt. The apparent activation energy was found to be 38.33 kJ/mol and it was mainly controlled by the surface chemical reaction. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

78 FR 6342 - U.S. Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative Advisory Committee

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-30

... Industries Transparency Initiative Advisory Committee AGENCY: Interior, Office of the Secretary. ACTION... Initiative Advisory Committee will meet as indicated below. DATES: Wednesday, February 13, 2013, from 8:30 a... Transparency Initiative (EITI). The Committee includes representatives from Government agencies, extractive...

Experiments on Plume Spreading by Engineered Injection and Extraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mays, D. C.; Jones, M.; Tigera, R. G.; Neupauer, R.

2014-12-01

The notion that groundwater remediation is transport-limited emphasizes the coupling between physical (i.e., hydrodynamic), geochemical, and microbiological processes in the subsurface. Here we leverage this coupling to promote groundwater remediation using the approach of engineered injection and extraction. In this approach, inspired by the literature on chaotic advection, uncontaminated groundwater is injected and extracted through a manifold of wells surrounding the contaminated plume. The potential of this approach lies in its ability to actively manipulate the velocity field near the contaminated plume, generating plume spreading above and beyond that resulting from aquifer heterogeneity. Plume spreading, in turn, promotes mixing and reaction by chemical and biological processes. Simulations have predicted that engineered injection and extraction generates (1) chaotic advection whose characteristics depend on aquifer heterogeneity, and (2) faster rates and increased extent of groundwater remediation. This presentation focuses on a complimentary effort to experimentally demonstrate these predictions experimentally. In preparation for future work using refractive index matched (RIM) porous media, the experiments reported here use a Hele-Shaw apparatus containing silicone oil. Engineered injection and extraction is used to manipulate the geometry of an initially circular plume of black pigment, and photographs record the plume geometry after each step of injection of extraction. Image analysis, using complimentary Eulerian and Lagrangian approaches, reveals the thickness and variability of the dispersion zone surrounding the deformed plume of black pigment. The size, shape, and evolution of this dispersion zone provides insight into the interplay between engineered injection and extraction, which generates plume structure, and dispersion (here Taylor dispersion), which destroys plume structure. These experiments lay the groundwork for application of engineered injection and extraction at field sites where improvements to the rate, extent, and cost of remediation are hoped.

Thermodynamic analysis of Cr(VI) extraction using TOPO impregnated membranes.

PubMed

Praveen, Prashant; Loh, Kai-Chee

2016-08-15

Solid/liquid extraction of Cr(VI) was accomplished using trioctylphosphine oxide impregnated polypropylene hollow fiber membranes. Extraction of 100-500mg/L Cr(VI) by the extractant impregnated membranes (EIM) was characterized by high uptake rate and capacity, and equilibrium was attained within 45min of contact. Extraction equilibrium was pH-dependent (at an optimal pH 2), whereas stripping using 0.2M sodium hydroxide yielded the highest recovery of 98% within 60min. The distribution coefficient was independent of initial Cr(VI) concentration, and the linear distribution equilibrium isotherm could be modeled using Freundlich isotherm. The mass transfer kinetics of Cr(VI) was examined using pseudo-second-order and intraparticle diffusion models and a mass transfer mechanism was deduced. The distribution coefficient increased with temperature, which indicated endothermic nature of the reaction. Enthalpy and entropy change during Cr(VI) extraction were positive and varied in the range of 37-49kJ/mol and 114-155J/mol, respectively. The free energy change was negative, confirming the feasibility and spontaneity of the mass transfer process. Results obtained suggest that EIMs are efficient and sustainable for extraction of Cr(VI) from wastewater. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Investigation of the influence of groundwater advection on energy extraction rates for sustainable borehole heat exchanger operation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schelenz, Sophie; Dietrich, Peter; Vienken, Thomas

2016-04-01

A sustainable thermal exploitation of the shallow subsurface requires a precise understanding of all relevant heat transport processes. Currently, planning practice of shallow geothermal systems (especially for systems < 30 kW) focuses on conductive heat transport as the main energy source while the impact of groundwater flow as the driver for advective heat transport is neglected or strongly simplified. The presented study proves that those simplifications of complex geological and hydrogeological subsurface characteristics are insufficient for a precise evaluation of site-specific energy extraction rates. Based on synthetic model scenarios with varying subsurface conditions (groundwater flow velocity and aquifer thickness) the impact of advection on induced long term temperature changes in 5 and 10 m distance of the borehole heat exchanger is presented. Extending known investigations, this study enhances the evaluation of shallow geothermal energy extraction rates by considering conductive and advective heat transport under varying aquifer thicknesses. Further, it evaluates the impact of advection on installation lengths of the borehole heat exchanger to optimize the initial financial investment. Finally, an evaluation approach is presented that classifies relevant heat transport processes according to their Péclet number to enable a first quantitative assessment of the subsurface energy regime and recommend further investigation and planning procedures.

77 FR 31377 - U.S. Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative Tribal Consultation

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-25

... Industries Transparency Initiative Tribal Consultation AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Interior. ACTION... regarding the United States Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, to be held at the National... tribes in the months of June and July regarding this initiative. Interior also invites tribes to...

Smoking initiation among young adults in the United States and Canada, 1998-2010: a systematic review.

PubMed

Freedman, Kit S; Nelson, Nanette M; Feldman, Laura L

2012-01-01

Young adults have the highest smoking rate of any age group in the United States and Canada, and recent data indicate that they often initiate smoking as young adults. The objective of this study was to systematically review peer-reviewed articles on cigarette smoking initiation and effective prevention efforts among young adults. We searched 5 databases for research articles published in English between 1998 and 2010 on smoking initiation among young adults (aged 18-25) living in the United States or Canada. We extracted the following data from each study selected: the measure of initiation used, age range of initiation, age range of study population, data source, target population, sampling method, and sample size. We summarized the primary findings of each study according to 3 research questions and categories of data (eg, sociodemographic) that emerged during the data extraction process. Of 1,072 identified studies, we found 27 articles that met our search criteria, but several included a larger age range of initiation (eg, 18-30, 18-36) than we initially intended to include. Disparities in young adult smoking initiation existed according to sex, race, and educational attainment. The use of alcohol and illegal drugs was associated with smoking initiation. The risk of smoking initiation among young adults increased under the following circumstances: exposure to smoking, boredom or stress while serving in the military, attending tobacco-sponsored social events while in college, and exposure to social norms and perceptions that encourage smoking. Effective prevention efforts include exposure to counter-marketing, denormalization campaigns, taxation, and the presence of smoke-free policies. Much remains to be learned about young adult smoking initiation, particularly among young adults in the straight-to-work population. Dissimilar measures of smoking initiation limit our knowledge about smoking initiation among young adults. We recommend developing a standardized measure of initiation that indicates progression to regular established smoking.

Achieving Accurate Automatic Sleep Staging on Manually Pre-processed EEG Data Through Synchronization Feature Extraction and Graph Metrics.

PubMed

Chriskos, Panteleimon; Frantzidis, Christos A; Gkivogkli, Polyxeni T; Bamidis, Panagiotis D; Kourtidou-Papadeli, Chrysoula

2018-01-01

Sleep staging, the process of assigning labels to epochs of sleep, depending on the stage of sleep they belong, is an arduous, time consuming and error prone process as the initial recordings are quite often polluted by noise from different sources. To properly analyze such data and extract clinical knowledge, noise components must be removed or alleviated. In this paper a pre-processing and subsequent sleep staging pipeline for the sleep analysis of electroencephalographic signals is described. Two novel methods of functional connectivity estimation (Synchronization Likelihood/SL and Relative Wavelet Entropy/RWE) are comparatively investigated for automatic sleep staging through manually pre-processed electroencephalographic recordings. A multi-step process that renders signals suitable for further analysis is initially described. Then, two methods that rely on extracting synchronization features from electroencephalographic recordings to achieve computerized sleep staging are proposed, based on bivariate features which provide a functional overview of the brain network, contrary to most proposed methods that rely on extracting univariate time and frequency features. Annotation of sleep epochs is achieved through the presented feature extraction methods by training classifiers, which are in turn able to accurately classify new epochs. Analysis of data from sleep experiments on a randomized, controlled bed-rest study, which was organized by the European Space Agency and was conducted in the "ENVIHAB" facility of the Institute of Aerospace Medicine at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in Cologne, Germany attains high accuracy rates, over 90% based on ground truth that resulted from manual sleep staging by two experienced sleep experts. Therefore, it can be concluded that the above feature extraction methods are suitable for semi-automatic sleep staging.

Achieving Accurate Automatic Sleep Staging on Manually Pre-processed EEG Data Through Synchronization Feature Extraction and Graph Metrics

PubMed Central

Chriskos, Panteleimon; Frantzidis, Christos A.; Gkivogkli, Polyxeni T.; Bamidis, Panagiotis D.; Kourtidou-Papadeli, Chrysoula

2018-01-01

Sleep staging, the process of assigning labels to epochs of sleep, depending on the stage of sleep they belong, is an arduous, time consuming and error prone process as the initial recordings are quite often polluted by noise from different sources. To properly analyze such data and extract clinical knowledge, noise components must be removed or alleviated. In this paper a pre-processing and subsequent sleep staging pipeline for the sleep analysis of electroencephalographic signals is described. Two novel methods of functional connectivity estimation (Synchronization Likelihood/SL and Relative Wavelet Entropy/RWE) are comparatively investigated for automatic sleep staging through manually pre-processed electroencephalographic recordings. A multi-step process that renders signals suitable for further analysis is initially described. Then, two methods that rely on extracting synchronization features from electroencephalographic recordings to achieve computerized sleep staging are proposed, based on bivariate features which provide a functional overview of the brain network, contrary to most proposed methods that rely on extracting univariate time and frequency features. Annotation of sleep epochs is achieved through the presented feature extraction methods by training classifiers, which are in turn able to accurately classify new epochs. Analysis of data from sleep experiments on a randomized, controlled bed-rest study, which was organized by the European Space Agency and was conducted in the “ENVIHAB” facility of the Institute of Aerospace Medicine at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in Cologne, Germany attains high accuracy rates, over 90% based on ground truth that resulted from manual sleep staging by two experienced sleep experts. Therefore, it can be concluded that the above feature extraction methods are suitable for semi-automatic sleep staging. PMID:29628883

Automatic concept extraction from spoken medical reports.

PubMed

Happe, André; Pouliquen, Bruno; Burgun, Anita; Cuggia, Marc; Le Beux, Pierre

2003-07-01

The objective of this project is to investigate methods whereby a combination of speech recognition and automated indexing methods substitute for current transcription and indexing practices. We based our study on existing speech recognition software programs and on NOMINDEX, a tool that extracts MeSH concepts from medical text in natural language and that is mainly based on a French medical lexicon and on the UMLS. For each document, the process consists of three steps: (1) dictation and digital audio recording, (2) speech recognition, (3) automatic indexing. The evaluation consisted of a comparison between the set of concepts extracted by NOMINDEX after the speech recognition phase and the set of keywords manually extracted from the initial document. The method was evaluated on a set of 28 patient discharge summaries extracted from the MENELAS corpus in French, corresponding to in-patients admitted for coronarography. The overall precision was 73% and the overall recall was 90%. Indexing errors were mainly due to word sense ambiguity and abbreviations. A specific issue was the fact that the standard French translation of MeSH terms lacks diacritics. A preliminary evaluation of speech recognition tools showed that the rate of accurate recognition was higher than 98%. Only 3% of the indexing errors were generated by inadequate speech recognition. We discuss several areas to focus on to improve this prototype. However, the very low rate of indexing errors due to speech recognition errors highlights the potential benefits of combining speech recognition techniques and automatic indexing.

The kinetics of cooked meat haemoprotein formation in meat and model systems.

PubMed

Geileskey, A; King, R D; Corte, D; Pinto, P; Ledward, D A

1998-03-01

The rate of cooked meat haemoprotein formation (measured as the rate of loss of myoglobin solubility) was found, at least initially, to obey first order kinetics in meat, aqueous muscle extracts and mixtures of myoglobin and bovine serum albumin. In meat at 60 °C the rate was dependent on the species, (the pigment was formed significantly faster in lamb m. longissimus dorsi than in beef m. longissimus dorsi) and anatomical location (cooked meat haemoprotein was formed in beef m. 1. dorsi about twice as rapidly as in both beef shin and chuck (shoulder) muscle of similar pH). The rate of formation was similar in aqueous muscle extracts to that found in meat and in these systems increased with decreasing pH. The activation energies for all beef systems studied were similar and typical of those associated with protein denaturation (~300 KJ mol(-1)); however, that from lamb appeared to be lower (~200 KJ mol(-1)). The problems of using colour as an index of temperature reached, either for microbial safety (E. Coli 0157:H7 destruction) or quality are discussed in the light of these results.

Survival rates and bone loss after immediate loading of implants in fresh extraction sockets (single gaps). A clinical prospective study with 4 year follow-up

PubMed Central

Wojtovicz, Eduardo; España-Lopez, Antonio; Jimenez-Guerra, Alvaro; Monsalve-Guil, Loreto; Ortiz-Garcia, Ivan; Serrera-Figallo, Maria-Angeles

2018-01-01

Background The aim of this prospective study was to report the outcome of treatment with implants inserted after tooth extraction and immediately loaded. Material and Methods Fifty-six patients with single tooth loss were treated with 116 IPX Galimplant® implants with internal connections and a sandblasted, acid-etched surface. All implants were placed after tooth extraction using a flapless approach without bone regeneration, and they were then immediately loaded with cemented acrylic prostheses. After a period of three months, definitive cemented ceramic prostheses were placed. Patients were examined throughout a total of 4 years of follow-up. Marginal bone loss and survival rates were evaluated using digital periapical radiographs, taking into account clinical variables such as age, gender, smoking, history of periodontitis, etiology of extraction, placement site, diameter, and implant length. The Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis non-parametric tests were used to compare differences between subgroups created based on the different clinical variables identified. Results Clinical results indicate an implant survival and success rate of 97.4%. Three implants were lost. Of the 116 immediate acrylic single crowns initially placed, 113 were replaced with definitive ceramic crowns after 3 months. A total of 77.8% of implants were inserted in the maxilla, while 22.2% were inserted in the mandible. No further complications were reported after the follow-up period (4 years). The mean marginal bone loss was 0.67 mm ± 0.40 mm. No differences were found among the subgroups of study patients. Conclusions This study indicates that dental implants that are inserted after tooth extraction and immediately loaded may constitute a successful and predictable alternative implant treatment. Key words:Dental implants, post-extraction implants, fresh sockets, immediate loading, immediate prostheses, implant dentistry. PMID:29476669

An adaptive Kalman filter approach for cardiorespiratory signal extraction and fusion of non-contacting sensors

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Extracting cardiorespiratory signals from non-invasive and non-contacting sensor arrangements, i.e. magnetic induction sensors, is a challenging task. The respiratory and cardiac signals are mixed on top of a large and time-varying offset and are likely to be disturbed by measurement noise. Basic filtering techniques fail to extract relevant information for monitoring purposes. Methods We present a real-time filtering system based on an adaptive Kalman filter approach that separates signal offsets, respiratory and heart signals from three different sensor channels. It continuously estimates respiration and heart rates, which are fed back into the system model to enhance performance. Sensor and system noise covariance matrices are automatically adapted to the aimed application, thus improving the signal separation capabilities. We apply the filtering to two different subjects with different heart rates and sensor properties and compare the results to the non-adaptive version of the same Kalman filter. Also, the performance, depending on the initialization of the filters, is analyzed using three different configurations ranging from best to worst case. Results Extracted data are compared with reference heart rates derived from a standard pulse-photoplethysmographic sensor and respiration rates from a flowmeter. In the worst case for one of the subjects the adaptive filter obtains mean errors (standard deviations) of -0.2 min −1 (0.3 min −1) and -0.7 bpm (1.7 bpm) (compared to -0.2 min −1 (0.4 min −1) and 42.0 bpm (6.1 bpm) for the non-adaptive filter) for respiration and heart rate, respectively. In bad conditions the heart rate is only correctly measurable when the Kalman matrices are adapted to the target sensor signals. Also, the reduced mean error between the extracted offset and the raw sensor signal shows that adapting the Kalman filter continuously improves the ability to separate the desired signals from the raw sensor data. The average total computational time needed for the Kalman filters is under 25% of the total signal length rendering it possible to perform the filtering in real-time. Conclusions It is possible to measure in real-time heart and breathing rates using an adaptive Kalman filter approach. Adapting the Kalman filter matrices improves the estimation results and makes the filter universally deployable when measuring cardiorespiratory signals. PMID:24886253

An adaptive Kalman filter approach for cardiorespiratory signal extraction and fusion of non-contacting sensors.

PubMed

Foussier, Jerome; Teichmann, Daniel; Jia, Jing; Misgeld, Berno; Leonhardt, Steffen

2014-05-09

Extracting cardiorespiratory signals from non-invasive and non-contacting sensor arrangements, i.e. magnetic induction sensors, is a challenging task. The respiratory and cardiac signals are mixed on top of a large and time-varying offset and are likely to be disturbed by measurement noise. Basic filtering techniques fail to extract relevant information for monitoring purposes. We present a real-time filtering system based on an adaptive Kalman filter approach that separates signal offsets, respiratory and heart signals from three different sensor channels. It continuously estimates respiration and heart rates, which are fed back into the system model to enhance performance. Sensor and system noise covariance matrices are automatically adapted to the aimed application, thus improving the signal separation capabilities. We apply the filtering to two different subjects with different heart rates and sensor properties and compare the results to the non-adaptive version of the same Kalman filter. Also, the performance, depending on the initialization of the filters, is analyzed using three different configurations ranging from best to worst case. Extracted data are compared with reference heart rates derived from a standard pulse-photoplethysmographic sensor and respiration rates from a flowmeter. In the worst case for one of the subjects the adaptive filter obtains mean errors (standard deviations) of -0.2 min(-1) (0.3 min(-1)) and -0.7 bpm (1.7 bpm) (compared to -0.2 min(-1) (0.4 min(-1)) and 42.0 bpm (6.1 bpm) for the non-adaptive filter) for respiration and heart rate, respectively. In bad conditions the heart rate is only correctly measurable when the Kalman matrices are adapted to the target sensor signals. Also, the reduced mean error between the extracted offset and the raw sensor signal shows that adapting the Kalman filter continuously improves the ability to separate the desired signals from the raw sensor data. The average total computational time needed for the Kalman filters is under 25% of the total signal length rendering it possible to perform the filtering in real-time. It is possible to measure in real-time heart and breathing rates using an adaptive Kalman filter approach. Adapting the Kalman filter matrices improves the estimation results and makes the filter universally deployable when measuring cardiorespiratory signals.

Extraction and Capture of Water from Martian Regolith Experimental Proof-of-Concept

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Linne, Diane L.; Kleinhenz, Julie E.; Bauman, Steven W.; Johnson, Kyle A.

2016-01-01

A novel concept for extraction of water from the Mars soil in a real-time, open-air process was demonstrated in a Mars environment chamber. The concept breadboard uses radiative heating to bake off water from exposed soil contained in a bin. An enclosure, intended to mimic the bottom of a rover, covers the bin. A fan continuously blows the Mars atmospheric gases through the enclosure to collect the evolved water while a tiller was used to churn up moist subsurface soil. These initial tests verified concept feasibility. The sweep gas generated by commercially available muffin fans at 7 Torr was sufficient to transfer water vapor into a condenser flow loop. The radiative heating, while non-optimized, heated the soil surface to 60 C to generate water vapor. A rototiller working through the soil bin brought sufficient amounts of new moist soil to the heated surface to show an increase in rate of water extraction.

Methodological considerations regarding the use of inorganic 197Hg(II) radiotracer to assess mercury methylation potential rates in lake sediment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Perez, Catan S.; Guevara, S.R.; Marvin-DiPasquale, M.; Magnavacca, C.; Cohen, I.M.; Arribere, M.

2007-01-01

Methodological considerations on the determination of benthic methyl-mercury (CH3Hg) production potentials were investigated on lake sediment, using 197Hg radiotracer. Three methods to arrest bacterial activity were compared: flash freezing, thermal sterilization, and ??-irradiation. Flash freezing showed similar CH3Hg recoveries as thermal sterilization, which was both 50% higher than the recoveries obtained with ??-ray irradiation. No additional radiolabel was recovered in kill-control samples after an additional 24 or 65 h of incubation, suggesting that all treatments were effective at arresting Hg(II)-methylating bacterial activity, and that the initial recoveries are likely due to non-methylated 197Hg(II) carry-over in the organic extraction and/or [197Hg]CH3Hg produced via abiotic reactions. Two CH3Hg extraction methods from sediment were compared: (a) direct extraction into toluene after sediment leaching with CuSO4 and HCl and (b) the same extraction with an additional back-extraction step to thiosulphate. Similar information was obtained with both methods, but the low efficiency observed and the extra work associated with the back-extraction procedure represent significant disadvantages, even tough the direct extraction involves higher Hg(II) carry over. ?? 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

77 FR 51041 - 30-Day Extension of Call for Nominations for the U.S. Extractive Industries Transparency...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-23

... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Office of the Secretary [Docket No. ONRR-2012-0003] 30-Day Extension of Call for Nominations for the U.S. Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative Advisory Committee... the United States Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (USEITI) Multi- Stakeholder Group (MSG...

Continuous Monitoring of CH4 Emissions from Marcellus Shale Gas Extraction in South West Pennsylvania Using Top Down Methodology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarmiento, D. P.; Belmecheri, S.; Lauvaux, T.; Sowers, T. A.; Bryant, S.; Miles, N. L.; Richardson, S.; Aikins, J.; Sweeney, C.; Petron, G.; Davis, K. J.

2012-12-01

Natural gas extraction from shale formations via hydraulic-fracturing (fracking) is expanding rapidly in several regions of North America. In Pennsylvania, the number of wells drilled to extract natural gas from the Marcellus shale has grown from 195 in 2008 to 1,386 in 2010. The gas extraction process using the fracking technology results in the escape of methane (CH4), a potent greenhouse gas and the principal component of natural gas, into the atmosphere. Emissions of methane from fracking operations remain poorly quantified, leading to a large range of scenarios for the contribution of fracking to climate change. A mobile measurement campaign provided insights on methane leakage rates and an improved understanding of the spatio-temporal variability in active drilling areas in the South West of Pennsylvania. Two towers were then instrumented to monitor fugitive emissions of methane from well pads, pipelines, and other infrastructures in the area. The towers, one within a drilling region and one upwind of active drilling, measured atmospheric CH4 mixing ratios continuously. Isotopic measurements from air flasks were also collected. Data from the initial mobile campaign were used to estimate emission rates from single sites such as wells and compressor stations. Tower data will be used to construct a simple atmospheric inversion for regional methane emissions. Our results show the daily variability in emissions and allow us to estimate leakage rates over a one month period in South West Pennsylvania. We discuss potential deployment strategies in drilling zones to monitor emissions of methane over longer periods of time.

Reducing Opioid Prescribing Rates in Emergency Medicine.

PubMed

Guarisco, Joseph; Salup, Adam

2018-01-01

Pain management is one of the most common reasons patients visit the emergency department. Understanding the contributions of emergency medicine-and specifically Ochsner Health System's emergency providers-to the opioid crisis is important. Benchmark prescribing data indicated that Ochsner Health System emergency medicine providers' opioid prescription rates were significantly higher than the national average in emergency medicine. Data relevant to visit and opioid prescription counts were extracted from the organization's electronic health record system. Opioid prescription rates were calculated for each provider. A data transparency project was initiated in which provider opioid prescription rates were unblinded and distributed among the provider group. Opioid prescription rates declined in aggregate for the emergency services from 22% to 14% during the 1-year project timeline. Some physicians demonstrated a 70% reduction in prescription rates. Importantly, patient satisfaction scores were not negatively impacted by declining opioid prescription rates. Provider performance transparency using unblinded and transparent data analytics can efficiently and significantly alter provider practice.

Optical character recognition of handwritten Arabic using hidden Markov models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aulama, Mohannad M.; Natsheh, Asem M.; Abandah, Gheith A.; Olama, Mohammed M.

2011-04-01

The problem of optical character recognition (OCR) of handwritten Arabic has not received a satisfactory solution yet. In this paper, an Arabic OCR algorithm is developed based on Hidden Markov Models (HMMs) combined with the Viterbi algorithm, which results in an improved and more robust recognition of characters at the sub-word level. Integrating the HMMs represents another step of the overall OCR trends being currently researched in the literature. The proposed approach exploits the structure of characters in the Arabic language in addition to their extracted features to achieve improved recognition rates. Useful statistical information of the Arabic language is initially extracted and then used to estimate the probabilistic parameters of the mathematical HMM. A new custom implementation of the HMM is developed in this study, where the transition matrix is built based on the collected large corpus, and the emission matrix is built based on the results obtained via the extracted character features. The recognition process is triggered using the Viterbi algorithm which employs the most probable sequence of sub-words. The model was implemented to recognize the sub-word unit of Arabic text raising the recognition rate from being linked to the worst recognition rate for any character to the overall structure of the Arabic language. Numerical results show that there is a potentially large recognition improvement by using the proposed algorithms.

Optical character recognition of handwritten Arabic using hidden Markov models

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

Aulama, Mohannad M.; Natsheh, Asem M.; Abandah, Gheith A.

2011-01-01

The problem of optical character recognition (OCR) of handwritten Arabic has not received a satisfactory solution yet. In this paper, an Arabic OCR algorithm is developed based on Hidden Markov Models (HMMs) combined with the Viterbi algorithm, which results in an improved and more robust recognition of characters at the sub-word level. Integrating the HMMs represents another step of the overall OCR trends being currently researched in the literature. The proposed approach exploits the structure of characters in the Arabic language in addition to their extracted features to achieve improved recognition rates. Useful statistical information of the Arabic language ismore » initially extracted and then used to estimate the probabilistic parameters of the mathematical HMM. A new custom implementation of the HMM is developed in this study, where the transition matrix is built based on the collected large corpus, and the emission matrix is built based on the results obtained via the extracted character features. The recognition process is triggered using the Viterbi algorithm which employs the most probable sequence of sub-words. The model was implemented to recognize the sub-word unit of Arabic text raising the recognition rate from being linked to the worst recognition rate for any character to the overall structure of the Arabic language. Numerical results show that there is a potentially large recognition improvement by using the proposed algorithms.« less

Continuous ethanol production from cheese whey fermentation by Candida pseudotropicalis

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

Ghaly, A.E.; El-Taweel, A.A.

1997-12-01

Three pilot-scale continuous mix reactors of 5-L volume each were used to study the effects of retention time (18--42 hours) and initial substrate concentration (50--150 g/L) on the cell yield, lactose consumption, and maximum ethanol concentration during continuous fermentation of cheese whey using the yeast Candida pseudotropicalis. A microaeration rate of 480 mL/min and a nutrient supplement (yeast extract) concentration of 0.1% vol/vol were used. The results indicated that the dissolved oxygen concentration, temperature, cell concentration, lactose utilization rate, and ethanol concentration were affected by hydraulic retention time and initial substrate concentration. The highest cell concentration of 5.46 g/L andmore » the highest ethanol concentration of 57.96 g/L (with a maximum ethanol yield of 99.6% from the theoretical yield) were achieved at the 42-hour hydraulic retention time and the 150 g/L initial substrate concentration, whereas the highest cell yield was observed at the 50 g/L initial substrate concentration and the 36-hour hydraulic retention time. Lactose utilizations of 98, 91, and 83% were obtained with 50, 100, and 150 g/L initial substrate concentrations at the 42-hour hydraulic retention time. A pH control system was found unnecessary.« less

Biodegradation and environmental behavior of biodiesel mixtures in the sea: An initial study.

PubMed

DeMello, Jared A; Carmichael, Catherine A; Peacock, Emily E; Nelson, Robert K; Samuel Arey, J; Reddy, Christopher M

2007-07-01

Biodiesel, a mixture of fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) derived from animal fats or vegetable oils, is rapidly moving towards the mainstream as an alternative source of energy. However, the behavior of biodiesel, or blends of biodiesel with fossil diesel, in the marine environment have yet to be fully understood. Hence, we performed a series of initial laboratory experiments and simple calculations to evaluate the microbial and environmental fate of FAMEs. Aerobic seawater microcosms spiked with biodiesel or mixtures of biodiesel and fossil diesel revealed that the FAMEs were degraded at roughly the same rate as n-alkanes, and more rapidly than other hydrocarbon components. The residues extracted from these different microcosms became indistinguishable within weeks. Preliminary results from physical-chemical calculations suggest that FAMEs in biodiesel mixtures will not affect the evaporation rates of spilled petroleum hydrocarbons but may stabilize oil droplets in the water column and thereby facilitate transport.

Comparative effectiveness of antihypertensive therapeutic classes and treatment strategies in the initiation of therapy in primary care patients: a Distributed Ambulatory Research in Therapeutics Network (DARTNet) study.

PubMed

Bronsert, Michael R; Henderson, William G; Valuck, Robert; Hosokawa, Patrick; Hammermeister, Karl

2013-01-01

Few comparative effectiveness studies of treatment strategies using antihypertensive therapeutic classes in hypertension control have been assessed in a primary care environment. The objectives are to compare the effectiveness of common antihypertensive therapeutic classes initiated as monotherapy and of fixed-dose combinations (FDCs), free-equivalent combinations (FECs), and monotherapy on hypertension control. This article reports observational comparative effectiveness analyses of data electronically extracted from electronic health records. The study population consisted of 8,676 patients with an incident prescription for an antihypertensive agent of a total of 79,176 patients receiving antihypertensive therapy in 33 geographically diverse primary care clinics. The main measures were reductions in systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and rates of attaining goals per the Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC7). There were small, clinically insignificant differences in blood pressure reductions between the monotherapy classes. Higher rates of blood pressure control were obtained when patients were initiated on an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor than a thiazide or thiazide-like diuretic (47.8% vs 39.9%) or a β-blocker versus a thiazide (45.9% vs 39.9%). Patients initiated on FDCs had significantly larger reductions in blood pressure than patients initiated on FECs (-17.3 vs -12.0 mm Hg SBP; -10.1 vs -6.0 mm Hg DBP) or monotherapy (-17.3 vs -13.6 mm Hg SBP; -10.1 vs -7.9 mm Hg DBP). Rates of attaining JNC7 goals also were better for FDCs than FECs (57.2% vs 42.5%) and for FDCs versus monotherapy (57.2% vs 44.9%). Patients initiated on angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and β-blockers had slightly higher rates of blood pressure control. The use of FDCs as initial therapy is more effective in the control of hypertension than monotherapy or FECs.

Comparison of ONIX simulation results with experimental data from the BATMAN testbed for the study of negative ion extraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mochalskyy, Serhiy; Fantz, Ursel; Wünderlich, Dirk; Minea, Tiberiu

2016-10-01

The development of negative ion (NI) sources for the ITER neutral beam injector is strongly accompanied by modelling activities. The ONIX (Orsay Negative Ion eXtraction) code simulates the formation and extraction of negative hydrogen ions and co-extracted electrons produced in caesiated sources. In this paper the 3D geometry of the BATMAN extraction system, and the source characteristics such as the extraction and bias potential, and the 3D magnetic field were integrated in the model. Calculations were performed using plasma parameters experimentally obtained on BATMAN. The comparison of the ONIX calculated extracted NI density with the experimental results suggests that predictive calculations of the extraction of NIs are possible. The results show that for an ideal status of the Cs conditioning the extracted hydrogen NI current density could reach ~30 mA cm-2 at 10 kV and ~20 mA cm-2 at 5 kV extraction potential, with an electron/NI current density ratio of about 1, as measured in the experiments under the same plasma and source conditions. The dependency of the extracted NI current on the NI density in the bulk plasma region from both the modeling and the experiment was investigated. The separate distributions composing the NI beam originating from the plasma bulk region and the PG surface are presented for different NI plasma volume densities and NI emission rates from the plasma grid (PG) wall, respectively. The extracted current from the NIs produced at the Cs covered PG surface, initially moving towards the bulk plasma and then being bent towards the extraction surfaces, is lower compared to the extracted NI current from directly extracted surface produced ions.

Polishing of anaerobic secondary effluent by Chlorella vulgaris under low light intensity.

PubMed

Cheng, Tuoyuan; Wei, Chun-Hai; Leiknes, TorOve

2017-10-01

To investigate anaerobic secondary effluent polishing by microalgae (Chlorella vulgaris) under low light intensity (14μmol/m 2 /s), bubbling column reactors were operated in batches of 8 d with initial ammonium nitrogen 10-50mg/L, initial phosphate phosphorus 2-10mg/L and microalgal seed 40mg/L. Maximum microalgal biomass and minimum generation time were 370.9mg/L and 2.5d, respectively. Nitrogen removal (maximum 99.6%) was mainly attributed to microalgal growth rate, while phosphorus removal (maximum 49.8%) was related to microalgal growth rate, cell phosphorus content (maximum 1.5%) and initial nutrients ratio. Dissolved microalgal organics release in terms of chemical oxygen demand (maximum 63.2mg/L) and hexane extractable material (i.e., oil and grease, maximum 8.5mg/L) was firstly reported and mainly affected by nitrogen deficiency and deteriorated effluent quality. Ultrafiltration critical flux (16.6-39.5L/m 2 /h) showed negative linear correlation to microalgal biomass. Anaerobic membrane bioreactor effluent polishing showed similar results with slight inhibition to synthetic effluent. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluating time dynamics of topographic threshold relations for gully initiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayas, Antonio; Vanwalleghem, Tom; Poesen, Jean

2016-04-01

Gully erosion is one of the most important soil degradation processes at global scale. However, modelling of gully erosion is still difficult. Despite advances in the modelling of gully headcut rates and incision rates, it remains difficult to predict the location of gully initiation points and trajectories. In different studies it has been demonstrated that a good method of predicting gully initiation is by using a slope (S) - area (A) threshold. Such an S-A relation is a simple way of estimating the critical discharges needed to generate a critical shear stress that can incise a particular soil and initiate a gully. As such, the simple S-A threshold will vary if the rainfall-runoff behaviour of the soil changes or if the soil's erodibility changes. Over the past decades, important agronomic changes have produced significant changes in the soil use and soil management in SW Spain. It is the objective of this research to evaluate how S-A relations for gully initiation have changed over time and for two different land uses, cereal and olive. Data was collected for a gully network in the Cordoba Province, SW Spain. From photo-interpretation of historical air photos between 1956 and 2013, the gully network and initiation points were derived. In total 10 different time steps are available (1956; 1977; 1984; 1998; 2001; 2004; 2006; 2008; 2010; 2013). Topographical thresholds were extracted by combining the digitized gully network with the DEM. Due to small differences in the alignment of ortophotos and DEM, an optimization technique was developed in GIS to extract the correct S-A value for each point. With the S-A values for each year, their dynamics was evaluated as a function of land use (olive or cereal) and in function of the following variables in each of the periods considered: • soil management • soil cover by weeds, where weed growth was modeled from the daily soil water balance • rainfall intensity • root cohesion, , where root growth was modeled from the daily soil water balance We found important differences between cereal and olive and significant changes in the S-A relation over time.

In Vitro Anti-Listerial Activities of Crude n-Hexane and Aqueous Extracts of Garcinia kola (heckel) Seeds

PubMed Central

Penduka, Dambudzo; Okoh, Anthony I.

2011-01-01

We assessed the anti-Listerial activities of crude n-hexane and aqueous extracts of Garcinia kola seeds against a panel of 42 Listeria isolates previously isolated from wastewater effluents in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa and belonging to Listeria monocytogenes, Listeria grayi and Listeria ivanovii species. The n-hexane fraction was active against 45% of the test bacteria with zones of inhibition ranging between 8–17 mm, while the aqueous fraction was active against 29% with zones of inhibition ranging between 8–11 mm. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) were within the ranges of 0.079–0.625 mg/mL for the n-hexane extract and 10 to >10 mg/mL for the aqueous extract. The rate of kill experiment carried out for the n-hexane extract only, revealed complete elimination of the initial bacterial population for L. grayi (LAL 15) at 3× and 4× MIC after 90 and 60 min; L. monocytogenes (LAL 8) at 3× and 4× MIC after 60 and 15 min; L. ivanovii (LEL 18) at 3× and 4× MIC after 120 and 15 min; L. ivanovii (LEL 30) at 2, 3 and 4× MIC values after 105, 90 and 15 min exposure time respectively. The rate of kill activities were time- and concentration-dependant and the extract proved to be bactericidal as it achieved a more than 3log10 decrease in viable cell counts after 2 h exposure time for all of the four test organisms at 3× and 4× MIC values. The results therefore show the potential presence of anti-Listerial compounds in Garcinia kola seeds that can be exploited in effective anti-Listerial chemotherapy. PMID:22072929

In vitro anti-listerial activities of crude n-hexane and aqueous extracts of Garcinia kola (heckel) seeds.

PubMed

Penduka, Dambudzo; Okoh, Anthony I

2011-01-01

We assessed the anti-Listerial activities of crude n-hexane and aqueous extracts of Garcinia kola seeds against a panel of 42 Listeria isolates previously isolated from wastewater effluents in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa and belonging to Listeria monocytogenes, Listeria grayi and Listeria ivanovii species. The n-hexane fraction was active against 45% of the test bacteria with zones of inhibition ranging between 8-17 mm, while the aqueous fraction was active against 29% with zones of inhibition ranging between 8-11 mm. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) were within the ranges of 0.079-0.625 mg/mL for the n-hexane extract and 10 to >10 mg/mL for the aqueous extract. The rate of kill experiment carried out for the n-hexane extract only, revealed complete elimination of the initial bacterial population for L. grayi (LAL 15) at 3× and 4× MIC after 90 and 60 min; L. monocytogenes (LAL 8) at 3× and 4× MIC after 60 and 15 min; L. ivanovii (LEL 18) at 3× and 4× MIC after 120 and 15 min; L. ivanovii (LEL 30) at 2, 3 and 4× MIC values after 105, 90 and 15 min exposure time respectively. The rate of kill activities were time- and concentration-dependant and the extract proved to be bactericidal as it achieved a more than 3log(10) decrease in viable cell counts after 2 h exposure time for all of the four test organisms at 3× and 4× MIC values. The results therefore show the potential presence of anti-Listerial compounds in Garcinia kola seeds that can be exploited in effective anti-Listerial chemotherapy.

78 FR 50437 - U.S. Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative Multi-Stakeholder Group (USEITI MSG) Advisory...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-19

... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Office of the Secretary [Docket No. ONRR-2012-0003; DS63600000 DR2PS0000.PX8000 134D0102R2] U.S. Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative Multi- Stakeholder Group...: This notice announces the next three meetings of the United States Extractive Industries Transparency...

78 FR 60304 - U.S. Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative Multi-Stakeholder Group (USEITI MSG) Advisory...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-01

... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Office of the Secretary [Docket No. ONRR-2012-0003; DS63600000 DR2PS0000.PX8000 134D0102R2] U.S. Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative Multi- Stakeholder Group...: This notice announces the meeting date change of the United States Extractive Industries Transparency...

Wind turbine extraction from high spatial resolution remote sensing images based on saliency detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Jingbo; Yue, Anzhi; Wang, Chengyi; Huang, Qingqing; Chen, Jiansheng; Meng, Yu; He, Dongxu

2018-01-01

The wind turbine is a device that converts the wind's kinetic energy into electrical power. Accurate and automatic extraction of wind turbine is instructive for government departments to plan wind power plant projects. A hybrid and practical framework based on saliency detection for wind turbine extraction, using Google Earth image at spatial resolution of 1 m, is proposed. It can be viewed as a two-phase procedure: coarsely detection and fine extraction. In the first stage, we introduced a frequency-tuned saliency detection approach for initially detecting the area of interest of the wind turbines. This method exploited features of color and luminance, was simple to implement, and was computationally efficient. Taking into account the complexity of remote sensing images, in the second stage, we proposed a fast method for fine-tuning results in frequency domain and then extracted wind turbines from these salient objects by removing the irrelevant salient areas according to the special properties of the wind turbines. Experiments demonstrated that our approach consistently obtains higher precision and better recall rates. Our method was also compared with other techniques from the literature and proves that it is more applicable and robust.

Design of a long-term antipsychotic in situ forming implant and its release control method and mechanism.

PubMed

Wang, Lexi; Wang, Aiping; Zhao, Xiaolei; Liu, Ximing; Wang, Dan; Sun, Fengying; Li, Youxin

2012-05-10

Two kinds of in situ forming implants (ISFIs) of atypical antipsychotics, risperidone and its 9-hydroxy active metabolite, paliperidone, using poly(lactide-co-glycolide)(PLGA) as carrier, were investigated. Significant difference was observed in the solution-gel transition mechanism of the two systems: homogeneous system of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) ISFI, in which drug was dissolved, and heterogeneous system of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) ISFI, in which drug was dispersed. Fast solvent extractions were found in both systems, but in comparison with the high drug release rate from homogeneous system of drug/polymer/NMP, a fast solvent extraction from the heterogeneous system of drug/polymer/DMSO was not accompanied by a high drug release rate but a rapid solidification of the implant, which resulted in a high drug retention, well-controlled initial burst and slow release of the drug. In vivo study on beagle dogs showed a more than 3-week sustained release with limited initial burst. Pharmacologic evaluation on optimized paliperidone ISFIs presented a sustained-suppressing effect from 1 day to 38 day on the MK-801 induced schizophrenic behavior mice model. A long sustained-release antipsychotic ISFI of 50% drug loading and controlled burst release was achieved, which indicated a good potential in clinic application. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Tenax TA extraction to understand the rate-limiting factors in methyl-β-cyclodextrin-enhanced bioremediation of PAH-contaminated soil.

PubMed

Sun, Mingming; Luo, Yongming; Teng, Ying; Christie, Peter; Jia, Zhongjun; Li, Zhengao

2013-06-01

The effectiveness of many bioremediation systems for PAH-contaminated soil may be constrained by low contaminant bioaccessibility due to limited aqueous solubility or large sorption capacity. Information on the extent to which PAHs can be readily biodegraded is of vital importance in the decision whether or not to remediate a contaminated soil. In the present study the rate-limiting factors in methyl-β-cyclodextrin (MCD)-enhanced bioremediation of PAH-contaminated soil were evaluated. MCD amendment at 10 % (w/w) combined with inoculation with the PAH-degrading bacterium Paracoccus sp. strain HPD-2 produced maximum removal of total PAHs of up to 35 %. The desorption of PAHs from contaminated soil was determined before and after 32 weeks of bioremediation. 10 % (w/w) MCD amendment (M2) increased the Tenax extraction of total PAHs from 12 to 30 % and promoted degradation by up to 26 % compared to 6 % in the control. However, the percentage of Tenax extraction for total PAHs was much larger than that of degradation. Thus, in the control and M2 treatment it is likely that during the initial phase the bioaccessibility of PAHs is high and biodegradation rates may be limited by microbial processes. On the other hand, when the soil was inoculated with the PAH-degrading bacterium (CKB and MB2), the slowly and very slowly desorbing fractions (F sl and F vl ) became larger and the rate constants of slow and very slow desorption (k sl and k vl ) became extremely small after bioremediation, suggesting that desorption is likely rate limiting during the second, slow phase of biotransformation. These results have practical implications for site risk assessment and cleanup strategies.

Battle for Climate and Scarcity Rents: Beyond the Linear-Quadratic Case.

PubMed

Kagan, Mark; van der Ploeg, Frederick; Withagen, Cees

Industria imports oil, produces final goods and wishes to mitigate global warming. Oilrabia exports oil and buys final goods from the other country. Industria uses the carbon tax to impose an import tariff on oil and steal some of Oilrabia's scarcity rent. Conversely, Oilrabia has monopoly power and sets the oil price to steal some of Industria's climate rent. We analyze the relative speeds of oil extraction and carbon accumulation under these strategic interactions for various production function specifications and compare these with the efficient and competitive outcomes. We prove that for the class of HARA production functions, the oil price is initially higher and subsequently lower in the open-loop Nash equilibrium than in the efficient outcome. The oil extraction rate is thus initially too low and in later stages too high. The HARA class includes linear, loglinear and semi-loglinear demand functions as special cases. For non-HARA production functions, Oilrabia may in the open-loop Nash equilibrium initially price oil lower than the efficient level, thus resulting in more oil extraction and climate damages. We also contrast the open-loop Nash and efficient outcomes numerically with the feedback Nash outcomes. We find that the optimal carbon tax path in the feedback Nash equilibrium is flatter than in the open-loop Nash equilibrium. It turns out that for certain demand functions using the carbon tax as an import tariff may hurt consumers' welfare as the resulting user cost of oil is so high that the fall in welfare wipes out the gain from higher tariff revenues.

An approach for automatic classification of grouper vocalizations with passive acoustic monitoring.

PubMed

Ibrahim, Ali K; Chérubin, Laurent M; Zhuang, Hanqi; Schärer Umpierre, Michelle T; Dalgleish, Fraser; Erdol, Nurgun; Ouyang, B; Dalgleish, A

2018-02-01

Grouper, a family of marine fishes, produce distinct vocalizations associated with their reproductive behavior during spawning aggregation. These low frequencies sounds (50-350 Hz) consist of a series of pulses repeated at a variable rate. In this paper, an approach is presented for automatic classification of grouper vocalizations from ambient sounds recorded in situ with fixed hydrophones based on weighted features and sparse classifier. Group sounds were labeled initially by humans for training and testing various feature extraction and classification methods. In the feature extraction phase, four types of features were used to extract features of sounds produced by groupers. Once the sound features were extracted, three types of representative classifiers were applied to categorize the species that produced these sounds. Experimental results showed that the overall percentage of identification using the best combination of the selected feature extractor weighted mel frequency cepstral coefficients and sparse classifier achieved 82.7% accuracy. The proposed algorithm has been implemented in an autonomous platform (wave glider) for real-time detection and classification of group vocalizations.

Sensitivity of salad greens (Lactuca sativa L. and Eruca sativa Mill.) exposed to crude extracts of toxic and non-toxic cyanobacteria.

PubMed

Bittencourt-Oliveira, M C; Hereman, T C; Macedo-Silva, I; Cordeiro-Araújo, M K; Sasaki, F F C; Dias, C T S

2015-05-01

We evaluated the effect of crude extracts of the microcystin-producing (MC+) cyanobacteria Microcystis aeruginosa on seed germination and initial development of lettuce and arugula, at concentrations between 0.5 μg.L(-1) and 100 μg.L(-1) of MC-LR equivalent, and compared it to crude extracts of the same species without the toxin (MC-). Crude extracts of the cyanobacteria with MC (+) and without MC (-) caused different effects on seed germination and initial development of the salad green seedlings, lettuce being more sensitive to both extracts when compared to arugula. Crude extracts of M. aeruginosa (MC+) caused more evident effects on seed germination and initial development of both species of salad greens than MC-. Concentrations of 75 μg.L(-1) and 100 μg.L(-1) of MC-LR equivalent induced a greater occurrence of abnormal seedlings in lettuce, due to necrosis of the radicle and shortening of this organ in normal seedlings, as well as the reduction in total chlorophyll content and increase in the activity of the antioxidant enzyme peroxidase (POD). The MC- extract caused no harmful effects to seed germination and initial development of seedlings of arugula. However, in lettuce, it caused elevation of POD enzyme activity, decrease in seed germination at concentrations of 75 μg.L(-1) (MC-75) and 100 μg.L(-1) (MC-100), and shortening of the radicle length, suggesting that other compounds present in the cyanobacteria extracts contributed to this result. Crude extracts of M. aeruginosa (MC-) may contain other compounds, besides the cyanotoxins, capable of causing inhibitory or stimulatory effects on seed germination and initial development of salad green seedlings. Arugula was more sensitive to the crude extracts of M. aeruginosa (MC+) and (MC-) and to other possible compounds produced by the cyanobacteria.

Development of a combined pyro- and hydro-metallurgical route to treat spent zinc-carbon batteries.

PubMed

Baba, A A; Adekola, A F; Bale, R B

2009-11-15

The potential of solvent extraction using Cynanex272 for the recovery of zinc from spent zinc carbon batteries after a prior leaching in hydrochloric acid has been investigated. The elemental analysis of the spent material was carried out by ICP-MS. The major metallic elements are: ZnO (41.30%), Fe(2)O(3) (4.38%), MnO(2) (2.69%), Al(2)O(3) (1.01%), CaO (0.36%) and PbO (0.11%). The quantitative leaching by hydrochloric acid showed that the dissolution rates are significantly influenced by temperature and concentration of the acid solutions. The experimental data for the dissolution rates have been analyzed and were found to follow the shrinking core model for mixed control reaction with surface chemical reaction as the rate-determining step. About 90.3% dissolution was achieved with 4M HCl solution at 80 degrees C with 0.050-0.063 mm particle size within 120 min at 360 rpm. Activation energy value of 22.78 kJ/mol and a reaction order of 0.74 with respect to H(+) ion concentration were obtained for the dissolution process. An extraction yield of 94.23% zinc by 0.032M Cyanex272 in kerosene was obtained from initial 10 g/L spent battery leach liquor at 25+/-2 degrees C and at optimal stirring time of 25 min. Iron has been effectively separated by precipitation prior to extraction using ammoniacal solution at pH 3.5, while lead and other trace elements were firstly separated from Zn and Fe by cementation prior to iron removal and zinc extraction. Finally, the stripping study showed that 0.1M HCl led to the stripping of about 95% of zinc from the organic phase.

Ethanol inhibition kinetics of Kluyveromyces marxianus grown on Jerusalem artichoke juice

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

Bajpai, P.; Margaritis, A.

1982-12-01

The kinetics of ethanol inhibition on cell growth and ethanol production by Kluyveromyces marxianus UCD (FST) 55-82 were studied during batch growth. The liquid medium contained 10% (weight/volume) inulin-type sugars derived from an extract of Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus) tubers, supplemented with small amounts of Tween 80, oleic acid, and corn steep liquor. Initial ethanol concentrations ranging from 0 to 80 g/liter in the liquid medium were used to study the inhibitory effect of ethanol on the following parameters: maximum specific growth rate (mu max), cell and ethanol yields, and sugar utilization. It was found that as the initial ethanolmore » concentration increased from 0 to 80 g/liter, and maximum specific growth rate of K. marxianus cells decreased from 0.42 to 0.09/hour, whereas the ethanol and cell yields and sugar utilization remained almost constant. A simple kinetic model was used to correlate the mu max results and the rates of cell and ethanol production, and the appropriate constants were evaluated. (Refs. 22).« less

Research of information classification and strategy intelligence extract algorithm based on military strategy hall

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Lei; Li, Dehua; Yang, Jie

2007-12-01

Constructing virtual international strategy environment needs many kinds of information, such as economy, politic, military, diploma, culture, science, etc. So it is very important to build an information auto-extract, classification, recombination and analysis management system with high efficiency as the foundation and component of military strategy hall. This paper firstly use improved Boost algorithm to classify obtained initial information, then use a strategy intelligence extract algorithm to extract strategy intelligence from initial information to help strategist to analysis information.

Brine Extraction and Treatment Strategies to Enhance Pressure Management and Control of CO 2 Plumes in Deep Geologic Formations

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

Okwen, Roland; Frailey, Scott; Dastgheib, Seyed

The overall goal of the this project is to develop and validate pressure management and carbon dioxide (CO 2) plume control strategies that can address technical and economic barriers to commercial deployment of CO 2 storage technologies, based on computational and field demonstration work at the Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) facility where the Illinois Basin–Decatur Project (IBDP) and the Illinois-Industrial Carbon Capture and Storage (IL-ICCS) projects are located. To accomplish the overall goal, the ISGS designed a brine extraction storage test (BEST) that could be completed in two phases. The goal of BEST Phase I was to evaluate themore » feasibilities of extraction well(s) placement, the brine extraction to CO 2 injection rate ratio, extraction well completion, and brine treatment and handling. The goal of BEST Phase II would be to validate the brine extraction and treatment options deemed feasible in Phase I by (1) demonstrating the efficacy of brine extraction (BE) in managing pressure (i.e., formation) and the CO 2 plume, and (2) demonstrating treatment of extracted brine with high total dissolved solids (TDS; >200,000 mg/L) using multiple advanced treatment technologies. This report details work done in Phase I. Several brine extraction and treatment scenarios were tested, simulated, and analyzed for their effectiveness in extracting brine. Initially a vertical well was studied; however, geologic modeling, reservoir modeling, and the existing facility and wellbore infrastructure dictated that the location of a vertical brine extraction well was limited to an area with no existing monitoring wells and where the well would be in relative proximity to an existing CO 2 plume. Consequently, a vertical well was excluded, and a horizontal brine extraction well placed above the existing CO 2 plume near two existing wells was studied. The horizontal well option allows the project to leverage the availability of cased-hole logs and cross-well tomography to monitor CO 2 saturation and plume distribution, respectively. Because of the proximity of the horizontal well option to two existing wells, no additional monitoring well (or caprock penetration) is required. The recommended brine extraction pilot design options are (1) a horizontal extraction well at the base of the Middle Mt. Simon, which is 350–520 ft (107–158 m) above the CO 2 plume at CCS#1 and VW#1; or (2) a vertical extraction well 0.5 mi (0.8 km) from CCS#2 in a direction approximately southeast of CCS#2, perpendicular to the direction of high hydraulic connectivity. A horizontal extraction well has advantages over a vertical extraction well, including less risk of drilling into an existing CO 2 plume and it can be located between two other wells that can be used for monitoring. Thus, because the two existing wells can serve as monitoring wells, it eliminates the need for a third verification well and allows for a lower extraction rate to control the CO 2 plume and pressure. Managing pressure and the CO 2 plume distribution via brine extraction creates the obvious and important challenge of handling and treating the extracted brine. There were three options for brine disposal: (1) underground injection control (UIC) disposal well, (2) brine treatment and industrial use, and (3) brine pretreatment and discharge into municipal wastewater system. The primary design elements were budget and permitting requirements. The disposal well would be a vertical well drilled and completed into the Potosi Dolomite. For the range of extraction rates anticipated, the cost of this well is relatively constant. The cost of brine treatment is highly depends on the extraction rate, which depends on the well orientation. If relatively high rates are required, the vertical disposal well option is more favorable; for relatively lower rates, the two brine treatment options have lower costs. Life-cycle-analysis studies on extracted brine handling options suggest that a UIC well has a lower environmental impact than brine treatment. Both brine disposal options using brine treatment require removal of suspended solids from the extracted brine. The most suitable commercially available technology and the most promising emerging and innovative technology are recommended for implementation in Phase II. Though the challenges of this project are written specific to Decatur, every CO 2 storage site considering the use of brine extraction integrated with CO 2 storage will have similar, if not identical, technical and logistical challenges.« less

Chemical composition of Juniperus communis L. fruits supercritical CO2 extracts: dependence on pressure and extraction time.

PubMed

Barjaktarović, Branislava; Sovilj, Milan; Knez, Zeljko

2005-04-06

Ground fruits of the common juniper (Juniperus communis L.), with a particle size range from 0.250-0.400 mm, forming a bed of around 20.00 +/- 0.05 g, were extracted with supercritical CO(2) at pressures of 80, 90, and 100 bars and at a temperature of 40 degrees C. The total amount of extractable substances or global yield (mass of extract/mass of raw material) for the supercritical fluid extraction process varied from 0.65 to 4.00% (wt). At each investigated pressure, supercritical CO(2) extract fractions collected in successive time intervals over the course of the extraction were analyzed by capillary gas chromatography, using flame ionization (GC-FID) and mass spectrometric detection (GC-MS). More than 200 constituents were detected in the extracts, and the contents of 50 compounds were reported in the work. Dependence of the percentage yields of monoterpene, sesquiterpene, oxygenated monoterpene, and oxygenated sesquiterpene hydrocarbon groups on the extraction time was investigated, and conditions that favored the yielding of each terpene groups were emphasized. At all pressures, monoterpene hydrocarbons were almost completely extracted from the berries in the first 0.6 h. It was possible to extract oxygenated monoterpenes at 100 bar in 0.5 h and at 90 bar in 1.2 h. Contrary to that, during an extraction period of 4 h at 80 bar, it was possible to extract only 75% of the maximum yielded value of oxygenated monoterpene at 100 bar. Intensive extraction of sesquiterpenes could be by no means avoided at any pressure, but at the beginning of the process (the first 0.5 h) at 80 bar, they were extracted about 8 and 3 times slower than at 100 and 90 bar, respectively. Oxygenated sesquiterpenes were yielded at fast, constant extraction rates at 100 and 90 bar in 1.2 and 3 h, respectively. This initial fast extraction period was consequently followed by much slower extraction of oxygenated sesquiterpenes.

Influence of compressibility on the Lagrangian statistics of vorticity-strain-rate interactions.

PubMed

Danish, Mohammad; Sinha, Sawan Suman; Srinivasan, Balaji

2016-07-01

The objective of this study is to investigate the influence of compressibility on Lagrangian statistics of vorticity and strain-rate interactions. The Lagrangian statistics are extracted from "almost" time-continuous data sets of direct numerical simulations of compressible decaying isotropic turbulence by employing a cubic spline-based Lagrangian particle tracker. We study the influence of compressibility on Lagrangian statistics of alignment in terms of compressibility parameters-turbulent Mach number, normalized dilatation-rate, and flow topology. In comparison to incompressible turbulence, we observe that the presence of compressibility in a flow field weakens the alignment tendency of vorticity toward the largest strain-rate eigenvector. Based on the Lagrangian statistics of alignment conditioned on dilatation and topology, we find that the weakened tendency of alignment observed in compressible turbulence is because of a special group of fluid particles that have an initially negligible dilatation-rate and are associated with stable-focus-stretching topology.

Population control of the malaria vector Anopheles pseudopunctipennis by habitat manipulation.

PubMed Central

Bond, J. Guillermo; Rojas, Julio C.; Arredondo-Jiménez, Juan I.; Quiroz-Martínez, Humberto; Valle, Javier; Williams, Trevor

2004-01-01

Insect vector-borne diseases continue to present a major challenge to human health. Understanding the factors that regulate the size of mosquito populations is considered fundamental to the ability to predict disease transmission rates and for vector population control. The mosquito, Anopheles pseudopunctipennis, a vector of Plasmodium spp., breeds in riverside pools containing filamentous algae in Mesoamerica. Breeding pools along 3 km sections of the River Coatan, Chiapas, Mexico were subjected to algal extraction or left as controls in a cross-over trial extending over 2 years. Initial densities of An. pseudopunctipennis larvae were directly proportional to the prevalence of filamentous algae in each breeding site. The extraction of algae brought about a striking decline in the density of An. pseudopunctipennis larvae sustained for about six weeks, and a concurrent reduction in the adult population in both years of the study. Mark-release experiments indicated that dispersal from adjacent untreated areas was unlikely to exert an important influence on the magnitude of mosquito control that we observed. Habitat manipulation by extraction of filamentous algae offers a unique opportunity for sustainable control of this malaria vector. This technique may represent a valuable intervention, complimenting insecticide spraying of households, to minimize Plasmodium transmission rates in Mesoamerica. PMID:15475337

Mechanistic study of lead desorption during the leaching process of ion-absorbed rare earths: pH effect and the column experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xue, Q.; Tang, J., Sr.; Chen, H.

2017-12-01

High concentrations of ammonium sulfate, often used in the in-situ mining process, can result in a decrease of pH in the environment and dissolution of rare earth metals. Ammonium sulfate can also cause desorption of toxic heavy metals, leading to environmental and human health implications. In this study, the desorption behavior and fraction changes of lead in the ion-absorbed rare earth ore were studied using batch desorption experiments and column leaching tests. Results from batch desorption experiments showed that the desorption process of lead included fast and slow stages, and followed an Elovich model well. The desorption rate and the proportion of lead content in the solution to the total lead in the soil were observed to increase with a decrease in the initial pH of the ammonium sulfate solution. The lead in soil included an acid extractable fraction, reducible fraction, oxidizable fraction, and a residual fraction, with the predominant fractions being the reducible and acid extractable fractions. 96% of the extractable fraction in soil were desorbed into solution at pH=3.0, and the content of the reducible fraction was observed to initially increase (when pH>4.0) and then decrease (when pH<4.0) with a decrease in pH. Column leaching tests indicated that the content of lead in the different fractions of soil followed the trend of reducible fraction > oxidizable fraction > acid extractable fraction > residual fraction after the simulating leaching mining process. The change in pH was also found to have a larger influence on the acid extractable and reducible fractions than the other two fractions. The proportion of the extractable fraction being leached was ca. 86%, and the reducible fraction was enriched along the migration direction of the leaching liquid. These results suggest that certain lead fractions may desorb again and contaminate the environment via acid rain, which provides significant information for environmental assessment and remediation after mining process.

Swietenia macrophylla extract promotes the ability of Caenorhabditis elegans to survive Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection.

PubMed

Dharmalingam, Komalavali; Tan, Boon-Khai; Mahmud, Muhd Zulkarnain; Sedek, Saiedatul Akmal Mohamed; Majid, Mohamed Isa Abdul; Kuah, Meng-Kiat; Sulaiman, Shaida Fariza; Ooi, Kheng Leong; Khan, Nurzalina Abdul Karim; Muhammad, Tengku Sifzizul Tengku; Tan, Man-Wah; Shu-Chien, Alexander Chong

2012-01-31

Swietenia macrophylla or commonly known as big leaf mahogany, has been traditionally used as an antibacterial and antifungal agent. The unwanted problem of antibiotic resistance in many bacterial species advocates the need for the discovery of the new anti-infective drugs. Here, we investigated the anti-infective properties of Swietenia macrophylla with an assay involving lethal infection of Caenorhabditis elegans with the opportunistic human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Using a slow killing assay, Caenorhabditis elegans was challenged with an infective strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA14). The ability of Swietenia macrophylla seed ethyl acetate extract to promote the survival of infected worms was assessed by comparing the percentage of survival between extract treated and non-treated worm populations. The effect of Swietenia macrophylla towards PA14 growth, Caenorhabditis elegans feeding rate and degree of PA14 colonization in the worm gut was also evaluated. Lastly, using a fluorescent transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans strain and real time PCR, the effect of Swietenia macrophylla on the expression of lys-7, an immune response gene was also investigated. Our results demonstrate the ability of Swietenia macrophylla seed ethyl acetate extract in rescuing Caenorhabditis elegans from fatal PA14 infection. Consequently, we showed that the extract promotes the survival without exhibiting any bactericidal effect or perturbation of Caenorhabditis elegans feeding rate. We also showed that Swietenia macrophylla was able to restore the initially repressed lys-7 level in PA14 infected Caenorhabditis elegans. Swietenia macrophylla extract is able to enhance the ability of Caenorhabditis elegans to survive PA14 infection without directly killing the pathogen. We further showed that the extract boosted the expression of a gene pivotal for innate immunity in Caenorhabditis elegans. Collectively, these findings strongly suggest the presence of compounds within Swietenia macrophylla seed that either reduces Pseudomonas aeruginosa virulence and/or enhance host resistance. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

TIF-IA, the factor mediating growth-dependent control of ribosomal RNA synthesis, is the mammalian homolog of yeast Rrn3p.

PubMed

Bodem, J; Dobreva, G; Hoffmann-Rohrer, U; Iben, S; Zentgraf, H; Delius, H; Vingron, M; Grummt, I

2000-08-01

Cells carefully modulate the rate of rRNA transcription in order to prevent an overinvestment in ribosome synthesis under less favorable nutritional conditions. In mammals, growth-dependent regulation of RNA polymerase I (Pol I) transcription is mediated by TIF-IA, an essential initiation factor that is active in extracts from growing but not starved or cycloheximide-treated mammalian cells. Here we report the molecular cloning and functional characterization of recombinant TIF-IA, which turns out to be the mammalian homolog of the yeast factor Rrn3p. We demonstrate that TIF-IA interacts with Pol I in the absence of template DNA, augments Pol I transcription in vivo and rescues transcription in extracts from growth-arrested cells in vitro.

TIF-IA, the factor mediating growth-dependent control of ribosomal RNA synthesis, is the mammalian homolog of yeast Rrn3p

PubMed Central

Bodem, Jochen; Dobreva, Gergana; Hoffmann-Rohrer, Urs; Iben, Sebastian; Zentgraf, Hanswalter; Delius, Hajo; Vingron, Martin; Grummt, Ingrid

2000-01-01

Cells carefully modulate the rate of rRNA transcription in order to prevent an overinvestment in ribosome synthesis under less favorable nutritional conditions. In mammals, growth-dependent regulation of RNA polymerase I (Pol I) transcription is mediated by TIF-IA, an essential initiation factor that is active in extracts from growing but not starved or cycloheximide-treated mammalian cells. Here we report the molecular cloning and functional characterization of recombinant TIF-IA, which turns out to be the mammalian homolog of the yeast factor Rrn3p. We demonstrate that TIF-IA interacts with Pol I in the absence of template DNA, augments Pol I transcription in vivo and rescues transcription in extracts from growth-arrested cells in vitro. PMID:11265758

Desorption of cesium from granite under various aqueous conditions.

PubMed

Wang, Tsing-Hai; Li, Ming-Hsu; Wei, Yuan-Yaw; Teng, Shi-Ping

2010-12-01

In this work the desorption of cesium ions from crushed granite in synthetic groundwater (GW) and seawater (SW) was investigated. Results were compared with those obtained in deionized water (DW) and in two kinds of extraction solutions, namely: MgCl(2) and NaOAc (sodium acetate). In general, the desorption rate of Cs from crushed granite increased proportionally with initial Cs loadings. Also, amounts of desorbed Cs ions followed the tendency in the order SW>GW>NaOAc approximately equal MgCl(2)>DW solutions. This indicated that the utilization of extraction reagents for ion exchange will underestimate the Cs desorption behavior. Fitting these experimental data by Langmuir model showed that these extraction reagents have reduced Cs uptake by more than 90%, while only less than 1% of adsorbed Cs ions are still observed in GW and SW solutions in comparison to those in DW. Further SEM/EDS mapping studies clearly demonstrate that these remaining adsorbed Cs ions are at the fracture areas of biotite. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multiresolution analysis (discrete wavelet transform) through Daubechies family for emotion recognition in speech.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campo, D.; Quintero, O. L.; Bastidas, M.

2016-04-01

We propose a study of the mathematical properties of voice as an audio signal. This work includes signals in which the channel conditions are not ideal for emotion recognition. Multiresolution analysis- discrete wavelet transform - was performed through the use of Daubechies Wavelet Family (Db1-Haar, Db6, Db8, Db10) allowing the decomposition of the initial audio signal into sets of coefficients on which a set of features was extracted and analyzed statistically in order to differentiate emotional states. ANNs proved to be a system that allows an appropriate classification of such states. This study shows that the extracted features using wavelet decomposition are enough to analyze and extract emotional content in audio signals presenting a high accuracy rate in classification of emotional states without the need to use other kinds of classical frequency-time features. Accordingly, this paper seeks to characterize mathematically the six basic emotions in humans: boredom, disgust, happiness, anxiety, anger and sadness, also included the neutrality, for a total of seven states to identify.

Inequalities and impact of socioeconomic-cultural factors in suicide rates across Italy.

PubMed

Pompili, Maurizio; Innamorati, Marco; Vichi, Monica; Masocco, Maria; Vanacore, Nicola; Lester, David; Serafini, Gianluca; Tatarelli, Roberto; De Leo, Diego; Girardi, Paolo

2011-01-01

Suicide is a major cause of premature death in Italy and occurs at different rates in the various regions. The aim of the present study was to provide a comprehensive overview of suicide in the Italian population aged 15 years and older for the years 1980-2006. Mortality data were extracted from the Italian Mortality Database. Mortality rates for suicide in Italy reached a peak in 1985 and declined thereafter. The different patterns observed by age and sex indicated that the decrease in the suicide rate in Italy was initially the result of declining rates in those aged 45+ while, from 1997 on, the decrease was attributable principally to a reduction in suicide rates among the younger age groups. It was found that socioeconomic factors underlined major differences in the suicide rate across regions. The present study confirmed that suicide is a multifaceted phenomenon that may be determined by an array of factors. Suicide prevention should, therefore, be targeted to identifiable high-risk sociocultural groups in each country.

Optimization of the Ethanol Recycling Reflux Extraction Process for Saponins Using a Design Space Approach

PubMed Central

Gong, Xingchu; Zhang, Ying; Pan, Jianyang; Qu, Haibin

2014-01-01

A solvent recycling reflux extraction process for Panax notoginseng was optimized using a design space approach to improve the batch-to-batch consistency of the extract. Saponin yields, total saponin purity, and pigment yield were defined as the process critical quality attributes (CQAs). Ethanol content, extraction time, and the ratio of the recycling ethanol flow rate and initial solvent volume in the extraction tank (RES) were identified as the critical process parameters (CPPs) via quantitative risk assessment. Box-Behnken design experiments were performed. Quadratic models between CPPs and process CQAs were developed, with determination coefficients higher than 0.88. As the ethanol concentration decreases, saponin yields first increase and then decrease. A longer extraction time leads to higher yields of the ginsenosides Rb1 and Rd. The total saponin purity increases as the ethanol concentration increases. The pigment yield increases as the ethanol concentration decreases or extraction time increases. The design space was calculated using a Monte-Carlo simulation method with an acceptable probability of 0.90. Normal operation ranges to attain process CQA criteria with a probability of more than 0.914 are recommended as follows: ethanol content of 79–82%, extraction time of 6.1–7.1 h, and RES of 0.039–0.040 min−1. Most of the results of the verification experiments agreed well with the predictions. The verification experiment results showed that the selection of proper operating ethanol content, extraction time, and RES within the design space can ensure that the CQA criteria are met. PMID:25470598

Method of Real-Time Principal-Component Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duong, Tuan; Duong, Vu

2005-01-01

Dominant-element-based gradient descent and dynamic initial learning rate (DOGEDYN) is a method of sequential principal-component analysis (PCA) that is well suited for such applications as data compression and extraction of features from sets of data. In comparison with a prior method of gradient-descent-based sequential PCA, this method offers a greater rate of learning convergence. Like the prior method, DOGEDYN can be implemented in software. However, the main advantage of DOGEDYN over the prior method lies in the facts that it requires less computation and can be implemented in simpler hardware. It should be possible to implement DOGEDYN in compact, low-power, very-large-scale integrated (VLSI) circuitry that could process data in real time.

Flow curve analysis of a Pickering emulsion-polymerized PEDOT:PSS/PS-based electrorheological fluid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, So Hee; Choi, Hyoung Jin; Leong, Yee-Kwong

2017-11-01

The steady shear electrorheological (ER) response of poly(3, 4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly(styrene sulfonate)/polystyrene (PEDOT:PSS/PS) composite particles, which were initially fabricated from Pickering emulsion polymerization, was tested with a 10 vol% ER fluid dispersed in a silicone oil. The model independent shear rate and yield stress obtained from the raw torque-rotational speed data using a Couette type rotational rheometer under an applied electric field strength were then analyzed by Tikhonov regularization, which is the most suitable technique for solving an ill-posed inverse problem. The shear stress-shear rate data also fitted well with the data extracted from the Bingham fluid model.

Platinum and rhenium extraction from a spent refinery catalyst using Bacillus megaterium as a cyanogenic bacterium: statistical modeling and process optimization.

PubMed

Motaghed, M; Mousavi, S M; Rastegar, S O; Shojaosadati, S A

2014-11-01

The present study evaluated the potential of Bacillus megaterium as a cyanogenic bacterium to produce cyanide for solubilization of platinum and rhenium from a spent refinery catalyst. Response surface methodology was applied to study the effects and interaction between two main effective parameters including initial glycine concentration and pulp density. Maximum Pt and Re recovery was obtained 15.7% and 98%, respectively, under optimum conditions of 12.8 g/l initial glycine concentration and 4% (w/v) pulp density after 7 days. Increasing the free cyanide concentration to 3.6 mg/l, varying the pH from 6.7 to 9, and increasing the dissolved oxygen from 2 to 5mg/l demonstrated the growth characteristics of B. megaterium during bioleaching process. The modified shrinking core model was used to determine the rate limiting step of the process. It was found that diffusion through the product layer is the rate controlling step. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Condition optimization experiment of microwave extaction of flavonoids in rhizome of Drynaria fortunei].

