[The French Chronic Kidney Disease-Renal Epidemiology and Information Network (CKD-REIN) cohort study: To better understand chronic kidney disease].

PubMed

Stengel, Bénédicte; Combe, Christian; Jacquelinet, Christian; Briançon, Serge; Fouque, Denis; Laville, Maurice; Frimat, Luc; Pascal, Christophe; Herpe, Yves-Édouard; Morel, Pascal; Deleuze, Jean-François; Schanstra, Joost P; Pisoni, Ron L; Robinson, Bruce M; Massy, Ziad A

2016-04-01

Preserving kidney function and improving the transition from chronic kidney disease to end stage is a research and healthcare challenge. The national Chronic Kidney Disease-Renal Epidemiology and Information Network (CKD-REIN) cohort was established to identify the determinants, biomarkers and practice patterns associated with chronic kidney disease outcomes. The study will include more than 3000 adult patients with moderate to advanced chronic kidney disease from a representative sample of 40 nephrology clinics with respect to regions and legal status, public or private. Patients are recruited during a routine visit and followed for 5 years, before and after starting renal replacement therapy. Patient-level clinical, biological, and lifestyle data are collected annually, as well as provider-level data on clinical practices, coordinated with the International Chronic Kidney Disease Outcomes and Practice Pattern Study. Blood and urine samples are stored in a biobank. Major studied outcomes include survival, patient-reported outcomes, disease progression and hospitalizations. More than 13,000 eligible patients with chronic kidney disease were identified, 60% with stage 3 and 40% with stage 4. Their median age is 72 years [interquartile range, 62-80 years], 60% are men and 38% have diabetes. By the end of December 2015, 2885 patients were included. The CKD-REIN cohort will serve to improve our understanding of chronic kidney disease and provide evidence to improve patient survival and quality of life as well as health care system performances. Copyright © 2016 Association Société de néphrologie. All rights reserved.

Elegant Hermite-Airy beams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Guoquan; Zhang, Lijun; Ru, Guoyun

2015-09-01

As Ai(x)Ai(-x) can be approximated by \\text{exp}≤ft(-{{x}2}/2\\right) , a kind of elegant Hermite-Airy (EHA) beam that is similar to the elegant Hermite-Gaussian (EHG) beam is introduced in this paper. Analytical expression of the EHA beams passing through an ABCD paraxial optical system is derived. By using the method of numerical fitting, the approximate expressions of 02> , 04> , <\\Thetaj2> , <\\Thetaj4> , and 02\\Thetaj2> for an EHA beam are presented, respectively. When the transverse mode number is larger than 2, 02> , 04> , <\\Thetaj2> , <\\Thetaj4> , and 02\\Thetaj2> of an EHA beam are all larger than those of the EHG beam. Based on the higher-order intensity moments, one can calculate the beam propagation factor, the beam half width, and the kurtosis parameter of the EHA beam passing through an ABCD paraxial optical system. As a numerical example, the propagation characteristics of the EHA beam are demonstrated in free space. Moreover, the propagation properties of the EHA beam are compared with those of the corresponding EHG beam. The evolutionary process of the EHA beam is far slower than that of the corresponding EHG beam. The research denotes that the EHA beams can be used to describe specially distributed optical beams that can not be characterized by the existing EHG beam model. The EHA beam model enriches and replenishes the existing beam model.

Risk profile, quality of life and care of patients with moderate and advanced CKD : The French CKD-REIN Cohort Study.

PubMed

Stengel, Bénédicte; Metzger, Marie; Combe, Christian; Jacquelinet, Christian; Briançon, Serge; Ayav, Carole; Fouque, Denis; Laville, Maurice; Frimat, Luc; Pascal, Christophe; Herpe, Yves-Edouard; Morel, Pascal; Deleuze, Jean-François; Schanstra, Joost P; Lange, Céline; Legrand, Karine; Speyer, Elodie; Liabeuf, Sophie; Robinson, Bruce M; Massy, Ziad A

2018-04-09

The French Chronic Kidney Disease-Renal Epidemiology and Information Network (CKD-REIN) cohort study was designed to investigate the determinants of prognosis and care of patients referred to nephrologists with moderate and advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD). We examined their baseline risk profile and experience. We collected bioclinical and patient-reported information from 3033 outpatients with CKD and estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFRs) of 15-60 mL/min/1.73 m2 treated at 40 nationally representative public and private facilities. The patients' median age was 69 (60-76) years, 65% were men, their mean eGFR was 33 mL/min/1.73 m2, 43% had diabetes, 24% had a history of acute kidney injury (AKI) and 57% had uncontrolled blood pressure (BP; >140/90 mmHg). Men had worse risk profiles than women and were more likely to be past or current smokers (73% versus 34%) and have cardiovascular disease (59% versus 42%), albuminuria >30 mg/mmol (or proteinuria > 50) (40% versus 30%) (all P < 0.001) and a higher median risk of end-stage renal disease within 5 years, predicted by the kidney failure risk equation {12% [interquartile range (IQR) 3-37%] versus 9% [3-31%], P = 0.008}. During the previous year, 60% of patients reported one-to-two nephrologist visits and four or more general practitioner visits; only 25% saw a dietician and 75% were prescribed five or more medications daily. Physical and mental quality of life (QoL) were poor, with scores <50/100. The CKD-REIN study highlights high-risk profiles of cohort members and identifies several priorities, including improving BP control and dietary counselling and increasing doctors' awareness of AKI, polypharmacy and QoL. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03381950.

Comparative study of hydroxyapatite from eggshells and synthetic hydroxyapatite for bone regeneration.

PubMed

Lee, Sang-Woon; Kim, Seong-Gon; Balázsi, Csaba; Chae, Weon-Sik; Lee, Hee-Ok

2012-03-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the physical properties of synthetic hydroxyapatite (sHA) and hydroxyapatite from eggshells (eHA) by Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) and x-ray diffraction (XRD) and to compare the regenerative ability of the bone using sHA and eHA in a rabbit calvarial defect model. FT-IR and XRD were used to compare the physical properties of sHA and eHA. sHA was purchased from Sigma, and eHA was kindly donated from the Hungarian academy of science. Sixteen New Zealand white rabbits were used for the animal study. After the formation of a bilateral parietal bony defect (diameter 8.0 mm), either sHA or eHA was grafted into the defect. The defect in the control was left unfilled. Bone regeneration was evaluated by histomorphometry at 4 and 8 weeks after the operation. The peak broadening of the XRD experiments were in agreement with scanning electron microscope observation; the sHA had a smaller granule size than the eHA. The eHA had impurities phases of CaO (International Center for Diffraction Data (ICDD) 075-0264) and Ca(OH)(2) (ICDD 072-0156). Total new bone was 17.11 ± 10.24% in the control group, 28.81 ± 12.63% in sHA group, and 25.68 ± 10.89% in eHA group at 4 weeks after the operation. The difference was not statistically significant (P > .05). Total new bone at 8 weeks after the operation was 27.50 ± 10.89% in the control group, 38.62 ± 17.42% in sHA group, and 41.99 ± 8.44% in the eHA group. When comparing the sHA group to the control group, the difference was not statistically significant (P > .05). However, the eHA group was significantly different from the control group (P = .038). When comparing the eHA group to the sHA group, the difference was not statistically significant (P > .05). Both types of HA showed higher bone formation than the unfilled control. However, eHA had significantly higher bone formation than the unfilled control at 8 weeks after operation. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Synthesis and Thermal Properties of Acrylonitrile/Butyl Acrylate/Fumaronitrile and Acrylonitrile/Ethyl Hexyl Acrylate/Fumaronitrile Terpolymers as a Potential Precursor for Carbon Fiber

PubMed Central

Jamil, Siti Nurul Ain Md; Daik, Rusli; Ahmad, Ishak

2014-01-01

A synthesis of acrylonitrile (AN)/butyl acrylate (BA)/fumaronitrile (FN) and AN/EHA (ethyl hexyl acrylate)/FN terpolymers was carried out by redox polymerization using sodium bisulfite (SBS) and potassium persulphate (KPS) as initiator at 40 °C. The effect of comonomers, BA and EHA and termonomer, FN on the glass transition temperature (Tg) and stabilization temperature was studied using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). The degradation behavior and char yield were obtained by Thermogravimetric Analysis. The conversions of AN, comonomers (BA and EHA) and FN were 55%–71%, 85%–91% and 76%–79%, respectively. It was found that with the same comonomer feed (10%), the Tg of AN/EHA copolymer was lower at 63 °C compared to AN/BA copolymer (70 °C). AN/EHA/FN terpolymer also exhibited a lower Tg at 63 °C when compared to that of the AN/BA/FN terpolymer (67 °C). By incorporating BA and EHA into a PAN system, the char yield was reduced to ~38.0% compared to that of AN (~47.7%). It was found that FN reduced the initial cyclization temperature of AN/BA/FN and AN/EHA/FN terpolymers to 228 and 221 °C, respectively, in comparison to that of AN/BA and AN/EHA copolymers (~260 °C). In addition, FN reduced the heat liberation per unit time during the stabilization process that consequently reduced the emission of volatile group during this process. As a result, the char yields of AN/BA/FN and AN/EHA/FN terpolymers are higher at ~45.1% and ~43.9%, respectively, as compared to those of AN/BA copolymer (37.1%) and AN/EHA copolymer (38.0%). PMID:28788187

Synthesis and Thermal Properties of Acrylonitrile/Butyl Acrylate/Fumaronitrile and Acrylonitrile/Ethyl Hexyl Acrylate/Fumaronitrile Terpolymers as a Potential Precursor for Carbon Fiber.

PubMed

Jamil, Siti Nurul Ain Md; Daik, Rusli; Ahmad, Ishak

2014-09-01

A synthesis of acrylonitrile (AN)/butyl acrylate (BA)/fumaronitrile (FN) and AN/EHA (ethyl hexyl acrylate)/FN terpolymers was carried out by redox polymerization using sodium bisulfite (SBS) and potassium persulphate (KPS) as initiator at 40 °C. The effect of comonomers, BA and EHA and termonomer, FN on the glass transition temperature (T g ) and stabilization temperature was studied using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). The degradation behavior and char yield were obtained by Thermogravimetric Analysis. The conversions of AN, comonomers (BA and EHA) and FN were 55%-71%, 85%-91% and 76%-79%, respectively. It was found that with the same comonomer feed (10%), the T g of AN/EHA copolymer was lower at 63 °C compared to AN/BA copolymer (70 °C). AN/EHA/FN terpolymer also exhibited a lower T g at 63 °C when compared to that of the AN/BA/FN terpolymer (67 °C). By incorporating BA and EHA into a PAN system, the char yield was reduced to ~38.0% compared to that of AN (~47.7%). It was found that FN reduced the initial cyclization temperature of AN/BA/FN and AN/EHA/FN terpolymers to 228 and 221 °C, respectively, in comparison to that of AN/BA and AN/EHA copolymers (~260 °C). In addition, FN reduced the heat liberation per unit time during the stabilization process that consequently reduced the emission of volatile group during this process. As a result, the char yields of AN/BA/FN and AN/EHA/FN terpolymers are higher at ~45.1% and ~43.9%, respectively, as compared to those of AN/BA copolymer (37.1%) and AN/EHA copolymer (38.0%).

Kilohoku Ho`okele Wa`a--- Na `Ohana Hoku `Eha (The Astronomy of the Hawaiian Navigators--- The Four Star Families)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slater, Stephanie; Slater, Timothy F.; Baybayan, Kalepa C.

2016-01-01

This paper documents the complete modern Hawaiian navigational full-sky. Over eight years of field notes, observations, and interviews with cultural leaders, historians, and ho`okele wa`a (navigators) were used to construct and validate Kilohoku Ho`okele Wa`a, the Astronomy of the Hawaiian Navigators. In contrast to the various historical sky maps designed by different practitioners and local groups in pre-colonial times, this sky-map depicts the four whole-sky constellations used by present day wayfinders. Designed by a loosely bound group of cultural leaders and navigators as a tool to use in modern non-instrumental navigation, Kilohoku Ho`okele Wa`a is a pragmatic fusion of ancient Hawaiian tradition, traditions of greater Polynesia, and modern-day Indigenous cultural forces. Like a very small number of cultures who use the sky for non-instrumental navigation, the ho`okele wa`a conceive of each season's visible sky as a whole image, using a single constellation that stretches from the northern to the southern horizon as a tool that facilitates direction finding in skies that are often very cloudy, and that chunks the sky into sections that decrease the cognitive load placed on the navigator. Moving through the seasons, beginning in Winter, Na `Ohana Hoku `Eha (The Four Star Families) are Kekaomakali`I (The Bailer), Kaiwikuamo`o (The Backbone), Manaiakalani (The Fishhook), and Kalupekawelo (The Kite). The whole-sky character of each of the four "star families," combines with that star family's mo`olelo (purposeful story) to further facilitate navigation, employing the emotional component of moral and familial associations to enhance memorization and to provide wayfinders with encouragement on their long journeys.

Extended state observer-based motion synchronisation control for hybrid actuation system of large civil aircraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xingjian; Shi, Cun; Wang, Shaoping

2017-07-01

Hybrid actuation system with dissimilar redundant actuators, which is composed of a hydraulic actuator (HA) and an electro-hydrostatic actuator (EHA), has been applied on modern civil aircraft to improve the reliability. However, the force fighting problem arises due to different dynamic performances between HA and EHA. This paper proposes an extended state observer (ESO)-based motion synchronisation control method. To cope with the problem of unavailability of the state signals, the well-designed ESO is utilised to observe the HA and EHA state variables which are unmeasured. In particular, the extended state of ESO can estimate the lumped effect of the unknown external disturbances acting on the control surface, the nonlinear dynamics, uncertainties, and the coupling term between HA and EHA. Based on the observed states of ESO, motion synchronisation controllers are presented to make HA and EHA to simultaneously track the desired motion trajectories, which are generated by a trajectory generator. Additionally, the unknown disturbances and the coupling terms can be compensated by using the extended state of the proposed ESO. Finally, comparative simulation results indicate that the proposed ESO-based motion synchronisation controller can achieve great force fighting reduction between HA and EHA.

Gated Auditory Speech Perception in Elderly Hearing Aid Users and Elderly Normal-Hearing Individuals: Effects of Hearing Impairment and Cognitive Capacity

PubMed Central

Lidestam, Björn; Hällgren, Mathias; Rönnberg, Jerker

2014-01-01

This study compared elderly hearing aid (EHA) users and elderly normal-hearing (ENH) individuals on identification of auditory speech stimuli (consonants, words, and final word in sentences) that were different when considering their linguistic properties. We measured the accuracy with which the target speech stimuli were identified, as well as the isolation points (IPs: the shortest duration, from onset, required to correctly identify the speech target). The relationships between working memory capacity, the IPs, and speech accuracy were also measured. Twenty-four EHA users (with mild to moderate hearing impairment) and 24 ENH individuals participated in the present study. Despite the use of their regular hearing aids, the EHA users had delayed IPs and were less accurate in identifying consonants and words compared with the ENH individuals. The EHA users also had delayed IPs for final word identification in sentences with lower predictability; however, no significant between-group difference in accuracy was observed. Finally, there were no significant between-group differences in terms of IPs or accuracy for final word identification in highly predictable sentences. Our results also showed that, among EHA users, greater working memory capacity was associated with earlier IPs and improved accuracy in consonant and word identification. Together, our findings demonstrate that the gated speech perception ability of EHA users was not at the level of ENH individuals, in terms of IPs and accuracy. In addition, gated speech perception was more cognitively demanding for EHA users than for ENH individuals in the absence of semantic context. PMID:25085610

Eyes open versus eyes closed - Effect on human rotational responses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wall, Conrad, III; Furman, Joseph M. R.

1989-01-01

The effect of eyelid closure on the response to rotational vestibular stimulation was assessed by evaluating 16 normal human subjects with both earth vertical axis (EVA) and earth horizontal axis (EHA) yaw rotations with either eyes closed (EC) or eyes open in the dark (EOD). Results indicated that for EVA rotation, the subjects' responses were of larger magnitude and less variable with EOD than with EC. However, for EHA rotation, responses were of larger magnitude and equally variable with EC as compared to EOD. Data also indicated that the quality of the EHA response with EC was altered because eyelid closure influenced the amount of periodic gaze. It is concluded that eyelid closure has an effect upon both canalocular and otolithocular reflexes and it is suggested that both EVA and EHA rotational testing be performed with EOD rather than with EC.

Salient Feature of Haptic-Based Guidance of People in Low Visibility Environments Using Hard Reins.

PubMed

Ranasinghe, Anuradha; Sornkarn, Nantachai; Dasgupta, Prokar; Althoefer, Kaspar; Penders, Jacques; Nanayakkara, Thrishantha

2016-02-01

This paper presents salient features of human-human interaction where one person with limited auditory and visual perception of the environment (a follower) is guided by an agent with full perceptual capabilities (a guider) via a hard rein along a given path. We investigate several salient features of the interaction between the guider and follower such as: 1) the order of an autoregressive (AR) control policy that maps states of the follower to actions of the guider; 2) how the guider may modulate the pulling force in response to the trust level of the follower; and 3) how learning may successively apportion the responsibility of control across different muscles of the guider. Based on experimental systems identification on human demonstrations from ten pairs of naive subjects, we show that guiders tend to adopt a third-order AR predictive control policy and followers tend to adopt second-order reactive control policy. Moreover, the extracted guider's control policy was implemented and validated by human-robot interaction experiments. By modeling the follower's dynamics with a time varying virtual damped inertial system, we found that it is the coefficient of virtual damping which is most sensitive to the trust level of the follower. We used these experimental insights to derive a novel controller that integrates an optimal order control policy with a push/pull force modulator in response to the trust level of the follower monitored using a time varying virtual damped inertial model.

Design of a Magnetostrictive-Hydraulic Actuator Considering Nonlinear System Dynamics and Fluid-Structure Coupling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larson, John Philip

Smart material electro-hydraulic actuators (EHAs) utilize fluid rectification via one-way check valves to amplify the small, high-frequency vibrations of certain smart materials into large motions of a hydraulic cylinder. Although the concept has been demonstrated in previously, the operating frequency of smart material EHA systems has been limited to a small fraction of the available bandwidth of the driver materials. The focus of this work is to characterize and model the mechanical performance of a magnetostrictive EHA considering key system components: rectification valves, smart material driver, and fluid-system components, leading to an improved actuator design relative to prior work. The one-way valves were modeled using 3-D finite element analysis, and their behavior was characterized experimentally by static and dynamic experimental measurement. Taking into account the effect of the fluid and mechanical conditions applied to the valves within the pump, the dynamic response of the valve was quantified and applied to determine rectification bandwidth of different valve configurations. A novel miniature reed valve, designed for a frequency response above 10~kHz, was fabricated and tested within a magnetostrictive EHA. The nonlinear response of the magnetostrictive driver, including saturation and hysteresis effects, was modeled using the Jiles-Atherton approach to calculate the magnetization and the resulting magnetostriction based on the applied field calculated within the rod from Maxwell's equations. The dynamic pressure response of the fluid system components (pumping chamber, hydraulic cylinder, and connecting passages) was measured over a range of input frequencies. For the magnetostrictive EHA tested, the peak performance frequency was found to be limited by the fluid resonances within the system. A lumped-parameter modeling approach was applied to model the overall behavior of a magnetostrictive EHA, incorporating models for the reed valve response

Environmental influences on daily emergency admissions in sickle-cell disease patients.

PubMed

Mekontso Dessap, Armand; Contou, Damien; Dandine-Roulland, Claire; Hemery, François; Habibi, Anoosha; Charles-Nelson, Anaïs; Galacteros, Frederic; Brun-Buisson, Christian; Maitre, Bernard; Katsahian, Sandrine

2014-12-01

Previous reports have suggested a role for weather conditions and air pollution on the variability of sickle cell disease (SCD) severity, but large-scale comprehensive epidemiological studies are lacking. In order to evaluate the influence of air pollution and climatic factors on emergency hospital admissions (EHA) in SCD patients, we conducted an 8-year observational retrospective study in 22 French university hospitals in Paris conurbation, using distributed lag non-linear models, a methodology able to flexibly describe simultaneously non-linear and delayed associations, with a multivariable approach. During the 2922 days of the study, there were 17,710 EHA, with a mean daily number of 6.1 ± 2.8. Most environmental factors were significantly correlated to each other. The risk of EHA was significantly associated with higher values of nitrogen dioxide, atmospheric particulate matters, and daily mean wind speed; and with lower values of carbon monoxide, ozone, sulfur dioxide, daily temperature (minimal, maximal, mean, and range), day-to-day mean temperature change, daily bright sunshine, and occurrence of storm. There was a lag effect for 12 of 15 environmental factors influencing hospitalization rate. Multivariate analysis identified carbon monoxide, day-to-day temperature change, and mean wind speed, along with calendar factors (weekend, summer season, and year) as independent factors associated with EHA. In conclusion, most weather conditions and air pollutants assessed were correlated to each other and influenced the rate of EHA in SCD patients. In multivariate analysis, lower carbon monoxide concentrations, day-to-day mean temperature drop and higher wind speed were associated with increased risk of EHA.

Environmental Influences on Daily Emergency Admissions in Sickle-Cell Disease Patients

PubMed Central

Mekontso Dessap, Armand; Contou, Damien; Dandine-Roulland, Claire; Hemery, François; Habibi, Anoosha; Charles-Nelson, Anaïs; Galacteros, Frederic; Brun-Buisson, Christian; Maitre, Bernard; Katsahian, Sandrine

2014-01-01

Abstract Previous reports have suggested a role for weather conditions and air pollution on the variability of sickle cell disease (SCD) severity, but large-scale comprehensive epidemiological studies are lacking. In order to evaluate the influence of air pollution and climatic factors on emergency hospital admissions (EHA) in SCD patients, we conducted an 8-year observational retrospective study in 22 French university hospitals in Paris conurbation, using distributed lag non-linear models, a methodology able to flexibly describe simultaneously non-linear and delayed associations, with a multivariable approach. During the 2922 days of the study, there were 17,710 EHA, with a mean daily number of 6.1 ± 2.8. Most environmental factors were significantly correlated to each other. The risk of EHA was significantly associated with higher values of nitrogen dioxide, atmospheric particulate matters, and daily mean wind speed; and with lower values of carbon monoxide, ozone, sulfur dioxide, daily temperature (minimal, maximal, mean, and range), day-to-day mean temperature change, daily bright sunshine, and occurrence of storm. There was a lag effect for 12 of 15 environmental factors influencing hospitalization rate. Multivariate analysis identified carbon monoxide, day-to-day temperature change, and mean wind speed, along with calendar factors (weekend, summer season, and year) as independent factors associated with EHA. In conclusion, most weather conditions and air pollutants assessed were correlated to each other and influenced the rate of EHA in SCD patients. In multivariate analysis, lower carbon monoxide concentrations, day-to-day mean temperature drop and higher wind speed were associated with increased risk of EHA. PMID:25546672

Validation of the oesophageal hypervigilance and anxiety scale for chronic oesophageal disease.

PubMed

Taft, T H; Triggs, J R; Carlson, D A; Guadagnoli, L; Tomasino, K N; Keefer, L; Pandolfino, J E

2018-05-01

Oesophageal hypervigilance and anxiety can drive symptom experience in chronic oesophageal conditions, including gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, achalasia and functional oesophageal disorders. To date, no validated self-report measure exists to evaluate oesophageal hypervigilance and anxiety. This study aims to develop a brief and reliable questionnaire assessing these constructs, the oesophageal hypervigilance and anxiety scale (EHAS). Questions for the EHAS were drawn from 4 existing validated measures that assessed hypervigilance and anxiety adapted for the oesophagus. Patients who previously underwent high-resolution manometry testing at a university-based oesophageal motility clinic were retrospectively identified. Patients were included in the analysis if they completed the EHAS as well as questionnaires assessing symptom severity and health-related quality of life at the time of the high-resolution manometry. Nine hundred and eighty-two patients aged 18-85 completed the study. The EHAS demonstrates excellent internal consistency (α = 0.93) and split-half reliability (Guttman = 0.87). Inter-item correlations indicated multicollinearity was not achieved; thus, no items were removed from the original 15-item scale. Principal components factor analysis revealed two subscales measuring symptom-specific anxiety and symptom-specific hypervigilance. Construct validity for total and subscale scores was supported by positive correlations with symptom severity and negative correlations with health-related quality of life. The EHAS is a 15-item scale assessing oesophageal hypervigilance and symptom-specfic anxiety. The EHAS could be useful in evaluating the role of these constructs in several oesophageal conditions in which hypersensitivity, hypervigilance and anxiety may contribute to symptoms and impact treatment outcomes. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Place du traitement chirurgical sous circulation extracorporelle à cœur battant dans les cancers du rein avec envahissement cave supra-diaphragmatique: à propos de sept cas

PubMed Central

Lahyani, Mounir; Karmouni, Tarik; Elkhader, Khalid; Koutani, Abdellatif; Andaloussi, Ahmed Ibn Attya

2014-01-01

Ce travail vise à analyser les résultats de la néphrectomie avec thrombectomie atrio-cave sous circulation extracorporelle (CEC) chez sept patients ayant un cancer du rein avec envahissement cave supra-diaphragmatique et de discuter les indications opératoires. Sept patients, six hommes et une femme dont l’âge varie entre 46ans et 65ans, ont été opérés d'un cancer du rein avec extension atrio-cave. L’écho-doppler a toujours permis la mise en évidence de l'extension veineuse mais la limite supérieure du thrombus était formellement identifiée par l'examen tomodensitométrique quatre fois, et par la résonance magnétique nucléaire dans tous les cas. Tous les patients ont été opérés sous CEC à cœur battant en normothermie. Un seul décès postopératoire est survenu. La durée du séjour en réanimation a été de 4,5 jours. Cinq patients ont eu à distance une dissémination métastatique. Cinq malades ont eu une médiane de survie de 11,5 mois (de 7 à16). Un malade a subi une métastasectomie pulmonaire 6 mois après la néphrectomie. L'exérèse des thrombi atrio-caves a été facilitée par la CEC avec une mortalité et une morbidité postopératoires acceptables mais les résultats à distance ont été décevants. Cette intervention ne peut être proposée qu'aux patients n'ayant aucune extension locorégionale et générale décelable, ce qui souligne l'importance des examens morphologiques préopératoires. PMID:25995777

Phylogenetic Evidence for H2 based Electron Bifurcation In Early Life

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adams, M. W.; Boyd, E. S.; Schut, G.; Peters, J.

2012-12-01

Energy conservation is a fundamental underpinning of all life and is accomplished by electron transport phosphorylation and/or substrate level phosphorylation. A third mechanism, known as flavin-based electron bifurcation, has recently been established as a mechanism by which life can conserve energy. In this mechanism, a flavin-containing multienzyme complex catalyzes the thermodynamically unfavorable reduction of low potential ferredoxin using electron donors with higher potentials, such as NAD(P)H or H2. Such endergonic reactions are driven forward through the simultaneous oxidation of the electron donor with higher potential acceptors such as NAD+ or heterodisulfide. Membrane associated energy converting [NiFe]hydrogenases (Ech, Eha) link the oxidation of ferredoxin with the production of H2 and in the process conserve energy in the form of an ion (Na+/H+) gradient. Ech/Eha exhibit a modular composition represented by a Na+/H+ antiporter domain and a [NiFe] hydrogenase domain. In addition, Ech/Eha can be accompanied by a formate dehyrogenase, carbon monoxide dehydrogenase, or an FAD/NAD(P)H module that enables coupling with these substrates. Representatives of Ech/Eha have been identified among anaerobic Archaea and Bacteria, including deeply rooted methanogens, sulfur-reducing Crenarcheota/Euryarchaeota as well as Thermotogae. Ech exhibit extensive homology to a number of subunits within the NADH quinone oxidoreductase or complex I family (Nuo, Fpo). Metabolically, Ech generally couple the oxidation of carbon monooxide, formate or ferredoxin to the production of H2. In contrast, the Eha complex couples the translocation of Na+ and the oxidation of H2 to the reduction of ferredoxin, which is then available for the reduction of CO2 in methanogens. In the case of Eha, the gradient of Na+/H+ produced through translocation coupled to ferredoxin oxidation can in be used to drive the phosphorylation of ADP via an ATP synthase complex, thereby representing one of the

Comparison of Gated Audiovisual Speech Identification in Elderly Hearing Aid Users and Elderly Normal-Hearing Individuals: Effects of Adding Visual Cues to Auditory Speech Stimuli.

PubMed

Moradi, Shahram; Lidestam, Björn; Rönnberg, Jerker

2016-06-17

The present study compared elderly hearing aid (EHA) users (n = 20) with elderly normal-hearing (ENH) listeners (n = 20) in terms of isolation points (IPs, the shortest time required for correct identification of a speech stimulus) and accuracy of audiovisual gated speech stimuli (consonants, words, and final words in highly and less predictable sentences) presented in silence. In addition, we compared the IPs of audiovisual speech stimuli from the present study with auditory ones extracted from a previous study, to determine the impact of the addition of visual cues. Both participant groups achieved ceiling levels in terms of accuracy in the audiovisual identification of gated speech stimuli; however, the EHA group needed longer IPs for the audiovisual identification of consonants and words. The benefit of adding visual cues to auditory speech stimuli was more evident in the EHA group, as audiovisual presentation significantly shortened the IPs for consonants, words, and final words in less predictable sentences; in the ENH group, audiovisual presentation only shortened the IPs for consonants and words. In conclusion, although the audiovisual benefit was greater for EHA group, this group had inferior performance compared with the ENH group in terms of IPs when supportive semantic context was lacking. Consequently, EHA users needed the initial part of the audiovisual speech signal to be longer than did their counterparts with normal hearing to reach the same level of accuracy in the absence of a semantic context. © The Author(s) 2016.

Comparison of Gated Audiovisual Speech Identification in Elderly Hearing Aid Users and Elderly Normal-Hearing Individuals

PubMed Central

Lidestam, Björn; Rönnberg, Jerker

2016-01-01

The present study compared elderly hearing aid (EHA) users (n = 20) with elderly normal-hearing (ENH) listeners (n = 20) in terms of isolation points (IPs, the shortest time required for correct identification of a speech stimulus) and accuracy of audiovisual gated speech stimuli (consonants, words, and final words in highly and less predictable sentences) presented in silence. In addition, we compared the IPs of audiovisual speech stimuli from the present study with auditory ones extracted from a previous study, to determine the impact of the addition of visual cues. Both participant groups achieved ceiling levels in terms of accuracy in the audiovisual identification of gated speech stimuli; however, the EHA group needed longer IPs for the audiovisual identification of consonants and words. The benefit of adding visual cues to auditory speech stimuli was more evident in the EHA group, as audiovisual presentation significantly shortened the IPs for consonants, words, and final words in less predictable sentences; in the ENH group, audiovisual presentation only shortened the IPs for consonants and words. In conclusion, although the audiovisual benefit was greater for EHA group, this group had inferior performance compared with the ENH group in terms of IPs when supportive semantic context was lacking. Consequently, EHA users needed the initial part of the audiovisual speech signal to be longer than did their counterparts with normal hearing to reach the same level of accuracy in the absence of a semantic context. PMID:27317667

End stage renal disease in French Guiana (data from R.E.I.N registry): South American or French?

PubMed

Rochemont, Dévi Rita; Meddeb, Mohamed; Roura, Raoul; Couchoud, Cécile; Nacher, Mathieu; Basurko, Célia

2017-06-30

End-Stage renal disease (ESRD) causes considerable morbidity and mortality, and significantly alters patients' quality of life. There are very few published data on this problem in the French Overseas territories. The development of a registry on end stage renal disease in French Guiana in 2011 allowed to describe the magnitude of this problem in the region for the first time. Using data from the French Renal Epidemiology and Information Network registry (R.E.I.N). Descriptive statistics on quantitative and qualitative variables in the registry were performed on prevalent cases and incident cases in 2011, 2012 and 2013. French Guiana has one of the highest ESRD prevalence and incidence in France. The two main causes of ESRD were hypertensive and diabetic nephropathies. The French Guianese population had a different demographic profile (younger, more women, more migrants) than in mainland France. Most patients had at least one comorbidity, predominantly (95.3%) hypertension. In French Guiana dialysis was initiated in emergency for 71.3% of patients versus 33% in France (p < 0.001). These first results give important public health information: i) End stage renal disease has a very high prevalence relative to mainland France ii) Patients have a different demographic profile and enter care late in the course of their renal disease. These data are closer to what is observed in the Caribbean or in Latin America than in Mainland France.

Effect of heavy atoms on photochemically induced dynamic nuclear polarization in liquids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okuno, Yusuke; Cavagnero, Silvia

2018-01-01

Given its short hyperpolarization time (∼10-6 s) and mostly non-perturbative nature, photo-chemically induced dynamic nuclear polarization (photo-CIDNP) is a powerful tool for sensitivity enhancement in nuclear magnetic resonance. In this study, we explore the extent of 1H-detected 13C nuclear hyperpolarization that can be gained via photo-CIDNP in the presence of small-molecule additives containing a heavy atom. The underlying rationale for this methodology is the well-known external-heavy-atom (EHA) effect, which leads to significant enhancements in the intersystem-crossing rate of selected photosensitizer dyes from photoexcited singlet to triplet. We exploited the EHA effect upon addition of moderate amounts of halogen-atom-containing cosolutes. The resulting increase in the transient triplet-state population of the photo-CIDNP sensitizer fluorescein resulted in a significant increase in the nuclear hyperpolarization achievable via photo-CIDNP in liquids. We also explored the internal-heavy-atom (IHA) effect, which is mediated by halogen atoms covalently incorporated into the photosensitizer dye. Widely different outcomes were achieved in the case of EHA and IHA, with EHA being largely preferable in terms of net hyperpolarization.

The European Hematology Association Roadmap for European Hematology Research: a consensus document.

PubMed

Engert, Andreas; Balduini, Carlo; Brand, Anneke; Coiffier, Bertrand; Cordonnier, Catherine; Döhner, Hartmut; de Wit, Thom Duyvené; Eichinger, Sabine; Fibbe, Willem; Green, Tony; de Haas, Fleur; Iolascon, Achille; Jaffredo, Thierry; Rodeghiero, Francesco; Salles, Gilles; Schuringa, Jan Jacob

2016-02-01

The European Hematology Association (EHA) Roadmap for European Hematology Research highlights major achievements in diagnosis and treatment of blood disorders and identifies the greatest unmet clinical and scientific needs in those areas to enable better funded, more focused European hematology research. Initiated by the EHA, around 300 experts contributed to the consensus document, which will help European policy makers, research funders, research organizations, researchers, and patient groups make better informed decisions on hematology research. It also aims to raise public awareness of the burden of blood disorders on European society, which purely in economic terms is estimated at €23 billion per year, a level of cost that is not matched in current European hematology research funding. In recent decades, hematology research has improved our fundamental understanding of the biology of blood disorders, and has improved diagnostics and treatments, sometimes in revolutionary ways. This progress highlights the potential of focused basic research programs such as this EHA Roadmap.The EHA Roadmap identifies nine 'sections' in hematology: normal hematopoiesis, malignant lymphoid and myeloid diseases, anemias and related diseases, platelet disorders, blood coagulation and hemostatic disorders, transfusion medicine, infections in hematology, and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. These sections span 60 smaller groups of diseases or disorders.The EHA Roadmap identifies priorities and needs across the field of hematology, including those to develop targeted therapies based on genomic profiling and chemical biology, to eradicate minimal residual malignant disease, and to develop cellular immunotherapies, combination treatments, gene therapies, hematopoietic stem cell treatments, and treatments that are better tolerated by elderly patients. Copyright© Ferrata Storti Foundation.

The European Hematology Association Roadmap for European Hematology Research: a consensus document

PubMed Central

Engert, Andreas; Balduini, Carlo; Brand, Anneke; Coiffier, Bertrand; Cordonnier, Catherine; Döhner, Hartmut; de Wit, Thom Duyvené; Eichinger, Sabine; Fibbe, Willem; Green, Tony; de Haas, Fleur; Iolascon, Achille; Jaffredo, Thierry; Rodeghiero, Francesco; Salles, Gilles; Schuringa, Jan Jacob

2016-01-01

The European Hematology Association (EHA) Roadmap for European Hematology Research highlights major achievements in diagnosis and treatment of blood disorders and identifies the greatest unmet clinical and scientific needs in those areas to enable better funded, more focused European hematology research. Initiated by the EHA, around 300 experts contributed to the consensus document, which will help European policy makers, research funders, research organizations, researchers, and patient groups make better informed decisions on hematology research. It also aims to raise public awareness of the burden of blood disorders on European society, which purely in economic terms is estimated at €23 billion per year, a level of cost that is not matched in current European hematology research funding. In recent decades, hematology research has improved our fundamental understanding of the biology of blood disorders, and has improved diagnostics and treatments, sometimes in revolutionary ways. This progress highlights the potential of focused basic research programs such as this EHA Roadmap. The EHA Roadmap identifies nine ‘sections’ in hematology: normal hematopoiesis, malignant lymphoid and myeloid diseases, anemias and related diseases, platelet disorders, blood coagulation and hemostatic disorders, transfusion medicine, infections in hematology, and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. These sections span 60 smaller groups of diseases or disorders. The EHA Roadmap identifies priorities and needs across the field of hematology, including those to develop targeted therapies based on genomic profiling and chemical biology, to eradicate minimal residual malignant disease, and to develop cellular immunotherapies, combination treatments, gene therapies, hematopoietic stem cell treatments, and treatments that are better tolerated by elderly patients. PMID:26819058

Lungeing on hard and soft surfaces: Movement symmetry of trotting horses considered sound by their owners.

PubMed

Pfau, T; Jennings, C; Mitchell, H; Olsen, E; Walker, A; Egenvall, A; Tröster, S; Weller, R; Rhodin, M

2016-01-01

Lungeing is often part of the clinical lameness examination. The difference in movement symmetry, which is a commonly employed lameness measure, has not been quantified between surfaces. To compare head and pelvic movement symmetry between surfaces and reins during lungeing. Quantitative gait analysis in 23 horses considered sound by their owners. Twenty-three horses were assessed in-hand and on the lunge on both reins on hard and soft surfaces with inertial sensors. Seven movement symmetry parameters were quantified and used to establish 2 groups, namely symmetrical (n = 9) and forelimb-lame horses (n = 14), based on values from straight-line assessment. Movement symmetry values for left rein measurements were side corrected to allow comparison of the amount of movement symmetry between reins. A mixed model (P<0.05) was used to study effects on movement symmetry of surface (hard/soft) and rein (inside/outside with respect to movement symmetry on the straight). In forelimb-lame horses, surface and rein were identified as significantly affecting all head movement symmetry measures (rein, all P<0.0001; surface, all P<0.042). In the symmetrical group, no significant influence of surface or rein was identified for head movement symmetry (rein, all P>0.245; surface, all P>0.073). No significant influence of surface or rein was identified for any of the pelvic movement symmetry measures in either group. While more symmetrical horses showed a consistent amount of movement symmetry across surfaces/reins, horses objectively quantified as lame on the straight showed decreased movement symmetry during lungeing, in particular with the lame limb on the inside of a hard circle. The variation within group questions straight-line movement symmetry as a sole measure of lameness without quantification of movement symmetry on the lunge, ideally on hard and soft surfaces to evaluate differences between reins and surfaces. In future, thresholds for lungeing need to be determined using

The activation of OsEIL1 on YUC8 transcription and auxin biosynthesis is required for ethylene-inhibited root elongation in rice early seedling development

PubMed Central

Wang, Juan; Wei, Pengcheng; Huang, Rongfeng

2017-01-01

Rice is an important monocotyledonous crop worldwide; it differs from the dicotyledonous plant Arabidopsis in many aspects. In Arabidopsis, ethylene and auxin act synergistically to regulate root growth and development. However, their interaction in rice is still unclear. Here, we report that the transcriptional activation of OsEIL1 on the expression of YUC8/REIN7 and indole-3-pyruvic acid (IPA)-dependent auxin biosynthesis is required for ethylene-inhibited root elongation. Using an inhibitor of YUC activity, which regulates auxin biosynthesis via the conversion of IPA to indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), we showed that ethylene-inhibited primary root elongation is dependent on YUC-based auxin biosynthesis. By screening phenotypes of seedling primary root from mutagenesis libraries following ethylene treatment, we identified a rice ethylene-insensitive mutant, rein7-1, in which YUC8/REIN7 is truncated at its C-terminus. Mutation in YUC8/REIN7 reduced auxin biosynthesis in rice, while YUC8/REIN7 overexpression enhanced ethylene sensitivity in the roots. Moreover, YUC8/REIN7 catalyzed the conversion of IPA to IAA, truncated version at C-terminal end of the YUC8/REIN7 resulted in significant reduction of enzymatic activity, indicating that YUC8/REIN7 is required for IPA-dependent auxin biosynthesis and ethylene-inhibited root elongation in rice early seedlings. Further investigations indicated that ethylene induced YUC8/REIN7 expression and promoted auxin accumulation in roots. Addition of low concentrations of IAA rescued the ethylene response in the rein7-1, strongly demonstrating that ethylene-inhibited root elongation depends on IPA-dependent auxin biosynthesis. Genetic studies revealed that YUC8/REIN7-mediated auxin biosynthesis functioned downstream of OsEIL1, which directly activated the expression of YUC8/REIN7. Thus, our findings reveal a model of interaction between ethylene and auxin in rice seedling primary root elongation, enhancing our understanding of

Folate Receptor Targeted Polymeric Micellar Nanocarriers for Delivery of Orlistat as a Repurposed Drug against Triple Negative Breast Cancer

PubMed Central

Paulmurugan, Ramasamy; Bhethanabotla, Rohith; Mishra, Kaushik; Devulapally, Rammohan; Foygel, Kira; Sekar, Thillai V; Ananta, Jeyarama S; Massoud, Tarik F; Joy, Abraham

2015-01-01

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a recalcitrant malignancy with no available targeted therapy. Off target effects and poor bioavailability of the FDA approved anti-obesity drug orlistat hinder its clinical translation as a repurposed new drug against TNBC. Here we demonstrate a newly engineered drug formulation for packaging orlistat tailored to TNBC treatment. We synthesized TNBC-specific folate receptor targeted micellar nanoparticles (NPs) carrying orlistat, which improved the solubility (70-80 μg/ml) of this water insoluble drug. The targeted NPs also improved the delivery and bioavailability of orlistat to MDA-MB-231 cells in culture and to tumor xenografts in nude mouse model. We prepared HEA-EHA copolymer micellar NPs by copolymerization of 2-hydroxyethylacrylate (HEA) and 2-ethylhexylacrylate (EHA), and functionalized them with folic acid and an imaging dye. Fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis of TNBC cells indicated a dose dependent increase in apoptotic populations in cells treated with free orlistat, orlistat NPs, and folate-receptor targeted Fol-HEA-EHA-orlistat NPs in which Fol-HEA-EHA-orlistat NPs showed significantly higher cytotoxicity than free orlistat. In vitro analysis data demonstrated significant apoptosis at nanomolar concentrations in cells activated through caspase 3 and PARP inhibition. In vivo analysis demonstrated significant antitumor effects in living mice after targeted treatment of tumors, and confirmed by fluorescence imaging. Moreover, Folate receptor targeted Fol-DyLight747-orlistat NPs treated mice exhibited significantly higher reduction in tumor volume compared to control group. Taken together, these results indicate that orlistat packaged in HEA-b-EHA micellar NPs is a highly promising new drug formulation for TNBC therapy. PMID:26553061

Numerical modeling for an electric-field hyperthermia applicator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wu, Te-Kao; Chou, C. K.; Chan, K. W.; Mcdougall, J.