PubMed

Yang, Bin; Hu, Fu-chao; Chen, Gong-xi; Jiang, Dao-song

2009-12-01

The experiment extracted flavonoids in rhizome of Drynaria fortunei by microwave extraction, and determined the extraction rate through colorimetry. Through the single factor experiment and orthogonal method, the optimum extraction conditions were as follows: ethanol concentration was 40%, solid-liquid ratio was 1:20 (g/mL), microwave power was 325 W, extraction time was 40 s. Under these conditions, the extraction rate reached 1.73%. In all condtions, microwave power has the most significant effect on extraction rate. Microwave extraction has obvious advantages in comparison with traditional sovent refluxing method.

Physician rating websites: do radiologists have an online presence?

PubMed

Gilbert, Kirven; Hawkins, C Matthew; Hughes, Danny R; Patel, Kishen; Gogia, Navdeep; Sekhar, Aarti; Duszak, Richard

2015-08-01

Given that patient satisfaction and provider transparency intersect on online physician-rating websites, we aimed to assess radiologist representation on these increasingly popular sites. From a directory of all Medicare participating physicians, we randomly selected 1,000 self-designated diagnostic radiologists and manually extracted their rating information from five popular online physician-review websites (HealthGrades, Healthcare Reviews, RateMDs, Kudzu, and Yelp). Using automated web "data-scraping" techniques, we separately extracted all radiologist and nonradiologist rating information from a single amenable site (Healthcare Reviews). Rating characteristics were analyzed. Of 1,000 sampled self-designated diagnostic radiologists representing all 50 states, only 197 (19.7%) were profiled on any of the five online physician-review websites. Only 24 (2.4%) were rated on two of the sites, and none was profiled on ≥3 sites. Of all 6,775 physicians listed on a single electronically interrogated site, only 30 (0.4%) were radiologists. With 28,555 (5.2%) of all 547,849 Medicare-participating physicians identified as diagnostic radiologists, radiologists were thus significantly underrepresented online (P < .0001). Although reviewed radiologists and nonradiologists were rated online by similar numbers of patients (1.13 ± 0.43 versus 1.03 ± 0.22, P = .22), radiologists were rated (on a low to high score of 1 to 10) significantly higher than nonradiologists (median 8.5 versus 5, P = .04). Most diagnostic radiologists are not profiled on common online physician-rating websites, and they are significantly underrepresented compared with nonradiologists. Reviewed radiologists, however, scored favorably. Given the potential for patient satisfaction scores and public domain information to affect referrals and future value-based payments, initiatives to enhance radiologists' online presence are advised. Copyright © 2015 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The successive projection algorithm as an initialization method for brain tumor segmentation using non-negative matrix factorization.

PubMed

Sauwen, Nicolas; Acou, Marjan; Bharath, Halandur N; Sima, Diana M; Veraart, Jelle; Maes, Frederik; Himmelreich, Uwe; Achten, Eric; Van Huffel, Sabine

2017-01-01

Non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) has become a widely used tool for additive parts-based analysis in a wide range of applications. As NMF is a non-convex problem, the quality of the solution will depend on the initialization of the factor matrices. In this study, the successive projection algorithm (SPA) is proposed as an initialization method for NMF. SPA builds on convex geometry and allocates endmembers based on successive orthogonal subspace projections of the input data. SPA is a fast and reproducible method, and it aligns well with the assumptions made in near-separable NMF analyses. SPA was applied to multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) datasets for brain tumor segmentation using different NMF algorithms. Comparison with common initialization methods shows that SPA achieves similar segmentation quality and it is competitive in terms of convergence rate. Whereas SPA was previously applied as a direct endmember extraction tool, we have shown improved segmentation results when using SPA as an initialization method, as it allows further enhancement of the sources during the NMF iterative procedure.

Task-specific feature extraction and classification of fMRI volumes using a deep neural network initialized with a deep belief network: Evaluation using sensorimotor tasks

PubMed Central

Jang, Hojin; Plis, Sergey M.; Calhoun, Vince D.; Lee, Jong-Hwan

2016-01-01

Feedforward deep neural networks (DNN), artificial neural networks with multiple hidden layers, have recently demonstrated a record-breaking performance in multiple areas of applications in computer vision and speech processing. Following the success, DNNs have been applied to neuroimaging modalities including functional/structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron-emission tomography data. However, no study has explicitly applied DNNs to 3D whole-brain fMRI volumes and thereby extracted hidden volumetric representations of fMRI that are discriminative for a task performed as the fMRI volume was acquired. Our study applied fully connected feedforward DNN to fMRI volumes collected in four sensorimotor tasks (i.e., left-hand clenching, right-hand clenching, auditory attention, and visual stimulus) undertaken by 12 healthy participants. Using a leave-one-subject-out cross-validation scheme, a restricted Boltzmann machine-based deep belief network was pretrained and used to initialize weights of the DNN. The pretrained DNN was fine-tuned while systematically controlling weight-sparsity levels across hidden layers. Optimal weight-sparsity levels were determined from a minimum validation error rate of fMRI volume classification. Minimum error rates (mean ± standard deviation; %) of 6.9 (± 3.8) were obtained from the three-layer DNN with the sparsest condition of weights across the three hidden layers. These error rates were even lower than the error rates from the single-layer network (9.4 ± 4.6) and the two-layer network (7.4 ± 4.1). The estimated DNN weights showed spatial patterns that are remarkably task-specific, particularly in the higher layers. The output values of the third hidden layer represented distinct patterns/codes of the 3D whole-brain fMRI volume and encoded the information of the tasks as evaluated from representational similarity analysis. Our reported findings show the ability of the DNN to classify a single fMRI volume based on the extraction of hidden representations of fMRI volumes associated with tasks across multiple hidden layers. Our study may be beneficial to the automatic classification/diagnosis of neuropsychiatric and neurological diseases and prediction of disease severity and recovery in (pre-) clinical settings using fMRI volumes without requiring an estimation of activation patterns or ad hoc statistical evaluation. PMID:27079534

Task-specific feature extraction and classification of fMRI volumes using a deep neural network initialized with a deep belief network: Evaluation using sensorimotor tasks.

PubMed

Jang, Hojin; Plis, Sergey M; Calhoun, Vince D; Lee, Jong-Hwan

2017-01-15

Feedforward deep neural networks (DNNs), artificial neural networks with multiple hidden layers, have recently demonstrated a record-breaking performance in multiple areas of applications in computer vision and speech processing. Following the success, DNNs have been applied to neuroimaging modalities including functional/structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron-emission tomography data. However, no study has explicitly applied DNNs to 3D whole-brain fMRI volumes and thereby extracted hidden volumetric representations of fMRI that are discriminative for a task performed as the fMRI volume was acquired. Our study applied fully connected feedforward DNN to fMRI volumes collected in four sensorimotor tasks (i.e., left-hand clenching, right-hand clenching, auditory attention, and visual stimulus) undertaken by 12 healthy participants. Using a leave-one-subject-out cross-validation scheme, a restricted Boltzmann machine-based deep belief network was pretrained and used to initialize weights of the DNN. The pretrained DNN was fine-tuned while systematically controlling weight-sparsity levels across hidden layers. Optimal weight-sparsity levels were determined from a minimum validation error rate of fMRI volume classification. Minimum error rates (mean±standard deviation; %) of 6.9 (±3.8) were obtained from the three-layer DNN with the sparsest condition of weights across the three hidden layers. These error rates were even lower than the error rates from the single-layer network (9.4±4.6) and the two-layer network (7.4±4.1). The estimated DNN weights showed spatial patterns that are remarkably task-specific, particularly in the higher layers. The output values of the third hidden layer represented distinct patterns/codes of the 3D whole-brain fMRI volume and encoded the information of the tasks as evaluated from representational similarity analysis. Our reported findings show the ability of the DNN to classify a single fMRI volume based on the extraction of hidden representations of fMRI volumes associated with tasks across multiple hidden layers. Our study may be beneficial to the automatic classification/diagnosis of neuropsychiatric and neurological diseases and prediction of disease severity and recovery in (pre-) clinical settings using fMRI volumes without requiring an estimation of activation patterns or ad hoc statistical evaluation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Doppler-resolved kinetics of saturation recovery

DOE PAGES

Forthomme, Damien; Hause, Michael L.; Yu, Hua -Gen; ...

2015-04-08

Frequency modulated laser transient absorption has been used to monitor the ground state rotational energy transfer rates of CN radicals in a double-resonance, depletion recovery experiment. When a pulsed laser is used to burn a hole in the equilibrium ground state population of one rotational state without velocity selection, the population recovery rate is found to depend strongly on the Doppler detuning of a narrow-band probe laser. Similar effects should be apparent for any relaxation rate process that competes effectively with velocity randomization. Alternative methods of extracting thermal rate constants in the presence of these non-thermal conditions are evaluated. Totalmore » recovery rate constants, analogous to total removal rate constants in an experiment preparing a single initial rotational level, are in good agreement with quantum scattering calculations, but are slower than previously reported experiments and show qualitatively different rotational state dependence between Ar and He collision partners. As a result, quasi-classical trajectory studies confirm that the differing rotational state dependence is primarily a kinematic effect.« less

Day case laparoscopic nephrectomy with vaginal extraction: initial experience.

PubMed

Baldini, Arnaud; Golfier, François; Mouloud, Khaled; Bruge Ansel, Marie-Hélène; Navarro, Rémi; Ruffion, Alain; Paparel, Philippe

2014-12-01

To assess the feasibility of laparoscopic nephrectomy with vaginal extraction in an ambulatory setting. Two patients underwent a laparoscopic (1 was robot assisted) nephrectomy with vaginal extraction for a nonfunctioning kidney in an ambulatory setting. Both interventions were performed by the same surgical team comprising a urologic surgeon and a gynecologic surgeon. The operative specimen was vaginally extracted via an incision in the posterior fornix at the end of the intervention. Patients had to respect very strict socioenvironmental and clinical criteria. Anesthesia was achieved using short-acting agents. Only first- and second-step analgesics were used (morphine-free protocol). The main judgment criteria were visual analog scale assessment for postoperative pain, the Clavien-Dindo classification for surgical complications, and the hospital readmission rate. Two female patients (37 and 41 years old) have been successfully operated with this technique. No major perioperative or postoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo grade >2) were reported, and no patient readmission was required. Postoperative pain was well managed with visual analog scale scores ≤ 5. Both patients operated in the ambulatory setting had Chung scores of 10 before their discharge. Laparoscopic or robotic nephrectomy with vaginal extraction can be performed in an ambulatory setting in carefully selected patients. The association of fast-track surgical techniques and vaginal extraction by eliminating the abdominal wound extraction source of postoperative pain allows performing this operation in this setting with a high level of satisfaction. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The impact of EDTA on the rate of accumulation and root/shoot partitioning of cadmium in mature dwarf sunflowers.

PubMed

Meighan, Michelle M; Fenus, Taressa; Karey, Emma; MacNeil, Joseph

2011-06-01

In addition to increasing the mobility of metal ions in the soil solution, chelating agents such as EDTA have been reported to alter both the total metal accumulated by plants and its distribution within the plant structures. Here, mature Mini-Sun Hybrid dwarf sunflowers exposed to 300 μM Cd(2+) in hydroponic solution had initial translocation rates of at least 0.12 mmol kg(-1)h(-1) and reached leaf saturation levels within a day when a 3-fold molar excess of EDTA was used. EDTA also promoted cadmium transfer from roots to the shoots. A threefold excess of EDTA increased the translocation factor (TF) 100-fold, resulting in cadmium levels in the leaves of 580 μg g(-1) and extracting 1400 μg plant(-1). When plants were exposed to dissolved cadmium without EDTA, the vast majority of the metal remained bound to the exterior of the root. The initial accumulation could be successfully modeled with a standard biosorption pseudo second-order kinetic equation. Initial accumulation rates ranged from 0.0359 to 0.262 mg g(-1)min(-1). The cadmium binding could be cycled, and did not show evidence of saturation under the experimental conditions employed, suggesting it might be a viable biosorbant for aqueous cadmium. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The development of cortical sensitivity to visual word forms.

PubMed

Ben-Shachar, Michal; Dougherty, Robert F; Deutsch, Gayle K; Wandell, Brian A

2011-09-01

The ability to extract visual word forms quickly and efficiently is essential for using reading as a tool for learning. We describe the first longitudinal fMRI study to chart individual changes in cortical sensitivity to written words as reading develops. We conducted four annual measurements of brain function and reading skills in a heterogeneous group of children, initially 7-12 years old. The results show age-related increase in children's cortical sensitivity to word visibility in posterior left occipito-temporal sulcus (LOTS), nearby the anatomical location of the visual word form area. Moreover, the rate of increase in LOTS word sensitivity specifically correlates with the rate of improvement in sight word efficiency, a measure of speeded overt word reading. Other cortical regions, including V1, posterior parietal cortex, and the right homologue of LOTS, did not demonstrate such developmental changes. These results provide developmental support for the hypothesis that LOTS is part of the cortical circuitry that extracts visual word forms quickly and efficiently and highlight the importance of developing cortical sensitivity to word visibility in reading acquisition.

The Development of Cortical Sensitivity to Visual Word Forms

PubMed Central

Ben-Shachar, Michal; Dougherty, Robert F.; Deutsch, Gayle K.; Wandell, Brian A.

2011-01-01

The ability to extract visual word forms quickly and efficiently is essential for using reading as a tool for learning. We describe the first longitudinal fMRI study to chart individual changes in cortical sensitivity to written words as reading develops. We conducted four annual measurements of brain function and reading skills in a heterogeneous group of children, initially 7–12 years old. The results show age-related increase in children's cortical sensitivity to word visibility in posterior left occipito-temporal sulcus (LOTS), nearby the anatomical location of the visual word form area. Moreover, the rate of increase in LOTS word sensitivity specifically correlates with the rate of improvement in sight word efficiency, a measure of speeded overt word reading. Other cortical regions, including V1, posterior parietal cortex, and the right homologue of LOTS, did not demonstrate such developmental changes. These results provide developmental support for the hypothesis that LOTS is part of the cortical circuitry that extracts visual word forms quickly and efficiently and highlight the importance of developing cortical sensitivity to word visibility in reading acquisition. PMID:21261451

Polyaspartate extraction of cadmium ions from contaminated soil: Evaluation and optimization using central composite design.

PubMed

Mu'azu, Nuhu Dalhat; Haladu, Shamsuddeen A; Jarrah, Nabeel; Zubair, Mukarram; Essa, Mohammad H; Ali, Shaikh A

2018-01-15

The occurrences of heavy metal contaminated sites and soils and the need for devising environmentally friendly solutions have become global issues of serious concern. In this study, polyaspartate (a highly biodegradable agent) was synthesized using L-Aspartic acid via a new modified thermal procedure and employed for extraction of cadmium ions (Cd) from contaminated soil. Response surface methodology approach using 3 5 full faced centered central composite design was employed for modeling, evaluating and optimizing the influence of polyaspartate concentration (36-145mM), polyaspartate/soil ratio (5-25), initial heavy metal concentration (100-500mg/kg), initial pH (3-6) and extraction time (6-24h) on Cd ions extracted into the polyaspartate solution and its residual concentration in the treated soil. The Cd extraction efficacy obtained reached up to 98.8%. Increase in Cd extraction efficiency was associated with increase in the polyaspartate and Cd concentration coupled with lower polyaspertate/soil ratio and initial pH. Under the optimal conditions characterized with minimal utilization of the polyaspartate and high Cd ions removal, the extractible Cd in the polyaspartate solution reached up to 84.4mg/L which yielded 85% Cd extraction efficacy. This study demonstrates the suitability of using polyaspartate as an effective environmentally friendly chelating agent for Cd extraction from contaminated soils. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fractionation and reconstitution of factors required for accurate transcription of mammalian ribosomal RNA genes: identification of a species-dependent initiation factor.

PubMed Central

Mishima, Y; Financsek, I; Kominami, R; Muramatsu, M

1982-01-01

Mouse and human cell extracts (S100) can support an accurate and efficient transcription initiation on homologous ribosomal RNA gene (rDNA) templates. The cell extracts were fractionated with the aid of a phosphocellulose column into four fractions (termed A, B, C and D), including one containing a major part of the RNA polymerase I activity. Various reconstitution experiments indicate that fraction D is an absolute requirement for the correct and efficient transcription initiation by RNA polymerase I on both mouse and human genes. Fraction B effectively suppresses random initiation on these templates. Fraction A appears to further enhance the transcription which takes place with fractions C and D. Although fractions A, B and C are interchangeable between mouse and human extracts, fraction D is not; i.e. initiation of transcription required the presence of a homologous fraction D for both templates. The factor(s) in fraction D, however, is not literally species-specific, since mouse D fraction is capable of supporting accurate transcription initiation on a rat rDNA template in the presence of all the other fractions from human cell extract under the conditions where human D fraction is unable to support it. We conclude from these experiments that a species-dependent factor in fraction D plays an important role in the initiation of rDNA transcription in each animal species. Images PMID:7177852

77 FR 11151 - Notice Seeking Comment on the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-24

... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR [Docket No. ONRR-2012-002] Notice Seeking Comment on the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Interior. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Department of the Interior (Department) requests comments and suggestions from affected parties and the...

High-Resolution Tracking Asymmetric Lithium Insertion and Extraction and Local Structure Ordering in SnS2.

PubMed

Gao, Peng; Wang, Liping; Zhang, Yu-Yang; Huang, Yuan; Liao, Lei; Sutter, Peter; Liu, Kaihui; Yu, Dapeng; Wang, En-Ge

2016-09-14

In the rechargeable lithium ion batteries, the rate capability and energy efficiency are largely governed by the lithium ion transport dynamics and phase transition pathways in electrodes. Real-time and atomic-scale tracking of fully reversible lithium insertion and extraction processes in electrodes, which would ultimately lead to mechanistic understanding of how the electrodes function and why they fail, is highly desirable but very challenging. Here, we track lithium insertion and extraction in the van der Waals interactions dominated SnS2 by in situ high-resolution TEM method. We find that the lithium insertion occurs via a fast two-phase reaction to form expanded and defective LiSnS2, while the lithium extraction initially involves heterogeneous nucleation of intermediate superstructure Li0.5SnS2 domains with a 1-4 nm size. Density functional theory calculations indicate that the Li0.5SnS2 is kinetically favored and structurally stable. The asymmetric reaction pathways may supply enlightening insights into the mechanistic understanding of the underlying electrochemistry in the layered electrode materials and also suggest possible alternatives to the accepted explanation of the origins of voltage hysteresis in the intercalation electrode materials.

A demonstration of beam intensity modulation without loss of charge

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

Mackenzie, G.H.; Rawnsley, W.R.; Lee, R.

1995-09-01

The large acceptance and the simplicity of H{sup {minus}} extraction makes practical unusual modes of cyclotron operation. RF equipment, initially installed for H{sup {minus}} extraction at TRIUMF, has been used to modulate the beam intensity at the extraction radius. This equipment consists of a 92 MHz, 150 kV cavity (AAC) and an RFD (11.5 MHz, 20 kV). The AAC augments the acceleration provided by the main 23 MHz, RF system; the RFD excites radial betatron oscillations. These devices may be operated at frequencies slightly different from their design multiple; their effect then beats with the main RF. In this modemore » the AAC, for example, alternately reduces the rate of acceleration, thus increasing the overlap of turns, then enhances it, sweeping the clustered turns onto a probe or foil. Operating the AAC or RFD in this manner gathers the bulk of the charge into peaks a few microseconds wide and spaced between 6 and 50 {micro}s. Changing the frequency offset alters the spacing. The peak to valley ratio was 23:1 and all beam was transmitted to the extraction radius.« less

Function of the growth-regulated transcription initiation factor TIF-IA in initiation complex formation at the murine ribosomal gene promoter.

PubMed

Schnapp, A; Schnapp, G; Erny, B; Grummt, I

1993-11-01

Alterations in the rate of cell proliferation are accompanied by changes in the transcription of rRNA genes. In mammals, this growth-dependent regulation of transcription of genes coding for rRNA (rDNA) is due to reduction of the amount or activity of an essential transcription factor, called TIF-IA. Extracts prepared from quiescent cells lack this factor activity and, therefore, are transcriptionally inactive. We have purified TIF-IA from exponentially growing cells and have shown that it is a polypeptide with a molecular mass of 75 kDa which exists as a monomer in solution. Using a reconstituted transcription system consisting of purified transcription factors, we demonstrate that TIF-IA is a bona fide transcription initiation factor which interacts with RNA polymerase I. Preinitiation complexes can be assembled in the absence of TIF-IA, but formation of the first phosphodiester bonds of nascent rRNA is precluded. After initiation, TIF-IA is liberated from the initiation complex and facilitates transcription from templates bearing preinitiation complexes which lack TIF-IA. Despite the pronounced species specificity of class I gene transcription, this growth-dependent factor has been identified not only in mouse but also in human cells. Murine TIF-IA complements extracts from both growth-inhibited mouse and human cells. The analogous human activity appears to be similar or identical to that of TIF-IA. Therefore, despite the fact that the RNA polymerase transcription system has evolved sufficiently rapidly that an rDNA promoter from one species will not function in another species, the basic mechanisms that adapt ribosome synthesis to cell proliferation have been conserved.

A novel dianionic amino acid ionic liquid-coated PEG 4000 modified Fe3O4 nanocomposite for the magnetic solid-phase extraction of trypsin.

PubMed

Yang, Qin; Wang, Yuzhi; Zhang, Hongmei; Xu, Kaijia; Wei, Xiaoxiao; Xu, Panli; Zhou, Yigang

2017-11-01

A novel magnetic extractant, PEG 4000 modified Fe 3 O 4 nanomaterial that coated with dianionic amino acid ionic liquid (Fe 3 O 4 @PEG@DAAAIL), was successfully synthesized and characterized. X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FT-IR), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and zeta potentials were used to confirm that the novel nanocomposite was successfully synthesized. Subsequently, the prepared Fe 3 O 4 @PEG@DAAAIL nanocomposite was used as the extractant for trypsin coupled with magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE). The concentrations of trypsin in the supernatant were detected by UV-vis spectrophotometer at 278nm. The extraction ability turned out to be better than the other four kinds of extractants prepared in this work. Furthermore, the influence of a series of factors, such as extraction time and temperature, initial trypsin concentration, the value of pH and ionic strength, was systematically investigated. Under the optimal extraction condition, the extraction capacity for trypsin could reach up to 718.73mg/g, absolutely higher than that of other adsorbents reported. This satisfactory extraction capacity could be maintained unchangeable after at least eight days, and kept over 90% of initial extraction capacity after eight recycles. What's more, the activity of trypsin after extraction retained 92.29% of initial activity, verifying the biocompatibility of the prepared extractant. Finally, the developed Fe 3 O 4 @PEG@DAAAIL-MSPE method was successfully applied to the real sample analysis with satisfactory results. All of above proves the potential value of Fe 3 O 4 @PEG@DAAAIL-MSPE in the analysis of biomass. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Reaction Rate of Ti0.18Zr0.84Cr1.0Fe0.7Mn0.3Cu0.057 to Use for the Heat Driven Type Compact Metal Hydride Refrigerator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bae, Sang-Chul; Katsuta, Masafumi

Our final goal of this study is to develop the heat driven type compact metal hydride (MH) refrigeration system for the vending machine and the show case, and to attain a refrigeration temperature of 243 K by using a heat source of about 423K. The reaction rate of the MH to use for the heat source, MH used for heat source is studied firstly because the MH refrigeration system consists of two MHs, one is used for the heat source and the other is used for the cooling load extracting. As for the reaction rate in the hydriding process, initially, a rapid surface reaction, governed by the relation 1-(1-F )1/3=kht . After the MH surface has been covered by hydride, the reaction becomes diffusion controlled with the relation 1-3(1-F ' )2/3+2(1-F ' )=k'ht . The reaction rates, kh and k'h , are exponentially proportional to the pressure difference and increase with temperature. And, as for the dehydriding process, it is found out that the rate-controlling step is uniquely diffusion reaction. The dehydriding reaction rate is exponentially proportional to the pressure difference and the initial reacted fraction, and increases with temperature. Finally, on the basis of these experimental results, the brand new rate correlations are reasonably derived. The predicted results for this correlation are in successfully agreement with the experimental ones.

[Study on extraction process of zhanjin ruji].

PubMed

Du, Zhi-qian; Du, Tian-xin; Wang, Zhong-dong; Li, Gen-lin

2003-01-01

To select the optimum extraction process of Zhanjin Ruji. To observe influence of extraction time upon the extraction rate of volatile oil, the orthogonal test was adopted to observe the extraction process by alcohol from the extraction rate and content of the total saponins in Radix Notoginseng. The three kinds of herbs including Radix Angelicae Sinensis, Resina Olibani and Myrrha were extracted with water for 3 hours, 95% of volatile oil can be distilled. The three kinds of herbs including Radix Notoginseng, Herba Lycopodii and Radix Gentianae Macrophyllac were extracted by alcohol. Four factors such as alcohol concentration(A), extraction times(B), extraction time(C), and solvent amount(D), had not significant effect on the content of total saponins in Radix Notoginseng in herbal extraction, but factor A and B had significant effect on the extraction rate. The optimum extraction process was as follows extracted with 5 times the amount of the solvent volum 60% alcohol for 3 times and with each time for 1 hour. Three times experiments showed that the extraction rate was 26.5% and the content of the total saponins in Radix Notoginseng was 17.28% mg.g-1. The above experimental results can provide experimental basis for deciding the extraction process of Zhanjin Ruji.

Triaxial- and uniaxial-compression testing methods developed for extraction of pore water from unsaturated tuff, Yucca Mountain, Nevada

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

Mower, T.E.; Higgins, J.D.; Yang, I.C.

1989-12-31

To support the study of hydrologic system in the unsaturated zone at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, two extraction methods were examined to obtain representative, uncontaminated pore-water samples from unsaturated tuff. Results indicate that triaxial compression, which uses a standard cell, can remove pore water from nonwelded tuff that has an initial moisture content greater than 11% by weight; uniaxial compression, which uses a specifically fabricated cell, can extract pore water from nonwelded tuff that has an initial moisture content greater than 8% and from welded tuff that has an initial moisture content greater than 6.5%. For the ambient moisture conditions ofmore » Yucca Mountain tuffs, uniaxial compression is the most efficient method of pore-water extraction. 12 refs., 7 figs., 2 tabs.« less

Determination of antibacterial activity and minimum inhibitory concentration of larval extract of fly via resazurin-based turbidometric assay.

PubMed

Teh, Chien Huey; Nazni, Wasi Ahmad; Nurulhusna, Ab Hamid; Norazah, Ahmad; Lee, Han Lim

2017-02-16

Antimicrobial resistance is currently a major global issue. As the rate of emergence of antimicrobial resistance has superseded the rate of discovery and introduction of new effective drugs, the medical arsenal now is experiencing shortage of effective drugs to combat diseases, particularly against diseases caused by the dreadful multidrug-resistant strains, such as the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The ability of fly larvae to thrive in septic habitats has prompted us to determine the antibacterial activity and minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of larval extract of flies, namely Lucilia cuprina, Sarcophaga peregrina and Musca domestica against 4 pathogenic bacteria [Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli] via a simple and sensitive antibacterial assay, resazurin-based turbidometric (TB) assay as well as to demonstrate the preliminary chemical profile of larval extracts using gas chromatography-mass spectrophotometry (GC-MS). The resazurin-based TB assay demonstrated that the L. cuprina larval extract was inhibitory against all tested bacteria, whilst the larval extract of S. peregrina and M. domestica were only inhibitory against the MRSA, with a MIC of 100 mg ml -1 . Subsequent sub-culture of aliquots revealed that the larval extract of L. cuprina was bactericidal against MRSA whilst the larval extracts of S. peregrina and M. domestica were bacteriostatic against MRSA. The GC-MS analysis had quantitatively identified 20 organic compounds (fatty acids or their derivatives, aromatic acid esters, glycosides and phenol) from the larval extract of L. cuprina; and 5 fatty acid derivatives with known antimicrobial activities from S. peregrina and M. domestica. The resazurin-based turbidometric assay is a simple, reliable and feasible screening assay which evidently demonstrated the antibacterial activity of all fly larval extracts, primarily against the MRSA. The larval extract of L. cuprina exerted a broad spectrum antibacterial activity against all tested bacteria. The present study revealed probable development and use of novel and effective natural disinfectant(s) and antibacterial agent(s) from flies and efforts to screen more fly species for antibacterial activity using resazurin-based TB assay should be undertaken for initial screening for subsequent discovery and isolation of potential novel antimicrobial substances, particularly against the multi-drug resistant strains.

Development of a new extraction method based on counter current salting-out homogenous liquid-liquid extraction followed by dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction: Application for the extraction and preconcentration of widely used pesticides from fruit juices.

PubMed

Farajzadeh, Mir Ali; Feriduni, Behruz; Mogaddam, Mohammad Reza Afshar

2016-01-01

In this paper, a new extraction method based on counter current salting-out homogenous liquid-liquid extraction (CCSHLLE) followed by dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) has been developed for the extraction and preconcentration of widely used pesticides in fruit juice samples prior to their analysis by gas chromatography-flame ionization detection (GC-FID). In this method, initially, sodium chloride as a separation reagent is filled into a small column and a mixture of water (or fruit juice) and acetonitrile is passed through the column. By passing the mixture sodium chloride is dissolved and the fine droplets of acetonitrile are formed due to salting-out effect. The produced droplets go up through the remained mixture and collect as a separated layer. Then, the collected organic phase (acetonitrile) is removed with a syringe and mixed with 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane (extraction solvent at µL level). In the second step, for further enrichment of the analytes the above mixture is injected into 5 mL de-ionized water placed in a test tube with conical bottom in order to dissolve acetonitrile into water and to achieve a sedimented phase at µL-level volume containing the enriched analytes. Under the optimal extraction conditions (extraction solvent, 1.5 mL acetonitrile; pH, 7; flow rate, 0.5 mL min(-1); preconcentration solvent, 20 µL 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane; NaCl concentration; 5%, w/w; and centrifugation rate and time, 5000 rpm and 5 min, respectively), the extraction recoveries and enrichment factors ranged from 87% to 96% and 544 to 600, respectively. Repeatability of the proposed method, expressed as relative standard deviations, ranged from 2% to 6% for intra-day (n=6, C=250 or 500 µg L(-1)) and inter-days (n=4, C=250 or 500 µg L(-1)) precisions. Limits of detection are obtained between 2 and 12 µg L(-1). Finally, the proposed method is applied for the determination of the target pesticide residues in the juice samples. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Aging of coprecipitated Cu in alumina: changes in structural location, chemical form, and solubility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martínez, Carmen Enid; McBride, Murray B.

2000-05-01

The longterm fate of metals in mineral solid phases is not well established, as aging effects can alter metal forms and solubility. We use a model system (Cu coprecipitation with alumina) to examine copper solubility, chemical form, and structural location during longterm aging (up to 2 y), and as a function of Cu concentration, suspension pH, and rate of coprecipitate formation. Electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy and extractability with EDTA were used to determine the chemical form and structural location of Cu in coprecipitates with alumina. Soluble Cu was measured by differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (dpasv) and alumina transformation monitored by XRD. Decreased Cu solubility resulted after prolonged aging of the coprecipitates formed at pH 6 and pH 7.5. Longterm aging (up to 2 y at 23°C) induced the transformation of an initially noncrystalline alumina to more ordered products including gibbsite. Results obtained by ESR and EDTA extraction indicate Cu movement towards the surface of the coprecipitate at increased aging time. Copper was initially evenly distributed within the alumina, but segregated at or near the alumina surface forming CuO and/or clusters after longterm reaction (2 y) with alumina.

Off-equilibrium sphaleron transitions in the Glasma

DOE PAGES

Mace, Mark; Schlichting, Soren; Venugopalan, Raju

2016-04-28

We perform the first, to our knowledge, classical-statistical real time lattice simulations of topological transitions in the nonequilibrium glasma of weakly coupled but highly occupied gauge fields created immediately after the collision of ultrarelativistic nuclei. Simplifying our description by employing SU(2) gauge fields, and neglecting their longitudinal expansion, we find that the rate of topological transitions is initially strongly enhanced relative to the thermal sphaleron transition rate and decays with time during the thermalization process. Qualitative features of the time dependence of this nonequilibrium transition rate can be understood when expressed in terms of the magnetic screening length, which wemore » also extract nonperturbatively. Furthermore, a detailed investigation of auto-correlation functions of the Chern-Simons number (N CS) reveals non-Markovian features of the evolution distinct from previous simulations of non-Abelian plasmas in thermal equilibrium.« less

[A technological study on the extraction of ultra-fine powder of Panax notoginsen].

PubMed

Huang, Yaohai; Huang, Mingqing; Zeng, Huifang; Guo, Wei; Xi, Ping

2005-12-01

To investigate the extraction of ultra-fine powder Panax notoginsen. The extraction rate of ginseng saponin Rg1, Re, Rb1, notoginseng saponin R1 and filtrated time were determined by alcoholic and aqueous extraction of Panax notoginsen in tablet, coarse powder, ultra-fine powder and recostitution granules of ultra-fine powder. The filtered time of ultra-fine powder of Panax notoginsen extraction and that of the tablet of Panax notoginsen extraction were similar, while the extraction rates of various saponins of it were high. The method of aqueous extrction in ltra-fine powder of Panax notoginsen is easy in filtrationer, higher in extraction rate of Panax notoginsen and lower in production cost.

Solid phase extraction of uranium(VI) onto benzoylthiourea-anchored activated carbon.

PubMed

Zhao, Yongsheng; Liu, Chunxia; Feng, Miao; Chen, Zhen; Li, Shuqiong; Tian, Gan; Wang, Li; Huang, Jingbo; Li, Shoujian

2010-04-15

A new solid phase extractant selective for uranium(VI) based on benzoylthiourea anchored to activated carbon was developed via hydroxylation, amidation and reaction with benzoyl isothiocyanate in sequence. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and total element analysis proved that benzoylthiourea had been successfully grafted to the surface of the activated carbon, with a loading capacity of 1.2 mmol benzoylthiourea per gram of activated carbon. The parameters that affect the uranium(VI) sorption, such as contact time, solution pH, initial uranium(VI) concentration, adsorbent dose and temperature, have been investigated. Results have been analyzed by Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm; the former was more suitable to describe the sorption process. The maximum sorption capacity (82 mg/g) for uranium(VI) was obtained at experimental conditions. The rate constant for the uranium sorption by the as-synthesized extractant was 0.441 min(-1) from the first order rate equation. Thermodynamic parameters (DeltaH(0)=-46.2 kJ/mol; DeltaS(0)=-98.0 J/mol K; DeltaG(0)=-17.5 kJ/mol) showed the adsorption of an exothermic process and spontaneous nature, respectively. Additional studies indicated that the benzoylthiourea-anchored activated carbon (BT-AC) selectively sorbed uranyl ions in the presence of competing ions, Na(+), Co(2+), Sr(2+), Cs(+) and La(3+). 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dynamic reservoir-condition microtomography of reactive transport in complex carbonates: Effect of initial pore structure and initial brine pH

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Menke, H. P.; Bijeljic, B.; Blunt, M. J.

2017-05-01

We study the impact of brine acidity and initial pore structure on the dynamics of fluid/solid reaction at high Péclet numbers and low Damköhler numbers. A laboratory μ-CT scanner was used to image the dissolution of Ketton, Estaillades, and Portland limestones in the presence of CO2-acidified brine at reservoir conditions (10 MPa and 50 °C) at two injected acid strengths for a period of 4 h. Each sample was scanned between 6 and 10 times at ∼4 μm resolution and multiple effluent samples were extracted. The images were used as inputs into flow simulations, and analysed for dynamic changes in porosity, permeability, and reaction rate. Additionally, the effluent samples were used to verify the image-measured porosity changes. We find that initial brine acidity and pore structure determine the type of dissolution. Dissolution is either uniform where the porosity increases evenly both spatially and temporally, or occurs as channelling where the porosity increase is concentrated in preferential flow paths. Ketton, which has a relatively homogeneous pore structure, dissolved uniformly at pH = 3.6 but showed more channelized flow at pH = 3.1. In Estaillades and Portland, increasingly complex carbonates, channelized flow was observed at both acidities with the channel forming faster at lower pH. It was found that the effluent pH, which is higher than that injected, is a reasonably good indicator of effective reaction rate during uniform dissolution, but a poor indicator during channelling. The overall effective reaction rate was up to 18 times lower than the batch reaction rate measured on a flat surface at the effluent pH, with the lowest reaction rates in the samples with the most channelized flow, confirming that transport limitations are the dominant mechanism in determining reaction dynamics at the fluid/solid boundary.

Balloon catheter versus basket catheter for endoscopic bile duct stone extraction: a multicenter randomized trial.

PubMed

Ishiwatari, Hirotoshi; Kawakami, Hiroshi; Hisai, Hiroyuki; Yane, Kei; Onodera, Manabu; Eto, Kazunori; Haba, Shin; Okuda, Toshinori; Ihara, Hideyuki; Kukitsu, Takehiro; Matsumoto, Ryusuke; Kitaoka, Keisuke; Sonoda, Tomoko; Hayashi, Tsuyoshi

2016-04-01

Endoscopic bile duct stone (BDS) removal is a well-established treatment; however, the preference for basket or balloon catheters for extraction is operator-dependent. We therefore conducted a multicenter prospective randomized trial to compare catheter performance. We enrolled patients with a BDS diameter ≤ 10 mm and common bile duct diameter ≤ 15 mm. Participants were randomly assigned to groups that were treated with basket or balloon catheters between October 2013 and September 2014. The primary endpoint was the rate of complete clearance of the duct; the secondary endpoints were the rate and time to complete clearance in one endoscopic session. We initially enrolled 172 consecutive patients; 14 were excluded after randomization. The complete clearance rates were 92.3 % (72/78) in the balloon group and 80.0 % (64 /80) in the basket group. The difference in the rates between the two groups was 12.3 percentage points, indicating non-inferiority of the balloon method (non-inferiority limit -10 %; P < 0.001 for non-inferiority). Moreover, the balloon was superior to the basket (P = 0.037). The rate of complete clearance in one endoscopic session was 97.4 % using the balloon and 97.5 % using the basket (P = 1.00). The median times to complete clearance in one endoscopic session were 6.0 minutes (1 - 30) and 7.8 minutes (1 - 37) in the balloon and basket groups, respectively (P = 0.15). For extraction of BDSs ≤ 10 mm, complete endoscopic treatment with a single catheter is more likely when choosing a balloon catheter over a basket catheter.University Hospital Medical Information Network Trials Registry: UMIN000011887. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

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

PubMed

Cai, Yi-Hong; Wang, Yi-Sheng

2018-04-01

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

Phytate destruction by yeast fermentation in whole wheat meals. Study of high-extraction rate meals.

PubMed

Reinhold, J G

1975-01-01

Destruction of phytate by yeast fermentation is compared in sponges prepared from Iranian whole wheat meals of different extraction rates. Phytate was destroyed rapidly in whole meals of 75 to 85 and 85 to 90 per cent extraction, but destruction was retarded in those of 95 to 100 per cent extraction. Production of acid-soluble phosphorus kept pace with phytate destruction in the two whole meals of lower extraction rates but was delayed with less-than-expected yield in those of 95 to 100 per cent rate. Unleavened whole meal bread contains little acid-soluble phosphorus. Leavened breads made from whole meals of slightly lower extraction rate average five times as much. Since phytate phosphorus appears to remain unavailable in the small intestine in many circumstances, dependece on unleavened whole meal bread may result in critically low intakes of available phosphorus when other sources are lacking in the diet. It is concluded that replacement of the whole meals of 95 to 100 per cent extraction rate, presently the main staple of the diet of rural Iran, by those of somewhat lower rate is an important preliminary to the introduction of leaven and fermentation into village bread-making methods.

Ingenious Snake: An Adaptive Multi-Class Contours Extraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Baolin; Zhou, Shoujun

2018-04-01

Active contour model (ACM) plays an important role in computer vision and medical image application. The traditional ACMs were used to extract single-class of object contours. While, simultaneous extraction of multi-class of interesting contours (i.e., various contours with closed- or open-ended) have not been solved so far. Therefore, a novel ACM model named “Ingenious Snake” is proposed to adaptively extract these interesting contours. In the first place, the ridge-points are extracted based on the local phase measurement of gradient vector flow field; the consequential ridgelines initialization are automated with high speed. Secondly, the contours’ deformation and evolvement are implemented with the ingenious snake. In the experiments, the result from initialization, deformation and evolvement are compared with the existing methods. The quantitative evaluation of the structure extraction is satisfying with respect of effectiveness and accuracy.

Arched needle technique for inferior alveolar mandibular nerve block.

PubMed

Chakranarayan, Ashish; Mukherjee, B

2013-03-01

One of the most commonly used local anesthetic techniques in dentistry is the Fischer's technique for the inferior alveolar nerve block. Incidentally this technique also suffers the maximum failure rate of approximately 35-45%. We studied a method of inferior alveolar nerve block by injecting a local anesthetic solution into the pterygomandibular space by arching and changing the approach angle of the conventional technique and estimated its efficacy. The needle after the initial insertion is arched and inserted in a manner that it approaches the medial surface of the ramus at an angle almost perpendicular to it. The technique was applied to 100 patients for mandibular molar extraction and the anesthetic effects were assessed. A success rate of 98% was obtained.

77 FR 59639 - 15-Day Extension of Call for Nominations for the U.S. Extractive Industries Transparency...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-28

... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Office of the Secretary [Docket No. ONRR-2012-0003] 15-Day Extension of Call for Nominations for the U.S. Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative Advisory Committee... Industries Transparency Initiative (USEITI) Multi- Stakeholder Group (MSG). This notice also included a...

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

EPA Science Inventory

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

Extracting remaining information from an inconclusive result in optimal unambiguous state discrimination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Gang; Yu, Long-Bao; Zhang, Wen-Hai; Cao, Zhuo-Liang

2014-12-01

In unambiguous state discrimination, the measurement results consist of the error-free results and an inconclusive result, and an inconclusive result is conventionally regarded as a useless remainder from which no information about initial states is extracted. In this paper, we investigate the problem of extracting remaining information from an inconclusive result, provided that the optimal total success probability is determined. We present three simple examples. An inconclusive answer in the first two examples can be extracted partial information, while an inconclusive answer in the third one cannot be. The initial states in the third example are defined as the highly symmetric states.

A factorial design experiment as a pilot study for noninvasive genetic sampling.

PubMed

Renan, Sharon; Speyer, Edith; Shahar, Naama; Gueta, Tomer; Templeton, Alan R; Bar-David, Shirli

2012-11-01

Noninvasive genetic sampling has increasingly been used in ecological and conservation studies during the last decade. A major part of the noninvasive genetic literature is dedicated to the search for optimal protocols, by comparing different methods of collection, preservation and extraction of DNA from noninvasive materials. However, the lack of quantitative comparisons among these studies and the possibility that different methods are optimal for different systems make it difficult to decide which protocol to use. Moreover, most studies that have compared different methods focused on a single factor - collection, preservation or extraction - while there could be interactions between these factors. We designed a factorial experiment, as a pilot study, aimed at exploring the effect of several collection, preservation and extraction methods, and the interactions between them, on the quality and amplification success of DNA obtained from Asiatic wild ass (Equus hemionus) faeces in Israel. The amplification success rates of one mitochondrial DNA and four microsatellite markers differed substantially as a function of collection, preservation and extraction methods and their interactions. The most efficient combination for our system integrated the use of swabs as a collection method with preservation at -20 °C and with the Qiagen DNA Stool Kit with modifications as the DNA extraction method. The significant interaction found between the collection, preservation methods and the extraction methods reinforces the importance of conducting a factorial design experiment, rather than examining each factor separately, as a pilot study before initiating a full-scale noninvasive research project. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Effect of thermal and high pressure processing on stability of betalain extracted from red beet stalks.

PubMed

Dos Santos, Cláudia Destro; Ismail, Marliya; Cassini, Aline Schilling; Marczak, Ligia Damasceno Ferreira; Tessaro, Isabel Cristina; Farid, Mohammed

2018-02-01

Red beet stalks are a potential source of betalain, but their pigments are not widely used because of their instability. In the present work, the applicability of high pressure processing (HPP) and high temperature short time (HTST) thermal treatment was investigated to improve betalain stability in extracts with low and high concentrations. The HPP was applied at 6000 bar for 10, 20 and 30 min and HTST treatment was applied at 75.7 °C for 80 s, 81.1 °C for 100 s and 85.7 °C for 120 s, HPP treatment did not show any improvement in the betalain stability. In turn, the degradation rate of the control and the HTST thermal treatment at 85.7 °C for 120 s of the sample with high initial betalain concentration were 1.2 and 0.4 mg of betanin/100 ml of extract per day respectively. Among the treatments studied, HTST was considered the most suitable to maintain betalain stability from red beet stalks.

Modelling mass transfer during venting/soil vapour extraction: Non-aqueous phase liquid/gas mass transfer coefficient estimation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Esrael, D.; Kacem, M.; Benadda, B.

2017-07-01

We investigate how the simulation of the venting/soil vapour extraction (SVE) process is affected by the mass transfer coefficient, using a model comprising five partial differential equations describing gas flow and mass conservation of phases and including an expression accounting for soil saturation conditions. In doing so, we test five previously reported quations for estimating the non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL)/gas initial mass transfer coefficient and evaluate an expression that uses a reference NAPL saturation. Four venting/SVE experiments utilizing a sand column are performed with dry and non-saturated sand at low and high flow rates, and the obtained experimental results are subsequently simulated, revealing that hydrodynamic dispersion cannot be neglected in the estimation of the mass transfer coefficient, particularly in the case of low velocities. Among the tested models, only the analytical solution of a convection-dispersion equation and the equation proposed herein are suitable for correctly modelling the experimental results, with the developed model representing the best choice for correctly simulating the experimental results and the tailing part of the extracted gas concentration curve.

Irrigation water quality influences heavy metal uptake by willows in biosolids.

PubMed

Laidlaw, W Scott; Baker, Alan J M; Gregory, David; Arndt, Stefan K

2015-05-15

Phytoextraction is an effective method to remediate heavy metal contaminated landscapes but is often applied for single metal contaminants. Plants used for phytoextraction may not always be able to grow in drier environments without irrigation. This study investigated if willows (Salix x reichardtii A. Kerner) can be used for phytoextraction of multiple metals in biosolids, an end-product of the wastewater treatment process, and if irrigation with reclaimed and freshwater influences the extraction process. A plantation of willows was established directly onto a tilled stockpile of metal-contaminated biosolids and irrigated with slightly saline reclaimed water (EC ∼2 dS/cm) at a wastewater processing plant in Victoria, Australia. Biomass was harvested annually and analysed for heavy metal content. Phytoextraction of cadmium, copper, nickel and zinc was benchmarked against freshwater irrigated willows. The minimum irrigation rate of 700 mm per growing season was sufficient for willows to grow and extract metals. Increasing irrigation rates produced no differences in total biomass and also no differences in the extraction of heavy metals. The reclaimed water reduced both the salinity and the acidity of the biosolids significantly within the first 12 months after irrigation commenced and after three seasons the salinity of the biosolids had dropped to <15% of initial values. A flushing treatment to remove excess salts was therefore not necessary. Irrigation had an impact on biosolids attributes such as salinity and pH, and that this had an influence on metal extraction. Reclaimed water irrigation reduced the biosolid pH and this was associated with reductions of the extraction of Ni and Zn, it did not influence the extraction of Cu and enhanced the phytoextraction of Cd, which was probably related to the high chloride content of the reclaimed water. Our results demonstrate that flood-irrigation with reclaimed water was a successful treatment to grow willows in a dry climate. However, the reclaimed water can also change biosolids properties, which will influence the effectiveness of willows to extract different metals. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mechanistic study of lead desorption during the leaching process of ion-absorbed rare earths: pH effect and the column experiment.

PubMed

Tang, Jie; Xue, Qiang; Chen, Honghan; Li, Wenting

2017-05-01

High concentrations of ammonium sulfate, often used in the in situ mining process, can result in a decrease of pH in the environment and dissolution of rare earth metals. Ammonium sulfate can also cause desorption of toxic heavy metals, leading to environmental and human health implications. In this study, the desorption behavior and fraction changes of lead in the ion-absorbed rare earth ore were studied using batch desorption experiments and column leaching tests. Results from batch desorption experiments showed that the desorption process of lead included fast and slow stages and followed an Elovich model well. The desorption rate and the proportion of lead content in the solution to the total lead in the soil were observed to increase with a decrease in the initial pH of the ammonium sulfate solution. The lead in soil included an acid-extractable fraction, reducible fraction, oxidizable fraction, and a residual fraction, with the predominant fractions being the reducible and acid-extractable fractions. Ninety-six percent of the extractable fraction in soil was desorbed into solution at pH = 3.0, and the content of the reducible fraction was observed to initially increase (when pH >4.0) and then decrease (when pH <4.0) with a decrease in pH. Column leaching tests indicated that the content of lead in the different fractions of soil followed the trend of reducible fraction > oxidizable fraction > acid-extractable fraction > residual fraction after the simulating leaching mining process. The change in pH was also found to have a larger influence on the acid-extractable and reducible fractions than the other two fractions. The proportion of the extractable fraction being leached was ca. 86%, and the reducible fraction was enriched along the migration direction of the leaching liquid. These results suggest that certain lead fractions may desorb again and contaminate the environment via acid rain, which provides significant information for environmental assessment and remediation after mining process. Graphical abstract ᅟ.

Extractable atrazine and its metabolites in agricultural soils from the temperate humid zone.

PubMed

Mahía, J; Martín, A; Díaz-Raviña, M

2008-04-01

Extractable atrazine and its metabolites (hydroxyatrazine, deethylatrazine and deisopropylatrazine) were evaluated in agricultural soils from the temperate humid zone (Galicia, NW Spain) under laboratory conditions. The experiment was performed with five soils with different properties (organic C, soil texture and atrazine application history), both unamended and treated with atrazine at field application rate. Measurements of the atrazine compounds were made at different time intervals (1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 weeks) during a 3-month incubation period. Results showed that only hydroxyatrazine was detected in the extractable fraction of the unamended soils, with values remaining relatively constant throughout the incubation period. Atrazine addition notably increased the concentration of the parent compound and its degradation products; deisopropylatrazine and hydroxyatrazine were the main metabolites detected in the extractable fraction of the treated soils, whereas deethylatrazine was not detected. After 7 days incubation, values of total extractable residues, expressed as percentage of initially added atrazine, ranged from 75 to 86% (25-68% of atrazine, 7-11% of hydroxyatrazine and 9-57% of deisopropylatrazine). The values decreased rapidly during the first 3 weeks of incubation, showing values of 2-8% in soils with higher atrazine application and from 28 to 30% in soils with lower application history. At the end of the incubation, 2-8% of total extractable residues were still detected (0-4% of atrazine, 2-3% of hydroxyatrazine and 0-2% of deisopropylatrazine), indicating a residual effect of atrazine addition. These variations in the extractable fraction indicated that most added atrazine was rapidly degraded, especially in soils with higher application history.

Developing the RAL front end test stand source to deliver a 60 mA, 50 Hz, 2 ms H- beam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faircloth, Dan; Lawrie, Scott; Letchford, Alan; Gabor, Christoph; Perkins, Mike; Whitehead, Mark; Wood, Trevor; Tarvainen, Olli; Komppula, Jani; Kalvas, Taneli; Dudnikov, Vadim; Pereira, Hugo; Izaola, Zunbeltz; Simkin, John

2013-02-01

All the Front End Test Stand (FETS) beam requirements have been achieved, but not simultaneously [1]. At 50 Hz repetition rates beam current droop becomes unacceptable for pulse lengths longer than 1 ms. This is fundamental limitation of the present source design. Previous researchers [2] have demonstrated that using a physically larger Penning surface plasma source should overcome these limitations. The scaled source development strategy is outlined in this paper. A study of time-varying plasma behavior has been performed using a V-UV spectrometer. Initial experiments to test scaled plasma volumes are outlined. A dedicated plasma and extraction test stand (VESPA-Vessel for Extraction and Source Plasma Analysis) is being developed to allow new source and extraction designs to be appraised. The experimental work is backed up by modeling and simulations. A detailed ANSYS thermal model has been developed. IBSimu is being used to design extraction and beam transport. A novel 3D plasma modeling code using beamlets is being developed by Cobham Vector Fields using SCALA OPERA, early source modeling results are very promising. Hardware on FETS is also being developed in preparation to run the scaled source. A new 2 ms, 50 Hz, 25 kV pulsed extraction voltage power supply has been constructed and a new discharge power supply is being designed. The design of the post acceleration electrode assembly has been improved.

Single- and double-balloon enteroscopy-assisted endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in patients with Roux-en-Y plus hepaticojejunostomy anastomosis and Whipple resection.

PubMed

Itokawa, Fumihide; Itoi, Takao; Ishii, Kentaro; Sofuni, Atsushi; Moriyasu, Fuminori

2014-04-01

In patients with Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy (HJ with R-Y) and Whipple resection, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) can be challenging. We report our experience with ERCP using balloon-assisted enteroscopy (BAE) (BAE-ERCP) in patients with HJ with R-Y, and Whipple resection. BAE-ERCP procedures were carried out in 62 patients (HJ with R-Y:Whipple resection=34:28). Overall, the rates of reaching the anastomosis were 85.3% (29/34) in HJ with R-Y and 96.4% (27/28) in Whipple resection. In terms of HJ with R-Y, insertion success rate by standard single-balloon enteroscopy (SBE) was 89.3% (25/28). Insertion success rate by short BAE, including SBE and double-balloon enteroscopy (DBE), was 50% (3/6). There was a statistically significant difference of insertion success rate between standard long BE and short BE (P=0.021). However, in the Whipple patients, insertion success rate by standard and short SBE was 93.8% (15/16) and 91.7% (11/12), respectively. Initial insertion success rate by short BAE in Whipple patients was significantly higher than in HJ with R-Y (91.7% vs 50%, P=0.045). Therapeutic interventions included dilation of anastomosis stricture, stone extraction, endoscopic mechanical lithotripsy, biliary stent placement, stent extraction, endoscopic nasobiliary drainage, direct cholangioscopy, and electrohydraulic lithotripsy. Our HJ with R-Y series and Whipple series treatment success rate was 90% (18/20) and 95.0% (19/20), respectively. BAE-ERCP enabled ERCP to be carried out in patients with HJ. It is considered safe and feasible. Further experience and device improvement are needed. © 2014 The Authors. Digestive Endoscopy © 2014 Japan Gastroenterological Endoscopy Society.

Co-culture microorganisms with different initial proportions reveal the mechanism of chalcopyrite bioleaching coupling with microbial community succession.

PubMed

Ma, Liyuan; Wang, Xingjie; Feng, Xue; Liang, Yili; Xiao, Yunhua; Hao, Xiaodong; Yin, Huaqun; Liu, Hongwei; Liu, Xueduan

2017-01-01

The effect of co-culture microorganisms with different initial proportions on chalcopyrite bioleaching was investigated. Communities were rebuilt by six typical strains isolated from the same habitat. The results indicated, by community with more sulfur oxidizers at both 30 and 40°C, the final copper extraction rate was 19.8% and 6.5% higher, respectively, than that with more ferrous oxidizers. The variations of pH, redox potential, ferrous and copper ions in leachate also provided evidences that community with more sulfur oxidizers was more efficient. Community succession of free and attached cells revealed that initial proportions played decisive roles on community dynamics at 30°C, while communities shared similar structures, not relevant to initial proportions at 40°C. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed different microbial functions on mineral surface. A mechanism model for chalcopyrite bioleaching was established coupling with community succession. This will provide theoretical basis for reconstructing an efficient community in industrial application. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

MINI PCNL in a Pediatric Population

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

Wah, Tze M., E-mail: Tze.Wah@leedsth.nhs.uk; Kidger, Lizi; Kennish, Steven

2013-02-15

We report our initial experience of MINI percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) in a pediatric population using a miniature nephroscope through a 16F metal access sheath. All pediatric patients who underwent PCNL from August 2007 to September 2010 using a 14F miniature nephroscope through a 16F metal access sheath for renal stone extraction were evaluated. Patients' demographic details, procedural information, and posttreatment outcomes were prospectively documented. A total of 23 MINI PCNLs were performed on 23 kidneys of 12 patients whose ages ranged from 1.6 to 14.6 years. The median stone burden was 3.44 cm{sup 2}, and there were 11 'Staghorn' stones.more » The procedure was primary via a single puncture in 19 kidneys and secondary using a preexisting nephrostomy tract in 4 kidneys. Access was successful in all primary and two secondary cases, for a total of success rate of 91.3%. Stones were fragmented using a Holmium laser and/or lithoclast, and fragments were irrigated or sequentially removed by various stone grasping devices. The mean procedural X-ray screening time and total stone extraction period were 4.5 and 109.4 min, respectively. The primary stone free rate was 83.6 %, which increased to 90.5 % after treating the residual fragments. Postoperative hydrothorax developed in one patient, which required a chest drain. Symptoms of chest infection and positive urine culture were detected in one and two patients, respectively. Our initial experience supports previous reports that MINI PCNL is safe and effective for the management of renal stones in children.« less

Kinetic modeling of ultrasound-assisted extraction of phenolic compounds from grape marc: influence of acoustic energy density and temperature.

PubMed

Tao, Yang; Zhang, Zhihang; Sun, Da-Wen

2014-07-01

The effects of acoustic energy density (6.8-47.4 W/L) and temperature (20-50 °C) on the extraction yields of total phenolics and tartaric esters during ultrasound-assisted extraction from grape marc were investigated in this study. The ultrasound treatment was performed in a 25-kHz ultrasound bath system and the 50% aqueous ethanol was used as the solvent. The initial extraction rate and final extraction yield increased with the increase of acoustic energy density and temperature. The two site kinetic model was used to simulate the kinetics of extraction process and the diffusion model based on the Fick's second law was employed to determine the effective diffusion coefficient of phenolics in grape marc. Both models gave satisfactory quality of data fit. The diffusion process was divided into one fast stage and one slow stage and the diffusion coefficients in both stages were calculated. Within the current experimental range, the diffusion coefficients of total phenolics and tartaric esters for both diffusion stages increased with acoustic energy density. Meanwhile, the rise of temperature also resulted in the increase of diffusion coefficients of phenolics except the diffusion coefficient of total phenolics in the fast stage, the value of which being the highest at 40 °C. Moreover, an empirical equation was suggested to correlate the effective diffusion coefficient of phenolics in grape marc with acoustic energy density and temperature. In addition, the performance comparison of ultrasound-assisted extraction and convention methods demonstrates that ultrasound is an effective and promising technology to extract bioactive substances from grape marc. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Physiological importance of the heterodisulfide of coenzyme M and 7-mercaptoheptanoylthreonine phosphate in the reduction of carbon dioxide to methane in Methanobacterium

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

Bobik, T.A.; Wolfe, R.S.

1988-01-01

The heterodisulfide of the two coenzymes 2-mercaptoethanesulfonic acid (coenzyme M, HS-CoM) and N-(7-mercaptoheptanoyl)threonine O/sup 3/-phosphate (HS-HTP) increased the rate of CO/sub 2/ reduction to methane by cell extracts 42-fold. The stimulation resulted from activation of the initial step of methanogenesis, the production of formylmethanofuran from methanofuran and CO/sub 2/. These results establish a role for this heterodisulfide (CoM-S-S-HTP) in the reduction of CO/sub 2/ to formylmethanofuran. Evidence indicates that CoM-S-S-HTP is the labile intermediate that accounts for the coupling of the reduction of 2-(methylthio)ethanesulfonic acid by the methylreductase to formylmethanofuran biosynthesis, the RPG effect. The heterodisulfide was found to bemore » labile in cell extracts due to enzyme-catalyzed reduction and possibly thiol-disulfide exchange.« less

Reversal of DDK-Mediated MCM Phosphorylation by Rif1-PP1 Regulates Replication Initiation and Replisome Stability Independently of ATR/Chk1.

PubMed

Alver, Robert C; Chadha, Gaganmeet Singh; Gillespie, Peter J; Blow, J Julian

2017-03-07

Dbf4-dependent kinases (DDKs) are required for the initiation of DNA replication, their essential targets being the MCM2-7 proteins. We show that, in Xenopus laevis egg extracts and human cells, hyper-phosphorylation of DNA-bound Mcm4, but not phosphorylation of Mcm2, correlates with DNA replication. These phosphorylations are differentially affected by the DDK inhibitors PHA-767491 and XL413. We show that DDK-dependent MCM phosphorylation is reversed by protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) targeted to chromatin by Rif1. Loss of Rif1 increased MCM phosphorylation and the rate of replication initiation and also compromised the ability of cells to block initiation when challenged with replication inhibitors. We also provide evidence that Rif1 can mediate MCM dephosphorylation at replication forks and that the stability of dephosphorylated replisomes strongly depends on Chk1 activity. We propose that both replication initiation and replisome stability depend on MCM phosphorylation, which is maintained by a balance of DDK-dependent phosphorylation and Rif1-mediated dephosphorylation. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Investigation of ethyl lactate as a green solvent for desorption of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) from contaminated soil.

PubMed

Jalilian Ahmadkalaei, Seyedeh Pegah; Gan, Suyin; Ng, Hoon Kiat; Abdul Talib, Suhaimi

2016-11-01

Treatment of oil-contaminated soil is a major environmental concern worldwide. The aim of this study is to examine the applicability of a green solvent, ethyl lactate (EL), in desorption of diesel aliphatic fraction within total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) in contaminated soil and to determine the associated desorption kinetics. Batch desorption experiments were carried out on artificially contaminated soil at different EL solvent percentages (%). In analysing the diesel range of TPH, TPH was divided into three fractions and the effect of solvent extraction on each fraction was examined. The experimental results demonstrated that EL has a high and fast desorbing power. Pseudo-second order rate equation described the experimental desorption kinetics data well with correlation coefficient values, R 2 , between 0.9219 and 0.9999. The effects of EL percentage, initial contamination level of soil and liquid to solid ratio (L/S (v/w)) on initial desorption rate have also been evaluated. The effective desorption performance of ethyl lactate shows its potential as a removal agent for remediation of TPH-contaminated soil worldwide.

Frequency of data extraction errors and methods to increase data extraction quality: a methodological review.

PubMed

Mathes, Tim; Klaßen, Pauline; Pieper, Dawid

2017-11-28

Our objective was to assess the frequency of data extraction errors and its potential impact on results in systematic reviews. Furthermore, we evaluated the effect of different extraction methods, reviewer characteristics and reviewer training on error rates and results. We performed a systematic review of methodological literature in PubMed, Cochrane methodological registry, and by manual searches (12/2016). Studies were selected by two reviewers independently. Data were extracted in standardized tables by one reviewer and verified by a second. The analysis included six studies; four studies on extraction error frequency, one study comparing different reviewer extraction methods and two studies comparing different reviewer characteristics. We did not find a study on reviewer training. There was a high rate of extraction errors (up to 50%). Errors often had an influence on effect estimates. Different data extraction methods and reviewer characteristics had moderate effect on extraction error rates and effect estimates. The evidence base for established standards of data extraction seems weak despite the high prevalence of extraction errors. More comparative studies are needed to get deeper insights into the influence of different extraction methods.

The extraction characteristic of Au-Ag from Au concentrate by thiourea solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Bongju; Cho, Kanghee; On, Hyunsung; Choi, Nagchoul; Park, Cheonyoung

2013-04-01

The cyanidation process has been used commercially for the past 100 years, there are ores that are not amenable to treatment by cyanide. Interest in alternative lixiviants, such as thiourea, halogens, thiosulfate and malononitrile, has been revived as a result of a major increase in gold price, which has stimulated new developments in extraction technology, combined with environmental concern. The Au extraction process using the thiourea solvent has many advantages over the cyanidation process, including higher leaching rates, faster extraction time and less than toxicity. The purpose of this study was investigated to the extraction characteristic of Au-Ag from two different Au concentrate (sulfuric acid washing and roasting) under various experiment conditions (thiourea concentration, pH of solvent, temperature) by thiourea solvent. The result of extraction experiment showed that the Au-Ag extraction was a fast extraction process, reaching equilibrium (maximum extraction rate) within 30 min. The Au-Ag extraction rate was higher in the roasted concentrate than in the sulfuric acid washing. The higher the Au-Ag extraction rate (Au - 70.87%, Ag - 98.12%) from roasted concentrate was found when the more concentration of thiourea increased, pH decreased and extraction temperature increased. This study informs extraction method basic knowledge when thiourea was a possibility to eco-/economic resources of Au-Ag utilization studies including the hydrometallurgy.

[Study on condition for extraction of arctiin from fruits of Arctium lappa using supercritical fluid extraction].

PubMed

Dong, Wen-hong; Liu, Ben

2006-08-01

To study the feasibility of supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) for arctiin from the fruits of Arctium lappa. The extracts were analyzed by HPLC, optimum extraction conditions were studied by orthogonal tests. The optimal extraction conditions were: pressure 40 MPa, temperature 70 degrees C, using methanol as modifier carrier at the rate of 0.55 mL x min(-1), static extraction time 5 min, dynamic extraction 30 min, flow rate of CO2 2 L x min(-1). SFE has the superiority of adjustable polarity, and has the ability of extracting arctiin.

Extraction of mandibular premolars and molars: comparison between local infiltration via pressure syringe and inferior alveolar nerve block anesthesia.

PubMed

Thiem, Daniel G E; Schnaith, Florian; Van Aken, Caroline M E; Köntges, Anne; Kumar, Vinay V; Al-Nawas, Bilal; Kämmerer, Peer W

2018-04-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the anesthetic efficiency of local infiltration anesthesia administered with a pressure syringe (P-INF) via a special technique versus direct block anesthesia of the inferior alveolar nerve (IANB) for tooth extraction in the posterior mandible. In a prospective randomized study, 101 teeth in 101 patients were extracted in the posterior mandible under local anesthesia whereby two different administration techniques were used (P-INF n = 48; IANB n = 53). Primary objectives were comparisons of anesthetic success rate (yes/no) and efficacy (full/sufficient vs. insufficient). Secondary objectives were patients' pain perception during treatment, pain of injection (numerical rating scale), need for second injections (always IANB), time until onset of anesthetic action (min), and duration of local numbness (min). IANB was successful in all cases, whereas initial P-INF achieved 35% of success only. Furthermore, IANB reached significant higher values of anesthetic efficacy compared to P-INF (P < 0.001). Concerning pain of injection, patients rated IANB to be more painful (P = 0.039). Second injections were significantly more often necessary for P-INF (P = 0.006) whereas duration until onset of action as well as the duration of local numbness were found to be equal. For anesthetic efficacy as well as anesthetic success, block anesthesia of the inferior alveolar nerve (IANB) turned out to be more proficient to local infiltration via special delivering system with a special technique. Infiltration, even when performed with 4% articaine and a pressure syringe system, is not a suitable method of anesthesia in the posterior mandible.

Extraction and the Fatty Acid Profile of Rosa acicularis Seed Oil.

PubMed

Du, Huanan; Zhang, Xu; Zhang, Ruchun; Zhang, Lu; Yu, Dianyu; Jiang, Lianzhou

2017-12-01

Rosa acicularis seed oil was extracted from Rosa acicularis seeds by the ultrasonic-assisted aqueous enzymatic method using cellulase and protease. Based on a single experiment, Plackett-Burman design was applied to ultrasonic-assisted aqueous enzymatic extraction of wild rose seed oil. The effects of enzyme amount, hydrolysis temperature and initial pH on total extraction rate of wild rose seed oil was studied by using Box-Behnken optimize methodology. Chemical characteristics of a sample of Rosa acicularis seeds and Rosa acicularis seed oil were characterized in this work. The tocopherol content was 200.6±0.3 mg/100 g oil. The Rosa acicularis seed oil was rich in linoleic acid (56.5%) and oleic acid (34.2%). The saturated fatty acids included palmitic acid (4%) and stearic acid (2.9%). The major fatty acids in the sn-2 position of triacylglycerol in Rosa acicularis oil were linoleic acid (60.6%), oleic acid (33.6%) and linolenic acid (3.2%). According to the 1,3-random-2-random hypothesis, the dominant triacylglycerols were LLL (18%), LLnL (1%), LLP (2%), LOL (10%), LLSt (1.2%), PLP (0.2%), LLnP (0.1%), LLnO (0.6%) and LOP (1.1%). This work could be useful for developing applications for Rosa acicularis seed oil.

Energy extraction from fractured geothermal reservoirs in low-permeability crystalline rock

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murphy, H. D.; Tester, J. W.; Grigsby, C. O.; Potter, R. M.

1981-08-01

The thermal performance and flow characteristics of two hot dry rock geothermal energy reservoirs created by the hydraulic fracturing of granitic rock are discussed. The reservoirs were produced by fracturing an injection well at a depth of 2.75 km and again 180 m deeper (rock temperature 185 C) on the west bank of the Valles Caldera, a dormant volcanic complex in northern New Mexico. Heat was extracted in a closed-loop operation by the injection of water into one well and the extraction of heated water from a separate well. Results of temperature measurements and thermal modeling for the first reservoir over an initial 75-day test period indicate a thermal exchange area of 8000 sq m, and coupled with flow rate surveys suggest an effective fracture radius of about 60 m with an average thermal power extracted of 4 MW. Evaluation of the second reservoir during a 32-day flow test indicates an effective heat transfer area of at least 45,000 sq m, and a mean reservoir volume nine times greater than that of the first reservoir. Further measurements have shown low flow impedances and downhole water losses for both reservoirs, with produced water of good quality and little insignificant induced seismic activity.

Biomimetic postcapillary expansions for enhancing rare blood cell separation on a microfluidic chip†

PubMed Central

Jain, Abhishek

2013-01-01

Blood cells naturally auto-segregate in postcapillary venules, with the erythrocytes (red blood cells, RBCs) aggregating near the axis of flow and the nucleated cells (NCs)—which include leukocytes, progenitor cells and, in cancer patients, circulating tumor cells—marginating toward the vessel wall. We have used this principle to design a microfluidic device that extracts nucleated cells (NCs) from whole blood. Fabricated using polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) soft lithography, the biomimetic cell extraction device consists of rectangular microchannels that are 20–400 μm wide, 11 μm deep and up to 2 cm long. The key design feature is the use of repeated expansions/contractions of triangular geometry mimicking postcapillary venules, which enhance margination and optimize the extraction. The device operates on unprocessed whole blood and is able to extract 94 ± 4.5% of NCs with 45.75 ± 2.5-fold enrichment in concentration at a rate of 5 nl s−1. The device eliminates the need to preprocess blood via centrifugation or RBC lysis, and is ready to be implemented as the initial stage of lab-on-a-chip devices that require enriched nucleated cells. The potential downstream applications are numerous, encompassing all preclinical and clinical assays that operate on enriched NC populations and include on-chip flow cytometry PMID:21773633

Application of a thiourea-containing task-specific ionic liquid for the solid-phase extraction cleanup of lead ions from red lipstick, pine leaves, and water samples.

PubMed

Saljooqi, Asma; Shamspur, Tayebeh; Mohamadi, Maryam; Mostafavi, Ali

2014-07-01

Here, task-specific ionic liquid solid-phase extraction is proposed for the first time. In this approach, a thiourea-functionalized ionic liquid is immobilized on the solid sorbent, multiwalled carbon nanotubes. These modified nanotubes packed into a solid-phase extraction column are used for the selective extraction and preconcentration of ultra-trace amounts of lead(II) from aqueous samples prior to electrothermal atomic absorption spectroscopy determination. The thiourea functional groups act as chelating agents for lead ions retaining them and so, give the selectivity to the sorbent. Elution of the retained ions can be performed using an acidic thiourea solution. The effects of experimental parameters including pH of the aqueous solution, type and amount of eluent, and the flow rates of sample and eluent solutions on the separation efficiency are investigated. The linear dependence of absorbance of lead on its concentration in the initial solution is in the range of 0.5-40.0 ng/mL with the detection limit of 0.13 ng/mL (3(Sb)/m, n = 10). The proposed method is applicable to the analysis of red lipstick, pine leaves, and water samples for their lead contents. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A Method for Extracting Suspected Parotid Lesions in CT Images using Feature-based Segmentation and Active Contours based on Stationary Wavelet Transform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, T. Y.; Lin, S. F.