1993-01-01

Hyperthermia, in conjunction with radiation and chemotherapy for treatment of cancers, is an area of current concern. Experiments have shown that hyperthermia can increase the potency of many chemotherapy drugs and the effectiveness of radiation for treating cancer. A combination of whole body or regional hyperthermia with chemotherapy or radiation should improve treatment results. Conventional methods for inducing whole body hyperthermia, such as exposing a patient in a radiant cabinet or under a hot water blanket, conduct heat very slowly from the skin to the body core. Thus a more efficient system, such as the three-plate electric-field hyperthermia applicator (EHA), is developed. This three-plate EHA has one top plate over and two lower plates beneath the patient. It is driven at 27.12 MHz with 500 Watts through a matching circuit. Using this applicator, a 50 kg pig was successfully heated to 42 C within 45 minutes. However, phantom and animal studies have indicated non-uniform heating near the side of the body. In addition, changes in the size and distance between the electrode plates can affect the heating (or electromagnetic field) pattern. Therefore, numerical models using the method of moments (MOM) or the finite difference time domain (FDTD) technique are developed to optimize the heating pattern of this EHA before it is used for human trials. The accuracy of the numerical modeling has been achieved by the good agreement between the MOM and FDTD results for the three-plate EHA without a biological body. The versatile FDTD technique is then applied to optimize the EHA design with a human body. Both the numerical and measured data in phantom blocks will be presented. The results of this study will be used to design an optimized system for whole body or regional hyperthermia.

National Hydropower Plant Dataset, Version 1 (Update FY18Q2)

DOE Data Explorer

Samu, Nicole; Kao, Shih-Chieh; O'Connor, Patrick; Johnson, Megan; Uria-Martinez, Rocio; McManamay, Ryan

2016-09-30

The National Hydropower Plant Dataset, Version 1, Update FY18Q2, includes geospatial point-level locations and key characteristics of existing hydropower plants in the United States that are currently online. These data are a subset extracted from NHAAP’s Existing Hydropower Assets (EHA) dataset, which is a cornerstone of NHAAP’s EHA effort that has supported multiple U.S. hydropower R&D research initiatives related to market acceleration, environmental impact reduction, technology-to-market activities, and climate change impact assessment.

Evaluation of alternative comonomers for the production of ASE and HASE thickeners.

PubMed

Moraes, Raul P; Graillat, Christian; Jeanson, Guillaume; Haw, Sarah; Favero, Cédrick; McKenna, Timothy F L

2010-12-01

Methyl methacrylate (MMA), n-butyl acrylate (BA) and 2-ethyl hexyl acrylate (EHA) were evaluated as alternatives to ethyl acrylate (EA) in the composition of methacrylic acid (MAA)-EA copolymers for the production of hydrophobically-modified alkali soluble emulsions (HASE). In addition, the impact of Sipomer BEM and PLEX 6954-0 as associative monomers (AM) on the properties of the final HASE products was evaluated. EHA gave reasonable results as a replacement comonomer for alkali soluble emulsion (ASE) synthesis and applications. However, it was not possible to obtain transparent thickened solutions without provoking significant flocculation losses during the synthesis of HASE products that incorporated EHA. MAA-BA and MAA-MMA formulations produced ASE and HASE copolymers with 0.5mol.% AM, which presented high transparency and viscosity levels. When comparing the two AM, it was found that the longer the hydrophobic tail, the higher the apparent viscosity, but the lower the transparency of the final product. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Eggshell-Derived Hydroxyapatite: A New Era in Bone Regeneration.

PubMed

Kattimani, Vivekanand; Lingamaneni, Krishna Prasad; Chakravarthi, Pandi Srinivas; Kumar, T S Sampath; Siddharthan, Arjunan

2016-01-01

Defects of maxillofacial skeleton lead to personal (functional and aesthetic), social and behavioral problems; which make the person to isolate from the main stream of society. So, bone regeneration is the need for proper structure, function, and aesthetics following cyst enucleation, trauma, and tumor ablative surgery; which helps for overall health of the individual. The preliminary study is planned to evaluate and compare the efficacy of eggshell-derived hydroxyapatite (EHA) and synthetic hydroxyapatite (SHA) following cystectomy. Microwave-processed calcium deficient EHA and commercially available SHA are used for grafting. Total 20 patients enrolled in this study, consisting 10 in each group between 20 and 45 years of age. All the patients were evaluated for bone regeneration at first, second, third, and sixth month's interval, postsurgically, using radiovisiograph and clinical parameters. The bone formation characteristics vary at second month when compared to SHA. This difference may be because of the kinetics involved in the regeneration pattern. The pattern of bone healing was trabecular after third month, indicating complete bone formation. The study showed constant raise of density and remained same at the end of study period. Both EHA and SHA graft materials are equally efficient in early bone regeneration. Within the limitations of this study the EHA showed promising results. Which indicates the eggshell waste-bio mineral is worthwhile raw material for the production of HA and is a Go Green procedure. Eggshell-derived hydroxyapatite is economic, compared with SHA.

Synthesis and characterization of eggshell-derived hydroxyapatite via mechanochemical method: A comparative study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamidi, A. A.; Salimi, M. N.; Yusoff, A. H. M.

2017-04-01

The focus of bone graft properties has developed through generations, from the ability to withstand mechanical stress to the ability to integrate with the biological structure. In recent years, the use of hydroxyapatite (HA) as bone graft material in orthopedic and dental applications has been increasing. HA is a natural occuring mineral with excellent bioactivity but relatively poor mechanical properties. It constitutes 96% portion of enamel in teeth and 67% portion of bone. HA can be extracted from animal bones or fabricated from synthetic or biologic sources. In this study, eggshells were used as raw material to synthesize eggshell-derived HA (EHA) via mechanochemical method. The synthesis of EHA involved CaO, which was obtained from the calcination of eggshells, and reaction with dicalcium hydrogen phosphate dihydrous (DCPD) or phosphoric acid (H3PO4). The effects of rotational speed and heat treatment temperature on EHA's characteristics were investigated. The characterization studies were carried out by using the Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). HA powder was successfully synthesized with crystallite and particle sizes in the range of 8-47 nm and 250-550 nm respectively. It was observed from this study that the increase of milling rotational speed had increased the phase purity of EHA samples. Furthermore, the higher heating temperature of HA samples resulted in higher degree of crystallinity of HA and the appearance of β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) as secondary phase.

Rural Palliative Care in North India: Rapid Evaluation of a Program Using a Realist Mixed Method Approach.

PubMed

Munday, Daniel F; Haraldsdottir, Erna; Manak, Manju; Thyle, Ann; Ratcliff, Cathy M

2018-01-01

Palliative care has not developed widely in rural North India. Since 2010, the Emmanuel Hospitals Association (EHA) has been developing a model of palliative care appropriate for this setting, based on teams undertaking home visits with the backup of outpatient and inpatient services. A project to further develop the model operated from 2012 to 2015 supported by funding from the UK. This study aims to evaluate the EHA palliative care project. Rapid evaluation method using a mixed method realist approach at the five project hospital sites. An overview of the project was obtained by analyzing project documents and key informant interviews. Questionnaire data from each hospital were collected, followed by interviews with staff, patients, and relatives and observations of home visits and other activities at each site. Descriptive analysis of quantitative and thematic analysis of qualitative data was undertaken. Each site was measured against the Indian Minimum Standards Tool for Palliative Care (IMSTPC). Each team followed the EHA model, with local modifications. Services were nurse led with medical support. Eighty percent of patients had cancer. Staff demonstrated good palliative care skills and patients and families appreciated the care. Most essential IMSTPC markers were achieved but morphine licenses were available to only two teams. Remarkable synergy was emerging between palliative care and community health. Hospitals planned to fund palliative care through income from surgical services. Excellent palliative care appropriate for rural north India is delivered through the EHA model. It could be extended to other similar sites.

[Is cancer incidence different between type 2 diabetes patients compared to non-diabetics in hemodialysis? A study from the REIN registry].

PubMed

Le Guillou, Aurélie; Pladys, Adelaide; Kihal, Wahida; Siebert, Muriel; Haddj-Elmrabet, Atman; Cernon, Charlotte; Bernard, Anne; Charasse, Christophe; Mandart, Lise; Hamel, Didier; Tanquerel, Tugdual; Strullu, Bernard; Richer, Christine; Siohan, Pascale; Sawadogo, Théophile; Baleynaud, Juliette; Baluta, Simona; Bayat, Sahar; Vigneau, Cécile

2018-05-01

In France, diabetes mellitus is now the second cause of end stage renal disease. In a large previous French national study, we observed that dialyzed diabetics have a significant lower risk of death by cancer. This first study was focused on cancer death but did not investigate cancer incidence. In this context, the aim of this second study was to compare the incidence of cancer in diabetic dialyzed patients compared to non-diabetic dialyzed patients in a French region. This epidemiologic multicentric study included 588 diabetic and non-diabetic patients starting hemodialysis between 2002 and 2007 in Bretagne. Data were issued from REIN registry and cancer incidence were individually collected from medical records. Diabetics and non-diabetics were matched one by one on age, sex and year of dialysis initiation. During the follow-up, we observed 28 cancers (9.4%) in diabetic patients and 26 cancers (8.9%) in non-diabetics patients. The cumulative incidence to develop a cancer 2 years after the dialysis start was approximately 6% in both diabetics and non-diabetics patients. In univariate Fine and Gray analysis, BMI, hemoglobin, statin use had P-value<0.2. However, in the adjusted model, these variables were not significantly associated with cancer incidence. This study lead on a little number of dialyzed patients did not show any significant difference on cancer incidence between diabetic and non-diabetic patients after hemodialysis start. Copyright © 2017 Société francophone de néphrologie, dialyse et transplantation. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Design and Experimental Evaluation of a Robust Position Controller for an Electrohydrostatic Actuator Using Adaptive Antiwindup Sliding Mode Scheme

PubMed Central

Lee, Ji Min; Park, Sung Hwan; Kim, Jong Shik

2013-01-01

A robust control scheme is proposed for the position control of the electrohydrostatic actuator (EHA) when considering hardware saturation, load disturbance, and lumped system uncertainties and nonlinearities. To reduce overshoot due to a saturation of electric motor and to realize robustness against load disturbance and lumped system uncertainties such as varying parameters and modeling error, this paper proposes an adaptive antiwindup PID sliding mode scheme as a robust position controller for the EHA system. An optimal PID controller and an optimal anti-windup PID controller are also designed to compare control performance. An EHA prototype is developed, carrying out system modeling and parameter identification in designing the position controller. The simply identified linear model serves as the basis for the design of the position controllers, while the robustness of the control systems is compared by experiments. The adaptive anti-windup PID sliding mode controller has been found to have the desired performance and become robust against hardware saturation, load disturbance, and lumped system uncertainties and nonlinearities. PMID:23983640

The essential of 2012 results from the French Renal Epidemiology and Information Network (REIN) ESRD registry.

PubMed

Lassalle, Mathilde; Ayav, Carole; Frimat, Luc; Jacquelinet, Christian; Couchoud, Cécile

2015-04-01

The French Renal Epidemiology and Information Network (REIN) registry began in 2002 to provide a tool for public health decision support, evaluation and research related to renal replacement therapies (RRT) for end-stage renal disease (ESRD). It is relying on a network of nephrologists, epidemiologists, patients and public health representatives. Continuous registration covers all dialysis and transplanted patients. In 2012, in France, 10,048 patients started a RRT (154 per million inhabitants). Elders provided majority of new patients (median age at RRT start: 70 years old). New patients had a high and age increasing rate of comorbidities, especially diabetes (42% of the new patients) and cardiovascular comorbidities (>50% of the new patients). Like previous years, incidence is stabilized. On December 31, 2012, 73,491 patients were receiving a RRT in France (1127 per million inhabitants, 56% on dialysis and 44% living with a functional renal transplant). More than 50% of patients were undergoing in-center hemodialysis with significant variations among regions. An increase in medical satellite unit hemodialysis but a decrease in self-care unit hemodialysis rates were noticed across the time, whereas peritoneal dialysis remained stable at 7%. Five years after starting RRT, the overall survival rate was 51% but only 16% among patients over 85 years. Mortality rate was highly dependent on treatment and age; transplanted patients aged 60-69 had a 27/1000 patients-year mortality rate versus 133 for a dialysis patient. Patients who started dialysis had a probability of first wait-listing of 4.8% at the start of dialysis (pre-emptive registrations) and 27% at 72 months. Whatever their diabetes status was, patients older than 60 had poor access to the waiting list. Seventeen percent of the patients received a first renal transplant within 15.4 month median time; 3% had received a pre-emptive graft. Ten years after the start of the French ESRD registry, this report provides

Prophylactic topically applied ice to prevent cutaneous complications of nontarget chemoembolization and radioembolization.

PubMed

Wang, David S; Louie, John D; Kothary, Nishita; Shah, Rajesh P; Sze, Daniel Y

2013-04-01

Cutaneous complications can result from nontarget deposition during transcatheter arterial chemoembolization or radioembolization. Liver tumors may receive blood supply from parasitized extrahepatic arteries (EHAs) that also perfuse skin or from hepatic arteries located near the origin of the falciform artery (FA), which perfuses the anterior abdominal wall. To vasoconstrict cutaneous vasculature and prevent nontarget deposition, ice packs were topically applied to at-risk skin in nine chemoembolization treatments performed via 14 parasitized EHAs, seven chemoembolization treatments near the FA origin, and five radioembolization treatments in cases in which the FA could not be prophylactically coil-embolized. No postprocedural cutaneous complications were encountered.

Hemodiafiltration Versus Hemodialysis and Survival in Patients With ESRD: The French Renal Epidemiology and Information Network (REIN) Registry.

PubMed

Mercadal, Lucile; Franck, Jeanna-Eve; Metzger, Marie; Urena Torres, Pablo; de Cornelissen, François; Edet, Stéphane; Béchade, Clémence; Vigneau, Cécile; Drüeke, Tilman; Jacquelinet, Christian; Stengel, Bénédicte

2016-08-01

Recent randomized trials report that mortality is lower with high-convection-volume hemodiafiltration (HDF) than with hemodialysis (HD). We used data from the French national Renal Epidemiology and Information Network (REIN) registry to investigate trends in HDF use and its relationship with mortality in the total population of incident dialysis patients. The study included those who initiated HD therapy from January 1, 2008, through December 31, 2011, and were dialyzed for more than 3 months; follow-up extended to the end of 2012. HDF use at the patient and facility level. All-cause and cardiovascular mortality, using Cox models to estimate HRs of HDF as time-dependent covariate at the patient level, with age as time scale and fully adjusted for comorbid conditions and laboratory data at baseline, catheter use, and facility type as time-dependent covariates. Analyses completed by Cox models for HRs of the facility-level exposure to HDF updated yearly. Of 28,407 HD patients, 5,526 used HDF for a median of 1.2 (IQR, 0.9-1.9) years; 2,254 of them used HDF exclusively. HRs for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality associated with HDF use were 0.84 (95% CI, 0.77-0.91) and 0.73 (95% CI, 0.61-0.88), respectively. In patients treated exclusively with HDF, these HRs were 0.77 (95% CI, 0.67-0.87) and 0.66 (95% CI, 0.50-0.86). At the facility level, increasing the percentage of patients using HDF from 0% to 100% was associated with HRs for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality of 0.87 (95% CI, 0.77-0.99) and 0.72 (95% CI, 0.54-0.96), respectively. Observational study. Whether analyzed as a patient- or facility-level predictor, HDF treatment was associated with better survival. Copyright © 2015 National Kidney Foundation, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Elbow hemiarthroplasty using a "triceps-on" approach for the management of acute distal humeral fractures.

PubMed

Phadnis, Joideep; Banerjee, Samik; Watts, Adam C; Little, Nicholas; Hearnden, Anthony; Patel, Vipul R

2015-08-01

Total elbow arthroplasty is an established option for the primary treatment of acute distal humeral fractures, but there are sparse data regarding elbow hemiarthroplasty (EHA) as an alternative. We present the outcome of EHA performed with a modular anatomic prosthesis and a "triceps-on" surgical technique. Eighteen consecutive patients underwent EHA for an acute fracture. Two patients died, leaving a study group of 16 patients with minimum 2-year follow-up. Clinical evaluation included range of motion; Mayo Elbow Performance Score; Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand score; and Oxford Elbow Score. Radiographic assessment looked at alignment, evidence of loosening, ulnar and radial head wear, heterotopic ossification, and whether healing of the condyles had occurred. Mean follow-up was 35 months (24-79 months). The mean scores were as follows: Mayo Elbow Performance Score, 89.6; shortened Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand score, 11.2; and Oxford Elbow Score, 43.7. The mean flexion and pronation-supination arcs were 116° and 172° respectively. Radial head wear was absent in 13 patients and mild in 3. Ulnar wear was absent in 6 patients, mild in 8, and moderate in 2. Wear was not associated with greater pain or inferior functional scores. There was no sign of aseptic loosening, and complete condylar bone union occurred in 15 elbows. There was 1 complication, a transient ulnar nerve neurapraxia that resolved without intervention. EHA with a modular anatomic implant using a triceps-on approach is a reliable technique for the management of acute unreconstructible distal humeral fractures in older patients. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

REINS Act

THOMAS, 113th Congress

Sen. Paul, Rand [R-KY

2013-02-26

Senate - 02/26/2013 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. (All Actions) Tracker: This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:

Free Rein

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Galley, Michelle

2004-01-01

This article presents Fairhaven School, located in a still-bucolic area near Washington, which operates in a way that would baffle many educators, much less the public. Known as a "free school," Fairhaven offers students a radical alternative to the demands of traditional education since it was founded in 1998. In this article, the author…

REINS Act

THOMAS, 112th Congress

Sen. Paul, Rand [R-KY

2011-02-07

Senate - 07/20/2011 Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 112-220. (All Actions) Tracker: This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:

Effects of cyclosporine A pretreatment of deceased organ donors on kidney graft function (Cis-A-rein): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Orban, Jean-Christophe; Fontaine, Eric; Cassuto, Elisabeth; Baumstarck, Karine; Leone, Marc; Constantin, Jean-Michel; Ichai, Carole

2018-04-17

Renal transplantation represents the treatment of choice of end-stage kidney disease. Delayed graft function (DGF) remains the most frequent complication after this procedure, reaching more than 30%. Its prevention is essential as it impedes early- and long-term prognosis of transplantation. Numerous pharmacological interventions aiming to prevent ischemia-reperfusion injuries failed to reduce the rate of DGF. We hypothesize that cyclosporine as an early preconditioning procedure in donors would be associated with decreased DGF. The Cis-A-rein study is an investigator-initiated, prospective, multicenter, double-blind, randomized, controlled study performed to assess the effects of a donor preconditioning with cyclosporine A on kidney grafts function in transplanted patients. After randomization, a brain dead donor will receive 2.5 mg kg -1 of cyclosporine A or the same volume of 5% glucose solution. The primary objective is to compare the rate of DGF, defined as the need for at least one dialysis session within the 7 days following transplantation, between both groups. The secondary objectives include rate of slow graft function, mild and severe DGF, urine output and serum creatinine during the first week after transplantation, rate of primary graft dysfunction, renal function and mortality at 1 year. The sample size (n = 648) was determined to obtain 80% power to detect a 10% difference for rate of DGF at day 7 between the two groups (30% of the patients in the placebo group and 20% of the patients in the intervention group). Delayed graft function is a major issue after renal transplantation, impeding long-term prognosis. Cyclosporine A pretreatment in deceased donors could improve the outcome of patients after renal transplantation. ClinicalTrials.gov, ID: NCT02907554 Registered on 20 September 2016.

General Urban Warfare Amphibious Logistics Applications. Volume 4. Operational Plans.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-06-23

region. b. Enemy Forces (1) Enem Situation. Survivors and stragglers from the MRB (Rein) that originally defended SYN City are still present in the city in...requirements and priorities in this region. b. Enemy Forces (1) Enem Situation. Survivors and stragglers from the MRB (Rein) that originally defended SYN City

Alexithymia and emotional regulation: A cluster analytical approach.

PubMed

Chen, Jie; Xu, Ting; Jing, Jin; Chan, Raymond C K

2011-02-23

Alexithymia has been a familiar conception of psychosomatic phenomenon. The aim of this study was to investigate whether there were subtypes of alexithymia associating with different traits of emotional expression and regulation among a group of healthy college students. 1788 healthy college students were administered with the Chinese version of the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and another set of questionnaires assessing emotion status and regulation. A hierarchical cluster analysis was conducted on the three factor scores of the TAS-20. The cluster solution was cross-validated by the corresponding emotional regulation. The results indicated there were four subtypes of alexithymia, namely extrovert-high alexithymia (EHA), general-high alexithymia (GHA), introvert-high alexithymia (IHA) and non-alexithymia (NA). The GHA was characterized by general high scores on all three factors, the IHA was characterized by high scores on difficulty identifying feelings and difficulty describing feelings but low score on externally oriented cognitive style of thinking, the EHA was characterized by high score on externally oriented cognitive style of thinking but normal score on the others, and the NA got low score on all factors. The GHA and IHA were dominant by suppressive character of emotional regulation and expression with worse emotion status as compared to the EHA and NA. The current findings suggest there were four subtypes of alexithymia characterized by different emotional regulation manifestations.

The value of theory in programmes to implement clinical guidelines: Insights from a retrospective mixed-methods evaluation of a programme to increase adherence to national guidelines for chronic disease in primary care

PubMed Central

Sheringham, Jessica; Solmi, Francesca; Ariti, Cono; Baim-Lance, Abigail; Morris, Steve; Fulop, Naomi J.

2017-01-01

Background Programmes have had limited success in improving guideline adherence for chronic disease. Use of theory is recommended but is often absent in programmes conducted in ‘real-world’ rather than research settings. Materials and methods This mixed-methods study tested a retrospective theory-based approach to evaluate a ‘real-world’ programme in primary care to improve adherence to national guidelines for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Qualitative data, comprising analysis of documents generated throughout the programme (n>300), in-depth interviews with planners (clinicians, managers and improvement experts involved in devising, planning, and implementing the programme, n = 14) and providers (practice clinicians, n = 14) were used to construct programme theories, experiences of implementation and contextual factors influencing care. Quantitative analyses comprised controlled before-and-after analyses to test ‘early’ and evolved’ programme theories with comparators grounded in each theory. ‘Early’ theory predicted the programme would reduce emergency hospital admissions (EHA). It was tested using national analysis of standardized borough-level EHA rates between programme and comparator boroughs. ‘Evolved’ theory predicted practices with higher programme participation would increase guideline adherence and reduce EHA and costs. It was tested using a difference-in-differences analysis with linked primary and secondary care data to compare changes in diagnosis, management, EHA and costs, over time and by programme participation. Results Contrary to programme planners’ predictions in ‘early’ and ‘evolved’ programme theories, admissions did not change following the programme. However, consistent with ‘evolved’ theory, higher guideline adoption occurred in practices with greater programme participation. Conclusions Retrospectively constructing theories based on the ideas of programme planners can enable evaluators to

Realistic interpretation of quantum mechanics and encounter-delayed-choice experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Long, GuiLu; Qin, Wei; Yang, Zhe; Li, Jun-Lin

2018-03-01

In this paper, a realistic interpretation (REIN) of the wave function in quantum mechanics is briefly presented. We demonstrate that in the REIN, the wave function of a microscopic object is its real existence rather than a mere mathematical description. Specifically, the quantum object can exist in disjointed regions of space just as the wave function is distributed, travels at a finite speed, and collapses instantly upon a measurement. Furthermore, we analyze the single-photon interference in a Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) using the REIN. Based on this, we propose and experimentally implement a generalized delayed-choice experiment, called the encounter-delayed-choice experiment, where the second beam splitter is decided whether or not to insert at the encounter of two sub-waves along the arms of the MZI. In such an experiment, the parts of the sub-waves, which do not travel through the beam splitter, show a particle nature, whereas the remaining parts interfere and thus show a wave nature. The predicted phenomenon is clearly demonstrated in the experiment, thus supporting the REIN idea.

2-Ethylhexanoic Acid; Final Test Rule

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA is issuing a final test rule, under section 4 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), requiring manufacturers and processors of 2-ethylhexanoic acid (EHA, CAS No. 149-57-5) to conduct testing.

External Validation of a risk stratification model to assist shared decision making for patients starting renal replacement therapy.

PubMed

Peeters, Patrick; Van Biesen, Wim; Veys, Nic; Lemahieu, Wim; De Moor, Bart; De Meester, Johan

2016-04-07

Shared decision making is nowadays acknowledged as an essential step when deciding on starting renal replacement therapy. Valid risk stratification of prognosis is, besides discussing quality of life, crucial in this regard. We intended to validate a recently published risk stratification model in a large cohort of incident patients starting renal replacement therapy in Flanders. During 3 years (2001-2003), the data set collected for the Nederlandstalige Belgische Vereniging voor Nefrologie (NBVN) registry was expanded with parameters of comorbidity. For all incident patients, the abbreviated REIN score(aREIN), being the REIN score without the parameter "mobility", was calculated, and prognostication of mortality at 3, 6 and 12 month after start of renal replacement therapy (RRT) was evaluated. Three thousand four hundred seventy-two patients started RRT in Flanders during the observation period (mean age 67.6 ± 14.3, 56.7 % men, 33.6 % diabetes). The mean aREIN score was 4.1 ± 2.8, and 56.8, 23.1, 12.6 and 7.4 % of patients had a score of ≤4, 5-6, 7-8 or ≥9 respectively. Mortality at 3, 6 and 12 months was 8.6, 14.1 and 19.6 % in the overall and 13.2, 21.5 and 31.9 % in the group with age >75 respectively. In RoC analysis, the aREIN score had an AUC of 0.74 for prediction of survival at 3, 6 and 12 months. There was an incremental increase in mortality with the aREIN score from 5.6 to 45.8 % mortality at 6 months for those with a score ≤4 or ≥9 respectively. The aREIN score is a useful tool to predict short term prognosis of patients starting renal replacement therapy as based on comorbidity and age, and delivers meaningful discrimination between low and high risk populations. As such, it can be a useful instrument to be incorporated in shared decision making on whether or not start of dialysis is worthwhile.

Effects of pre-conditioning on behavior and physiology of horses during a standardised learning task

PubMed Central

Webb, Holly; Starling, Melissa J.; Freire, Rafael; Buckley, Petra; McGreevy, Paul D.

2017-01-01

Rein tension is used to apply pressure to control both ridden and unridden horses. The pressure is delivered by equipment such as the bit, which may restrict voluntary movement and cause changes in behavior and physiology. Managing the effects of such pressure on arousal level and behavioral indicators will optimise horse learning outcomes. This study examined the effect of training horses to turn away from bit pressure on cardiac outcomes and behavior (including responsiveness) over the course of eight trials in a standardised learning task. The experimental procedure consisted of a resting phase, treatment/control phase, standardised learning trials requiring the horses (n = 68) to step backwards in response to bit pressure and a recovery phase. As expected, heart rate increased (P = 0.028) when the handler applied rein tension during the treatment phase. The amount of rein tension required to elicit a response during treatment was higher on the left than the right rein (P = 0.009). Total rein tension required for trials reduced (P < 0.001) as they progressed, as did time taken (P < 0.001) and steps taken (P < 0.001). The incidence of head tossing decreased (P = 0.015) with the progression of the trials and was higher (P = 0.018) for the control horses than the treated horses. These results suggest that preparing the horses for the lesson and slightly raising their arousal levels, improved learning outcomes. PMID:28358892

Poverty Reduction in India through Palliative Care: A Pilot Project.

PubMed

Ratcliff, Cathy; Thyle, Ann; Duomai, Savita; Manak, Manju

2017-01-01

EMMS International and Emmanuel Hospital Association (EHA) implemented a pilot project, poverty reduction in India through palliative care (PRIPCare). A total of 129 interviews with patients and family enrolled in palliative care at three EHA hospitals (in Fatehpur, Lalitpur and Utraula) and staff discussions established that 66% of palliative care patients had lost livelihoods due to illness, 26% of patients' families had members who had lost livelihoods due to the illness, 98% of enrolled households had debts, 59% had loans for which they had sold assets, 69% of households took out debt after their family member fell ill, many patients do not know about government benefits and lack necessary documents, many village headmen require bribes to give people access to benefits, and many bereaved women and children lose everything. Palliative care enabled 85% of patients and families to spend less on medicines, 31% of patients received free medicines, all patients reduced use of out-patient departments (OPDs), 20% reduced use of inpatient departments (IPDs), and therefore spent less on travel, 8% of patients had started earning again due to improved health, members of 10% of families started earning again, and one hospital educated 171 village headmen and increased by 5% the number of patients and their families receiving government benefits. If only 0.7% of needy adults are receiving palliative care, these benefits could be delivered to 143 times more families, targeted effectively at poverty reduction. Palliative care has great scope to reduce that most desperate poverty in India caused by chronic illness. This article concerns a study by the UK NGO EMMS International and Indian NGO EHA, to assess whether palliative care reduces household poverty. EHA staff had noticed that many patients spend a lot on ineffective treatment before joining palliative care, many families do not know their entitlement to government healthcare subsidies or government pensions, and many

Poverty Reduction in India through Palliative Care: A Pilot Project

PubMed Central

Ratcliff, Cathy; Thyle, Ann; Duomai, Savita; Manak, Manju

2017-01-01

Introduction: EMMS International and Emmanuel Hospital Association (EHA) implemented a pilot project, poverty reduction in India through palliative care (PRIPCare). A total of 129 interviews with patients and family enrolled in palliative care at three EHA hospitals (in Fatehpur, Lalitpur and Utraula) and staff discussions established that 66% of palliative care patients had lost livelihoods due to illness, 26% of patients' families had members who had lost livelihoods due to the illness, 98% of enrolled households had debts, 59% had loans for which they had sold assets, 69% of households took out debt after their family member fell ill, many patients do not know about government benefits and lack necessary documents, many village headmen require bribes to give people access to benefits, and many bereaved women and children lose everything. Palliative care enabled 85% of patients and families to spend less on medicines, 31% of patients received free medicines, all patients reduced use of out-patient departments (OPDs), 20% reduced use of inpatient departments (IPDs), and therefore spent less on travel, 8% of patients had started earning again due to improved health, members of 10% of families started earning again, and one hospital educated 171 village headmen and increased by 5% the number of patients and their families receiving government benefits. If only 0.7% of needy adults are receiving palliative care, these benefits could be delivered to 143 times more families, targeted effectively at poverty reduction. Palliative care has great scope to reduce that most desperate poverty in India caused by chronic illness. Context: This article concerns a study by the UK NGO EMMS International and Indian NGO EHA, to assess whether palliative care reduces household poverty. Aims: EHA staff had noticed that many patients spend a lot on ineffective treatment before joining palliative care, many families do not know their entitlement to government healthcare subsidies or

Alexithymia and emotional regulation: A cluster analytical approach

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Alexithymia has been a familiar conception of psychosomatic phenomenon. The aim of this study was to investigate whether there were subtypes of alexithymia associating with different traits of emotional expression and regulation among a group of healthy college students. Methods 1788 healthy college students were administered with the Chinese version of the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and another set of questionnaires assessing emotion status and regulation. A hierarchical cluster analysis was conducted on the three factor scores of the TAS-20. The cluster solution was cross-validated by the corresponding emotional regulation. Results The results indicated there were four subtypes of alexithymia, namely extrovert-high alexithymia (EHA), general-high alexithymia (GHA), introvert-high alexithymia (IHA) and non-alexithymia (NA). The GHA was characterized by general high scores on all three factors, the IHA was characterized by high scores on difficulty identifying feelings and difficulty describing feelings but low score on externally oriented cognitive style of thinking, the EHA was characterized by high score on externally oriented cognitive style of thinking but normal score on the others, and the NA got low score on all factors. The GHA and IHA were dominant by suppressive character of emotional regulation and expression with worse emotion status as compared to the EHA and NA. Conclusions The current findings suggest there were four subtypes of alexithymia characterized by different emotional regulation manifestations. PMID:21345180

Armed Helicopters: How the Army Fought Its Way into Attack Aviation

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-04-01

the Graduation Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF OPERATIONAL ARTS AND SCIENCES Advisor: Dr. Christopher M. Rein Maxwell Air...and firepower.68 Colonel Trevor Dupuy accurately described the critical nature of capturing these developments during the Vietnam war when he said...Washington D.C.: United States Air Force, 1987. Rein, Dr Christopher M., ACSC/DEL. To the author. E-mail, 26 November 2014. Stockfisch, J.A

Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of Fraxinus pennsylvanica hypocotyls and plant regeneration

Treesearch

Ningxia Du; Paula M. Pijut

2009-01-01

A genetic transformation protocol for green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) hypocotyl explants was developed. Green ash hypocotyls were transformed using Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain EHA105 harboring binary vector pq35GR containing the neomycin phosphotransferase (nptII) and β-glucuronidase (GUS) fusion...

Agrobacterium-medicated transformation of mature Prunus serotina (black cherry) and regeneration of trangenic shoots

Treesearch

Xiaomei Liu; Paula Pijut

2010-01-01

A protocol for Agrobacterium-mediated transformation was developed for in vitro leaf explants of an elite, mature Prunus serotina tree. Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain EHA105 harboring an RNAi plasmid with the black cherry AGAMOUS (AG) gene was used. Bacteria were induced...

Law Enforcement Support Office (LESO) 1999 National Conference

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-06-04

State Coordinators • Advises State Coordinators on how to manage the State programs - Denver , Colorado Rome, New York - Paul Reining and Robert...Rocky Mountain~(Univ. Denver ) Interoperability, crime mapping, EOD, excess, (Paul Reining and Mike McGee) 20 Tech Beat How to obtain copies How...State Coordinator Room 3331 Colorado State Patrol Ft. Belvoir, VA 22066-6221 700 Kipling (800) 532-9946 (703) 767-3083 Lakewood, CO 80228 (303

Electron beam processed transdermal delivery system for administration of an anti-anginal agent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kotiyan, P. N.; Vavia, P. R.; Bharadwaj, Y. K.; Sabarwal, S.; Majali, A. B.

2002-12-01

Electron beam irradiation was used to synthesize a matrix type transdermal system of isosorbide dinitrate, an effective anti-anginal agent. The drug was dissolved in two monomeric systems, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate (EHA) and 2-ethylhexyl acrylate : methyl methacrylate (9 : 1). The solutions were then directly irradiated on a backing membrane (Scotchpak ®1006) at different doses to get transdermal patches. The developed systems were evaluated for residual monomer content, equilibrium weight swelling ratio, weight uniformity, thickness uniformity, drug content, peel strength, in vitro release and skin permeation kinetics. They possessed excellent tack and adhesive properties. In the case of isosorbide dinitrate-EHA systems, an increase in the peel strength values with respect to the skin was observed with increasing radiation doses. The systems exhibited promising skin permeation kinetics favorable for transdermal drug delivery. The radiation stability of the drug in the pure solid state form was also assessed.

Is there a negative association between the content of condensed tannins, total phenols, and total tannins of tropical plant extracts and in vitro anthelmintic activity against Haemonchus contortus eggs?

PubMed

Castañeda-Ramírez, G S; Torres-Acosta, J F J; Sandoval-Castro, C A; González-Pech, P G; Parra-Tabla, V P; Mathieu, C

2017-12-01

In vitro studies using plant extracts suggest a relationship between their polyphenol contents and their anthelmintic (AH) activity against Haemonchus contortus. High polyphenol content appears to increase the efficacy of plant extracts against H. contortus as assessed by the larval exsheathment inhibition assay (LEIA) while appearing to reduce the AH efficacy measured using the egg hatch assay (EHA). In addition, some plants lack AH activity. Therefore, the present study investigated the relationship between the contents of condensed tannins (CT), total phenols (TP), and total tannins (TT) in methanol:water extracts (70:30) obtained from ten tropical plant species consumed by small ruminants as well as their AH activity against H. contortus evaluated by LEIA and EHA. Extracts of Acacia collinsii, Lysiloma latisiliquum, Havardia albicans, Senegalia gaumeri, Mimosa bahamensis, Piscidia piscipula, Acacia pennatula, Gymnopodium floribundum, Leucaena leucocephala, and Bunchosia swartziana were examined. Positive correlations were found between the effective concentration 50% (EC 50 ) (EHA) of extracts and their CT (r = 0.6809, P < 0.05, n = 10) and TP (r = 0.9152, P < 0.05, n = 10) content, suggesting that their concentration negatively affected AH activity against eggs. Based on the LEIA, there was no significant association between the EC 50 and the CT, TP, or TT of all extracts evaluated. Thus, if sheep and goats consume a complex feed mixture with high amounts of CT, TP, and TT, it might be difficult to observe an AH effect against H. contortus egg hatching. However, the AH effect upon L 3 establishment might be feasible.

Screening of Catalyst and Important Variable for The Esterification of Acrylic Acid with 2 Ethylhexanol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmad, M. A. A.; Chin, S. Y.

2017-06-01

The global demand of 2-ethylhexyl acrylate (2EHA) market has witnessed a significant growth in the past few years and this growth is anticipated to increase in the coming years. 2EHA is one of the basic organic building blocks that mainly used in the production of coatings, adhesives, superabsorbents, thickeners and plastic additives. Homogenous acid-catalysed esterification of acrylic acid (AA) with 2-ethylhexanol (2EH) is commonly used for the production of 2EHA. The homogeneous catalysts such as sulfuric and para-toluene sulfonic acid have resulted the costly and complicated downstream process that generates acidic, corrosive and non-environmental friendly waste. Therefore, it is importance to develop a cheaper process that employing heterogeneous catalysts and alternative raw material from wastewater containing acrylic acid. In this research, the study for the esterification of AA with 2EH catalysed by ion-exchange resin was conducted. The best sulfonic acid functional cation-exchange resin among SK104, SK1B, PK208, PK216, PK228, RCP145, and RCP160 was screened. PK208 outperformed the other resins and it was used subsequently in the parametric studies. The effect of important parameters (initial concentration of acrylic acid (AA), temperature, molar ratio of reactant (AA and 2EH), catalyst loading, and polymerisation inhibitor loading) was studied using 2 factorial design to determine the significant parameters to the esterification. It was found that the initial concentration of AA and temperature were most significantly affecting the esterification of AA with 2EH.

Improvement of Agrobacterium-mediated transformation and rooting of black cherry

Treesearch

Ying Wang; Paula M. Pijut

2014-01-01

An improved protocol for Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of an elite, mature black cherry genotype was developed. To increase transformation efficiency, vacuum infiltration, sonication, and a combination of the two treatments were applied during the cocultivation of leaf explants with Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain EHA105...