2013-10-01

Automatic suspected lesion extraction is an important application in computer-aided diagnosis (CAD). In this paper, we propose a method to automatically extract the suspected parotid regions for clinical evaluation in head and neck CT images. The suspected lesion tissues in low contrast tissue regions can be localized with feature-based segmentation (FBS) based on local texture features, and can be delineated with accuracy by modified active contour models (ACM). At first, stationary wavelet transform (SWT) is introduced. The derived wavelet coefficients are applied to derive the local features for FBS, and to generate enhanced energy maps for ACM computation. Geometric shape features (GSFs) are proposed to analyze each soft tissue region segmented by FBS; the regions with higher similarity GSFs with the lesions are extracted and the information is also applied as the initial conditions for fine delineation computation. Consequently, the suspected lesions can be automatically localized and accurately delineated for aiding clinical diagnosis. The performance of the proposed method is evaluated by comparing with the results outlined by clinical experts. The experiments on 20 pathological CT data sets show that the true-positive (TP) rate on recognizing parotid lesions is about 94%, and the dimension accuracy of delineation results can also approach over 93%.

PCR Testing of IVC Filter Tops as a Method for Detecting Murine Pinworms and Fur Mites.

PubMed

Gerwin, Philip M; Ricart Arbona, Rodolfo J; Riedel, Elyn R; Henderson, Kenneth S; Lipman, Neil S

2017-11-01

We evaluated PCR testing of filter tops from cages maintained on an IVC system through which exhaust air is filtered at the cage level as a method for detecting parasite-infected and -infested cages. Cages containing 4 naïve Swiss Webster mice received 360 mL of uncontaminated aspen chip or α-cellulose bedding (n = 18 cages each) and 60 mL of the same type of bedding weekly from each of the following 4 groups of cages housing mice infected or infested with Syphacia obvelata (SO), Aspiculuris tetraptera (AT), Myocoptes musculinus (MC), or Myobia musculi (MB) and Radfordia affinis (RA; 240 mL bedding total). Detection rates were compared at 30, 60, and 90 d after initiating bedding exposure, by using PCR analysis of filter tops (media extract and swabs) and testing of mouse samples (fur swab [direct] PCR testing, fecal flotation, anal tape test, direct examination of intestinal contents, and skin scrape). PCR testing of filter media extract detected 100% of all parasites at 30 d (both bedding types) except for AT (α-cellulose bedding, 67% detection rate); identified more cages with fur mites (MB and MC) than direct PCR when cellulose bedding was used; and was better at detecting parasites than all nonmolecular methods evaluated. PCR analysis of filter media extract was superior to swab and direct PCR for all parasites cumulatively for each bedding type. Direct PCR more effectively detected MC and all parasites combined for aspen chip compared with cellulose bedding. PCR analysis of filter media extract for IVC systems in which exhaust air is filtered at the cage level was shown to be a highly effective environmental testing method.

Changes in metal availability, desorption kinetics and speciation in contaminated soils during repeated phytoextraction with the Zn/Cd hyperaccumulator Sedum plumbizincicola.

PubMed

Li, Zhu; Jia, Mingyun; Wu, Longhua; Christie, Peter; Luo, Yongming

2016-02-01

Phytoextraction is one of the most promising technologies for the remediation of metal contaminated soils. Changes in soil metal availability during phytoremediation have direct effects on removal efficiency and can also illustrate the interactive mechanisms between hyperaccumulators and metal contaminated soils. In the present study the changes in metal availability, desorption kinetics and speciation in four metal-contaminated soils during repeated phytoextraction by the zinc/cadmium hyperaccumulator Sedum plumbizincicola (S. plumbizincicola) over three years were investigated by chemical extraction and the DGT-induced fluxes in soils (DIFS) model. The available metal fractions (i.e. metal in the soil solution extracted by CaCl2 and by EDTA) decreased greatly by >84% after phytoextraction in acid soils and the deceases were dramatic at the initial stages of phytoextraction. However, the decreases in metal extractable by CaCl2 and EDTA in calcareous soils were not significant or quite low. Large decreases in metal desorption rate constants evaluated by DIFS were found in calcareous soils. Sequential extraction indicated that the acid-soluble metal fraction was easily removed by S. plumbizincicola from acid soils but not from calcareous soils. Reducible and oxidisable metal fractions showed discernible decreases in acid and calcareous soils, indicating that S. plumbizincicola can mobilize non-labile metal for uptake but the residual metal cannot be removed. The results indicate that phytoextraction significantly decreases metal availability by reducing metal pool sizes and/or desorption rates and that S. plumbizincicola plays an important role in the mobilization of less active metal fractions during repeated phytoextraction. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

PCR Testing of IVC Filter Tops as a Method for Detecting Murine Pinworms and Fur Mites

PubMed Central

Gerwin, Philip M; Arbona, Rodolfo J Ricart; Riedel, Elyn R; Henderson, Kenneth S; Lipman, Neil S

2017-01-01

We evaluated PCR testing of filter tops from cages maintained on an IVC system through which exhaust air is filtered at the cage level as a method for detecting parasite- infected and -infested cages. Cages containing 4 naïve Swiss Webster mice received 360 mL of uncontaminated aspen chip or α-cellulose bedding (n = 18 cages each) and 60 mL of the same type of bedding weekly from each of the following 4 groups of cages housing mice infected or infested with Syphacia obvelata (SO), Aspiculuris tetraptera (AT), Myocoptes musculinus (MC), or Myobia musculi (MB) and Radfordia affinis (RA; 240 mL bedding total). Detection rates were compared at 30, 60, and 90 d after initiating bedding exposure, by using PCR analysis of filter tops (media extract and swabs) and testing of mouse samples (fur swab [direct] PCR testing, fecal flotation, anal tape test, direct examination of intestinal contents, and skin scrape). PCR testing of filter media extract detected 100% of all parasites at 30 d (both bedding types) except for AT (α-cellulose bedding, 67% detection rate); identified more cages with fur mites (MB and MC) than direct PCR when cellulose bedding was used; and was better at detecting parasites than all nonmolecular methods evaluated. PCR analysis of filter media extract was superior to swab and direct PCR for all parasites cumulatively for each bedding type. Direct PCR more effectively detected MC and all parasites combined for aspen chip compared with cellulose bedding. PCR analysis of filter media extract for IVC systems in which exhaust air is filtered at the cage level was shown to be a highly effective environmental testing method. PMID:29256370

Incidence and Predictors of Advance Care Planning Among Persons with Cognitive Impairment

PubMed Central

Garand, Linda; Dew, Mary Amanda; Lingler, Jennifer H.; DeKosky, Steven T.

2010-01-01

Objective Persons with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are at heightened risk for future decisional incapacity. We sought to characterize advance care planning (ACP) rates over time in individuals who had no advance directives (living will or durable power of attorney) in place when they initially presented for a cognitive evaluation. Design Retrospective analysis of data that had been prospectively collected. Setting Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center memory disorders clinic. Participants Persons (N=127) with a diagnosis of MCI or early AD (n = 72) or moderate to severe AD (n = 55) and no advance directives upon initial presentation for a cognitive evaluation. Measurements Extraction of responses to items pertaining to advance care planning assessed during annual semi-structured interviews. Results By 5 years of follow-up, 39% of the sample had initiated ACP, with little difference by baseline diagnosis. Younger subjects (under 65 years old) were significantly more likely to initiate advance directives (43%) than were older subjects (37%). This age effect was more pronounced in men than women as well as in married subjects, those with a family history of dementia, no depressive disorder, and subjects with moderate to severe AD (versus those with MCI or early AD) at baseline. Conclusion Only a minority of subjects initiated ACPs. The findings suggest the need for interventions aimed at enhancing ACP completion rates, particularly among older adults with cognitive impairment since these individuals may have a timed-limited opportunity to plan for future medical, financial, and other major life decisions. PMID:21785291

Spatiotemporal modelling of groundwater extraction in semi-arid central Queensland, Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keir, Greg; Bulovic, Nevenka; McIntyre, Neil

2016-04-01

The semi-arid Surat Basin in central Queensland, Australia, forms part of the Great Artesian Basin, a groundwater resource of national significance. While this area relies heavily on groundwater supply bores to sustain agricultural industries and rural life in general, measurement of groundwater extraction rates is very limited. Consequently, regional groundwater extraction rates are not well known, which may have implications for regional numerical groundwater modelling. However, flows from a small number of bores are metered, and less precise anecdotal estimates of extraction are increasingly available. There is also an increasing number of other spatiotemporal datasets which may help predict extraction rates (e.g. rainfall, temperature, soils, stocking rates etc.). These can be used to construct spatial multivariate regression models to estimate extraction. The data exhibit complicated statistical features, such as zero-valued observations, non-Gaussianity, and non-stationarity, which limit the use of many classical estimation techniques, such as kriging. As well, water extraction histories may exhibit temporal autocorrelation. To account for these features, we employ a separable space-time model to predict bore extraction rates using the R-INLA package for computationally efficient Bayesian inference. A joint approach is used to model both the probability (using a binomial likelihood) and magnitude (using a gamma likelihood) of extraction. The correlation between extraction rates in space and time is modelled using a Gaussian Markov Random Field (GMRF) with a Matérn spatial covariance function which can evolve over time according to an autoregressive model. To reduce computational burden, we allow the GMRF to be evaluated at a relatively coarse temporal resolution, while still allowing predictions to be made at arbitrarily small time scales. We describe the process of model selection and inference using an information criterion approach, and present some preliminary results from the study area. We conclude by discussing issues related with upscaling of the modelling approach to the entire basin, including merging of extraction rate observations with different precision, temporal resolution, and even potentially different likelihoods.

Cell Size Regulation in Bacteria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amir, Ariel

2014-05-01

Various bacteria such as the canonical gram negative Escherichia coli or the well-studied gram positive Bacillus subtilis divide symmetrically after they approximately double their volume. Their size at division is not constant, but is typically distributed over a narrow range. Here, we propose an analytically tractable model for cell size control, and calculate the cell size and interdivision time distributions, as well as the correlations between these variables. We suggest ways of extracting the model parameters from experimental data, and show that existing data for E. coli supports partial size control, and a particular explanation: a cell attempts to add a constant volume from the time of initiation of DNA replication to the next initiation event. This hypothesis accounts for the experimentally observed correlations between mother and daughter cells as well as the exponential dependence of size on growth rate.

Effect of local void morphology on the reaction initiation mechanism in the case of pressed HMX

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roy, Sidhartha; Rai, Nirmal; Udaykumar, H. S.

2017-06-01

The microstructural characteristics of pressed HMX has a significant effect on its sensitivity under shock loading. The microstructure of pressed HMX contains voids of various orientation and aspect ratio. Subject to shock loading, these voids can collapse forming hotspots and initiate chemical reaction. This work shows how the ignition and growth of chemical reaction is dependent on the local microstructural features of the voids. Morphological quantities like size, aspect ratio and orientations are extracted from the real microstructural images of Class III and Class V pressed HMX. These morphological quantities are correlated with the ignition and growth rates of the chemical reaction. The dependency of the sensitivity of a given HMX sample on the local morphological features shows that these local features can create a mocroscale physical response.

High efficiency tapered free-electron lasers with a prebunched electron beam

DOE PAGES

Emma, C.; Sudar, N.; Musumeci, P.; ...

2017-11-17

In this study we analyze the high gain, high efficiency tapered free-electron laser amplifier with a prebunched electron beam. Simple scaling laws are derived for the peak output power and extraction efficiency and verified using 1D simulations. These studies provide useful analytical expressions which highlight the benefits resulting from fine control of the initial conditions of the system, namely the initial electron beam bunching and input seed radiation. When time-dependent effects are included, the sideband instability is known to limit the radiation amplification due to particle detrapping. We discuss two different approaches to mitigate the sideband growth via 1-D timemore » dependent simulations. We find that a more aggressive taper enabled by strong prebunching and a modulation of the resonance condition are both effective methods for suppressing the sideband instability growth rate.« less

Optimization of reaction conditions to fabricate nano-silver using Couroupita guianensis Aubl. (leaf & fruit) and its enhanced larvicidal effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vimala, R. T. V.; Sathishkumar, Gnanasekar; Sivaramakrishnan, Sivaperumal

2015-01-01

Currently bioactive principles of plants and their nanoproducts have been extensively studied in agriculture and medicine. In this study Couroupita guianensis Aubl. leaf and fruit extracts were selected for rapid and cost-effective synthesis of silver nanoparticles (leaf-LAgNPs and fruit-FAgNPs). Various physiological conditions such as temperature, pH, concentration of metal ions, stoichiometric proportion of reaction mixture and reaction time showed influence on the size, dispersity and synthesis rate of AgNPs. Generation of AgNPs was initially confirmed with the surface plasmon vibrations at 420 nm in UV-visible spectrophotometer. The results recorded from X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and Transmission electron microscope (TEM) supports the biosynthesis of cubic crystalline LAgNPs & FAgNPs with the size ranges between 10-45 nm and 5-15 nm respectively. Surface chemistry of synthesized AgNPs was studied with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), it reveals that water soluble phenolic compounds present in the extracts act as reducing and stabilizing agent. Leaf, fruit extracts and synthesized AgNPs were evaluated against IV instar larvae of Aedes aegypti (Diptera; Culicidae). Furthermore, different extracts and synthesized AgNPs showed dose dependent larvicidal effect against A. aegypti after 24 h of treatment. Compare to all extracts such as ethyl acetate (leaf; LC50 - 44.55 ppm and LC90 - 318.39 ppm & fruit; LC50 - 49.96 ppm and LC90 - 568.84 ppm respectively) and Methanol (leaf; LC50 - 85.75 ppm and LC90 - 598.63 ppm & fruit; LC50 - 67.78 ppm and LC90 - 714.45 ppm respectively) synthesized AgNPs showed extensive mortality rate (LAgNPs; LC50 - 2.1 ppm and LC90 - 5.59 ppm & FAgNPs; LC50 - 2.09 ppm and LC90 - 5.7 ppm). Hence, this study proves that C. guianensis is a potential bioresource for stable, reproducible nanoparticle synthesis (AgNPs) and also can be used as an efficient mosquito control agent.

Atomizing, continuous, water monitoring module

DOEpatents

Thompson, C.V.; Wise, M.B.

1997-07-08

A system for continuously analyzing volatile constituents of a liquid is described. The system contains a pump for continuously pumping the liquid to be tested at a predetermined flow rate into an extracting container through a liquid directing tube having an orifice at one end and positioned to direct the liquid into the extracting container at a flow rate sufficient to atomize the liquid within the extracting container. A continuous supply of helium carrier gas at a predetermined flow rate is directed through a tube into the extracting container and co-mingled with the atomized liquid to extract the volatile constituents contained within the atomized liquid. The helium containing the extracted volatile constituents flows out of the extracting container into a mass spectrometer for an analysis of the volatile constituents of the liquid. 3 figs.

Atomizing, continuous, water monitoring module

DOEpatents

Thompson, Cyril V.; Wise, Marcus B.

1997-01-01

A system for continuously analyzing volatile constituents of a liquid is described. The system contains a pump for continuously pumping the liquid to be tested at a predetermined flow rate into an extracting container through a liquid directing tube having an orifice at one end and positioned to direct the liquid into the extracting container at a flow rate sufficient to atomize the liquid within the extracting container. A continuous supply of helium carrier gas at a predetermined flow rate is directed through a tube into the extracting container and co-mingled with the atomized liquid to extract the volatile constituents contained within the atomized liquid. The helium containing the extracted volatile constituents flows out of the extracting container into a mass spectrometer for an analysis of the volatile constituents of the liquid.

A comprehensive study of Interatomic Coulombic Decay in argon dimers: Extracting R-dependent absolute decay rates from the experiment

DOE PAGES

Rist, J.; Miteva, T.; Gaire, B.; ...

2016-09-15

In this paper we present a comprehensive and detailed study of Interatomic Coulombic Decay (ICD) occurring after irradiating argon dimers with XUV-synchrotron radiation. A manifold of different decay channels is observed and the corresponding initial and final states are assigned. Additionally, the effect of nuclear dynamics on the ICD electron spectrum is examined for one specific decay channel. The internuclear distance-dependent width Γ(R) of the decay is obtained from the measured kinetic energy release distribution of the ions employing a classical nuclear dynamics model.

[Study on extraction process of available components of tea].

PubMed

Bai, Qing-Qing; Liu, Yong-Feng; Guo, Mei; Zhao, Jian-Xi; Zhang, Tian-Cai; Di, Duo-Long

2011-09-01

To investigate the optimum ethanol extraction process conditions for the available components in the tea - Catechines (CT) including Epigallo catechin gallate (EGCG) and Caffeine (CF). The content of EGCG, CT and CF, extraction rate, DPPH * Free radical scavenging capacity were chosen as the assessment indexes. With the alcohol ratio (A), solid-liquid ratio (B) and reflux time (C) as investigation factors, the optimum ethanol extraction process of the available components from tea was determined by L9 (3(4)) orthogonal experimental design. It would obtain different extraction conditions to analyze the assessment indexes depending on the different extraction purposes. For the purpose of CT, the contents of EGCG and CT, extraction rate and DPPH * Free radical scavenging capacity were chosen as the assessment indexes, the optimum extraction conditions were selected as follows: the ratio of raw material to 75% alcohol was 1: 12, the reflux time was 30 minutes and extraction times were three; For the purpose of CF, the content of CF and extraction rate were chosen as the assessment indexes, the optimum extraction conditions were selected as follows: the ratio of raw material to 60% alcohol was 1: 12, the reflux time was 30 minutes and extraction times were three; For the purpose of integrated extraction, the contents of CT and CF, extraction rate and DPPH * Free radical scavenging capacity were chosen as the assessment indexes, the optimum extraction conditions were selected as follows: the ratio of raw material to 60% alcohol was 1: 8, the reflux time was 30 minutes and extraction times were three. The optimum extraction process in order to attain different purposes can give a reference to the research of a new medicine and industry production.

Effects of processing parameters on the caffeine extraction yield during decaffeination of black tea using pilot-scale supercritical carbon dioxide extraction technique.

PubMed

Ilgaz, Saziye; Sat, Ihsan Gungor; Polat, Atilla

2018-04-01

In this pilot-scale study supercritical carbon dioxide (SCCO 2 ) extraction technique was used for decaffeination of black tea. Pressure (250, 375, 500 bar), extraction time (60, 180, 300 min), temperature (55, 62.5, 70 °C), CO 2 flow rate (1, 2, 3 L/min) and modifier quantity (0, 2.5, 5 mol%) were selected as extraction parameters. Three-level and five-factor response surface methodology experimental design with a Box-Behnken type was employed to generate 46 different processing conditions. 100% of caffeine from black tea was removed under two different extraction conditions; one of which was consist of 375 bar pressure, 62.5 °C temperature, 300 min extraction time, 2 L/min CO 2 flow rate and 5 mol% modifier concentration and the other was composed of same temperature, pressure and extraction time conditions with 3 L/min CO 2 flow rate and 2.5 mol% modifier concentration. Results showed that extraction time, pressure, CO 2 flow rate and modifier quantity had great impact on decaffeination yield.

Tooth movements in foxhounds after one or two alveolar corticotomies.

PubMed

Sanjideh, Payam A; Rossouw, P Emile; Campbell, Phillip M; Opperman, Lynne A; Buschang, Peter H

2010-02-01

The aim of this split-mouth experimental study was to determine (1) whether corticotomy procedures increase tooth movement and (2) the effects of a second corticotomy procedure after 4 weeks on the rate of tooth movement. The mandibular third and maxillary second premolars of five skeletally mature male foxhounds, approximately 2 years of age, were extracted. One randomly selected mandibular quadrant had buccal and lingual flaps and corticotomies performed around the second premolar; the other quadrant served as the control. Both maxillary quadrants had initial buccal flaps and corticotomies; one randomly selected quadrant had a second buccal flap surgery and corticotomy after 28 days. Coil springs (200 g force), along with a 0.045 mm diameter tube on a 0.040 mm diameter guiding wire, were used to move the mandibular second and maxillary third premolars. Records, including digital calliper measurements and radiographs, were taken on days 0, 10, 14, 28, 42, and 56. Multilevel statistical procedures were used to model longitudinal tooth movements. The radiographic measurements initially showed increasing mandibular tooth movement rates, peaking between 22 and 25 days, and then decelerating. Total mandibular tooth movements were significantly (P < 0.05) greater on the experimental (2.4 mm) than on the control (1.3 mm) side. The rates of maxillary tooth movement slowed over time, with significantly (P < 0.05) more overall tooth movement on the side that had two (2.3 mm) than one (2.0 mm) corticotomy procedure. Alveolar corticotomy significantly increases orthodontic tooth movement. Performing a second corticotomy procedure after 4 weeks maintained higher rates of tooth movement over a longer duration and produced greater overall tooth movement than performing just one initial corticotomy, but the difference was small.

Economic evaluation of single-tooth replacement: dental implant versus fixed partial denture.

PubMed

Kim, Younhee; Park, Joo-Yeon; Park, Sun-Young; Oh, Sung-Hee; Jung, YeaJi; Kim, Ji-Min; Yoo, Soo-Yeon; Kim, Seong-Kyun

2014-01-01

This study assessed the cost-effectiveness from a societal perspective of a dental implant compared with a three-unit tooth-supported fixed partial denture (FPD) for the replacement of a single tooth in 2010. A decision tree was developed to estimate cost-effectiveness over a 10-year period. The survival rates of single-tooth implants and FPDs were extracted from a meta-analysis of single-arm studies. Medical costs included initial treatment costs, maintenance costs, and costs to treat complications. Patient surveys were used to obtain the costs of the initial single-tooth implant or FPD. Maintenance costs and costs to treat complications were based on surveys of seven clinical experts at dental clinics or hospitals. Transportation costs were calculated based on the number of visits for implant or FPD treatment. Patient time costs were estimated using the number of visits and time required, hourly wage, and employment rate. Future costs were discounted by 5% to convert to present values. The results of a 10-year period model showed that a single dental implant cost US $261 (clinic) to $342 (hospital) more than an FPD and had an average survival rate that was 10.4% higher. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was $2,514 in a clinic and $3,290 in a hospital for a prosthesis in situ for 10 years. The sensitivity analysis showed that initial treatment costs and survival rate influenced the cost-effectiveness. If the cost of an implant were reduced to 80% of the current cost, the implant would become the dominant intervention. Although the level of evidence for effectiveness is low, and some aspects of single-tooth implants or FPDs, such as satisfaction, were not considered, this study will help patients requiring single-tooth replacement to choose the best treatment option.

IDAHO CHEMICAL PROCESSING PLANT TECHNICAL PROGRESS REPORT FOR APRIL THROUGH JUNE 1958

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

Stevenson, C.E.

1958-11-01

Processing of uranium -aluminum alloy was continued with slight process modifications. Means for recovering rare gases from dissolver off-gas are described. Results of extensive decontamination procedures required to enable entrance to the continuous dissolver cell are also indicated. Pilot plant studies of dissolving aluminum continuously showed that rates of dissolution were decreased by factors of 2 to 4 as the concentration of nitric acid fed was increased from 5.4 to 11N. The rate of aluminum dissolution was found to be proportional to initial area exposed for pieces of different shape. It was found possible to produce a highly basic aluminummore » nitrate solution at a reasonable rate by dissolving to low concentration in dilute acid, followed by evaporation to the desired level. Uranium exchange rate measurements for the TBP extraction process are described. A canned rotor pump under test with graphite bearings operated 6000 hours with nominal wear. Difficulties were experienced in testing a nutating disc pump. Measurements of the potential of zirconium in hydrofluoric acid as a function of pH confirmed the predicted equation. In teflon vessels, zirconium dissolves a little more rapidly in nitric-hydrofluoric acid mixtures than in glass vessels, presumably due to reaction of fluoride with silica. Titunium alloy Types 55A and 75A were found to resist corrosion by certain boiling nitric-hydrochloric acid mixtures. Initial tests have commenced with a NaK-heated 100 liter/hour pilot plant aluminum nitrate calciner to continue process demonstration. In tests in the smaller pilot plant unit, increasing feed spray air ratio was found to increase particle loading in the cyclone effluent. Laboratory studies indicated that a venturi scrubber using dilute nitric acid at 80 C should remove ruthenium effectively from calciner off-gas. In a pilot plant test in which a significant fraction of ruthenium feed was retained by the alumina, substantial absorption of volatilized ruthenium was obtained. Thermal conductivity of alumina near 3000 F was about 0.26 Btu/hr)(ft)( F). In leaching studies, very little strontium or plutonium was removed by water from alumina calcined at 550 C. Dilute nitric acid, however, extracted strontium from this material to the same degree (~ 50 percent) as from material calcined at 400 C. Concentrated basic aluminum nitrate was produced from simulated aluminum nitrate waste by slow hydrolysis with urea followed by evaporation. Aluminum was efficiently extracted from buffered aluminum nitrate solution by acetylacetone and was stripped back into nitric acid. A filterable aluminum phosphate was precipituted from aluminum nitrate solution by urea hydrolysis; the phosphate effectively carried fission products, however. Spectrophotometric methods were developed for macro and micro quantities of uranium, in the presence of high concentrations of other ions, based on tetrapropylammonium nitrate extraction. (For preceding period see ID0-14443.) (auth)« less

Cyclic high temperature heat storage using borehole heat exchangers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boockmeyer, Anke; Delfs, Jens-Olaf; Bauer, Sebastian

2016-04-01

The transition of the German energy supply towards mainly renewable energy sources like wind or solar power, termed "Energiewende", makes energy storage a requirement in order to compensate their fluctuating production and to ensure a reliable energy and power supply. One option is to store heat in the subsurface using borehole heat exchangers (BHEs). Efficiency of thermal storage is increasing with increasing temperatures, as heat at high temperatures is more easily injected and extracted than at temperatures at ambient levels. This work aims at quantifying achievable storage capacities, storage cycle times, injection and extraction rates as well as thermal and hydraulic effects induced in the subsurface for a BHE storage site in the shallow subsurface. To achieve these aims, simulation of these highly dynamic storage sites is performed. A detailed, high-resolution numerical simulation model was developed, that accounts for all BHE components in geometrical detail and incorporates the governing processes. This model was verified using high quality experimental data and is shown to achieve accurate simulation results with excellent fit to the available experimental data, but also leads to large computational times due to the large numerical meshes required for discretizing the highly transient effects. An approximate numerical model for each type of BHE (single U, double U and coaxial) that reduces the number of elements and the simulation time significantly was therefore developed for use in larger scale simulations. The approximate numerical model still includes all BHE components and represents the temporal and spatial temperature distribution with a deviation of less than 2% from the fully discretized model. Simulation times are reduced by a factor of ~10 for single U-tube BHEs, ~20 for double U-tube BHEs and ~150 for coaxial BHEs. This model is then used to investigate achievable storage capacity, injection and extraction rates as well as induced effects for varying storage cycle times, operating conditions and storage set-ups. A sensitivity analysis shows that storage efficiency strongly depends on the number of BHEs composing the storage site and the cycle time. Using a half-yearly cycle of heat injection and extraction with the maximum possible rates shows that the fraction of recovered heat increases with the number of storage cycles used, as initial losses due to heat conduction become smaller. Also, overall recovery rates of 70 to 80% are possible in the set-ups investigated. Temperature distribution in the geological heat storage site is most sensitive to the thermal conductivity of both borehole grouting and storage formation, while storage efficiency is dominated by the thermal conductivity of the storage formation. For the large cycle times of 6 months each used, heat capacity is less sensitive than the heat conductivity. Acknowledgments: This work is part of the ANGUS+ project (www.angusplus.de) and funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) as part of the energy storage initiative "Energiespeicher".

Influence of tannin content in Terminalia catappa leaves extracts resulted from maceration extraction on decreasing corrosion rate for mild steel in 1M H2SO4

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pramudita, M.; Sukirno; Nasikin, M.

2018-04-01

The ability of natural compounds as corrosion inhibitors is necessary to obtain safe corrosion inhibitors for the environment. The tannin compounds derived from plant extract has the ability to decrease the corrosion rate. The purpose of this research is to find the ability of tannin compounds in Terminalia catappa leaves extracts to decrease corrosion rate on mild steel. Terminalia catappa leaves that have been mashed in ethanol solvent extraction using maceration with the variable time 2.4 and 6 days. Mild steel that has been on the sandpaper and cleaned then soak into the 1 M H2SO4. Terminalia catappa leaves extract concentration used is 0, 250, 500, 500, 750, 1000 ppm, the immersion time is 3.6 and 9 hours. Calculating of corrosion rate is used the weight loss method, the analysis of the tannin concentration using GC-MS. The results indicate that highest tannin content equal to 7.23% in 6 days maceration time. The result showed that the corrosion rate was reduced in the presence of tannin content in Terminalia catappa leaves extract.

Application of modified hollow fiber liquid phase microextraction in conjunction with chromatography-electron capture detection for quantification of acrylamide in waste water samples at ultra-trace levels.

PubMed

Sobhi, Hamid Reza; Ghambarian, Mahnaz; Behbahani, Mohammad; Esrafili, Ali

2017-03-03

Herein, a simple and sensitive method was successfully developed for the extraction and quantification of acrylamide in water samples. Initially, acrylamide was derivatized through a bromination process. Subsequently, a modified hollow-fiber liquid-phase microextraction was applied for the extraction of the brominated acrylamide from a 10-ml portion of an aqueous sample. Briefly, in this method, the derivatized acrylamide (2,3-dibromopropionamide) was extracted from the aqueous sample into a thin layer of an organic solvent sustained in pores of a porous hollow fiber. Then, it was back-extracted using a small volume of organic acceptor solution (acetonitril, 25μl) located inside the lumen of the hollow fiber followed by gas chromatography-electron capture detection (GC-ECD). The optimal conditions were examined for the extraction of the analyte such as: the organic solvent: dihexyl ether+10% tri-n-octyl phosphine oxide; stirring rate: 750rpm; no salt addition and 30min extraction time. These optimal extraction conditions allowed excellent enrichment factor values for the method. Enrichment factor, detection limit (S/N=3) and dynamic linear range of 60, 2ngL -1 and 50-1000ngL -1 to be determined for the analyte. The relative standard deviations (RSD%) representing precision of the method were in the range of 2.2-5.8 based on the average of three measurements. Accuracy of the method was tested by the relative recovery experiments on spiked samples, with results ranging from 93 to 108%. Finally, the method proved to be simple, rapid, and cost-effective for routine screen of acrylamide-contaminated highly-complicated untreated waste water samples. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Selective and sensitive speciation analysis of Cr(VI) and Cr(III), at sub-μgL-1 levels in water samples by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry after electromembrane extraction.

PubMed

Tahmasebi, Zeinab; Davarani, Saied Saeed Hosseiny

2016-12-01

In this work, electromembrane extraction in combination with electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ET-AAS) was investigated for speciation, preconcentration and quantification of Cr(VI) and Cr(III) in water samples through the selective complexation of Cr(VI) with 1,5-diphenylcarbazide (DPC) as a complexing agent. DPC reduces Cr(VI) to Cr(III) ions and then Cr(III) species are extracted based on electrokinetic migration of their cationic complex (Cr(III)-DPC) toward the negative electrode placed in the hollow fiber. Also, once oxidized to Cr(VI), Cr(III) ions in initial sample were determined by this procedure. The influence of extraction parameters such as pH, type of organic solvent, chelating agent concentration, stirring rate, extraction time and applied voltage were evaluated following a one-at-a-time optimization approach. Under optimized conditions, the extracted analyte was quantified by ETAAS, with an acceptable linearity in the range of 0.05-5ngmL -1 (R 2 value=0.996), and a repeatability (%RSD) between 3.7% and 12.2% (n=4) for 5.0 and 1.0ngmL -1 of Cr(VI), respectively. Also, we obtained an enrichment factor of 110 that corresponded to the recovery of 66%. The detection limit (S/N ratio of 3:1) was 0.02ngmL -1 . Finally, this new method was successfully employed to determine Cr(III) and Cr(VI) species in real water samples. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The effect of bone tunnel dilation versus extraction drilling on the initial fixation strength of press-fit anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

PubMed

Dargel, Jens; Schmidt-Wiethoff, Rüdiger; Brüggemann, Gert-Peter; Koebke, Jürgen

2007-11-01

Serial dilation of the bone tunnel has been reported to create a tighter graft-tunnel fit. It was hypothesized that a serial dilation of the femoral bone tunnel would increase the initial fixation strength in press-fit anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructive surgery. Initial fixation strength of the femoral press-fit fixation technique was investigated in 72 porcine specimens in an ex vivo study by varying the femoral tunnel preparation technique. Extraction-drilling, tunnel dilation by 1 mm and dilation by 2.5 mm were assessed. Initial fixation strength of press-fit fixated patellar tendon-bone grafts was tested within each preparation group conducting a single cycle (and cyclic) load to failure protocol. The resulting tunnel diameter and the porcine femoral bone mineral density were determined using microradiographs and peripheral quantitative CT scans, respectively. Dilating a previously extraction-drilled femoral bone tunnel by 1 mm significantly enhances initial press-fit fixation strength in both single cycle and cyclic load to failure testing when compared to extraction-drilling and tunnel dilation by 2.5 mm. Due to an initial spring-back effect the resulting diameter of the femoral tunnel was underestimated by 3.3% with drilling and 6.7 and 12.2% with dilation by 1 and 2.5 mm, respectively. Volumetric trabecular bone mineral density at the site corresponding to the area of tunnel placement averaged 318 mg/cm(3). Dilating a femoral tunnel that is underdrilled by 1 mm appears to be a reasonable technical procedure in order to enhance initial fixation strength of press-fit ACL graft fixation.

Application of RVA and Time-Lapse Photography to Explore Effects of Extent of Chlorination, Milling Extraction Rate, and Particle-Size Reduction of Flour on Cake-Baking Functionality

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Three factors (extent of chlorination, milling extraction rate and particle-size reduction) in the cake-bakeing functionality of Croplan 594W flour were explored by Rapid Visco-Analyzer (RVA) and time-lapse photography. The extent of chlorination and milling extraction rate showed dramatic effects,...

Efficacy of cryotherapy plus topical Juniperus excelsa M. Bieb cream versus cryotherapy plus placebo in the treatment of Old World cutaneous leishmaniasis: A triple-blind randomized controlled clinical trial

PubMed Central

Parvizi, Mohammad Mahdi; Moein, Mahmoodreza; Hatam, Gholamreza; Nimrouzi, Majid; Hassanzadeh, Jafar; Hamidizadeh, Nasrin; Khorrami, Hamid Reza; Zarshenas, Mohammad Mehdi

2017-01-01

Background Cutaneous leishmaniasis is one of the highly prevalent endemic diseases in the Middle East and North Africa. Many treatment modalities have been recommended for this condition but success rates remain limited. Herbal remedies have also been used for treatment but evidence-based clinical trials with these products are sparse. In-vitro and in-vivo studies have shown the anti-leishmanial and curative effects of extract of fruits and leaves of Juniperus excelsa (J. excelsa). The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of topical J. excelsa M. Bieb extract as an adjuvant to cryotherapy for the treatment of human CL. Materials and methods This study was designed as a two-arm triple-blind randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial using a parallel design. Seventy-two patients with clinical diagnosis of CL confirmed by leishmania smears were allocated to receive either a topical formulation of leaf of J. excelsa extract (group A) or placebo (group B) for 3 months. Both groups received cryotherapy as baseline standard treatment. Patients were evaluated before and weekly after the intervention was initiated until complete cure. Results Overall, 82% of patients in group A, experienced complete cure and 9% of them had partial cure. On the other hand, 34% in group B reported complete cure, while 14% of them had partial cure at the end of treatment protocol with a significant difference between the two groups (P< 0.001). The mean duration to healing of the lesions in patients who received J. excelsa extract was statistically significantly shorter than the placebo group (p = 0.04). No significant side effect was seen in the J. excelsa extract group except for mild to moderate local irritation after a few weeks in a few numbers of patients. Conclusion The results of this study showed that topical J. excelsa extract can be used as an adjuvant treatment modality in addition to cryotherapy for accelerating the time to cure in addition to increasing the complete cure rate in CL. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov IRCT2015082523753N1 PMID:28981503

Spent Fuel Assay with an Ultra-High Rate HPGe Spectrometer

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

Fast, James; Fulsom, Bryan; Pitts, Karl

2015-07-01

Traditional verification of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) includes determination of initial enrichment, burnup and cool down time (IE, BU, CT). Along with neutron measurements, passive gamma assay provides important information for determining BU and CT. Other gamma-ray-based assay methods such as passive tomography and active delayed gamma offer the potential to measure the spatial distribution of fission products and the fissile isotopic concentration of the fuel, respectively. All fuel verification methods involving gamma-ray spectroscopy require that the spectrometers manage very high count rates while extracting the signatures of interest. PNNL has developed new digital filtering and analysis techniques to producemore » an ultra-high rate gamma-ray spectrometer from a standard coaxial high-purity germanium (HPGe) crystal. This 37% relative efficiency detector has been operated for SNF measurements at input count rates of 500-1300 kcps and throughput in excess of 150 kcps. Optimized filtering algorithms preserve the spectroscopic capability of the system even at these high rates. This paper will present the results of both passive and active SNF measurement performed with this system at PNNL. (authors)« less

The community dynamics of major bioleaching microorganisms during chalcopyrite leaching under the effect of organics.

PubMed

Li, Qihou; Tian, Ye; Fu, Xian; Yin, Huaqun; Zhou, Zhijun; Liang, Yiting; Qiu, Guanzhou; Liu, Jie; Liu, Hongwei; Liang, Yili; Shen, Li; Cong, Jing; Liu, Xueduan

2011-08-01

To determine the effect of organics (yeast extract) on microbial community during chalcopyrite bioleaching at different temperature, real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was employed to analyze community dynamics of major bacteria applied in bioleaching. The results showed that yeast extract exerted great impact on microbial community, and therefore influencing bioleaching rate. To be specific, yeast extract was adverse to this bioleaching process at 30°C due to decreased proportion of important chemolithotrophs such as Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans. However, yeast extract could promote bioleaching rate at 40°C on account of the increased number and enhanced work of Ferroplasma thermophilum, a kind of facultative bacteria. Similarly, bioleaching rate was enhanced under the effect of yeast extract at 50°C owing to the work of Acidianus brierleyi. At 60°C, bioleaching rate was close to 100% and temperature was the dominant factor determining bioleaching rate. Interestingly, the existence of yeast extract greatly enhanced the relative competitiveness of Ferroplasma thermophilum in this complex bioleaching microbial community.

A 15-Year Time-series Study of Tooth Extraction in Brazil

PubMed Central

Cunha, Maria Aparecida Goncalves de Melo; Lino, Patrícia Azevedo; dos Santos, Thiago Rezende; Vasconcelos, Mara; Lucas, Simone Dutra; de Abreu, Mauro Henrique Nogueira Guimarães

2015-01-01

Abstract Tooth loss is considered to be a public health problem. Time-series studies that assess the influence of social conditions and access to health services on tooth loss are scarce. This study aimed to examine the time-series of permanent tooth extraction in Brazil between 1998 and 2012 and to compare these series in municipalities with different Human Development Index (HDI) scores and with different access to distinct primary and secondary care. The time-series study was performed between 1998 and 2012, using data from the Brazilian National Health Information System. Time-series study was performed between 1998 and 2012. Two annual rates of tooth extraction were calculated and evaluated separately according to 3 parameters: the HDI, the presence of a Dental Specialty Center, and coverage by Oral Health Teams. The time-series was analyzed using a linear regression model. An overall decrease in the tooth-loss tendencies during this period was observed, particularly in the tooth-extraction rate during primary care procedures. In the municipalities with an HDI that was lower than the median, the average tooth-loss rates were higher than in the municipalities with a higher HDI. The municipalities with lower rates of Oral Health Team coverage also showed lower extraction rates than the municipalities with higher coverage rates. In general, Brazil has shown a decrease in the trend to extract permanent teeth during these 15 years. Increased human development and access to dental services have influenced tooth-extraction rates. PMID:26632688

[Optimization of Extraction Technology for Sericin from Silkworm Cocoon with Orthogonal Design].

PubMed

Zhao, Chun-ying; Wang, Yan; Li, Yun-feng; Chen, Zhi-hong

2015-05-01

To optimize the appropriate extracting technology for sericin from Silkworm cocoon. Using sericin extraction rates and sericin content as the indices. The single and orthogonal experiments were used to determine the best conditions. The optimal extraction technology for sericin from Silkworm cocoon was as follows: 1: 30 for the ratio of solid to liquid, 3 h reflux for 2 times of extraction and water temperature at 100 degrees C. The extraction rate of sericin from Silkworm cocoon was 27.1%. The optimal extraction technology is stable, feasible, and can provide reference for further pharmacological study on cocoon sericin.

Extraction of long-chain fatty acids in isolated rat heart during acute low-flow ischemia.

PubMed

Richter, W S; Fischer, S; Ernst, N; Munz, D L

2001-07-01

Although beta-oxidation of fatty acids is suppressed rapidly during ischemia, the behavior of fatty acid extraction at different flow rates is incompletely understood. This study assessed the relationship between flow and extraction of (123)I-iodophenylpentadecanoic acid (IPPA) in the isolated heart model, especially at low flow. Isolated hearts from male Wistar rats (n = 15) were subjected to retrograde perfusion with constant flow (Krebs Henseleit solution containing 10 mmol/L glucose). A latex balloon in the left ventricle allowed isovolumetric contractions and ventricular pressure measurements. The extraction of (123)I-IPPA was assessed with the indicator dilution technique and (99m)Tc-albumin as the intravascular reference. The flow was either increased from the control flow (8 mL/min) until 300% or reduced until 10%. (123)I-IPPA extraction was measured three times before and 10 min after flow alteration. The tracer uptake was estimated from the product of net extraction and flow. The mean (123)I-IPPA extraction at the control flow (third measurement) was 51.6% +/- 2.8%. Between flow rates of approximately 25% and 300%, (123)I-IPPA extraction increased exponentially at decreasing flow rates. At flow rates < or =25% of the control flow, (123)I-IPPA extraction was exponentially higher than predicted. (123)I-IPPA uptake and flow changed largely in parallel. During low flow, the rate-pressure product showed the expected decline (perfusion-contraction matching). The extraction of (123)I-IPPA is preserved and slightly increased (relative to flow) during acute low-flow ischemia.

Bioleaching of zinc and manganese from spent Zn-Mn batteries and mechanism exploration.

PubMed

Xin, Baoping; Jiang, Wenfeng; Aslam, Hina; Zhang, Kai; Liu, Changhao; Wang, Renqing; Wang, Yutao

2012-02-01

In this work, bioleaching was used to extract valuable Zn and Mn from spent Zn-Mn batteries. The results showed that 96% of Zn extraction was achieved within 24h regardless of energy source types and bioleaching bacteria species. However, initial pH had a remarkable influence on Zn release, extraction dose sharply decreased from 2200 to 500mg/l when the initial pH value increased from 1.5 to 3.0 or higher. In contrast to Zn, all the tested factors evidently affected Mn extraction; the maximum released dose of 3020mg/l was obtained under the optimum conditions. The acidic dissolution by biogenic H(2)SO(4) by the non-contact mechanism was responsible for Zn extraction, while Mn extraction was owed to both contact/biological and non-contact mechanisms. The combined action of acidic dissolution of soluble Mn(2+) by biogenic H(2)SO(4) and reductive dissolution of insoluble Mn(4+) by Fe(2+) resulted in 60% of Mn extraction, while contact of microbial cells with the spent battery material and incubation for more than 7days was required to achieve the maximum extraction of Mn. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exact analytical thermodynamic expressions for a Brownian heat engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taye, Mesfin Asfaw

2015-09-01

The nonequilibrium thermodynamics feature of a Brownian motor operating between two different heat baths is explored as a function of time t . Using the Gibbs entropy and Schnakenberg microscopic stochastic approach, we find exact closed form expressions for the free energy, the rate of entropy production, and the rate of entropy flow from the system to the outside. We show that when the system is out of equilibrium, it constantly produces entropy and at the same time extracts entropy out of the system. Its entropy production and extraction rates decrease in time and saturate to a constant value. In the long time limit, the rate of entropy production balances the rate of entropy extraction, and at equilibrium both entropy production and extraction rates become zero. Furthermore, via the present model, many thermodynamic theories can be checked.

Exact analytical thermodynamic expressions for a Brownian heat engine.

PubMed

Taye, Mesfin Asfaw

2015-09-01

The nonequilibrium thermodynamics feature of a Brownian motor operating between two different heat baths is explored as a function of time t. Using the Gibbs entropy and Schnakenberg microscopic stochastic approach, we find exact closed form expressions for the free energy, the rate of entropy production, and the rate of entropy flow from the system to the outside. We show that when the system is out of equilibrium, it constantly produces entropy and at the same time extracts entropy out of the system. Its entropy production and extraction rates decrease in time and saturate to a constant value. In the long time limit, the rate of entropy production balances the rate of entropy extraction, and at equilibrium both entropy production and extraction rates become zero. Furthermore, via the present model, many thermodynamic theories can be checked.

Terra-Kleen Response Group, Inc. Solvent Extraction Technology Rapid Commercialization Initiative Report

EPA Science Inventory

Terra-Kleen Response Group Inc. (Terra-Kleen), has commercialized a solvent extraction technology that uses a proprietary extraction solvent to transfer organic constituents from soil to a liquid phase in a batch process at ambient temperatures. The proprietary solvent has a rel...

Towards a realistic 3D simulation of the extraction region in ITER NBI relevant ion source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mochalskyy, S.; Wünderlich, D.; Fantz, U.; Franzen, P.; Minea, T.

2015-03-01

The development of negative ion (NI) sources for ITER is strongly accompanied by modelling activities. The ONIX code addresses the physics of formation and extraction of negative hydrogen ions at caesiated sources as well as the amount of co-extracted electrons. In order to be closer to the experimental conditions the code has been improved. It includes now the bias potential applied to first grid (plasma grid) of the extraction system, and the presence of Cs+ ions in the plasma. The simulation results show that such aspects play an important role for the formation of an ion-ion plasma in the boundary region by reducing the depth of the negative potential well in vicinity to the plasma grid that limits the extraction of the NIs produced at the Cs covered plasma grid surface. The influence of the initial temperature of the surface produced NI and its emission rate on the NI density in the bulk plasma that in turn affects the beam formation region was analysed. The formation of the plasma meniscus, the boundary between the plasma and the beam, was investigated for the extraction potentials of 5 and 10 kV. At the smaller extraction potential the meniscus moves closer to the plasma grid but as in the case of 10 kV the deepest meniscus bend point is still outside of the aperture. Finally, a plasma containing the same amount of NI and electrons (nH- =ne =1017 m-3) , representing good source conditioning, was simulated. It is shown that at such conditions the extracted NI current can reach values of ˜32 mA cm-2 using ITER-relevant extraction potential of 10 kV and ˜19 mA cm-2 at 5 kV. These results are in good agreement with experimental measurements performed at the small scale ITER prototype source at the test facility BATMAN.

Development and validation of a modified comet assay to phenotypically assess nucleotide excision repair.

PubMed

Langie, Sabine A S; Knaapen, Ad M; Brauers, Karen J J; van Berlo, Damien; van Schooten, Frederik-Jan; Godschalk, Roger W L

2006-03-01

There is an increasing need for simple and reliable approaches to phenotypically assess DNA repair capacities. Therefore, a modification of the alkaline comet assay was developed to determine the ability of human lymphocyte extracts to perform the initial steps of the nucleotide excision repair (NER) process, i.e. damage recognition and incision. Gel-embedded nucleoids from A549 cells, pre-exposed to 1 microM benzo[a]pyrene-diol-epoxide, were incubated with cell extracts from frozen or freshly isolated lymphocytes. The rate at which incisions are introduced and the subsequent increase in tail moment is indicative for the repair capacity of the extracts. Freshly prepared extracts from lymphocytes of human volunteers (n = 8) showed significant inter-individual variations in their DNA repair capacity, which correlated with the removal of bulky DNA lesions over a period of 48 h determined by (32)P-post-labelling (R(2) = 0.76, P = 0.005). Repeated measurements revealed a low inter-assay variation (11%). Storage of cell extracts for more than 3 weeks significantly reduced (up to 80%) the capacity to incise the damaged DNA as compared to freshly isolated extracts. This reduction was completely restored by addition of ATP to the extracts before use, as it is required for the incision step of NER. In contrast, extracts freshly prepared from frozen lymphocyte pellets can be used without loss of repair activity. DNA repair deficient XPA-/- and XPC-/- fibroblasts were used to further validate the assay. Although some residual capacity to incise the DNA was observed in these cells, the repair activity was restored to normal wild-type levels when a complementary mixture of both extracts (thereby restoring XPA and XPC deficiency) was used. These results demonstrate that this repair assay can be applied in molecular epidemiological studies to assess inter-individual differences in NER.

[A clinical study of gelatamp colloidal silver gelatin sponge on preventing the complication of teeth extraction].

PubMed

Cai, Yong-hai; Lu, Chang-shou

2008-10-01

To study the clinical effect of Gelatamp colloidal silver gelatin sponge on preventing the complication of teeth extraction. 672 teeth were divided into experimental group and control group semi-randomly. All teeth were extracted after local anesthesia and sockets were cleaned. Gelatamp colloidal silver gelatin sponge was implanted into socket in experimental group and nothing was implanted into alveolar socket in control group. The complication of teeth extraction was observed on 0.5 h, 2 d and 7 d after extraction. The incidence rate of complication was calculated. The incidence rate of complication of teeth extraction in experimental group was 7.72%, which was lower than that of control group (24.43%). There was significant difference in the incidence rates of complication between experimental group and control group (P < 0.05). The incidence rate of bleeding, infection, pain, swelling and dry socket after teeth extraction in experimental group was lower than those of control group, and the difference between them was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The results demonstrate that Gelatamp colloidal silver gelatin sponge can prevent the occurrence of complication of teeth extraction, this can be used in clinic.

Continuous extraction of organic materials from water

USGS Publications Warehouse

Goldberg, M.C.; DeLong, L.; Kahn, L.

1971-01-01

A continuous liquid solvent extractor, designed to utilize organic solvents that are heavier than water, is described. The extractor is capable of handling input rates up to 2 liters per hour and has a 500-ml. extractant capacity. Extraction efficiency is dependent upon the p-value, the two solvent ratios, rate of flow of the aqueous phase, and rate of reflux of the organic phase. Extractors can be serially coupled to increase extraction efficiency and, when coupled with a lighter-than-water extractor, the system will allow the use of any immiscible solvent.

Relationships between lumbar inter-vertebral motion and lordosis in healthy adult males: a cross sectional cohort study.

PubMed

du Rose, Alister; Breen, Alan

2016-03-10

Intervertebral motion impairment is widely thought to be related to chronic back disability, however, the movements of inter-vertebral pairs are not independent of each other and motion may also be related to morphology. Furthermore, maximum intervertebral range of motion (IV-RoMmax) is difficult to measure accurately in living subjects. The purpose of this study was to explore possible relationships between (IV-RoMmax) and lordosis, initial attainment rate and IV-RoMmax at other levels during weight-bearing flexion using quantitative fluoroscopy (QF). Continuous QF motion sequences were recorded during controlled active sagittal flexion of 60° in 18 males (mean age 27.6 SD 4.4) with no history of low back pain in the previous year. IV-RoMmax, lordotic angle, and initial attainment rate at all inter-vertebral levels from L2-S1 were extracted. Relationships between IV-RoMmax and the other variables were explored using correlation coefficients, and simple linear regression was used to determine the effects of any significant relationships. Within and between observer repeatability of IV-RoMmax and initial attainment rate measurements were assessed in a sub-set of ten participants, using the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) and standard error of measurement (SEM). QF measurements were highly repeatable, the lowest ICC for IV-RoMmax, being 0.94 (0.80-0.99) and highest SEM (0.76°). For initial attainment rate the lowest ICC was 0.84 (0.49-0.96) and the highest SEM (0.036). The results also demonstrated significant positive and negative correlations between IV-RoMmax and IV-RoMmax at other lumbar levels (r = -0.64-0.65), lordosis (r = -0.52-0.54), and initial attainment rate (r = -0.64-0.73). Simple linear regression analysis of all significant relationships showed that these predict between 28 and 42 % of the variance in IV-RoMmax. This study found weak to moderate effects of individual kinematic variables and lumbar lordosis on IV-RoMmax at other intervertebral levels. These effects, when combined, may be important when such levels are being considered by healthcare professionals as potential sources of pain generation. Multivariate investigations in larger samples are warranted.

Reaction Event Counting Statistics of Biopolymer Reaction Systems with Dynamic Heterogeneity.

PubMed

Lim, Yu Rim; Park, Seong Jun; Park, Bo Jung; Cao, Jianshu; Silbey, Robert J; Sung, Jaeyoung

2012-04-10

We investigate the reaction event counting statistics (RECS) of an elementary biopolymer reaction in which the rate coefficient is dependent on states of the biopolymer and the surrounding environment and discover a universal kinetic phase transition in the RECS of the reaction system with dynamic heterogeneity. From an exact analysis for a general model of elementary biopolymer reactions, we find that the variance in the number of reaction events is dependent on the square of the mean number of the reaction events when the size of measurement time is small on the relaxation time scale of rate coefficient fluctuations, which does not conform to renewal statistics. On the other hand, when the size of the measurement time interval is much greater than the relaxation time of rate coefficient fluctuations, the variance becomes linearly proportional to the mean reaction number in accordance with renewal statistics. Gillespie's stochastic simulation method is generalized for the reaction system with a rate coefficient fluctuation. The simulation results confirm the correctness of the analytic results for the time dependent mean and variance of the reaction event number distribution. On the basis of the obtained results, we propose a method of quantitative analysis for the reaction event counting statistics of reaction systems with rate coefficient fluctuations, which enables one to extract information about the magnitude and the relaxation times of the fluctuating reaction rate coefficient, without a bias that can be introduced by assuming a particular kinetic model of conformational dynamics and the conformation dependent reactivity. An exact relationship is established between a higher moment of the reaction event number distribution and the multitime correlation of the reaction rate for the reaction system with a nonequilibrium initial state distribution as well as for the system with the equilibrium initial state distribution.

Does the use of ureteral stents with extraction strings increase urinary infection rates?

PubMed

Freifeld, Yuval; Goldin, Demitry; Khalili, Luai; Friedman, Boris; Boyarsky, Leonid; Klein, Ilan; Gazy, Faris; Stein, Avi; Dekel, Yoram

2017-05-01

To assess the effect of ureteral stents with extraction string on the rate of postoperative UTI after ureteroscopies. Retrospective analysis of patient records who underwent ureteroscopy from January 2011 to August 2014 was performed. Patients were grouped into three groups according to postoperative stent status: non-stented or ureteral catheter for up to 24 h (NS), ureteral stent without extraction string (US) and ureteral stent with an extraction string (US-E). There were 144, 133 and 282 cases in the NS, US and US-E groups, respectively. Overall infection rate was 4.7%; NS-2.1%, US-3.0% and US-E-6.7% (p = 0.057). Four percentage of men and 6.6% of women had postoperative UTI (p = 0.22). Within the group of men infection rates were 0, 2.4 and 6.4% for the NS, US and US-E groups, respectively (p = 0.01). For women, UTI rates were 7.5, 4.0 and 8.5% in the NS, US and US-E groups, respectively (p = 0.6). Infection rates were 20 and 3.9% (p = 0.001) for patients with extraction strings for >8 and <8 days. In multivariate analysis the presence of an extraction string was found to be a risk factor for infection OR 7.7 (1.01-58.9, 95% CI, p = 0.049) along with renal stone location OR 5.09 (2.1-12.05, 95% CI, p < 0.001). No statistically significant difference was found between overall infections rates for patients with and without extraction strings, and such difference was found within the male group, suggesting extraction strings in men may increase the risk of infection.

[Primary speciation analysis of iron in edible flowers].

PubMed

Peng, Shan-shan; Huang, Guo-qing

2003-02-01

In this paper seven primary speciations of iron in three edible flowers, i.e. chrysanthemum, cottonrose hibiscus and honeysucker have been studied by atomic absorption spectrometry. Speciation parameters of iron such as extractive rate, residue rate, immerse-residue ratio in the samples were calculated. It was found that the first extractive rates of Fe were higher than the second ones in all three edible flowers, and the immerse-residue ratios of Fe were similar to the extractive rates. But the extraction of iron in all three edible flowers were no more than fifty percent. It is showed that the iron isn't easy to extract by water in the three edible flowers. The recovery was in the range of 96.5%-103.2% and RSD was in the range of 1.2%-3.1%. The results were satisfactory.

Efficacy and safety of additional 200-mg dose of celecoxib in adult patients with postoperative pain following extraction of impacted third mandibular molar: a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase II study in Japan.

PubMed

Saito, Ken'ichi; Kaneko, Akihiro; Machii, Katsuyuki; Ohta, Hiroyoshi; Ohkura, Masayuki; Suzuki, Makoto

2012-02-01

Although third mandibular molar extraction is a widely used and validated model of acute pain for evaluating analgesic efficacy, a large proportion of patients experience moderate or severe pain following this procedure and require analgesia. Current treatment options have been associated with safety concerns and alternative therapies are sought. Our aim was to assess the efficacy and safety of an additional 200-mg dose of celecoxib, administered 5 to 12 hours after an initial 400-mg dose of the drug for the treatment of moderate or severe acute pain following extraction of an impacted third mandibular molar. This was a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, Phase II study. Patients experiencing moderate or severe pain within 1 to 2 hours following extraction of an impacted third mandibular molar received an initial 400-mg dose of celecoxib. Patients requiring additional analgesia were subsequently randomized to receive either an additional 200-mg dose of celecoxib or placebo 5 to 12 hours after the initial dose. The study was designed and conducted by Pfizer Inc. for approval of celecoxib in Japan for the indication of acute pain. The primary end point was the patient's impression of efficacy (4-category global evaluation scale). Secondary efficacy end points included pain intensity on a 4-category pain intensity scale, pain intensity on a 100-mm visual analog scale (VAS), and the pain intensity difference (100-mm VAS). In an exploratory analysis, use of rescue medication was evaluated. Primary and secondary end points were analyzed using the full analysis set. Assessment of the safety profile included a physical examination, measurement of pulse rate and blood pressure, standard 12-lead ECG, and laboratory tests. A total of 69 patients (celecoxib, 42/64 [65.6%]; placebo, 27/58 [46.6%]) received the additional dose of study medication; all completed the study without the need for rescue medication. A significantly higher proportion of patients in the celecoxib 200 mg group (41/64 [64.1%]) compared with the placebo group (15/58 [25.9%]) rated the study medication as "good" or "excellent" ≥ 2 hours after the additional dose (P < 0.0001). Pain intensity (VAS) 2 hours after the additional dose was significantly higher in the placebo group than in the celecoxib 200 mg group (P = 0.0003). The reduction in pain intensity from baseline to 2 hours after the additional dose of study medication was also significantly greater in the celecoxib 200 mg group than in the placebo group (P < 0.0001). The incidence of treatment-related, all-cause adverse events was slightly lower in patients receiving celecoxib 200 mg (20.3%) compared with placebo (31.0%). Overall, an additional 200-mg dose of celecoxib was well tolerated and efficacious in reducing the pain associated with extraction of an impacted third mandibular molar in the study population. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01062113. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier HS Journals, Inc. All rights reserved.

Extraction of soluble substances from organic solid municipal waste to increase methane production.

PubMed

Campuzano, Rosalinda; González-Martínez, Simón

2015-02-01

This work deals with the analysis of the methane production from Mexico City's urban organic wastes after separating soluble from suspended substances. Water was used to extract soluble substances under three different water to waste ratios and after three extraction procedures. Methane production was measured at 35 °C during 21 days using a commercial methane potential testing device. Results indicate that volatile solids extraction increases with dilution rate to a maximum of 40% at 20 °C and to 43% at 93 °C. The extracts methane production increases with the dilution rate as a result of enhanced dissolved solids extraction. The combined (extract and bagasse) methane production reached, in 6 days, 66% of the total methane produced in 21 days. The highest methane production rates were measured during the first six days. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

In-vitro study investigating influence of toothpaste containing green tea extract on the microhardness of demineralized human enamel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Febrian, K.; Triaminingsih, S.; Indrani, DJ

2017-08-01

The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of toothpaste containing green tea extract on the microhardness of demineralized enamel. Human tooth, which was demineralised in citric acid solution, had a toothpaste containing green tea extract of concentration of 5, 10 or 15% application. Microhardness measurement was carried out on each enamel surface of the teeth for initial, after the demineralization and after application of the tooth pastes. It showed that there was significant decrease between enamel microhardness of the teeth at the initial condition and after demineralization. After application of the toothpaste containing green tea extract of each concentration the microhardnss increased significantly. However, there the microhardness was insignificant between the applications of each green tea concentration.

Use of condensed tannin extract from quebracho trees to reduce methane emissions from cattle.

PubMed

Beauchemin, K A; McGinn, S M; Martinez, T F; McAllister, T A

2007-08-01

Our objective was to determine if condensed tannin extract from quebracho trees (Schinopsis quebracho-colorado; red quebracho) could be used to reduce enteric methane emissions from cattle. The experiment was designed as a repeated 3 x 3 Latin square (4 squares) with 3 treatments (0, 1, and 2% of dietary DM as quebracho tannin extract) and 3 28-d periods. Six spayed Angus heifers (238 +/- 13.3 kg of initial BW) and 6 Angus steers (207 +/- 8.2 kg of initial BW) were each assigned to 2 squares. The measured condensed tannin content of the extract was 91%, and the basal diet contained 70% forage (DM basis). Feeding quebracho tannin extract had no effect on BW, ADG, or nutrient intakes. Furthermore, it had no effect on DM, energy, or fiber (ADF and NDF) digestibility, but apparent digestibility of CP decreased linearly (P < 0.001) by 5 and 15% with 1 and 2% quebracho tannin extract, respectively. There were no effects of quebracho tannin extract on methane emissions (g/d, g/kg of DM, % of GE intake, or % of DE intake). Feeding up to 2% of the dietary DM as quebracho tannin extract failed to reduce enteric methane emissions from growing cattle, although the protein-binding effect of the quebracho tannin extract was evident.

Implementation of a quantum random number generator based on the optimal clustering of photocounts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balygin, K. A.; Zaitsev, V. I.; Klimov, A. N.; Kulik, S. P.; Molotkov, S. N.

2017-10-01

To implement quantum random number generators, it is fundamentally important to have a mathematically provable and experimentally testable process of measurements of a system from which an initial random sequence is generated. This makes sure that randomness indeed has a quantum nature. A quantum random number generator has been implemented with the use of the detection of quasi-single-photon radiation by a silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) matrix, which makes it possible to reliably reach the Poisson statistics of photocounts. The choice and use of the optimal clustering of photocounts for the initial sequence of photodetection events and a method of extraction of a random sequence of 0's and 1's, which is polynomial in the length of the sequence, have made it possible to reach a yield rate of 64 Mbit/s of the output certainly random sequence.

Crack orientation and depth estimation in a low-pressure turbine disc using a phased array ultrasonic transducer and an artificial neural network.

PubMed

Yang, Xiaoxia; Chen, Shili; Jin, Shijiu; Chang, Wenshuang

2013-09-13

Stress corrosion cracks (SCC) in low-pressure steam turbine discs are serious hidden dangers to production safety in the power plants, and knowing the orientation and depth of the initial cracks is essential for the evaluation of the crack growth rate, propagation direction and working life of the turbine disc. In this paper, a method based on phased array ultrasonic transducer and artificial neural network (ANN), is proposed to estimate both the depth and orientation of initial cracks in the turbine discs. Echo signals from cracks with different depths and orientations were collected by a phased array ultrasonic transducer, and the feature vectors were extracted by wavelet packet, fractal technology and peak amplitude methods. The radial basis function (RBF) neural network was investigated and used in this application. The final results demonstrated that the method presented was efficient in crack estimation tasks.

Crack Orientation and Depth Estimation in a Low-Pressure Turbine Disc Using a Phased Array Ultrasonic Transducer and an Artificial Neural Network

PubMed Central

Yang, Xiaoxia; Chen, Shili; Jin, Shijiu; Chang, Wenshuang

2013-01-01

Stress corrosion cracks (SCC) in low-pressure steam turbine discs are serious hidden dangers to production safety in the power plants, and knowing the orientation and depth of the initial cracks is essential for the evaluation of the crack growth rate, propagation direction and working life of the turbine disc. In this paper, a method based on phased array ultrasonic transducer and artificial neural network (ANN), is proposed to estimate both the depth and orientation of initial cracks in the turbine discs. Echo signals from cracks with different depths and orientations were collected by a phased array ultrasonic transducer, and the feature vectors were extracted by wavelet packet, fractal technology and peak amplitude methods. The radial basis function (RBF) neural network was investigated and used in this application. The final results demonstrated that the method presented was efficient in crack estimation tasks. PMID:24064602

[A crossover control study of prophylactic treatment of chemotherapy-induced constipation by senna extract].

PubMed

Tao, Li-Ming; Xiong, Jian-Ping; Liu, Tong-Xin

2012-01-01

To observe the prophylactic effects of senna extract 40 mg/kg on chemotherapy-induced constipation. Eighty-two patients suffering from constipation after chemotherapy were assigned to Group AB and Group BA. Group AB referred to patients who first took senna extract in the 1st chemotherapeutic course and the crude fiber diet in the 2nd chemotherapeutic course. But the sequence was just the opposite in Group BA. The effective rates of relieving chemotherapy-induced constipation by senna extract and by the crude fiber diet were observed. The differences of the digestive tract reaction and the hematotoxicity reaction were compared. The conditions of patients' abdominal pain and stool properties were observed after they took senna extract. The effective rate of constipation by taking senna extract was 92.68% and that by the crude fiber diet was 10.93%, with statistical difference shown (P < 0.01). There was no statistic difference in adverse reaction rate such as decreased neutrophils over degree II, decreased hemoglobin, decreased platelet, nausea, vomit, etc. (P > 0.05). The occurrence rate of abdominal pain over degree II after taking senna was 8.54%. In the distribution of stool properties, the rate of loose stool was 35.53%. Senna extract 40 mg/kg was effective and safe in treating chemotherapy-induced constipation.

[Study on ultrafine vibration extraction technology of Rhizoma Chuanxiong].

PubMed

Dai, Long

2009-04-01

To explore the best ultrafine vibration extraction technology of Rhizoma Chuanxiong. Using the content of ligustrazine hydrochloride and ferulic acid as determination indexes, quadrature test was used to choose extraction times, time, solvent amount and to compare with the result of conventional extraction technology. The best condition of the Rhizoma chuanxiong was with 90% ethanol of 4 times volume, extracting 2 times in 25 degrees C, 15 minutes each time. Comparing with conventional extraction technology, extraction time of UVET was 1/6, solvent amount was 4/7, the extraction rate of marker components was 1.19 and 1.09 times, respectivley. UVET can improve the extracting rate of effective constituents, reduce the time and solvent amount and be used in industrialization.

Reverse Stability Kinetics of Meat Pigment Oxidation in Aqueous Extract from Fresh Beef.

PubMed

Frelka, John C; Phinney, David M; Wick, Macdonald P; Heldman, Dennis R

2017-12-01

The use of kinetic models is an evolving approach to describing quality changes in foods during processes, including storage. Previous studies indicate that the oxidation rate of myoglobin is accelerated under frozen storage conditions, a phenomenon termed reverse stability. The goal of this study was to develop a model for meat pigment oxidation to incorporate the phenomenon of reverse stability. In this investigation, the model system was an aqueous extract from beef which was stored under a range of temperatures, both unfrozen and frozen. The kinetic analysis showed that in unfrozen solutions, the temperature dependence of oxidation rate followed Arrhenius kinetics. However, under in frozen solutions the rate of oxidation increased with decreasing temperature until reaching a local maximum around -20 °C. The addition of NaCl to the model system increased oxidation rates at all temperatures, even above the initial freezing temperature. This observation suggests that this reaction is dependent on the ionic strength of the solution as well as temperature. The mechanism of this deviant kinetic behavior is not fully understood, but this study shows that the interplay of temperature and composition on the rate of oxidation of meat pigments is complicated and may involve multiple mechanisms. A better understanding of the kinetics of quality loss in a meat system allows for a re-examination of the current recommendations for frozen storage. The deviant kinetic behavior observed in this study indicates that the relationship between quality loss and temperature in a frozen food is not as simple as once thought. Product-specific recommendations could be implemented in the future that would allow for a decrease in energy consumption without a significant loss of quality. © 2017 Institute of Food Technologists®.

Cost Sharing, Family Health Care Burden, and the Use of Specialty Drugs for Rheumatoid Arthritis

PubMed Central

Karaca-Mandic, Pinar; Joyce, Geoffrey F; Goldman, Dana P; Laouri, Marianne

2010-01-01

Objectives To examine the impact of benefit generosity and household health care financial burden on the demand for specialty drugs in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Data Sources/Study Setting Enrollment, claims, and benefit design information for 35 large private employers during 2000–2005. Study Design We estimated multivariate models of the effects of benefit generosity and household financial burden on initiation and continuation of biologic therapies. Data Extraction Methods We defined initiation of biologic therapy as first-time use of etanercept, adalimumab, or infliximab, and we constructed an index of plan generosity based on coverage of biologic therapies in each plan. We estimated the household's burden by summing up the annual out-of-pocket (OOP) expenses of other family members. Principal Findings Benefit generosity affected both the likelihood of initiating a biologic and continuing drug therapy, although the effects were stronger for initiation. Initiation of a biologic was lower in households where other family members incurred high OOP expenses. Conclusions The use of biologic therapy for RA is sensitive to benefit generosity and household financial burden. The increasing use of coinsurance rates for specialty drugs (as under Medicare Part D) raises concern about adverse health consequences. PMID:20831715

[Optimization for supercritical CO2 extraction with response surface methodology of Prunus armeniaca oil].

PubMed

Chen, Fei-Fei; Wu, Yan; Ge, Fa-Huan

2012-03-01

To optimize the extraction conditions of Prunus armeniaca oil by Supercritical CO2 extraction and identify its components by GC-MS. Optimized of SFE-CO extraction by response surface methodology and used GC-MS to analysis Prunus armeniaca oil compounds. Established the model of an equation for the extraction rate of Prunus armeniaca oil by supercritical CO2 extraction, and the optimal parameters for the supercritical CO2 extraction determined by the equation were: the extraction pressure was 27 MPa, temperature was 39 degrees C, the extraction rate of Prunus armeniaca oil was 44.5%. 16 main compounds of Prunus armeniaca oil extracted by supercritical CO2 were identified by GC-MS, unsaturated fatty acids were 92.6%. This process is simple, and can be used for the extraction of Prunus armeniaca oil.

Soil Vapor Extraction System Optimization, Transition, and Closure Guidance, PNNL-21843

EPA Science Inventory

Soil vapor extraction (SVE) is a prevalent remediation approach for volatile contaminants in the vadose zone. A diminishing rate of contaminant extraction over time is typically observed due to 1) diminishing contaminant mass, and/or 2) slow rates of removal for contamination in ...