The Institutionalization of Drug Trafficking Organizations: Comparing Colombia and Brazil

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-09-01

Shifter, “Latin America’s Drug Problem,” Current History (February 2007): 58. 6 Henry Veltmeyer and James Petras , “Social Structure and Change in Latin...In The Oxford Handbook of Public Policy, by Michael Moran, Martin Rein and Robert E. Goodwin (New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2008), 691...Johan P. Olsen, “Chapter 34: The Logic of Appropriateness.” In The Oxford Handbook of Public Policy, by Michael Moran, Martin Rein and Robert E

Dimensions rénales en Service de Néphrologie Clinique, Befelatanana, Antananarivo

PubMed Central

Ramilitiana, Benja; Dodo, Mihary; Rakotoarimanga, Henintsoa Nirina; Randriamboavonjy, Rado Lalao; Randriamarotia, Willy Franck

2016-01-01

La connaissance des dimensions rénales pour tout individu et pour toute ethnie, aide à une décision médicale d'ordre diagnostique et thérapeutique. Pour un pays à faible revenu comme Madagascar, l’échographie constitue un outil idéal à cette fin. Ce travail a comme objectifs de recueillir les dimensions rénales, puis de chercher la corrélation entre ces dernières et les paramètres démographiques ou anthropométriques des Malgaches. Il s'agit d'une étude rétrospective, s’étalant sur une période de 3 ans, effectuée dans le service de Néphrologie du centre hospitalier de Befelatanana, Antananarivo, recrutant 200 patients non diabétiques, sans maladie rénale chronique. L’âge moyen de nos patients était de 45 ans ±16, avec un sex ratio de 0,9. En moyenne, les dimensions (longueur × largeur × épaisseur) étaient de 98 mm × 42 mm × 30 mm pour le rein droit et 99 mm × 45 mm × 31 mm pour le rein gauche. Nous avons retrouvé une différence significative entre le rein droit et gauche sur la longueur (p<0,00001) et la largeur (p = 0,03). Une relation significative était aussi retrouvée entre la longueur rénale et l’âge (p = 0,0016 et p = 0,04 respectivement pour le rein droit et le rein gauche). Aucune relation significative n'a été établie entre les dimensions rénales et la taille ni le poids de nos patients. Malgré ses limites, notre étude apporterait une aide sur le plan pratique clinique ainsi que pour une étude ultérieure. PMID:27642455

Preparation of an Adhesive in Emulsion for Maxillofacial Prosthetic

PubMed Central

Sánchez-García, Judith A.; Ortega, Alejandra; Barceló-Santana, Federico H.; Palacios-Alquisira, Joaquín

2010-01-01

Maxillofacial prostheses is a dental medicine specialty aimed at restoring anatomical facial defects caused by cancer, trauma or congenital malformations through an artificial device, which is commonly attached to the skin with the help of an adhesive. The purpose of our research was to develop a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) based on acrylic monomers, characterizing and determining its drying kinetics, that is to say the time it takes to lose 50 to 90% of its moisture. The adhesive synthesis was realized by means of emulsion polymerization; the composition of formulations was: (AA-MMA-EA) and (AA-MMA-2EHA) with different molar ratios. The formulation based on (AA-MMA-2EHA) with 50 w% of solids, presented good adhesive properties such as tack, bond strength, and short drying time. We propose this formulation as a PSA, because it offers an alternative for systemically compromised patients, by less irritation compared to organic solvent-based adhesives. PMID:21152308

Advice and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Citizen-Science Environmental Health Assessments

PubMed Central

Barzyk, Timothy M.; Huang, Hongtai; Williams, Ronald; Kaufman, Amanda; Essoka, Jonathan

2018-01-01

Citizen science provides quantitative results to support environmental health assessments (EHAs), but standardized approaches do not currently exist to translate findings into actionable solutions. The emergence of low-cost portable sensor technologies and proliferation of publicly available datasets provides unparalleled access to supporting evidence; yet data collection, analysis, interpretation, visualization, and communication are subjective approaches that must be tailored to a decision-making audience capable of improving environmental health. A decade of collaborative efforts and two citizen science projects contributed to three lessons learned and a set of frequently asked questions (FAQs) that address the complexities of environmental health and interpersonal relations often encountered in citizen science EHAs. Each project followed a structured step-by-step process in order to compare and contrast methods and approaches. These lessons and FAQs provide advice to translate citizen science research into actionable solutions in the context of a diverse range of environmental health issues and local stakeholders. PMID:29751612

Advice and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Citizen-Science Environmental Health Assessments.

PubMed

Barzyk, Timothy M; Huang, Hongtai; Williams, Ronald; Kaufman, Amanda; Essoka, Jonathan

2018-05-11

Citizen science provides quantitative results to support environmental health assessments (EHAs), but standardized approaches do not currently exist to translate findings into actionable solutions. The emergence of low-cost portable sensor technologies and proliferation of publicly available datasets provides unparalleled access to supporting evidence; yet data collection, analysis, interpretation, visualization, and communication are subjective approaches that must be tailored to a decision-making audience capable of improving environmental health. A decade of collaborative efforts and two citizen science projects contributed to three lessons learned and a set of frequently asked questions (FAQs) that address the complexities of environmental health and interpersonal relations often encountered in citizen science EHAs. Each project followed a structured step-by-step process in order to compare and contrast methods and approaches. These lessons and FAQs provide advice to translate citizen science research into actionable solutions in the context of a diverse range of environmental health issues and local stakeholders.

[REIN Report 2011--summary].

PubMed

Couchoud, C; Lassalle, M; Jacquelinet, C

2013-09-01

In 2011, in France, we estimate that 9 400 patients started a treatment by dialysis (incidence of dialysis: 144 per million inhabitants) and 335 patients with a pre-emptive graft without previous dialysis (incidence of pre-emptive graft: 5 per million inhabitants). As in 2010, incidence rate seems to stabilize. Elders provide the majority of new patients (median age at RRT start: 71 years old). New patients present a high rate of disabilities especially diabetes (41% of the new patients) and cardiovascular disabilities (>50% of the new patients) that increase with age. Considering treatment and follow-up, the first treatment remains center's hemodialysis and we do not notice any progression of self-dialysis. RRT started in emergency in 33% of the patients. This finding contrasts with the fact that 56% of patients started hemodialysis on a catheter. This, together with the major inter-region variability, suggests that different strategies of management exist. Finally, the hemoglobin level at RRT start seems to be an interesting indicator of good management and follow-up since 13% of patients presenting an underprovided follow-up have a hemoglobin level under 10g/dl, whereas only 2.5% of patients with an appropriate follow-up presented such a condition. On December 31, 2011, in France, we estimate that 70.700 patients were receiving a renal replacement therapy, 39.600 (56%) on dialysis and 31.100 (44%) living with a functional renal transplant. The overall crude prevalence was 1091 per million inhabitants. It was 1.6 higher in males. Prevalence was subject to regional variations with 5 regions (3 overseas) above the national rate. Renal transplant share varied from 33% in Nord-Pas de Calais to 53% in Pays de Loire, and from 16 to 25% in overseas regions. The study of temporal variations for 18 regions contributing to the registry since 2007 demonstrated a +4% increase in standardized prevalence of ESRD patients with a functional transplant vs. +2% increase for dialysis, resulting in a decreasing gap between dialysis and transplantation prevalence, due to an increase number of renal transplant and a longer survival of transplanted patients. The main dialysis technique was hemodialysis (93.3% of patients). Even if an important inter-region variability remains considering the choices of treatment, more than 50% of the patients are undergoing hemodialysis in a hospital-based incenter unit, and we noticed an increase in hemodialysis in a medical satellite unit with time whereas the rate of self-care hemodialysis decreases. The rate of peritoneal dialysis remains stable. When comparing guidelines to real-life treatments, 77.5% of patients receive adequate dose of treatment (12 H/week, KT/ V>1.2), the rate of patients with a hemoglobin blood-level lower than 10g/dl and without erythropoietin treatment is 1.3%, which confirmed a good management of anemia. On the contrary, 34% of patients have a BMI lower than 23kg/m(2) and only 23% have an albumin blood-level over 40g/l, which underlines that nutritional management of ESRD patients can be improved. Age strongly influences survival on dialysis. Thus, one year survival of patients under age 65 is over 90%. After 5 years, among patients over 85 years, it is more than 15%. The presence of diabetes or one or more cardiovascular comorbidities also significantly worse patient survival. In terms of trend, we do not find significant improvement in the 2-year survival between patients in the cohort 2006-2007 and the 2008-2009 cohort. Cardiovascular diseases account for 27% of causes of death to infectious diseases (12%) and cancer (10%). Life expectancy of patients is highly dependent on their treatment. Thus, a transplant patient aged 30 has a life expectancy of 41 years versus 23 years for a dialysis patient. In 2011, the incidence and the prevalence of ESRD among patients under 20 years old remained stable at 8 and 53 per million inhabitants respectively. The first causes of ESDR remain uropathies and hypodysplasia followed by glomerulonephritis and genetic diseases. Considering the initial treatment, we found a high rate of hemodialysis and a low rate of peritoneal dialysis that is mainly used in younger children. In 2011, 31 preemptive transplantations were performed accounting for 27.7% of new patients. Finally, survival analysis confirm that younger children (under 4 years old) have the highest risk of death (88% survival rate at 2 years vs. 98% in patients over 4 years old) and that the treatment of choice remains the renal transplantation since it increases the expected remaining lifetime of 20 to 40 years depending on the considered age. Access to the waiting list is evaluated on a cohort of 51,846 new patients who started dialysis between 2002 and 2011 in 25 regions. The probability of first wait-listing was of 3.7% at the start of dialysis (pre-emptive registrations), 15% at 12, 22% at 36 and 24% to 60 months. Patient older than 60 had a very poor access to the waiting list, whatever their diabetes status was. Among 13,653 patients less than 60 years old, the probability of being registered was 11% at the start of dialysis, 43% to 12 months, 62% to 36 months and 66% to 60 months (median dialysis duration: 16 months). Seventeen regions with up to 5 years follow-up show an increase of 8 to 15% in pre-emptive registrations between 2007 and 2001, without change at 1 year. Access to kidney transplant is evaluated on a cohort of 53,301 new patients who started a renal replacement therapy (dialysis or pre-emptive renal transplant) between 2002 and 2011 in 25 regions. The probability of first kidney transplant was of 7% at 12, 17% at 36 and 21% at 60 months. 8,633 patients (16,2%) had received a first renal transplant within 14.7 month median time; 1,455 (2.7%) had received a pre-emptive graft. Among the 14.770 new patients less than 60 years old, the probability of being transplanted was of 21% at 12, 46% at 36 and 58% at 60 months (median dialysis duration: 42 months). When pre-emptive graft were excluded, the probability of being transplanted was of 5% at 12, 15% to 36 and 19% to 60 months FLOW BETWEEN TREATMENT MODALITIES: Among the 36.849 patients on dialysis at 31/10/2010, 79% were already on RRT at 31/12/2009. Respectively 91%, 85% and 93% of the patients on HD in-center, HD self-care unit and peritoneal dialysis were in the same modality of treatment the year before. Among the 29.758 patients with a functioning graft at 31/12/2010, 98% were already on RRT at 31/12/2009, 95% of them with a functioning graft.72%, 72% and 74% of the patients with in-center HD, out-center HD and self-care unit were in the same modality of treatment at 31/12/2011. But 37% of the patients on PD at 31/12/2010 were not on PD at 31/12/2011. In 2011, new patients represented 89% of the entries in peritoneal dialysis. Renal transplantation represented 10% of the outcomes of the HD patients in self-care unit or at home. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Strong-coupling induced damping of spin-echo modulations in magic-angle-spinning NMR: Implications for J coupling measurements in disordered solids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guerry, Paul; Brown, Steven P.; Smith, Mark E.

2017-10-01

In the context of improving J coupling measurements in disordered solids, strong coupling effects have been investigated in the spin-echo and refocused INADEQUATE spin-echo (REINE) modulations of three- and four-spin systems under magic-angle-spinning (MAS), using density matrix simulations and solid-state NMR experiments on a cadmium phosphate glass. Analytical models are developed for the different modulation regimes, which are shown to be distinguishable in practice using Akaike's information criterion. REINE modulations are shown to be free of the damping that occurs for spin-echo modulations when the observed spin has the same isotropic chemical shift as its neighbour. Damping also occurs when the observed spin is bonded to a strongly-coupled pair. For mid-chain units, the presence of both direct and relayed damping makes both REINE and spin-echo modulations impossible to interpret quantitatively. We nonetheless outline how a qualitative comparison of the modulation curves can provide valuable information on disordered networks, possibly also pertaining to dynamic effects therein.

Special Education Law Update II.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zirkel, Perry A.

1991-01-01

An annotated outline provides recent case law in special education since the last update in volume 56 of this journal. Based on the 1990 amendments to the Education of the Handicapped Act (EHA), references are in the form of the acronym for its new title, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). (MLF)

Evaluating the External Validity of High-Incidence Special Education Disability Categories

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murr, Natalie Simona

2015-01-01

The passing of the Education of the Handicapped Act (EHA) of 1970, as well as subsequent education policy, including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (2004), have been pivotal to ensuring that both the civil and educational rights of students with disabilities continue to be promoted and protected within educational settings. In…

Operation Plan I-45 ICEBERG

DTIC Science & Technology

1945-02-01

8217COmIIAND OF MAJOR- GENERAL del VALLE: R. O, BARE, Col, USMC, ·C of S. ANNEXES: ABLE - Distribution B1iKER - Intelligence CHARLIE - Naval Gunfire Support Plan...3. ABLE Annex BAKER to Opn Plan 1-45, 1st MarDiv-(Rein) INTELLIGENCE 00015 1st Mar Div (Rein). 1990-5-80 In The Field 475/355 . 1100, 1OFeb, 1945. AP...distributed. (c) JANIS No. 86, August, 1944; JANIS No. 86 (Change 1), October 1944. (d) Engineer Intelligence Information of OKINAWA SHIMA prepared by Eng

Replacement of two amino acids of 9R-dioxygenase-allene oxide synthase of Aspergillus niger inverts the chirality of the hydroperoxide and the allene oxide.

PubMed

Sooman, Linda; Wennman, Anneli; Hamberg, Mats; Hoffmann, Inga; Oliw, Ernst H

2016-02-01

The genome of Aspergillus niger codes for a fusion protein (EHA25900), which can be aligned with ~50% sequence identity to 9S-dioxygenase (DOX)-allene oxide synthase (AOS) of Fusarium oxysporum, homologues of the Fusarium and Colletotrichum complexes and with over 62% sequence identity to homologues of Aspergilli, including (DOX)-9R-AOS of Aspergillus terreus. The aims were to characterize the enzymatic activities of EHA25900 and to identify crucial amino acids for the stereospecificity. Recombinant EHA25900 oxidized 18:2n-6 sequentially to 9R-hydroperoxy-10(E),12(Z)-octadecadienoic acid (9R-HPODE) and to a 9R(10)-allene oxide. 9S- and 9R-DOX-AOS catalyze abstraction of the pro-R hydrogen at C-11, but the direction of oxygen insertion differs. A comparison between twelve 9-DOX domains of 9S- and 9R-DOX-AOS revealed conserved amino acid differences, which could contribute to the chirality of products. The Gly616Ile replacement of 9R-DOX-AOS (A. niger) increased the biosynthesis of 9S-HPODE and the 9S(10)-allene oxide, whereas the Phe627Leu replacement led to biosynthesis of 9S-HPODE and the 9S(10)-allene oxide as main products. The double mutant (Gly616Ile, Phe627Leu) formed over 90% of the 9S stereoisomer of HPODE. 9S-HPODE was formed by antarafacial hydrogen abstraction and oxygen insertion, i.e., the original H-abstraction was retained but the product chirality was altered. We conclude that 9R-DOX-AOS can be altered to 9S-DOX-AOS by replacement of two amino acids (Gly616Ile, Phe627Leu) in the DOX domain. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Disciplining Handicapped Students: Legal Considerations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Osborne, Allan G., Jr.

Federal and state courts have held that disciplinary sanctions cannot be applied to handicapped students in such a way that they would be deprived of their legal rights to a free, appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment, as mandated by the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EHA). This presentation outlines the…

EDTA assisted synthesis of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles for electrochemical sensing of uric acid.

PubMed

Kanchana, P; Sekar, C

2014-09-01

Hydroxyapatite nanoparticles have been synthesized using EDTA as organic modifier by a simple microwave irradiation method and its application for the selective determination of uric acid (UA) has been demonstrated. Electrochemical behavior of uric acid at HA nanoparticle modified glassy carbon electrode (E-HA/GCE) has been investigated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), cyclic voltammetry (CV), linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) and amperometry. The E-HA modified electrode exhibits efficient electrochemical activity towards uric acid sensing without requiring enzyme or electron mediator. Amperometry studies revealed that the fabricated electrode has excellent sensitivity for uric acid with the lowest detection limit of 142 nM over a wide concentration range from 1 × 10(-7) to 3 × 10(-5)M. Moreover, the studied E-HA modified GC electrode exhibits a good reproducibility and long-term stability and an admirable selectivity towards the determination of UA even in the presence of potential interferents. The analytical performance of this sensor was evaluated for the detection of uric acid in human urine and blood serum samples. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

FLASH fly-by-light flight control demonstration results overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Halski, Don J.

1996-10-01

The Fly-By-Light Advanced Systems Hardware (FLASH) program developed Fly-By-Light (FBL) and Power-By-Wire (PBW) technologies for military and commercial aircraft. FLASH consists of three tasks. Task 1 developed the fiber optic cable, connectors, testers and installation and maintenance procedures. Task 3 developed advanced smart, rotary thin wing and electro-hydrostatic (EHA) actuators. Task 2, which is the subject of this paper,l focused on integration of fiber optic sensors and data buses with cable plant components from Task 1 and actuators from Task 3 into centralized and distributed flight control systems. Both open loop and piloted hardware-in-the-loop demonstrations were conducted with centralized and distributed flight control architectures incorporating the AS-1773A optical bus, active hand controllers, optical sensors, optimal flight control laws in high speed 32-bit processors, and neural networks for EHA monitoring and fault diagnosis. This paper overviews the systems level testing conducted under the FLASH Flight Control task. Preliminary results are summarized. Companion papers provide additional information.

Achieving consensus for clinical trials

PubMed Central

Blakeley, Jaishri O.; Dombi, Eva; Fisher, Michael J.; Hanemann, C. Oliver; Walsh, Karin S.; Wolters, Pamela L.; Widemann, Brigitte C.

2013-01-01

The neurofibromatoses (NF)—including neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1), neurofibromatosis 2 (NF2), and schwannomatosis—are related tumor-suppressor syndromes characterized by a predisposition to multiple tumor types and other disease manifestations, which often result in functional disability, reduced quality of life, pain, and, in some cases, malignancy. With increasing knowledge of the biology and pathogenesis of NF, clinical trials with targeted agents directed at NF tumors have become available. Most clinical trials for patients with NF have used designs and endpoints similar to oncology trials. However, differences in the disease manifestations and natural history of NF (compared to cancers) require the development of new designs and endpoints to perform meaningful NF clinical trials. The Response Evaluation in Neurofibromatosis and Schwannomatosis (REiNS) International Collaboration was established in 2011 at the Children's Tumor Foundation meeting to achieve consensus within the NF community about the design of future clinical trials, with a specific emphasis on endpoints. The REiNS Collaboration includes 7 working groups that focus on imaging of tumor response; functional, visual, patient-reported, and neurocognitive outcomes; whole-body MRI; and disease biomarkers. This supplement includes the first series of recommendations by the REiNS Collaboration. The hope is that these recommendations will be used by members of the group and by researchers outside of the REiNS International Collaboration to standardize the measurement of outcomes and thus improve clinical trials for patients with NF. Ultimately, we plan to engage industry partners and national regulatory agencies in this process to facilitate the approval of drugs for patients with NF. PMID:24249801

Head and pelvic movement symmetry in horses during circular motion and in rising trot.

PubMed

Robartes, Helen; Fairhurst, Harriet; Pfau, Thilo

2013-12-01

Lameness examinations in horses often include lungeing and ridden exercise. To incorporate these exercises into the evidence-based decision making process aided by quantitative sensor based gait analysis, guideline values for movement asymmetry are needed. In this study, movement symmetry (MS) was quantified in horses during unridden and ridden trot on the straight and on the circle. Systematic changes in MS were expected as a result of the 'asymmetrical loading' caused by circular movement, the rising trot and the combination of the two. Out of 23 horses (age 4-20 years, height 13.3-17.2 hands), 13 presented within normal limits for head movement and 22 for pelvic movement. Inertial measurement units assessed MS of vertical head and sacral movement during trot in-hand, on the lunge and in rising trot (straight, left/right circle). Changes in MS between straight line trot and ridden exercise on the circle were more pronounced for the head than for the sacrum. The highest amount of asymmetry was observed during rising trot on the circle (symmetry index of the head: 1.23 for the left rein, 0.83 for the right rein; symmetry index of the sacrum 0.84 for the left rein, 1.15 for the right rein). Change in MS was significant between exercise conditions except for the difference between head displacement maxima. Horses had greatest asymmetry during rising trot on the circle, with MS values of comparable magnitude to mild lameness. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of sex and glucose-lowering treatments on hypoglycaemic symptoms in people with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease. The French Chronic Kidney Disease - Renal Epidemiology and Information Network (CKD-REIN) Study.