A Hybrid Method for Pancreas Extraction from CT Image Based on Level Set Methods

PubMed Central

Tan, Hanqing; Fujita, Hiroshi

2013-01-01

This paper proposes a novel semiautomatic method to extract the pancreas from abdominal CT images. Traditional level set and region growing methods that request locating initial contour near the final boundary of object have problem of leakage to nearby tissues of pancreas region. The proposed method consists of a customized fast-marching level set method which generates an optimal initial pancreas region to solve the problem that the level set method is sensitive to the initial contour location and a modified distance regularized level set method which extracts accurate pancreas. The novelty in our method is the proper selection and combination of level set methods, furthermore an energy-decrement algorithm and an energy-tune algorithm are proposed to reduce the negative impact of bonding force caused by connected tissue whose intensity is similar with pancreas. As a result, our method overcomes the shortages of oversegmentation at weak boundary and can accurately extract pancreas from CT images. The proposed method is compared to other five state-of-the-art medical image segmentation methods based on a CT image dataset which contains abdominal images from 10 patients. The evaluated results demonstrate that our method outperforms other methods by achieving higher accuracy and making less false segmentation in pancreas extraction. PMID:24066016

Ultra-High-Throughput Screening of Natural Product Extracts to Identify Proapoptotic Inhibitors of Bcl-2 Family Proteins.

PubMed

Hassig, Christian A; Zeng, Fu-Yue; Kung, Paul; Kiankarimi, Mehrak; Kim, Sylvia; Diaz, Paul W; Zhai, Dayong; Welsh, Kate; Morshedian, Shana; Su, Ying; O'Keefe, Barry; Newman, David J; Rusman, Yudi; Kaur, Harneet; Salomon, Christine E; Brown, Susan G; Baire, Beeraiah; Michel, Andrew R; Hoye, Thomas R; Francis, Subhashree; Georg, Gunda I; Walters, Michael A; Divlianska, Daniela B; Roth, Gregory P; Wright, Amy E; Reed, John C

2014-09-01

Antiapoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins are validated cancer targets composed of six related proteins. From a drug discovery perspective, these are challenging targets that exert their cellular functions through protein-protein interactions (PPIs). Although several isoform-selective inhibitors have been developed using structure-based design or high-throughput screening (HTS) of synthetic chemical libraries, no large-scale screen of natural product collections has been reported. A competitive displacement fluorescence polarization (FP) screen of nearly 150,000 natural product extracts was conducted against all six antiapoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins using fluorochrome-conjugated peptide ligands that mimic functionally relevant PPIs. The screens were conducted in 1536-well format and displayed satisfactory overall HTS statistics, with Z'-factor values ranging from 0.72 to 0.83 and a hit confirmation rate between 16% and 64%. Confirmed active extracts were orthogonally tested in a luminescent assay for caspase-3/7 activation in tumor cells. Active extracts were resupplied, and effort toward the isolation of pure active components was initiated through iterative bioassay-guided fractionation. Several previously described altertoxins were isolated from a microbial source, and the pure compounds demonstrate activity in both Bcl-2 FP and caspase cellular assays. The studies demonstrate the feasibility of ultra-high-throughput screening using natural product sources and highlight some of the challenges associated with this approach. © 2014 Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening.

Ultra High Throughput Screening of Natural Product Extracts to Identify Pro-apoptotic Inhibitors of Bcl-2 Family Proteins

PubMed Central

Hassig, Christian A.; Zeng, Fu-Yue; Kung, Paul; Kiankarimi, Mehrak; Kim, Sylvia; Diaz, Paul W.; Zhai, Dayong; Welsh, Kate; Morshedian, Shana; Su, Ying; O'Keefe, Barry; Newman, David J.; Rusman, Yudi; Kaur, Harneet; Salomon, Christine E.; Brown, Susan G.; Baire, Beeraiah; Michel, Andrew R.; Hoye, Thomas R.; Francis, Subhashree; Georg, Gunda I.; Walters, Michael A.; Divlianska, Daniela B.; Roth, Gregory P.; Wright, Amy E.; Reed, John C.

2015-01-01

Anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins are validated cancer targets comprised of six related proteins. From a drug discovery perspective, these are challenging targets that exert their cellular functions through protein-protein interactions (PPIs). While several isoform-selective inhibitors have been developed using structure-based design or high throughput screening (HTS) of synthetic chemical libraries, no large scale screen of natural product collections has been reported. A competitive displacement fluorescence polarization (FP) screen of nearly 150,000 natural product extracts was conducted against all six anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins using fluorochrome-conjugated peptide ligands that mimic functionally-relevant PPIs. The screens were conducted in 1,536-well format and displayed satisfactory overall HTS statistics, with Z’-factor values ranging from 0.72 to 0.83, and a hit confirmation rate between 16-64%. Confirmed active extracts were orthogonally tested in a luminescent assay for caspase-3/7 activation in tumor cells. Active extracts were resupplied and effort toward the isolation of pure active components was initiated through iterative bioassay-guided fractionation. Several previously described altertoxins were isolated from a microbial source and the pure compounds demonstrate activity in both Bcl-2 FP and caspase cellular assays. The studies demonstrate the feasibility of ultra high throughput screening using natural product sources and highlight some of the challenges associated with this approach. PMID:24870016

Stability of pharmaceuticals and other polar organic compounds stored on polar organic chemical integrative samplers and solid-phase extraction cartridges.

PubMed

Carlson, Jules C; Challis, Jonathan K; Hanson, Mark L; Wong, Charles S

2013-02-01

The stability of 24 chemicals, including pharmaceuticals and personal care products, and some agrochemicals on extraction media was evaluated by preloading them onto Oasis hydrophilic lipophilic balanced solid-phase extraction (SPE) cartridges and polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS) followed by storage at -20°C over time. After 20 months, the average loss was 11% on POCIS, with only 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, atrazine, chlorpyrifos, and gemfibrozil showing a statistically significant decline compared with initial concentrations. Losses on SPE cartridges were below 19%, with an average loss of 9%. In addition to laboratory spiked samples, multiple POCIS deployed in wastewater-impacted surface waters and SPE extracts of these waters were stored in their original coextracted matrix for nearly two years with minimal observed losses. Errors from typical sampling, handling, and concentration estimates from POCIS sampling rates were typically ± 15 to 30% relative standard deviation, so observed storage losses are minimal for most POCIS applications. While losses during storage on SPE cartridges for 20 months were small but statistically significant for many compounds, addition of labeled internal standards prior to freezing should correct for such losses. Thus, storage of processed water samples for analysis of polar organic pollutants is viable for archival purposes or studies for which samples cannot be analyzed in the short term. Copyright © 2012 SETAC.

BEaST: brain extraction based on nonlocal segmentation technique.

PubMed

Eskildsen, Simon F; Coupé, Pierrick; Fonov, Vladimir; Manjón, José V; Leung, Kelvin K; Guizard, Nicolas; Wassef, Shafik N; Østergaard, Lasse Riis; Collins, D Louis

2012-02-01

Brain extraction is an important step in the analysis of brain images. The variability in brain morphology and the difference in intensity characteristics due to imaging sequences make the development of a general purpose brain extraction algorithm challenging. To address this issue, we propose a new robust method (BEaST) dedicated to produce consistent and accurate brain extraction. This method is based on nonlocal segmentation embedded in a multi-resolution framework. A library of 80 priors is semi-automatically constructed from the NIH-sponsored MRI study of normal brain development, the International Consortium for Brain Mapping, and the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative databases. In testing, a mean Dice similarity coefficient of 0.9834±0.0053 was obtained when performing leave-one-out cross validation selecting only 20 priors from the library. Validation using the online Segmentation Validation Engine resulted in a top ranking position with a mean Dice coefficient of 0.9781±0.0047. Robustness of BEaST is demonstrated on all baseline ADNI data, resulting in a very low failure rate. The segmentation accuracy of the method is better than two widely used publicly available methods and recent state-of-the-art hybrid approaches. BEaST provides results comparable to a recent label fusion approach, while being 40 times faster and requiring a much smaller library of priors. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A novel quality by design approach for developing an HPLC method to analyze herbal extracts: A case study of sugar content analysis.

PubMed

Shao, Jingyuan; Cao, Wen; Qu, Haibin; Pan, Jianyang; Gong, Xingchu

2018-01-01

The aim of this study was to present a novel analytical quality by design (AQbD) approach for developing an HPLC method to analyze herbal extracts. In this approach, critical method attributes (CMAs) and critical method parameters (CMPs) of the analytical method were determined using the same data collected from screening experiments. The HPLC-ELSD method for separation and quantification of sugars in Codonopsis Radix extract (CRE) samples and Astragali Radix extract (ARE) samples was developed as an example method with a novel AQbD approach. Potential CMAs and potential CMPs were found with Analytical Target Profile. After the screening experiments, the retention time of the D-glucose peak of CRE samples, the signal-to-noise ratio of the D-glucose peak of CRE samples, and retention time of the sucrose peak in ARE samples were considered CMAs. The initial and final composition of the mobile phase, flow rate, and column temperature were found to be CMPs using a standard partial regression coefficient method. The probability-based design space was calculated using a Monte-Carlo simulation method and verified by experiments. The optimized method was validated to be accurate and precise, and then it was applied in the analysis of CRE and ARE samples. The present AQbD approach is efficient and suitable for analysis objects with complex compositions.

Identification of Ellagic Acid from Plant Rhodiola rosea L. as an Anti-Ebola Virus Entry Inhibitor.

PubMed

Cui, Qinghua; Du, Ruikun; Anantpadma, Manu; Schafer, Adam; Hou, Lin; Tian, Jingzhen; Davey, Robert A; Cheng, Han; Rong, Lijun

2018-03-27

The recent 2014-2016 West African Ebola virus epidemic underscores the need for the development of novel anti-Ebola therapeutics, due to the high mortality rates of Ebola virus infections and the lack of FDA-approved vaccine or therapy that is available for the prevention and treatment. Traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) represent a huge reservoir of bioactive chemicals and many TCMs have been shown to have antiviral activities. 373 extracts from 128 TCMs were evaluated using a high throughput assay to screen for inhibitors of Ebola virus cell entry. Extract of Rhodiola rosea displayed specific and potent inhibition against cell entry of both Ebola virus and Marburg virus. In addition, twenty commercial compounds that were isolated from Rhodiola rosea were evaluated using the pseudotyped Ebola virus entry assay, and it was found that ellagic acid and gallic acid, which are two structurally related compounds, are the most effective ones. The activity of the extract and the two pure compounds were validated using infectious Ebola virus. The time-of-addition experiments suggest that, mechanistically, the Rhodiola rosea extract and the effective compounds act at an early step in the infection cycle following initial cell attachment, but prior to viral/cell membrane fusion. Our findings provide evidence that Rhodiola rosea has potent anti-filovirus properties that may be developed as a novel anti-Ebola treatment.

Identification of Ellagic Acid from Plant Rhodiola rosea L. as an Anti-Ebola Virus Entry Inhibitor

PubMed Central

Cui, Qinghua; Du, Ruikun; Anantpadma, Manu; Schafer, Adam; Hou, Lin; Tian, Jingzhen; Cheng, Han; Rong, Lijun

2018-01-01

The recent 2014–2016 West African Ebola virus epidemic underscores the need for the development of novel anti-Ebola therapeutics, due to the high mortality rates of Ebola virus infections and the lack of FDA-approved vaccine or therapy that is available for the prevention and treatment. Traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) represent a huge reservoir of bioactive chemicals and many TCMs have been shown to have antiviral activities. 373 extracts from 128 TCMs were evaluated using a high throughput assay to screen for inhibitors of Ebola virus cell entry. Extract of Rhodiola rosea displayed specific and potent inhibition against cell entry of both Ebola virus and Marburg virus. In addition, twenty commercial compounds that were isolated from Rhodiola rosea were evaluated using the pseudotyped Ebola virus entry assay, and it was found that ellagic acid and gallic acid, which are two structurally related compounds, are the most effective ones. The activity of the extract and the two pure compounds were validated using infectious Ebola virus. The time-of-addition experiments suggest that, mechanistically, the Rhodiola rosea extract and the effective compounds act at an early step in the infection cycle following initial cell attachment, but prior to viral/cell membrane fusion. Our findings provide evidence that Rhodiola rosea has potent anti-filovirus properties that may be developed as a novel anti-Ebola treatment. PMID:29584652

Musical intervention reduces patients' anxiety in surgical extraction of an impacted mandibular third molar.

PubMed

Kim, Yu-Kyoung; Kim, Soung-Min; Myoung, Hoon

2011-04-01

Patients undergoing impacted mandibular third molar (IMTM) extraction often have severe perioperative anxiety, which may lead to increased perceptions of pain and vital sign instability throughout surgery. Intraoperational musical interventions have been used during operations to decrease patient anxiety levels. We investigated the anxiolytic effects of musical intervention during surgical extraction of an IMTM. We tested the hypothesis that musical intervention would have positive effects on patients' vital signs, anxiety levels, and perceptions of pain. We recruited 219 patients with IMTM surgery to participate in this study. Participants were randomly assigned to a music-treated group (106 subjects) or a control group (113 subjects). In a preoperative meeting, patient demographic data were collected, and the patients' favorite songs were selected. For the music-treated group, their selected music was played from the time of arrival to the operating room until the end of the operation. Perioperative anxiety and perceptions of pain were assessed using the Dental Anxiety Scale and the Visual Analog Scale, respectively. Patients' vital signs (blood pressure, heart rate, and respiratory rate) were monitored throughout the surgery. One-way analysis of covariance using perioperative anxiety as a covariant was performed to compare intraoperative anxiety levels and perioperative perceptions of pain between the 2 groups. Repeated measures analysis of variance was used to compare changes in vital signs across surgical stages between the 2 groups. Vital signs changed significantly throughout surgery according to the stage of the procedure. For both groups, vital signs increased from baseline and reached peak values at the time of the initial incision and then decreased quickly and plateaued within normal limits. There were no significant differences between groups in blood pressure; however, the music-treated group showed a significantly smaller change in heart rate than the control group. The music-treated group reported significantly less intraoperative anxiety than the nonmusic-treated control group when controlling for preoperative anxiety levels (F = 4.226, P < .05). These results support the hypothesis that the use of patient-chosen music during surgical extraction of an IMTM significantly lowers patient intraoperative anxiety levels. Copyright © 2011 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Barriers towards the publication of academic drug trials. Follow-up of trials approved by the Danish Medicines Agency.

PubMed

Berendt, Louise; Petersen, Lene Grejs; Bach, Karin Friis; Poulsen, Henrik Enghusen; Dalhoff, Kim

2017-01-01

To characterize and quantify barriers towards the publication of academic drug trials. We identified academic drug trials approved during a 3-year period (2004-2007) by the Danish Medicines Agency. We conducted a survey among the trial sponsors to describe the rates of initiation, completion, and publication, and the reasons for the failure to reach each of these milestones. Information on size and methodological characteristics of the trials was extracted from the EudraCT database, a prospective register of all approved clinical drug trials submitted to European medicines agencies since 2004. A total of 181 academic drug trials were eligible for inclusion, 139 of which participated in our survey (response rate: 77%). Follow-up time ranged from 5.1 to 7.9 years. Most trials were randomized controlled trials (73%, 95% CI 65-81%). Initiation and completion rates were 92% (95% CI: 88-97%) and 93% (95% CI: 89-97%) respectively. The publication rate of completed trials was 73% (95% CI: 62-79%). RCTs were published faster than non-RCTs (quartile time to publication 2.9 vs. 3.1 years, p = 0.0412). Many academic drug trials are left unpublished. Main barriers towards publication were related to the process from completion to publication. Hence, there is much to gain by facilitating the process from analysis to publication. Research institutions and funders should actively influence this process, e.g. by requiring the publication of trial results within a given time after completion.

Optimizing Sustainable Geothermal Heat Extraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patel, Iti; Bielicki, Jeffrey; Buscheck, Thomas

2016-04-01

Geothermal heat, though renewable, can be depleted over time if the rate of heat extraction exceeds the natural rate of renewal. As such, the sustainability of a geothermal resource is typically viewed as preserving the energy of the reservoir by weighing heat extraction against renewability. But heat that is extracted from a geothermal reservoir is used to provide a service to society and an economic gain to the provider of that service. For heat extraction used for market commodities, sustainability entails balancing the rate at which the reservoir temperature renews with the rate at which heat is extracted and converted into economic profit. We present a model for managing geothermal resources that combines simulations of geothermal reservoir performance with natural resource economics in order to develop optimal heat mining strategies. Similar optimal control approaches have been developed for managing other renewable resources, like fisheries and forests. We used the Non-isothermal Unsaturated-saturated Flow and Transport (NUFT) model to simulate the performance of a sedimentary geothermal reservoir under a variety of geologic and operational situations. The results of NUFT are integrated into the optimization model to determine the extraction path over time that maximizes the net present profit given the performance of the geothermal resource. Results suggest that the discount rate that is used to calculate the net present value of economic gain is a major determinant of the optimal extraction path, particularly for shallower and cooler reservoirs, where the regeneration of energy due to the natural geothermal heat flux is a smaller percentage of the amount of energy that is extracted from the reservoir.

Analysis of correlation between initial alveolar bone density and apical root resorption after 12 months of orthodontic treatment without extraction

PubMed Central

Scheibel, Paula Cabrini; Ramos, Adilson Luiz; Iwaki, Lilian Cristina Vessoni; Micheletti, Kelly Regina

2014-01-01

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to investigate the correlation between initial alveolar bone density of upper central incisors (ABD-UI) and external apical root resorption (EARR) after 12 months of orthodontic movement in cases without extraction. METHODS: A total of 47 orthodontic patients 11 years old or older were submitted to periapical radiography of upper incisors prior to treatment (T1) and after 12 months of treatment (T2). ABD-UI and EARR were measured by means of densitometry. RESULTS: No statistically significant correlation was found between initial ABD-UI and EARR at T2 (r = 0.149; p = 0.157). CONCLUSION: Based on the present findings, alveolar density assessed through periapical radiography is not predictive of root resorption after 12 months of orthodontic treatment in cases without extraction. PMID:25715722

Ultrasonically assisted antioxidant extraction from grape stalks and olive leaves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cárcel, Juan A.; García-Pérez, José V.; Mulet, Antonio; Rodríguez, Ligia; Riera, Enrique

2010-01-01

Grape stalks and olive leaves present high amount of phenolic compounds with antioxidant properties. The extraction of these compounds may be considered a way to increase in value both agro-food by-products. Ultrasound is widely applied in extraction due to its effects (cavitation, microstirring or sponge effect) over the process. The goal of this work was to address the application of ultrasound on the antioxidant extraction of olive leaves and grape stalk. For that purpose, the extraction of antioxidant compounds from grape stalks and olive leaves, previously dried at 100 °C, were carried out using a ethanolic solution (80 % v/v) at 60 °C. Extractions were carried out with (US; 30 kHz; 600W)) and agitation (AG) without ultrasound application. In the AG experiments, the solution was agitated with a stirrer. Samples were obtained at different extraction time (10, 30, 60, 120, 180, 240, 360, 480 and 1440 min) and their antioxidant capacity was measured using FRAP method. The Naik model was used to model the extraction kinetics, being identified the antioxidant capacity of extracts at the equilibrium (Y eq) and the initial velocity of extraction (Y eq/B). For grape stalks, the antioxidant capacity of extracts at the equilibrium (Y eq) and the initial velocity of extraction (Y eq/B) were higher in AG experiments than in US experiments. In the olive leaves extractions, the Y eq/B was of the same order for both treatments but Y eq was significantly higher for US experiments. The different influence of ultrasound for both by-products can be explained from their different geometry and structure.

Collecting and Analyzing Patient Experiences of Health Care From Social Media.

PubMed

Rastegar-Mojarad, Majid; Ye, Zhan; Wall, Daniel; Murali, Narayana; Lin, Simon

2015-07-02

Social Media, such as Yelp, provides rich information of consumer experience. Previous studies suggest that Yelp can serve as a new source to study patient experience. However, the lack of a corpus of patient reviews causes a major bottleneck for applying computational techniques. The objective of this study is to create a corpus of patient experience (COPE) and report descriptive statistics to characterize COPE. Yelp reviews about health care-related businesses were extracted from the Yelp Academic Dataset. Natural language processing (NLP) tools were used to split reviews into sentences, extract noun phrases and adjectives from each sentence, and generate parse trees and dependency trees for each sentence. Sentiment analysis techniques and Hadoop were used to calculate a sentiment score of each sentence and for parallel processing, respectively. COPE contains 79,173 sentences from 6914 patient reviews of 985 health care facilities near 30 universities in the United States. We found that patients wrote longer reviews when they rated the facility poorly (1 or 2 stars). We demonstrated that the computed sentiment scores correlated well with consumer-generated ratings. A consumer vocabulary to describe their health care experience was constructed by a statistical analysis of word counts and co-occurrences in COPE. A corpus called COPE was built as an initial step to utilize social media to understand patient experiences at health care facilities. The corpus is available to download and COPE can be used in future studies to extract knowledge of patients' experiences from their perspectives. Such information can subsequently inform and provide opportunity to improve the quality of health care.

Removal of chromium(III) from aqueous waste solution by liquid-liquid extraction in a circular microchannel.

PubMed

Luo, Jian Hong; Li, Jun; Guo, Lei; Zhu, Xin Hua; Dai, Shuang; Li, Xing

2017-11-01

A new circular microchannel device has been proposed for the removal of chromium(III) from aqueous waste solution by using kerosene as a diluent and (2-ethylhexyl) 2-ethylhexyl phosphonate as an extractant. The proposed device has several advantages such as a flexible and easily adaptable design, easy maintenance, and cheap setup without the requirement of microfabrication. To study the extraction efficiency and advantages of the circular microchannel device in the removal of chromium(III), the effects of various operating conditions such as the inner diameter of the channel, the total flow velocity, the phase ratio, the initial pH of aqueous waste solution, the reaction temperature and the initial concentration of extractant on the extraction efficiency are investigated and the optimal process conditions are obtained. The results show that chromium(III) in aqueous waste solution can be effectively removed with (2-ethylhexyl) 2-ethylhexyl phosphonate in the circular microchannel. Under optimized conditions, an extraction efficiency of chromium(III) of more than 99% can be attained and the aqueous waste solution can be discharged directly, which can meet the Chinese national emission standards.

Kinetic pathway of 40S ribosomal subunit recruitment to hepatitis C virus internal ribosome entry site.

PubMed

Fuchs, Gabriele; Petrov, Alexey N; Marceau, Caleb D; Popov, Lauren M; Chen, Jin; O'Leary, Seán E; Wang, Richard; Carette, Jan E; Sarnow, Peter; Puglisi, Joseph D

2015-01-13

Translation initiation can occur by multiple pathways. To delineate these pathways by single-molecule methods, fluorescently labeled ribosomal subunits are required. Here, we labeled human 40S ribosomal subunits with a fluorescent SNAP-tag at ribosomal protein eS25 (RPS25). The resulting ribosomal subunits could be specifically labeled in living cells and in vitro. Using single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) between RPS25 and domain II of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) internal ribosome entry site (IRES), we measured the rates of 40S subunit arrival to the HCV IRES. Our data support a single-step model of HCV IRES recruitment to 40S subunits, irreversible on the initiation time scale. We furthermore demonstrated that after binding, the 40S:HCV IRES complex is conformationally dynamic, undergoing slow large-scale rearrangements. Addition of translation extracts suppresses these fluctuations, funneling the complex into a single conformation on the 80S assembly pathway. These findings show that 40S:HCV IRES complex formation is accompanied by dynamic conformational rearrangements that may be modulated by initiation factors.

3D Simulation of Multiple Simultaneous Hydraulic Fractures with Different Initial Lengths in Rock

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, X.; Rayudu, N. M.; Singh, G.

2017-12-01

Hydraulic fracturing is widely used technique for extracting shale gas. During this process, fractures with various initial lengths are induced in rock mass with hydraulic pressure. Understanding the mechanism of propagation and interaction between these induced hydraulic cracks is critical for optimizing the fracking process. In this work, numerical results are presented for investigating the effect of in-situ parameters and fluid properties on growth and interaction of multi simultaneous hydraulic fractures. A fully coupled 3D fracture simulator, TOUGH- GFEM is used for simulating the effect of different vital parameters, including in-situ stress, initial fracture length, fracture spacing, fluid viscosity and flow rate on induced hydraulic fractures growth. This TOUGH-GFEM simulator is based on 3D finite volume method (FVM) and partition of unity element method (PUM). Displacement correlation method (DCM) is used for calculating multi - mode (Mode I, II, III) stress intensity factors. Maximum principal stress criteria is used for crack propagation. Key words: hydraulic fracturing, TOUGH, partition of unity element method , displacement correlation method, 3D fracturing simulator

Global sea-level rise is recognised, but flooding from anthropogenic land subsidence is ignored around northern Manila Bay, Philippines.

PubMed

Rodolfo, Kelvin S; Siringan, Fernando P

2006-03-01

Land subsidence resulting from excessive extraction of groundwater is particularly acute in East Asian countries. Some Philippine government sectors have begun to recognise that the sea-level rise of one to three millimetres per year due to global warming is a cause of worsening floods around Manila Bay, but are oblivious to, or ignore, the principal reason: excessive groundwater extraction is lowering the land surface by several centimetres to more than a decimetre per year. Such ignorance allows the government to treat flooding as a lesser problem that can be mitigated through large infrastructural projects that are both ineffective and vulnerable to corruption. Money would be better spent on preventing the subsidence by reducing groundwater pumping and moderating population growth and land use, but these approaches are politically and psychologically unacceptable. Even if groundwater use is greatly reduced and enlightened land-use practices are initiated, natural deltaic subsidence and global sea-level rise will continue to aggravate flooding, although at substantially lower rates.

Bioleaching of two different types of chalcopyrite by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Ying-bo; Lin, Hai; Fu, Kai-bin; Xu, Xiao-fang; Zhou, Shan-shan

2013-02-01

Two different types of chalcopyrite (pyritic chalcopyrite and porphyry chalcopyrite) were bioleached with Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans ATF6. The bioleaching of the pyritic chalcopyrite and porphyry chalcopyrite is quite different. The copper extraction reaches 46.96% for the pyritic chalcopyrite after 48-d leaching, but it is only 14.50% for the porphyry chalcopyrite. Proper amounts of initial ferrous ions can improve the efficiency of copper extraction for the two different types of chalcopyrite. The optimum dosage of ferrous ions for the pyritic chalcopyrite and porphyry chalcopyrite is different. The adsorption of ATF6 on the pyritic chalcopyrite and porphyry chalcopyrite was also studied in this paper. It is found that ATF6 is selectively adsorbed by the two different types of chalcopyrite; the higher adsorption onto the pyritic chalcopyrite than the porphyry chalcopyrite leads to the higher copper dissolution rate of the pyritic chalcopyrite. In addition, the zeta-potential of chalcopyrite before and after bioleaching further confirms that ATF6 is more easily adsorbed onto the pyritic chalcopyrite.

Poly(N-Isopropylacrylamide)-co-Acrylamide Hydrogels for the Controlled Release of Bromelain from Agroindustrial Residues of Ananas comosus.

PubMed

Croisfelt, Fernanda; Martins, Bianca C; Rescolino, Robson; Coelho, Diego F; Zanchetta, Beatriz; Mazzola, Priscila G; Goulart, Luis Ricardo; Pessoa, Adalberto; Tambourgi, Elias B; Silveira, Edgar

2015-12-01

This works reports the purification of bromelain extracted from Ananas comosus industrial residues by ethanol purification, its partial characterization from the crude extract as well as the ethanol purified enzyme, and its application onto poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-co-acrylamide hydrogels. Bromelain was recovered within the 30-70 % ethanol fraction, which achieved a purification factor of 3.12-fold, and yielded more than 90 % of its initial activity. The resulting purified bromelain contained more than 360 U · mg(-1), with a maximum working temperature of 60 °C and pH of 8.0. Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-co-acrylamide hydrogels presented a swelling rate of 125 %, which was capable of loading 56 % of bromelain from the solution, and was able to release up to 91 % of the retained bromelain. Ethanol precipitation is suitable for bromelain recovery and application onto poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-co-acrylamide hydrogels based on its processing time and the applied ethanol prices. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Trehalose accumulation from corn starch by Saccharomycopsis fibuligera A11 during 2-l fermentation and trehalose purification.

PubMed

Chi, Zhe; Wang, Ji-Ming; Chi, Zhen-Ming; Ye, Fang

2010-01-01

In this study, corn starch was used as the substrate for cell growth and trehalose accumulation by Saccharomycopsis fibuligera A11. Effect of different aeration rates, agitation speeds, and concentrations of corn starch on direct conversion of corn starch to trehalose by S. fibuligera A11 were examined using a Biostat B2 2-l fermentor. We found that the optimal conditions for direct conversion of corn starch to trehalose by this yeast strain were that agitation speed was 200 rpm, aeration rate was 4.0 l/min, concentration of corn starch was 2.0% (w/v), initial pH was 5.5, fermentation temperature was 30 degrees C. Under these conditions, over 22.9 g of trehalose per 100 g of cell dry weight was accumulated in the yeast cells, cell mass was 15.2 g/l of the fermentation medium, 0.12% (w/v) of reducing sugar, and 0.21% (w/v) of total sugar were left in the fermented medium within 48 h of the fermentation. It was found that trehalose in the yeast cells could be efficiently extracted by the hot distilled water (80 degrees C). After isolation and purification, the crystal trehalose was obtained from the extract of the cells.

Clinical safety assessment of oral higenamine supplementation in healthy, young men.

PubMed

Bloomer, R J; Schriefer, J M; Gunnels, T A

2015-10-01

Higenamine, an herbal agent also known as norcoclaurine, is thought to stimulate β-androgenic receptors and possess lipolytic activity. It is currently making its way into the dietary supplement market. To our knowledge, no studies have been conducted to determine the safety profile of oral higenamine when used alone and in conjunction with other commonly used lipolytic agents. Forty-eight men were assigned to ingest either a placebo, higenamine, caffeine, or higenamine + caffeine + yohimbe bark extract daily for a period of 8 weeks. Before and after 4 and 8 weeks of supplementation, the following variables were measured: resting respiratory rate, heart rate, blood pressure, urinalysis, complete blood count, metabolic panel, liver enzyme activity, and lipid panel. No interaction effects were noted for any variable (p > 0.05), with no changes of statistical significance occurring across time for any of the four conditions (p > 0.05). This is the first study to determine the safety profile of oral higenamine intake in human subjects. Our data indicate that 8 weeks of daily higenamine supplementation, either alone or in conjunction with caffeine and yohimbe bark extract, does not result in a statistically significant change in any of the measured outcome variables. Additional studies, inclusive of a larger sample size, are needed to extend these initial findings. © The Author(s) 2015.

Evaluation of economically feasible, natural plant extract-based microbiological media for producing biomass of the dry rot biocontrol strain Pseudomonas fluorescens P22Y05 in liquid culture.

PubMed

Khalil, Sadia; Ali, Tasneem Adam; Skory, Chris; Slininger, Patricia J; Schisler, David A

2016-02-01

The production of microbial biomass in liquid media often represents an indispensable step in the research and development of bacterial and fungal strains. Costs of commercially prepared nutrient media or purified media components, however, can represent a significant hurdle to conducting research in locations where obtaining these products is difficult. A less expensive option for providing components essential to microbial growth in liquid culture is the use of extracts of fresh or dried plant products obtained by using hot water extraction techniques. A total of 13 plant extract-based media were prepared from a variety of plant fruits, pods or seeds of plant species including Allium cepa (red onion bulb), Phaseolus vulgaris (green bean pods), and Lens culinaris (lentil seeds). In shake flask tests, cell production by potato dry rot antagonist Pseudomonas fluorescens P22Y05 in plant extract-based media was generally statistically indistinguishable from that in commercially produced tryptic soy broth and nutrient broth as measured by optical density and colony forming units/ml produced (P ≤ 0.05, Fisher's protected LSD). The efficacy of biomass produced in the best plant extract-based media or commercial media was equivalent in reducing Fusarium dry rot by 50-96% compared to controls. In studies using a high-throughput microbioreactor, logarithmic growth of P22Y05 in plant extract-based media initiated in 3-5 h in most cases but specific growth rate and the time of maximum OD varied as did the maximum pH obtained in media. Nutrient analysis of selected media before and after cell growth indicated that nitrogen in the form of NH4 accumulated in culture supernatants, possibly due to unbalanced growth conditions brought on by a scarcity of simple sugars in the media tested. The potential of plant extract-based media to economically produce biomass of microbes active in reducing plant disease is considerable and deserves further research.

Effects of remediation train sequence on decontamination of heavy metal-contaminated soil containing mercury.

PubMed

Hseu, Zeng-Yei; Huang, Yu-Tuan; Hsi, Hsing-Cheng

2014-09-01

When a contaminated site contains pollutants including both nonvolatile metals and Hg, one single remediation technology may not satisfactorily remove all contaminants. Therefore, in this study, chemical extraction and thermal treatment were combined as a remediation train to remove heavy metals, including Hg, from contaminated soil. A 0.2 M solution of ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) was shown to be the most effective reagent for extraction of considerable amounts of Cu, Pb, and Zn (> 50%). Hg removal was ineffective using 0.2 M EDTA, but thermogravimetric analysis suggested that heating to 550 degrees C with a heating rate of 5 degrees C/min for a duration of 1 hr appeared to be an effective approach for Hg removal. With the employment of thermal treatment, up to 99% of Hg could be removed. However executing thermal treatment prior to chemical extraction reduced the effectiveness of the subsequent EDTA extraction because nonvolatile heavy metals were immobilized in soil aggregates after the 550 degrees C treatment. The remediation train of chemical extraction followed by thermal treatment appears to remediate soils that have been contaminated by many nonvolatile heavy metals and Hg. Implications: A remediation train conjoining two or more techniques has been initialized to remove multiple metals. Better understandings of the impacts of treatment sequences, namely, which technique should be employed first on the soil properties and the decontamination efficiency, are in high demand. This study provides a strategy to remove multiple heavy metals including Hg from a contaminated soil. The interactions between thermal treatment and chemical extraction on repartitioning of heavy metals was revealed. The obtained results could offer an integrating strategy to remediate the soil contaminated with both heavy metals and volatile contaminants.

Geothermal waste heat utilization from in situ thermal bitumen recovery operations.

PubMed

Nakevska, Nevenka; Schincariol, Robert A; Dehkordi, S Emad; Cheadle, Burns A

2015-01-01

In situ thermal methods for bitumen extraction introduce a tremendous amount of energy into the reservoirs raising ambient temperatures of 13 °C to as high as 200 °C at the steam chamber edge and 50 °C along the reservoir edge. In essence these operations have unintentionally acted as underground thermal energy storage systems which can be recovered after completion of bitumen extraction activities. Groundwater flow and heat transport models of the Cold Lake, Alberta, reservoir, coupled with a borehole heat exchanger (BHE) model, allowed for investigating the use of closed-loop geothermal systems for energy recovery. Three types of BHEs (single U-tube, double U-tube, coaxial) were tested and analyzed by comparing outlet temperatures and corresponding heat extraction rates. Initial one year continuous operation simulations show that the double U-tube configuration had the best performance producing an average temperature difference of 5.7 °C, and an average heat extraction of 41 W/m. Given the top of the reservoir is at a depth of 400 m, polyethylene piping provided for larger extraction gains over more thermally conductive steel piping. Thirty year operation simulations illustrate that allowing 6 month cyclic recovery periods only increases the loop temperature gain by a factor of 1.2 over continuous operation. Due to the wide spacing of existing boreholes and reservoir depth, only a small fraction of the energy is efficiently recovered. Drilling additional boreholes between existing wells would increase energy extraction. In areas with shallower bitumen deposits such as the Athabasca region, i.e. 65 to 115 m deep, BHE efficiencies should be larger. © 2014, National Ground Water Association.

ACCELERATED SOLVENT EXTRACTION COMBINED WITH ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

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

Kinetic and Thermodynamics studies for Castor Oil Extraction Using Subcritical Water Technology.

PubMed

Abdelmoez, Wael; Ashour, Eman; Naguib, Shahenaz M; Hilal, Amr; Al Mahdy, Dalia A; Mahrous, Engy A; Abdel-Sattar, Essam

2016-06-01

In this work both kinetic and thermodynamics of castor oil extraction from its seeds using subcritical water technique were studied. It was found that the extraction process followed two consecutive steps. In these steps, the oil was firstly extracted from inside the powder by diffusion mechanism. Then the extracted oil, due to extending the extraction time under high temperature and pressure, was subjected to a decomposition reaction following first order mechanism. The experimental data correlated well with the irreversible consecutive unimolecular-type first order mechanism. The values of both oil extraction rate constants and decomposition rate constants were calculated through non-linear fitting using DataFit software. The extraction rate constants were found to be 0.0019, 0.024, 0.098, 0.1 and 0.117 min(-1), while the decomposition rate constants were 0.057, 0.059, 0.014, 0.019 and 0.17 min(-1) at extraction temperatures of 240, 250, 260, 270 and 280°C, respectively. The thermodynamic properties of the oil extraction process were investigated using Arrhenius equation. The values of the activation energy, Ea, and the frequency factor, A, were 73 kJ mol(-1) and 946, 002 min(-1), respectively. The physicochemical properties of the extracted castor oil including the specific gravity, viscosity, acid value, pH value and calorific value were found to be 0.947, 7.487, 1.094 mg KOH/g, 6.1, and 41.5 MJ/Kg, respectively. Gas chromatography analysis showed that ricinoleic acid (83.6%) appears as the predominant fatty acid in the extracted oil followed by oleic acid (5.5%) and linoleic acid (2.3%).

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

Shlapakovski, A. S.; Beilin, L.; Krasik, Ya. E.

Nanosecond-scale evolution of plasma and RF electromagnetic fields during the release of energy from a microwave pulse compressor with a plasma interference switch was investigated numerically using the code MAGIC. The plasma was simulated in the scope of the gas conductivity model in MAGIC. The compressor embodied an S-band cavity and H-plane waveguide tee with a shorted side arm filled with pressurized gas. In a simplified approach, the gas discharge was initiated by setting an external ionization rate in a layer crossing the side arm waveguide in the location of the electric field antinode. It was found that with increasingmore » ionization rate, the microwave energy absorbed by the plasma in the first few nanoseconds increases, but the absorption for the whole duration of energy release, on the contrary, decreases. In a hybrid approach modeling laser ignition of the discharge, seed electrons were set around the electric field antinode. In this case, the plasma extends along the field forming a filament and the plasma density increases up to the level at which the electric field within the plasma decreases due to the skin effect. Then, the avalanche rate decreases but the density still rises until the microwave energy release begins and the electric field becomes insufficient to support the avalanche process. The extraction of the microwave pulse limits its own power by terminating the rise of the plasma density and filament length. For efficient extraction, a sufficiently long filament of dense plasma must have sufficient time to be formed.« less

Pulsed field sample neutralization

DOEpatents

Appelhans, Anthony D.; Dahl, David A.; Delmore, James E.

1990-01-01

An apparatus and method for alternating voltage and for varying the rate of extraction during the extraction of secondary particles, resulting in periods when either positive ions, or negative ions and electrons are extracted at varying rates. Using voltage with alternating charge during successive periods to extract particles from materials which accumulate charge opposite that being extracted causes accumulation of surface charge of opposite sign. Charge accumulation can then be adjusted to a ratio which maintains a balance of positive and negative charge emission, thus maintaining the charge neutrality of the sample.

Strain rate dependent hyperelastic stress-stretch behavior of a silica nanoparticle reinforced poly (ethylene glycol) diacrylate nanocomposite hydrogel.

PubMed

Zhan, Yuexing; Pan, Yihui; Chen, Bing; Lu, Jian; Zhong, Zheng; Niu, Xinrui

2017-11-01

Poly (ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) derivatives are important biomedical materials. PEGDA based hydrogels have emerged as one of the popular regenerative orthopedic materials. This work aims to study the mechanical behavior of a PEGDA based silica nanoparticle (NP) reinforced nanocomposite (NC) hydrogel at physiological strain rates. The work combines materials fabrication, mechanical experiments, mathematical modeling and structural analysis. The strain rate dependent stress-stretch behaviors were observed, analyzed and quantified. Visco-hyperelasticity was identified as the deformation mechanism of the nano-silica/PEGDA NC hydrogel. NPs showed significant effect on both initial shear modulus and viscoelastic materials properties. A structure-based quasi-linear viscoelastic (QLV) model was constructed and capable to describe the visco-hyperelastic stress-stretch behavior of the NC hydrogel. A group of unified material parameters was extracted by the model from the stress-stretch curves obtained at different strain rates. Visco-hyperelastic behavior of NP/polymer interphase was not only identified but also quantified. The work could provide guidance to the structural design of next-generation NC hydrogel. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Kinetics of plasma oxidation of germanium-tin (GeSn)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Wei; Lei, Dian; Dong, Yuan; Zhang, Zheng; Pan, Jisheng; Gong, Xiao; Tok, Eng-Soon; Yeo, Yee-Chia

2017-12-01

The kinetics of plasma oxidation of GeSn at low temperature is investigated. The oxidation process is described by a power-law model where the oxidation rate decreases rapidly from the initial oxidation rate with increasing time. The oxidation rate of GeSn is higher than that of pure Ge, which can be explained by the higher chemical reaction rate at the GeSn-oxide/GeSn interface. In addition, the Sn atoms at the interface region exchange positions with the underlying Ge atoms during oxidation, leading to a SnO2-rich oxide near the interface. The bandgap of GeSn oxide is extracted to be 5.1 ± 0.2 eV by XPS, and the valence band offset at the GeSn-oxide/GeSn heterojunction is found to be 3.7 ± 0.2 eV. Controlled annealing experiments demonstrate that the GeSn oxide is stable with respect to annealing temperatures up to 400 °C. However, after annealing at 450 °C, the GeO2 is converted to GeO, and desorbs from the GeSn-oxide/GeSn, leaving behind Sn oxide.

Structural features of soluble cereal arabinoxylan fibers associated with a slow rate of in vitro fermentation by human fecal microbiota.

PubMed

Rumpagaporn, Pinthip; Reuhs, Brad L; Kaur, Amandeep; Patterson, John A; Keshavarzian, Ali; Hamaker, Bruce R

2015-10-05

Most soluble dietary fibers ferment rapidly in the proximal colon, potentially causing discomfort and poor tolerability. Alkali-extracted arabinoxylan isolates from corn, wheat, rice and sorghum brans were prepared, through hydrolysis (except sorghum) and ethanol fractionation, to have a broad range of initial fermentation rates, and their linkage patterns were determined to understand structural aspects related to slow fermentation rate. They were all highly branched polymers with degree of substitution greater than 64%. There was no relationship of molecular mass, arabinose:xylose ratio, or degree of substitution to fermentation rate patterns. Slow fermenting wheat and corn arabinoxylans had much higher amount of terminal xylose in branches than fast fermenting rice and sorghum arabinoxylans. The slowest fermenting wheat arabinoxylan additionally contained a complex trisaccharide side chain with two arabinoses linked at the O-2 and O-3 positions of an arabinose that is O-2 linked to the xylan backbone. Structural features were proposed for tolerable slowly fermentable arabinoxylan with possible beneficial fermentation function into the distal colon. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Application of response surface methodology to optimise supercritical carbon dioxide extraction of volatile compounds from Crocus sativus.

PubMed

Shao, Qingsong; Huang, Yuqiu; Zhou, Aicun; Guo, Haipeng; Zhang, Ailian; Wang, Yong

2014-05-01

Crocus sativus has been used as a traditional Chinese medicine for a long time. The volatile compounds of C. sativus appear biologically active and may act as antioxidants as well as anticonvulsants, antidepressants and antitumour agents. In order to obtain the highest possible yield of essential oils from C. sativus, response surface methodology was employed to optimise the conditions of supercritical fluid carbon dioxide extraction of the volatile compounds from C. sativus. Four factorswere investigated: temperature, pressure, extraction time and carbon dioxide flow rate. Furthermore, the chemical compositions of the volatile compounds extracted by supercritical fluid extraction were compared with those obtained by hydro-distillation and Soxhlet extraction. The optimum extraction conditions were found to be: optimised temperature 44.9°C, pressure 34.9 MPa, extraction time 150.2 min and CO₂ flow rate 10.1 L h⁻¹. Under these conditions, the mean extraction yield was 10.94 g kg⁻¹. The volatile compounds extracted by supercritical fluid extraction and Soxhlet extraction contained a large amount of unsaturated fatty acids. Response surface methodology was successfully applied for supercritical fluid CO₂ extraction optimisation of the volatile compounds from C. sativus. The study showed that pressure and CO₂ flow rate had significant effect on volatile compounds yield produced by supercritical fluid extraction. This study is beneficial for the further research operating on a large scale. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

Application of response surface methodology to optimise supercritical carbon dioxide extraction of essential oil from Cyperus rotundus Linn.

PubMed

Wang, Hongwu; Liu, Yanqing; Wei, Shoulian; Yan, Zijun

2012-05-01

Supercritical fluid extraction with carbon dioxide (SC-CO2 extraction) was performed to isolate essential oils from the rhizomes of Cyperus rotundus Linn. Effects of temperature, pressure, extraction time, and CO2 flow rate on the yield of essential oils were investigated by response surface methodology (RSM). The oil yield was represented by a second-order polynomial model using central composite rotatable design (CCRD). The oil yield increased significantly with pressure (p<0.0001) and CO2 flow rate (p<0.01). The maximum oil yield from the response surface equation was predicted to be 1.82% using an extraction temperature of 37.6°C, pressure of 294.4bar, extraction time of 119.8 min, and CO2 flow rate of 20.9L/h. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nominations sought for extractive industries committee

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Showstack, Randy

2012-08-01

U.S. secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced on 26 July the establishment of a national committee to guide U.S. implementation of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative. The Interior Department is seeking nominations of people interested in serving on the committee, which will be convened as a new federal advisory group. The initiative calls on governments to publicly disclose revenues from oil, gas, and mining assets and for companies to make disclosures about payments. U.S. president Barack Obama announced the commitment of the United States to participate in this initiative as part of the U.S. National Action Plan for the International Open Government Partnership.

Preventive dental management of osteonecrosis of the jaws related to zoledronic acid treatment.

PubMed

Coello-Suanzes, J A; Rollon-Ugalde, V; Castaño-Seiquer, A; Lledo-Villar, E; Herce-Lopez, J; Infante-Cossio, P; Rollon-Mayordomo, A

2018-02-07

To evaluate the effect of preventive dental management on reducing the incidence and delaying the onset of bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (BRONJ) in patients treated with intravenous zoledronic acid (ZA). This single-center clinical study included 255 cancer patients monitored over a 6-year period. Patients received dental treatment prior (Group A) or after (Group B) the initiation of ZA therapy. Dental treatments performed, incidence proportion (IP) and incidence rate (IR) in both groups were analyzed using significance tests. BRONJ onset were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier estimator and log-rank test. Independent risk factors to develop BRONJ were evaluated using Cox regression analysis models. 37 patients suffered from BRONJ (IP=14.5%), 7.3% in group A and 36.5% in group B (p=0.000). The IR was 0.007 patients/month in group B and 0.004 in group A. BRONJ free survival at 3 years were 97% in group A and 66% in group B. Survival curves were significant (p=0.056) according to log-rank test. Multivariate Cox models showed that dental extractions (p=0.000) were significant. BRONJ occurred significantly in patients who underwent dental extractions after the initiation of ZA and did not accomplish a preventive dental program. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

National Enforcement Initiative: Ensuring Energy Extraction Activities Comply with Environmental Laws

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This page describes energy extraction and EPA's goal in assuring that energy sources are developed in an environmentally protective manner. Both enforcement cases, and a map of enforcement actions are provided.

Data for free--can an electronic medical record provide outcome data for incontinence/prolapse repair procedures?

PubMed

Steidl, Matthew; Zimmern, Philippe

2013-01-01

We determined whether a custom computer program can improve the extraction and accuracy of key outcome measures from progress notes in an electronic medical record compared to a traditional data recording system for incontinence and prolapse repair procedures. Following institutional review board approval, progress notes were exported from the Epic electronic medical record system for outcome measure extraction by a custom computer program. The extracted data (D1) were compared against a manually maintained outcome measures database (D2). This work took place in 2 phases. During the first phase, volatile data such as questionnaires and standardized physical examination findings using the POP-Q (pelvic organ prolapse quantification) system were extracted from existing progress notes. The second phase used a progress note template incorporating key outcome measures to evaluate improvement in data accuracy and extraction rates. Phase 1 compared 6,625 individual outcome measures from 316 patients in D2 to 3,534 outcome measures extracted from progress notes in D1, resulting in an extraction rate of 53.3%. A subset of 3,763 outcome measures from D1 was created by excluding data that did not exist in the extraction, yielding an accuracy rate of 93.9%. With the use of the template in phase 2, the extraction rate improved to 91.9% (273 of 297) and the accuracy rate improved to 100% (273 of 273). In the field of incontinence and prolapse, the disciplined use of an electronic medical record template containing a preestablished set of key outcome measures can provide the ideal interface between required documentation and clinical research. Copyright © 2013 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Optimization of Polysaccharide Extraction from Spirodela polyrrhiza by Plackett-Burman Design Combined with Box-Behnken Response Surface Methodology].

PubMed

Jiang, Zheng; Wang, Hong; Wu, Qi-nan

2015-06-01

To optimize the processing of polysaccharide extraction from Spirodela polyrrhiza. Five factors related to extraction rate of polysaccharide were optimized by the Plackett-Burman design. Based on this study, three factors, including alcohol volume fraction, extraction temperature and ratio of material to liquid, were regarded as investigation factors by Box-Behnken response surface methodology. The effect order of three factors on the extraction rate of polysaccharide from Spirodela polyrrhiza were as follows: extraction temperature, alcohol volume fraction,ratio of material to liquid. According to Box-Behnken response, the best extraction conditions were: alcohol volume fraction of 81%, ratio of material to liquid of 1:42, extraction temperature of 100 degrees C, extraction time of 60 min for four times. Plackett-Burman design and Box-Behnken response surface methodology used to optimize the extraction process for the polysaccharide in this study is effective and stable.

Phytoavailability and extractability of copper and zinc in calcareous soil amended with composted urban wastes.

PubMed

Gallardo-Lara, F; Azcón, M; Quesada, J L; Polo, A

1999-11-01

A greenhouse experiment was conducted under simulated field conditions using large-capacity plastic pots, filled each one with 25 kg of air-dried calcareous soil. Besides the control, four treatments were prepared by applying separately two rates (20 and 80 Mg ha-1) of municipal solid waste (MSW) compost, and co-composted municipal solid waste and sewage sludge (MSW-SS). Lettuce was planted and harvested 2.5 months later. The application of composted urban wastes tended to increase Cu concentration in lettuce with respect to the control, but it was only significant when the higher rate of MSW compost was applied. The control showed values of Zn concentration in plant within a deficient range. In general, composted urban wastes treatments had increased Zn concentration values, which were within the sufficiency range. Both treatments with MSW compost increased Cu and Zn uptake in comparison with MSW-SS co-compost treatments. At the postharvest, all composted urban wastes treatments increased significantly DTPA-extractable Cu content in soil with respect to the control; it was also significant the increase in AAAc-EDTA-extractable Cu in soil produced by the addition of the higher rate of MSW compost. The application of composted urban wastes increased significantly DTPA-extractable and AAAc-EDTA-extractable Zn contents in soil versus the control, except for the lower rate of MSW-SS co-compost. The values of DTPA-extractable/total ratio for Cu and Zn were under 10%, except for the treatment applying the higher rate of MSW compost which promoted higher values. The values of AAAc-EDTA-extractable/total ratio for Cu were above 10% in all treatments including the control. This tendency was also observed in AAAc-EDTA-extractable/total ratio for Zn when applying both rates of MSW compost or the higher rate of MSW-SS co-compost.

Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-based quantification of steroidal glycoalkaloids from Solanum xanthocarpum and effect of different extraction methods on their content.

PubMed

Paul, Atish T; Vir, Sanjay; Bhutani, K K

2008-10-24

A new liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS)-based method coupled with pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) as an efficient sample preparation technique has been developed for the quantification and fingerprint analysis of Solanum xanthocarpum. Optimum separations of the samples were achieved on a Waters MSC-18 XTerra column, using 0.5% (v/v) formic acid in water (A) and acetonitrile (ACN):2-propanol:formic acid (94.5:5:0.5, v/v/v) (B) as mobile phase. The separation was carried out using linear gradient elution with a flow rate of 1.0mL/min. The gradient was: 0min, 20% B; 14min, 30% B; 20min, 30% B; 27min, 60% B and the column was re-equilibrated to the initial condition (20% B) for 10min prior to next injection. The steroidal glycoalkaloids (SGAs) which are the major active constituents were isolated as pure compounds from the crude methanolic extract of S. xanthocarpum by preparative LC-MS and after characterization were used as external standards for the development and validation of the method. Extracts prepared by conventional Soxhlet extraction, PLE and ultrasonication were used for analysis. The method was validated for repeatability, precision (intra- and inter-day variation), accuracy (recovery) and sensitivity (limit of detection and limit of quantitation). The purpose of the work was to develop a validated method, which can be used for the quantification of SGAs in commercialized S. xanthocarpum products and the fingerprint analysis for their routine quality control.

Delineation and Characterization of Furnace Brook Watershed in Marshfield, Massachusetts: A Study of Effects upon Conjunctive Water Use within a Watershed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Croll, E. D.; Enright, R.

2012-12-01

An understanding of conjunctive use between surface and ground water is essential to resource management both for sustained public use and watershed conservation practices. The Furnace Brook watershed in Marshfield, Massachusetts supplies a coastal community of 25,132 residents with nearly 50% of the town water supply. As with many other coastal communities, development pressure has increased creating a growing demand for freshwater extraction. It has been observed, however, that portions of the stream and Furnace Pond disappear entirely. This has created a conflict between protection of the designated wetland areas and meeting public pressure for water resources, even within what is traditionally viewed as a humid region. Questions have arisen as to whether the town water extraction is influencing this losing behavior by excessively lowering water-table elevations and potentially endangering the health of the stream. This study set out to initially characterize these behaviors and identify possible influences of anthropogenic and natural sources acting upon the watershed including stream flow obstructions, water extraction, and geologic conditions. The initial characterization was conducted utilizing simple, low-cost and minimally intrusive methods as outlined by Lee and Cherry (1978), Rosenberry and LaBaugh (2008) and others during a six week period. Five monitoring stations were established along a 3.0 mile reach of the basin consisting of mini-piezometers, seepage meters, survey elevation base-lines, and utilizing a Marsh-McBirney flow velocity meter. At each station stream discharge, seepage flux rates and hydraulic gradients were determined to develop trends of stream behavior. This methodology had the benefit of demonstrating the efficacy of an intrinsically low-expense, minimally intrusive initial approach to characterizing interactions between surface and ground water resources. The data was correlated with town pumping information, previous geologic surveys and meteorological data. Early data analysis indicated that the stream behaved in an anomalous manner decreasing in discharge with downstream flow despite normal precipitation inputs. The behavior within this particular watershed appeared to be influenced by four primary factors resulting in the stream "running dry" during the June-August period. These factors included: (1) A losing gradient induced by well pumping (2) Obstructions to stream flow reduced contribution from upper reaches to lower reaches (3) A highly anisotropic layer of lower conductivity material regulated infiltration rates and (4) Evapotranspiration effects are such that during this period the basin is in a deficit situation even without additional losses. Additionally, relationships between well pumping and decreasing discharge, seepage flux loss rates and hydraulic gradients have demonstrated that even within humid region watersheds it cannot be assumed aquifer recharge is sufficient to avoid conflict between surface water protection and ground water utilization. Timing of precipitation events combined with geological governance of aquifer recharge play critical roles in managing the conjunctive use of water resources and cannot be assumed to have a negligible effect, even within relatively humid regions.

Alteration of the fatty acid profile of Streptomyces coelicolor by replacement of the initiation enzyme 3-ketoacyl acyl carrier protein synthase III (FabH).

PubMed

Li, Yongli; Florova, Galina; Reynolds, Kevin A

2005-06-01

The first elongation step of fatty acid biosynthesis by a type II dissociated fatty acid synthases is catalyzed by 3-ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) synthase III (KASIII, FabH). This enzyme, encoded by the fabH gene, catalyzes a decarboxylative condensation between an acyl coenzyme A (CoA) primer and malonyl-ACP. In organisms such as Escherichia coli, which generate only straight-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), FabH has a substrate preference for acetyl-CoA. In streptomycetes and other organisms which produce a mixture of both SCFAs and branched-chain fatty acids (BCFAs), FabH has been shown to utilize straight- and branched-chain acyl-CoA substrates. We report herein the generation of a Streptomyces coelicolor mutant (YL/ecFabH) in which the chromosomal copy of the fabH gene has been replaced and the essential process of fatty acid biosynthesis is initiated by plasmid-based expression of the E. coli FabH (bearing only 35% amino acid identity to the Streptomyces enzyme). The YL/ecFabH mutant produces predominantly SCFAs (86%). In contrast, BCFAs predominate (approximately 70%) in both the S. coelicolor parental strain and S. coelicolor YL/sgFabH (a deltafabH mutant carrying a plasmid expressing the Streptomyces glaucescens FabH). These results provide the first unequivocal evidence that the substrate specificity of FabH observed in vitro is a determinant of the fatty acid made in an organism. The YL/ecFabH strain grows significantly slower on both solid and liquid media. The levels of FabH activity in cell extracts of YL/ecFabH were also significantly lower than those in cell extracts of YL/sgFabH, suggesting that a decreased rate of fatty acid synthesis may account for the observed decreased growth rate. The production of low levels of BCFAs in YL/ecFabH suggests either that the E. coli FabH is more tolerant of different acyl-CoAs substrates than previously thought or that there is an additional pathway for initiation of BCFA biosynthesis in Streptomyces coelicolor.

[Optimization for supercritical CO2 extraction with response surface methodology and component analysis of Sapindus mukorossi oil].

PubMed

Wu, Yan; Xiao, Xin-yu; Ge, Fa-huan

2012-02-01

To study the extraction conditions of Sapindus mukorossi oil by Supercritical CO2 Extraction and identify its components. Optimized SFE-CO2 Extraction by response surface methodology and used GC-MS to analysie Sapindus mukorossi oil compounds. Established the model of an equation for the extraction rate of Sapindus mukorossi oil by Supercritical CO2 Extraction, and the optimal parameters for the Supercritical CO2 Extraction determined by the equation were: the extraction pressure was 30 MPa, temperature was 40 degrees C; The separation I pressure was 14 MPa, temperature was 45 degrees C; The separation II pressure was 6 MPa, temperature was 40 degrees C; The extraction time was 60 min and the extraction rate of Sapindus mukorossi oil of 17.58%. 22 main compounds of Sapindus mukorossi oil extracted by supercritical CO2 were identified by GC-MS, unsaturated fatty acids were 86.59%. This process is reliable, safe and with simple operation, and can be used for the extraction of Sapindus mukorossi oil.

[Study on supercritical CO2 extraction of xiaoyaosan and its GC-MS fingerprint].

PubMed

Zuo, Ya-Mei; Tian, Jun-Sheng; Guo, Xiao-Qing; Zhou, Yu-Zhi; Gao, Xiao-Xia; Qin, Xue-Mei

2014-02-01

To determine the optimum conditions of supercritical CO2 extraction of Xiaoyaosan, and establish its fingerprint by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), the yield of extract were investigated, an orthogonal test was used to quantify the effects of extraction temperature, pressure, CO2 flow rate and time, and fingerprint analysis of different batches of extracts were by GC-MS. The optimal extraction conditions were determined as follows: extraction pressure 20 MPa, extraction temperature 50 degrees C, CO2 flow rate 25 kg x h(-1), extraction time 3 h, and average yield 2.2%. The GC-MS fingerprint was established and 27 common peaks were found, whose contents add up to 81.89% of the total peak area. Among them, 21 compounds were identified, accounting for 53.20% of the total extract. The extraction process is reasonable and favorable for industrial production. The GC-MS method is accurate, reliable, reproducible, and can be used for quality control of supercritical CO2 extract from Xiaoyaosan.

Synthesis and antimicrobial activity of palladium nanoparticles from Prunus × yedoensis leaf extract

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The eco-friendly production of palladium nanoparticles (PdNPs) by Prunus × yedoensis tree leaf extract was studied for the first time. Initial confirmation of PdNP production was confirmed by a color change from light yellow to dark brown. The optimization parameters show that pH 7, 8% leaf extract,...

A hollow-fiber membrane extraction process for recovery and separation of lactic acid from aqueous solution.

PubMed

Huang, Hanjing; Yang, Shang-Tian; Ramey, David E

2004-01-01

An energy-efficient hollow-fiber membrane extraction process was successfully developed to separate and recover lactic acid produced in fermentation. Although many fermentation processes have been developed for lactic acid production, an economical method for lactic acid recovery from the fermentation broth is still needed. Continuous extraction of lactic acid from a simulated aqueous stream was achieved by using Alamine 336 in 2-octanol contained in a hollow-fiber membrane extractor. In this process, the extractant was simultaneously regenerated by stripping with NaOH in a second membrane extractor, and the final product is a concentrated lactate salt solution. The extraction rate increased linearly with an increase in the Alamine 336 content in the solvent (from 5 to 40%). Increasing the concentration of the undissociated lactic acid in the feed solution by either increasing the lactate concentration (from 5 to 40 g/L) or decreasing the solution pH (from 5.0 to 4.0) also increased the extraction rate. Based on these observations, a reactive extraction model with a first-order reaction mechanism for both lactic acid and amine concentrations was proposed. The extraction rate also increased with an increase in the feed flow rate, but not the flow rates of solvent and the stripping solution, suggesting that the process was not limited by diffusion in the liquid films or membrane pores. A mathematical model considering both diffusion and chemical reaction in the extractor and back extractor was developed to simulate the process. The model fits the experimental data well and can be used in scale up design of the process.

Separation of Gadolinium (Gd) using Synergic Solvent Mixed Topo-D2EHPA with Extraction Method.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Effendy, N.; Basuki, K. T.; Biyantoro, D.; Perwira, N. K.

2018-04-01

The main problem to obtain Gd with high purity is the similarity of chemical properties and physical properties with the other rare earth elements (REE) such as Y and Dy, it is necessary to do separation by the extraction process. The purpose of this research to determine the best solvent type, amount of solvent, feed and solvent ratio in the Gd extraction process, to determine the rate order and the value of the rate constant of Gd concentration based on experimental data of aqueous phase concentration as a function of time and to know the effect of temperature on the reaction speed constant. This research was conducted on variation of solvent, amount of solvent, feed and solvent ratio in the extraction process of Gd separation, extraction time to determine the order value and the rate constant of Gd concentration in extraction process based on the aqueous phase concentration data as a function of time, to the rate constant of decreasing concentration of Gd. Based on the calculation results, the solvent composition was obtained with the best feed to separate the rare earth elements Gd in the extraction process is 1 : 4 with 15% concentration of TOPO and 10% concentration of D2EHPA. The separation process of Gd using extraction method by solvent TOPO-D2EHPA 2 : 1 comparison is better than single solvent D2EHPA / TOPO because of the synergistic effect. The rate order of separation process of Gd follows order 1. The Arrhenius Gd equation becomes k = 1.46 x 10-7 exp (-6.96 kcal / mol / RT).

Comparison of salting-out and sugaring-out liquid-liquid extraction methods for the partition of 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid in royal jelly and their co-extracted protein content.

PubMed

Tu, Xijuan; Sun, Fanyi; Wu, Siyuan; Liu, Weiyi; Gao, Zhaosheng; Huang, Shaokang; Chen, Wenbin

2018-01-15

Homogeneous liquid-liquid extraction (h-LLE) has been receiving considerable attention as a sample preparation method due to its simple and fast partition of compounds with a wide range of polarities. To better understand the differences between the two h-LLE extraction approaches, salting-out assisted liquid-liquid extraction (SALLE) and sugaring-out assisted liquid-liquid extraction (SULLE), have been compared for the partition of 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid (10-HDA) from royal jelly, and for the co-extraction of proteins. Effects of the amount of phase partition agents and the concentration of acetonitrile (ACN) on the h-LLE were discussed. Results showed that partition efficiency of 10-HDA depends on the phase ratio in both SALLE and SULLE. Though the partition triggered by NaCl and glucose is less efficient than MgSO 4 in the 50% (v/v) ACN-water mixture, their extraction yields can be improved to be similar with that in MgSO 4 SALLE by increasing the initial concentration of ACN in the ACN-water mixture. The content of co-extracted protein was correlated with water concentration in the obtained upper phase. MgSO 4 showed the largest protein co-extraction at the low concentration of salt. Glucose exhibited a large protein co-extraction in the high phase ratio condition. Furthermore, NaCl with high initial ACN concentration is recommended because it produced high extraction yield for 10-HDA and the lowest amount of co-extracted protein. These observations would be valuable for the sample preparation of royal jelly. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Effect of Initial Irrigation Conditions on Heap Leaching Efficiency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Briseño Arellano, A. D.; Milczarek, M.; Yao, M.; Brusseau, M. L. L.

2017-12-01

Heap leaching is an unsaturated flow metal recovery process, in which mined ore is irrigated with a lixiviant to dissolve metal contained in the ore. The metal is then extracted from solution. Large scale operations involve stacking ore to depths of 6 to 18 meters on pads that may be hundreds of hectares in area. Heterogeneities within the stacked ore can lead to uneven wetting and the formation of preferential flow pathways, which reduces solution contact and lowers metal recovery. Furthermore, mineral dissolution can cause alteration of the porous media structure and loss of ore permeability. Many mine operators believe that slow initial irrigation rates help minimize permeability loss and increase metal recovery rates. However, this phenomenon has not been studied in detail. Experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of varying initial irrigation rates on leach ore stability. These were conducted with large columns (1.5 m high, 0.5 m in diameter) packed with crushed ore samples that are known to have permeability constraints. The columns were highly instrumented to assess potential changes in material properties both spatially and temporally. Water content was measured with three different methods: capacitance soil moisture sensors placed at 20-cm intervals; a neutron probe to periodically log every 30 cm from four different directions; and electrical resistivity sensors to create a 2-dimensional tomography profile of water content over time. Tensiometers were paired with the soil moisture sensors to measure matric suction and characterize moisture retention characteristics. A non-reactive tracer was used to characterize advective-dispersive transport under unsaturated conditions. A dye solution was introduced at the end of each experiment to map preferential pathways. Continuous monitoring of settling at the surface assisted in measuring consolidation and loss in permeability.

Comparative uptake of plutonium from soils by Brassica juncea and Helianthus annuus.

PubMed

Lee, J H; Hossner, L R; Attrep, M; Kung, K S

2002-01-01

Plutonium uptake by Brassica juncea (Indian mustard) and Helianthus annuus (sunflower) from soils with varying chemical composition and contaminated with Pu complexes (Pu-nitrate [239Pu(NO3)4], Pu-citrate [239Pu(C6H5O7)], and Pu-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (Pu-DTPA [239Pu-C14H23O10N3]) was investigated. Sequential extraction of soils incubated with applied Pu was used to determine the distribution of Pu in the various soil fractions. The initial Pu activity levels in soils were 44.40-231.25 Bq g(-1) as Pu-nitrate Pu-citrate, or Pu-DTPA. A difference in Pu uptake between treatments of Pu-nitrate and Pu-citrate without chelating agent was observed only with Indian mustard in acidic Crowley soil. The uptake of Pu by plants was increased with increasing DTPA rates, however, the Pu concentration of plants was not proportionally increased with increasing application rate of Pu to soil. Plutonium uptake from Pu-DTPA was significantly higher from the acid Crowley soil than from the calcareous Weswood soil. The uptake of Pu from the soils was higher in Indian mustard than in sunflower. Sequential extraction of Pu showed that the ion-exchangeable Pu fraction in soils was dramatically increased with DTPA treatment and decreased with time of incubation. Extractability of Pu in all fractions was not different when Pu-nitrate and Pu-citrate were applied to the same soil. More Pu was associated with the residual Pu fraction without DTPA application. Consistent trends with time of incubation for other fractions were not apparent. The ion-exchangeable fraction, assumed as plant-available Pu, was significantly higher in acid soil compared with calcareous soil with or without DTPA treatment. When the calcareous soil was treated with DTPA, the ion-exchangeable Pu was comparatively less influenced. This fraction in the soil was more affected with time of incubation. The lowest extractable Pu was from a pH 6.55 Crockett soil that contained the highest clay compared to the other two soils. Extractable soil Pu was largely affected by soil pH and the amounts of clay, salt, metal oxide, and carbonate.

Secure uniform random-number extraction via incoherent strategies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayashi, Masahito; Zhu, Huangjun

2018-01-01

To guarantee the security of uniform random numbers generated by a quantum random-number generator, we study secure extraction of uniform random numbers when the environment of a given quantum state is controlled by the third party, the eavesdropper. Here we restrict our operations to incoherent strategies that are composed of the measurement on the computational basis and incoherent operations (or incoherence-preserving operations). We show that the maximum secure extraction rate is equal to the relative entropy of coherence. By contrast, the coherence of formation gives the extraction rate when a certain constraint is imposed on the eavesdropper's operations. The condition under which the two extraction rates coincide is then determined. Furthermore, we find that the exponential decreasing rate of the leaked information is characterized by Rényi relative entropies of coherence. These results clarify the power of incoherent strategies in random-number generation, and can be applied to guarantee the quality of random numbers generated by a quantum random-number generator.

Cinnamon Bark, Water Soluble Cinnamon Extract, and Metformin as Initial Treatment for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Randomized, Controlled Trial

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-12-14

REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE Form ApprovedOMB No. 0704-0188 1 . REPORT DATE (DD-MM-YYYY) 2. REPORT TYPE 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 6...estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the...Cinnamon Extract, and Metformin as Initial Treatment for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Randomized, Controlled Trial. Paul Crawford, MD Clinical Investigation

Supercritical CO2 Extraction of Lavandula angustifolia Mill. Flowers: Optimisation of Oxygenated Monoterpenes, Coumarin and Herniarin Content.

PubMed

Jerković, Igor; Molnar, Maja; Vidović, Senka; Vladić, Jelena; Jokić, Stela

2017-11-01

Lavandula angustifolia is good source of oxygenated monoterpenes containing coumarins as well, which are all soluble in supercritical CO 2 (SC-CO 2 ). The study objective is to investigate SC-CO 2 extraction parameters on: the total yield; GC-MS profile of the extracts; relative content of oxygenated monoterpenes; the amount of coumarin and herniarin; and to determine optimal SC-CO 2 extraction conditions by response surface methodology (RSM). SC-CO 2 extraction was performed under different pressure, temperature and CO 2 flow rate determined by Box-Behnken design (BBD). The sample mass and the extraction time were kept constant. The chemical profiles and relative content of oxygenated monoterpenes (as coumarin equivalents, CE) were determined by GC-MS. Coumarin and herniarin concentrations were dosed by HPLC. SC-CO 2 extracts contained linalool (57.4-217.9 mg CE/100 g), camphor (10.6-154.4 mg CE/100 g), borneol (6.2-99.9 mg CE/100 g), 1,8-cineole (5.0-70.4 mg CE/100 g), linalyl acetate (86.1-267.9 mg CE/100 g), coumarin (0.95-18.16 mg/100 g), and herniarin (0.95-13.63 mg/100 g). The interaction between the pressure and CO 2 flow rate as well as between the temperature and CO 2 flow rate showed statistically significant influence on the extraction yield. Applying BBD, the optimum extraction conditions for higher monoterpenes and lower coumarin content were at 10 MPa, 41°C and CO 2 flow rate 2.3 kg/h, and at 30 MPa, 50°C and CO 2 flow rate 3 kg/h for higher monoterpenes and coumarin content. SC-CO 2 extraction is a viable technique for obtaining lavender extracts with desirable flavour components. The second-order model based on BBD predicts the results for SC-CO 2 extraction quite satisfactorily. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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

DOE PAGES

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

2014-12-31

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

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

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

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

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

Validation of heart rate extraction through an iPhone accelerometer.

PubMed

Kwon, Sungjun; Lee, Jeongsu; Chung, Gih Sung; Park, Kwang Suk

2011-01-01

Ubiquitous medical technology may provide advanced utility for evaluating the status of the patient beyond the clinical environment. The iPhone provides the capacity to measure the heart rate, as the iPhone consists of a 3-axis accelerometer that is sufficiently sensitive to perceive tiny body movements caused by heart pumping. In this preliminary study, an iPhone was tested and evaluated as the reliable heart rate extractor to use for medical purpose by comparing with reference electrocardiogram. By comparing the extracted heart rate from acquired acceleration data with the extracted one from ECG reference signal, iPhone functioning as the reliable heart rate extractor has demonstrated sufficient accuracy and consistency.

An Optimized Handover Scheme with Movement Trend Awareness for Body Sensor Networks

PubMed Central

Sun, Wen; Zhang, Zhiqiang; Ji, Lianying; Wong, Wai-Choong

2013-01-01

When a body sensor network (BSN) that is linked to the backbone via a wireless network interface moves from one coverage zone to another, a handover is required to maintain network connectivity. This paper presents an optimized handover scheme with movement trend awareness for BSNs. The proposed scheme predicts the future position of a BSN user using the movement trend extracted from the historical position, and adjusts the handover decision accordingly. Handover initiation time is optimized when the unnecessary handover rate is estimated to meet the requirement and the outage probability is minimized. The proposed handover scheme is simulated in a BSN deployment area in a hospital environment in UK. Simulation results show that the proposed scheme reduces the outage probability by 22% as compared with the existing hysteresis-based handover scheme under the constraint of acceptable handover rate. PMID:23736852

14C BOMB-PULSE DATING AND STABLE ISOTOPE ANALYSIS FOR GROWTH RATE AND DIETARY INFORMATION IN BREAST CANCER?

PubMed Central

Lång, K.; Eriksson Stenström, K.; Rosso, A.; Bech, M.; Zackrisson, S.; Graubau, D.; Mattsson, S.

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to perform an initial investigation of the possibility to determine breast cancer growth rate with 14C bomb-pulse dating. Tissues from 11 breast cancers, diagnosed in 1983, were retrieved from a regional biobank. The estimated average age of the majority of the samples overlapped the year of collection (1983) within 3σ. Thus, this first study of tumour tissue has not yet demonstrated that 14C bomb-pulse dating can obtain information on the growth of breast cancer. However, with further refinement, involving extraction of cell types and components, there is a possibility that fundamental knowledge of tumour biology might still be gained by the bomb-pulse technique. Additionally, δ 13C and δ 15N analyses were performed to obtain dietary and metabolic information, and to serve as a base for improvement of the age determination. PMID:27179119

Accidental Turbulent Discharge Rate Estimation from Videos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ibarra, Eric; Shaffer, Franklin; Savaş, Ömer

2015-11-01

A technique to estimate the volumetric discharge rate in accidental oil releases using high speed video streams is described. The essence of the method is similar to PIV processing, however the cross correlation is carried out on the visible features of the efflux, which are usually turbulent, opaque and immiscible. The key step in the process is to perform a pixelwise time filtering on the video stream, in which the parameters are commensurate with the scales of the large eddies. The velocity field extracted from the shell of visible features is then used to construct an approximate velocity profile within the discharge. The technique has been tested on laboratory experiments using both water and oil jets at Re ~105 . The technique is accurate to 20%, which is sufficient for initial responders to deploy adequate resources for containment. The software package requires minimal user input and is intended for deployment on an ROV in the field. Supported by DOI via NETL.

Homogenization-assisted cavitation hybrid rotation extraction and macroporous resin enrichment of dihydroquercetin from Larix gmelinii.

PubMed

Xia, Yu; Wang, Yinhang; Li, Wei; Ma, Chunhui; Liu, Shouxin

2017-12-01

Cavitation hybrid rotation, which was and is still looked upon as an unavoidable nuisance in the flow systems, for extraction processing intensification of active chemical compounds from natural products. In this study, a homogenization-assisted cavitation hybrid rotation extraction method was applied to extract dihydroquercetin (DHQ) from larch (Larix gmelinii) wood root. The extraction parameters were optimized in single factor experiments with the DHQ extraction yields as the response values. The optimum conditions were as follows: number of extractions, three; ethanol volume fraction for the extraction, 60%; liquid-solid ratio for homogenization, 10mL/g; homogenization time, 8min; liquid-solid ratio for cavitation extraction, 9mL/g, and cavitation extraction time, 35min. Under these conditions, the DHQ content in extract was 4.50±0.02mg/g, and the extraction efficiency was higher than those of traditional techniques. Cavitation can be effectively used to improve the extraction rate by increasing the mass transfer rates and possible rupture of cell wall due to formation of microcavities leading to higher product yields with reduced processing time and solvent consumption. After the extraction process, macroporous resin column chromatography was used to concentrate and purify the DHQ. Three resins were selected from fifteen macroporous resins for further investigation of their performance. Among these resins, AB-8 resin exhibited relatively better adsorption capacities and desorption ratios for DHQ. The ethanol volume fraction of the solutions for sample loading and desorption, and flow rates for loading and desorption were optimized for the macroporous resin column chromatography. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Optimization of culture conditions and medium composition for the marine algicidal bacterium Alteromonas sp. DH46 by uniform design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Jing; Zheng, Wei; Tian, Yun; Wang, Guizhong; Zheng, Tianling

2013-09-01

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) have led to extensive ecological and environmental issues and huge economic losses. Various HAB control techniques have been developed, and biological methods have been paid more attention. Algicidal bacteria is a general designation for bacteria which inhibit algal growth in a direct or indirect manner, and kill or damage the algal cells. A metabolite which is strongly toxic to the dinoflagellate Alexandrium tamarense was produced by strain DH46 of the alga-lysing bacterium Alteromonas sp. The culture conditions were optimized using a single-factor test method. Factors including carbon source, nitrogen source, temperature, initial pH value, rotational speed and salinity were studied. The results showed that the cultivation of the bacteria at 28°C and 180 r min-1 with initial pH 7 and 30 salt contcentration favored both the cell growth and the lysing effect of strain DH46. The optimal medium composition for strain DH46 was determined by means of uniform design experimentation, and the most important components influencing the cell density were tryptone, yeast extract, soluble starch, NaNO3 and MgSO4. When the following culture medium was used (tryptone 14.0g, yeast extract 1.63g, soluble starch 5.0 g, NaNO3 1.6 g, MgSO4 2.3 g in 1L), the largest bacterial dry weight (7.36 g L-1) was obtained, which was an enhancement of 107% compared to the initial medium; and the algal lysis rate was as high as 98.4% which increased nearly 10% after optimization.

Preparation of ionic liquid modified magnetic metal-organic frameworks composites for the solid-phase extraction of α-chymotrypsin.

PubMed

Wei, Xiaoxiao; Wang, Yuzhi; Chen, Jing; Xu, Panli; Zhou, Yigang

2018-05-15

A novel magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) method based on 1-hexyl-3-methyl imidazolium chloride ionic liquid (IL) modified magnetic Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles, hydroxylated multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs-OH) and zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) nanocomposites (Fe 3 O 4 -MWCNTs-OH@ZIF-67@IL) were proposed and applied to extract α-chymotrypsin. The magnetic materials were synthesized successfully and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FT-IR), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and zeta potentials. Subsequently, the UV-vis spectrophotometer at about 280 nm was utilized to quantitatively analyze the α-chymotrypsin concentration in the supernatant. Furthermore, single factor experiments revealed that the extraction capacity was influenced by initial α-chymotrypsin concentration, ionic strength, extraction time, extraction temperature and pH value. The extraction capacity could reach up to about 635 mg g -1 under the optimized conditions, absolutely higher than that of extraction for Ovalbumin (OVA), Bovine serum albumin (BSA) and Bovine hemoglobin (BHb). In addition, the regeneration studies showed Fe 3 O 4 -MWCNTs-OH@ZIF-67@IL particles could be reused several times and kept a high extraction capacity. Besides, the study of enzymatic activity also indicated that the activity of the extracted α-chymotrypsin was well maintained 93% of initial activity. What's more, the proposed method was successfully applied to extract α-chymotrypsin in porcine pancreas crude extract with satisfactory results. All of above conclusions highlight the great potential of the proposed Fe 3 O 4 -MWCNTs-OH@ZIF-67@IL-MSPE method in the analysis of biomolecules. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Development and initial validation of a content taxonomy for patient records in general dentistry

PubMed Central

Acharya, Amit; Hernandez, Pedro; Thyvalikakath, Thankam; Ye, Harold; Song, Mei; Schleyer, Titus

2013-01-01

Objective Develop and validate an initial content taxonomy for patient records in general dentistry. Methods Phase 1–Obtain 95 de-identified patient records from 11 general dentists in the United States. Phase 2–Extract individual data fields (information items), both explicit (labeled) and implicit (unlabeled), from records, and organize into categories mirroring original field context. Phase 3–Refine raw list of information items by eliminating duplicates/redundancies and focusing on general dentistry. Phase 4–Validate all items regarding inclusion and importance using a two-round Delphi study with a panel of 22 general dentists active in clinical practice, education, and research. Results Analysis of 76 patient records from 9 dentists, combined with previous work, yielded a raw list of 1,509 information items. Refinement reduced this list to 1,107 items, subsequently rated by the Delphi panel. The final model contained 870 items, with 761 (88%) rated as mandatory. In Round 1, 95% (825) of the final items were accepted, in Round 2 the remaining 5% (45). Only 45 items on the initial list were rejected and 192 (or 17%) remained equivocal. Conclusion Grounded in the reality of clinical practice, our proposed content taxonomy represents a significant advance over existing guidelines and standards by providing a granular and comprehensive information representation for general dental patient records. It offers a significant foundational asset for implementing an interoperable health information technology infrastructure for general dentistry. PMID:23838618

Plant and metagenomic DNA extraction of mucilaginous seeds.

PubMed

Ramos, Simone N M; Salazar, Marcela M; Pereira, Gonçalo A G; Efraim, Priscilla

2014-01-01

The pulp surrounding the seeds of some fruits is rich in mucilage, carbohydrates, etc. Some seeds are rich in proteins and polyphenols. Fruit seeds, like cacao (Theobroma cacao) and cupuassu (Theobroma grandiflorum), are subjected to fermentation to develop flavor. During fermentation, ethanol is produced [2-6]. All of these compounds are considered as interfering substances that hinder the DNA extraction [4-8]. Protocols commonly used in the DNA extraction in samples of plant origin were used, but without success. Thus, a protocol for DNA samples under different conditions that can be used for similar samples was developed and applied with success. The protocol initially described for RNA samples by Zeng et al. [9] and with changes proposed by Provost et al. [5] was adapted for extracting DNA samples from those described. However, several modifications have been proposed:•Samples were initially washed with petroleum ether for fat phase removal.•RNAse was added to the extraction buffer, while spermidin was removed.•Additional steps of extraction with 5 M NaCl, saturated NaCl and CTAB (10%) were included and precipitation was carried out with isopropanol, followed by washing with ethanol.

Plant and metagenomic DNA extraction of mucilaginous seeds

PubMed Central

Ramos, Simone N.M.; Salazar, Marcela M.; Pereira, Gonçalo A.G.; Efraim, Priscilla

2014-01-01

The pulp surrounding the seeds of some fruits is rich in mucilage, carbohydrates, etc. Some seeds are rich in proteins and polyphenols. Fruit seeds, like cacao (Theobroma cacao) and cupuassu (Theobroma grandiflorum), are subjected to fermentation to develop flavor. During fermentation, ethanol is produced [2–6]. All of these compounds are considered as interfering substances that hinder the DNA extraction [4–8]. Protocols commonly used in the DNA extraction in samples of plant origin were used, but without success. Thus, a protocol for DNA samples under different conditions that can be used for similar samples was developed and applied with success. The protocol initially described for RNA samples by Zeng et al. [9] and with changes proposed by Provost et al. [5] was adapted for extracting DNA samples from those described. However, several modifications have been proposed:•Samples were initially washed with petroleum ether for fat phase removal.•RNAse was added to the extraction buffer, while spermidin was removed.•Additional steps of extraction with 5 M NaCl, saturated NaCl and CTAB (10%) were included and precipitation was carried out with isopropanol, followed by washing with ethanol. PMID:26150956

Adaptive management for subsurface pressure and plume control in application to geological CO2 storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonzalez-Nicolas, A.; Cihan, A.; Birkholzer, J. T.; Petrusak, R.; Zhou, Q.; Riestenberg, D. E.; Trautz, R. C.; Godec, M.

2016-12-01

Industrial-scale injection of CO2 into the subsurface can cause reservoir pressure increases that must be properly controlled to prevent any potential environmental impact. Excessive pressure buildup in reservoir may result in ground water contamination stemming from leakage through conductive pathways, such as improperly plugged abandoned wells or distant faults, and the potential for fault reactivation and possibly seal breaching. Brine extraction is a viable approach for managing formation pressure, effective stress, and plume movement during industrial-scale CO2 injection projects. The main objectives of this study are to investigate suitable different pressure management strategies involving active brine extraction and passive pressure relief wells. Adaptive optimized management of CO2 storage projects utilizes the advanced automated optimization algorithms and suitable process models. The adaptive management integrates monitoring, forward modeling, inversion modeling and optimization through an iterative process. In this study, we employ an adaptive framework to understand primarily the effects of initial site characterization and frequency of the model update (calibration) and optimization calculations for controlling extraction rates based on the monitoring data on the accuracy and the success of the management without violating pressure buildup constraints in the subsurface reservoir system. We will present results of applying the adaptive framework to test appropriateness of different management strategies for a realistic field injection project.

Fast chemical and isotopic exchange of nitrogen during reaction with hot molybdenum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yokochi, Reika; Marty, Bernard

2006-07-01

Molybdenum crucibles are commonly used to extract nitrogen from geological samples by induction heating. Because nitrogen is known to be reactive with certain metals (e.g., Ti and Fe), we have tested the reactivity of gaseous nitrogen with a Mo crucible held at 1800°C. The consumption of nitrogen, determined by monitoring the N2/40Ar ratio of the gas phase, varied between 25 and 100%, depending on the reaction duration. Nitrogen of the reacted gas was found to be systematically enriched in 15N relative to 14N by 10‰ compared to the initial isotopic composition, without any correlation with nitrogen consumption. We propose that a rapid isotopic exchange occurs between nitrogen originally trapped in the crucible and nitrogen from the gas phase, which modifies the isotopic composition of the reacted gas. This process can significantly bias the isotopic determination of nitrogen in rocks and minerals when a Mo furnace is used for gas extraction. Meanwhile, the rate of N-Mo chemical bonding may be controlled by the formation of nitride (rather than solid solution), a process slower than the isotopic exchange. The use of a Mo furnace for the extraction of trace nitrogen from rocks and minerals should therefore be avoided.

Molecularly imprinted polymer cartridges coupled to high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC-UV) for simple and rapid analysis of fenthion in olive oil.

PubMed

Bakas, Idriss; Ben Oujji, Najwa; Istamboulié, Georges; Piletsky, Sergey; Piletska, Elena; Ait-Addi, Elhabib; Ait-Ichou, Ihya; Noguer, Thierry; Rouillon, Régis

2014-07-01

A combination of molecular modelling and a screening of the library of non-imprinted polymers (NIPs) was used to identify acrylamide as a functional monomer with high affinity towards fenthion, organophosphate insecticide, which is frequently used in the treatment of olives. A good correlation was found between the screening tests and modelling of monomer-template interactions performed using a computational approach. Acrylamide-based molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) and non-imprinted polymer (NIP) were thermally synthesised in dimethyl formamide (porogen) using ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as a cross-linker and 1,1-azo-bis (isobutyronitrile) as an initiator. The chemical and physical properties of the prepared polymers were characterised. The binding of fenthion by the polymers was studied using solvents with different polarities. The developed MIP showed a high selectivity towards fenthion, compared to other organophosphates (dimethoate, methidathion malalthion), and allowed extraction of fenthion from olive oil samples with a recovery rate of about 96%. The extraction of fenthion using MIPs was much more effective than traditional C18 reverse-phase solid phase extraction and allowed to achieve a low detection limit (LOD) (5 µg L(-1)). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of Andrographis paniculata leaf extract on wound healing in rats.

PubMed

Al-Bayaty, Fouad Hussain; Abdulla, Mahmood Ameen; Abu Hassan, Mohamed Ibrahim; Ali, Hapipah Mohd

2012-01-01

This work was carried out to study the effect of topical application of Andrographis paniculata on the rate of wound enclosure and its histological features. A wound was created in four groups of rat in posterior neck region. Blank placebo was applied topically to the wounds of Group 1. Groups 2 and 3 were dressed with placebo containing 5% and 10% extracts of A. paniculata, respectively. Intrasite gel was applied topically to the wounds of Group 4. Macroscopical examination revealed that the rate of wound healing was significantly accelerated in the wound dressed with A. paniculata extract compared to the blank placebo. The wounds dressed with 10% extract or Intrasite gel healed earlier compared to the wounds dressed with placebo containing 5% A. paniculata extract. Histologically, wounds dressed with A. paniculata extracts showed markedly less scar width and contained large amounts of fibroblast proliferation. More collagen and less angiogenesis with absence of inflammatory cells were seen for wounds dressed with 10% A. paniculata compared to the blank placebo. Conclusion, A. paniculata extracts significantly enhanced rate of wound healing in rats.

Periodontal and endodontic pathology delays extraction socket healing in a canine model

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Purpose The aim of the present exploratory study was to evaluate extraction socket healing at sites with a history of periodontal and endodontic pathology. Methods The mandibular 4th premolar teeth in 5 adult beagle dogs served as experimental units. Periodontal and endodontic lesions were induced in 1 premolar site in each animal using wire ligatures and pulpal exposure over 3 months (diseased sites). The contralateral premolar sites served as healthy controls. The mandibular 4th premolar teeth were then extracted with minimal trauma, followed by careful wound debridement. The animals were sacrificed at days 1, 7, 30, 60, and 90 post-extraction for analysis, and the healing patterns at the healthy and diseased extraction sites were compared using radiography, scanning electron microscopy, histology, and histometry. Results During the first 7 days of healing, a significant presence of inflammatory granulation tissue was noted at the diseased sites (day 1), along with a slightly accelerated rate of fibrin clot resolution on day 7. On day 30, the diseased extraction sites showed a greater percentage of persistent fibrous connective tissue, and an absence of bone marrow formation. In contrast, healthy sites showed initial signs of bone marrow formation on day 30, and subsequently a significantly greater proportion of mature bone marrow formation on both days 60 and 90. Radiographs exhibited sclerotic changes adjoining apical endodontic lesions, with scanning electron microscopy showing collapsed Volkmann canals protruding from these regions in the diseased sites. Furthermore, periodontal ligament fibers exhibited a parallel orientation to the alveolar walls of the diseased sites, in contrast to a perpendicular arrangement in the healthy sites. Conclusions Within the limitations of this study, it appears that a history of periodontal and endodontic pathology may critically affect bone formation and maturation, leading to delayed and compromised extraction socket healing. PMID:28680710

Effects of high-pressure process on kinetics of leaching oil from soybean powder using hexane in batch systems.

PubMed

Uhm, Joo Tae; Yoon, Won Byong

2011-08-01

Mass transfer models of leaching oil from soybean (Glycine max) flour with hexane after high-pressure process (HPP) treatment were developed. High pressure (450 MPa) was applied to the soybean flour (mean diameter of flour particle: 365 μm) for 30 min before leaching the oil components in the solvent. The ratio of solvent (volume, mL) to soybean flour (mass, g), such as 1:10 and 1:20, was employed to characterize the effect of solvent ratio on the leaching rate in the batch type of extraction process. Ultraviolet absorbance at 300 nm was used to monitor the extraction rate. Saturation solubility (C(AS)) was determined to be 21.73 kg/m³. The mass transfer coefficients (k) were determined based on the 1st- and 2nd-order kinetic models. The 2nd kinetic model showed better fit. The HPP treatment showed a higher extraction rate and yield compared to the control, while the amount of solvent did not affect the extraction rate and yield. The scanning electron microscope showed that HPP-treated soybean particles included more pores than the untreated. The pores observed in the HPP-treated soybean flours might help increase the mass transfer rate of solvent and solute in the solid matrix. High-pressure processing can help increase the extraction rate of oil from the soybean flour operated in batch systems. The conventional solid to solvent ratio (1:20) used to extract oil composition from the plant seed did not help increase the amount of oil extracted from the soybean flour. © 2011 Institute of Food Technologists®

Extraction of astaxanthin from Euphausia pacific using subcritical 1, 1, 1, 2-tetrafluoroethane

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Yuqian; Ma, Qinchuan; Wang, Lan; Xue, Changhu

2012-12-01

Euphausia pacific is an important source of natural astaxanthin. Studies were carried out to assess the extractability of astaxanthin from E. pacific using subcritical 1, 1, 1, 2-tetrafluoroethane (R134a). To examine the effects of multiple process variables on the extraction yield, astaxanthin was extracted under various conditions of pressure (30-150 bar), temperature (303-343 K), time (10-50 min), flow rate (2-10 g min-1), moisture content (5.5%-63.61%), and particle size (0.25-0.109 mm). The results showed that the extraction yield increased with temperature, pressure, time and flow rate, but decreased with moisture content and particle size. A maximum yield of 87.74% was obtained under conditions of 100 bar, 333 K, and 30 min with a flow rate of 6 g min-1 and a moisture content of 5.5%. The substantial astaxanthin yield obtained under low-pressure conditions demonstrates that subcritical R134a is a good alternative to CO2 for extraction of astaxanthin from E. pacific.

[Allelopathic interactions between invasive plant Solidago canadensis and native plant Phragmites australis].

PubMed

Li, Yu-Zhe; Fan, Jiang-Wen; Yin, Xin; Yang, En-Yi; Wei, Wei; Tian, Zhi-Hui; Da, Liang-Jun

2011-05-01

Taking the seeds of invasive plant Solidago canadensis and native plant Phragmites australis from their mono- and co-dominant communities as allelopathic acceptors, this paper analyzed the differences in the seed germination rate and sprout length after treated with five level (12.5, 25, 50, 100, and 200 mg x mL(-1)) S. canadensis and P. australis extracts, aimed to understand the allelopathic interactions between the two species. The 1000-grain weight and seed germination rate under distilled water treatment of the two species in co-dominated community were greater than those in mono-dominant community. Low level (12.5 and 25 mg x mL(-1)) S. canadensi extracts slightly promoted the seed germination rates of S. canadensis in both mono- and co-dominant communities, but high level (50, 100, and 200 mg x mL(-1)) S. canadensi extracts had strong inhibition effect, especially for the S. canadensis in co-dominated community. No significant patterns were observed about the effects of P. australis extract on S. canadensis seed germination. The sprout length of S. canadensis seeds in both mono- and co-dominant communities decreased with increasing level of S. canadensis extract, but decreased in a fluctuation way with increasing level of P. australis extract. After treated with the extracts of P. australis or S. canadensis, the seed germination rate of P. australis in mono-dominant community was significantly greater than that in co-dominant community (P < 0.05), but there was no significant difference between these two extracts.

Pore-water extraction from unsaturated tuff by triaxial and one-dimensional compression methods, Nevada Test Site, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mower, Timothy E.; Higgins, Jerry D.; Yang, In C.; Peters, Charles A.

1994-01-01

Study of the hydrologic system at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, requires the extraction of pore-water samples from welded and nonwelded, unsaturated tuffs. Two compression methods (triaxial compression and one-dimensional compression) were examined to develop a repeatable extraction technique and to investigate the effects of the extraction method on the original pore-fluid composition. A commercially available triaxial cell was modified to collect pore water expelled from tuff cores. The triaxial cell applied a maximum axial stress of 193 MPa and a maximum confining stress of 68 MPa. Results obtained from triaxial compression testing indicated that pore-water samples could be obtained from nonwelded tuff cores that had initial moisture contents as small as 13 percent (by weight of dry soil). Injection of nitrogen gas while the test core was held at the maximum axial stress caused expulsion of additional pore water and reduced the required initial moisture content from 13 to 11 percent. Experimental calculations, together with experience gained from testing moderately welded tuff cores, indicated that the triaxial cell used in this study could not apply adequate axial or confining stress to expel pore water from cores of densely welded tuffs. This concern led to the design, fabrication, and testing of a one-dimensional compression cell. The one-dimensional compression cell used in this study was constructed from hardened 4340-alloy and nickel-alloy steels and could apply a maximum axial stress of 552 MPa. The major components of the device include a corpus ring and sample sleeve to confine the sample, a piston and base platen to apply axial load, and drainage plates to transmit expelled water from the test core out of the cell. One-dimensional compression extracted pore water from nonwelded tuff cores that had initial moisture contents as small as 7.6 percent; pore water was expelled from densely welded tuff cores that had initial moisture contents as small as 7.7 percent. Injection of nitrogen gas at the maximum axial stress did not produce additional pore water from nonwelded tuff cores, but was critical to recovery of pore water from densely welded tuff cores. Gas injection reduced the required initial moisture content in welded tuff cores from 7.7 to 6.5 percent. Based on the mechanical ability of a pore-water extraction method to remove water from welded and nonwelded tuff cores, one-dimensional compression is a more effective extraction method than triaxial compression. However, because the effects that one-dimensional compression has on pore-water chemistry are not completely understood, additional testing will be needed to verify that this method is suitable for pore-water extraction from Yucca Mountain tuffs.

Assessment of DNA extracted from FTA® cards for use on the Illumina iSelect BeadChip

PubMed Central

McClure, Matthew C; McKay, Stephanie D; Schnabel, Robert D; Taylor, Jeremy F

2009-01-01

Background As FTA® cards provide an ideal medium for the field collection of DNA we sought to assess the quality of genomic DNA extracted from this source for use on the Illumina BovineSNP50 iSelect BeadChip which requires unbound, relatively intact (fragment sizes ≥ 2 kb), and high-quality DNA. Bovine blood and nasal swab samples collected on FTA cards were extracted using the commercially available GenSolve kit with a minor modification. The call rate and concordance of genotypes from each sample were compared to those obtained from whole blood samples extracted by standard PCI extraction. Findings An ANOVA analysis indicated no significant difference (P > 0.72) in BovineSNP50 genotype call rate between DNA extracted from FTA cards by the GenSolve kit or extracted from whole blood by PCI. Two sample t-tests demonstrated that the DNA extracted from the FTA cards produced genotype call and concordance rates that were not different to those produced by assaying DNA samples extracted by PCI from whole blood. Conclusion We conclude that DNA extracted from FTA cards by the GenSolve kit is of sufficiently high quality to produce results comparable to those obtained from DNA extracted from whole blood when assayed by the Illumina iSelect technology. Additionally, we validate the use of nasal swabs as an alternative to venous blood or buccal samples from animal subjects for reliably producing high quality genotypes on this platform. PMID:19531223

Assessment of DNA extracted from FTA cards for use on the Illumina iSelect BeadChip.

PubMed

McClure, Matthew C; McKay, Stephanie D; Schnabel, Robert D; Taylor, Jeremy F

2009-06-16

As FTA cards provide an ideal medium for the field collection of DNA we sought to assess the quality of genomic DNA extracted from this source for use on the Illumina BovineSNP50 iSelect BeadChip which requires unbound, relatively intact (fragment sizes >or= 2 kb), and high-quality DNA. Bovine blood and nasal swab samples collected on FTA cards were extracted using the commercially available GenSolve kit with a minor modification. The call rate and concordance of genotypes from each sample were compared to those obtained from whole blood samples extracted by standard PCI extraction. An ANOVA analysis indicated no significant difference (P > 0.72) in BovineSNP50 genotype call rate between DNA extracted from FTA cards by the GenSolve kit or extracted from whole blood by PCI. Two sample t-tests demonstrated that the DNA extracted from the FTA cards produced genotype call and concordance rates that were not different to those produced by assaying DNA samples extracted by PCI from whole blood. We conclude that DNA extracted from FTA cards by the GenSolve kit is of sufficiently high quality to produce results comparable to those obtained from DNA extracted from whole blood when assayed by the Illumina iSelect technology. Additionally, we validate the use of nasal swabs as an alternative to venous blood or buccal samples from animal subjects for reliably producing high quality genotypes on this platform.

Extraction of Antioxidant Phenolic Compounds from Brewer’s Spent Grain: Optimization and Kinetics Modeling

PubMed Central

Sologubik, Carlos A.; Fernández, María B.; Manrique, Guillermo D.

2018-01-01

The kinetics of polyphenol extraction from brewer’s spent grain (BSG), using a batch system, ultrasound assistance, and microwave assistance and the evolution of antioxidant capacity of these extracts over time, were studied. The main parameters of extraction employed in the batch system were evaluated, and, by applying response surface analysis, the following optimal conditions were obtained: Liquid/solid ratio of 30:1 mL/g at 80 °C, using 72% (v/v) ethanol:water as the solvent system. Under these optimized conditions, ultrasound assistance demonstrated the highest extraction rate and equilibrium yield, as well as shortest extraction times, followed by microwave assistance. Among the mathematical models used, Patricelli’s model proved the most suitable for describing the extraction kinetics for each method tested, and is therefore able to predict the response values and estimate the extraction rates and potential maximum yields in each case. PMID:29570683

Extraction methods and test techniques for detection of vegetable proteins in meat products. I. Qualitative detection of soya derivatives.

PubMed

Hyslop, N S

1976-06-01

Extracts of 3 soya bean preparations, used commercially in certain countries to replace part of the meat in popular meat products, were made by treatment with (i) sodium dodecyl sulphate, (ii) Triton-X100 or (iii) n-Butanol. Similar extracts were made from beef and pork. All extracts were examined by electrophoretic and immunological techniques. Stained polyacrylamide gels revealed distinctive protein bands after electrophoresis. The migration rates of corresponding bands differed between beef and pork extracts. However, the migration rates of vegetable bands revealed certain similarities, but differed very greatly from those of animal origin. Characteristic fast-migrating S-bands were distinguishable only in extracts of vegetable protein. Immunodiffusion tests, using antisera produced in rabbits against each extract, revealed varying degrees of similarity between extracts of vegetable origin, but the antisera were specific for either vegetable or animal protein.

Extraction methods and test techniques for detection of vegetable proteins in meat products. I. Qualitative detection of soya derivatives.

PubMed Central

Hyslop, N. S.

1976-01-01

Extracts of 3 soya bean preparations, used commercially in certain countries to replace part of the meat in popular meat products, were made by treatment with (i) sodium dodecyl sulphate, (ii) Triton-X100 or (iii) n-Butanol. Similar extracts were made from beef and pork. All extracts were examined by electrophoretic and immunological techniques. Stained polyacrylamide gels revealed distinctive protein bands after electrophoresis. The migration rates of corresponding bands differed between beef and pork extracts. However, the migration rates of vegetable bands revealed certain similarities, but differed very greatly from those of animal origin. Characteristic fast-migrating S-bands were distinguishable only in extracts of vegetable protein. Immunodiffusion tests, using antisera produced in rabbits against each extract, revealed varying degrees of similarity between extracts of vegetable origin, but the antisera were specific for either vegetable or animal protein. Images Plate 1 Plate 2 PMID:819572

Tobacco and e-cigarette products initiate Kupffer cell inflammatory responses.

PubMed

Rubenstein, David A; Hom, Sarah; Ghebrehiwet, Berhane; Yin, Wei

2015-10-01

Kupffer cells are liver resident macrophages that are responsible for screening and clearing blood of pathogens and foreign particles. It has recently been shown that Kupffer cells interact with platelets, through an adhesion based mechanism, to aid in pathogen clearance and then these platelets re-enter the general systemic circulation. Thus, a mechanism has been identified that relates liver inflammation to possible changes in the systemic circulation. However, the role that Kupffer cells play in cardiovascular disease initiation/progression has not been elucidated. Thus, our objective was to determine whether or not Kupffer cells are responsive to a classical cardiovascular risk factor and if these changes can be transmitted into the general systemic circulation. If Kupffer cells initiate inflammatory responses after exposure to classical cardiovascular risk factors, then this provides a potential alternative/synergistic pathway for cardiovascular disease initiation. We aimed to elucidate the prevalence of this potential pathway. We hypothesized that Kupffer cells would initiate a robust inflammatory response after exposure to tobacco cigarette or e-cigarette products and that the inflammatory response would have the potential to antagonize other salient cells for cardiovascular disease progression. To test this, Kupffer cells were incubated with tobacco smoke extracts, e-cigarette vapor extracts or pure nicotine. Complement deposition onto Kupffer cells, Kupffer cell complement receptor expression, oxidative stress production, cytokine release and viability and density were assessed after the exposure. We observed a robust inflammatory response, oxidative stress production and cytokine release after Kupffer cells were exposed to tobacco or e-cigarette extracts. We also observed a marginal decrease in cell viability coupled with a significant decrease in cell density. In general, this was not a function of the extract formulation (e.g. tobacco vs. e-cigarette products or the formulation of the cigarette product). These results indicate that Kupffer cells are responsive to classical cardiovascular risk factors and that an inflammatory response is initiated that may pass into the general systemic circulation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quantitative extraction of the bedrock exposure rate based on unmanned aerial vehicle data and Landsat-8 OLI image in a karst environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Hongyan; Li, Qiangzi; Du, Xin; Zhao, Longcai

2017-12-01

In the karst regions of southwest China, rocky desertification is one of the most serious problems in land degradation. The bedrock exposure rate is an important index to assess the degree of rocky desertification in karst regions. Because of the inherent merits of macro-scale, frequency, efficiency, and synthesis, remote sensing is a promising method to monitor and assess karst rocky desertification on a large scale. However, actual measurement of the bedrock exposure rate is difficult and existing remote-sensing methods cannot directly be exploited to extract the bedrock exposure rate owing to the high complexity and heterogeneity of karst environments. Therefore, using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and Landsat-8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) data for Xingren County, Guizhou Province, quantitative extraction of the bedrock exposure rate based on multi-scale remote-sensing data was developed. Firstly, we used an object-oriented method to carry out accurate classification of UAVimages. From the results of rock extraction, the bedrock exposure rate was calculated at the 30 m grid scale. Parts of the calculated samples were used as training data; other data were used for model validation. Secondly, in each grid the band reflectivity of Landsat-8 OLI data was extracted and a variety of rock and vegetation indexes (e.g., NDVI and SAVI) were calculated. Finally, a network model was established to extract the bedrock exposure rate. The correlation coefficient of the network model was 0.855, that of the validation model was 0.677 and the root mean square error of the validation model was 0.073. This method is valuable for wide-scale estimation of bedrock exposure rate in karst environments. Using the quantitative inversion model, a distribution map of the bedrock exposure rate in Xingren County was obtained.

Estimation of Thalamocortical and Intracortical Network Models from Joint Thalamic Single-Electrode and Cortical Laminar-Electrode Recordings in the Rat Barrel System

PubMed Central

Blomquist, Patrick; Devor, Anna; Indahl, Ulf G.; Ulbert, Istvan; Einevoll, Gaute T.; Dale, Anders M.

2009-01-01

A new method is presented for extraction of population firing-rate models for both thalamocortical and intracortical signal transfer based on stimulus-evoked data from simultaneous thalamic single-electrode and cortical recordings using linear (laminar) multielectrodes in the rat barrel system. Time-dependent population firing rates for granular (layer 4), supragranular (layer 2/3), and infragranular (layer 5) populations in a barrel column and the thalamic population in the homologous barreloid are extracted from the high-frequency portion (multi-unit activity; MUA) of the recorded extracellular signals. These extracted firing rates are in turn used to identify population firing-rate models formulated as integral equations with exponentially decaying coupling kernels, allowing for straightforward transformation to the more common firing-rate formulation in terms of differential equations. Optimal model structures and model parameters are identified by minimizing the deviation between model firing rates and the experimentally extracted population firing rates. For the thalamocortical transfer, the experimental data favor a model with fast feedforward excitation from thalamus to the layer-4 laminar population combined with a slower inhibitory process due to feedforward and/or recurrent connections and mixed linear-parabolic activation functions. The extracted firing rates of the various cortical laminar populations are found to exhibit strong temporal correlations for the present experimental paradigm, and simple feedforward population firing-rate models combined with linear or mixed linear-parabolic activation function are found to provide excellent fits to the data. The identified thalamocortical and intracortical network models are thus found to be qualitatively very different. While the thalamocortical circuit is optimally stimulated by rapid changes in the thalamic firing rate, the intracortical circuits are low-pass and respond most strongly to slowly varying inputs from the cortical layer-4 population. PMID:19325875

Muscle paralyzing effect of the juice from the trunk of the banana tree.

PubMed

Singh, Y N; Dryden, W F

1985-01-01

The effect of an extract from the trunk of the banana tree (Musa sapientum) was investigated in isolated skeletal muscle preparations from the chick, mouse and frog using twitch tension and intracellular recording techniques. The extract produced, in the same concentration range and after an initial period of twitch augmentation, paralysis of skeletal muscle in both directly and indirectly stimulated preparations. It also had a dose-dependent stimulant effect on the muscle causing a contracture. The neuromuscular blockade was reversed by calcium, but only when added before complete paralysis of the muscle. On the other hand, neostigmine usually hastened the blockade and aggravated the contracture. The frequency of the miniature endplate potential in the mouse phrenic nerve-diaphragm preparation greatly increased initially, declining to an elevated plateau. Effects on quantal content of endplate potentials (e.p.p.s) were studied in the transected mouse phrenic nerve-hemidiaphragm using trains of e.p.p.s. In the presence of the extract, only a few e.p.p. trains could normally be evoked, probably due to nerve terminal block. When quantal content could be measured at low concentrations of the extract, an increase was usually obtained. Muscle action potentials in the frog sartorius muscle were decreased in amplitude until no further potentials could be generated. The results suggest that the nature of the block produced by the extract resembles that of a potent local anaesthetic with an initial atypical labilizing effect on cell calcium rather than a conventional curariform block.

Evaluation of humic fractions potential to produce bio-oil through catalytic hydroliquefaction.

PubMed

Lemée, L; Pinard, L; Beauchet, R; Kpogbemabou, D

2013-12-01

Humic substances were extracted from biodegraded lignocellulosic biomass (LCBb) and submitted to catalytic hydroliquefaction. The resulting bio-oils were compared with those of the initial biomass. Compared to fulvic and humic acids, humin presented a high conversion rate (74 wt.%) and the highest amount of liquid fraction (66 wt.%). Moreover it represented 78% of LCBb. Humin produced 43 wt.% of crude oil and 33 wt.% of hexane soluble fraction containing hydrocarbons which is a higher yield than those from other humic substances as well as from the initial biomass. Hydrocarbons were mainly aromatics, but humin produces the highest amount of aliphatics. Considering the quantity, the quality and the molecular composition of the humic fractions, a classification of the potential of the latter to produce fuel using hydroliquefaction process can be assess: Hu>AF>AH. The higher heating value (HHV) and oxygen content of HSF from humin were fully compatible with biofuel characteristics. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Alveolar ridge reduction after tooth extraction in adolescents: an animal study

PubMed Central

Sun, Zongyang; Herring, Susan W.; Tee, Boon Ching; Gales, Jordan

2013-01-01

Objective The mechanism for tooth extraction induced residual alveolar ridge reduction (RRR) during adolescence is poorly understood. This study investigated the alveolar bone morphology, growth, resorption and functional loading at normal and extraction sites using an adolescent pig model. Design Sixteen 3-month-old pigs were divided into two groups – immediate post-extraction (IE) and 6-week post-extraction (SE). The IE group received an extraction of one deciduous mandibular molar, immediately followed by a final experiment to record masseter muscle EMGs and strains from the buccal surface of the extraction and contralateral non-extraction sites during function (mastication). The SE group was given the same tooth extraction, then kept for 6 weeks before the same final functional recording as the IE group. Both groups also received baseline (pre-extraction) EMGs and fluorescent vital stains 10 and 3 days before the final functional recording. Immediately after the final functional recording, animals were euthanized and alveolar bone specimens from extraction and contralateral non-extraction sites were collected and used to analyze alveolar bone morphology, apposition and resorption based on fluorescent and hematoxylin and eosin stained histological sections. Results At control sites (IE-extraction, IE-non-extraction and SE-non-extraction), the alveolar ridges grew gingivally and buccally. Bone formation characterized the buccal surface and lingual bundle bone, whereas resorption characterized the lingual surface and buccal bundle bone. The SE-extraction sites showed three major alterations: convergence of the buccal and lingual gingival crests, loss of apposition on the lingual bundle bone, and decelerated growth at the entire buccal surface. These alterations likely resulted from redirected crestal growth as part of the socket healing process, loss of tongue pressure to the lingual side of the teeth which normally provides mechanical stimulation for dental arch expansion, and masticatory underloading during the initial post-extraction period, respectively. Conclusions These data indicate that the initial phase of RRR in adolescents is a product of modified growth, not resorption, possibly because of decreased mechanical stimulation at the extraction site. PMID:23380583

On the Star Formation Rate, Initial Mass Function, and Hubble Type of Disk Galaxies and the Age of the Universe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sommer-Larsen, Jesper

1996-01-01

Evolutionary models for the disks of large disk galaxies, including effects of star formation, non-instantaneous gas recycling from stars, and infall of low-metallicity gas from the halo, have been calculated and compared with data for nearby, generally large disk galaxies on present disk star-formation rates (based on integrated Hα luminosities) as a function of disk gas fractions. The data were extracted from the work by Kennicutt, Tamblyn, & Congdon. The result of the comparison suggests that for disk galaxies the Hubble sequence is a disk age sequence, with early-type disks being the oldest and late types the youngest. Under the assumption of a minimum age of the Galactic disk of 10 Gyr, the mean age of Sa/Sab galaxies, and hence the age of the universe, is found to be at least 17±2 Gyr. It is furthermore found that the disk star-formation timescale is approximately independent of disk-galaxy type. Finally, it is found that the global initial mass function (IMF) in galactic disks is 2-3 times more weighted toward high-mass stars than the Scalo "best-fitting" model for the solar-neighborhood IMF. The more top-heavy model of Kennicutt provides a good fit to observation.

Modelling the future Israel EEWS performance using synthetic catalogue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pinsky, V.

2017-10-01

In 2012 June, Israel government decided about building an Earthquake Early Warning System (EEWS) in the country. The network configuration suggested was to be a staggered line of ˜100 stations along the regional main faults: Dead Sea fault and Carmel fault and additional ˜22 stations spread over the country. The EEWS alarm system should have to utilize two approaches: the P-wave-based algorithm combined with the S-threshold method. The former utilizes first wave arrivals to several closest stations for prompt location and the three initial seconds of the waveform data for magnitude estimation. The latter issues alarm when the surface shaking (velocity or acceleration) exceeds the relatively high threshold corresponding to a magnitude 5 earthquake at a short distance of about 10 km at least for the two neighbouring stations. For each of the approaches and for a reasonable combination of them, we simulate the EEWS performance based on a synthetic catalogue. The input seismicity parameters for the processing are extracted from the real instrumental catalogue. Using a general ground-motion prediction equations for peak ground accelaration, τc and Pd we then evaluate how false and missed alarm rates depend on the corresponding thresholds. Practically, in turn, these dependencies approve choosing initial thresholds for the EEWS providing suitable false and missed alarms rates.

Evaluation and Analysis of Urmia Lake Water Level Fluctuations Bettwen 1998-2006 Using Landsat Images and TOPEX Altimetry Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zahir, N.; Ali, A.

2015-12-01

The Lake Urmiah has undergone a drastic shrinkage in size over the past few decades. The initial intention of this paper is to present an approach for determining the so called "salient times" during which the trend of the shrinkage process is accelerated or decelerated. To find these salient times, a quasi_continuous curve was optimally fitted to the Topex altimetry data within the period 1998 to 2006. To find the salient points within this period of time, the points of inflections of the fitted curve is computed using a second derivative approach. The water volume was also computed using 16 cloud free Landsat images of the Lake within the periods of 1998 to 2006. In the first stage of the water volume calculation, the pixels of the Lake were segmented using the Automated Water Extraction Index (AWEI) and the shorelines of the Lake were extracted by a boundary detecting operator using the generated binary image of the Lake surface. The water volume fluctuation rate was then computed under the assumption that the two successive Lake surfaces and their corresponding water level differences demonstrate approximately a truncated pyramid. The analysis of the water level fluctuation rates were further extended by a sinusoidal curve fitted to the Topex altimetry data. This curve was intended to model the seasonal fluctuations of the water level. In the final stage of this article, the correlation between the fluctuation rates and the precipitation and temperature variations were also numerically determined. This paper reports in some details the stages mentioned above.

Self-consistent evolution of plasma discharge and electromagnetic fields in a microwave pulse compressor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shlapakovski, A. S.; Beilin, L.; Hadas, Y.; Schamiloglu, E.; Krasik, Ya. E.

2015-07-01

Nanosecond-scale evolution of plasma and RF electromagnetic fields during the release of energy from a microwave pulse compressor with a plasma interference switch was investigated numerically using the code MAGIC. The plasma was simulated in the scope of the gas conductivity model in MAGIC. The compressor embodied an S-band cavity and H-plane waveguide tee with a shorted side arm filled with pressurized gas. In a simplified approach, the gas discharge was initiated by setting an external ionization rate in a layer crossing the side arm waveguide in the location of the electric field antinode. It was found that with increasing ionization rate, the microwave energy absorbed by the plasma in the first few nanoseconds increases, but the absorption for the whole duration of energy release, on the contrary, decreases. In a hybrid approach modeling laser ignition of the discharge, seed electrons were set around the electric field antinode. In this case, the plasma extends along the field forming a filament and the plasma density increases up to the level at which the electric field within the plasma decreases due to the skin effect. Then, the avalanche rate decreases but the density still rises until the microwave energy release begins and the electric field becomes insufficient to support the avalanche process. The extraction of the microwave pulse limits its own power by terminating the rise of the plasma density and filament length. For efficient extraction, a sufficiently long filament of dense plasma must have sufficient time to be formed.

Nitrogen immobilization by wood-chip application: Protecting water quality in a northern hardwood forest

USGS Publications Warehouse

Homyak, P.M.; Yanai, R.D.; Burns, Douglas A.; Briggs, R.D.; Germain, R.H.

2008-01-01

Forest harvesting disrupts the nitrogen cycle, which may affect stream water quality by increasing nitrate concentrations, reducing pH and acid neutralizing capacity, and mobilizing aluminum and base cations. We tested the application of wood chips derived from logging slash to increase immobilization of N after harvesting, which should reduce nitrate flux to streams. In August 2004, a stand of northern hardwoods was patch-clearcut in the Catskill Mountains, NY, and four replicates of three treatments were implemented in five 0.2-ha cut patches. Wood chips were applied to the soil surface at a rate equivalent to the amount of slash smaller than eight inches in diameter (1?? treatment). A second treatment doubled that rate (2??), and a third treatment received no chips (0??). Additionally, three uncut reference plots were established in nearby forested areas. Ion exchange resin bags and soil KCl-extractions were used to monitor nitrate availability in the upper 5-10 cm of soil approximately every seven weeks, except in winter. Resin bags indicated that the wood chips retained 30% or 42% of the nitrate pulse, while for KCl extracts, the retention rate was 78% or 100% of the difference between 0?? and uncut plots. During the fall following harvest, wood-chip treated plots had resin bag soil nitrate concentrations about 25% of those in 0?? plots (p = 0.0001). In the first growing season after the cut, nitrate concentrations in wood-chip treated plots for KCl extracts were 13% of those in 0?? treatments (p = 0.03) in May and about half those in 0?? treatments (p = 0.01) in July for resin bags. During spring snowmelt, however, nitrate concentrations were high and indistinguishable among treatments, including the uncut reference plots for resin bags and below detection limit for KCl extracts. Wood chips incubated in litterbags had an initial C:N of 125:1, which then decreased to 70:1 after one year of field incubation. These changes in C:N values indicate that the wood-chip application can potentially immobilize between 19 and 38 kg N ha-1 in the first year after harvesting, depending on the rate of wood-chip application. Our results suggest that the application of wood chips following harvesting operations can contribute to the protection of water quality and warrant additional research as a new Best Management Practice following cutting in regions that receive elevated levels of atmospheric N deposition. ?? 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Assessment of Augmented Immune Surveillance and Tumor Cell Death by Cytoplasmic Stabilization of p53 as a Chemopreventive Strategy of 3 Promising Medicinal Herbs in Murine 2-Stage Skin Carcinogenesis.

PubMed

Ali, Farrah; Khan, Rehan; Khan, Abdul Quaiyoom; Lateef, Md Abdul; Maqbool, Tahir; Sultana, Sarwat

2014-07-01

Cancer is the final outcome of a plethora of events. Targeting the proliferation or inducing programmed cell death in a proliferating population is a major standpoint in the cancer therapy. However, proliferation is regulated by several cellular and immunologic processes. This study reports the inhibition of proliferation by augmenting immune surveillance, silencing acute inflammation, and inducing p53-mediated apoptosis of skin cancer by 3 promising medicinal extracts. We used the well-characterized model for experimental skin carcinogenesis in mice for 32 weeks to study the chemopreventive effect of the methanolic extracts of Trigonella foenumgraecum, Eclipta alba, and Calendula officinalis. All 3 extracts reduced the number, incidence, and multiplicity of tumors, which was confirmed by the pathologic studies that showed regressed tumors. There was a significant reduction in the PCNA+ nuclei in all treatment groups 32 weeks after the initiation. Mechanistic studies revealed that proliferative population in tumors is diminished by the restoration of the endogenous antioxidant defense, inhibition of the stress-related signal-transducing element NFκB, reduction of inflammation, enhancement of immunosurveillance of the genetically mutated cells, along with silencing of the cell cycle progression signals. Finally, all 3 medicinal extracts induced stable expression of p53 within the tumors, confirmed by the CFDA-Cy3 apoptosis assay. Results of our study confirm that these extracts not only limit the rate of proliferation by inhibition of the processes integral to cancer development but also induce stable cytoplasmic expression of p53-mediated apoptosis, leading to fewer and regressed tumors in mice. © The Author(s) 2013.

The stability of gadolinium-based contrast agents in human serum: A reanalysis of literature data and association with clinical outcomes.

PubMed

Prybylski, John P; Semelka, Richard C; Jay, Michael

2017-05-01

To reanalyze literature data of gadolinium (Gd)-based contrast agents (GBCAs) in plasma with a kinetic model of dissociation to provide a comprehensive assessment of equilibrium conditions for linear GBCAs. Data for the release of Gd from GBCAs in human serum was extracted from a previous report in the literature and fit to a kinetic dissociation/association model. The conditional stabilities (logK cond ) and percent intact over time were calculated using the model rate constants. The correlations between clinical outcomes and logK cond or other stability indices were determined. The release curves for Omniscan®, gadodiamide, OptiMARK®, gadoversetamide Magnevist® and Multihance® were extracted and all fit well to the kinetic model. The logK cond s calculated from the rate constants were on the order of ~4-6, and were not significantly altered by excess ligand or phosphate. The stability constant based on the amount intact by the initial elimination half-life of GBCAs in plasma provided good correlation with outcomes observed in patients. Estimation of the kinetic constants for GBCA dissociation/association revealed that their stability in physiological fluid is much lower than previous approaches would suggest, which correlates well with deposition and pharmacokinetic observations of GBCAs in human patients. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Spectrophotometric determination of fluoxetine by molecularly imprinted polypyrrole and optimization by experimental design, artificial neural network and genetic algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nezhadali, Azizollah; Motlagh, Maryam Omidvar; Sadeghzadeh, Samira

2018-02-01

A selective method based on molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) solid-phase extraction (SPE) using UV-Vis spectrophotometry as a detection technique was developed for the determination of fluoxetine (FLU) in pharmaceutical and human serum samples. The MIPs were synthesized using pyrrole as a functional monomer in the presence of FLU as a template molecule. The factors that affecting the preparation and extraction ability of MIP such as amount of sorbent, initiator concentration, the amount of monomer to template ratio, uptake shaking rate, uptake time, washing buffer pH, take shaking rate, Taking time and polymerization time were considered for optimization. First a Plackett-Burman design (PBD) consists of 12 randomized runs were applied to determine the influence of each factor. The other optimization processes were performed using central composite design (CCD), artificial neural network (ANN) and genetic algorithm (GA). At optimal condition the calibration curve showed linearity over a concentration range of 10- 7-10- 8 M with a correlation coefficient (R2) of 0.9970. The limit of detection (LOD) for FLU was obtained 6.56 × 10- 9 M. The repeatability of the method was obtained 1.61%. The synthesized MIP sorbent showed a good selectivity and sensitivity toward FLU. The MIP/SPE method was used for the determination of FLU in pharmaceutical, serum and plasma samples, successfully.

Running wavelet archetype aids the determination of heart rate from the video photoplethysmogram during motion.

PubMed

Addison, Paul S; Foo, David M H; Jacquel, Dominique

2017-07-01

The extraction of heart rate from a video-based biosignal during motion using a novel wavelet-based ensemble averaging method is described. Running Wavelet Archetyping (RWA) allows for the enhanced extraction of pulse information from the time-frequency representation, from which a video-based heart rate (HRvid) can be derived. This compares favorably to a reference heart rate derived from a pulse oximeter.

Initial-rate kinetics of human NMN-adenylyltransferases: substrate and metal ion specificity, inhibition by products and multisubstrate analogues, and isozyme contributions to NAD+ biosynthesis.

PubMed

Sorci, Leonardo; Cimadamore, Flavio; Scotti, Stefania; Petrelli, Riccardo; Cappellacci, Loredana; Franchetti, Palmarisa; Orsomando, Giuseppe; Magni, Giulio

2007-04-24

Initial-rate and product inhibition studies revealed distinctive ordered ternary complex kinetic mechanisms, substrate specificities, and metal ion preferences for the three isozymes of human nicotinamide mononucleotide adenylyl-transferase (NMNAT, EC 2.7.7.1). ATP binds before NMN with nuclear isozyme NMNAT1 and Golgi apparatus NMNAT2, but the opposite order is observed with the mitochondrial isozyme NMNAT3. Only the latter utilizes ITP efficiently in place of ATP, and while NMNH conversion to NADH by NMNAT1 and NMNAT3 occurs at similar rates, conversion by NMNAT2 is much slower. These isozymes can also be discriminated by their action on tiazofurin monophosphate (TrMP), a metabolite of the antineoplastic prodrug tiazofurin. Our finding that TrMP is only a substrate with NMNAT1 and NMNAT3 reveals for the first time an organelle selectivity in the metabolism of this important drug. In search of additional ways to discriminate these isozymes, we synthesized and tested the P1-(nicotinamide/nicotinate-riboside-5')-Pn-(adenosine-5') dinucleotides Np3AD, Np4AD, and Nap4AD. In addition to being highly effective inhibitors, these multisubstrate geometric inhibitors gave inhibition patterns that are consistent with the aforementioned isozyme differences in substrate binding order. Distinctive differences in their substrate specificity and metal ion selectivity also permitted us to quantify individual isozyme contributions to NAD+ formation in human cell extracts.

Evaluation of measles and rubella integrated surveillance system in Apulia region, Italy, 3 years after its introduction.

PubMed

Turiac, I A; Fortunato, F; Cappelli, M G; Morea, A; Chironna, M; Prato, Rosa; Martinelli, D

2018-04-01

This study aimed at evaluating the integrated measles and rubella surveillance system (IMRSS) in Apulia region, Italy, from its introduction in 2013 to 30 June 2016. Measles and rubella case reports were extracted from IMRSS. We estimated system sensitivity at the level of case reporting, using the capture-recapture method for three data sources. Data quality was described as the completeness of variables and timeliness of notification as the median-time interval from symptoms onset to initial alert. The proportion of suspected cases with laboratory investigation, the rate of discarded cases and the origin of infection were also computed. A total of 127 measles and four rubella suspected cases were reported to IMRSS and 82 were laboratory confirmed. Focusing our analysis on measles, IMRSS sensitivity was 82% (95% CI: 75-87). Completeness was >98% for mandatory variables and 57% for 'genotyping'. The median-time interval from symptoms onset to initial alert was 4.5 days, with a timeliness of notification of 33% (41 cases reported ⩽48 h). The proportion of laboratory investigation was 87%. The rate of discarded cases was 0.1 per 100 000 inhabitants per year. The origin of infection was identified for 85% of cases. It is concluded that IMRSS provides good quality data and has good sensitivity; still efforts should be made to improve the completeness of laboratory-related variables, timeliness and to increase the rate of discarded cases.

[Supercritical CO2 extraction and component analysis of Aesculus wilsonii seed oil].

PubMed

Chen, Guang-Yu; Shi, Zhao-Hua; Li, Hai-Chi; Ge, Fa-Huan; Zhan, Hua-Shu

2013-03-01

To research the optimal extraction process of supercritical CO2 extraction and analyze the component of the oil extracted from Aesculus wilsonii seed. Using the yield of Aesculus wilsonii seed oil as the index, optimized supercritical CO2 extraction parameter by orthogonal experiment methodology and analysed the compounds of Aesculus wilsonii seed oil by GC-MS. The optimal parameters of the supercritical CO2 extraction of the oil extracted from Aesculus wilsoniit seed were determined: the extraction pressure was 28 MPa and the temperature was 38 degrees C, the separation I pressure was 12 MPa and the temperature was 40 degrees C, the separation II pressure was 5 MPa and the temperature was 40 degrees C, the extraction time was 110 min. The average extraction rate of Aesculus wilsonii seed oil was 1.264%. 26 kinds of compounds were identified by GC-MS in Aesculus wilsonii seed oil extracted by supercritical CO2. The main components were fatty acids. Comparing with the petroleum ether extraction, the supercritical CO2 extraction has higher extraction rate, shorter extraction time, more clarity oil. The kinds of fatty acids with high amounts in Aesculus wilsonii seed oil is identical in general, the kinds of fatty acids with low amounts in Aesculus wilsonii seed oil have differences.

Cancer prevention with freeze-dried berries and berry components.

PubMed

Stoner, Gary D; Wang, Li-Shu; Zikri, Nancy; Chen, Tong; Hecht, Stephen S; Huang, Chuanshu; Sardo, Christine; Lechner, John F

2007-10-01

Our laboratory is developing a food-based approach to the prevention of esophageal and colon cancer utilizing freeze-dried berries and berry extracts. Dietary freeze-dried berries were shown to inhibit chemically induced cancer of the rodent esophagus by 30-60% and of the colon by up to 80%. The berries are effective at both the initiation and promotion/progression stages of tumor development. Berries inhibit tumor initiation events by influencing carcinogen metabolism, resulting in reduced levels of carcinogen-induced DNA damage. They inhibit promotion/progression events by reducing the growth rate of pre-malignant cells, promoting apoptosis, reducing parameters of tissue inflammation and inhibiting angiogenesis. On a molecular level, berries modulate the expression of genes involved with proliferation, apoptosis, inflammation and angiogenesis. We have recently initiated clinical trials; results from a toxicity study indicated that freeze-dried black raspberries are well tolerated in humans when administered orally for 7 days at a dose of 45 g per day. Several Phase IIa clinical trials are underway in patients at high risk for esophagus and colon cancer; i.e., Barrett's esophagus, esophageal dysplasia and colonic polyps, to determine if berries will modulate various histological and molecular biomarkers of development of these diseases.

Cancer Prevention with Freeze-dried Berries and Berry Components

PubMed Central

Stoner, Gary D.; Wang, Li-Shu; Zikri, Nancy; Chen, Tong; S. Hecht, Stephen; Huang, Chuanshu; Sardo, Christine; Lechner, John F.

2007-01-01

Our laboratory is developing a food-based approach to the prevention of esophageal and colon cancer utilizing freeze-dried berries and berry extracts. Dietary freeze-dried berries were shown to inhibit chemically-induced cancer of the rodent esophagus by 30-60% and of the colon by up- to 80%. The berries are effective at both the initiation and promotion/progression stages of tumor development. Berries inhibit tumor initiation events by influencing carcinogen metabolism, resulting in reduced levels of carcinogen-induced DNA damage. They inhibit promotion/progression events by reducing the growth rate of premalignant cells, promoting apoptosis, reducing parameters of tissue inflammation and inhibiting angiogenesis. On a molecular level, berries modulate the expression of genes involved with proliferation, apoptosis, inflammation and angiogenesis. We have recently initiated clinical trials; results from a toxicity study indicated that freeze-dried black raspberries are well tolerated in humans when administered orally for 7 days at a dose of 45 grams per day. Several Phase IIa clinical trials are underway in patients at high risk for esophagus and colon cancer; i.e., Barrett’s esophagus, esophageal dysplasia and colonic polyps, to determine if berries will modulate various histological and molecular biomarkers of development of these diseases. PMID:17574861

Maxillary arch width and buccal corridor changes with orthodontic treatment. Part 2: attractiveness of the frontal facial smile in extraction and nonextraction outcomes.

PubMed

Meyer, Anna H; Woods, Michael G; Manton, David J

2014-03-01

This study was designed to assess the influence that the buccal corridor might have on the frontal facial attractiveness of subjects who had received orthodontic treatment with or without 4 premolar extractions. Posttreatment full-face frontal smiling photographs of 30 premolar extraction and 27 nonextraction patients were evaluated by 20 orthodontists, 20 dentists, and 20 laypeople using a visual analog scale. The ratings were analyzed according to rater group, rater sex, and number of years in practice for orthodontists and dentists to search for any statistically significant differences in the ratings on the basis of treatment groups, subject sex, and buccal corridor widths and areas. Orthodontists and dentists gave higher mean overall frontal facial attractiveness scores than did laypeople. There were no significant differences in how men and women rated the study subjects. The number of years in practice did not affect how the orthodontists rated, but it did affect the ratings of the dentists. Female subjects were consistently rated as significantly more attractive than male subjects. There was no difference in ratings for the extraction and nonextraction subject groups. The buccal corridor widths and areas did not affect the frontal facial attractiveness ratings. If treatment has been carried out with thorough diagnosis and careful planning, neither the choice of extraction or nonextraction treatment, nor the resulting buccal corridor widths or areas appeared to affect the subjects' frontal facial attractiveness. Copyright © 2014 American Association of Orthodontists. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Aqueous extraction kinetics of soluble solids, phenolics and flavonoids from sage (Salvia fruticosa Miller) leaves.

PubMed

Torun, Mehmet; Dincer, Cuneyt; Topuz, Ayhan; Sahin-Nadeem, Hilal; Ozdemir, Feramuz

2015-05-01

In the present study, aqueous extraction kinetics of total soluble solids (TSS), total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) from Salvia fruticosa leaves were investigated throughout 150 min. of extraction period against temperature (60-80 °C), particle size (2-8 mm) and loading percentage (1-4 %). The extract yielded 25 g/100 g TSS which contained 30 g/100 g TPC and 25 g/100 g TFC. The extraction data in time course fit with reversible first order kinetic model. All tested variables showed significant effect on the estimated kinetic parameters except equilibrium concentration. Increasing the extraction temperature resulted high extraction rate constants and equilibrium concentrations of the tested variables notably above 70 °C. By using the Arrhenius relationship, activation energy of the TSS, TPC and TFC were determined as 46.11 ± 5.61, 36.80 ± 3.12 and 33.52 ± 2.23 kj/mol, respectively. By decreasing the particle size, the extraction rate constants and diffusion coefficients exponentially increased whereas equilibrium concentrations did not change significantly. The equilibrium concentrations of the tested parameters showed linear behavior with increasing the loading percentage of the sage, however; the change in extraction rates did not show linear behavior due to submerging effect of 4 % loading.

SELECTIVE EXTRACTION OF OXYGENATES FROM SAVORY AND PEPPERMINT USING SUBCRITICAL WATER. (R825394)

EPA Science Inventory

The yields of oxygenated and non-oxygenated flavour and fragrance compounds from savory (Satureja hortensis) and peppermint (Mentha piperita) were compared using subcritical water extraction, supercritical carbon dioxide extraction (SFE) and hydrodistillation. Extraction rates wi...

Rapid intravenous rehydration of children with acute gastroenteritis and dehydration: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Iro, M A; Sell, T; Brown, N; Maitland, K

2018-02-09

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends rapid intravenous rehydration, using fluid volumes of 70-100mls/kg over 3-6 h, with some of the initial volume given rapidly as initial fluid boluses to treat hypovolaemic shock for children with acute gastroenteritis (AGE) and severe dehydration. The evidence supporting the safety and efficacy of rapid versus slower rehydration remains uncertain. We conducted a systematic review of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) on 11th of May 2017 comparing different rates of intravenous fluid therapy in children with AGE and moderate or severe dehydration, using standard search terms. Two authors independently assessed trial quality and extracted data. Non-RCTs and non-English articles were excluded. The primary endpoint was mortality and secondary endpoints included adverse events (safety) and treatment efficacy. Of the 1390 studies initially identified, 18 were assessed for eligibility. Of these, 3 studies (n = 464) fulfilled a priori criteria for inclusion; most studied children with moderate dehydration and none were conducted in resource-poor settings. Volumes and rates of fluid replacement varied from 20 to 60 ml/kg given over 1-2 h (fast) versus 2-4 h (slow). There was substantial heterogeneity in methodology between the studies with only one adjudicated to be of high quality. There were no deaths in any study. Safety endpoints only identified oedema (n = 6) and dysnatraemia (n = 2). Pooled analysis showed no significant difference between the rapid and slow intravenous rehydration groups for the proportion of treatment failures (N = 468): pooled RR 1.30 (95% CI: 0.87, 1.93) and the readmission rates (N = 439): pooled RR 1.39 (95% CI: 0.68, 2.85). Despite wide implementation of WHO Plan C guideline for severe AGE, we found no clinical evaluation in resource-limited settings, and only limited evaluation of the rate and volume of rehydration in other parts of the world. Recent concerns over aggressive fluid expansion warrants further research to inform guidelines on rates of intravenous rehydration therapy for severe AGE.

Teratogenic and toxic effects of Lingzhi or Reishi medicinal mushroom, Ganoderma lucidum (W.Curt.:Fr.) P. Karst. (higher Basidiomycetes), on zebrafish embryo as model.

PubMed

Dulay, Rich Milton R; Kalaw, Sofronio P; Reyes, Renato G; Alfonso, Noel F; Eguchi, Fumio

2012-01-01

This paper highlights the teratogenic and toxic effects of Ganoderma lucidum (Lingzhi or Reishi mushroom) extract on zebrafish embryos. Hatchability, malformations, and lethality rate of zebrafish embryos were assessed to provide valuable information regarding the potential teratogenic activity of G. lucidum. Hatching was completed 48 h post treatment application (hpta) at 1% or lower concentrations of extract and embryo water. The hatching rate of embryos treated with 5% or higher concentrations was significantly lower (p> 0.05) than the control. Tail malformation was the most marked morphological abnormality in embryos at 72 hpta, which was obviously caused by 1% extract (55.56% tail malformation) and was observed in all embryos exposed to 5% of extract. Growth retardation was evident in embryos exposed to 5%, 10%, and 20%. However, lethal effect of extract of G. lucidum was dependent on dose and time of exposure. Mortality rates of embryos treated with 5% (44.44%) or higher concentrations of the extract was significantly higher (p > 0.05) than that of the control embryos at 72 hpta. These results suggest that G. lucidum extract has lethal and sub-lethal effects on zebrafish embryos.

Monolithic microfluidic concentrators and mixers

DOEpatents

Frechet, Jean M.; Svec, Frantisek; Yu, Cong; Rohr, Thomas

2005-05-03

Microfluidic devices comprising porous monolithic polymer for concentration, extraction or mixing of fluids. A method for in situ preparation of monolithic polymers by in situ initiated polymerization of polymer precursors within microchannels of a microfluidic device and their use for solid phase extraction (SPE), preconcentration, concentration and mixing.

Extractive Industries and Indigenous Peoples: A Changing Dynamic?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Faircheallaigh, Ciaran

2013-01-01

Indigenous peoples and other rural or remote populations often bear the social and environmental cost of extractive industries while obtaining little of the wealth they generate. Recent developments including national and international recognition of Indigenous rights, and the growth of "corporate social responsibility" initiatives among…

Mass-energy and momentum extraction by gravitational wave emission in the merger of two colliding black holes: The non-head-on case

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aranha, R. F.; Soares, I. Damião; Tonini, E. V.

2012-01-01

We examine numerically the post-merger regime of two nonspining holes in non-head-on collisions in the realm of nonaxisymmetric Robinson-Trautman spacetimes. Characteristic initial data for the system are constructed and evolved via the Robinson-Trautman equation. The numerical integration is performed using a Galerkin spectral method which is sufficiently stable to reach the final configuration of the remnant black hole, when the gravitational wave emission ceases. The initial data contains three independent parameters, the ratio mass α of the individual colliding black holes, their initial premerger infalling velocity and the incidence angle of collision ρ0. The remnant black hole is characterized by its final boost parameter, rest mass and scattering angle. The motion of the remnant black hole is restricted to the plane determined by the directions of the two initial colliding black holes, characterizing a planar collision. The net momentum fluxes carried out by gravitational waves are confined to this plane. We evaluate the efficiency of mass-energy extraction, the total energy and momentum carried out by gravitational waves and the momentum distribution of the remnant black hole for a large domain of initial data parameters. Our analysis is based on the Bondi-Sachs four-momentum conservation laws. The process of mass-energy extraction is shown to be less efficient as the initial data departs from the head-on configuration. Head-on collisions (ρ0=0o) and orthogonal collisions (ρ0=90°) constitute, respectively, upper and lower bounds to the power emission and to the efficiency of mass-energy extraction. On the contrary, head-on collisions and orthogonal collisions constitute, respectively, lower and upper bounds for the momentum of the remnant. Distinct regimes of gravitational wave emission (bursts or quiescent emission) are characterized by the analysis of the time behavior of the gravitational wave power as a function of α. In particular, the net gravitational wave flux is nonzero for equal-mass colliding black holes in non-head-on collisions. The momentum extraction and the patterns of the momentum fluxes, as a function of the incidence angle, are examined. The relation between the incidence angle and the scattering angle closely approximates a relation for the inelastic collision of classical particles in Newtonian dynamics.

Predictive model of third molar eruption after second molar extraction.

PubMed

De-la-Rosa-Gay, Cristina; Valmaseda-Castellón, Eduard; Gay-Escoda, Cosme

2010-03-01

Extraction of second permanent molars is an option for providing space in orthodontic treatment. Although many articles have described its impact on the outcome, there are few data on the prognosis of the eruption of the adjacent third molars. The aims of this investigation were to provide predictive models of eruption of third molars after second permanent molar extraction and to validate them. A total of 48 patients (ages, 11-23 years) who had 128 second permanent molars (54 maxillary, 74 mandibular) extracted during orthodontic treatment were followed until eruption of the third molars was complete. A lineal regression model predicted the final angle of the third molars with the permanent first molar by using the variables of initial angle, jaw, and the developmental stage of the third molar. A logistic regression model predicted the probability of correct eruption by using the variables of initial angle, jaw, sex, age, and the developmental stage of the third molar. 2010 American Association of Orthodontists. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Chemometric analysis for extraction of individual fluorescence spectrum and lifetimes from a target mixture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hallidy, William H. (Inventor); Chin, Robert C. (Inventor)

1999-01-01

The present invention is a system for chemometric analysis for the extraction of the individual component fluorescence spectra and fluorescence lifetimes from a target mixture. The present invention combines a processor with an apparatus for generating an excitation signal to transmit at a target mixture and an apparatus for detecting the emitted signal from the target mixture. The present invention extracts the individual fluorescence spectrum and fluorescence lifetime measurements from the frequency and wavelength data acquired from the emitted signal. The present invention uses an iterative solution that first requires the initialization of several decision variables and the initial approximation determinations of intermediate matrices. The iterative solution compares the decision variables for convergence to see if further approximation determinations are necessary. If the solution converges, the present invention then determines the reduced best fit error for the analysis of the individual fluorescence lifetime and the fluorescence spectrum before extracting the individual fluorescence lifetime and fluorescence spectrum from the emitted signal of the target mixture.