PubMed

Balkau, B; Metzger, M; Andreelli, F; Frimat, L; Speyer, E; Combe, C; Laville, M; Jacquelinet, C; Briançon, S; Ayav, C; Massy, Z; Pisoni, R L; Stengel, B; Fouque, D

2018-04-06

To describe current practices of glucose-lowering treatments in people with diabetes and chronic kidney disease (CKD), the associated glucose control and hypoglycaemic symptoms, with an emphasis on sex differences. Among the 3033 patients with CKD stages 3-5 recruited into the French CKD-REIN study, 645 men and 288 women had type 2 diabetes and were treated by glucose-lowering drugs. Overall, 31% were treated only with insulin, 28% with combinations of insulin and another drug, 42% with non-insulin glucose-lowering drugs. In CKD stage 3, 40% of patients used metformin, 12% at stages 4&5, similar for men and women; in CKD stage 3, 53% used insulin, similar for men and women, but at stages 4&5, 59% of men and 77% of women used insulin. Patients were reasonably well controlled, with a median HbA1c of 7.1% (54mmol/mol) in men, 7.4% (57mmol/mol) in women (P=0.0003). Hypoglycaemic symptoms were reported by 40% of men and 59% of women; they were not associated with the estimated glomerular filtration rate, nor with albuminuria or with HbA1c in multivariable analyses, but they were more frequent in people treated with insulin, particularly with fast-acting and pre-mixed insulins. Glucose-lowering treatment, HbA1c and hypoglycaemic symptoms were sex dependent. Metformin use was similar in men and women, but unexpectedly low in CKD stage 3; its use could be encouraged rather than resorting to insulin. Hypoglycaemic symptoms were frequent and need to be more closely monitored, with appropriate patient-education, especially in women. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Patient-reported outcomes of pain and physical functioning in neurofibromatosis clinical trials.

PubMed

Wolters, Pamela L; Martin, Staci; Merker, Vanessa L; Tonsgard, James H; Solomon, Sondra E; Baldwin, Andrea; Bergner, Amanda L; Walsh, Karin; Thompson, Heather L; Gardner, Kathy L; Hingtgen, Cynthia M; Schorry, Elizabeth; Dudley, William N; Franklin, Barbara

2016-08-16

Tumors and other disease complications of neurofibromatosis (NF) can cause pain and negatively affect physical functioning. To document the clinical benefit of treatment in NF trials targeting these manifestations, patient-reported outcomes (PROs) assessing pain and physical functioning should be included as study endpoints. Currently, there is no consensus on the selection and use of such measures in the NF population. This article presents the recommendations of the PRO group of the Response Evaluation in Neurofibromatosis and Schwannomatosis (REiNS) International Collaboration for assessing the domains of pain and physical functioning for NF clinical trials. The REiNS PRO group reviewed and rated existing PRO measures assessing pain intensity, pain interference, and physical functioning using their systematic method. Final recommendations are based primarily on 4 main criteria: patient characteristics, item content, psychometric properties, and feasibility for clinical trials. The REiNS PRO group chose the Numeric Rating Scale-11 (≥8 years) to assess pain intensity, the Pain Interference Index (6-24 years) and the Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Pain Interference Scale (≥18 years) to evaluate pain interference, and the PROMIS Physical Functioning Scale to measure upper extremity function and mobility (≥5 years) for NF clinical trials. The REiNS Collaboration currently recommends these PRO measures to assess the domains of pain and physical functioning for NF clinical trials; however, further research is needed to evaluate their use in individuals with NF. A final consensus recommendation for the pain interference measure will be disseminated in a future publication based on findings from additional published research. © 2016 American Academy of Neurology.

Frederick Reines and the Neutrino

Science.gov Websites

the Detection of the Free Neutrino, DOE Technical Report, August 1953 The Free Antineutrino Absorption Cross Section. Part I. Measurement of the Free Antineutrino Absorption Cross Section. Part II. Expected

Professionalism: Teachers Taking the Reins

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Helterbran, Valeri R.

2008-01-01

It is essential that teachers take a proactive look at their profession and themselves to strengthen areas of professionalism over which they have control. In this article, the author suggests strategies that include collaborative planning, reflectivity, growth in the profession, and the examination of certain personal characteristics.

Dermal oncogenicity bioassays of monofunctional and multifunctional acrylates and acrylate-based oligomers.

PubMed

DePass, L R; Maronpot, R R; Weil, C S

1985-01-01

Several important components of photocurable coatings were studied for dermal tumorigenic activity by repeated application to the skin of mice. The substances tested were 2-ethylhexyl acrylate (EHA) and methylcarbamoyloxyethyl acrylate (MCEA) (monomers); neopentyl glycol diacrylate (NPGDA), esterdiol-204-diacrylate (EDDA), and pentaerythritol tri(tetra)acrylate (PETA) (cross-linkers); and three acrylated urethane oligomers. For each bioassay, 40 C3H/HeJ male mice were dosed 3 times weekly on the dorsal skin for their lifetime with the highest dose of the test agent that caused no local irritation or reduction in body weight gain. Two negative control groups received acetone (diluent) only. A positive control group received 0.2% methylcholanthrene (MC). NPGDA and EHA had significant tumorigenic activity with tumor yields of eight and six tumor-bearing mice (three and two malignancies), respectively. The MC group had 34 mice with carcinomas and 1 additional mouse with a papilloma. MCEA had no dermal tumorigenic activity but resulted in early mortality. No skin tumors in the treatment area were observed in the other groups. Additional studies will be necessary to elucidate possible relationships between structure and tumorigenic activity for the acrylates.

Anisotropic Weyl symmetry and cosmology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moon, Taeyoon; Oh, Phillial; Sohn, Jongsu

2010-11-01

We construct an anisotropic Weyl invariant theory in the ADM formalism and discuss its cosmological consequences. It extends the original anisotropic Weyl invariance of Hořava-Lifshitz gravity using an extra scalar field. The action is invariant under the anisotropic transformations of the space and time metric components with an arbitrary value of the critical exponent z. One of the interesting features is that the cosmological constant term maintains the anisotropic symmetry for z = -3. We also include the cosmological fluid and show that it can preserve the anisotropic Weyl invariance if the equation of state satisfies P = zρ/3. Then, we study cosmology of the Einstein-Hilbert-anisotropic Weyl (EHaW) action including the cosmological fluid, both with or without anisotropic Weyl invariance. The correlation of the critical exponent z and the equation of state parameter bar omega provides a new perspective of the cosmology. It is also shown that the EHaW action admits a late time accelerating universe for an arbitrary value of z when the anisotropic conformal invariance is broken, and the anisotropic conformal scalar field is interpreted as a possible source of dark energy.

Comparing an in vivo egg reduction test and in vitro egg hatching assay for different anthelmintics against Fasciola species, in cattle.

PubMed

Arafa, Waleed M; Shokeir, Khalid M; Khateib, Abdelrahman M

2015-11-30

This study aimed to compare between the efficiency of in vivo fecal egg reduction test (FERT) and in vitro egg hatching assay (EHA) in evaluating of the anti-Fasciola activity of albendazole, triclabendazole, oxyclozanide and praziquantel. A field trial was carried out on fifty naturally Fasciola infected cattle that were divided equally into 5 groups (A-E). On day zero; groups A-D were drenched with albendazole, triclabendazole, oxyclozanide or praziquantel, respectively, while the remaining one, group E, was kept as untreated control. Fecal egg counts of the different groups were conducted weekly over a period of one month post-treatment. In vitro, commercial albendazole and oxyclozanide were diluted to 0.0002, 0.002, 0.02, 0.2 and 2.0 μg/ml, while commercial triclabendazole and praziquantel were diluted to concentrations of 25, 50, 75 and 100 μg/ml with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). In vivo, at the 2nd week post-treatment, triclabendazole and oxyclozanide showed 100% fecal egg reduction (FER), and albendazole had a maximum of 73.7% reduction (P < 0.0001), however, praziquantel did not record any reduction of Fasciola egg counts. In vitro, triclabendazole treated Fasciola gigantica eggs showed early embryonic lysis with zero% hatching at the different concentrations (P < 0.01). In albendazole, the hatching varied according to the drug concentration. At the highest two concentrations; 0.2 and 2.0 μg/ml, the hatching percentages were 7.4 ± 1.6 and 5.6 ± 1.5 (P < 0.01) respectively. On the contrary, there were no significant differences in egg development and hatching percentage of oxyclozanide or praziquantel treated groups. In conclusion, the efficacy of triclabendazole and albendazole as fasciolicdes could be predicted by Egg Hatching Assay (EHA). Meanwhile fasciolicide activity of oxyclozanide could not be assessed with EHA. Based on in vivo and in vitro findings, paraziquantel did not show any fasciolicide effect. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights

Body lean angle in sound dressage horses in-hand, on the lunge and ridden.

PubMed

Greve, Line; Dyson, Sue

2016-11-01

Animals can minimise the risk of falling by leaning into a curve. The aims of this study were: (1) to quantify the difference between observed (measured by an inertial measurement unit, IMU) and predicted body lean angle (calculated as a cyclist when turning) in horses; and (2) to compare circles versus straight lines ridden versus in-hand and trot with canter, and investigate the influence of age, rein and ridden work quality in trot (Fédération Equestre Internationale grading scale 1-10) in horses. Thirteen non-lame horses were assessed prospectively in a non-random, cross-sectional survey. The horses were trotted in straight lines, lunged and ridden on both reins. A global positioning system-aided IMU attached to the skin over the tuber sacrale quantified body lean and recorded the velocity and the radius, which were used to calculate predicted lean. Horses ≤ 6 years of age leant more than predicted (mean ± standard deviation 2.9 ± 2.6°) and more than horses ≥ 7 years old (0.4 ± 3°) (P = 0.01). Horses that scored ≥ 7 in ridden work quality leant less than predicted (-1.1 ± 2.7°) and less than horses which scored ≤ 6 in ridden work quality (2.4 ± 1.5°) (P = 0.02). There were no significant differences between trot and canter, either on the lunge or ridden (P = 0.3), or between left and right reins (P = 0.2). Asymmetry of body lean between reins may be abnormal and may be helpful for recognition of lameness. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Preliminary Investigation on Battery Sizing Investigation for Thrust Vector Control on Ares I and Ares V Launch Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, Thomas B.

2011-01-01

An investigation into the merits of battery powered Electro Hydrostatic Actuation (EHA) for Thrust Vector Control (TVC) of the Ares I and Ares V launch vehicles is described. A top level trade study was conducted to ascertain the technical merits of lithium-ion (Li-ion) and thermal battery performance to determine the preferred choice of an energy storage system chemistry that provides high power discharge capability for a relatively short duration.

Comparative analysis of skin sensitization potency of acrylates (methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, butyl acrylate, and ethylhexyl acrylate) using the local lymph node assay.

PubMed

Dearman, Rebecca J; Betts, Catherine J; Farr, Craig; McLaughlin, James; Berdasco, Nancy; Wiench, Karin; Kimber, Ian

2007-10-01

There are currently available no systematic experimental data on the skin sensitizing properties of acrylates that are of relevance in occupational settings. Limited information from previous guinea-pig tests or from the local lymph node assay (LLNA) is available; however, these data are incomplete and somewhat contradictory. For those reasons, we have examined in the LLNA 4 acrylates: butyl acrylate (BA), ethyl acrylate (EA), methyl acrylate (MA), and ethylhexyl acrylate (EHA). The LLNA data indicated that all 4 compounds have some potential to cause skin sensitization. In addition, the relative potencies of these acrylates were measured by derivation from LLNA dose-response analyses of EC3 values (the effective concentration of chemical required to induce a threefold increase in proliferation of draining lymph node cells compared with control values). On the basis of 1 scheme for the categorization of skin sensitization potency, BA, EA, and MA were each classified as weak sensitizers. Using the same scheme, EHA was considered a moderate sensitizer. However, it must be emphasized that the EC3 value for this chemical of 9.7% is on the borderline between moderate (<10%) and weak (>10%) categories. Thus, the judicious view is that all 4 chemicals possess relatively weak skin sensitizing potential.

Towards Tailored Interphase Formation Utilizing Surface-Active Benzylsulfonium Salts as Cationic Initiators

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-07-15

34,AR V3 APR edrtion may be ved until eha uv’ed. CURITY" Sf ’’ NO F G .. Towsrds Talared lnterphae F .- wmon qjdM to 0 Surfzce-Actlve BenzyWM*irn Sa, -l...min with nltrog, purge. Solution "C NMR were preformed on a Bruker AC-200 wle so state ’C CPMAS, A b f • and "Sl CPMAS were run on a Bnker \\4SL.-400

The production process of "Étude sur le Rein des Urinaires", doctoral thesis of Joaquin María Albarrán at the Faculty of Medicine in Paris.

PubMed

Fernández-Arias, M; Otero, I; Pérez-Albacete, M; Fariña, L A; Angulo, J C

2014-01-01

The manuscript of the Doctoral Thesis of Joaquín Albarrán in the Faculty of Medicine in Paris "Étudesur le Rein des Urinaires" has been donated to Asociación Española de Urología. Direct comparison of the original and printed material gives information of the production process of this master work. Direct comparison between the original hand-written work, a single hard bound volume covered with loin cloth and water paper composed of 145 numbered pages plus 206 newly numbered pages of clinico-pathological (37 subjects) and experimental (19 assays in 20 rabbits) data, and the printed work edited by Georges Steinheil in 1889. Prints included 4 plates with 14 figures, 9 temperature charts and 5 tables describing urine examinations. Figures were trichromic and charts and tables black & white. Chromolithographs were produced by Mr. Leuba in the printing owned by Lemercier et Cie, Paris. The original work was completed in 1887 without any correction or deletion. Differences are noticeable between the text in the master and printed works: rearrangement of data and inclusion of a new clinical observation, 5 new experiments, summary and dedications. Changes in iconography are noticeable. The masterwork included 24 plates (numbered from 1 to 22, 13bis, 16bis) with 46 figures (44 colored) integrated within the text and 26 double-page temperature registries that accompany clinical observations. Anatomical, histological and microbiological illustrations, including culture media, microbiological stains and histobacteriological preparations were depicted as watercolors (44%), watercolors mixed with pencil or ink (52%) or pencil drawings (4%). Four (9%) were signed by the author, 5 (11%) had numerical annotations and only 14 (30%) were definitely printed with loss of the black component and redrawn of 4/14 (29%) images. The largest images were not printed. Joaquín Albarrán described and beautifully illustrated himself the role "pyogenic bacillus" (E. coli) played in renal

States Eye Looser Rein on Districts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacobson, Linda

2008-01-01

The push to give school districts greater operating flexibility--a grassroots rallying cry eclipsed in recent years by the charter school movement--is seeing a resurgence, as states seek to spur innovation that will help raise student achievement. In Georgia, Governor Sonny Perdue is proposing "performance contracts" that would free…

Social Contributions to the Equilibration of Action Schemes: A Longitudinal Study of Locomotion.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lightfoot, Cynthia

According to Jaan Valsiner, development takes place within culturally structured environments jointly organized by the activities of children and the people around them. When overlap between promoted activity and the child's zone of proximal development exists, the structure of action that results from the interplay of the two is internalized by…

REBOUND-ing Off Asteroids: An N-body Particle Model for Ejecta Dynamics on Small Bodies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larson, Jennifer; Sarid, Gal

2017-10-01

Here we describe our numerical approach to model the evolution of ejecta clouds. Modeling with an N-body particle method enables us to study the micro-dynamics while varying the particle size distribution. A hydrodynamic approach loses many of the fine particle-particle interactions included in the N-body particle approach (Artemieva 2008).We use REBOUND, an N-body integration package (Rein et al. 2012) developed to model various dynamical systems (planetary orbits, ring systems, etc.) with high resolution calculations at a lower performance cost than other N-body integrators (Rein & Tamayo 2017). It offers both symplectic (WHFast) and non-symplectic (IAS15) methods (Rein & Spiegel 2014, Rein & Tamayo 2015). We primarily use the IAS15 integrator due to its robustness and accuracy with short interaction distances and non-conservative forces. We implemented a wrapper (developed in Python) to handle changes in time step and integrator at different stages of ejecta particle evolution.To set up the system, each particle is given a velocity away from the target body’s surface at a given angle within a defined ejecta cone. We study the ejecta cloud evolution beginning immediately after an impact rather than the actual impact itself. This model considers effects such as varying particle size distribution, radiation pressure, perturbations from a binary component, particle-particle collisions and non-axisymmetric gravity of the target body. Restrictions on the boundaries of the target body’s surface define the physical shape and help count the number of particles that land on the target body. Later, we will build the central body from individual particles to allow for a wider variety of target body shapes and topographies.With our particle modeling approach, individual particle trajectories are tracked and predicted on short, medium and long timescales. Our approach will be applied to modeling of the ejecta cloud produced during the Double Asteroid Redirection Test

Stages of Development in Poverty Program Neighborhood Action Committees

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zurcher, Louis A., Jr.

1969-01-01

Two discussion papers, commenting on the main article, are included: (1) "Community Action: The Limits of a Developmental Framework by Martin Rein, and (2) "For the Advocate and the Innovator by Franklin M. Zweig.

Lectins in fruits having gastrointestinal activity: their participation in the hemagglutinating property of Escherichia coli O157:H7.

PubMed

Coutiño-Rodríguez, R; Hernández-Cruz, P; Giles-Ríos, H

2001-01-01

In fruits with therapeutic properties for antidiarrheal and laxative uses, the presence of lectins may be the bioactive properties that interfere with bacterial adhesion, thought to be competition for glycoside signal sites in the attachment. This study identifies lectins in crude extracts from fruits such as Tamarindus indica (tamarind), Spontia vulgaris (plum), Psidium guava (guava), Mangifera indica (mango), Cydonia vulgaris (quince), and Crataegus mexicanus (tejocote). To verify the procedures, extracts from Ricinus communis (castor bean), Glycine max (soybean), Phaseolus vulgaris (beans), Vicia fava (fava bean), and Solanum tuberosum (potato) were used as controls for lectin activity. Both sources of lectins were analyzed to determine their participation in the host-parasite interaction, using as a model the hemagglutinating properties of Escherichia coli O157:H7 (EHA). All extracts showed hemagglutination to group O erythrocytes test (HA) with the exception of mango. Two new galactose-specific lectins were identified from tamarind and guava. When analyzed for participation in EHA, only guava lectins inhibited this, while soybean lectin induced hemolysis; as both lectins bind to galactose, it is probable that their recognition occurs in different domains. Sugars involved in the attachment between Escherichia coli O157:H7 and red cells were identified and again, galactose in addition to mannose was found to be related in EHA. On the other hand, guava lectins also agglutinated E. coli O157:H7, perhaps due to the same galactose-specific lectin or to another type of lectin. In summary, guava has a galactose-specific lectin that prevents adhesion of E. coli O157:H7 to red cells; this lectin is mediated by galactose. Prevention could also be due to their capacity of agglutinating E. coli by guava lectins. Soybean lectin induced hemolysis only when bacteria was present, but not with floating secretions. This finding showed that guava is a source of lectin that can be

Improvement of the U.S. Army Intermediate Cold Wet Boot

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-04-01

thermal comfort of the human foot during exposure to cold ambient temperatures. 33-5 Figure 4. Photograph showing human volunteers during the 1990 ICWB...boot indicating that it would provide an increased level of thermal comfort . The then-current U.S. Army Intermediate Cold-Wet Boot, 34 33 32 31 E 30 E...has been recommended that the U.S. Army continue to evaluate future improvements in these materials designed to increase individual thermal comfort and

Scientific Research Program for Power, Energy, and Thermal Technologies. Task Order 0002: Power, Thermal and Control Technologies and Processes Experimental Research. Subtask: Laboratory Test Set-up to Evaluate Electromechanical Actuation Systems for Aircraft Flight Control

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-08-01

faults are incorporated into the system in order to better understand the EMA reliability, and to aid in designing fault detection software for real...to a fixed angle repeatedly and accurately [16]. The motor in the EHA is used to drive a reversible pump tied to a hydraulic cylinder which moves...24] [25] [26]. These test stands are used for the prognostic testing of EMAS that have had mechanical or electrical faults injected into them. The

75 FR 41179 - Sunshine Act Notices

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-15

.... Laham, Esq., and D. Mark Renaud, Esq., of Wiley Rein LLP. Draft Advisory Opinion 2010-10: National Right... Ten, by its counsel, Marc E. Elias, Esq., and Ezra Reese, Esq., of Perkins Coie LLP. Management and...

75 FR 44792 - Sunshine Act Notices

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-29

...: Club for Growth, by its counsel, Carol A. Laham, Esq., and D. Mark Renaud, Esq., of Wiley Rein LLP. Draft Advisory Opinion 2010-11: Commonsense Ten, by its counsel, Marc E. Elias, Esq., and Ezra Reese...

75 FR 43983 - Sunshine Act Notices

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-27

...: Club for Growth, by its counsel, Carol A. Laham, Esq., and D. Mark Renaud, Esq., of Wiley Rein LLP. Draft Advisory Opinion 2010-11: Commonsense Ten, by its counsel, Marc E. Elias, Esq., and Ezra Reese...

A new way towards high-efficiency thermally activated delayed fluorescence devices via external heavy-atom effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Wenzhi; Jin, Jiangjiang; Huang, Zhi; Zhuang, Shaoqing; Wang, Lei

2016-07-01

Thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) mechanism is a significant method that enables the harvesting of both triplet and singlet excitons for emission. However, up to now most efforts have been devoted to dealing with the relation between singlet-triplet splitting (ΔEST) and fluorescence efficiency, while the significance of spin-orbit coupling (SOC) is usually ignored. In this contribution, a new method is developed to realize high-efficiency TADF-based devices through simple device-structure optimizations. By inserting an ultrathin external heavy-atom (EHA) perturber layer in a desired manner, it provides useful means of accelerating the T1 → S1 reverse intersystem crossing (RISC) in TADF molecules without affecting the corresponding S1 → T1 process heavily. Furthermore, this strategy also promotes the utilization of host triplets through Förster mechanism during host → guest energy transfer (ET) processes, which helps to get rid of the solely dependence upon Dexter mechanism. Based on this strategy, we have successfully raised the external quantum efficiency (EQE) in 4CzPN-based devices by nearly 38% in comparison to control devices. These findings provide keen insights into the role of EHA played in TADF-based devices, offering valuable guidelines for utilizing certain TADF dyes which possess high radiative transition rate but relatively inefficient RISC.

75 FR 42444 - Sunshine Act Notices

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-21

... Opinion 2010-09: Club for Growth, by its counsel, Carol A. Laham, Esq., and D. Mark Renaud, Esq., of Wiley Rein LLP. Draft Advisory Opinion 2010-11: Commonsense Ten, by its counsel, Marc E. Elias, Esq., and...

Measurement of Coherent π+ Production in Low Energy Neutrino-Carbon Scattering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abe, K.; Andreopoulos, C.; Antonova, M.; Aoki, S.; Ariga, A.; Assylbekov, S.; Autiero, D.; Ban, S.; Barbi, M.; Barker, G. J.; Barr, G.; Bartet-Friburg, P.; Batkiewicz, M.; Bay, F.; Berardi, V.; Berkman, S.; Bhadra, S.; Blondel, A.; Bolognesi, S.; Bordoni, S.; Boyd, S. B.; Brailsford, D.; Bravar, A.; Bronner, C.; Buizza Avanzini, M.; Calland, R. G.; Campbell, T.; Cao, S.; Caravaca Rodríguez, J.; Cartwright, S. L.; Castillo, R.; Catanesi, M. G.; Cervera, A.; Cherdack, D.; Chikuma, N.; Christodoulou, G.; Clifton, A.; Coleman, J.; Collazuol, G.; Coplowe, D.; Cremonesi, L.; Dabrowska, A.; De Rosa, G.; Dealtry, T.; Denner, P. F.; Dennis, S. R.; Densham, C.; Dewhurst, D.; Di Lodovico, F.; Di Luise, S.; Dolan, S.; Drapier, O.; Duffy, K. E.; Dumarchez, J.; Dytman, S.; Dziewiecki, M.; Emery-Schrenk, S.; Ereditato, A.; Feusels, T.; Finch, A. J.; Fiorentini, G. A.; Friend, M.; Fujii, Y.; Fukuda, D.; Fukuda, Y.; Furmanski, A. P.; Galymov, V.; Garcia, A.; Giffin, S. G.; Giganti, C.; Gizzarelli, F.; Gonin, M.; Grant, N.; Hadley, D. R.; Haegel, L.; Haigh, M. D.; Hamilton, P.; Hansen, D.; Harada, J.; Hara, T.; Hartz, M.; Hasegawa, T.; Hastings, N. C.; Hayashino, T.; Hayato, Y.; Helmer, R. L.; Hierholzer, M.; Hillairet, A.; Himmel, A.; Hiraki, T.; Hirota, S.; Hogan, M.; Holeczek, J.; Horikawa, S.; Hosomi, F.; Huang, K.; Ichikawa, A. K.; Ieki, K.; Ikeda, M.; Imber, J.; Insler, J.; Intonti, R. A.; Irvine, T. J.; Ishida, T.; Ishii, T.; Iwai, E.; Iwamoto, K.; Izmaylov, A.; Jacob, A.; Jamieson, B.; Jiang, M.; Johnson, S.; Jo, J. H.; Jonsson, P.; Jung, C. K.; Kabirnezhad, M.; Kaboth, A. C.; Kajita, T.; Kakuno, H.; Kameda, J.; Karlen, D.; Karpikov, I.; Katori, T.; Kearns, E.; Khabibullin, M.; Khotjantsev, A.; Kielczewska, D.; Kikawa, T.; Kim, H.; Kim, J.; King, S.; Kisiel, J.; Knight, A.; Knox, A.; Kobayashi, T.; Koch, L.; Koga, T.; Konaka, A.; Kondo, K.; Kopylov, A.; Kormos, L. L.; Korzenev, A.; Koshio, Y.; Kropp, W.; Kudenko, Y.; Kurjata, R.; Kutter, T.; Lagoda, J.; Lamont, I.; Larkin, E.; Lasorak, P.; Laveder, M.; Lawe, M.; Lazos, M.; Lindner, T.; Liptak, Z. J.; Litchfield, R. P.; Li, X.; Longhin, A.; Lopez, J. P.; Ludovici, L.; Lu, X.; Magaletti, L.; Mahn, K.; Malek, M.; Manly, S.; Marino, A. D.; Marteau, J.; Martin, J. F.; Martins, P.; Martynenko, S.; Maruyama, T.; Matveev, V.; Mavrokoridis, K.; Ma, W. Y.; Mazzucato, E.; McCarthy, M.; McCauley, N.; McFarland, K. S.; McGrew, C.; Mefodiev, A.; Metelko, C.; Mezzetto, M.; Mijakowski, P.; Minamino, A.; Mineev, O.; Mine, S.; Missert, A.; Miura, M.; Moriyama, S.; Mueller, Th. A.; Murphy, S.; Myslik, J.; Nakadaira, T.; Nakahata, M.; Nakamura, K. G.; Nakamura, K.; Nakamura, K. D.; Nakayama, S.; Nakaya, T.; Nakayoshi, K.; Nantais, C.; Nielsen, C.; Nirkko, M.; Nishikawa, K.; Nishimura, Y.; Novella, P.; Nowak, J.; O'Keeffe, H. M.; Ohta, R.; Okumura, K.; Okusawa, T.; Oryszczak, W.; Oser, S. M.; Ovsyannikova, T.; Owen, R. A.; Oyama, Y.; Palladino, V.; Palomino, J. L.; Paolone, V.; Patel, N. D.; Pavin, M.; Payne, D.; Perkin, J. D.; Petrov, Y.; Pickard, L.; Pickering, L.; Pinzon Guerra, E. S.; Pistillo, C.; Popov, B.; Posiadala-Zezula, M.; Poutissou, J.-M.; Poutissou, R.; Przewlocki, P.; Quilain, B.; Radermacher, T.; Radicioni, E.; Ratoff, P. N.; Ravonel, M.; Rayner, M. A. M.; Redij, A.; Reinherz-Aronis, E.; Riccio, C.; Rojas, P.; Rondio, E.; Roth, S.; Rubbia, A.; Rychter, A.; Sacco, R.; Sakashita, K.; Sánchez, F.; Sato, F.; Scantamburlo, E.; Scholberg, K.; Schoppmann, S.; Schwehr, J.; Scott, M.; Seiya, Y.; Sekiguchi, T.; Sekiya, H.; Sgalaberna, D.; Shah, R.; Shaikhiev, A.; Shaker, F.; Shaw, D.; Shiozawa, M.; Shirahige, T.; Short, S.; Smy, M.; Sobczyk, J. T.; Sobel, H.; Sorel, M.; Southwell, L.; Stamoulis, P.; Steinmann, J.; Stewart, T.; Stowell, P.; Suda, Y.; Suvorov, S.; Suzuki, A.; Suzuki, K.; Suzuki, S. Y.; Suzuki, Y.; Tacik, R.; Tada, M.; Takahashi, S.; Takeda, A.; Takeuchi, Y.; Tanaka, H. K.; Tanaka, H. A.; Terhorst, D.; Terri, R.; Thakore, T.; Thompson, L. F.; Tobayama, S.; Toki, W.; Tomura, T.; Touramanis, C.; Tsukamoto, T.; Tzanov, M.; Uchida, Y.; Vacheret, A.; Vagins, M.; Vallari, Z.; Vasseur, G.; Wachala, T.; Wakamatsu, K.; Walter, C. W.; Wark, D.; Warzycha, W.; Wascko, M. O.; Weber, A.; Wendell, R.; Wilkes, R. J.; Wilking, M. J.; Wilkinson, C.; Wilson, J. R.; Wilson, R. J.; Yamada, Y.; Yamamoto, K.; Yamamoto, M.; Yanagisawa, C.; Yano, T.; Yen, S.; Yershov, N.; Yokoyama, M.; Yoo, J.; Yoshida, K.; Yuan, T.; Yu, M.; Zalewska, A.; Zalipska, J.; Zambelli, L.; Zaremba, K.; Ziembicki, M.; Zimmerman, E. D.; Zito, M.; Żmuda, J.; T2K Collaboration

2016-11-01

We report the first measurement of the flux-averaged cross section for charged current coherent π+ production on carbon for neutrino energies less than 1.5 GeV, and with a restriction on the final state phase space volume in the T2K near detector, ND280. Comparisons are made with predictions from the Rein-Sehgal coherent production model and the model by Alvarez-Ruso et al., the latter representing the first implementation of an instance of the new class of microscopic coherent models in a neutrino interaction Monte Carlo event generator. We observe a clear event excess above background, disagreeing with the null results reported by K2K and SciBooNE in a similar neutrino energy region. The measured flux-averaged cross sections are below those predicted by both the Rein-Sehgal and Alvarez-Ruso et al. models.

75 FR 66781 - Habitat Conservation Plan for Pacific Gas & Electric Company's Operation, Maintenance, and Minor...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-29

... Dunes evening-primrose E Oenotherawolfii Wolf's evening-primrose -- Orcuttiapilosa Hairy orcutt grass E Orcuttiatenuis Slender orcutt grass T Orcuttiaviscida Sacramento orcutt grass E Packeralayneae Layne's ragwort T... Monterey pine -- Piperiayadonii Yadon's rein orchid E Pleuropogonhooverianus North Coast semaphore grass...

Endoscopic Removal of a Giant Gastric Bezoar in a Gastric pouch Diverticulum

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-08-15

hair ), pharmacobezoars (medications), mid laclobezoars (milk). This is a case of a giant phytobezoar. requiring endoscopic rein oval. 1S. SUBJECT...classified into four types, depending on the material constituting the indigestible mass of the bezoar: phytobezoars (plants), trichobezoars ( hair

The Case for Case-Based Transfer Learning

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

Thorndike and Woodworth 1901; Perkins and Salomon 1994; Bransford, Brown, and Cocking 2000), among other disciplines. Transfer learning uses knowledge...Transfer Learning for Rein- forcement Learning Domains: A Survey. Journal of Machine Learning Research 10(1): 1633–1685. Thorndike , E. L., and

Pity the Poor Professor of Educational Administration: The Puzzlements of Knowledge and of Practice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burlingame, Martin

1985-01-01

Professors of educational administration are being pressed to hold one of three conflicting viewpoints about knowledge and practice: "behavioral science,""symbolic," or "critical." Using Rein's notion of stories, the author urges professors to debate these viewpoints among themselves but use stories to study…

Act Now or Risk HIV Rebounding.

PubMed

Kresge, Kristen Jill

Long-time pharmaceutical company veteran Emilio Emini took over the reins of the HIV program at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation over a year ago. Here, he describes the Foundation's efforts to combat HIV and why this task is more important than ever.

Measurement of Coherent π^{+} Production in Low Energy Neutrino-Carbon Scattering.

PubMed

Abe, K; Andreopoulos, C; Antonova, M; Aoki, S; Ariga, A; Assylbekov, S; Autiero, D; Ban, S; Barbi, M; Barker, G J; Barr, G; Bartet-Friburg, P; Batkiewicz, M; Bay, F; Berardi, V; Berkman, S; Bhadra, S; Blondel, A; Bolognesi, S; Bordoni, S; Boyd, S B; Brailsford, D; Bravar, A; Bronner, C; Buizza Avanzini, M; Calland, R G; Campbell, T; Cao, S; Caravaca Rodríguez, J; Cartwright, S L; Castillo, R; Catanesi, M G; Cervera, A; Cherdack, D; Chikuma, N; Christodoulou, G; Clifton, A; Coleman, J; Collazuol, G; Coplowe, D; Cremonesi, L; Dabrowska, A; De Rosa, G; Dealtry, T; Denner, P F; Dennis, S R; Densham, C; Dewhurst, D; Di Lodovico, F; Di Luise, S; Dolan, S; Drapier, O; Duffy, K E; Dumarchez, J; Dytman, S; Dziewiecki, M; Emery-Schrenk, S; Ereditato, A; Feusels, T; Finch, A J; Fiorentini, G A; Friend, M; Fujii, Y; Fukuda, D; Fukuda, Y; Furmanski, A P; Galymov, V; Garcia, A; Giffin, S G; Giganti, C; Gizzarelli, F; Gonin, M; Grant, N; Hadley, D R; Haegel, L; Haigh, M D; Hamilton, P; Hansen, D; Harada, J; Hara, T; Hartz, M; Hasegawa, T; Hastings, N C; Hayashino, T; Hayato, Y; Helmer, R L; Hierholzer, M; Hillairet, A; Himmel, A; Hiraki, T; Hirota, S; Hogan, M; Holeczek, J; Horikawa, S; Hosomi, F; Huang, K; Ichikawa, A K; Ieki, K; Ikeda, M; Imber, J; Insler, J; Intonti, R A; Irvine, T J; Ishida, T; Ishii, T; Iwai, E; Iwamoto, K; Izmaylov, A; Jacob, A; Jamieson, B; Jiang, M; Johnson, S; Jo, J H; Jonsson, P; Jung, C K; Kabirnezhad, M; Kaboth, A C; Kajita, T; Kakuno, H; Kameda, J; Karlen, D; Karpikov, I; Katori, T; Kearns, E; Khabibullin, M; Khotjantsev, A; Kielczewska, D; Kikawa, T; Kim, H; Kim, J; King, S; Kisiel, J; Knight, A; Knox, A; Kobayashi, T; Koch, L; Koga, T; Konaka, A; Kondo, K; Kopylov, A; Kormos, L L; Korzenev, A; Koshio, Y; Kropp, W; Kudenko, Y; Kurjata, R; Kutter, T; Lagoda, J; Lamont, I; Larkin, E; Lasorak, P; Laveder, M; Lawe, M; Lazos, M; Lindner, T; Liptak, Z J; Litchfield, R P; Li, X; Longhin, A; Lopez, J P; Ludovici, L; Lu, X; Magaletti, L; Mahn, K; Malek, M; Manly, S; Marino, A D; Marteau, J; Martin, J F; Martins, P; Martynenko, S; Maruyama, T; Matveev, V; Mavrokoridis, K; Ma, W Y; Mazzucato, E; McCarthy, M; McCauley, N; McFarland, K S; McGrew, C; Mefodiev, A; Metelko, C; Mezzetto, M; Mijakowski, P; Minamino, A; Mineev, O; Mine, S; Missert, A; Miura, M; Moriyama, S; Mueller, Th A; Murphy, S; Myslik, J; Nakadaira, T; Nakahata, M; Nakamura, K G; Nakamura, K; Nakamura, K D; Nakayama, S; Nakaya, T; Nakayoshi, K; Nantais, C; Nielsen, C; Nirkko, M; Nishikawa, K; Nishimura, Y; Novella, P; Nowak, J; O'Keeffe, H M; Ohta, R; Okumura, K; Okusawa, T; Oryszczak, W; Oser, S M; Ovsyannikova, T; Owen, R A; Oyama, Y; Palladino, V; Palomino, J L; Paolone, V; Patel, N D; Pavin, M; Payne, D; Perkin, J D; Petrov, Y; Pickard, L; Pickering, L; Pinzon Guerra, E S; Pistillo, C; Popov, B; Posiadala-Zezula, M; Poutissou, J-M; Poutissou, R; Przewlocki, P; Quilain, B; Radermacher, T; Radicioni, E; Ratoff, P N; Ravonel, M; Rayner, M A M; Redij, A; Reinherz-Aronis, E; Riccio, C; Rojas, P; Rondio, E; Roth, S; Rubbia, A; Rychter, A; Sacco, R; Sakashita, K; Sánchez, F; Sato, F; Scantamburlo, E; Scholberg, K; Schoppmann, S; Schwehr, J; Scott, M; Seiya, Y; Sekiguchi, T; Sekiya, H; Sgalaberna, D; Shah, R; Shaikhiev, A; Shaker, F; Shaw, D; Shiozawa, M; Shirahige, T; Short, S; Smy, M; Sobczyk, J T; Sobel, H; Sorel, M; Southwell, L; Stamoulis, P; Steinmann, J; Stewart, T; Stowell, P; Suda, Y; Suvorov, S; Suzuki, A; Suzuki, K; Suzuki, S Y; Suzuki, Y; Tacik, R; Tada, M; Takahashi, S; Takeda, A; Takeuchi, Y; Tanaka, H K; Tanaka, H A; Terhorst, D; Terri, R; Thakore, T; Thompson, L F; Tobayama, S; Toki, W; Tomura, T; Touramanis, C; Tsukamoto, T; Tzanov, M; Uchida, Y; Vacheret, A; Vagins, M; Vallari, Z; Vasseur, G; Wachala, T; Wakamatsu, K; Walter, C W; Wark, D; Warzycha, W; Wascko, M O; Weber, A; Wendell, R; Wilkes, R J; Wilking, M J; Wilkinson, C; Wilson, J R; Wilson, R J; Yamada, Y; Yamamoto, K; Yamamoto, M; Yanagisawa, C; Yano, T; Yen, S; Yershov, N; Yokoyama, M; Yoo, J; Yoshida, K; Yuan, T; Yu, M; Zalewska, A; Zalipska, J; Zambelli, L; Zaremba, K; Ziembicki, M; Zimmerman, E D; Zito, M; Żmuda, J

2016-11-04

We report the first measurement of the flux-averaged cross section for charged current coherent π^{+} production on carbon for neutrino energies less than 1.5 GeV, and with a restriction on the final state phase space volume in the T2K near detector, ND280. Comparisons are made with predictions from the Rein-Sehgal coherent production model and the model by Alvarez-Ruso et al., the latter representing the first implementation of an instance of the new class of microscopic coherent models in a neutrino interaction Monte Carlo event generator. We observe a clear event excess above background, disagreeing with the null results reported by K2K and SciBooNE in a similar neutrino energy region. The measured flux-averaged cross sections are below those predicted by both the Rein-Sehgal and Alvarez-Ruso et al.

Patient-reported outcomes in neurofibromatosis and schwannomatosis clinical trials

PubMed Central

Martin, Staci; Merker, Vanessa L.; Gardner, Kathy L.; Hingtgen, Cynthia M.; Tonsgard, James H.; Schorry, Elizabeth K.; Baldwin, Andrea

2013-01-01

Objectives: Neurofibromatosis (NF) is a genetic disease with multiple clinical manifestations that can significantly impact quality of life (QOL). Clinical trials should include patient-reported outcomes (PROs) as endpoints to assess treatment effects on various aspects of QOL, but there is no consensus on the selection and use of such measures in NF. This article describes the PRO Working Group of the Response Evaluation in Neurofibromatosis and Schwannomatosis (REiNS) Collaboration, its main goals, methods for identifying appropriate PRO measures for NF clinical trials, and recommendations for assessing pain intensity. Methods: The REiNS PRO group selected core endpoint domains important to assess in NF. The members developed criteria to rate PRO measures, including patient characteristics, psychometric properties, and feasibility, and utilized a systematic process to evaluate PROs for NF clinical trials. Within the subdomain of pain intensity, the group reviewed the Numerical Rating Scale-11 (NRS-11), the Visual Analogue Scale, and the Faces Pain Scale-Revised using this process. Results: Based on the review criteria, each of these pain intensity scales is brief, reliable, valid, and widely used. However, the NRS-11 was given the highest rating for use in NF clinical trials due to recommendations from pain experts and other consensus groups, its extensive use in research, strong psychometric data including sensitivity to change, and excellent feasibility in ages ≥8 years. Conclusions: The systematic review criteria and process are effective for identifying appropriate PRO measures and provide information utilized by the REiNS Collaboration to achieve consensus regarding PROs in NF clinical trials. PMID:24249806

Patient-reported outcomes in neurofibromatosis and schwannomatosis clinical trials.