An autoregressive model-based particle filtering algorithms for extraction of respiratory rates as high as 90 breaths per minute from pulse oximeter.

PubMed

Lee, Jinseok; Chon, Ki H

2010-09-01

We present particle filtering (PF) algorithms for an accurate respiratory rate extraction from pulse oximeter recordings over a broad range: 12-90 breaths/min. These methods are based on an autoregressive (AR) model, where the aim is to find the pole angle with the highest magnitude as it corresponds to the respiratory rate. However, when SNR is low, the pole angle with the highest magnitude may not always lead to accurate estimation of the respiratory rate. To circumvent this limitation, we propose a probabilistic approach, using a sequential Monte Carlo method, named PF, which is combined with the optimal parameter search (OPS) criterion for an accurate AR model-based respiratory rate extraction. The PF technique has been widely adopted in many tracking applications, especially for nonlinear and/or non-Gaussian problems. We examine the performances of five different likelihood functions of the PF algorithm: the strongest neighbor, nearest neighbor (NN), weighted nearest neighbor (WNN), probability data association (PDA), and weighted probability data association (WPDA). The performance of these five combined OPS-PF algorithms was measured against a solely OPS-based AR algorithm for respiratory rate extraction from pulse oximeter recordings. The pulse oximeter data were collected from 33 healthy subjects with breathing rates ranging from 12 to 90 breaths/ min. It was found that significant improvement in accuracy can be achieved by employing particle filters, and that the combined OPS-PF employing either the NN or WNN likelihood function achieved the best results for all respiratory rates considered in this paper. The main advantage of the combined OPS-PF with either the NN or WNN likelihood function is that for the first time, respiratory rates as high as 90 breaths/min can be accurately extracted from pulse oximeter recordings.

Analysis of dental care of children receiving comprehensive care under general anaesthesia at a teaching hospital in England.

PubMed

Tahmassebi, J F; Achol, L T; Fayle, S A

2014-10-01

This study aimed to analyse the characteristics of comprehensive dental care provided under general anaesthesia (CDGA) and to review the additional treatment required by children over the 6 years subsequent to CDGA. Information collected from hospital records for the 6-year period following the first CDGA included the types of dental treatment performed at CDGA, the return rates for follow-up appointments, further treatment required subsequent to CDGA and the types of dental treatment performed at repeat DGA. The study population consisted of 263 children, of whom 129 had a significant medical history, with mean age of 6.7 years. The results revealed that the waiting time for CDGA was significantly shorter in children who had a significant medical history, with 49% being admitted for CDGA within 3 months of pre-GA assessment, as compared to 29% of healthy children. 67% of children had follow-up care recorded, with a slightly higher proportion of children with significant medical history returning for follow-up [70% (90/129)] compared with 65% (87/134) of healthy children. Re-treatment rates were 34% (88/263), the majority of cases being treated under local analgesia (42/88). 34 of 263 children had repeat DGA (12.9%). Of these 71% (24/34) were children with significant medical history. The mean age at repeat DGA was 9 years. In 25 of 34 children (74%), repeat DGA was due to trauma, oral pathology, supernumerary removal, hypomineralized teeth or new caries of previously sound or un-erupted teeth at CDGA. The ratio of extraction over restoration (excluding fissure sealants) performed at repeat DGA was 2.8, compared with the ratio of 1.3 in the initial CDGA. There was a higher ratio of extraction over restorations at the repeat DGA. This suggests that the prescribed treatments at repeat DGA were more aggressive as compared to the initial CDGA in 1997. The majority of the treatment required at repeat DGA was to treat new disease.

[Mass Transfer Kinetics Model of Ultrasonic Extraction of Pomegranate Peel Polyphenols].

PubMed

Wang, Zhan-yi; Zhang, Li-hua; Wang, Yu-hai; Zhang, Yuan-hu; Ma, Li; Zheng, Dan-dan

2015-05-01

The dynamic mathematical model of ultrasonic extraction of polyphenols from pomegranate peel was constructed with the Fick's second law as the theoretical basis. The spherical model was selected, with mass concentrations of pomegranate peel polyphenols as the index, 50% ethanol as the extraction solvent and ultrasonic extraction as the extraction method. In different test conditions including the liquid ratio, extraction temperature and extraction time, a series of kinetic parameters were solved, such as the extraction process (k), relative raffinate rate, surface diffusion coefficient(D(S)), half life (t½) and the apparent activation energy (E(a)). With the extraction temperature increasing, k and D(S) were gradually increased with t½ decreasing,which indicated that the elevated temperature was favorable to the extraction of pomegranate peel polyphenols. The exponential equation of relative raffinate rate showed that the established numerical dynamics model fitted the extraction of pomegranate peel polyphenols, and the relationship between the reaction conditions and pomegranate peel polyphenols concentration was well reflected by the model. Based on the experimental results, a feasible and reliable kinetic model for ultrasonic extraction of polyphenols from pomegranate peel is established, which can be used for the optimization control of engineering magnifying production.

Model-Based Building Detection from Low-Cost Optical Sensors Onboard Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karantzalos, K.; Koutsourakis, P.; Kalisperakis, I.; Grammatikopoulos, L.

2015-08-01

The automated and cost-effective building detection in ultra high spatial resolution is of major importance for various engineering and smart city applications. To this end, in this paper, a model-based building detection technique has been developed able to extract and reconstruct buildings from UAV aerial imagery and low-cost imaging sensors. In particular, the developed approach through advanced structure from motion, bundle adjustment and dense image matching computes a DSM and a true orthomosaic from the numerous GoPro images which are characterised by important geometric distortions and fish-eye effect. An unsupervised multi-region, graphcut segmentation and a rule-based classification is responsible for delivering the initial multi-class classification map. The DTM is then calculated based on inpaininting and mathematical morphology process. A data fusion process between the detected building from the DSM/DTM and the classification map feeds a grammar-based building reconstruction and scene building are extracted and reconstructed. Preliminary experimental results appear quite promising with the quantitative evaluation indicating detection rates at object level of 88% regarding the correctness and above 75% regarding the detection completeness.

An online handwriting recognition system for Turkish

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vural, Esra; Erdogan, Hakan; Oflazer, Kemal; Yanikoglu, Berrin A.

2004-12-01

Despite recent developments in Tablet PC technology, there has not been any applications for recognizing handwritings in Turkish. In this paper, we present an online handwritten text recognition system for Turkish, developed using the Tablet PC interface. However, even though the system is developed for Turkish, the addressed issues are common to online handwriting recognition systems in general. Several dynamic features are extracted from the handwriting data for each recorded point and Hidden Markov Models (HMM) are used to train letter and word models. We experimented with using various features and HMM model topologies, and report on the effects of these experiments. We started with first and second derivatives of the x and y coordinates and relative change in the pen pressure as initial features. We found that using two more additional features, that is, number of neighboring points and relative heights of each point with respect to the base-line improve the recognition rate. In addition, extracting features within strokes and using a skipping state topology improve the system performance as well. The improved system performance is 94% in recognizing handwritten words from a 1000-word lexicon.

An online handwriting recognition system for Turkish

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vural, Esra; Erdogan, Hakan; Oflazer, Kemal; Yanikoglu, Berrin A.

2005-01-01

Despite recent developments in Tablet PC technology, there has not been any applications for recognizing handwritings in Turkish. In this paper, we present an online handwritten text recognition system for Turkish, developed using the Tablet PC interface. However, even though the system is developed for Turkish, the addressed issues are common to online handwriting recognition systems in general. Several dynamic features are extracted from the handwriting data for each recorded point and Hidden Markov Models (HMM) are used to train letter and word models. We experimented with using various features and HMM model topologies, and report on the effects of these experiments. We started with first and second derivatives of the x and y coordinates and relative change in the pen pressure as initial features. We found that using two more additional features, that is, number of neighboring points and relative heights of each point with respect to the base-line improve the recognition rate. In addition, extracting features within strokes and using a skipping state topology improve the system performance as well. The improved system performance is 94% in recognizing handwritten words from a 1000-word lexicon.

Building a time-saving and adaptable tool to report adverse drug events.

PubMed

Parès, Yves; Declerck, Gunnar; Hussain, Sajjad; Ng, Romain; Jaulent, Marie-Christine

2013-01-01

The difficult task of detecting adverse drug events (ADEs) and the tedious process of building manual reports of ADE occurrences out of patient profiles result in a majority of adverse reactions not being reported to health regulatory authorities. The SALUS individual case safety report (ICSR) reporting tool, a component currently developed within the SALUS project, aims to support semi-automatic reporting of ADEs to regulatory authorities. In this paper, we present an initial design and current state of of our ICSR reporting tool that features: (i) automatic pre-population of reporting forms through extraction of the patient data contained in an Electronic Health Record (EHR); (ii) generation and electronic submission of the completed ICSRs by the physician to regulatory authorities; and (iii) integration of the reporting process into the physician's work-flow to limit the disturbance. The objective is to increase the rates of ADE reporting and the quality of the reported data. The SALUS interoperability platform supports patient data extraction independently of the EHR data model in use and allows generation of reports using the format expected by regulatory authorities.

Human forearm metabolism during progressive starvation.

PubMed

Owen, O E; Reichard, G A

1971-07-01

Forearm muscle metabolism was studied in eight obese subjects after an overnight, 3 and 24 day fast. Arterio-deep-venous differences of oxygen, carbon dioxide, glucose, lactate, pyruvate, free fatty acids, acetoacetate, and beta-hydroxybutyrate with simultaneous forearm blood flow were measured. Rates of metabolite utilization and production were thus estimated. Oxygen consumption and lactate and pyruvate production remained relatively constant at each fasting period. Glucose, initially the major substrate consumed, showed decreased consumption after 3 and 24 days of fasting. Acetoacetate and beta-hydroxybutyrate consumption after an overnight fast was low. At 3 days of fasting with increased arterial concentrations of acetoactate and beta-hydroxybutyrate, consumption of these substrates rose dramatically. At 24 days of fasting, despite further elevation of arterial levels of acetoacetate and beta-hydroxybutyrate, the utilization of acetoacetate did not increase further and if anything decreased, while five out of eight subjects released beta-hydroxybutyrate across the forearm. Acetoacetate was preferentially extracted over beta-hydroxybutyrate. At 24 days of starvation, free fatty acids were the principal fuels extracted by forearm muscle; at this time there was a decreased glucose and also ketone-body consumption by skeletal muscle.

The active and passive sampling of benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene and xylenes compounds using the inside needle capillary adsorption trap device.

PubMed

Shojania, S; Oleschuk, R D; McComb, M E; Gesser, H D; Chow, A

1999-08-23

A new and simple method of solventless extraction of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from air is presented. The sampling device has an adsorbing carbon coating on the interior surface of a hollow needle, and is called the inside needle capillary adsorption trap (INCAT). This paper describes a study of the reproducibility in the preparation and sampling of the INCAT device. In addition, this paper examines the effects of sample volume in active sampling and exposure time in passive sampling on the analyte adsorption. Analysis was achieved by sampling the air from an environmental chamber doped with benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene and xylenes (BTEX) compounds. Initial rates of adsorption were found to vary among the different compounds, but ranged from 0.0099 to 0.016 nmol h(-1) for passive sampling and from 2.2 to 10 nmol h(-1) for active sampling. Analysis was done by thermal desorption of the adsorbed compounds directly into a gas chromatograph injection port. Quantification of the analysis was done by comparison to actively sampled activated carbon solid phase extraction (SPE) measurements.

In Situ 3D Segmentation of Individual Plant Leaves Using a RGB-D Camera for Agricultural Automation.

PubMed

Xia, Chunlei; Wang, Longtan; Chung, Bu-Keun; Lee, Jang-Myung

2015-08-19

In this paper, we present a challenging task of 3D segmentation of individual plant leaves from occlusions in the complicated natural scene. Depth data of plant leaves is introduced to improve the robustness of plant leaf segmentation. The low cost RGB-D camera is utilized to capture depth and color image in fields. Mean shift clustering is applied to segment plant leaves in depth image. Plant leaves are extracted from the natural background by examining vegetation of the candidate segments produced by mean shift. Subsequently, individual leaves are segmented from occlusions by active contour models. Automatic initialization of the active contour models is implemented by calculating the center of divergence from the gradient vector field of depth image. The proposed segmentation scheme is tested through experiments under greenhouse conditions. The overall segmentation rate is 87.97% while segmentation rates for single and occluded leaves are 92.10% and 86.67%, respectively. Approximately half of the experimental results show segmentation rates of individual leaves higher than 90%. Nevertheless, the proposed method is able to segment individual leaves from heavy occlusions.

Gamma-radiolytic stability of new methylated TODGA derivatives for minor actinide recycling

DOE PAGES

Galan, Hitos; Zarzana, Christopher A.; Wilden, Andreas; ...

2015-09-15

The stability against gamma radiation of MeTODGA (methyl tetraoctyldiglycolamide) and Me2TODGA (dimethyl tetraoctyldiglycolamide), derivatives from the well-known extractant TODGA (N,N,N',N';-tetraoctyldiglycolamide), were studied and compared. Solutions of MeTODGA and Me2TODGA in alkane diluents were subjected to 60Co γ-irradiation in the presence and absence of nitric acid and analyzed using LC-MS to determine their rates of radiolytic concentration decrease, as well as to identify radiolysis products. The results of product identification from three different laboratories are compared and found to be in good agreement. The diglycolamide (DGA) concentrations decreased exponentially with increasing absorbed dose. The MeTODGA degradation rate constants (dose constants) weremore » uninfluenced by the presence of nitric acid, but the acid increased the rate of degradation for Me2TODGA. The degradation products formed by irradiation are also initially produced in greater amounts in acid-contacted solution, but products may also be degraded by continued radiolysis. As a result, the identified radiolysis products suggest that the weakest bonds are those in the diglycolamide center of these molecules.« less

Constitutive response of passivated copper films to thermal cycling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Y.-L.; Ramamurty, U.

2003-02-01

The thermomechanical behavior of passivated thin copper films is studied. Stresses in copper films of thickness ranging from 125 to 1000 nm, deposited on quartz or silicon substrates and passivated with silicon oxide, were measured using the curvature method. The thermal cycling spans a temperature range from -196 to 600 °C. The measured mechanical behavior was found to be rate insensitive within the heating/cooling rate range of 5-25 °C/min. It was observed that the passivated films do not exhibit a significant stress relaxation at elevated temperatures that is normally found in unpassivated films. Furthermore, a significant strain hardening during the course of thermal loading was noted. Simple continuum plasticity analyses show that the experimentally measured stress-temperature response can only be rationalized with a kinematic hardening model. Analytical procedures for extracting the constitutive properties of the films that were developed on the basis of such a model are presented. The initial yield strength is higher and tends to be less temperature dependent in thinner films. The strain hardening rate is found to increase with decreasing film thickness.

In Situ 3D Segmentation of Individual Plant Leaves Using a RGB-D Camera for Agricultural Automation

PubMed Central

Xia, Chunlei; Wang, Longtan; Chung, Bu-Keun; Lee, Jang-Myung

2015-01-01

In this paper, we present a challenging task of 3D segmentation of individual plant leaves from occlusions in the complicated natural scene. Depth data of plant leaves is introduced to improve the robustness of plant leaf segmentation. The low cost RGB-D camera is utilized to capture depth and color image in fields. Mean shift clustering is applied to segment plant leaves in depth image. Plant leaves are extracted from the natural background by examining vegetation of the candidate segments produced by mean shift. Subsequently, individual leaves are segmented from occlusions by active contour models. Automatic initialization of the active contour models is implemented by calculating the center of divergence from the gradient vector field of depth image. The proposed segmentation scheme is tested through experiments under greenhouse conditions. The overall segmentation rate is 87.97% while segmentation rates for single and occluded leaves are 92.10% and 86.67%, respectively. Approximately half of the experimental results show segmentation rates of individual leaves higher than 90%. Nevertheless, the proposed method is able to segment individual leaves from heavy occlusions. PMID:26295395

Complication rates in patients using absorbable collagen sponges in third molar extraction sockets: a retrospective study.

PubMed

Cho, Hoon; Jung, Hwi-Dong; Kim, Bok-Joo; Kim, Chul-Hoon; Jung, Young-Soo

2015-02-01

The purpose of this study is to retrospectively evaluate the postoperative complication rates for absorbable type-I collagen sponge (Ateloplug; Bioland) use in third molar extraction. From January to August 2013, 2,697 total patients undergoing third molar extraction and type-I collagen sponge application in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Yonsei University Dental Hospital (1,163 patients) and Dong-A University Hospital (1,534 patients) were evaluated in a retrospective study using their operation and medical records. A total of 3,869 third molars in 2,697 patients were extracted and the extraction sockets packed with type-I collagen sponges to prevent postoperative complications. As a result, the overall complication rate was 4.52%, with 3.00% experiencing surgical site infection (SSI), 1.14% showing alveolar osteitis, and 0.39% experiencing hematoma. Of the total number of complications, SSI accounted for more than a half at 66.29%. Compared to previous studies, this study showed a relatively low incidence of complications. The use of type-I collagen sponges is recommended for the prevention of complications after third molar extraction.

Separation and recovery of heavy metals from waste water using synergistic solvent extraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yan; Yang, Limei; Xu, Zheng; Sun, Qi

2017-01-01

Heavy metal wastewater pollution is one of the three major water pollutions in the world. The zinc hydrometallurgy smelting process usually discharge large quantities of heavy metal wastewater into the environment. In this paper, a synergistic solvent extraction process has been developed to recover copper, nickel, zinc and cadmium respectively from calcium and magnesium. The synergistic organic system contained 0.50 M Versatic 10 and 0.5 M Mextral 984H in DT100. Adjusting pH to 2.0 at 40 °C, the copper will be extracted preferentially with the extraction rate more than 99%. Continuing to adjust pH to 4.2 at 40 °C, the nickel will be extracted secondly with an extraction rate more than 98%; the zinc and cadmium in raffinate could be extracted separately while pH is about 6.5.

Comparison of different methods for extraction and purification of human Papillomavirus (HPV) DNA from serum samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azizah, N.; Hashim, U.; Nadzirah, Sh.; Arshad, M. K. Md; Ruslinda, A. R.; Gopinath, Subash C. B.

2017-03-01

The affectability and unwavering quality of PCR for indicative and research purposes require effective fair systems of extraction and sanitization of nucleic acids. One of the real impediments of PCR-based tests is the hindrance of the enhancement procedure by substances exhibit in clinical examples. This examination considers distinctive techniques for extraction and cleaning of viral DNA from serum tests in view of recuperation productivity as far as yield of DNA and rate recouped immaculateness of removed DNA, and rate of restraint. The best extraction strategies were the phenol/chloroform strategy and the silica gel extraction methodology for serum tests, individually. Considering DNA immaculateness, extraction technique by utilizing the phenol/chloroform strategy delivered the most tasteful results in serum tests contrasted with the silica gel, separately. The nearness of inhibitors was overcome by all DNA extraction strategies in serum tests, as confirm by semiquantitative PCR enhancement.

Bacterial endophthalmitis after resident-performed cataract surgery.

PubMed

Hollander, David A; Vagefi, M Reza; Seiff, Stuart R; Stewart, Jay M

2006-05-01

To determine if there is an increased rate of postoperative bacterial endophthalmitis after resident-performed cataract extraction relative to the reported rates of experienced surgeons. Retrospective, observational case series. The operative reports of the resident-performed cataract surgeries at San Francisco General Hospital between 1983 and 2002 were reviewed. Cases of culture-positive bacterial endophthalmitis and vitreous loss were identified. Between 1983 and 2002, three cases (0.11%) of culture-positive bacterial endophthalmitis occurred after 2718 resident-performed cataract extractions. The overall vitreous loss rate was 6.7%. Two endophthalmitis cases were acute (Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus viridans), presenting within five days of surgeries complicated by vitreous loss, and one case was delayed-onset (Corynebacterium species) after Nd:YAG posterior capsulotomy after uncomplicated cataract extraction. Despite higher rates of vitreous loss, the rate of endophthalmitis following resident-performed cataract surgery remains comparable with the rates of more experienced surgeons.

An analytical model for in situ extraction of organic vapors

USGS Publications Warehouse

Roy, W.R.; Griffin, R.A.

1991-01-01

This paper introduces a simple convective-flow model that can be used as a screening tool and for conducting sensitivity analyses for in situ vapor extraction of organic compounds from porous media. An assumption basic to this model was that the total mass of volatile organic chemicals (VOC) exists in three forms: as vapors, in the soil solution, and adsorbed to soil particles. The equilibrium partitioning between the vapor-liquid phase was described by Henry's law constants (K(H)) and between the liquid-soil phase by soil adsorption constants (K(d)) derived from soil organic carbon-water partition coefficients (K(oc)). The model was used to assess the extractability of 36 VOCs from a hypothetical site. Most of the VOCs appeared to be removable from soil by this technology, although modeling results suggested that rates for the alcohols and ketones may be very slow. In general, rates for weakly adsorbed compounds (K(oc) < 100 mL/g) were significantly higher when K(H) was greater than 10-4 atm??m3??mol-1. When K(oc) was greater than about 100 mL/g, the rates of extraction were sensitive to the amount of organic carbon present in the soil. The air permeability of the soil material (k) was a critical factor. In situ extraction needs careful evaluation when k is less than 10 millidarcies to determine its applicability. An increase in the vacuum applied to an extraction well accelerated removal rates but the diameter of the well had little effect. However, an increase in the length of the well screen open to the contaminated zone significantly affected removal rates, especially in low-permeability materials.This paper introduces a simple convective-flow model that can be used as a screening tool and for conducting sensitivity analyses for in situ vapor extraction of organic compounds from porous media. An assumption basic to this model was that the total mass of volatile organic chemicals (VOC) exists in three forms: as vapors, in the soil solution, and adsorbed to soil particles. The equilibrium partitioning between the vapor-liquid phase was described by Henry's law constants (KH) and between the liquid-soil phase by soil adsorption constants (Kd) derived from soil organic carbon-water partition coefficients (Koc). The model was used to assess the extractability of 36 VOCs from a hypothetical site. Most of the VOCs appeared to be removable from soil by this technology, although modeling results suggested that rates for the alcohols and ketones may be very slow. In general, rates for weakly adsorbed compounds (Koc < 100 mL/g) were significantly higher when KH was greater than 10-4atm-m3-mol-1. When Koc was greater than about 100 mL/g, the rates of extraction were sensitive to the amount of organic carbon present in the soil. The air permeability of the soil material (k) was a critical factor. In situ extraction needs careful evaluation when k is less than 10 millidarcies to determine its applicability. An increase in the vacuum applied to an extraction well accelerated removal rates but the diameter of the well had little effect. However, an increase in the length of the well screen open to the contaminated zone significantly affected removal rates, especially in low-permeability materials.

Lunar Oxygen Production and Metals Extraction Using Ionic Liquids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marone, Matthew; Paley, Mark Steven; Donovan, David N.; Karr, Laurel J.

2009-01-01

Initial results indicate that ionic liquids are promising media for the extraction of oxygen from lunar regolith. IL acid systems can solubilize regolith and produce water with high efficiency. IL electrolytes are effective for water electrolysis, and the spent IL acid media are capable of regeneration.

76 FR 25328 - New Mexico Green Initiatives, LLC; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate Filing...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-04

... Mexico Green Initiatives, LLC's application for market-based rate authority, with an accompanying rate... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. ER11-3431-000] New Mexico Green Initiatives, LLC; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate Filing Includes Request for...

Effects of process parameters on peanut skins extract and CO2 diffusivity by supercritical fluid extraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Putra, N. R.; Yian, L. N.; Nasir, H. M.; Idham, Z. Binti; Yunus, M. A. C.

2018-03-01

Peanut skins (Arachis hypogea) are an agricultural waste product which has received much attention because they contain high nutritional values and can be potentially utilized in difference industries. At present, only a few studies have been conducted to study the effects of parameters on the peanut skins oil extraction. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the best extraction condition in order to obtain the highest extract yield using supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) with co-solvent Ethanol as compared to Soxhlet extraction method. Diffusivity of carbon dioxide in supercritical fluid extraction was determined using Crank model. The mean particle size used in this study was 425 µm. The supercritical carbon dioxide was performed at temperature (40 – 70 °C), flow rate of co-solvent ethanol (0 - 7.5% Vethanol/Vtotal), and extraction pressure (10 – 30 MPa) were used in this studies. The results showed that the percentage of oil yields and effective diffusivity increase as the pressure, rate of co-solvent, and temperature increased.

Microstructure and hardness of bovine enamel in roselle extract solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dame, M. T.; Noerdin, A.; Indrani, D. J.

2017-08-01

The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of roselle extract solution on the microstructure and hardness of bovine enamel. Ten bovine teeth and a 5% concentration of roselle extract solution were prepared. Immersions of each bovine tooth in roselle extract solution were conducted up to 60 minutes. The bovine enamel surface was characterized in hardness and microscopy. It was apparent that the initial hardness was 328 KHN, and after immersion in 15 and 60 min, the values decrease to 57.4 KHN and 11 KHN, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed changes in enamel rods after immersion in the roselle extract solution.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2017-11-01

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

Continuous-flow extraction system for elemental association study: a case of synthetic metal-doped iron hydroxide.

PubMed

Hinsin, Duangduean; Pdungsap, Laddawan; Shiowatana, Juwadee

2002-12-06

A continuous-flow extraction system originally developed for sequential extraction was applied to study elemental association of a synthetic metal-doped amorphous iron hydroxide phase. The homogeneity and metal association of the precipitates were evaluated by gradual leaching using the system. Leachate was collected in fractions for determination of elemental concentrations. The result obtained as extractograms indicated that the doped metals were adsorbed more on the outermost surface rather than homogeneously distributed in the precipitates. The continuous-flow extraction method was also used for effective removal of surface adsorbed metals to obtain a homogeneous metal-doped synthetic iron hydroxide by a sequential extraction using acetic acid and small volume of hydroxylamine hydrochloride solution. The system not only ensures complete washing, but the extent of metal immobilization in the synthetic iron hydroxide could be determined with high accuracy from the extractograms. The initial metal/iron mole ratio (M/Fe) in solution affected the M/Fe mole ratio in homogeneous doped iron hydroxide phase. The M/Fe mole ratio of metal incorporation was approximately 0.01-0.02 and 0.03-0.06, for initial solution M/Fe mole ratio of 0.025 and 0.100, respectively.

Optimization of Supercritical CO2 Extraction of Fish Oil from Viscera of African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus)

PubMed Central

Sarker, Mohamed Zaidul Islam; Selamat, Jinap; Habib, Abu Sayem Md. Ahsan; Ferdosh, Sahena; Akanda, Mohamed Jahurul Haque; Jaffri, Juliana Mohamed

2012-01-01

Fish oil was extracted from the viscera of African Catfish using supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2). A Central Composite Design of Response Surface methodology (RSM) was employed to optimize the SC-CO2 extraction parameters. The oil yield (Y) as response variable was executed against the four independent variables, namely pressure, temperature, flow rate and soaking time. The oil yield varied with the linear, quadratic and interaction of pressure, temperature, flow rate and soaking time. Optimum points were observed within the variables of temperature from 35 °C to 80 °C, pressure from 10 MPa to 40 MPa, flow rate from 1 mL/min to 3 mL/min and soaking time from 1 h to 4 h. However, the extraction parameters were found to be optimized at temperature 57.5 °C, pressure 40 MPa, flow rate 2.0 mL/min and soaking time 2.5 h. At this optimized condition, the highest oil yields were found to be 67.0% (g oil/100 g sample on dry basis) in the viscera of catfish which was reasonable to the yields of 78.0% extracted using the Soxhlet method. PMID:23109854

UV-Vis/FT-NIR in situ monitoring of visible-light induced polymerization of PEGDA hydrogels initiated by eosin/triethanolamine/O2.

PubMed

Kaastrup, Kaja; Aguirre-Soto, Alan; Wang, Chen; Bowman, Christopher N; Stansbury, Jeffery; Sikes, Hadley D

In conjunction with a tertiary amine coinitiator, eosin, a photoreducible dye, has been shown to successfully circumvent oxygen inhibition in radical photopolymerization reactions. However, the role of O 2 in the initiation and polymerization processes remains inconclusive. Here, we employ a UV-Vis/FT-NIR analytical tool for real-time, simultaneous monitoring of chromophore and monomer reactive group concentrations to investigate the eosin-activated photopolymerization of PEGDA-based hydrogels under ambient conditions. First, we address the challenges associated with spectroscopic monitoring of the polymerization of hydrogels using UV-Vis and FT-NIR, proposing metrics for quantifying the extent of signal loss from reflection and scattering, and showing their relation to microgelation and network formation. Second, having established a method for extracting kinetic information by eliminating the effects of changing refractive index and scattering, the coupled UV-Vis/FT-NIR system is applied to the study of eosin-activated photopolymerization of PEGDA in the presence of O 2 . Analysis of the inhibition time, rate of polymerization, and rate of eosin consumption under ambient and purged conditions indicates that regeneration of eosin in the presence of oxygen and consumption of oxygen occur via a nonchain process. This suggests that the uniquely high O 2 resilience is due to alternative processes such as energy transfer from photo-activated eosin to oxygen. Uncovering the intricacies of the role of O 2 in eosin-mediated initiation aids the design of O 2 resistant free radical polymerization systems relevant to photonics, optoelectronics, biomaterials, and biosensing.

UV-Vis/FT-NIR in situ monitoring of visible-light induced polymerization of PEGDA hydrogels initiated by eosin/triethanolamine/O2

PubMed Central

Kaastrup, Kaja; Aguirre-Soto, Alan; Wang, Chen; Bowman, Christopher N.; Stansbury, Jeffery; Sikes, Hadley D.

2016-01-01

In conjunction with a tertiary amine coinitiator, eosin, a photoreducible dye, has been shown to successfully circumvent oxygen inhibition in radical photopolymerization reactions. However, the role of O2 in the initiation and polymerization processes remains inconclusive. Here, we employ a UV-Vis/FT-NIR analytical tool for real-time, simultaneous monitoring of chromophore and monomer reactive group concentrations to investigate the eosin-activated photopolymerization of PEGDA-based hydrogels under ambient conditions. First, we address the challenges associated with spectroscopic monitoring of the polymerization of hydrogels using UV-Vis and FT-NIR, proposing metrics for quantifying the extent of signal loss from reflection and scattering, and showing their relation to microgelation and network formation. Second, having established a method for extracting kinetic information by eliminating the effects of changing refractive index and scattering, the coupled UV-Vis/FT-NIR system is applied to the study of eosin-activated photopolymerization of PEGDA in the presence of O2. Analysis of the inhibition time, rate of polymerization, and rate of eosin consumption under ambient and purged conditions indicates that regeneration of eosin in the presence of oxygen and consumption of oxygen occur via a nonchain process. This suggests that the uniquely high O2 resilience is due to alternative processes such as energy transfer from photo-activated eosin to oxygen. Uncovering the intricacies of the role of O2 in eosin-mediated initiation aids the design of O2 resistant free radical polymerization systems relevant to photonics, optoelectronics, biomaterials, and biosensing. PMID:26755925

The lipid fraction of human milk initiates adipocyte differentiation in 3T3-L1 cells.

PubMed

Fujisawa, Yasuko; Yamaguchi, Rie; Nagata, Eiko; Satake, Eiichiro; Sano, Shinichiro; Matsushita, Rie; Kitsuta, Kazunobu; Nakashima, Shinichi; Nakanishi, Toshiki; Nakagawa, Yuichi; Ogata, Tsutomu

2013-09-01

The prevalence of childhood obesity has increased worldwide over the past decade. Despite evidence that human milk lowers the risk of childhood obesity, the mechanism is not fully understood. We investigated the direct effect of human milk on differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. 3T3-L1 preadipocytes were treated with donated human milk only or the combination of the standard hormone mixture; insulin, dexamethasone (DEX), and 3-isobututyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX). Furthermore, the induction of preadipocyte differentiation by extracted lipids from human milk was tested in comparison to the cells treated with lipid extracts from infant formula. Adipocyte differentiation, specific genes as well as formation of lipid droplets were examined. We clearly show that lipids present in human milk initiate 3T3-L1 preadipocyte differentiation. In contrast, this effect was not observed in response to lipids present in infant formula. The initiation of preadipocyte differentiation by human milk was enhanced by adding the adipogenic hormone, DEX or insulin. The expression of late adipocyte markers in Day 7 adipocytes that have been induced into differentiation with human milk lipid extracts was comparable to those in control cells initiated by a standard adipogenic hormone cocktail. These results demonstrate that human milk contains bioactive lipids that can initiate preadipocyte differentiation in the absence of the standard adipogenic compounds via a unique pathway. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mitochondrial Ubiquinone Homologues, Superoxide Radical Generation, and Longevity in Different Mammalian Species*

PubMed Central

Lass, Achim; Agarwal, Sanjiv; Sohal, Rajindar S.

2010-01-01

Rates of mitochondrial superoxide anion radical ( O2·¯) generation are known to be inversely correlated with the maximum life span potential of different mammalian species. The objective of this study was to understand the possible mechanism(s) underlying such variations in the rate of O2·¯ generation. The hypothesis that the relative amounts of the ubiquinones or coenzyme Q (CoQ) homologues, CoQ9 and CoQ10, are related with the rate of O2·¯ generation was tested. A comparison of nine different mammalian species, namely mouse, rat, guinea pig, rabbit, pig, goat, sheep, cow, and horse, which vary from 3.5 to 46 years in their maximum longevity, indicated that the rate of O2·¯ generation in cardiac submitochondrial particles (SMPs) was directly related to the relative amount of CoQ9 and inversely related to the amount of CoQ10, extractable from their cardiac mitochondria. To directly test the relationship between CoQ homologues and the rate of O2·¯ generation, rat heart SMPs, naturally containing mainly CoQ9 and cow heart SMPs, with high natural CoQ10 content, were chosen for depletion/reconstitution experiments. Repeated extractions of rat heart SMPs with pentane exponentially depleted both CoQ homologues while the corresponding rates of O2·¯ generation and oxygen consumption were lowered linearly. Reconstitution of both rat and cow heart SMPs with different amounts of CoQ9 or CoQ10 caused an initial increase in the rates of O2·¯ generation, followed by a plateau at high concentrations. Within the physiological range of CoQ concentrations, there were no differences in the rates of O2·¯ generation between SMPs reconstituted with CoQ9 or CoQ10. Only at concentrations that were considerably higher than the physiological level, the SMPs reconstituted with CoQ9 exhibited higher rates of O2·¯ generation than those obtained with CoQ10. These in vitro findings do not support the hypothesis that differences in the distribution of CoQ homologues are responsible for the variations in the rates of mitochondrial O2·¯ generation in different mammalian species. PMID:9235911

Allelopathic effects of weeds extracts against seed germination of some plants.

PubMed

Kadioglu, Izzet; Yanar, Yusuf; Asav, Unal

2005-04-01

This study investigated the allelopathic effects of various weeds extracts on seed germination of 11 crop species. Most of the weed extracts tested had inhibitory effects on seed germination of common bean, tomato, pepper, squash, onion, barley, wheat, and corn at different application rates as compared with the 10% acetone control. Chickpea seed germination was inhibited by extracts of Solanum nigrum L., Chenopodium album L., and Matricaria chamomilla L. (10%, 20% and 22.5%, respectively) at the end of 21 day incubation period. However, Glycyrrhiza glabra L., Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers., and Reseda lutea L. extracts stimulated chickpea seed germination at the rates of 95%, 94%, and 93%, respectively, compared to control. It was concluded that some of the weed extracts tested in this study could be used as inhibitor while others could be used as stimulator for the crops.

[Studies on technology of supercritical-CO2 fluid extraction for volatile oils and saikosaponins in Bupleurum chinense DC].

PubMed

Ge, F H; Li, Y; Xie, J M; Li, Q; Ma, G J; Chen, Y H; Lin, Y C; Li, X F

2000-03-01

To study the technology of supercritical-CO2 fluid extraction (SFE-CO2) for the volatile oils and saikosaponins in Bupleurum chinense. Exploring the effects of pressure, temperature, extraction time, flow rate of CO2 and entrainers on the yield of the oils and saikosaponin-contained extracts; determining the optimum conditions for SFE-CO2; analyzing the oils by GC/MS and comparing the technology of SFE-CO2 with that of traditional steam distillation. The optimum extraction conditions turned out to be--for volatile oils: pressure (EP) = 20 MPa, temperature (ET) = 30 degrees C, isolator I pressure (1P-I) = 12 MPa, temperature(1T-I) = 65 degrees C, isolator II pressure (1P-II) = 6 MPa, temperature (1T-II) = 40 degrees C, extraction time = 4 hours, and CO2 flow rate = 10-20 kg.(h.kg)-1 crude drug; for saikosaponins: EP = 30 MPa, ET = 65 degrees C, 1P I = 12 MPa, 1T I = 55 degrees C, 1P II = 6 MPa, 1T II = 43 degrees C, extraction time = 3 hours, entrainer = 60% ethanol, and CO2 flow rate = 20-25 kg.(h.kg)-1 crude drug. SFE-CO2 excels the traditional steam distillation in raising yield and reducing extraction time. The oils are composed of 22 constituents including caproaldehyde, and the saikosaponins can only be extracted with the help of entrainers under higher pressure and temperature.

77 FR 40893 - U.S. Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative Final Stakeholder Assessment and Multi...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-11

... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR [Docket No. ONRR-2012-0003] U.S. Extractive Industries Transparency..., Interior. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of the Interior (Interior) has retained an..., 2012, Interior received CBI's final assessment regarding options for forming a U.S. multi-stakeholder...

Pattern-Based Extraction of Argumentation from the Scientific Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Elizabeth K.

2010-01-01

As the number of publications in the biomedical field continues its exponential increase, techniques for automatically summarizing information from this body of literature have become more diverse. In addition, the targets of summarization have become more subtle; initial work focused on extracting the factual assertions from full-text papers,…

Developmental-genetic effects on level and change in childhood fears of twins during adolescence.

PubMed

Eaves, Lindon J; Silberg, Judy L

2008-11-01

If the adaptive significance of specific fears changes with age, the genetic contribution to individual differences may be lowest at the age of greatest salience. The roles of genes and environment in the developmental-genetic trajectory of five common childhood fears are explored in 1094 like-sex pairs of male and female monozygotic and dizygotic twins assessed on up to three occasions during adolescence (ages 8-18 years). Dichotomous self-ratings of a cluster of five correlated fears from Ollendick's schedule of fears (FSSC-R) were extracted for subjects at each occasion of assessment. The effects of genes and environment on overall level of fears and rates of adolescent decline were explored by fitting an item-response theory ('IRT') model that allowed for individual genetic and environmental differences in initial fear level ('intercept') and rates of adolescent change ('slope') across the repeated waves of measurement. Different forms of the model were explored using Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods to derive the posterior distribution of subject and item parameters from the raw responses. Additive genetic differences affect the common factor underlying the five fear-items. The same genes also affect rates of change with age, especially in boys. Male adolescents with higher overall genetic predisposition to childhood fears tended to show slower recovery with age than subjects with relatively low initial values. Thus, the genetic variance apparently increases with age. This finding is consistent with a prediction that the regulation of genetic differences will be strongest, and thus the additive genetic variance will be smallest, at the age when the particular stimulus is most salient. Items differed in the extent to which they were sensitive to underlying random differences in the rate of developmental change. Individual differences in rates of change with age were more marked in boys than girls.

Potential of Three Ethnomedicinal Plants as Antisickling Agents.

PubMed

Nurain, Ismaila O; Bewaji, Clement O; Johnson, Jarrett S; Davenport, Robertson D; Zhang, Yang

2017-01-03

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetic blood disorder that affects the shape and transportation of red blood cells (RBCs) in blood vessels, leading to various clinical complications. Many drugs that are available for treating the disease are insufficiently effective, toxic, or too expensive. Therefore, there is a pressing need for safe, effective, and inexpensive therapeutic agents from indigenous plants used in ethnomedicines. The potential of aqueous extracts of Cajanus cajan leaf and seed, Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides leaf, and Carica papaya leaf in sickle cell disease management was investigated in vitro using freshly prepared 2% sodium metabisulfite for sickling induction. The results indicated that the percentage of sickled cells, which was initially 91.6% in the control, was reduced to 29.3%, 41.7%, 32.8%, 38.2%, 47.6%, in the presence of hydroxyurea, C. cajan seed, C. cajan leaf, Z. zanthoxyloides leaf, and C. papaya leaf extracts, respectively, where the rate of polymerization inhibition was 6.5, 5.9, 8.0, 6.6, and 6.0 (×10 -2 ) accordingly. It was also found that the RBC resistance to hemolysis was increased in the presence of the tested agents as indicated by the reduction of the percentage of hemolyzed cells from 100% to 0%. The phytochemical screening results indicated the presence of important phytochemicals including tannins, saponins, alkaloids, flavonoids, and glycosides in all the plant extracts. Finally, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis showed the presence of important secondary metabolites in the plants. These results suggest that the plant extracts have some potential to be used as alternative antisickling therapy to hydroxyurea in SCD management.

Impact of sludge treatments on the extractability and fate of acetyl sulfamethoxazole residues in amended soils.

PubMed

Geng, Chunnu; Bergheaud, Valérie; Garnier, Patricia; Zhu, Yong-Guan; Haudin, Claire-Sophie

2018-03-01

Sludge recycled in agriculture may bring antibiotics into cropped soils. The nature, total amount, and availability of the antibiotics in soil partly depend on the sludge treatments. Our paper compares the fate of N-acetyl sulfamethoxazole (AC-SMX) residues between soils incubated with the same sludge but submitted to different processes before being added in soil. The fate of 14 C-AC-SMX residues was studied in mixtures of soil and sludges at different treatment levels: 1) activated and 2) centrifuged sludges, both enriched with 14 C-AC-SMX, and 3) limed and 4) heat-dried sludges obtained by treating the previously contaminated centrifuged sludge. The evolution of the extractability of 14 C residues (CaCl 2 , methanol) and their mineralization were followed during 119 days. More than 80% of the initial 14 C-activity was no longer extractable after 14 days, except in soil with limed sludge. Liming and drying the centrifuged sludge decreased the mineralized 14 C fraction from 5.7-6.4% to 1.2-1.8% and consequently, the corresponding soils contained more 14 C residues after 119 days. Although 14 C residues were more CaCl 2 -extractable in soil with limed sludge, they seemed to be poorly bioavailable for biodegradation. For all solid sludges, the mineralization rate of 14 C-AC-SMX residues was strongly correlated to that of sludge organic carbon, with a coefficient three times lower for the limed and dried sludges than for the centrifuged sludge after 14 days. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optimization of Extraction Process for Antidiabetic and Antioxidant Activities of Kursi Wufarikun Ziyabit Using Response Surface Methodology and Quantitative Analysis of Main Components.

PubMed

Edirs, Salamet; Turak, Ablajan; Numonov, Sodik; Xin, Xuelei; Aisa, Haji Akber

2017-01-01

By using extraction yield, total polyphenolic content, antidiabetic activities (PTP-1B and α -glycosidase), and antioxidant activity (ABTS and DPPH) as indicated markers, the extraction conditions of the prescription Kursi Wufarikun Ziyabit (KWZ) were optimized by response surface methodology (RSM). Independent variables were ethanol concentration, extraction temperature, solid-to-solvent ratio, and extraction time. The result of RSM analysis showed that the four variables investigated have a significant effect ( p < 0.05) for Y 1 , Y 2 , Y 3 , Y 4 , and Y 5 with R 2 value of 0.9120, 0.9793, 0.9076, 0.9125, and 0.9709, respectively. Optimal conditions for the highest extraction yield of 39.28%, PTP-1B inhibition rate of 86.21%, α -glycosidase enzymes inhibition rate of 96.56%, and ABTS inhibition rate of 77.38% were derived at ethanol concentration 50.11%, extraction temperature 72.06°C, solid-to-solvent ratio 1 : 22.73 g/mL, and extraction time 2.93 h. On the basis of total polyphenol content of 48.44% in this optimal condition, the quantitative analysis of effective part of KWZ was characterized via UPLC method, 12 main components were identified by standard compounds, and all of them have shown good regression within the test ranges and the total content of them was 11.18%.

Salt Marsh sediment 15N/13C "Push-Pull" assays reveal coupled sulfur, nitrogen, and carbon cycling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, S. M.; Tucker, J.; Thomas, F.; Sievert, S. M.; Cardon, Z. G.; Giblin, A. E.

2016-12-01

Salt marshes are extraordinarily productive ecosystems found in estuaries worldwide, hosting intensive sulfur, nitrogen, and carbon cycling. Although it has been hypothesized that in this environment sulfur oxidation may be important for energy flow, there is little direct data. At the heart of these hypothesized interactions are sulfur oxidizing microbes. Sulfur oxidizers can catalyze sulfide (re-)oxidation with nitrate as the electron acceptor under anaerobic conditions, producing ammonium (via DNRA) or dinitrogen gas (via denitrification). The form of sulfur present in marsh systems influences whether autotrophic or heterotrophic processes transform nitrate either to dinitrogen gas or ammonium through DNRA. To examine the fate of nitrate and interactions with sulfur, we conducted a series of "push-pull" experiments in marsh sediment at the Plum Island Ecosystems Long-Term Ecological Research site in Massachusetts. Porewater was extracted anoxically and amended with isotopically labeled nitrate (15N) and bicarbonate (13C). Porewater was pumped back into the sediment and then withdrawn at intervals of several hours. Dissolved inorganic nitrogen, sulfur, and carbon were measured as well as isotopes of nitrogen gas and ammonium. These push-pull experiments were conducted at several times during the growing season, to coincide with salt marsh grass initial growth (May), maximum growth (July), flowering (August), and senescence (October). Porewater sulfides were very low to non-detectable in May (time of initial plant growth) and increased to a maximum of 3 mM in October (time of plant senescence). Combined rates of denitrification and DNRA also varied seasonally: rates were higher in May (0.16 - 17.5 nmoles N/cm3/hr) and much lower in October (0 - 0.03 nmoles N/cm3/hr). Interestingly, DNRA rates were always higher than denitrification rates, often by an order of magnitude or more.

Optimizing photo-Fenton like process for the removal of diesel fuel from the aqueous phase

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background In recent years, pollution of soil and groundwater caused by fuel leakage from old underground storage tanks, oil extraction process, refineries, fuel distribution terminals, improper disposal and also spills during transferring has been reported. Diesel fuel has created many problems for water resources. The main objectives of this research were focused on assessing the feasibility of using photo-Fenton like method using nano zero-valent iron (nZVI/UV/H2O2) in removing total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) and determining the optimal conditions using Taguchi method. Results The influence of different parameters including the initial concentration of TPH (0.1-1 mg/L), H2O2 concentration (5-20 mmole/L), nZVI concentration (10-100 mg/L), pH (3-9), and reaction time (15-120 min) on TPH reduction rate in diesel fuel were investigated. The variance analysis suggests that the optimal conditions for TPH reduction rate from diesel fuel in the aqueous phase are as follows: the initial TPH concentration equals to 0.7 mg/L, nZVI concentration 20 mg/L, H2O2 concentration equals to 5 mmol/L, pH 3, and the reaction time of 60 min and degree of significance for the study parameters are 7.643, 9.33, 13.318, 15.185 and 6.588%, respectively. The predicted removal rate in the optimal conditions was 95.8% and confirmed by data obtained in this study which was between 95-100%. Conclusion In conclusion, photo-Fenton like process using nZVI process may enhance the rate of diesel degradation in polluted water and could be used as a pretreatment step for the biological removal of TPH from diesel fuel in the aqueous phase. PMID:24955242

Density Driven Removal of Sediment from a Buoyant Muddy Plume

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rouhnia, M.; Strom, K.

2014-12-01

Experiments were conducted to study the effect of settling driven instabilities on sediment removal from hypopycnal plumes. Traditional approaches scale removal rates with particle settling velocity however, it has been suggested that the removal from buoyant suspensions happens at higher rates. The enhancement of removal is likely due to gravitational instabilities, such as fingering, at two-fluid interface. Previous studies have all sought to suppress flocculation, and no simple model exists to predict the removal rates under the effect of such instabilities. This study examines whether or not flocculation hampers instability formation and presents a simple removal rate model accounting for gravitational instabilities. A buoyant suspension of flocculated Kaolinite overlying a base of clear saltwater was investigated in a laboratory tank. Concentration was continuously measured in both layers with a pair of OBS sensors, and interface was monitored with digital cameras. Snapshots from the video were used to measure finger velocity. Samples of flocculated particles at the interface were extracted to retrieve floc size data using a floc camera. Flocculation did not stop creation of settling-driven fingers. A simple cylinder-based force balance model was capable of predicting finger velocity. Analogy of fingering process of fine grained suspensions to thermal plume formation and the concept of Grashof number enabled us to model finger spacing as a function of initial concentration. Finally, from geometry, the effective cross-sectional area was correlated to finger spacing. Reformulating the outward flux expression was done by substitution of finger velocity, rather than particle settling velocity, and finger area instead of total area. A box model along with the proposed outward flux was used to predict the SSC in buoyant layer. The model quantifies removal flux based on the initial SSC and is in good agreement with the experimental data.

Trends in the incidence of tooth extraction due to periodontal disease: results of a 12-year longitudinal cohort study in South Korea

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Purpose This study evaluated trends in tooth extraction due to acute and chronic periodontal disease (PD) using data from the National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort for 2002–2013. Methods A random sample of 1,025,340 individuals was selected as a representative sample of the population, and a database (DB) of diagnostic and prescription codes was followed up for 12 years. We used multivariate logistic regression analysis to assess the incidence of total extraction (TE), extraction due to periodontal disease (EPD), and immediate extraction due to periodontal disease (IEPD) according to sociodemographic factors (sex, age, household income, health status, and area of residence). Results The incidence of tooth extraction was found to be increasing, and at a higher rate for TE in PD patients. In 2002, 50.6% of cases of TE were caused by PD, and this increased to 70.8% in 2013, while the number of cases of IEPD increased from 42.8% to 54.9% over the same period. The incidence rates of extraction due to acute and chronic PD increased monotonically. We found that the incidence rates of TE, EPD, and IEPD were all 2-fold higher among patients with high income levels and those who were not beneficiaries of health insurance. Conclusions The rates of TE, EPD, and IEPD have been steadily increasing despite dental healthcare policies to expand public health insurance coverage, increasing the accessibility of dental clinics. Moreover, the effects of these policies were found to vary with both income and education levels. Consistent patient follow-up is required to observe changes in trends regarding tooth extraction according to changes in dental healthcare policies, and meticulous studies of such changes will ensure optimal policy reviews and revisions. PMID:29093985

Green extraction of grape skin phenolics by using deep eutectic solvents.

PubMed

Cvjetko Bubalo, Marina; Ćurko, Natka; Tomašević, Marina; Kovačević Ganić, Karin; Radojčić Redovniković, Ivana

2016-06-01

Conventional extraction techniques for plant phenolics are usually associated with high organic solvent consumption and long extraction times. In order to establish an environmentally friendly extraction method for grape skin phenolics, deep eutectic solvents (DES) as a green alternative to conventional solvents coupled with highly efficient microwave-assisted and ultrasound-assisted extraction methods (MAE and UAE, respectively) have been considered. Initially, screening of five different DES for proposed extraction was performed and choline chloride-based DES containing oxalic acid as a hydrogen bond donor with 25% of water was selected as the most promising one, resulting in more effective extraction of grape skin phenolic compounds compared to conventional solvents. Additionally, in our study, UAE proved to be the best extraction method with extraction efficiency superior to both MAE and conventional extraction method. The knowledge acquired in this study will contribute to further DES implementation in extraction of biologically active compounds from various plant sources. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Health and safety: Preliminary comparative assessment of the Satellite Power System (SPS) and other energy alternatives

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Habegger, L. J.; Gasper, J. R.; Brown, C.

1980-01-01

Data readily available from the literature were used to make an initial comparison of the health and safety risks of a fission power system with fuel reprocessing; a combined-cycle coal power system with a low-Btu gasifier and open-cycle gas turbine; a central-station, terrestrial, solar photovoltaic power system; the satellite power system; and a first-generation fusion system. The assessment approach consists of the identification of health and safety issues in each phase of the energy cycle from raw material extraction through electrical generation, waste disposal, and system deactivation; quantitative or qualitative evaluation of impact severity; and the rating of each issue with regard to known or potential impact level and level of uncertainty.

Study on gold concentrate leaching by iodine-iodide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Hai-xia; Sun, Chun-bao; Li, Shao-ying; Fu, Ping-feng; Song, Yu-guo; Li, Liang; Xie, Wen-qing

2013-04-01

Gold extraction by iodine-iodide solution is an effective and environment-friendly method. In this study, the method using iodine-iodide for gold leaching is proved feasible through thermodynamic calculation. At the same time, experiments on flotation gold concentrates were carried out and encouraging results were obtained. Through optimizing the technological conditions, the attained high gold leaching rate is more than 85%. The optimum process conditions at 25°C are shown as follows: the initial iodine concentration is 1.0%, the iodine-to-iodide mole ratio is 1:8, the solution pH value is 7, the liquid-to-solid mass ratio is 4:1, the leaching time is 4 h, the stirring intensity is 200 r/mim, and the hydrogen peroxide consumption is 1%.

Suicide in the Indigenous Population of Latin America: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Azuero, Andres J; Arreaza-Kaufman, Dan; Coriat, Jeanette; Tassinari, Stefano; Faria, Annette; Castañeda-Cardona, Camilo; Rosselli, Diego

Due to the high rates of suicide reported among many ethnic minorities, a systematic review is presented on suicide in indigenous populations of Latin America. Systematic review in PubMed, Scopus, PsycNET, Scielo and Scholar Google. From an initial total of 1862 articles, 41 were included for data extraction. They include 21 from Brazil, 13 from Colombia, 2 from Chile, 1 from Peru, and 4 articles grouped from different countries. Suicide is a public health issue in many communities. Lifestyle changes, industrialisation, environmental degradation, and alcohol have led the indigenous population experiencing what has been described as "cultural death." Copyright © 2017 Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría. Publicado por Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

Rates of breastfeeding initiation among newborns.

PubMed

Maimburg, Rikke Damkjær

2017-06-01

Rates of breastfeeding initiation in hospitals with a tertiary neonatal intensive care unit are limited. A follow-up study with prospectively collected data in a Danish university hospital with approximately 5000 annual births was conducted. Between 1 February 2015 and 30 June 2015, 1939 newborns were enrolled in the study. Rates of frequencies for initiation of breastfeeding were calculated. High initiations rates for breastfeeding were found among term-born infants. Newborns of multiparous women had the highest initiation rate of 91.7% and newborns delivered by cesarean section had the lowest initiation rate of 73.3%. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Safety and Efficacy of Transvenous Lead Extraction Utilizing the Evolution Mechanical Lead Extraction System: A Single-Center Experience.

PubMed

Sharma, Saumya; Ekeruo, Ijeoma A; Nand, Nikita P; Sundara Raman, Ajay; Zhang, Xu; Reddy, Sunil K; Hariharan, Ramesh

2018-02-01

The goal of this study is to assess the safety and efficacy of mechanical lead extraction utilizing the Evolution system. Compared with other techniques commonly used for lead extraction, data regarding the safety and efficacy of mechanical lead extraction using the Evolution system is limited and needs further evaluation. Between June 1, 2009 and September 30, 2016, we retrospectively analyzed 400 consecutive patients who exclusively underwent mechanical lead extraction utilizing the Evolution system. A total of 400 patients underwent mechanical lead extraction of 683 leads. Mean age of extracted leads was 6.77 ± 4.42 years (range 1 to 31 years). The extracted device system was an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator in 274 patients (68.5%) and a pacemaker system in 126 patients (31.5%). Complete lead removal rate was 97% with a clinical success rate of 99.75%. Incomplete lead removal with <4-cm remnant was associated with older leads (lead age >8 years). Failure to achieve clinical success was noted in 1 patient (0.25%). Cardiac papillary avulsion, system-related infection, and cardiac tamponade were the major complications noted in 6 patients (1.5%). Minor complications were encountered in 24 patients (6%), of which hematoma requiring evacuation was the most common minor complication. There were no patient deaths. In our single-center study, lead extractions utilizing the Evolution mechanical lead extraction system were safe and effective and resulted in high clinical and procedural success, with low complication rates and no fatalities. Copyright © 2018 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

ALLFlight: detection of moving objects in IR and ladar images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doehler, H.-U.; Peinecke, Niklas; Lueken, Thomas; Schmerwitz, Sven

2013-05-01

Supporting a helicopter pilot during landing and takeoff in degraded visual environment (DVE) is one of the challenges within DLR's project ALLFlight (Assisted Low Level Flight and Landing on Unprepared Landing Sites). Different types of sensors (TV, Infrared, mmW radar and laser radar) are mounted onto DLR's research helicopter FHS (flying helicopter simulator) for gathering different sensor data of the surrounding world. A high performance computer cluster architecture acquires and fuses all the information to get one single comprehensive description of the outside situation. While both TV and IR cameras deliver images with frame rates of 25 Hz or 30 Hz, Ladar and mmW radar provide georeferenced sensor data with only 2 Hz or even less. Therefore, it takes several seconds to detect or even track potential moving obstacle candidates in mmW or Ladar sequences. Especially if the helicopter is flying with higher speed, it is very important to minimize the detection time of obstacles in order to initiate a re-planning of the helicopter's mission timely. Applying feature extraction algorithms on IR images in combination with data fusion algorithms of extracted features and Ladar data can decrease the detection time appreciably. Based on real data from flight tests, the paper describes applied feature extraction methods for moving object detection, as well as data fusion techniques for combining features from TV/IR and Ladar data.

Optimal Geometrical Set for Automated Marker Placement to Virtualized Real-Time Facial Emotions

PubMed Central

Maruthapillai, Vasanthan; Murugappan, Murugappan

2016-01-01

In recent years, real-time face recognition has been a major topic of interest in developing intelligent human-machine interaction systems. Over the past several decades, researchers have proposed different algorithms for facial expression recognition, but there has been little focus on detection in real-time scenarios. The present work proposes a new algorithmic method of automated marker placement used to classify six facial expressions: happiness, sadness, anger, fear, disgust, and surprise. Emotional facial expressions were captured using a webcam, while the proposed algorithm placed a set of eight virtual markers on each subject’s face. Facial feature extraction methods, including marker distance (distance between each marker to the center of the face) and change in marker distance (change in distance between the original and new marker positions), were used to extract three statistical features (mean, variance, and root mean square) from the real-time video sequence. The initial position of each marker was subjected to the optical flow algorithm for marker tracking with each emotional facial expression. Finally, the extracted statistical features were mapped into corresponding emotional facial expressions using two simple non-linear classifiers, K-nearest neighbor and probabilistic neural network. The results indicate that the proposed automated marker placement algorithm effectively placed eight virtual markers on each subject’s face and gave a maximum mean emotion classification rate of 96.94% using the probabilistic neural network. PMID:26859884

Rat medium-term multi-organ carcinogenesis bioassay of Agaricus blazei Murrill fruit-body extract.

PubMed

Doi, Yuko; Furukawa, Fumio; Suguro, Mayuko; Ito, Hikaru; Imai, Norio; Nabae, Kyoko; Toda, Yosuke; Inatomi, Satoshi; Kinugasa, Satomi; Kobayashi, Hitoshi

2010-01-01

The modifying potential of Agaricus blazei Murrill fruit-body extract (ABFE) on tumor development was investigated in a medium-term multi-organ carcinogenesis bioassay. Male 6-week-old F344 rats were treated with N-nitrosodiethylamine (DEN), N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU), 1,2-dimethylhydrazine dihydrochloride (DMH), N-butyl-N-(hydroxybutyl)-nitrosamine (BBN), and diisopropanolnitrosamine (DHPN) for initiation (DMBDD treatment). After a 1-week withdrawal period, the animals received distilled water (vehicle control) or ABFE A, gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) at 0.8 mg/kg, ABFE B (GABA level of 3.0mg/kg) or ABFE C (GABA level of 12.0mg/kg) by gavage for 24 weeks. There were no effects of ABFE on survival rate, general condition, body weight, food and water consumption, and organ weights. The multiplicity of large intestinal nodules, smaller than 2mm was significantly increased in the ABFE C group with DMBDD treatment. However, there were no significantly inter-group differences in incidences of hyperplastic or neoplastic lesions in colon or other organs, or in immunohistochemically identified preneoplastic lesions in the liver. In conclusion, A. blazei Murrill fruit-body extract, even at a GABA level up to 12 mg/kg, did not exert modifying potential in the present medium-term multi-organ carcinogenesis bioassay in male F344 rats (DMBDD method). Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

On the Detection of Coronal Dimmings and the Extraction of Their Characteristic Properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dissauer, K.; Veronig, A. M.; Temmer, M.; Podladchikova, T.; Vanninathan, K.

2018-03-01

Coronal dimmings are distinct phenomena associated with coronal mass ejections (CMEs). The study of coronal dimmings and the extraction of their characteristic parameters help us to obtain additional information regarding CMEs, especially on the initiation and early evolution of Earth-directed CMEs. We present a new approach to detect coronal dimming regions based on a thresholding technique applied on logarithmic base-ratio images. Characteristic dimming parameters describing the dynamics, morphology, magnetic properties, and the brightness of coronal dimming regions are extracted by cumulatively summing newly dimmed pixels over time. It is also demonstrated how core dimming regions are identified as a subset of the overall identified dimming region. We successfully apply our method to two well-observed coronal dimming events. For both events, the core dimming regions are identified and the spatial evolution of the dimming area reveals the expansion of the dimming region around these footpoints. We also show that in the early impulsive phase of the dimming expansion the total unsigned magnetic flux involved in the dimming regions is balanced and that up to 30% of this flux results from the localized core dimming regions. Furthermore, the onset in the profile of the area growth rate is cotemporal with the start of the associated flares and in one case also with the fast rise of the CME, indicating a strong relationship of coronal dimmings with both flares and CMEs.

Biochar based remediation of water and soil contaminated by phenanthrene and pentachlorophenol.

PubMed

Rao, Maria A; Di Rauso Simeone, Giuseppe; Scelza, Rosalia; Conte, Pellegrino

2017-11-01

Phenanthrene (Phe) and pentachlorophenol (PCP) are classified as persistent organic pollutants and represent serious concern for the environment as they are toxic and ubiquitous. Biochar based remediation is an emerging technology used in water and soil contamination. In this study we used poplar (BP) and conifer (BC) biochars to remediate water and soil contaminated by Phe and PCP. BP and BC were able to remove completely either Phe or PCP from contaminated water within one to three days. When biochar was confined in a porous membrane, BC and BP maintained their sorption efficiency for several remediation cycles. However, in these conditions BC allowed faster Phe removal. In soil remediation experiments, addition of two biochar rates, i.e. 2.5 and 5 mg g -1 , strongly reduced Phe extractability (up to 2.7% of the initially added Phe with the larger BC dose). This was similar to the behavior observed when compost was applied in order to verify the role of soil organic matter in the fate of both contaminants. PCP extractability was reduced only up to 75% (in average) in all samples including those with compost amendment. Only larger amount of biochar (20 and 50 mg g -1 ) allowed reduction of the extractable PCP and nullified phytotoxicity of the contaminant. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Antioxidative activity of green tea treated with radical initiator 2, 2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride.

PubMed

Yokozawa, T; Cho, E J; Hara, Y; Kitani, K

2000-10-01

This study investigated the antioxidative activity of green tea extract, and a green tea tannin mixture and its components, under conditions of radical generation using the hydrophilic azo compound, 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH) to generate peroxyl radicals at a constant and measurable rate in the cultured renal epithelial cell line, LLC-PK(1), which is susceptible to oxidative damage. Treatment with AAPH decreased cell viability and increased the formation of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances. However, green tea extract, and the tannin mixture and its components, comprising (-)-epigallocatechin 3-O-gallate (EGCg), (-)-gallocatechin 3-O-gallate (GCg), (-)-epicatechin 3-O-gallate (ECg), (-)-epigallocatechin (EGC), (+)-gallocatechin (GC), (-)-epicatechin (EC), and (+)-catechin (C), showed protective activity against AAPH-induced cellular damage. The tannin mixture and its components exhibited higher antioxidative activity than the green tea extract. Furthermore, EGCg and GCg had higher activity than EGC and GC, respectively. In particular, EGCg exerted the most significant cellular protective activity against AAPH. These results indicate that green tea tannin may inhibit cellular loss and lipid peroxidation resulting from the peroxyl radical generated by AAPH, and that the chemical structure of tannin is also involved in the activity, suggesting that the O-dihydroxy structure in the B ring and the galloyl groups are important determinants for radical scavenging and antioxidative potential.

Optimal Geometrical Set for Automated Marker Placement to Virtualized Real-Time Facial Emotions.

PubMed

Maruthapillai, Vasanthan; Murugappan, Murugappan

2016-01-01

In recent years, real-time face recognition has been a major topic of interest in developing intelligent human-machine interaction systems. Over the past several decades, researchers have proposed different algorithms for facial expression recognition, but there has been little focus on detection in real-time scenarios. The present work proposes a new algorithmic method of automated marker placement used to classify six facial expressions: happiness, sadness, anger, fear, disgust, and surprise. Emotional facial expressions were captured using a webcam, while the proposed algorithm placed a set of eight virtual markers on each subject's face. Facial feature extraction methods, including marker distance (distance between each marker to the center of the face) and change in marker distance (change in distance between the original and new marker positions), were used to extract three statistical features (mean, variance, and root mean square) from the real-time video sequence. The initial position of each marker was subjected to the optical flow algorithm for marker tracking with each emotional facial expression. Finally, the extracted statistical features were mapped into corresponding emotional facial expressions using two simple non-linear classifiers, K-nearest neighbor and probabilistic neural network. The results indicate that the proposed automated marker placement algorithm effectively placed eight virtual markers on each subject's face and gave a maximum mean emotion classification rate of 96.94% using the probabilistic neural network.

Diabetes and CVD risk during angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin II receptor blocker treatment in hypertension: a study of 15,990 patients.

PubMed

Hasvold, L P; Bodegård, J; Thuresson, M; Stålhammar, J; Hammar, N; Sundström, J; Russell, D; Kjeldsen, S E

2014-11-01

Differences in clinical effectiveness between angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEis) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) in the primary treatment of hypertension are unknown. The aim of this retrospective cohort study was to assess the prevention of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in patients treated with ARBs or ACEis. Patients initiated on enalapril or candesartan treatment in 71 Swedish primary care centers between 1999 and 2007 were included. Medical records data were extracted and linked with nationwide hospital discharge and cause of death registers. The 11,725 patients initiated on enalapril and 4265 on candesartan had similar baseline characteristics. During a mean follow-up of 1.84 years, 36,482 patient-years, the risk of new diabetes onset was lower in the candesartan group (hazard ratio (HR) 0.81, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.69-0.96, P=0.01) compared with the enalapril group. No difference between the groups was observed in CVD risk (HR 0.99, 95% CI 0.87-1.13, P=0.86). More patients discontinued treatment in the enalapril group (38.1%) vs the candesartan group (27.2%). In a clinical setting, patients initiated on candesartan treatment had a lower risk of new-onset type 2 diabetes and lower rates of drug discontinuation compared with patients initiated on enalapril. No differences in CVD risk were observed.

Statistical optimisation of cell growth and carotenoid production by rhodotorula mucilaginosa

PubMed Central

Maldonade, Iriani R.; Rodriguez-Amaya, Delia B.; Scamparini, Adilma R. P.

2012-01-01

Sequential statistical methods were used to maximise carotenoid production by a strain of Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, isolated from the Brazilian ecosystem. Initially, a factorial 25–1 experimental design was used, and the variables were pH and the levels of glucose, yeast extract, MgSO4.7H2O and KH2PO4. The nitrogen source (yeast extract) was the most important variable in enhancing carotenoid production; MgSO4.7H2O and KH2PO4 had a negative influence. The initial pH had no significant effect on carotenoid and cell productions. We further investigated the effects of glucose and yeast extract effects, using a second-order central composite design (CCD) to optimise carotenoid production, which was adequately approximated with a full quadratic equation obtained from a two-factor-2-level design. The analysis of quadratic surfaces showed that after 5 days of cultivation at 25 °C, the maximum carotenoid concentration (745 µg l-1) was obtained with 15 g l-1 of yeast extract and 20 g l-1 of glucose. The maximum carotenoid production (152 µg g-1) was obtained with 5 g l-1 yeast extract and 10 g l-1 glucose. Carotenoid formation was more sensitive to changes in yeast extract concentration than to changes in glucose concentration. Maximum cell production was achieved with 15–17 g l-1 of yeast extract and 15–20 g l-1 of glucose. PMID:24031809

Syringe Pump Performance Maintained with IV Filter Use During Low Flow Rate Delivery for Pediatric Patients.

PubMed

Chau, Destiny F; Vasilopoulos, Terrie; Schoepf, Miriam; Zhang, Christina; Fahy, Brenda G

2016-09-01

Complex surgical and critically ill pediatric patients rely on syringe infusion pumps for precise delivery of IV medications. Low flow rates and in-line IV filter use may affect drug delivery. To determine the effects of an in-line filter to remove air and/or contaminants on syringe pump performance at low flow rates, we compared the measured rates with the programmed flow rates with and without in-line IV filters. Standardized IV infusion assemblies with and without IV filters (filter and control groups) attached to a 10-mL syringe were primed and then loaded onto a syringe pump and connected to a 16-gauge, 16-cm single-lumen catheter. The catheter was suspended in a normal saline fluid column to simulate the back pressure from central venous circulation. The delivered infusate was measured by gravimetric methods at predetermined time intervals, and flow rate was calculated. Experimental trials for initial programmed rates of 1.0, 0.8, 0.6, and 0.4 mL/h were performed in control and filter groups. For each trial, the flow rate was changed to double the initial flow rate and was then returned to the initial flow rate to analyze pump performance for titration of rates often required during medication administration. These conditions (initial rate, doubling of initial rate, and return to initial rate) were analyzed separately for steady-state flow rate and time to steady state, whereas their average was used for percent deviation analysis. Differences between control and filter groups were assessed using Student t tests with adjustment for multiplicity (using n = 3 replications per group). Mean time from 0 to initial flow (startup delay) was <1 minute in both groups with no statistical difference between groups (P = 1.0). The average time to reach steady-state flow after infusion startup or rate changes was not statistically different between the groups (range, 0.8-5.5 minutes), for any flow rate or part of the trial (initial rate, doubling of initial rate, and return to initial rate), although the study was underpowered to detect small time differences. Overall, the mean steady-state flow rate for each trial was below the programmed flow rate with negative mean percent deviations for each trial. In the 1.0-mL/h initial rate trial, the steady-state flow rate attained was lower in the filter than the control group for the initial rate (P = 0.04) and doubling of initial rate (P = 0.04) with a trend during the return to initial rate (P = 0.06), although this same effect was not observed when doubling the initial rate trials of 0.8 or 0.6 mL/h or any other rate trials compared with the control group. With low flow rates used in complex surgical and pediatric critically ill patients, the addition of IV filters did not confer statistically significant changes in startup delay, flow variability, or time to reach steady-state flow of medications administered by syringe infusion pumps. The overall flow rate was lower than programmed flow rate with or without a filter.

Behaviour and dynamics of di-ammonium phosphate in bauxite processing residue sand in Western Australia--II. Phosphorus fractions and availability.

PubMed

Chen, C R; Phillips, I R; Wei, L L; Xu, Z H

2010-06-01

The production of alumina involves its extraction from bauxite ore using sodium hydroxide under high temperature and pressure. This process yields a large amount of residue wastes, which are difficult to revegetate due to their inherent hostile properties--high alkalinity and sodicity, poor water retention and low nutrient availability. Although phosphorus (P) is a key element limiting successful ecosystem restoration, little information is available on the availability and dynamics of P in rehabilitated bauxite-processing residue sand (BRS). The major aim of this experiment was to quantify P availability and behaviour as affected by pH, source of BRS and di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) application rate. This incubation experiment was undertaken using three sources of BRS, three DAP application rates (low, without addition of DAP; medium, 15.07 mg P and 13.63 mg N of DAP per jar, 100 g BRS; and high, 30.15 mg P and 27.26 mg N per jar, 100 g BRS), and four BRS pH treatments (4, 7, 9 and 11 (original)). The moisture content was adjusted to 55% water holding capacity and each BRS sample was incubated at 25 degrees C for a period of 119 days. After this period, Colwell P and 0.1 M H(2)SO(4) extractable P in BRS were determined. In addition, P sequential fractionation was carried out and the concentration of P in each pool was measured. A significant proportion (37% recovered in Colwell P and 48% in 0.1 M H(2)SO(4) extraction) of P added as DAP in BRS are available for plant use. The pH did not significantly affect 0.1 M H(2)SO(4) extractable P, while concentrations of Colwell P in the higher initial pH treatments (pH 7, 9 and 11) were greater than in the pH 4 treatments. The labile fractions (sum of NH(4)Cl (AP), bicarbonate and first sodium hydroxide extractable P (N(I)P)) consisted of 58-64% and 70-72% of total P in the medium and high DAP rate treatments, respectively. This indicates that most P added as DAP remained labile or moderately labile in BRS, either in solution, or in adsorbed forms on the surface of more crystalline P compounds, sesquioxides and carbonate, or associated with amorphous and some crystalline Al and Fe hydrous oxides. In addition, differences in the hydrochloric acid extractable P and the residual-P fractions among the treatments with and without DAP addition were relative small comparing with other P pools (e.g., NaOH extractable P pools), further indicating the limited capacity of BRS for fixing P added in Ca-P and other most recalcitrant forms. P availability in the original BRS without addition of DAP was very low, mostly in recalcitrant form. It has been clearly demonstrated that significant proportions of P added as DAP could remain labile or moderately labile for plant use during the rehabilitation of bauxite-processing residue disposal areas. There was limited capacity of BRS for fixing P in more recalcitrant forms (e.g., Ca-P and residual-P). Concentrations of most P pools in BRS increased with the DAP application rate. The impact of the pH treatment on P availability varied with the type of P pools and the DAP rate. It is recommended that the development of appropriate techniques for more accurate estimation of P availability in BRS and the quantification of the potential leaching loss of P in BRS are needed for the accurate understanding of P availability and dynamics in BRS. In addition, application of organic matters (e.g., biosolids and biochar, etc.) to BRS may be considered for improving P availability and buffering capacity.

Kinetic study of the scavenging reaction of the aroxyl radical by seven kinds of rice bran extracts in ethanol solution. Development of an aroxyl radical absorption capacity (ARAC) assay method.

PubMed

Mukai, Kazuo; Ouchi, Aya; Abe, Takumi; Murata, Kazumasa; Nakagawa, Kiyotaka; Miyazawa, Teruo

2014-12-10

Recently, a new assay method that can quantify the aroxyl radical (ArO•) absorption capacity (ARAC) of antioxidants (AOHs) was proposed. In the present work, the second-order rate constants (ks(Extract)) and ARAC values for the reaction of ArO• with seven kinds of rice bran extracts 1-7, which contain different concentrations of α-, β-, γ-, and δ-tocopherols and -tocotrienols (α-, β-, γ-, and δ-Tocs and -Toc-3s) and γ-oryzanol, were measured in ethanol at 25 °C using stopped-flow spectrophotometry. The ks(Extract) value (1.26 × 10(-2) M(-1) s(-1)) of Nipponbare (extract 1) with the highest activity was 1.5 times larger than that (8.29 × 10(-3)) of Milyang-23 (extract 7) with the lowest activity. The concentrations (in mg/100 g) of α-, β-, γ-, and δ-Tocs and -Toc-3s and γ-oryzanol found in the seven extracts 1-7 were determined using HPLC-MS/MS and UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, respectively. From the results, it has been clarified that the ArO•-scavenging rates (ks(Extract)) (that is, the relative ARAC value) obtained for the seven extracts 1-7 may be approximately explained as the sum of the product {Σ ks(AOH-i) [AOH-i]/10(5)} of the rate constant (ks(AOH-i)) and the concentration ([AOH-i]/10(5)) of AOH-i (Tocs, Toc-3s, and γ-oryzanol) included in rice bran extracts. The contribution of γ-oryzanol to the ks(Extract) value was estimated to be between 3.0-4.7% for each extract. Taken together, these results suggest that the ARAC assay method is applicable to general food extracts.

Influence of soil moisture on sunflower oil extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from a manufactured gas plant soil.

PubMed

Gong, Zongqiang; Wilke, B-M; Alef, Kassem; Li, Peijun

2005-05-01

The influence of soil moisture on efficiency of sunflower oil extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from contaminated soil was investigated. The PAH-contaminated soil was collected from a manufactured gas plant (MGP) site in Berlin, Germany. Half of the soil was air-dried, and the other half was kept as field-moist soil. Batch experiments were performed using air-dried and field-moist soils, and sunflower oil was used as extractant at oil/soil ratios of 2:1 and 1:1 (v/m). The experimental data were fitted to a first-order empirical model to describe mass-transfer profiles of the PAHs. Column extraction experiments were also conducted. Field-moist and air-dried soils in the column were extracted using sunflower oil at an oil/soil ratio of 2:1. In the batch experiments, PAHs were more rapidly extracted from air-dried soil than from field-moist soil. Removal rate of total PAH increased 23% at oil/soil ratio of 1:1 and 15.5% at oil/soil ratio of 2:1 after the soil was air dried. The most favorable conditions for batch extraction were air-dried soil, with an oil/soil ratio of 2:1. In the column experiments, the removal rate of total PAH from air-dried soil was 30.7% higher than that from field-moist soil. For field-moist soil, extraction efficiencies of the batch extraction (67.2% and 81.5%) were better than that for column extraction (65.6%). However, this difference between the two methods became less significant for the air-dried soil, with a total removal rate of 96.3% for column extraction and 90.2% and 97% for batch extractions. A mass-balance test was carried out for analytical quality assurance. The results of both batch and column experiments indicated that drying the soil increased efficiency of extraction of PAHs from the MGP soil.

Anesthetic Efficacy of 4 % Articaine During Extraction of the Mandibular Posterior Teeth by Using Inferior Alveolar Nerve Block and Buccal Infiltration Techniques.

PubMed

El-Kholey, Khalid E

2017-03-01

The study was designed to evaluate the anesthetic efficacy of 4 % articaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine (A100) in infiltration and inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) anesthetic techniques for the pain control during extraction of the mandibular posterior teeth. This prospective randomized single-blind clinical trial included 100 patients needing extraction of at least two mandibular molars. Patients received either infiltration in the buccal vestibule opposite to the first molar supplemented with lingual infiltration or standard IANB with A100. For assessment of depth of anesthesia obtained by the two anaethetic techniques, presence or absence of pain during the extraction were rated using the visual analog scale. Fifty patients received infiltration anesthesia and fifty patients were anesthetized by IANB. The success rate of pain-free extraction after buccal infiltration was 94 %, whereas by using IANB with the same anesthetic it was 92 %. No statistical differences were detected in the success rates between the two anesthetic techniques ( P  = 0.15). Buccal Infiltration can be considered a good option during extraction of the mandibular molar and premolar teeth of course, with supplemental lingual anesthesia.

Efficacy of carbazole alkaloids, essential oil and extract of Murraya koenigii in enhancing subcutaneous wound healing in rats.

PubMed

Nagappan, Thilahgavani; Segaran, Thirukanthan Chandra; Wahid, Mohd Effendy Abdul; Ramasamy, Perumal; Vairappan, Charles S

2012-12-05

The traditional use of Murraya koenigii as Asian folk medicine prompted us to investigate its wound healing ability. Three carbazole alkaloids (mahanine (1), mahanimbicine (2), mahanimbine (3)), essential oil and ethanol extract of Murraya koenigii were investigated for their efficacy in healing subcutaneous wounds. Topical application of the three alkaloids, essential oil and crude extract on 8 mm wounds created on the dorsal skin of rats was monitored for 18 days. Wound contraction rate and epithelialization duration were calculated, while wound granulation and collagen deposition were evaluated via histological method. Wound contraction rates were obvious by day 4 for the group treated with extract (19.25%) and the group treated with mahanimbicine (2) (12.60%), while complete epithelialization was achieved on day 18 for all treatment groups. Wounds treated with mahanimbicine (2) (88.54%) and extract of M. koenigii (91.78%) showed the highest rate of collagen deposition with well-organized collagen bands, formation of fibroblasts, hair follicle buds and with reduced inflammatory cells compared to wounds treated with mahanine (1), mahanimbine (3) and essential oil. The study revealed the potential of mahanimbicine (2) and crude extract of M. koenigii in facilitation and acceleration of wound healing.

14C BOMB-PULSE DATING AND STABLE ISOTOPE ANALYSIS FOR GROWTH RATE AND DIETARY INFORMATION IN BREAST CANCER?

PubMed

Lång, K; Eriksson Stenström, K; Rosso, A; Bech, M; Zackrisson, S; Graubau, D; Mattsson, S

2016-06-01

The purpose of this study was to perform an initial investigation of the possibility to determine breast cancer growth rate with (14)C bomb-pulse dating. Tissues from 11 breast cancers, diagnosed in 1983, were retrieved from a regional biobank. The estimated average age of the majority of the samples overlapped the year of collection (1983) within 3σ Thus, this first study of tumour tissue has not yet demonstrated that (14)C bomb-pulse dating can obtain information on the growth of breast cancer. However, with further refinement, involving extraction of cell types and components, there is a possibility that fundamental knowledge of tumour biology might still be gained by the bomb-pulse technique. Additionally, δ (13)C and δ (15)N analyses were performed to obtain dietary and metabolic information, and to serve as a base for improvement of the age determination. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press.

Hydrolysis of aceto-hydroxamic acid under UREX+ conditions

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

Alyapyshev, M.; Paulenova, A.; Tkac, P.

2007-07-01

Aceto-hydroxamic acid (AHA) is used as a stripping agent In the UREX process. While extraction yields of uranium remain high upon addition of AHA, hexavalent plutonium and neptunium are rapidly reduced to the pentavalent state while the tetravalent species and removed from the product stream. However, under acidic conditions, aceto-hydroxamic acid undergoes hydrolytic degradation. In this study, the kinetics of the hydrolysis of aceto-hydroxamic acid in nitric and perchloric acid media was investigated at several temperatures. The decrease of the concentration of AHA was determined via its ferric complex using UV-Vis spectroscopy. The data obtained were analyzed using the methodmore » of initial rates. The data follow the pseudo-first order reaction model. Gamma irradiation of AHA/HNO{sub 3} solutions with 33 kGy/s caused two-fold faster degradation of AHA. The rate equation and thermodynamic data will be presented for the hydrolysis reaction with respect to the concentrations of aceto-hydroxamic acid, nitrate and hydronium ions, and radiation dose. (authors)« less

Negative self-referential processing is associated with genetic variation in the serotonin transporter-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR): Evidence from two independent studies.

PubMed

Dainer-Best, Justin; Disner, Seth G; McGeary, John E; Hamilton, Bethany J; Beevers, Christopher G

2018-01-01

The current research examined whether carriers of the short 5-HTTLPR allele (in SLC6A4), who have been shown to selectively attend to negative information, exhibit a bias towards negative self-referent processing. The self-referent encoding task (SRET) was used to measure self-referential processing of positive and negative adjectives. Ratcliff's diffusion model isolated and extracted decision-making components from SRET responses and reaction times. Across the initial (N = 183) and replication (N = 137) studies, results indicated that short 5-HTTLPR allele carriers more easily categorized negative adjectives as self-referential (i.e., higher drift rate). Further, drift rate was associated with recall of negative self-referential stimuli. Findings across both studies provide further evidence that genetic variation may contribute to the etiology of negatively biased processing of self-referent information. Large scale studies examining the genetic contributions to negative self-referent processing may be warranted.

Comparison of extraction techniques and modeling of accelerated solvent extraction for the authentication of natural vanilla flavors.

PubMed

Cicchetti, Esmeralda; Chaintreau, Alain

2009-06-01

Accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) of vanilla beans has been optimized using ethanol as a solvent. A theoretical model is proposed to account for this multistep extraction. This allows the determination, for the first time, of the total amount of analytes initially present in the beans and thus the calculation of recoveries using ASE or any other extraction technique. As a result, ASE and Soxhlet extractions have been determined to be efficient methods, whereas recoveries are modest for maceration techniques and depend on the solvent used. Because industrial extracts are obtained by many different procedures, including maceration in various solvents, authenticating vanilla extracts using quantitative ratios between the amounts of vanilla flavor constituents appears to be unreliable. When authentication techniques based on isotopic ratios are used, ASE is a valid sample preparation technique because it does not induce isotopic fractionation.

Extraction of GBH Film Medicine and Influence on Quality Evaluation of The Film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ji, Y. B.; Lu, L.; Ru, X.; Guo, S. Z.; Qiao, A. N.; Wang, S. W.

2017-12-01

To know the extraction effects of GBH film medicine and the influence on film quality evaluation. Ultrasonic extraction and reflux extraction were used to extract the two methods with the traditional water decocting method to contrast. They were used to determining the content of total flavonoids. The same method was used to separate the root of the main medicinal herbs and the decoction of the water decoction of the other drug powder. They were used to determine the content of total flavonoids. The effect of extraction method on the preparation of membrane was investigated. The membrane preparation, evaluation and flexibility, respectively, film-forming property, smoothness and disintegration time are used to evaluating separately the effect of extraction method. The results showed that the extraction effect of 70% ethanol concentration of total flavonoids. The best extraction method had no effect on the film quality initial evaluation. This experiment provides a method for membrane extraction agent, has a certain practical significance.

Fatty acids from high rate algal pond's microalgal biomass and osmotic stress effects.

PubMed

Drira, Neila; Dhouibi, Nedra; Hammami, Saoussen; Piras, Alessandra; Rosa, Antonella; Porcedda, Silvia; Dhaouadi, Hatem

2017-11-01

The extraction of oil from a wild microalgae biomass collected from a domestic wastewater treatment facility's high rate algal pond (HRAP) was investigated. An experiment plan was used to determine the most efficient extraction method, the optimal temperature, time and solvent system based on total lipids yield. Microwave-assisted extraction was the most efficient method whether in n-hexane or in a mixture of chloroform/methanol compared to Soxhlet, homogenization, and ultrasounds assisted extractions. This same wild biomass was cultivated in a photobioreactor (PBR) and the effect of osmotic stress was studied. The lipids extraction yield after 3days of stress increased by more than four folds without any significant loss of biomass, however, the quality of extracted total lipids in terms of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids was not affected by salinity change in the culture medium. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hibiscus sabdariffa L extract drying with different carrier agent: Drying rate evaluation and color analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Djaeni, M.; Utari, F. D.; Kumoro, A. C.

2017-03-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different carrier agents on roselle or Hibiscus sabdariffa L.extract drying. Carrier agent was used for reducing stickiness of material and avoiding agglomeration as well as improving stability. The method consisted of two steps involving roselle extraction and drying process. The liquid roselle extract was mixed with carrier agent (maltodextrin-arabic gum) in various composition. The mixture was then dried at different air temperature ranging 40 - 80°C. As a response, moisture content in the extract was observed by gravimetry every 10 minutes during90 minutes. The procedurewas repeated for the drying without carrieragent. The result showed that constant rate of drying with carrier agent was higher up to l.7 times than that of without carrier agent. Based on the color analysis,roselle extract drying with carrier agent also showed reasonable quality.

Phenotyping the quality of complex medium components by simple online-monitored shake flask experiments.

PubMed

Diederichs, Sylvia; Korona, Anna; Staaden, Antje; Kroutil, Wolfgang; Honda, Kohsuke; Ohtake, Hisao; Büchs, Jochen

2014-11-07

Media containing yeast extracts and other complex raw materials are widely used for the cultivation of microorganisms. However, variations in the specific nutrient composition can occur, due to differences in the complex raw material ingredients and in the production of these components. These lot-to-lot variations can affect growth rate, product yield and product quality in laboratory investigations and biopharmaceutical production processes. In the FDA's Process Analytical Technology (PAT) initiative, the control and assessment of the quality of critical raw materials is one key aspect to maintain product quality and consistency. In this study, the Respiration Activity Monitoring System (RAMOS) was used to evaluate the impact of different yeast extracts and commercial complex auto-induction medium lots on metabolic activity and product yield of four recombinant Escherichia coli variants encoding different enzymes. Under non-induced conditions, the oxygen transfer rate (OTR) of E. coli was not affected by a variation of the supplemented yeast extract lot. The comparison of E. coli cultivations under induced conditions exhibited tremendous differences in OTR profiles and volumetric activity for all investigated yeast extract lots of different suppliers as well as lots of the same supplier independent of the E. coli variant. Cultivation in the commercial auto-induction medium lots revealed the same reproducible variations. In cultivations with parallel offline analysis, the highest volumetric activity was found at different cultivation times. Only by online monitoring of the cultures, a distinct cultivation phase (e.g. glycerol depletion) could be detected and chosen for comparable and reproducible offline analysis of the yield of functional product. This work proves that cultivations conducted in complex media may be prone to significant variation in final product quality and quantity if the quality of the raw material for medium preparation is not thoroughly checked. In this study, the RAMOS technique enabled a reliable and reproducible screening and phenotyping of complex raw material lots by online measurement of the respiration activity. Consequently, complex raw material lots can efficiently be assessed if the distinct effects on culture behavior and final product quality and quantity are visualized.

Comparison of the activities of extracts of Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium in amino acid incorporation.

PubMed

Bassel, B A; Curry, M E

1973-11-01

We have compared the amino acid incorporating activities of extracts of Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium in in vitro protein-synthesizing systems directed by bacterial messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) of both species and by the genomes of coliphages Qbeta and f2. E. coli and S. typhimurium extracts translate both homologous and heterologous bacterial mRNAs at comparable rates. S. typhimurium extracts translate phage RNAs only 10 to 15% as fast as E. coli extracts do. The presence of glucose in the growth medium increases the activity of S. typhimurium extracts three- to fourfold in the phage RNA-directed systems. Glucose has a much more limited effect on the activities of E. coli extracts. We show that similar amounts of phage RNA-ribosome complexes are formed in both the E. coli and the S. typhimurium systems, indicating that the different activities observed may be attributed to different rates of peptide elongation or to the formation of complexes at different sites on the RNA strand.

Woody biomass: Niche position as a source of sustainable renewable chemicals and energy and kinetics of hot-water extraction/hydrolysis.

PubMed

Liu, Shijie

2010-01-01

The conversion of biomass to chemicals and energy is imperative to sustaining our way of life as known to us today. Fossil chemical and energy sources are traditionally regarded as wastes from a distant past. Petroleum, natural gas, and coal are not being regenerated in a sustainable manner. However, biomass sources such as algae, grasses, bushes and forests are continuously being replenished. Woody biomass represents the most abundant and available biomass source. Woody biomass is a reliably sustainable source of chemicals and energy that could be replenished at a rate consistent with our needs. The biorefinery is a concept describing the collection of processes used to convert biomass to chemicals and energy. Woody biomass presents more challenges than cereal grains for conversion to platform chemicals due to its stereochemical structures. Woody biomass can be thought of as comprised of at least four components: extractives, hemicellulose, lignin and cellulose. Each of these four components has a different degree of resistance to chemical, thermal and biological degradation. The biorefinery concept proposed at ESF (State University of New York - College of Environmental Science and Forestry) aims at incremental sequential deconstruction, fractionation/conversion of woody biomass to achieve efficient separation of major components. The emphasis of this work is on the kinetics of hot-water extraction, filling the gap in the fundamental understanding, linking engineering developments, and completing the first step in the biorefinery processes. This first step removes extractives and hemicellulose fractions from woody biomass. While extractives and hemicellulose are largely removed in the extraction liquor, cellulose and lignin largely remain in the residual woody structure. Xylo-oligomers and acetic acid in the extract are the major components having the greatest potential value for development. Extraction/hydrolysis involves at least 16 general reactions that could be divided into four categories: adsorption of proton onto woody biomass, hydrolysis reactions on the woody biomass surface, dissolution of soluble substances into the extraction liquor, and hydrolysis and dehydration decomposition in the extraction liquor. The extraction/hydrolysis rates are significantly simplified when the reactivity of all the intermonomer bonds are regarded as identical within each macromolecule, and the overall reactivity are identical for all the extractable macromolecules on the surface. A pseudo-first order extraction rate expression has been derived based on concentrations in monomer units. The reaction rate constant is however lower at the beginning of the extraction than that towards the end of the extraction. Furthermore, the H-factor and/or severity factor can be applied to lump the effects of temperature and residence time on the extraction process, at least for short times. This provides a means to control and optimize the performance of the extraction process effectively. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Field-Tailored Reverse Transcription Loop-Mediated Isothermal Assay for High Sensitivity Detection of Plasmodium falciparum Infections

PubMed Central

Kemleu, Sylvie; Guelig, Dylan; Eboumbou Moukoko, Carole; Essangui, Estelle; Diesburg, Steven; Mouliom, Abas; Melingui, Bernard; Manga, Jeanne; Donkeu, Christiane; Epote, Annie; Texier, Gaëtan; LaBarre, Paul; Burton, Robert

2016-01-01

Highly sensitive and field deployable molecular diagnostic tools are critically needed for detecting submicroscopic, yet transmissible levels of malaria parasites prevalent in malaria endemic countries worldwide. A reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) assay was developed and evaluated in comparison with thick blood smear microscopy, an antigen-based rapid diagnostic test (RDT), and an in-house RT-PCR targeting the same RT-LAMP transcript. The optimized assay detected Plasmodium falciparum infections in as little as 0.25ng of total parasite RNA, and exhibited a detection limit of 0.08 parasites/ μL when tested directly on infected whole blood lysates, or ~0.0008 parasites/ μL when using RNA extracts. Assay positivity was observed as early as eight minutes from initiation of the RT-LAMP and in most cases the reaction was complete before twenty minutes. Clinical evaluation of the assay on 132 suspected malaria cases resulted in a positivity rate of 90% for RT-LAMP using extracted RNA, and 85% when using whole blood lysates. The positivity rates were 70% for P. falciparum-specific RDT, 83% for RT-PCR, and 74% for thick blood smear microscopy (Mean parasite density = 36,986 parasites/ μL). Concordance rates between the developed RT-LAMP and comparator tests were greater than 75%, the lowest being with light microscopy (78%, McNemar’s test: P = 0.0002), and the highest was with RT-PCR (87%, McNemar’s test: P = 0.0523). Compared to reference RT-PCR, assay sensitivity was 90% for RT-LAMP on whole blood, and 96% for RT-LAMP using corresponding RNA extracts. Electricity-free heaters were further developed and evaluated in comparison with a battery-operated isothermal amplification machine for use with the developed test in resource-limited settings. Taken together, the data highlight the benefits of targeting high abundant RNA transcripts in molecular diagnosis, as well as the potential usefulness of the developed RT-LAMP-assay in malaria diagnosis in low to high parasite density settings. PMID:27824866

Automated Techniques for Quantification of Coastline Change Rates using Landsat Imagery along Caofeidian, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Di; Li, Ziwei; Liu, Zhaoqin; Yu, Yang

2014-03-01

This paper focuses on automated extraction and monitoring of coastlines by remote sensing techniques using multi-temporal Landsat imagery along Caofeidian, China. Caofeidian, as one of the active economic regions in China, has experienced dramatic change due to enhanced human activities, such as land reclamation. These processes have caused morphological changes of the Caofeidian shoreline. In this study, shoreline extraction and change analysis are researched. An algorithm based on image texture and mathematical morphology is proposed to automate coastline extraction. We tested this approach and found that it's capable of extracting coastlines from TM and ETM+ images with little human modifications. Then, the detected coastline vectors are imported into Arcgis software, and the Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) is used to calculate the change rate (the end point rate and linear regression rate). The results show that in some parts of the research area, remarkable coastline changes are observed, especially the accretion rate. The abnormal accretion is mostly attributed to the large-scale land reclamation during 2003 and 2004 in Caofeidian. So we can conclude that various construction projects, especially the land reclamation project, have made Caofeidian shorelines change greatly, far above the normal.

A magnet built on bronchoscopic suction for extraction of tracheobronchial headscarf pins: a novel technique and review of a tertiary centre experience†

PubMed Central

Elsayed, Hany H.; Mostafa, Ahmed M.; Soliman, Saleh; El-Bawab, Hatem Y.; Moharram, Adel A.; El-Nori, Ahmed A.

2016-01-01

OBJECTIVES Airway metal pins are one of the most commonly inhaled foreign bodies in Eastern societies in young females wearing headscarves. We innovated a modified bronchoscopic technique to extract tracheobronchial headscarf pins by the insertion of a magnet to allow an easy and non-traumatic extraction of the pins. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility and safety of our new technique and compare it with our large previous experience with the classic bronchoscopic method of extraction of tracheobronchial headscarf pins. METHODS We performed a study comparing our retrospective experience of classic bronchoscopic extraction from February 2004 to January 2014 and prospective experience with our modified technique using the magnet from January 2014 to June 2015. An institutional review board and new device approval were obtained. RESULTS Three hundred and twenty-six procedures on 315 patients were performed during our initial 10-year experience. Of them, 304 patients were females. The median age of our group was 13 (0–62). The median time from inhalation to procedure was 1 day (0–1022). After introducing our modified new technique using the magnet, 20 procedures were performed. Nineteen were females. The median time of the procedure and the need to forcefully bend the pin for extraction were in favour of the new technique in comparison with our classic approach (2 vs 6 min; P < 0.001) (2 patients = 20% vs 192 = 58%; P < 0.001). The conversion rate to surgery was also in favour of the modified technique but did not reach statistical significance (0 = 0% vs 15 = 4.8%; P = 0.32). All patients who underwent the modified technique were discharged home on the same day of the procedure. No procedural complications were recorded. All remain well on a follow-up period of up to 14 months. CONCLUSIONS Bronchoscopic extraction of tracheobronchial inhaled headscarf pins using a novel technique using homemade magnets was safer and simpler in comparison with our large experience with the classic approach. We advise the use of this device (or concept) in selected patients in centres dealing with this problem. PMID:26850113

77 FR 26315 - U.S. Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative Stakeholder Assessment and Multi-Stakeholder...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-03

... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR [Docket No. ONRR-2012-0003] U.S. Extractive Industries Transparency..., Interior. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of the Interior (Interior) has retained an.... On May 18, 2012, Interior will receive and publish CBI's findings regarding options for forming a U.S...

EVALUATION OF THE RCRA (RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND RECOVERY ACT) EXTRACTION PROCEDURE - LYSIMETER STUDIES WITH MUNICIPAL/INDUSTRIAL WASTES

EPA Science Inventory

A study was initiated to determine the accuracy with which the Extraction Procedures (EP), employed in the regulations promulgated under Section 3001 of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (40 CFR 26.124), simulates the leaching an industrial waste would undergo when codis...

Space-Dependent Dynamics in 1,4-Polybutadiene Nanocomposite

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

Soxhlet extracted with cyclohexane to remove unattached polymer. The initial composition of 20.5% by volume carbon increased to 60% on extraction...spectroscopy the value of β(Q) for the nanocomposite; instead, we determine at each Q the β value yielding the expected τα ∼ Q−2/β behavior for small Q

A portable foot-parameter-extracting system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, MingKai; Liang, Jin; Li, Wenpan; Liu, Shifan

2016-03-01

In order to solve the problem of automatic foot measurement in garment customization, a new automatic footparameter- extracting system based on stereo vision, photogrammetry and heterodyne multiple frequency phase shift technology is proposed and implemented. The key technologies applied in the system are studied, including calibration of projector, alignment of point clouds, and foot measurement. Firstly, a new projector calibration algorithm based on plane model has been put forward to get the initial calibration parameters and a feature point detection scheme of calibration board image is developed. Then, an almost perfect match of two clouds is achieved by performing a first alignment using the Sampled Consensus - Initial Alignment algorithm (SAC-IA) and refining the alignment using the Iterative Closest Point algorithm (ICP). Finally, the approaches used for foot-parameterextracting and the system scheme are presented in detail. Experimental results show that the RMS error of the calibration result is 0.03 pixel and the foot parameter extracting experiment shows the feasibility of the extracting algorithm. Compared with the traditional measurement method, the system can be more portable, accurate and robust.

In vitro transcription of adenovirus.

PubMed Central

Fire, A; Baker, C C; Manley, J L; Ziff, E B; Sharp, P A

1981-01-01

A series of recombinants of adenovirus DNA fragments and pBR322 was used to test the transcriptional activity of the nine known adenovirus promoters in a cell-free extract. Specific initiation was seen at all five early promoters as well as at the major late promotor and at the intermediate promoter for polypeptide IX. The system failed to recognize the two other adenovirus promoters, which were prominent in vivo only at intermediate and late stages in infection. Microheterogeneity of 5' termini at several adenovirus promoters, previously shown in vivo, was reproduced in the in vitro reaction and indeed appeared to result from heterogeneous initiation rather than 5' processing. To test for the presence of soluble factors involved in regulation of nRNA synthesis, the activity of extracts prepared from early and late stages of infection was compared on an assortment of viral promoter sites. Although mock and early extracts showed identical transcription patterns, extracts prepared from late stages gave 5- to 10-fold relative enhancement of the late and polypeptide IX promoters as compared with early promoters. Images PMID:7321101

[Optimization of supercritical fluid extraction of bioactive components in Ligusticum chuanxiong by orthogonal array design].

PubMed

Hu, Li-Cui; Wu, Xun; Yang, Xue-Dong

2013-10-01

With the yields of ferulic acid, coniferylferulate, Z-ligustilide, senkyunolide A, butylidenephthalide, butylphthalide, senkyunolide I, senkyunolide H, riligustilide, levistolide A, and total pharmacologically active ingredient as evaluation indexes, the extraction of Ligusticum chuanxiong by supercritical fluid technology was investigated through an orthogonal experiment L9 (3(4)). Four factors, namely temperature, pressure, flow rate of carbon dioxide, co-solvent concentration of the supercritical fluid, were investigated and optimized. Under the optimized conditions, namely 65 degrees C of temperature, 35 MPa of pressure, 1 L x min(-1) of CO2 flow rate, 8% of co-solvent concetration, supercritical fluid extraction could achieve a better yield than the conventional reflux extraction using methanol. And the supercritical fluid extraction process was validated to be stable and reliable.

Characteristics and outcomes of women initiating ART during pregnancy versus breastfeeding in Option B+ in Malawi.

PubMed

Landes, M; Sodhi, S; Matengeni, A; Meaney, C; van Lettow, M; Chan, A K; van Oosterhout, J J

2016-08-04

Malawi adopted the PMTCT strategy 'Option B+' in 2011, providing life-long ART for all HIV-infected pregnant and breastfeeding women. We explored differences in characteristics and outcomes of women initiating ART during pregnancy versus breastfeeding. We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis of women in Zomba District, southern Malawi, from January 2012- September 2013. Data were extracted from the Zomba District Observational Cohort Study, a surveillance project collecting data from standardized Ministry of Health ART monitoring tools. 1986 (67.2 %) women initiated ART during pregnancy and 969 (32.8 %) during breastfeeding. Women initiating ART in breastfeeding were more likely to be > 30 years (aOR = 1.33, 95 % CI1.11-1.59, p = 0.003) and have WHO Stage 3/4 (aOR = 2.74, 95 % CI1.94-3.87, p < 0.001). Eighteen (0.6 %) deaths occurred and 942 (31.9 %) women defaulted ART. 'Early' death (< 30 days) occurred in 3 (0.1 %) women and 449 (16.4 %) women defaulted early. Death/default < 30 days was more likely among women initiating ART during pregnancy (aOR 1.62, 95 % CI1.28-2.05, p < 0.001) or < 30 years old (aOR 1.27, 95 % CI 1.02-1.57, p = 0.03) and was less likely among those with WHO Stage 3/4 (aOR 0.30, 95 % CI 0.15-0.60, p < 0.001). Using Kaplan-Meier estimators to investigate time to death/default, we showed a sharp drop in death/default-free survival probability at time zero, yet survival probability decreased in a nearly linear manner after this initial period of high default. Women under 30 years had increased rates of death/default over time (log rank test: p < 0.001), however no significant differences were observed in death/default over time associated with timing of ART initiation, documented clinical stage at initiation, health clinic size or adherence rates. Many women in Malawi started ART during breastfeeding within Option B+ and were older and had more advanced WHO Clinical Staging. This represents a missed PMTCT opportunity to initiate treatment early in pregnancy. Early defaulting is identified as a challenge within Option B+, and was more likely among younger women and those initiating ART in pregnancy. Targeted research to understand factors associated with uptake of ART during pregnancy and retention in care could improve the efficacy of Option B+ in Malawi.

Epidemiological Patterns of Initial and Subsequent Injuries in Collegiate Football Athletes.

PubMed

Williams, Jacob Z; Singichetti, Bhavna; Li, Hongmei; Xiang, Henry; Klingele, Kevin E; Yang, Jingzhen

2017-04-01

A body of epidemiological studies has examined football injuries and associated risk factors among collegiate athletes. However, few existing studies specifically analyzed injury risk in terms of initial or subsequent injuries. To determine athlete-exposures (AEs) and rates of initial and subsequent injury among collegiate football athletes. Descriptive epidemiological study. Injury and exposure data collected from collegiate football players from two Division I universities (2007-2011) were analyzed. Rate of initial injury was calculated as the number of initial injuries divided by the total number of AEs for initial injuries, while the rate for subsequent injury was calculated as the number of subsequent injuries divided by the total number of AEs for subsequent injury. Poisson regression was used to determine injury rate ratio (subsequent vs initial injury), with adjustment for other covariates. The total AEs during the study period were 67,564, resulting in an overall injury rate of 35.2 per 10,000 AEs. Rates for initial and subsequent injuries were 31.7 and 45.3 per 10,000 AEs, respectively, with a rate ratio (RR) of 1.4 for rate of subsequent injury vs rate of initial injury (95% CI, 1.1-1.9). Rate of injury appeared to increase with each successive injury. RR during games was 1.8 (95% CI, 1.1-3.0). The rate of subsequent injuries to the head, neck, and face was 10.9 per 10,000 AEs, nearly double the rate of initial injuries to the same sites (RR = 2.0; 95% CI, 1.1-3.5). For wide receivers, the rate of subsequent injuries was 2.2 times the rate of initial injuries (95% CI, 1.3-3.8), and for defensive linemen, the rate of subsequent injuries was 2.1 times the rate of initial injuries (95% CI, 1.1-3.9). The method used in this study allows for a more accurate determination of injury risk among football players who have already been injured at least once. Further research is warranted to better identify which specific factors contribute to this increased risk for subsequent injury.

Neuroanatomic organization of sound memory in humans.

PubMed

Kraut, Michael A; Pitcock, Jeffery A; Calhoun, Vince; Li, Juan; Freeman, Thomas; Hart, John

2006-11-01

The neural interface between sensory perception and memory is a central issue in neuroscience, particularly initial memory organization following perceptual analyses. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to identify anatomic regions extracting initial auditory semantic memory information related to environmental sounds. Two distinct anatomic foci were detected in the right superior temporal gyrus when subjects identified sounds representing either animals or threatening items. Threatening animal stimuli elicited signal changes in both foci, suggesting a distributed neural representation. Our results demonstrate both category- and feature-specific responses to nonverbal sounds in early stages of extracting semantic memory information from these sounds. This organization allows for these category-feature detection nodes to extract early, semantic memory information for efficient processing of transient sound stimuli. Neural regions selective for threatening sounds are similar to those of nonhuman primates, demonstrating semantic memory organization for basic biological/survival primitives are present across species.

The impact of Pu speciation on distribution coefficients in Mayak soil.

PubMed

Skipperud, L; Oughton, D; Salbu, B

2000-08-10

To assess the long-term consequences when radionuclides are released into the environment, information on the source term, transport and transformation processes, interaction with soils (KD) and biological uptake (CF) is needed. Among the artificial radionuclides released to the environment by nuclear activities, the transuranium elements are a major concern, due to very long half-lives and their accumulation in bone as well as high radiotoxicity. Plutonium has been produced in greater quantity than other transuranic elements, however, environmental assessments are complicated by the complex environmental behaviour. Physico-chemical forms of Pu will determine the interactions with soils and, thus, the degree to which soils can act as a sink or a potential diffuse source of contaminants. In the present work, dynamic tracer experiments have been performed where different Pu-species are added to a 'Mayak soil-rainwater system' to obtain information on KD values. After a defined contact time, the samples where then sequentially extracted and results are used in a dynamic box model to estimate interaction and fixation rates. The interaction of all Pu-species with soils seems to be rapid and follows a two-step reaction. Up to contact times of a few weeks, the KD for Pu(III,IV) (730 +/- 240 l/kg) is approximately one order of magnitude higher than for Pu(V,VI) (90 +/- 20 l/kg) and Pu(III,IV)-organic (40-60 l/kg). After 3 months contact time, the KD in only the two organic-bound Pu-species were significantly lower. This shows that the initial association with the soil is dependent on the Pu-species in the rainwater. After only 1 h of contact, between 33 and 40% of the plutonium was strongly bound to the soil components, i.e. only extractable with strong HNO3. The extraction of soil-bound Pu followed a similar pattern for all the original species, suggesting that the next step of Pu interaction mechanism with soil was rather independent of the original species. For both the Pu(V,VI) and Pu-organic species, the rainwater-desorption extract gave consistently higher KD values than that calculated from the rainwater-sorption data; whereas for Pu(III,IV), desorption KD values were more similar to sorption KD values. This supports the suggestion that the observed difference in Pu adsorption to soils reflects Pu-speciation in the water soluble phase, and that actual soil-Pu interactions are rather independent of the original speciation. Modelling of the extraction data show a different in association rate for the different Pu species, where the Pu(III,IV) has the fastest association rate as expected.

Nuclear modification factor in an anisotropic quark-gluon plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mandal, Mahatsab; Bhattacharya, Lusaka; Roy, Pradip

2011-10-01

We calculate the nuclear modification factor (RAA) of light hadrons by taking into account the initial state momentum anisotropy of the quark-gluon plasma (QGP) expected to be formed in relativistic heavy ion collisions. Such an anisotropy can result from the initial rapid longitudinal expansion of the matter. A phenomenological model for the space-time evolution of the anisotropic QGP is used to obtain the time dependence of the anisotropy parameter ξ and the hard momentum scale, phard. The result is then compared with the PHENIX experimental data to constrain the isotropization time scale, τiso for fixed initial conditions (FIC). It is shown that the extracted value of τiso lies in the range 0.5⩽τiso⩽1.5. However, using a fixed final multiplicity (FFM) condition does not lead to any firm conclusion about the extraction of the isotropization time. The present calculation is also extended to contrast with the recent measurement of nuclear modification factor by the ALICE collaboration at s=2.76 TeV. It is argued that in the present approach, the extraction of τiso at this energy is uncertain and, therefore, refinement of the model is necessary. The sensitivity of the results on the initial conditions has been discussed. We also present the nuclear modification factor at Large Hadron Collider (LHC) energies with s=5.5 TeV.

Effect of bioconversion conditions on vanillin production by Amycolatopsis sp. ATCC 39116 through an analysis of competing by-product formation.

PubMed

Ma, Xiao-kui; Daugulis, Andrew J

2014-05-01

This study investigated the effects of transformation conditions such as initial pH, the initial concentration of glucose and yeast extract in the medium, and the separate addition of ferulic acid and vanillic acid, on the production of vanillin through an analysis of competing by-product formation by Amycolatopsis sp. ATCC 39116. The extent and nature of by-product formation and vanillin yield were affected by initial pH and different initial concentrations of glucose and yeast extract in the medium, with a high yield of vanillin and high cell density obtained at pH 8.0, 10 g/l glucose, and 8 g/l yeast extract. High concentrations of ferulic acid were found to negatively affect cell density. Additional supplementation of 100 mg/l vanillic acid, a metabolically linked by-product, was found to result in a high concentration of vanillin and guaiacol, an intermediate of vanillin. Via an analysis of the effect of these transformation conditions on competing by-product formation, high concentrations of ferulic acid were transformed with a molar yield to vanillin of 96.1 and 95.2 %, by Amycolatopsis sp. ATCC 39116 and Streptomyces V1, respectively, together with a minor accumulation of by-products. These are among the highest performance values reported in the literature to date for Streptomyces in batch cultures.

Extraction of beryllium from refractory beryllium oxide with dilute ammonium bifluoride and determination by fluorescence: a multiparameter performance evaluation.

PubMed

Goldcamp, Michael J; Goldcamp, Diane M; Ashley, Kevin; Fernback, Joseph E; Agrawal, Anoop; Millson, Mark; Marlow, David; Harrison, Kenneth

2009-12-01

Beryllium exposure can cause a number of deleterious health effects, including beryllium sensitization and the potentially fatal chronic beryllium disease. Efficient methods for monitoring beryllium contamination in workplaces are valuable to help prevent dangerous exposures to this element. In this work, performance data on the extraction of beryllium from various size fractions of high-fired beryllium oxide (BeO) particles (from < 32 microm up to 212 microm) using dilute aqueous ammonium bifluoride (ABF) solution were obtained under various conditions. Beryllium concentrations were determined by fluorescence using a hydroxybenzoquinoline fluorophore. The effects of ABF concentration and volume, extraction temperature, sample tube types, and presence of filter or wipe media were examined. Three percent ABF extracts beryllium nearly twice as quickly as 1% ABF; extraction solution volume has minimal influence. Elevated temperatures increase the rate of extraction dramatically compared with room temperature extraction. Sample tubes with constricted tips yield poor extraction rates owing to the inability of the extraction medium to access the undissolved particles. The relative rates of extraction of Be from BeO of varying particle sizes were examined. Beryllium from BeO particles in fractions ranging from less than 32 microm up to 212 microm were subjected to various extraction schemes. The smallest BeO particles are extracted more quickly than the largest particles, although at 90 degrees C even the largest BeO particles reach nearly quantitative extraction within 4 hr in 3% ABF. Extraction from mixed cellulosic-ester filters, cellulosic surface-sampling filters, wetted cellulosic dust wipes, and cotton gloves yielded 90% or greater recoveries. Scanning electron microscopy of BeO particles, including partially dissolved particles, shows that dissolution in dilute ABF occurs not just on the exterior surface but also via accessing particles' interiors due to porosity of the BeO material. Comparison of dissolution kinetics data shows that as particle diameter approximately doubles, extraction time is increased by a factor of about 1.5, which is consistent with the influence of porosity on dissolution.

On the meniscus formation and the negative hydrogen ion extraction from ITER neutral beam injection relevant ion source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mochalskyy, S.; Wünderlich, D.; Ruf, B.; Fantz, U.; Franzen, P.; Minea, T.

2014-10-01

The development of a large area (Asource,ITER = 0.9 × 2 m2) hydrogen negative ion (NI) source constitutes a crucial step in construction of the neutral beam injectors of the international fusion reactor ITER. To understand the plasma behaviour in the boundary layer close to the extraction system the 3D PIC MCC code ONIX is exploited. Direct cross checked analysis of the simulation and experimental results from the ITER-relevant BATMAN source testbed with a smaller area (Asource,BATMAN ≈ 0.32 × 0.59 m2) has been conducted for a low perveance beam, but for a full set of plasma parameters available. ONIX has been partially benchmarked by comparison to the results obtained using the commercial particle tracing code for positive ion extraction KOBRA3D. Very good agreement has been found in terms of meniscus position and its shape for simulations of different plasma densities. The influence of the initial plasma composition on the final meniscus structure was then investigated for NIs. As expected from the Child-Langmuir law, the results show that not only does the extraction potential play a crucial role on the meniscus formation, but also the initial plasma density and its electronegativity. For the given parameters, the calculated meniscus locates a few mm downstream of the plasma grid aperture provoking a direct NI extraction. Most of the surface produced NIs do not reach the plasma bulk, but move directly towards the extraction grid guided by the extraction field. Even for artificially increased electronegativity of the bulk plasma the extracted NI current from this region is low. This observation indicates a high relevance of the direct NI extraction. These calculations show that the extracted NI current from the bulk region is low even if a complete ion-ion plasma is assumed, meaning that direct extraction from surface produced ions should be present in order to obtain sufficiently high extracted NI current density. The calculated extracted currents, both ions and electrons, agree rather well with the experiment.

The arc arises: The links between volcanic output, arc evolution and melt composition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brandl, Philipp A.; Hamada, Morihisa; Arculus, Richard J.; Johnson, Kyle; Marsaglia, Kathleen M.; Savov, Ivan P.; Ishizuka, Osamu; Li, He

2017-03-01

Subduction initiation is a key process for global plate tectonics. Individual lithologies developed during subduction initiation and arc inception have been identified in the trench wall of the Izu-Bonin-Mariana (IBM) island arc but a continuous record of this process has not previously been described. Here, we present results from International Ocean Discovery Program Expedition 351 that drilled a single site west of the Kyushu-Palau Ridge (KPR), a chain of extinct stratovolcanoes that represents the proto-IBM island arc, active for ∼25 Ma following subduction initiation. Site U1438 recovered 150 m of oceanic igneous basement and ∼1450 m of overlying sediments. The lower 1300 m of these sediments comprise volcaniclastic gravity-flow deposits shed from the evolving KPR arc front. We separated fresh magmatic minerals from Site U1438 sediments, and analyzed 304 glass (formerly melt) inclusions, hosted by clinopyroxene and plagioclase. Compositions of glass inclusions preserve a temporal magmatic record of the juvenile island arc, complementary to the predominant mid-Miocene to recent activity determined from tephra layers recovered by drilling in the IBM forearc. The glass inclusions record the progressive transition of melt compositions dominated by an early 'calc-alkalic', high-Mg andesitic stage to a younger tholeiitic stage over a time period of 11 Ma. High-precision trace element analytical data record a simultaneously increasing influence of a deep subduction component (e.g., increase in Th vs. Nb, light rare earth element enrichment) and a more fertile mantle source (reflected in increased high field strength element abundances). This compositional change is accompanied by increased deposition rates of volcaniclastic sediments reflecting magmatic output and maturity of the arc. We conclude the 'calc-alkalic' stage of arc evolution may endure as long as mantle wedge sources are not mostly advected away from the zones of arc magma generation, or the rate of wedge replenishment by corner flow does not overwhelm the rate of magma extraction.

Diesel exhaust particulates enhance eosinophil adhesion to nasal epithelial cells and cause degranulation.

PubMed

Terada, N; Maesako, K; Hiruma, K; Hamano, N; Houki, G; Konno, A; Ikeda, T; Sai, M

1997-10-01

Diesel exhaust particulates (DEP) are a common air pollutant from diesel-engine-powered car exhaust and are thought to cause chronic airway diseases. On the other hand, eosinophils are major components of allergic inflammatory disorders such as asthma, nasal allergy and atopic dermatitis. We examined the effects of DEP and DEP extract (extract of polyaromatic hydrocarbons) on eosinophil adhesion, survival rate and degranulation. Eosinophils, human mucosal microvascular endothelial cells (HMMECs) and human nasal epithelial cells (HNECs) were preincubated in the presence or absence of DEP and DEP extract. 35S-labeled eosinophils were allowed to adhere to monolayers of HMMECs and HNECs. After washing, 35S radioactivity was determined and numbers of adherent eosinophils were calculated using each standard curve. The effects of DEP and DEP extract on eosinophil survival rate and degranulation were also determined. Although neither DEP nor DEP extract affected the adhesiveness of HMMECs and HNECs to eosinophils, 5 ng/ml of DEP extract and 50 ng/ml of DEP extract each significancy increased eosinophil adhesiveness to HNECs (134+/-9 and 143+/-8%, respectively; p<0.01 vs. control), but neither effected eosinophil adhesiveness to HMMECs. DEP extract also induced eosinophil degranulation without changing the eosinophil survival rate. Given that eosinophil-derived lipid mediators and toxic proteins play important roles in the development of nasal allergy, the above findings strongly suggest that DEP plays an important role in promoting the nasal hypersensitivity induced by enhanced eosinophil infiltration of epithelium and eosinophil degranulation.

Spectrophotometric determination of fluoxetine by molecularly imprinted polypyrrole and optimization by experimental design, artificial neural network and genetic algorithm.

PubMed

Nezhadali, Azizollah; Motlagh, Maryam Omidvar; Sadeghzadeh, Samira

2018-02-05

A selective method based on molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) solid-phase extraction (SPE) using UV-Vis spectrophotometry as a detection technique was developed for the determination of fluoxetine (FLU) in pharmaceutical and human serum samples. The MIPs were synthesized using pyrrole as a functional monomer in the presence of FLU as a template molecule. The factors that affecting the preparation and extraction ability of MIP such as amount of sorbent, initiator concentration, the amount of monomer to template ratio, uptake shaking rate, uptake time, washing buffer pH, take shaking rate, Taking time and polymerization time were considered for optimization. First a Plackett-Burman design (PBD) consists of 12 randomized runs were applied to determine the influence of each factor. The other optimization processes were performed using central composite design (CCD), artificial neural network (ANN) and genetic algorithm (GA). At optimal condition the calibration curve showed linearity over a concentration range of 10 -7 -10 -8 M with a correlation coefficient (R 2 ) of 0.9970. The limit of detection (LOD) for FLU was obtained 6.56×10 -9 M. The repeatability of the method was obtained 1.61%. The synthesized MIP sorbent showed a good selectivity and sensitivity toward FLU. The MIP/SPE method was used for the determination of FLU in pharmaceutical, serum and plasma samples, successfully. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cold Osmotic Shock in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

PubMed Central

Patching, J. W.; Rose, A. H.

1971-01-01

Saccharomyces cerevisiae NCYC 366 is susceptible to cold osmotic shock. Exponentially growing cells from batch cultures grown in defined medium at 30 C, after being suspended in 0.8 m mannitol containing 10 mm ethylenedia-minetetraacetic acid and then resuspended in ice-cold 0.5 mm MgCl2, accumulated the nonmetabolizable solutes d-glucosamine-hydrochloride and 2-aminoisobutyrate at slower rates than unshocked cells; shocked cells retained their viability. Storage of unshocked batch-grown cells in buffer at 10 C led to an increase in ability to accumulate glucosamine, and further experiments were confined to cells grown in a chemostat under conditions of glucose limitation, thereby obviating the need for storing cells before use. A study was made of the effect of the different stages in the cold osmotic shock procedure, including the osmotic stress, the chelating agent, and the cold Mg2+-containing diluent, on viability and solute-accumulating ability. Growth of shocked cells in defined medium resembled that of unshocked cells; however, in malt extract-yeast extract-glucose-peptone medium, the shocked cells had a longer lag phase of growth and initially grew at a slower rate. Cold osmotic shock caused the release of low-molecular-weight compounds and about 6 to 8% of the cell protein. Neither the cell envelope enzymes, invertase, acid phosphatase and l-leucine-β-naphthylamidase, nor the cytoplasmic enzyme, alkaline phosphatase, were released when yeast cells were subjected to cold osmotic shock. PMID:5001201

42: DESIGNING A DASHBOARD FOR EVALUATION THE BUSINESS-IT ALIGNMENT STRATEGIES IN HOSPITALS ORGANIZATIONS

PubMed Central

piri, Zakieh; Raef, Behnaz; moftian, Nazila; dehghani, Mohamad; khara, Rouhallah

2017-01-01

Background and aims Business-IT Alignment Evaluation is One of the most important issues that managers should monitor and make decisions about it. Dashboard software combines data and graphical indicators to deliver at-a-glance summaries of information for users to view the state of their business and quickly respond. The aim of this study was to design a dashboard to assess the business-IT alignment strategies for hospitals organizations in Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Methods This is a functional-developmental study. Initially, we searched related databases (PubMed and ProQuest) to determine the key performance indicators of business-IT alignment for selecting the best model for dashboard designing. After selecting the Luftman model, the key indicators were extracted for designing the dashboard model. In the next stage, an electronic questionnaire was designed based on extracted indicators. This questionnaire sends to Hospital managers and IT administrators. Collected data were analyzed by Excel 2015 and displayed in dashboard page. Results The number of key performance indicators was 39. After recognition the technical requirements the dashboard was designed in Excel. The overall business-IT alignment rate in hospitals was 3.12. Amir-aalam hospital has the highest business-IT alignment rate (3.55) and vali-asr hospital has the lowest business-IT alignment rat (2.80). Conclusion Using dashboard software improves the alignment and reduces the time and energy compared with doing this process manually.

Effects of feeding a diet containing Gymnema sylvestre extract: Attenuating progression of obesity in C57BL/6J mice.

PubMed

Kim, Hyeon-Jeong; Hong, Seong-Ho; Chang, Seung-Hee; Kim, Sanghwa; Lee, Ah Young; Jang, Yoonjeong; Davaadamdin, Orkhonselenge; Yu, Kyeong-Nam; Kim, Ji-Eun; Cho, Myung-Haing

2016-05-01

To investigate the effect of Gymnema sylvestre extract (GS) on initial anti-obesity, liver injury, and glucose homeostasis induced by a high-fat diet (HFD). The dry powder of GS was extracted with methanol, and gymnemic acid was identified by high performance liquid chromatography as deacyl gymnemic acid. Male C57BL/6J mice that fed on either a normal diet, normal diet containing 1 g/kg GS (CON+GS), HFD, or HFD containing 1.0 g/kg GS (HFD + GS) for 4 weeks were used to test the initial anti-obesity effect of GS. Body weight gain and food intake, and serum levels about lipid and liver injury markers were measured. Histopathology of adipose tissue and liver stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and oil-red O were analyzed. After 4 weeks of GS extract feeding, intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test (IPGTT) was performed. The methanol extracts of GS exerted significant anti-obesity effects in HFD + GS group. They decreased body weight gain, a lower food and energy efficiency ratio, and showed lower serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, very-low density lipoprotein (VLDL)-cholesterol and leptin compared with the HFD group. The decreases of abdominal as well as epididymal fat weight and adipocyte hypertrophy, lipid droplets in liver, and serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) were also observed. The CON + GS group showed an effect of glucose homeostasis compared to the CON group. This study shows that GS provide the possibility as a key role in an initial anti-obesity effects feeding with a HFD. Copyright © 2016 Hainan Medical College. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automatically extracting the significant aspects evaluated in game reviews

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fong, Chiok Hoong; Ng, Yen Kaow

2017-04-01

Understanding the criteria (or "aspects") that reviewers use to evaluate games is important to game developers and publishers, since this will give them important input on how to improve their products. Techniques for the extraction of such aspects have been studied by others, albeit not specific to the gaming industry. In this paper we demonstrate an aspect extraction and analysis system specific to computer games. The system extracts game review texts from a list of known websites and automatically extracts candidate aspects from the review text using techniques from natural language processing and sentiment analysis. It then ranks the candidate aspects using the HITS algorithm. To evaluate the correctness of the extracted aspects, we used the system to calculate an overall score for each game by aggregating its highly-rated aspects, weighted by the importance of the respective aspects. The aggregated scores resulted in a ranking of games, which we compared to a known ranking from a popular website - the rankings showed overall consistency, which suggests that the system has extracted valuable aspects from the reviews. Using the extracted aspect, our system also facilitates the analysis of a game, by evaluating how review articles have rated its performance in these extracted aspects.

Characterization of pectic polysaccharides extracted from apple pomace by hot-compressed water.

PubMed

Wang, Xin; Lü, Xin

2014-02-15

Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize the extraction of pectic polysaccharides from apple pomace by hot-compressed water, by which the optimum levels of the parameters were obtained as follows: extraction temperature 140 °C, extraction time 5 min, S:W ratio 1:14. Compared with commercial pectin, the Mw, galacturonic acid content, DM and protein of the extracted pectic polysaccharides were lower while ash content and neutral sugars were higher. The endothermic transition temperature and fusion heat of the extracted pectic polysaccharides was lower than commercial one according to DSC analysis. For its rheological properties, it was found that the viscosity of the extracted pectic polysaccharides solution was slightly lower than commercial pectin at lower shear rate region while it decreased sharply when the shear rate increased. Besides, both G' and G" moduli of the extracted pectic polysaccharides were lower than the commercial pectin's possibly because of weaker polymer chain interaction, which was also reflected in gel textural properties. However, the extracted pectic polysaccharides showed higher in vitro antioxidant capability and inhibitory effect on HT-29 colon adenocarcinoma cells than commercial pectin. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Physiological effects following administration of Citrus aurantium for 28 days in rats

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

Hansen, Deborah K., E-mail: deborah.hansen@fda.hhs.gov; George, Nysia I.; White, Gene E.

Background: Since ephedra-containing dietary supplements were banned from the US market, manufacturers changed their formulations by eliminating ephedra and replacing with other botanicals, including Citrus aurantium, or bitter orange. Bitter orange contains, among other compounds, synephrine, a chemical that is chemically similar to ephedrine. Since ephedrine may have cardiovascular effects, the goal of this study was to investigate the cardiovascular effects of various doses of bitter orange extract and pure synephrine in rats. Method: Female Sprague–Dawley rats were dosed daily by gavage for 28 days with synephrine from two different extracts. One extract contained 6% synephrine, and the other extractmore » contained 95% synephrine. Doses were 10 or 50 mg synephrine/kg body weight from each extract. Additionally, caffeine was added to these doses, since many dietary supplements also contain caffeine. Telemetry was utilized to monitor heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature and QT interval in all rats. Results and conclusion: Synephrine, either as the bitter orange extract or as pure synephrine, increased heart rate and blood pressure. Animals treated with 95% synephrine showed minimal effects on heart rate and blood pressure; more significant effects were observed with the bitter orange extract suggesting that other components in the botanical can alter these physiological parameters. The increases in heart rate and blood pressure were more pronounced when caffeine was added. None of the treatments affected uncorrected QT interval in the absence of caffeine.« less

Randomized Hough transform filter for echo extraction in DLR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Tong; Chen, Hao; Shen, Ming; Gao, Pengqi; Zhao, You

2016-11-01

The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of debris laser ranging (DLR) data is extremely low, and the valid returns in the DLR range residuals are distributed on a curve in a long observation time. Therefore, it is hard to extract the signals from noise in the Observed-minus-Calculated (O-C) residuals with low SNR. In order to autonomously extract the valid returns, we propose a new algorithm based on randomized Hough transform (RHT). We firstly pre-process the data using histogram method to find the zonal area that contains all the possible signals to reduce large amount of noise. Then the data is processed with RHT algorithm to find the curve that the signal points are distributed on. A new parameter update strategy is introduced in the RHT to get the best parameters. We also analyze the values of the parameters in the algorithm. We test our algorithm on the 10 Hz repetition rate DLR data from Yunnan Observatory and 100 Hz repetition rate DLR data from Graz SLR station. For 10 Hz DLR data with relative larger and similar range gate, we can process it in real time and extract all the signals autonomously with a few false readings. For 100 Hz DLR data with longer observation time, we autonomously post-process DLR data of 0.9%, 2.7%, 8% and 33% return rate with high reliability. The extracted points contain almost all signals and a low percentage of noise. Additional noise is added to 10 Hz DLR data to get lower return rate data. The valid returns can also be well extracted for DLR data with 0.18% and 0.1% return rate.

Comparison of small diameter stone baskets in an in vitro caliceal and ureteral model.

PubMed

Korman, Emily; Hendlin, Kari; Chotikawanich, Ekkarin; Monga, Manoj

2011-01-01

Three small diameter (<1.5F) stone baskets have recently been introduced. Our objective was to evaluate the stone capture rate of these baskets in an in vitro ureteral model and an in vitro caliceal model using novice, resident, and expert operators. Sacred Heart Medical Halo™ (1.5F), Cook N-Circle(®) Nitinol Tipless Stone Extractor (1.5F), and Boston Scientific OptiFlex(®) (1.3F) stone baskets were tested in an in vitro ureteral and a caliceal model by three novices, three residents, and three experts. The caliceal model consisted of a 7-cm length of 10-mm O.D. plastic tubing with a convex base. Each operator was timed during removal of a 3-mm calculus from each model with three repetitions for each basket. Data were analyzed by analysis of variance single factor tests and t tests assuming unequal variances. In the ureteral model, the Halo had the fastest average rate of stone extraction for experts and novices (0:02 ± 0:01 and 0:08 ± 0:04 min, respectively), as well as the overall fastest average stone extraction rate (0:08 ± 0:06 min). No statistical significant differences in extraction times between baskets were identified in the resident group. In the novice group, the Halo stone extraction rate was significantly faster than the OptiFlex (P=0.029). In the expert group, the OptiFlex had statistically significant slower average extraction rates compared with the Halo (P=0.005) and the N-Circle (P=0.017). In the caliceal model, no statistically significant differences were noted. While no significant differences were noted in extraction times for the caliceal model, the extraction times for the ureteral model were slowest with the OptiFlex basket. Other variables important in selection of the appropriate basket include operator preference, clinical setting, and cost.

Optimal Management of Geothermal Heat Extraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patel, I. H.; Bielicki, J. M.; Buscheck, T. A.

2015-12-01

Geothermal energy technologies use the constant heat flux from the subsurface in order to produce heat or electricity for societal use. As such, a geothermal energy system is not inherently variable, like systems based on wind and solar resources, and an operator can conceivably control the rate at which heat is extracted and used directly, or converted into a commodity that is used. Although geothermal heat is a renewable resource, this heat can be depleted over time if the rate of heat extraction exceeds the natural rate of renewal (Rybach, 2003). For heat extraction used for commodities that are sold on the market, sustainability entails balancing the rate at which the reservoir renews with the rate at which heat is extracted and converted into profit, on a net present value basis. We present a model that couples natural resource economic approaches for managing renewable resources with simulations of geothermal reservoir performance in order to develop an optimal heat mining strategy that balances economic gain with the performance and renewability of the reservoir. Similar optimal control approaches have been extensively studied for renewable natural resource management of fisheries and forests (Bonfil, 2005; Gordon, 1954; Weitzman, 2003). Those models determine an optimal path of extraction of fish or timber, by balancing the regeneration of stocks of fish or timber that are not harvested with the profit from the sale of the fish or timber that is harvested. Our model balances the regeneration of reservoir temperature with the net proceeds from extracting heat and converting it to electricity that is sold to consumers. We used the Non-isothermal Unconfined-confined Flow and Transport (NUFT) model (Hao, Sun, & Nitao, 2011) to simulate the performance of a sedimentary geothermal reservoir under a variety of geologic and operational situations. The results of NUFT are incorporated into the natural resource economics model to determine production strategies that maximize net present value given the performance of the geothermal resource.

Inhibition of human dendritic cell activation by hydroethanolic but not lipophilic extracts of turmeric (Curcuma longa).

PubMed

Krasovsky, Joseph; Chang, David H; Deng, Gary; Yeung, Simon; Lee, Mavis; Leung, Ping Chung; Cunningham-Rundles, Susanna; Cassileth, Barrie; Dhodapkar, Madhav V

2009-03-01

Turmeric has been extensively utilized in Indian and Chinese medicine for its immune-modulatory properties. Dendritic cells (DCs) are antigen-presenting cells specialized to initiate and regulate immunity. The ability of DCs to initiate immunity is linked to their activation status. The effects of turmeric on human DCs have not been studied. Here we show that hydroethanolic (HEE) but not lipophilic "supercritical" extraction (SCE) of turmeric inhibits the activation of human DCs in response to inflammatory cytokines. Treatment of DCs with HEE also inhibits the ability of DCs to stimulate the mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR). Importantly, the lipophilic fraction does not synergize with the hydroethanolic fraction for the ability of inhibiting DC maturation. Rather, culturing of DCs with the combination of HEE and SCE leads to partial abrogation of the effects of HEE on the MLR initiated by DCs. These data provide a mechanism for the anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric. However, they suggest that these extracts are not synergistic and may contain components with mutually antagonistic effects on human DCs. Harnessing the immune effects of turmeric may benefit from specifically targeting the active fractions.

Inhibition of Human Dendritic Cell Activation by Hydroethanolic But Not Lipophilic Extracts of Turmeric (Curcuma longa)

PubMed Central

Krasovsky, Joseph; Chang, David H.; Deng, Gary; Yeung, Simon; Lee, Mavis; Leung, Ping Chung; Cunningham-Rundles, Susanna; Cassileth, Barrie; Dhodapkar, Madhav V.

2015-01-01

Turmeric has been extensively utilized in Indian and Chinese medicine for its immune-modulatory properties. Dendritic cells (DCs) are antigen-presenting cells specialized to initiate and regulate immunity. The ability of DCs to initiate immunity is linked to their activation status. The effects of turmeric on human DCs have not been studied. Here we show that hydroethanolic (HEE) but not lipophilic “supercritical” extraction (SCE) of turmeric inhibits the activation of human DCs in response to inflammatory cytokines. Treatment of DCs with HEE also inhibits the ability of DCs to stimulate the mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR). Importantly, the lipophilic fraction does not synergize with the hydroethanolic fraction for the ability of inhibiting DC maturation. Rather, culturing of DCs with the combination of HEE and SCE leads to partial abrogation of the effects of HEE on the MLR initiated by DCs. These data provide a mechanism for the anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric. However, they suggest that these extracts are not synergistic and may contain components with mutually antagonistic effects on human DCs. Harnessing the immune effects of turmeric may benefit from specifically targeting the active fractions. PMID:19034830

Microbial carbon turnover in the plant-rhizosphere-soil continuum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malik, Ashish; Dannert, Helena; Griffiths, Robert; Thomson, Bruce; Gleixner, Gerd

2014-05-01

Soil microbial biomass contributes significantly to maintenance of soil organic matter (SOM). It is well known that biochemical fractions of soil microorganisms have varying turnover and therefore contribute differentially to soil C storage. Here we compare the turnover rates of different microbial biochemical fractions using a pulse chase 13CO2 plant labelling experiment. The isotope signal was temporally traced into rhizosphere soil microorganisms using the following biomarkers: DNA, RNA, fatty acids and chloroform fumigation extraction derived microbial biomass size classes. C flow into soil microbial functional groups was assessed through phospholipid and neutral lipid fatty acid (PLFA/NLFA) analyses. Highest 13C enrichment was seen in the low molecular weight (LMW) size class of microbial biomass (Δδ13C =151) and in nucleic acids (DNA: 38o RNA: 66) immediately after the pulse followed by a sharp drop. The amount of 13C in the high molecular weight (HMW) microbial biomass (17-81) and total fatty acids (32-54) was lower initially and stayed relatively steady over the 4 weeks experimental period. We found significant differences in turnover rates of different microbial biochemical and size fractions. We infer that LMW cytosolic soluble compounds are rapidly metabolized and linked to respiratory C fluxes, whereas mid-sized products of microbial degradation and HMW polymeric compounds have lower renewal rate in that order. The turnover of cell wall fatty acids was also very slow. DNA and RNA showed faster turnover rate; and as expected RNA renewal was the fastest due to its rapid production by active microorganisms independent of cell replication. 13C incorporation into different functional groups confirmed that mutualistic arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi rely on root C and are important in the initial plant C flux. We substantiated through measurements of isotope incorporation into bacterial RNA that rhizosphere bacteria are also important in the initial C conduit from plants. Other saprophytic fungi and bacteria show a delayed 13C incorporation pattern which could suggest secondary 13C assimilation often indicative of trophic interactions. Thus, different soil microbial biochemical fractions as well as functional groups show differential C turnover which could have implications on soil C storage.

Cap- and initiator tRNA-dependent initiation of TYMV polyprotein synthesis by ribosomes: evaluation of the Trojan horse model for TYMV RNA translation.

PubMed

Matsuda, Daiki; Dreher, Theo W

2007-01-01

Turnip yellow mosaic virus (TYMV) RNA directs the translation of two overlapping open reading frames. Competing models have been previously published to explain ribosome access to the downstream polyprotein cistron. The Trojan horse model, based on cell-free experiments, proposes noncanonical cap-independent initiation in which the 3'-terminal tRNA-like structure (TLS) functionally replaces initiator tRNA, and the valine bound to the TLS becomes cis-incorporated into viral protein. The initiation coupling model, based on in vivo expression and ribosome toe-printing studies, proposes a variation of canonical leaky scanning. Here, we have re-examined the wheat germ extract experiments that led to the Trojan horse model, incorporating a variety of controls. We report that (1) translation in vitro from the polyprotein AUG of TYMV RNA is unchanged after removal of the 3' TLS but is stimulated by the presence of a 5'-cap; (2) the presence of free cap analog or edeine (which interferes with initiation at the ribosomal P site and its tRNA(i) (Met) involvement) inhibits translation from the polyprotein AUG; (3) the toe-prints of immediately post-initiation ribosomes on TYMV RNA are similar with and without an intact TLS; and (4) significant deacylation of valyl-TYMV RNA in wheat germ extract can complicate the detection of cis-incorporation. These results favor the initiation coupling model.

Impact of non-menthol flavours in tobacco products on perceptions and use among youth, young adults and adults: a systematic review

PubMed Central

Baker, Hannah M; Meernik, Clare; Ranney, Leah M; Richardson, Amanda; Goldstein, Adam O

2017-01-01

Objective This systematic review examines the impact of non-menthol flavours in tobacco products on tobacco use perceptions and behaviours among youth, young adults and adults. Data sources English-language peer-reviewed publications indexed in 4 databases were searched through April 2016. Study selection A search strategy was developed related to tobacco products and flavours. Of 1688 articles identified, we excluded articles that were not English-language, were not peer-reviewed, were qualitative, assessed menthol-flavoured tobacco products only and did not contain original data on outcomes that assessed the impact of flavours in tobacco products on perceptions and use behaviour. Data extraction Outcome measures were identified and tabulated. 2 researchers extracted the data independently and used a validated quality assessment tool to assess study quality. Data synthesis 40 studies met the inclusion criteria. Data showed that tobacco product packaging with flavour descriptors tended to be rated as more appealing and as less harmful by tobacco users and non-users. Many tobacco product users, especially adolescents, reported experimenting, initiating and continuing to use flavoured products because of the taste and variety of the flavours. Users of many flavoured tobacco products also showed decreased likelihood of intentions to quit compared with non-flavoured tobacco product users. Conclusions Flavours in most tobacco products appear to play a key role in how users and non-users, especially youth, perceive, initiate, progress and continue using tobacco products. Banning non-menthol flavours from tobacco products may ultimately protect public health by reducing tobacco use, particularly among youth. PMID:27872344

Empirical Analysis of Exploiting Review Helpfulness for Extractive Summarization of Online Reviews

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xiong, Wenting; Litman, Diane

2014-01-01

We propose a novel unsupervised extractive approach for summarizing online reviews by exploiting review helpfulness ratings. In addition to using the helpfulness ratings for review-level filtering, we suggest using them as the supervision of a topic model for sentence-level content scoring. The proposed method is metadata-driven, requiring no…

Quantitative and qualitative effects of phosphorus on extracts and exudates of sudangrass roots in relation to vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhiza formation.

PubMed

Schwab, S M; Menge, J A; Leonard, R T

1983-11-01

A comparison was made of water-soluble root exudates and extracts of Sorghum vulgare Pers. grown under two levels of P nutrition. An increase in P nutrition significantly decreased the concentration of carbohydrates, carboxylic acids, and amino acids in exudates, and decreased the concentration of carboxylic acids in extracts. Higher P did not affect the relative proportions of specific carboxylic acids and had little effect on proportions of specific amino acids in both extracts and exudates. Phosphorus amendment resulted in an increase in the relative proportion of arabinose and a decrease in the proportion of fructose in exudates, but did not have a large effect on the proportion of individual sugars in extracts. The proportions of specific carbohydrates, carboxylic acids, and amino acids varied between exudates and extracts. Therefore, the quantity and composition of root extracts may not be a reliable predictor of the availability of substrate for symbiotic vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Comparisons of the rate of leakage of compounds from roots with the growth rate of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi suggest that the fungus must either be capable of using a variety of organic substrates for growth, or be capable of inducing a much higher rate of movement of specific organic compounds across root cell membranes than occurs through passive exudation as measured in this study.

Genotoxicity reduction in bagasse waste of sugar industry by earthworm technology.

PubMed

Bhat, Sartaj Ahmad; Singh, Jaswinder; Vig, Adarsh Pal

2016-01-01

The aim of the present study was to assess the genotoxicity reduction in post vermicompost feed mixtures of bagasse (B) waste using earthworm Eisenia fetida. The genotoxicity of bagasse waste was determined by using Allium cepa root chromosomal aberration assay. Bagasse was amended with cattle dung in different proportions [0:100 (B0) 25:75 (B25), 50:50 (B50), 75:25 (B75) and 100:0 (B100)] on dry weight basis. Genotoxic effects of initial and post vermicompost bagasse extracts were analysed on the root tips cells of Allium cepa. Root length and mitotic index (MI) was found to be increased in post vermicompost extracts when compared to initial bagasse waste. The maximum percent increase of root length was observed in the B50 bagasse extract (96.60 %) and the maximum MI was observed in B100 mixture (14.20 ± 0.60) 6 h treatment which was similar to the control. Genotoxicity analysis of post vermicompost extracts of bagasse revealed a 21-44 % decline in the aberration frequencies and the maximum reduction was found in B75 extract (44.50 %). The increase in root length and mitotic index, as well as decrease in chromosomal aberrations indicates that E. fetida has the ability to reduce the genotoxicity of the bagasse waste.

Liquid and solid self-microemulsifying drug delivery systems for improving the oral bioavailability of andrographolide from a crude extract of Andrographis paniculata.

PubMed

Sermkaew, Namfa; Ketjinda, Wichan; Boonme, Prapaporn; Phadoongsombut, Narubodee; Wiwattanapatapee, Ruedeekorn

2013-11-20

The purpose of this study was to develop self-microemulsifying formulations of an Andrographis paniculata extract in liquid and pellet forms for an improved oral delivery of andrographolide. The optimized liquid self-microemulsifying drug delivery system (SMEDDS) was composed of A. paniculata extract (11.1%), Capryol 90 (40%), Cremophor RH 40 (40%) and Labrasol (8.9%). This liquid SMEDDS was further adsorbed onto colloidal silicon dioxide and microcrystalline cellulose, and converted to SMEDDS pellets by the extrusion/spheronization technique. The microemulsion droplet sizes of the liquid and pellet formulations after dilution with water were in the range of 23.4 and 30.3 nm. The in vitro release of andrographolide from the liquid SMEDDS and SMEDDS pellets was 97.64% (SD 1.97%) and 97.74% (SD 3.36%) within 15 min, respectively while the release from the initial extract was only 10%. The oral absorption of andrographolide was determined in rabbits. The C(max) value of andrographolide from the A. paniculata extract liquid SMEDDS and SMEDDS pellet formulations (equivalent to 17.5mg/kg of andrographolide) was 6-fold and 5-fold greater than the value from the initial extract in aqueous suspension (equivalent to 35 mg/kg of andrographolide), respectively. In addition, the AUC(0-12h) was increased 15-fold by the liquid SMEDDS and 13-fold by the SMEDDS pellets compared to the extract in aqueous suspension, respectively. The results clearly indicated that the liquid and solid SMEDDS could be effectively used to improve the dissolution and oral bioavailability that would also enable a reduction in the dose of the poorly water soluble A. paniculata extract. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An extraction process to recover vanadium from low-grade vanadium-bearing titanomagnetite.

PubMed

Chen, Desheng; Zhao, Hongxin; Hu, Guoping; Qi, Tao; Yu, Hongdong; Zhang, Guozhi; Wang, Lina; Wang, Weijing

2015-08-30

An extraction process to recover vanadium from low-grade vanadium-bearing titanomagnetite was developed. In this study, a mixed solvent system of di(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate (D2EHPA) and tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP) diluted with kerosene was used for the selective extraction of vanadium from a hydrochloric acid leaching solution that contained low vanadium concentration with high concentrations of iron and impurities of Ca, Mg, and Al. In the extraction process, the initial solution pH and the phase ratio had considerable functions in the extraction of vanadium from the hydrochloric acid leaching solution. Under optimal extraction conditions (i.e., 30-40°C for 10min, 1:3 phase ratio (O/A), 20% D2EHPA concentration (v/v), and 0-0.8 initial solution pH), 99.4% vanadium and only 4.2% iron were extracted by the three-stage counter-current extraction process. In the stripping process with H2SO4 as the stripping agent and under optimal stripping conditions (i.e., 20% H2SO4 concentration, 5:1 phase ratio (O/A), 20min stripping time, and 40°C stripping temperature), 99.6% vanadium and only 5.4% iron were stripped by the three-stage counter-current stripping process. The stripping solution contained 40.16g/LV2O5,0.691g/L Fe, 0.007g/L TiO2, 0.006g/L SiO2 and 0.247g/L CaO. A V2O5 product with a purity of 99.12% V2O5 and only 0.026% Fe was obtained after the oxidation, precipitation, and calcination processes. The total vanadium recovered from the hydrochloric acid leaching solution was 85.5%. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Optimization of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH) Extraction Efficiency Parameters for Sub- and Supercritical Water Extraction (SCWE) Instrument

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Okada, Asahi A.

2005-01-01

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are a class of molecules composed of multiple, bonded benzene rings. As PAHS are believed to be present on Mars, positive confirmation of their presence on Mars is highly desirable. To extract PAHS, which have low volatility, a fluid extraction method is ideal, and one that does not utilize organic solvents is especially ideal for in situ instrumental analysis. The use of water as a solvent, which at subcritical pressures and temperatures is relatively non-Polar, has significant potential. As SCWE instruments have not yet been commercialized, all instruments are individually-built research prototypes: thus, initial efforts were intended to determine if extraction efficiencies on the JPL-built laboratory-scale SCWE instrument are comparable to differing designs built elsewhere. Samples of soil with certified reference concentrations of PAHs were extracted using SCWE as well as conventional Soxhlet extraction. Continuation of the work would involve extractions on JPL'S newer, portable SCWE instrument prototype to determine its efficiency in extracting PAHs.

Open vs Laparoscopic Simple Prostatectomy: A Comparison of Initial Outcomes and Cost.

PubMed

Demir, Aslan; Günseren, Kadir Ömür; Kordan, Yakup; Yavaşçaoğlu, İsmet; Vuruşkan, Berna Aytaç; Vuruşkan, Hakan

2016-08-01

We compared the cost-effectiveness of laparoscopic simple prostatectomy (LSP) vs open prostatectomy (OP). A total of 73 men treated for benign prostatic hyperplasia were enrolled for OP and LSP in groups 1 and 2, respectively. The findings were recorded perioperative, including operation time (OT), blood lost, transfusion rate, conversion to the open surgery, and the complications according to the Clavien Classification. The postoperative findings, including catheterization and drainage time, the amount of analgesic used, hospitalization time, postoperative complications, international prostate symptom score (IPSS) and International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) scores, the extracted prostate weight, the uroflowmeter, as well as postvoiding residual (PVR) and quality of life (QoL) score at the postoperative third month, were analyzed. The cost of both techniques was also compared statistically. No statistical differences were found in the preoperative parameters, including age, IPSS and QoL score, maximum flow rate (Qmax), PVR, IIEF score, and prostate volumes, as measured by transabdominal ultrasonography. No statistical differences were established in terms of the OT and the weight of the extracted prostate. No differences were established with regard to complications according to Clavien's classification in groups. However, the bleeding rate was significantly lower in group 2. The drainage, catheterization, and hospitalization times and the amount of analgesics were significantly lower in the second group. The postoperative third month findings were not different statistically. Only the Qmax values were significantly greater in group 2. While there was only a $52 difference between groups with regard to operation cost, this difference was significantly different. The use of LSP for the prostates over 80 g is more effective than the OP in terms of OT, bleeding amount, transfusion rates, catheterization time, drain removal time, hospitalization time, consumed analgesic amount, and Qmax values. On the other hand, the mean cost of the LSP is higher than OP. Better effectiveness comes with higher cost.

Dairy heifer manure management, dietary phosphorus, and soil test P effects on runoff phosphorus.

PubMed

Jokela, William E; Coblentz, Wayne K; Hoffman, Patrick C

2012-01-01

Manure application to cropland can contribute to runoff losses of P and eutrophication of surface waters. We conducted a series of three rainfall simulation experiments to assess the effects of dairy heifer dietary P, manure application method, application rate, and soil test P on runoff P losses from two successive simulated rainfall events. Bedded manure (18-21% solids) from dairy heifers fed diets with or without supplemental P was applied on a silt loam soil packed into 1- by 0.2-m sheet metal pans. Manure was either surface-applied or incorporated (Experiment 1) or surface-applied at two rates (Experiment 2) to supply 26 to 63 kg P ha. Experiment 3 evaluated runoff P from four similar nonmanured soils with average Bray P1-extractable P levels of 11, 29, 51, and 75 mg kg. We measured runoff quantity, total P (TP), dissolved reactive P (DRP), and total and volatile solids in runoff collected for 30 min after runoff initiation from two simulated rain events (70 mm h) 3 or 4 d apart. Manure incorporation reduced TP and DRP concentrations and load by 85 to 90% compared with surface application. Doubling the manure rate increased runoff DRP and TP concentrations an average of 36%. In the same experiment, P diet supplementation increased water-extractable P in manure by 100% and increased runoff DRP concentration threefold. Concentrations of solids, TP, and DRP in runoff from Rain 2 were 25 to 75% lower than from Rain 1 in Experiments 1 and 2. Runoff DRP from nonmanured soils increased quadratically with increasing soil test P. These results show that large reductions in P runoff losses can be achieved by incorporation of manure, avoiding unnecessary diet P supplementation, limiting manure application rate, and managing soils to prevent excessive soil test P levels. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

[A customized method for information extraction from unstructured text data in the electronic medical records].

PubMed

Bao, X Y; Huang, W J; Zhang, K; Jin, M; Li, Y; Niu, C Z

2018-04-18

There is a huge amount of diagnostic or treatment information in electronic medical record (EMR), which is a concrete manifestation of clinicians actual diagnosis and treatment details. Plenty of episodes in EMRs, such as complaints, present illness, past history, differential diagnosis, diagnostic imaging, surgical records, reflecting details of diagnosis and treatment in clinical process, adopt Chinese description of natural language. How to extract effective information from these Chinese narrative text data, and organize it into a form of tabular for analysis of medical research, for the practical utilization of clinical data in the real world, is a difficult problem in Chinese medical data processing. Based on the EMRs narrative text data in a tertiary hospital in China, a customized information extracting rules learning, and rule based information extraction methods is proposed. The overall method consists of three steps, which includes: (1) Step 1, a random sample of 600 copies (including the history of present illness, past history, personal history, family history, etc.) of the electronic medical record data, was extracted as raw corpora. With our developed Chinese clinical narrative text annotation platform, the trained clinician and nurses marked the tokens and phrases in the corpora which would be extracted (with a history of diabetes as an example). (2) Step 2, based on the annotated corpora clinical text data, some extraction templates were summarized and induced firstly. Then these templates were rewritten using regular expressions of Perl programming language, as extraction rules. Using these extraction rules as basic knowledge base, we developed extraction packages in Perl, for extracting data from the EMRs text data. In the end, the extracted data items were organized in tabular data format, for later usage in clinical research or hospital surveillance purposes. (3) As the final step of the method, the evaluation and validation of the proposed methods were implemented in the National Clinical Service Data Integration Platform, and we checked the extraction results using artificial verification and automated verification combined, proved the effectiveness of the method. For all the patients with diabetes as diagnosed disease in the Department of Endocrine in the hospital, the medical history episode of these patients showed that, altogether 1 436 patients were dismissed in 2015, and a history of diabetes medical records extraction results showed that the recall rate was 87.6%, the accuracy rate was 99.5%, and F-Score was 0.93. For all the 10% patients (totally 1 223 patients) with diabetes by the dismissed dates of August 2017 in the same department, the extracted diabetes history extraction results showed that the recall rate was 89.2%, the accuracy rate was 99.2%, F-Score was 0.94. This study mainly adopts the combination of natural language processing and rule-based information extraction, and designs and implements an algorithm for extracting customized information from unstructured Chinese electronic medical record text data. It has better results than existing work.

[Studies on preparative technology and quantitative determination for extracts of total saponin in roof of Panax japonicus].

PubMed

He, Yu-min; Lu, Ke-ming; Yuan, Ding; Zhang, Chang-cheng

2008-11-01

To explore the optimum extraction and purification condition of the total saponins in the root of Panax japonicus (RPJ), and establish its quality control methods. Designed L16 (4(5)) orthogonal test with the extraction rate of total saponins as index, to determine the rational extraction process, and the techniques of water-saturated n-butanol extraction and acetone precipitation were applied to purify the alcohol extract of RPJ. Total saponins were detected by spectrophotometry and its triterpenoidal sapogenin oleanolic acid detected by HPLC. The optimum conditions of total saponins from RPJ was as follows: the material was pulverized, dipped in 60% ethanol aqueous solution as extract solvent at 10 times of volume, and refluxed 3 times for 3 h each time. Extractant of water-saturated n-butanol with extraction times of 3 and precipitant of acetone with precipitation amount of 4-5 times were included in the purification process, which would obtain the quality products. The content of total saponins could reach to 83.48%, and oleanolic acid to 38.30%. The optimized preparative technology is stable, convenient and practical. The extract rate of RPJ was high and steady with this technology, which provided new evidence for industrializing production of the plant and developing new drug.

The Influence of Lactic Acid Concentration on the Separation of Light Rare Earth Elements by Continuous Liquid-Liquid Extraction with 2-Ethylhexyl Phosphonic Acid Mono-2-ethylhexyl Ester

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Carvalho Gomes, Rafael; Seruff, Luciana Amaral; Scal, Maira Labanca Waineraich; Vera, Ysrael Marrero

2018-02-01

The separation of rare earth elements (REEs) using solvent extraction adding complexing agents appears to be an alternative to saponification of the extractant. We evaluated the effect of lactic acid concentration on didymium (praseodymium and neodymium) and lanthanum extraction with 2-ethylhexyl phosphonic acid mono-2-ethyl hexyl ester [HEH(EHP)] as extractant. First, we investigated in batch experiments the separation of lanthanum (La) and didymium (Pr and Nd) using McCabe-Thiele diagrams to estimate the number of extraction stages when the feed solution was or was not conditioned with lactic acid. Additionally, we conducted continuous liquid-liquid extraction experiments and evaluated the influence of lactic acid concentration on the REE extraction and separation. The tests showed that the extraction percentage of REEs and the separation factor Pr/La increased when the lactic acid concentration increased, but the didymium purity decreased. Lanthanum, praseodymium, and neodymium extraction rate were 23.0, 89.7, and 99.2 pct, respectively, with 1:1 aqueous/organic volume flow rate and feed solution doped with 0.52 mol L-1 lactic acid. The highest didymium purity reached was 92.0 pct with 0.26 mol L-1 lactic acid concentration.

Calculation of key reduction for B92 QKD protocol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mehic, Miralem; Partila, Pavol; Tovarek, Jaromir; Voznak, Miroslav

2015-05-01

It is well known that Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) can be used with the highest level of security for distribution of the secret key, which is further used for symmetrical encryption. B92 is one of the oldest QKD protocols. It uses only two non-orthogonal states, each one coding for one bit-value. It is much faster and simpler when compared to its predecessors, but with the idealized maximum efficiencies of 25% over the quantum channel. B92 consists of several phases in which initial key is significantly reduced: secret key exchange, extraction of the raw key (sifting), error rate estimation, key reconciliation and privacy amplification. QKD communication is performed over two channels: the quantum channel and the classical public channel. In order to prevent a man-in-the-middle attack and modification of messages on the public channel, authentication of exchanged values must be performed. We used Wegman-Carter authentication because it describes an upper bound for needed symmetric authentication key. We explained the reduction of the initial key in each of QKD phases.

[The problem of hemoperfusion in poisonings: ineffectiveness in maprotiline poisoning].

PubMed

Hofmann, V; Riess, W; Descoeudres, C; Studer, H

1980-02-23

A case of self-poisoning with maprotiline presenting with coma stage III was treated by resin hemoperfusion for 9 hours using an XAD-4 resin cartridge. Plasma levels of about 800 ng/ml maprotilin were initially found. After 5 hours of hemoperfusion progredient clinical improvement was noticed without decreasing tendency of the blood drug levels. The theoretical extraction efficiency calculated from the maprotiline blood levels and the perfusion rate yielded 50 mg for maprotiline and 16 mg for desmethylmaprotiline and was in good agreement with 60.5 mg of maprotiline and 17.3 mg of desmethylmaprotiline recovered from the resin cartridge at the end of the hemoperfusion. The in vitro binding capacity for maprotiline was estimated to be 230 mg per g of resin. These results demonstrate that XAD-4 resin efficiently binds maprotiline. However, because of the very low blood concentrations due to the large volume of distribution, whole body concentrations are minimally affected by resin hemoperfusion. Main complications consisted in thrombocytopenia extending over 24 hours after stopping hemoperfusion, anemia, a short initial decrease of blood pressure and an episode of premature ventricular beats.

Microfluidic solvent extraction of poly(vinyl alcohol) droplets: effect of polymer structure on particle and capsule formation.

PubMed

Sharratt, W N; Brooker, A; Robles, E S J; Cabral, J T

2018-04-26

We investigate the formation of poly(vinyl alcohol) microparticles by the selective extraction of aqueous polymer solution droplets, templated by microfluidics and subsequently immersed in a non-solvent bath. The role of polymer molecular mass (18-105 kg mol-1), degree of hydrolysis (88-99%) and thus solubility, and initial solution concentration (0.01-10% w/w) are quantified. Monodisperse droplets with radii ranging from 50 to 500 μm were produced at a flow-focusing junction with carrier phase hexadecane and extracted into ethyl acetate. Solvent exchange and extraction result in droplet shrinkage, demixing, coarsening and phase-inversion, yielding polymer microparticles with well-defined dimensions and internal microstructure. Polymer concentration, varied from below the overlap concentration c* to above the concentrated crossover c**, as estimated by viscosity measurements, was found to have the largest impact on the final particle size and extraction timescale, while polymer mass and hydrolysis played a secondary role. These results are consistent with the observation that the average polymer concentration upon solidification greatly exceeds c**, and that the internal microparticle porosity is largely unchanged. However, reducing the initial polymer concentration to well below c* (approximately 100×) and increasing droplet size yields thin-walled (100's of nm) capsules which controllably crumple upon extraction. The symmetry of the process can be readily broken by imposing extraction conditions at an impermeable surface, yielding large, buckled, cavity morphologies. Based on these results, we establish robust design criteria for polymer capsules and particles, demonstrated here for poly(vinyl alcohol), with well-defined shape, dimensions and internal microstructure.

The effect of the polymerization initiator and light source on the elution of residual Bis-GMA and TEGDMA monomers: A study using liquid chromatography with UV detection.

PubMed

Denis, Aline B; Diagone, Cristina A; Plepis, Ana M G; Viana, Rommel B

2015-12-05

A method for the extraction and quantification of two residual monomers, bisphenol glycidyl dimethacrylate (Bis-GMA) and triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA), that were evaluated using high efficiency liquid chromatography with UV detection was developed and validated in this study. Three types of solvents were applied in the extraction of the monomers (methanol, ethanol and acetonitrile), where the highest extraction efficiency was obtained using acetonitrile. The different resins were prepared by photoactivation of Bis-GMA and TEGDMA monomers. Additionally, the effects of the addition of two photoinitiators (camphorquinone (CQ) and phenyl propanodione (PPD) and that of a co-initiator (N,N-dimethyl-p-toluidine) were also analyzed. When only the CQ photoinitiator was used, a smaller amount of residual monomers was obtained, whereas a larger amount was obtained with PPD. When the two photoinitiators were used in the same matrix, however, no significant changes were observed in relation to the amount of residual TEGDMA monomers. For the addition of the co-initiator, there were no large changes in the extraction of residual monomers. The effect of the two photoactivation sources (halogen lamp and LED) led to small differences in the elution of the two monomers, although all of the resins differed significantly when photoactivated with a LED. Quantum chemical calculations using Density Functional Theory were carried out to characterize several molecular properties of each monomer. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Timing of Debridement and Infection Rates in Open Fractures of the Hand

PubMed Central

Ketonis, Constantinos; Dwyer, Joseph; Ilyas, Asif M.

2016-01-01

Background: Literature on open fracture infections has focused primarily on long bones, with limited guidelines available for open hand fractures. In this study, we systematically review the available hand surgery literature to determine infection rates and the effect of debridement timing and antibiotic administration. Methods: Searches of the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane computerized literature databases and manual bibliography searches were performed. Descriptive/quantitative data were extracted, and a meta-analysis of different patient cohorts and treatment modalities was performed to compare infection rates. Results: The initial search yielded 61 references. Twelve articles (4 prospective, 8 retrospective) on open hand fractures were included (1669 open fractures). There were 77 total infections (4.6%): 61 (4.4%) of 1391 patients received preoperative antibiotics and 16 (9.4%) of 171 patients did not receive antibiotics. In 7 studies (1106 open fractures), superficial infections (requiring oral antibiotics only) accounted for 86%, whereas deep infections (requiring operative debridement) accounted for 14%. Debridement within 6 hours of injury (2 studies, 188 fractures) resulted in a 4.2% infection rate, whereas debridement within 12 hours of injury (1 study, 193 fractures) resulted in a 3.6% infection rate. Two studies found no correlation of infection and timing to debridement. Conclusions: Overall, the infection rate after open hand fracture remains relatively low. Correlation does exist between the administration of antibiotics and infection, but the majority of infections can be treated with antibiotics alone. Timing of debridement, has not been shown to alter infection rates. PMID:28344521

20 CFR 227.2 - Initial supplemental annuity rate.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Initial supplemental annuity rate. 227.2... COMPUTING SUPPLEMENTAL ANNUITIES § 227.2 Initial supplemental annuity rate. The supplemental annuity rate... supplemental annuity rate is $43 for an employee with 30 or more years of service. ...

Acoustic emission analysis of tooth-composite interfacial debonding.

PubMed

Cho, N Y; Ferracane, J L; Lee, I B

2013-01-01

This study detected tooth-composite interfacial debonding during composite restoration by means of acoustic emission (AE) analysis and investigated the effects of composite properties and adhesives on AE characteristics. The polymerization shrinkage, peak shrinkage rate, flexural modulus, and shrinkage stress of a methacrylate-based universal hybrid, a flowable, and a silorane-based composite were measured. Class I cavities on 49 extracted premolars were restored with 1 of the 3 composites and 1 of the following adhesives: 2 etch-and-rinse adhesives, 2 self-etch adhesives, and an adhesive for the silorane-based composite. AE analysis was done for 2,000 sec during light-curing. The silorane-based composite exhibited the lowest shrinkage (rate), the longest time to peak shrinkage rate, the lowest shrinkage stress, and the fewest AE events. AE events were detected immediately after the beginning of light-curing in most composite-adhesive combinations, but not until 40 sec after light-curing began for the silorane-based composite. AE events were concentrated at the initial stage of curing in self-etch adhesives compared with etch-and-rinse adhesives. Reducing the shrinkage (rate) of composites resulted in reduced shrinkage stress and less debonding, as evidenced by fewer AE events. AE is an effective technique for monitoring, in real time, the debonding kinetics at the tooth-composite interface.

Rapid compression transforms interfacial monolayers of pulmonary surfactant.

PubMed

Crane, J M; Hall, S B

2001-04-01

Films of pulmonary surfactant in the lung are metastable at surface pressures well above the equilibrium spreading pressure of 45 mN/m but commonly collapse at that pressure when compressed in vitro. The studies reported here determined the effect of compression rate on the ability of monolayers containing extracted calf surfactant at 37 degrees C to maintain very high surface pressures on the continuous interface of a captive bubble. Increasing the rate from 2 A(2)/phospholipid/min (i.e., 3% of (initial area at 40 mN/m)/min) to 23%/s produced only transient increases to 48 mN/m. Above a threshold rate of 32%/s, however, surface pressures reached > 68 mN/m. After the rapid compression, static films maintained surface pressures within +/- 1 mN/m both at these maximum values and at lower pressures following expansion at < 5%/min to > or = 45 mN/m. Experiments with dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine at 37 degrees C produced similar results. These findings indicate that compression at rates comparable to values in the lungs can transform at least some phospholipid monolayers from a form that collapses readily at the equilibrium spreading pressure to one that is metastable for prolonged periods at higher pressures. Our results also suggest that transformation of surfactant films can occur without refinement of their composition.

How to harvest solar energy with the photosynthetic reaction center

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balaeff, Alexander; Reyes, Justin

Photosynthetic reaction center (PRC) is a protein complex that performs a key step in photosynthesis: the electron-hole separation driven by photon absorbtion. The PRC has a great promise for applications in solar energy harvesting and photosensing. Such applications, however, are hampered by the difficulty in extracting the photogenerated electric charge from the PRC. To that end, it was proposed to attach the PRC to a molecular wire through which the charge could be collected. In order to find the attachment point for the wire that would maximize the rate of charge outflow from the PRC, we performed a computational study of the PRC from the R. virdis bacterium. An ensemble of PRC structures generated by a molecular dynamics simulation was used to calculate the rate of charge transport from the site of initial charge separation to several trial sites on the protein surface. The Pathways model was used to calculate the charge transfer rate in each step of the network of heme co-factors through which the charge transport was presumed to proceed. A simple kinetic model was then used to determine the overall rate of the multistep charge transport. The calculations revealed several candidate sites for the molecular wire attachment, recommended for experimental verification.

40 CFR 125.139 - As the Director, what must I do to comply with the requirements of this subpart?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM Requirements Applicable to Cooling Water Intake Structures for New Offshore Oil... the initial permit application from the owner or operator of a new offshore oil and gas extraction... offshore oil and gas extraction facility. In addition, the Director must review materials to determine...

40 CFR 125.139 - As the Director, what must I do to comply with the requirements of this subpart?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM Requirements Applicable to Cooling Water Intake Structures for New Offshore Oil... the initial permit application from the owner or operator of a new offshore oil and gas extraction... offshore oil and gas extraction facility. In addition, the Director must review materials to determine...

40 CFR 125.139 - As the Director, what must I do to comply with the requirements of this subpart?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM Requirements Applicable to Cooling Water Intake Structures for New Offshore Oil... the initial permit application from the owner or operator of a new offshore oil and gas extraction... offshore oil and gas extraction facility. In addition, the Director must review materials to determine...

40 CFR 125.139 - As the Director, what must I do to comply with the requirements of this subpart?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM Requirements Applicable to Cooling Water Intake Structures for New Offshore Oil... the initial permit application from the owner or operator of a new offshore oil and gas extraction... offshore oil and gas extraction facility. In addition, the Director must review materials to determine...

40 CFR 125.139 - As the Director, what must I do to comply with the requirements of this subpart?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM Requirements Applicable to Cooling Water Intake Structures for New Offshore Oil... the initial permit application from the owner or operator of a new offshore oil and gas extraction... offshore oil and gas extraction facility. In addition, the Director must review materials to determine...

Audit and feedback using the Robson classification to reduce caesarean section rates: a systematic review.

PubMed

Boatin, A A; Cullinane, F; Torloni, M R; Betrán, A P

2018-01-01

In most regions worldwide, caesarean section (CS) rates are increasing. In these settings, new strategies are needed to reduce CS rates. To identify, critically appraise and synthesise studies using the Robson classification as a system to categorise and analyse data in clinical audit cycles to reduce CS rates. Medline, Embase, CINAHL and LILACS were searched from 2001 to 2016. Studies reporting use of the Robson classification to categorise and analyse data in clinical audit cycles to reduce CS rates. Data on study design, interventions used, CS rates, and perinatal outcomes were extracted. Of 385 citations, 30 were assessed for full text review and six studies, conducted in Brazil, Chile, Italy and Sweden, were included. All studies measured initial CS rates, provided feedback and monitored performance using the Robson classification. In two studies, the audit cycle consisted exclusively of feedback using the Robson classification; the other four used audit and feedback as part of a multifaceted intervention. Baseline CS rates ranged from 20 to 36.8%; after the intervention, CS rates ranged from 3.1 to 21.2%. No studies were randomised or controlled and all had a high risk of bias. We identified six studies using the Robson classification within clinical audit cycles to reduce CS rates. All six report reductions in CS rates; however, results should be interpreted with caution because of limited methodological quality. Future trials are needed to evaluate the role of the Robson classification within audit cycles aimed at reducing CS rates. Use of the Robson classification in clinical audit cycles to reduce caesarean rates. © 2017 The Authors. BJOG An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

An Advanced TALSPEAK Concept for Separating Minor Actinides. Part 1. Process Optimization and Flowsheet Development

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

Lumetta, Gregg J.; Levitskaia, Tatiana G.; Wilden, Andreas

A system is being developed to separate trivalent actinides from lanthanide fission product elements that uses 2-ethylhexylphosphonic acid mono-2-ethylhexyl ester to extract the lanthanide ions into an organic phase, while the actinide ions are held in the citrate-buffered aqueous phase by complexation to N-(2-hydroxyethyl)ethylenediamine-N,N',N'-triacetic acid (HEDTA). Earlier investigations of this system using a 2-cm centrifugal contactor revealed that the relatively slow extraction of Sm3+, Eu3+, and Gd3+ resulted in low separation factors from Am3+. In the work reported here, adjustments to the aqueous phase chemistry were made to improve the extraction rates. The results suggest that increasing the concentration ofmore » the citric acid buffer from 0.2 to 0.6 mol/L, and lowering the pH from 3.1 to 2.6, significantly improved lanthanide extraction rates resulting in an actinide/lanthanide separation system suitable for deployment in centrifugal contactors. Experiments performed to evaluate whether the lanthanide extraction rates can be improved by replacing aqueous HEDTA with nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) exhibited promising results. However, NTA exhibited an unsatisfactorily high distribution value for Am3+ under the extraction conditions examined.« less

Optimization of Alkaline Extraction and Bioactivities of Polysaccharides from Rhizome of Polygonatum odoratum

PubMed Central

Chen, Yong; Yin, Luoyi; Zhang, Xuejiao; Wang, Yan; Chen, Qiuzhi; Jin, Chenzhong; Wang, Jihua

2014-01-01

The present study is to explore the optimal extraction parameters, antioxidant activity, and antimicrobial activity of alkaline soluble polysaccharides from rhizome of Polygonatum odoratum. The optimal extraction parameters were determined as the following: NaOH concentration (A) 0.3 M, temperature (B) 80°C, ratio of NaOH to solid (C) 10-fold, and extraction time (D) 4 h, in which ratio of NaOH to solid was a key factor. The order of the factors was ratio of NaOH to solid (fold, C) > extraction temperature (°C, B) > NaOH concentration (M, A) > extraction time (h, D). The monosaccharide compositions of polysaccharides from P. odoratum were rhamnose, mannose, xylose, and arabinose with the molecular ratio of 31.78, 31.89, 11.11, and 1.00, respectively. The reducing power, the 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazil (DPPH) radical scavenging rate, the hydroxyl radicals scavenging rate, and the inhibition rate to polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) peroxidation of the alkaline soluble polysaccharides from P. odoratum at 1 mg/mL were 9.81%, 52.84%, 19.22%, and 19.42% of ascorbic acid at the same concentration, respectively. They also showed antimicrobial activity against pathogenic bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, and Escherichia coli. PMID:25093173

Assessment of antibacterial properties and the active ingredient of plant extracts and its effect on the performance of crucian carp (Carassius auratus gibelio var. E'erqisi, Bloch).

PubMed

Lu, Chunxia; Luo, Xiaoling; Luo, Ruifeng; Chen, Xia; Xing, Lijie; Tang, Zonggui; Li, Hongmin

2013-03-15

In this study, the antibacterial properties and active ingredient of plant extracts and its effect on the performance of crucian carp (Carassius auratus gibelio var. E'erqisi, Bloch) were assessed. The transmission electron microscopy and flow cytometric analysis showed that the antibacterial activity of plant extracts is due to the disruption of the cell membrane and the leakage of cytoplasmic contents. The UPLC-MS/MS analysis showed that the contents of gallic acid, (-)-epigallocatechin, (+)-catechin, (-)-epigallocatechin gallate, (-)-epicatechin gallate, aloe-emodin, rhein, emodin, chrysophanol, and physcion, were 5.27%, 3.30%, 1.08%, 19.32%, 5.46%, 0.23%, 0.56%, 1.28%, 0.75% and 0.39% in plant extracts, respectively. Results of feeding experiment showed that feeding crucian carp with 1.0% and 2.0% plant extracts significantly enhanced specific growth rate, serum total protein, lysozyme, catalase and superoxide dismutase activities, and decreased the feed conversion rate, malondialdehyde contents and the mortality rate (P < 0.05). It can be concluded that plant extracts added to fish feed can act as natural antimicrobial and immunostimulants to prevent pathogenic infection, enhance immune response, and promote growth of the fish. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry.

Isolation of friedelin from black condensate of cork.

PubMed

Pires, Ricardo A; Aroso, Ivo; Silva, Susana P; Mano, João F; Reis, Rui L

2011-11-01

Black condensates (BC) are wastes of the insulation corkboard industry that contain several valuable chemicals, including friedelin, a terpene exhibiting biological activity. Herein, we report a straightforward procedure to extract friedelin from BC. Using this procedure, we were able to extract friedelin with yields between 0.4% and 2.9% and to further purify it obtaining purities from 77.0% to 99.3% (HPLC). The initial BC (2 batches), extracted raw product and purified friedelin were analyzed using FTIR. The extraction yields and purities were found to be directly related to the intensity of the carbonyl vibration at 1713 cm(-1) in the FTIR spectrum of the used BC batch. Therefore, these spectra can be used to screen and select BC batches suitable for friedelin extraction.

Optimization of supercritical carbon dioxide extraction of essential oil from Dracocephalum kotschyi Boiss: An endangered medicinal plant in Iran.

PubMed

Nejad-Sadeghi, Masoud; Taji, Saeed; Goodarznia, Iraj

2015-11-27

Extraction of the essential oil from a medicinal plant called Dracocephalum kotschyi Boiss was performed by green technology of supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) extraction. A Taguchi orthogonal array design with an OA16 (4(5)) matrix was used to evaluate the effects of five extraction variables: pressure of 150-310bar, temperature of 40-60°C, average particle size of 250-1000μm, CO2 flow rate of 2-10ml/s and dynamic extraction time of 30-100min. The optimal conditions to obtain the maximum extraction yield were at 240bar, 60°C, 500μm, 10ml/s and 100min. The extraction yield under the above conditions was 2.72% (w/w) which is more than two times the maximum extraction yield that has been reported for this plant in the literature using traditional extraction techniques. Results from analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated that the CO2 flow rate and the extraction time were the most significant factors on the extraction yield by percentage contribution of 44.27 and 28.86, respectively. Finally, the chemical composition of the essential oil was evaluated by using gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). Citral, p-mentha-1,3,8-triene, D-3-carene and methyl geranate were the major components identified. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The limit of the film extraction technique for annular two-phase flow in a small tube

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

Helm, D.E.; Lopez de Bertodano, M.; Beus, S.G.

1999-07-01

The limit of the liquid film extraction technique was identified in air-water and Freon-113 annular two-phase flow loops. The purpose of this research is to find the limit of the entrainment rate correlation obtained by Lopez de Bertodano et. al. (1998). The film extraction technique involves the suction of the liquid film through a porous tube and has been widely used to obtain annular flow entrainment and entrainment rate data. In these experiments there are two extraction probes. After the first extraction the entrained droplets in the gas core deposit on the tube wall. A new liquid film develops entirelymore » from liquid deposition and a second liquid film extraction is performed. While it is assumed that the entire liquid film is removed after the first extraction unit, this is not true for high liquid flow. At high liquid film flows the interfacial structure of the film becomes frothy. Then the entire liquid film cannot be removed at the first extraction unit, but continues on and is extracted at the second extraction unit. A simple model to characterize the limit of the extraction technique was obtained based on the hypothesis that the transition occurs due to a change in the wave structure. The resulting dimensionless correlation agrees with the data.« less

The limit of the film extraction technique for annular two-phase flow in a small tube

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

Helm, D.E.; Lopez de Bertodano, M.; Beus, S.G.

1999-07-01

The limit of the liquid film extraction technique was identified in air-water and Freon-113 annular two-phase flow loops. The purpose of this research is to find the limit of the entrainment rate correlation obtained by Lopez de Bertodano et al. (1998). The film extraction technique involves the suction of the liquid film through a porous tube and has been widely used to obtain annular flow entrainment and entrainment rate data. In the experiments there are two extraction probes. After the first extraction the entrained droplets in the gas core deposit on the tube wall. A new liquid film develops entirelymore » from liquid deposition and a second liquid film extraction is performed. While it is assumed that the entire liquid film is removed after the first extraction unit, this is not true for high liquid flow. At high liquid film flows the interfacial structure of the film becomes frothy. Then the entire liquid film cannot be removed at the first extraction unit, but continues on and is extracted at the second extraction unit. A simple model to characterize the limit of the extraction technique was obtained based on the hypothesis that the transition occurs due to a change in the wave structure. The resulting dimensionless correlation agrees with the data.« less

Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna Jacq.) extract exhibits atropine-sensitive activity in a cultured cardiomyocyte assay.

PubMed

Salehi, Satin; Long, Shannon R; Proteau, Philip J; Filtz, Theresa M

2009-01-01

Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) plant extract is used as a herbal alternative medicine for the prevention and treatment of various cardiovascular diseases. Recently, it was shown that hawthorn extract preparations caused negative chronotropic effects in a cultured neonatal murine cardiomyocyte assay, independent of beta-adrenergic receptor blockade. The aim of this study was to further characterize the effect of hawthorn extract to decrease the contraction rate of cultured cardiomyocytes. To test the hypothesis that hawthorn is acting via muscarinic receptors, the effect of hawthorn extract on atrial versus ventricular cardiomyocytes in culture was evaluated. As would be expected for activation of muscarinic receptors, hawthorn extract had a greater effect in atrial cells. Atrial and/or ventricular cardiomyocytes were then treated with hawthorn extract in the presence of atropine or himbacine. Changes in the contraction rate of cultured cardiomyocytes revealed that both muscarinic antagonists significantly attenuated the negative chronotropic activity of hawthorn extract. Using quinuclidinyl benzilate, L-[benzylic-4,4'-(3)H] ([(3)H]-QNB) as a radioligand antagonist, the effect of a partially purified hawthorn extract fraction to inhibit muscarinic receptor binding was quantified. Hawthorn extract fraction 3 dose-dependently inhibited [(3)H]-QNB binding to mouse heart membranes. Taken together, these findings suggest that decreased contraction frequency by hawthorn extracts in neonatal murine cardiomyocytes may be mediated via muscarinic receptor activation.

Universal Temporal Profile of Replication Origin Activation in Eukaryotes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldar, Arach

2011-03-01

The complete and faithful transmission of eukaryotic genome to daughter cells involves the timely duplication of mother cell's DNA. DNA replication starts at multiple chromosomal positions called replication origin. From each activated replication origin two replication forks progress in opposite direction and duplicate the mother cell's DNA. While it is widely accepted that in eukaryotic organisms replication origins are activated in a stochastic manner, little is known on the sources of the observed stochasticity. It is often associated to the population variability to enter S phase. We extract from a growing Saccharomyces cerevisiae population the average rate of origin activation in a single cell by combining single molecule measurements and a numerical deconvolution technique. We show that the temporal profile of the rate of origin activation in a single cell is similar to the one extracted from a replicating cell population. Taking into account this observation we exclude the population variability as the origin of observed stochasticity in origin activation. We confirm that the rate of origin activation increases in the early stage of S phase and decreases at the latter stage. The population average activation rate extracted from single molecule analysis is in prefect accordance with the activation rate extracted from published micro-array data, confirming therefore the homogeneity and genome scale invariance of dynamic of replication process. All these observations point toward a possible role of replication fork to control the rate of origin activation.

Effect of pH and added slag on the extractability of Si in two Si-deficient sugarcane soils.

PubMed

Haynes, Richard J; Zhou, Ya-Feng

2018-02-01

The effects of increasing pH on the adsorption and extractability of Si in two Si-deficient Australian sugarcane soils was investigated and the effects of increasing rates of fertilizer Si (as blast furnace slag) on pH and extractable Si were also examined. Equilibrium studies showed that maximum adsorption of Si by the two soils occurred in the pH range 9-10. When soil pH was increased from 5.0 to 6.5, subsequent adsorption of Si by the two soils, as measured by adsorption isotherms, increased. After incubation with progressive lime additions there was a decline in CaCl 2 - extractable Si due to its increased adsorption and an increase in acid (H 2 SO 4 - and acetic acid)-extractable (mainly adsorbed) Si. The increase in acid extractable Si was greater than the decrease in CaCl 2 - extractable Si suggesting a supply from an additional source. Alkali (Na 2 CO 3 and Tiron)-extractable Si decreased greatly with increasing pH suggesting dissolution of the amorphous (mainly biogenic) pool of silica was occurring with increasing pH. When increasing rates of slag were incubated with the soils, pH, CaCl 2 - and acid- extractable Si were all increased because upon dissolution slags release both silicic acid and OH - ions. There was, therefore, a positive relationship between extractable Si and soil pH. However, Na 2 CO 3 - and Tiron-extractable Si decreased with increasing slag rates (and increasing soil pH) suggesting dissolution of the biogenic pool of soil Si. It was concluded that future research needs to examine the desorption potential of adsorbed Si and the effects of liming on dissolution of the biogenic pool of soil silica under field conditions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Treating iron deficiency in patients with gastrointestinal disease: Risk of re-attendance in secondary care.

PubMed

Tomkins, Susannah; Chapman, Callum; Myland, Melissa; Tham, Rachel; de Nobrega, Rachael; Jackson, Brinley; Keshav, Satish

2017-01-01

Patients with gastrointestinal disease may have comorbid iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) and an increased risk of hospitalisation and re-attendance in hospital. The purpose of this study was to determine if oral and intravenous (IV) treatment of IDA in patients with gastrointestinal disease attending hospital were associated with differential rates of subsequent re-attendance. Data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (primary care) and Hospital Treatment Insights (secondary care) databases in England were used to conduct this retrospective cohort study. Patients with a coded gastrointestinal disease and IDA who attended hospital (inpatient or outpatient) and were dispensed oral or IV iron between 01/01/2010-31/10/2013 were included. Elective and emergency re-attendances in secondary care within 30 days of the initial attendance were determined. Demographics, medical diagnoses and treatments were extracted. Re-attendance rates following oral or IV iron were compared using chi-square tests and a step-wise logistic regression model to adjust for confounders. 2,844 patients contributed 6,294 initial attendances; 80% of patients received oral iron, 14% received intravenous iron, and 6% received both. Of initial attendances recording oral iron, 77% resulted in re-attendance in hospital, compared to 34% of those recording IV iron (unadjusted odds ratio [OR]: 0.16; adjusted OR: 0.52 [95% CI: 0.44-0.61]). Initial attendances using IV treatment were more likely to result in elective re-attendance (84%) than those recording oral treatment (43%) (p<0.001). Median length of stay in hospital tended to be shorter for patients using IV iron (1.4 days; interquartile range 0.5-3.6 days; oral iron: 5.1 days; interquartile range: 2.2-9.6 days). Patients with gastrointestinal disease and IDA who received IV iron were less likely to re-attend hospital, more likely to re-attend electively, and tended to have a shorter length of stay in hospital. The mode of IDA treatment could have a real-world impact on healthcare utilisation.

Impact of treatment with pioglitazone on stroke outcomes: a real world database analysis.

PubMed

Morgan, Christopher Ll; Inzucchi, Silvio E; Puelles, Jorge; Jenkins-Jones, Sara; Currie, Craig J

2018-05-07

Randomised controlled trials have reported an association between pioglitazone and reduced incidence of stroke in type 2 diabetic (T2DM) and insulin-resistant populations. We investigated this association within a real-world database. T2DM patients initiating pioglitazone between 2000-2012 were extracted from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD); a UK routine. Two non-exposed control cohorts were matched on age, gender, HbA1c, diabetes duration, stroke history, co-morbidities and prior T2DM regimen. Control cohort-1 comprised patients initiating a new T2DM therapy as their respective case initiated pioglitazone. Control cohort-2 remained on the same T2DM regimen as their respective case prior to the case initiating pioglitazone. The primary outcome was incident stroke; other outcomes included mortality, hospital length of stay and stroke recurrence. 4,234 pioglitazone patients matched to controls in cohort-1 and 3,604 in cohort-2. For the primary outcome there were significantly reduced hazard ratios (HRs) for cases:controls. Cohort 1, the HR was 0.627 (95% CI, 0.404-0.972) during the therapy period and 0.640 (0.485-0.843) over the entire observation period; respective HRs were 0.516 (0.336-0.794) and 0.773 (0.611-0.978) for cohort 2. There was no significant difference in 30-day mortality rate or rate of recurrent stroke. For hospitalised stroke events there was a significant difference in length of stay for patients discharged to usual residence (median 3.0 days versus 7.0 days; p=0.008) for control cohort-2 whilst on-treatment. In support of evidence from two large randomized trials, these observational data show that pioglitazone has a potent effect in reducing stroke events in patients with type 2 diabetes. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Ghana Open Data Initiative | Ghana Open Data Initiative

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Remediation of an acidic mine spoil: Miscanthus biochar and lime amendment affects metal availability, plant growth, and soil enzyme activity.

PubMed

Novak, Jeffrey M; Ippolito, James A; Ducey, Thomas F; Watts, Donald W; Spokas, Kurt A; Trippe, Kristin M; Sigua, Gilbert C; Johnson, Mark G

2018-08-01

Biochar may be a tool for mine spoil remediation; however, its mechanisms for achieving this goal remain unclear. In this study, Miscanthus (Miscanthus giganteus) biochar was evaluated for its ability to reclaim acidic mine spoils (pH < 3) through reducing metal availability, improving soil microbial enzymatic activity, and initial growth of grass seedlings. Biochar was applied at 0, 1, 2.5 and 5% (w/w) along with lime/no lime and fertilizer additions. Blue Wildrye (Elymus glaucus cv. 'Elkton') was planted and later the shoots and roots were collected and metal concentrations determined. Afterwards, each pot was leached with deionized water, and the leachate analyzed for pH, electrical conductivity (EC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and soluble metal concentrations. After drying, the spoil was extracted with 0.01 M CaCl 2 and Mehlich 3 (M3) to determine extractable Al, Cu, and Zn concentrations. Additionally, microbial activity was measured using a fluorescent β-glucosidase and N-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminidase assay. Spoil treated with lime and biochar had significantly greater pH and EC values. Significantly greater β-glucosidase activity occurred only in the 5% biochar plus lime treatment, while N-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminidase activities were not altered. Metal concentrations in rye shoot and roots were mixed. Lime additions significantly reduced extractable metal concentrations. Increasing biochar rates alone significantly reduced leachate DOC concentrations, and subsequently reduced leachable metal concentrations. Surprisingly, miscanthus biochar, by itself, was limited at mitigation, but when combined with lime, the combination was capable of further reducing extractable metal concentrations and improving β-glucosidase enzyme activity. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Plant-available and water-soluble phosphorus in soils amended with separated manure solids.

PubMed

Gasser, M-O; Chantigny, M H; Angers, D A; Bittman, S; Buckley, K E; Rochette, P; Massé, D

2012-01-01

Physical, chemical, or biological treatment of animal liquid manure generally produces a dry-matter rich fraction (DMF) that contains most of the initial phosphorus (P). Our objective was to assess the solubility and plant availability of P from various DMFs as a function of soil P status. Eight different DMFs were obtained from liquid swine (LSM) and dairy cattle (LDC) manures treated by natural decantation, anaerobic digestion, chemical flocculation, composting, or mechanical separation. The DMFs were compared with mineral P fertilizer in a pot experiment with oat ( L.) grown in four soils with varied P-fixing capacities and P saturation levels. The DMFs were added at a rate of 50 mg P kg soil and incubated 14 d before seeding. Soil water-extractable P (P) at all water:soil extraction ratios (2:1, 20:1, and 200:1) was slightly higher when DMFs were derived from LDC rather than LSM. Soil P at the 2:1 ratio was lower with anaerobically digested LSM. At the 2:1 extraction ratio, DMF P was less soluble than mineral P as P saturation in soils increased. In soils with a lower P-fixing capacity, DMF P appeared less water soluble than mineral P under 20:1 and 200:1 extraction ratios. After 72 d of plant growth, DMFs produced yields comparable to mineral P fertilizer. Although the plant availability of P from DMFs was comparable to mineral P fertilizer, P from DMFs could be less vulnerable to leaching or runoff losses in soils with a high P saturation level or low P-fixing capacity. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Capped mRNAs with reduced secondary structure can function in extracts from poliovirus-infected cells

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

Sonenberg, N.; Guertin, D.; Lee, K.A.W.

1982-12-01

Extracts form poliovirus-infected HeLa cells were used to study ribosome binding of native and denatured reovirus mRNAs and translation of capped mRNAs with different degrees of secondary structure. Here, the authors demonstrate that ribosomes in extracts from poliovirus-infected cells could form initiation complexes with denatured reovirus mRNA, in contrast to their inability to bind native reovirus mRNA. Furthermore, the capped alfalfa mosiac virus 4 RNA, which is most probable devoid of stable secondary structure at its 5' end, could be translated at much higher efficiency than could other capped mRNAs in extracts from poliovirus-infected cells.

Health inequalities and the health of the poor: what do we know? What can we do?

PubMed Central

Gwatkin, D. R.

2000-01-01

The contents of this theme section of the Bulletin of the World Health Organization on "Inequalities in health" have two objectives: to present the initial findings from a new generation of research that has been undertaken in response to renewed concern for health inequalities; and to stimulate movement for action in order to correct the problems identified by this research. The research findings are presented in the five articles which follow. This Critical Reflection proposes two initial steps for the action needed to alleviate the problem; other suggestions are given by the participants in a Round Table discussion which is published after these articles. The theme section concludes with extracts from the classic writings of the nineteenth-century public health pioneer, William Farr, who is widely credited as one of the founders of the scientific study of health inequalities, together with a commentary. This Critical Reflection contributes to the discussion of the action needed by proposing two initial steps for action. That professionals who give very high priority to the distinct but related objectives of poverty alleviation, inequality reduction, and equity enhancement recognize that their shared concern for the distributional aspects of health policy is far more important than any differences that may divide them. That health policy goals, currently expressed as societal averages, be reformulated so that they point specifically to conditions among the poor and to poor-rich differences. For example, infant mortality rates among the poor or the differences in infant mortality between rich and poor sectors would be more useful indicators than the average infant mortality rates for the whole population. PMID:10686729

Suicide by firearms on the island of Crete: a 9-year record.

PubMed

Kastanaki, Anastasia E; Kranioti, Elena F; Papavdi, Asteria; Theodorakis, Pavlos N; Michalodimitrakis, Manolis

2010-01-01

Whereas firearm suicide mortality has been a longstanding public concern worldwide, in Greece no systematic analysis has been reported so far despite the recent evidence of a rising rate of gun ownership. To estimate the proportion of firearm suicides on the island of Crete, Southern Greece, well-known for its widespread gun ownership; to describe the victims' sociodemographic profile and firearm-related suicide variables; and to assess the severity of suicidal intention in the group. Records of suicides between 1999 and 2007 were reviewed and information was extracted into a computerized database. A rating of the circumstances section of the Beck's Suicide Intent Scale (SIS) for each case was also performed. The firearm suicide rate was 1.3 per 100,000, with males constituting the vast majority. These men were more likely to be less than 55 years of age, to have lived in the western part of the island, to have some degree of planning prior to the suicidal act, and to have used a shotgun, but less likely to have left a note. As an important first step toward implementing preventive initiatives the authors stress the need for a thorough look at the sociocultural factors associated with firearms in the region.

Factors influencing Chinese university students' willingness to performing bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

PubMed

Lu, Cui; Jin, Ying-Hui; Shi, Xiao-Tong; Ma, Wen-Jing; Wang, Yun-Yun; Wang, Wei; Zhang, Yao

2017-05-01

Low rates of bystander-initiated CPR are a major obstacle to improved survival rates, and the aim of this study is to elucidate the factors associated with university students' attitudes toward performing bystander CPR. Questionnaires were distributed to 18 universities across three metropolises in China. One question asking for respondents' attitudes toward performing bystander CPR was set as the dependent variable, and the logistic regression models were used to extract independent factors for respondents' attitudes toward performing bystander CPR. 2934 questionnaires were completed, with a response rate of 81.5%. Results suggested that predictors of willingness to perform bystander CPR were: previous experience of performing bystander CPR, higher self-perceived ability to perform bystander CPR properly after instruction, medicine and law discipline, male gender, not being the single child of their parents, higher participation in university societies, being used to taking decisive action immediately, less self-perceived life stress and higher self-perceived knowledge level of CPR. Persons having previous experience of performing bystander CPR and those who thought they would have the ability to perform bystander CPR properly are predominantly associated with willingness to perform bystander CPR. Psychological and cultural factors need further study. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Experimentally determined rock-fluid interactions applicable to a natural hot dry rock geothermal system

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

Charles, R.W.; Holley, C.E. Jr.; Tester, J.W.

1980-02-01

The Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory is pursuing laboratory and field experiments in the development of the Hot Dry Rock concept of geothermal energy. The field program consists of experiments in a hydraulically fractured region of low permeability in which hot rock is intercepted by two wellbores. These experiments are designed to test reservoir engineering parameters such as: heat extraction rates, water loss rates, flow characteristics including impedance and buoyancy, seismic activity and fluid chemistry. Laboratory experiments have been designed to provide information on the mineral reactivity which may be encountered in the field program. Two experimental circulation systems have beenmore » built to study the rates of dissolution and alteration in dynamic flow. Solubility studies have been done in agitated systems. To date, pure minerals, samples of the granodiorite from the actual reservoir and Tijeras Canyon granite have been reacted with distilled water and various solutions of NaCl, NaOH, and Na/sub 2/CO/sub 3/. The results of these experimental systems are compared to observations made in field experiments done in a hot dry rock reservoir at a depth of approximately 3 km with initial rock temperatures of 150 to 200/sup 0/C.« less

Trapping in irradiated p +-n-n - silicon sensors at fluences anticipated at the HL-LHC outer tracker

DOE PAGES

Adam, W.

2016-04-22

The degradation of signal in silicon sensors is studied under conditions expected at the CERN High-Luminosity LHC. 200μm thick n-type silicon sensors are irradiated with protons of different energies to fluences of up to 3 x 10 15 neq/cm 2. Pulsed red laser light with a wavelength of 672 nm is used to generate electron-hole pairs in the sensors. The induced signals are used to determine the charge collection efficiencies separately for electrons and holes drifting through the sensor. The effective trapping rates are extracted by comparing the results to simulation. The electric field is simulated using Synopsys device simulationmore » assuming two effective defects. The generation and drift of charge carriers are simulated in an independent simulation based on PixelAV. The effective trapping rates are determined from the measured charge collection efficiencies and the simulated and measured time-resolved current pulses are compared. Furthermore, the effective trapping rates determined for both electrons and holes are about 50% smaller than those obtained using standard extrapolations of studies at low fluences and suggests an improved tracker performance over initial expectations.« less

Highway extraction from high resolution aerial photography using a geometric active contour model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niu, Xutong

Highway extraction and vehicle detection are two of the most important steps in traffic-flow analysis from multi-frame aerial photographs. The traditional method of deriving traffic flow trajectories relies on manual vehicle counting from a sequence of aerial photographs, which is tedious and time-consuming. This research presents a new framework for semi-automatic highway extraction. The basis of the new framework is an improved geometric active contour (GAC) model. This novel model seeks to minimize an objective function that transforms a problem of propagation of regular curves into an optimization problem. The implementation of curve propagation is based on level set theory. By using an implicit representation of a two-dimensional curve, a level set approach can be used to deal with topological changes naturally, and the output is unaffected by different initial positions of the curve. However, the original GAC model, on which the new model is based, only incorporates boundary information into the curve propagation process. An error-producing phenomenon called leakage is inevitable wherever there is an uncertain weak edge. In this research, region-based information is added as a constraint into the original GAC model, thereby, giving this proposed method the ability of integrating both boundary and region-based information during the curve propagation. Adding the region-based constraint eliminates the leakage problem. This dissertation applies the proposed augmented GAC model to the problem of highway extraction from high-resolution aerial photography. First, an optimized stopping criterion is designed and used in the implementation of the GAC model. It effectively saves processing time and computations. Second, a seed point propagation framework is designed and implemented. This framework incorporates highway extraction, tracking, and linking into one procedure. A seed point is usually placed at an end node of highway segments close to the boundary of the image or at a position where possible blocking may occur, such as at an overpass bridge or near vehicle crowds. These seed points can be automatically propagated throughout the entire highway network. During the process, road center points are also extracted, which introduces a search direction for solving possible blocking problems. This new framework has been successfully applied to highway network extraction from a large orthophoto mosaic. In the process, vehicles on the highway extracted from mosaic were detected with an 83% success rate.

Artificial intelligence and signal processing for infrastructure assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Assaleh, Khaled; Shanableh, Tamer; Yehia, Sherif

2015-04-01

The Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) is being recognized as an effective nondestructive evaluation technique to improve the inspection process. However, data interpretation and complexity of the results impose some limitations on the practicality of using this technique. This is mainly due to the need of a trained experienced person to interpret images obtained by the GPR system. In this paper, an algorithm to classify and assess the condition of infrastructures utilizing image processing and pattern recognition techniques is discussed. Features extracted form a dataset of images of defected and healthy slabs are used to train a computer vision based system while another dataset is used to evaluate the proposed algorithm. Initial results show that the proposed algorithm is able to detect the existence of defects with about 77% success rate.

Drive: Theory and Construct Validation

PubMed Central

Petrides, K. V.

2016-01-01

This article explicates the theory of drive and describes the development and validation of two measures. A representative set of drive facets was derived from an extensive corpus of human attributes (Study 1). Operationalised using an International Personality Item Pool version (the Drive:IPIP), a three-factor model was extracted from the facets in two samples and confirmed on a third sample (Study 2). The multi-item IPIP measure showed congruence with a short form, based on single-item ratings of the facets, and both demonstrated cross-informant reliability. Evidence also supported the measures’ convergent, discriminant, concurrent, and incremental validity (Study 3). Based on very promising findings, the authors hope to initiate a stream of research in what is argued to be a rather neglected niche of individual differences and non-cognitive assessment. PMID:27409773

Optimization of γ-amino butyric acid production in a newly isolated Lactobacillus brevis.

PubMed

Binh, Tran Thi Thanh; Ju, Wan-Taek; Jung, Woo-Jin; Park, Ro-Dong

2014-01-01

An isolate from kimchi, identified as Lactobacillus brevis, accumulated γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a major inhibitory neurotransmitter, in the culture medium. Optimal culture conditions for growth of L. brevis and production of GABA were 6 % (w/v) l-glutamic acid, 4 % (w/v) maltose, 2 % (w/v) yeast extract, 1 % (w/v) NaCl, 1 % (w/v) CaCl2, 2 g Tween 80/l, and 0.02 mM pyridoxal 5′-phosphate at initial pH 5.25 and 37 °C. GABA reached 44.4 g/l after 72 h cultivation with a conversion rate 99.7 %, based on the amount (6 %) of l-glutamic acid added. GABA was purified using ion exchange column chromatography with 70 % recovery and 97 % purity.

Potential Experimental Topics for EGS Collab Experiment 3

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

Johnston, Henry; Mattson, Earl; Blankenship, Douglas

To facilitate the success of FORGE, the DOE GTO has initiated a new research effort, the EGS Collab project, which will utilize readily accessible underground facilities that can refine our understanding of rock mass response to stimulation and provide a test bed at intermediate (~10 m) scale for the validation of thermal-hydrological-mechanical-chemical modeling approaches as well as novel monitoring tools. The first two EGS Experiments 1 and 2 are planned be performed under different stress/fracture conditions, and will evaluate different stimulation processes: Experiment 1 will focus on hydrofracturing of a competent rock mass, while Experiment 2 will concentrate on hydroshearingmore » of a rock mass that contains natural fractures. Experiment 3 is scheduled to begin in 2019 will build off the lessons learned in Experiments 1 and 2 and will investigate alternate stimulation and operation methods to improve heat extraction in an EGS reservoir. This paper evaluates potential experiments that could potentially be conducted in Experiment 3. The two technical parameters defining energy extracted from EGS reservoirs with the highest economic uncertainty and risk are the production well flow rates and the reservoir thermal drawdown rate. A review of historical and currently on-going EGS studies has identified that over 1/2 of the projects have identified heat extraction challenges during their operation associated with these two parameters as well as some additional secondary issues. At present, no EGS reservoir has continuously produced flow rates on the order of 80 kg/s. Short circuiting (i.e. early thermal breakthrough) has been identified in numerous cases. In addition, working fluid loss (i.e. the difference between the injected fluid mass and the extracted fluid mass as compared to the injected mass) has been as high as 90%. Finally, the engineering aspects of operating a true EGS multi-fracture reservoir such as repairing/modifying fractures and controlling working fluid fluxes within multiple fractures for the effective EGS fracture management has not been sufficiently studied. To examine issues such as these, EGS Collab Experiment 3 may be conducted in the testbeds prepared for Experiments 1 and 2 by improving the previously performed stimulations, or conducted at a new site performing new stimulations with alternate method. Potential experiments may include using different stimulation and working fluids, evaluating different stimulation methods, using proppants to enhance permeability, and other high-risk high-reward methods that can be evaluated at the 10-m scale environment.« less

Synthesis, characterization, and application of novel Zn(II)-ionic imprinted polymer for preconcentration of Zn(II) ions from aqueous solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wirawan, T.; Supriyanto, G.; Soegianto, A.

2018-04-01

Preparation of a new Zn2+ ion-imprinted polymer (Zn-IIP) is presented in this report. The Zn-IIP are prepared by precipitation polymerization using 8-hydroxyquinoline (8HQ) as a ligand, methacrylic acid (MAA) as functional monomer, and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as a cross-linker has been prepared. The benzoyl peroxide and ethanol/acetonitrile (2:1) mixture were used as initiator and porogen, respectively. Precipitation polymerization was carried out by heating in a water bath at 60°C for 8 hours. After polymerization, cavities in the polymer particles corresponding to the Zn2+ ions were created by leaching the polymer with 2 mol L-1 HNO3. The polymer was washed with aquabidest and dried in an oven at the temperature of 60°C for 24 hours. The Zn-IIP was characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrophotometry (FT-IR) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The synthesized Zn-IIP was used as a new adsorbent for solid phase extraction (SPE) of Zn(II) prior to Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (FAAS) determination. The experimental parameters for SPE, such as pH of the sample, loading rate, and elution volume, have been optimized. The effect of pH of the sample on the extraction of analyte was studied in batch mode. The effects of loading rate and elution volume on the extraction of analyte were studied in dynamic mode by loading of the sample through IIP-SPE cartridge containing 100 mg of the synthesized Zn-IIP. The imprinted polymer (Zn-IIP) have bands at 3433.06 cm-1 (O-H), 1508.23 cm-1 (C=N aromatics), 1284.5 cm-1 (C-N aromatics), 1056.9 cm-1 (C-O phenol), 1724.24 cm-1 (C=O), and 1639.38 cm-1 (conjugated C=O with C=C). The Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) images of IIP and IIP show that the IIP is seen to have more cavities than NIP. The optimum pH for quantitative Zn(II) retention was 5.5, and the elution was completed with 2 mL of 1.0 mol L-1 nitric acid. The optimum loading rate was 0.5 mL min-1. The recovery of Zn(II) from solution samples after its SPE extraction on IIP with 50-fold theoretical preconcentration was 94.60-104.50%. The LOD and LOQ with 50-fold theoretical preconcentration obtained were 0.0073 mg L-1 and 0.0244 mg L-1, respectively.

Implementation and application of an interactive user-friendly validation software for RADIANCE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sundaram, Anand; Boonn, William W.; Kim, Woojin; Cook, Tessa S.

2012-02-01

RADIANCE extracts CT dose parameters from dose sheets using optical character recognition and stores the data in a relational database. To facilitate validation of RADIANCE's performance, a simple user interface was initially implemented and about 300 records were evaluated. Here, we extend this interface to achieve a wider variety of functions and perform a larger-scale validation. The validator uses some data from the RADIANCE database to prepopulate quality-testing fields, such as correspondence between calculated and reported total dose-length product. The interface also displays relevant parameters from the DICOM headers. A total of 5,098 dose sheets were used to test the performance accuracy of RADIANCE in dose data extraction. Several search criteria were implemented. All records were searchable by accession number, study date, or dose parameters beyond chosen thresholds. Validated records were searchable according to additional criteria from validation inputs. An error rate of 0.303% was demonstrated in the validation. Dose monitoring is increasingly important and RADIANCE provides an open-source solution with a high level of accuracy. The RADIANCE validator has been updated to enable users to test the integrity of their installation and verify that their dose monitoring is accurate and effective.

Development of a ginkgo biloba fingerprint chromatogram with UV and evaporative light scattering detection and optimization of the evaporative light scattering detector operating conditions.

PubMed

van Nederkassel, A M; Vijverman, V; Massart, D L; Vander Heyden, Y

2005-09-02

A fingerprint chromatogram of a standardized Ginkgo biloba extract is developed on a monolithic silica column using a ternary gradient containing water, iso-propanol and tetrahydrofuran. For the detection, UV and evaporative light scattering (ELS) detectors are used, the latter allowing detection of the poor UV absorbing compounds as ginkgolides (A-C and J) and bilobalide in the extract. The complementary information between the UV and ELS fingerprint is evaluated. The ELS detector used in this study can operate in an impactor 'on' or 'off' mode. For each mode, the operating conditions such as the nebulizing gas flow rate, the drift tube temperature and the gain are optimized by use of three-level screening designs to obtain the best signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio in the final ELS fingerprint chromatogram. In both impactor modes, very similar S/N ratios are obtained for the nominal levels of the design. However, optimization of the operating conditions resulted, for both impactor modes, in a significant increase in S/N ratios compared to the initial evaluated conditions, obtained from the detector software.

Efficient architecture for spike sorting in reconfigurable hardware.

PubMed

Hwang, Wen-Jyi; Lee, Wei-Hao; Lin, Shiow-Jyu; Lai, Sheng-Ying

2013-11-01

This paper presents a novel hardware architecture for fast spike sorting. The architecture is able to perform both the feature extraction and clustering in hardware. The generalized Hebbian algorithm (GHA) and fuzzy C-means (FCM) algorithm are used for feature extraction and clustering, respectively. The employment of GHA allows efficient computation of principal components for subsequent clustering operations. The FCM is able to achieve near optimal clustering for spike sorting. Its performance is insensitive to the selection of initial cluster centers. The hardware implementations of GHA and FCM feature low area costs and high throughput. In the GHA architecture, the computation of different weight vectors share the same circuit for lowering the area costs. Moreover, in the FCM hardware implementation, the usual iterative operations for updating the membership matrix and cluster centroid are merged into one single updating process to evade the large storage requirement. To show the effectiveness of the circuit, the proposed architecture is physically implemented by field programmable gate array (FPGA). It is embedded in a System-on-Chip (SOC) platform for performance measurement. Experimental results show that the proposed architecture is an efficient spike sorting design for attaining high classification correct rate and high speed computation.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2016-09-01

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

[Hyponatremia associated with SSRI/NRSI: Descriptive and comparative epidemiological study of the incidence rates of the notified cases from the data of the French National Pharmacovigilance Database and the French National Health Insurance].

PubMed

Revol, R; Rault, C; Polard, E; Bellet, F; Guy, C

2018-06-01

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) and Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs) are frequently prescribed. These antidepressants can potentially induce serious hyponatremia through the SIADH syndrome. That seems to concern all molecules of these classes but the individual risk of each molecule is not well known. The aims of the study were to compare the incidence rate of each molecule in order to identify the existence of molecules more at risk of inducing hyponatremia and to characterize a profile of patients at risk for hyponatremia during a treatment with a SSRI or a SNRI. The cases of hyponatremia under SSRI/SNRI were extracted from the French pharmacovigilance database (BPNV). The exposition to the different SSRIs/SNRIs in the French population was estimated from the French National Health Insurance database (SNIIRAM) using a sampled database (Echantillon Généralistes des Bénéficiaires). The study ran from 01/01/2011 to 31/12/2013. The primary study endpoint was the incidence rate of notifications of the hyponatremia cases in patients treated by SSRI/SNRI and recorded into the BNPV database, related to the average annual number of corresponding treatments initiated during the same period. The number of cases of hyponatremia included in the study was 169 for 3 749 800 adult patients initiating treatment. The incidence rate of cases was 1.64 for 100 000 persons per year (PY). The standardized incidence rates between the different molecules showed no difference except for duloxetine (2.79/100 000 PY p > 0.03). Identified risk factors were age, with a large increase of incidence rate from 75 years old (incidence 12.5 higher) and female gender. Comparison of the incidence rates from spontaneous reports indicates a greater risk of hyponatremia for duloxetine for 2011-2013. This result needs to be confirmed by other studies. The advanced age and female sex are risk factors, irrespective of the molecule. Copyright © 2017 L'Encéphale, Paris. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

[NDVI difference rate recognition model of deciduous broad-leaved forest based on HJ-CCD remote sensing data].

PubMed

Wang, Yan; Tian, Qing-Jiu; Huang, Yan; Wei, Hong-Wei

2013-04-01

The present paper takes Chuzhou in Anhui Province as the research area, and deciduous broad-leaved forest as the research object. Then it constructs the recognition model about deciduous broad-leaved forest was constructed using NDVI difference rate between leaf expansion and flowering and fruit-bearing, and the model was applied to HJ-CCD remote sensing image on April 1, 2012 and May 4, 2012. At last, the spatial distribution map of deciduous broad-leaved forest was extracted effectively, and the results of extraction were verified and evaluated. The result shows the validity of NDVI difference rate extraction method proposed in this paper and also verifies the applicability of using HJ-CCD data for vegetation classification and recognition.

[Determination of Mineral Elements in Choerospondias Axillaris and Its Extractives by ICP-AES].

PubMed

Zhai, Yu-xin; Chen, Jun; Li, Ti; Liu, Ji-yan; Wang, Xie-yi; Cheng, Chao; Liu, Cheng-mei

2015-04-01

Nine elements in Choerospondias axillaris flesh, peels, aqueous extractives and gastric digesta were determined by the inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) in the present study. The results showed that the contents of Fe, Ca, Zn, Mn, Al, Mg, Cu, K and P in the flesh were 27.37, 269.88, 1.51, 2.45, 1.95, 195.30, 2.45, 2,970.11, and 133.94 µg · g(-1), respectively. They are lower than that in the peels, about 40.31%, 11.70%, 21.68%, 4.27%, 10.58%, 15.76%, 68.72%, 42.04%, and 22.59%, respectively. For microwave assistant extraction, the release rate of Mn was highest (81.68%), while Fe was lowest (4.42%) in the flesh. The release rate of Zn was the highest (79.00%), while that of A1 was the lowest (4.94%) in the peels. Except Fe, Cu and Zn, the release rates of the other elements in flesh were higher than those in the peels. After gastric digestion, the release rates of nine elements were 3.25%-87.51% in the flesh and 7.11%-50.69% in the peels. The release rates of minerals in the flesh were found to be higher than those in the peels except Fe and Cu. Microwave assistant extraction can more efficiently release Fe, Ca, Mn, Mg and K from the flesh than the gastric digestion do. While gastric digestion had a significant effect on the peels, the release rates of elements, except Zn, were higher than those in microwave assistant extraction. Therefore, the difference of distribution and release of mineral elements between peels and flesh of Choerospondias axillaris was understood, which will provide a positive guide for further study of bioavailability of minerals for human body.