PubMed

Wolters, Pamela L; Martin, Staci; Merker, Vanessa L; Gardner, Kathy L; Hingtgen, Cynthia M; Tonsgard, James H; Schorry, Elizabeth K; Baldwin, Andrea

2013-11-19

Neurofibromatosis (NF) is a genetic disease with multiple clinical manifestations that can significantly impact quality of life (QOL). Clinical trials should include patient-reported outcomes (PROs) as endpoints to assess treatment effects on various aspects of QOL, but there is no consensus on the selection and use of such measures in NF. This article describes the PRO Working Group of the Response Evaluation in Neurofibromatosis and Schwannomatosis (REiNS) Collaboration, its main goals, methods for identifying appropriate PRO measures for NF clinical trials, and recommendations for assessing pain intensity. The REiNS PRO group selected core endpoint domains important to assess in NF. The members developed criteria to rate PRO measures, including patient characteristics, psychometric properties, and feasibility, and utilized a systematic process to evaluate PROs for NF clinical trials. Within the subdomain of pain intensity, the group reviewed the Numerical Rating Scale-11 (NRS-11), the Visual Analogue Scale, and the Faces Pain Scale-Revised using this process. Based on the review criteria, each of these pain intensity scales is brief, reliable, valid, and widely used. However, the NRS-11 was given the highest rating for use in NF clinical trials due to recommendations from pain experts and other consensus groups, its extensive use in research, strong psychometric data including sensitivity to change, and excellent feasibility in ages ≥ 8 years. The systematic review criteria and process are effective for identifying appropriate PRO measures and provide information utilized by the REiNS Collaboration to achieve consensus regarding PROs in NF clinical trials.

Taking the Reins: Preservice Teachers Practicing Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dunlap, Karen; Hansen-Thomas, Holly

2011-01-01

What makes the difference between a good teacher and a great one? Knowing one's content is important, but having strong leadership skills can tip the scales from mediocrity to excellence. The best time to begin practicing being a teacher leader is during the preservice years. By practicing leadership skills, one can begin to view oneself not only…

Behind the habits of the hermit nation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McElligott, Thomas J.

1974-01-01

Discussed the conflict of Ireland's religious orders and their stranglehold on the reins of education versus the rising discontent of parents, the decline of religious personnel and the wan of the influence of religion on the development of education in the "hermit nation ". (RK)

Can We Choose a Management Style?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

James, Thomas O.

1985-01-01

Options in management style from corporate administration literature available to educational institutions include the choices of Theory X vs. Theory Y, the managerial vs. academic grid, management by objectives, autocratic vs. bureaucratic vs. participative vs. free-rein leadership styles, situational leadership, presidential role, leadership…

Inspector General, DOD, Oversight of the Air Force Audit Agency Audit of the FY 1999 Working Capital Fund Financial Statements

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-02-14

5338M SO «.’A- ^ , S^ KfcS mi &<ur: .VCR In gnat* J» Äm«5w to term» Mxtgnitk» «a* expense ealaiktioMfitrmst «fgxdt fcU omf eha expenses. 31...higher NOR was driven by higher revenue than planned, because customers bought a different mix of fuels than budgeted as a result of the Kosovo...goods sold, which HP man III measures the cost incurred to produce a given quantity and mix of products and services. Net Operating Result the NOR

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Armando Oliu, Final Inspection Team lead for the Shuttle program, speaks to reporters about the aid the Image Analysis Lab is giving the FBI in a kidnapping case. Behind him at right is Mike Rein, External Affairs division chief. Oliu oversees the image lab that is using an advanced SGI® TP9500 data management system to review the tape of the kidnapping in progress in Sarasota, Fla. KSC installed the new $3.2 million system in preparation for Return to Flight of the Space Shuttle fleet. The lab is studying the Sarasota kidnapping video to provide any new information possible to law enforcement officers. KSC is joining NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama in reviewing the tape.

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-02-04

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Armando Oliu, Final Inspection Team lead for the Shuttle program, speaks to reporters about the aid the Image Analysis Lab is giving the FBI in a kidnapping case. Behind him at right is Mike Rein, External Affairs division chief. Oliu oversees the image lab that is using an advanced SGI® TP9500 data management system to review the tape of the kidnapping in progress in Sarasota, Fla. KSC installed the new $3.2 million system in preparation for Return to Flight of the Space Shuttle fleet. The lab is studying the Sarasota kidnapping video to provide any new information possible to law enforcement officers. KSC is joining NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama in reviewing the tape.

Developing Expatriates for the Asia-Pacific Region: A Comparative Analysis of Multinational Enterprise Managers from Five Countries across Three Continents. [and] Invited Reaction: Developing Expatriates for the Asia-Pacific Region.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Osman-Gani, AAhad M.; van Reine, Peter Prud'homme; Trompenaars, Fons

2000-01-01

Osman-Gani's study surveyed 501 U.S., Germany, Japanese, Korean, and Singaporean managers working abroad, finding significant differences in views of types of training (pre- and postarrival, repatriation, language, cross-cultural) and appropriate delivery methods. Van Reine and Trompenaars' reaction article highlights how cultural background,…

Multispectral Digital Image Analysis of Varved Sediments in Thin Sections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jäger, K.; Rein, B.; Dietrich, S.

2006-12-01

An update of the recently developed method COMPONENTS (Rein, 2003, Rein & Jäger, subm.) for the discrimination of sediment components in thin sections is presented here. COMPONENTS uses a 6-band (multispectral) image analysis. To derive six-band spectral information of the sediments, thin sections are scanned with a digital camera mounted on a polarizing microscope. The thin sections are scanned twice, under polarized and under unpolarized plain light. During each run RGB images are acquired which are subsequently stacked to a six-band file. The first three bands (Blue=1, Green=2, Red=3) result from the spectral behaviour in the blue, green and red band with unpolarized light conditions, and the bands 4 to 6 (Blue=4, Green=5, Red=6) from the polarized light run. The next step is the discrimination of the sediment components by their transmission behaviour. Automatic classification algorithms broadly used in remote sensing applications cannot be used due to unavoidable variations of sediment particle or thin section thicknesses that change absolute grey values of the sediment components. Thus, we use an approach based on band ratios, also known as indices. By using band ratios, the grey values measured in different bands are normalized against each other and illumination variations (e.g. thickness variations) are eliminated. By combining specific ratios we are able to detect all seven major components in the investigated sediments (carbonates, diatoms, fine clastic material, plant rests, pyrite, quartz and resin). Then, the classification results (compositional maps) are validated. Although the automatic classification and the analogous classification show high concordances, some systematic errors could be identified. For example, the transition zone between the sediment and resin filled cracks is classified as fine clastic material and very coarse carbonates are partly classified as quartz because coarse carbonates can be very bright and spectra are partly

Hybrid PV HgCdTe Detectors: Technology Reliability and Failure Physics Program

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-01-01

interconnect reliability. 3-1 8912-16 SECTION 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors would like to thank Dr. Marion Reine, Dr. Andrei Szilagyi , Nancy Hartle... Szilagyi , Mat. Res. Soc. Syrnp. Proc. 69, 257, (1986) 9. Private communications with Andrei Szilagy. 10. R.J. Briggs, J.W. Marciniec, P.H. Zimmermann and

A Good Fit?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Violino, Bob

2010-01-01

Outsourcing has evolved into a strategic imperative at a growing number of community colleges, especially as administrators rein in spending and streamline operations in the face of shrinking budgets. Across the country, more colleges are outsourcing a range of functions, including information technology (IT), course instruction, food service,…

Interfacial contributions in lignocellulosic fiber-reinforced polyurethane composites

Treesearch

Timothy G. Rials; Michael P. Wolcott; John M. Nassar

2001-01-01

Whereas lignocellulosic fibers have received considerable attention as a rein- forcing agent in thermoplastic composites, their applicability to reactive polymer systems remains of considerable interest. The hydroxyl-rich nature of natural lignocellulosic fibers suggests that they are particularly useful in thermosetting systems such as polyurethanes. To further this...

The Management of Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hersey, Paul; Blanchard, Kenneth H.

1972-01-01

Second of three articles cites research indicating employee productivity is usually higher under employee-centered" supervisors who keep a loose rein than under job-centered" ones who exercise close supervision. Since high expectations lead to increasingly high performance, and vice versa, authors suggest ways to turn around low-producing…

Maritime Science and Technology Experimentation Capability Project: Maritime Capability Evaluation Laboratory (MCEL) Data Centre Requirements

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-08-01

as represented by the Minister of National Defence, 2014 © Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la...12 2.2 Recommended Internal LAN Connections...35 vi 6.1 External Noise Reduction............................................................................................ 35 6.2 Internal

Automated System Organizations Under Spatial Grasp Technology

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-06-01

Schade, M. R Hieb, “Formalizing Battle Management Language: A Grammar for Specifying Orders”, Paper 06S- SIW -068, 2006 Spring Simulation...Interoperability Workshop (Paper 06S- SIW -068), Huntsville, Alabama, April 2006. [13] U. Schade, M. R. Hieb, M. Frey, K. Rein, “Command and Control Lexical

Rare earth indates (RE: La-Yb): influence of the synthesis route and heat treatment on the crystal structure.

PubMed

Shukla, Rakesh; Grover, Vinita; Srinivasu, Kancharlapalli; Paul, Barnita; Roy, Anushree; Gupta, Ruma; Tyagi, Avesh Kumar

2018-05-15

Rare earth indates are an interesting class of compounds with rich crystallography. The present study explores the crystallographic phases observed in REInO3 (RE: La-Yb) systems and their dependence on synthesis routes and annealing temperature. All REInO3 compositions were synthesized by a solid state route as well as gel-combustion synthesis (GC) followed by annealing at different temperatures. The systems were well characterized by powder XRD studies and were analysed by Rietveld refinement for the structural parameters. The cell parameters were observed to decrease in accordance with the trend in ionic radii on proceeding from lighter to heavier rare earth ions. Interestingly, the synthesis route and the annealing temperature had a profound bearing on the phase relationships observed in the REInO3 series. The solid state synthesized samples depicted an orthorhombic phase (Pbnm) field for LaInO3 to SmInO3, followed by a hexagonal-type phase (P63cm) for GdInO3 to DyInO3. However, the phase field distribution was greatly influenced upon employing gel-combustion (GC) wherein both single-phasic hexagonal and orthorhombic phase fields were found to shrink. Annealing the GC-synthesized compositions to still higher temperatures (1250 °C) further evolved the phase boundaries. An important outcome of the study is observance of polymorphism in SmInO3 which crystallized in the hexagonal phase when synthesized by GC and orthorhombic phase by solid state synthesis. This reveals the all-important role played by synthesis conditions. The existence and energetics of the two polymorphs have been elucidated and discussed with the aid of theoretical studies.

Understanding Soviet Foreign Policy. The Tradition of Change in Soviet Foreign Policy. Two Schools of Soviet Diplomacy

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-04-01

the works of Victor Hugo, :he Russian classics, and the works of other writers. Isaac Deutscher, Stalin: A Political Biography, New York, Oxford... panache and the scope of the gesture further rein- force the Soviet leader’s ascension and his auctoritas. It vastly adds to the feeling of confidence which

Schools in the New Economy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kennedy, Mike

2011-01-01

Schools and universities across the United States have been forced to cope with a grim financial situation that has left them without adequate resources. Administrators are cutting programs, reining in salaries and jettisoning employees to keep operating budgets in line. Education institutions also have had to shutter facilities or postpone,…

Morality as a Yardstick of Educational Leadership.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roepke, William J.

1995-01-01

Ponders the role of journalism and mass communication education in America and its apparent failure to impress the importance of leadership and morality on some of its students. Discusses how journalism schools can take up the reins of moral leadership, with applications in the professional curriculum, non-major course selection, faculty…

Are Experienced Hearing Aid Users Faster at Grasping the Meaning of a Sentence Than Inexperienced Users? An Eye-Tracking Study

PubMed Central

Kollmeier, Birger; Neher, Tobias

2016-01-01

This study assessed the effects of hearing aid (HA) experience on how quickly a participant can grasp the meaning of an acoustic sentence-in-noise stimulus presented together with two similar pictures that either correctly (target) or incorrectly (competitor) depict the meaning conveyed by the sentence. Using an eye tracker, the time taken by the participant to start fixating the target (the processing time) was measured for two levels of linguistic complexity (low vs. high) and three HA conditions: clinical linear amplification (National Acoustic Laboratories-Revised), single-microphone noise reduction with National Acoustic Laboratories-Revised, and linear amplification ensuring a sensation level of ≥ 15 dB up to at least 4 kHz for the speech material used here. Timed button presses to the target stimuli after the end of the sentences (offline reaction times) were also collected. Groups of experienced (eHA) and inexperienced (iHA) HA users matched in terms of age, hearing loss, and working memory capacity took part (N = 15 each). For the offline reaction times, no effects were found. In contrast, processing times increased with linguistic complexity. Furthermore, for all HA conditions, processing times were longer (poorer) for the iHA group than for the eHA group, despite comparable speech recognition performance. Taken together, these results indicate that processing times are more sensitive to speech processing-related factors than offline reaction times. Furthermore, they support the idea that HA experience positively impacts the ability to process noisy speech quickly, irrespective of the precise gain characteristics. PMID:27595793

Emulsion templated scaffolds with tunable mechanical properties for bone tissue engineering.

PubMed

Owen, Robert; Sherborne, Colin; Paterson, Thomas; Green, Nicola H; Reilly, Gwendolen C; Claeyssens, Frederik

2016-02-01

Polymerised High Internal Phase Emulsions (PolyHIPEs) are manufactured via emulsion templating and exhibit a highly interconnected microporosity. These materials are commonly used as thin membranes for 3D cell culture. This study uses emulsion templating in combination with microstereolithography to fabricate PolyHIPE scaffolds with a tightly controlled and reproducible architecture. This combination of methods produces hierarchical structures, where the microstructural properties can be independently controlled from the scaffold macrostructure. PolyHIPEs were fabricated with varying ratios of two acrylate monomers (2-ethylhexyl acrylate (EHA) and isobornyl acrylate (IBOA)) and varying nominal porosity to tune mechanical properties. Young's modulus, ultimate tensile stress (UTS) and elongation at failure were determined for twenty EHA/IBOA compositions. Moduli ranged from 63.01±9.13 to 0.36±0.04MPa, UTS from 2.03±0.33 to 0.11±0.01MPa and failure strain from 21.86±2.87% to 2.60±0.61%. Selected compositions were fabricated into macro-porous woodpile structures, plasma treated with air or acrylic acid and seeded with human embryonic stem-cell derived mesenchymal progenitor cells (hES-MPs). Confocal and two-photon microscopy confirmed cell proliferation and penetration into the micro- and macro-porous architecture. The scaffolds supported osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal cells and interestingly, the stiffest IBOA-based scaffolds that were plasma treated with acrylic acid promoted osteogenesis more strongly than the other scaffolds. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

75 FR 22179 - Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Renewals; Vision

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-27

... Federal vision exemptions for Alberto Blanco, Michael B. Canedy, Larry A. Cossin, Charles W. Cox, Gary W. Ellis, Dennis J. Evers, Hector O. Flores, W. Roger Goold, Lee Guse, Steven W. Halsey, Clifford J. Harris, John C. Henricks, Thomas M. Leadbitter, John L. Lewis, Jonathan P. Lovel, Kent S. Reining, Enrique G...

Report on Spending Trends Highlights Inequities in Model for Financing Colleges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blumenstyk, Goldie

2009-01-01

An analysis of spending trends that is designed to discourage policy makers' focus on finding new revenue rather than reining in spending suggests that the model for financing colleges has reinforced educational inequities and failed to increase the rate at which students graduate. According to the analysis, "serious fault lines" in the current…

Tyche 3.0 Simulation Engine Project Review

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-09

la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale, 2014 DRDC-RDDC-2014-C220 Page 2 RECORD OF...During the technical evaluation, it was found that the representation of internal data as class objects and collections had performance drawbacks and

Linking Costs and Postsecondary Degrees: Key Issues for Policymakers. Working Paper 2011-03

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Nate

2011-01-01

In this paper the author offers practical advice for decision-makers who are struggling to rein in college costs while improving productivity. He provides a step-by-step guide to different approaches for calculating costs, highlights the tremendous variability in cost across programs within institutions, and documents some of the "hidden costs" of…

Early Retirement Payoff

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fitzpatrick, Maria D.; Lovenheim, Michael F.

2014-01-01

As public budgets have grown tighter over the past decade, states and school districts have sought ways to control the growth of spending. One increasingly common strategy employed to rein in costs is to offer experienced teachers with high salaries financial incentives to retire early. Although early retirement incentive (ERI) programs have been…

Enterprising Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robelen, Erik W.

2006-01-01

A master's-degree program blends courses in education and business to prepare leaders for the entrepreneurial world of charter schooling. Verree D. Laughlin wants to launch a network of small, community-oriented charter schools, starting with one near the Mexican border in Yuma, Arizona. Katheryn Crayton-Shay recently took the reins of a…

In Canada: Under the Rainbow

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robertson, Heather-jane

2005-01-01

Inclusive education seeks to provide a welcoming environment for all students, not by ignoring gender, race, disability, or sexual identities, but by recognizing and validating difference. It is precisely this validation that alarms those who are attempting to rein in schools that have initiated anti-heterosexist programs. But no one is satisfied…

Order and Containment in Concurrent System Design

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-01-01

Simple. I created O.C. Jones with the help of Marshell D. Jones. iv Contents List of Figures vi List of Tables viii 1 Managing Inconsistency And Complexity...chapter. My extended family and friends provided immeasurable support. Marshell D. Jones re- minded me to take graduate school and life by the reins

The Election of 1800: Teaching about a Critical Moment in the History of American Constitutional Democracy. ERIC Digest.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nixon, William A.

In 1800 the U.S. democracy faced a challenge when Republican Thomas Jefferson defeated Federalist President John Adams. The Federalists handed over the reins of power to their hated rivals, setting a precedent that has guided U.S. politics ever since. This precedent established the tradition of the peaceful transfer of power. The bicentennial of…

Charters as a Solution?: So Far, States and Districts Have Opted for Anything But

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Nelson

2007-01-01

"Reopening the school as a public charter school" is Option #1 on the list of NCLB's restructuring alternatives for failing schools. But this has not proved a popular choice. NCLB made the bold assumption that states and districts would voluntarily turn over the reins to charter operators. The authors of the legislation must have…

Unintended Consequences: An Uncertain Future for Distance Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Halfond, Jay A.

2011-01-01

While most in the academic community know about the attempt to rein in the for-profits, few are aware of its collateral damage. In October, the Department of Education (DOE) issued its Program Integrity Rules, intended to protect federal funds especially from those for-profit institutions with high student loan default rates. Well-intentioned…

Manual for Teaching Western Riding.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shannon, Elizabeth

This manual for teaching western riding is divided into two parts. Part one is composed of discussions of general aspects of riding instruction. Included are discussions of the basic goals of riding, characteristics of a basic position, styles of holding reins, standing position, and elementary control. Part two is composed of 20 suggested lesson…

The Untamed Imagination: Creative Writing in Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cross, Gillian

1999-01-01

Offers thoughts on mastering creative writing, and why a good teacher is essential to the process. Asserts that students must ultimately satisfy themselves and not their teachers, and that a pupil's innermost imagination must be nurtured and given free-rein. Makes emphatic the view that good teaching is one of the most unselfish activities that…

Beating Swords into . . . Chips?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marshall, Eliot

1991-01-01

Discussed are the efforts of the Pentagon to help U.S. companies remain competitive in high-tech civilian markets. The tug-of-war for these companies between Congress, which has come to view them as a vehicle for pork-barrel funding, and the administration, which is trying to rein them in, is described. (KR)

Prospective Health: Duke's Approach to Improving Employee Health and Managing Health Care Costs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davidson, H. Clint, Jr.

2004-01-01

If developing a healthy workforce is critical to reining in the skyrocketing cost of health care, then why have so many attempts at preventive health or disease management fallen short? How can employers connect with employees to engage them in changing unhealthy habits or lifestyles? Duke University has launched an innovative new approach called…

A Critical Feminist and Race Critique of Thomas Piketty's "Capital in the Twenty-First Century"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moeller, Kathryn

2016-01-01

Thomas Piketty's "Capital in the Twenty-first Century" documents the foreboding nature of rising wealth inequality in the twenty-first century. In an effort to promote a more just and democratic global society and rein in the unfettered accumulation of wealth by the few, Piketty calls for a global progressive annual tax on corporate…

Affirmative Action Redux: Who Is behind the Latest Effort to End the Consideration of Race in College Admissions?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Susan

2012-01-01

The homepage of the Project on Fair Representation (POFR) features a smiling photo of Abigail Fisher, the young White woman at the center of "Fisher v. the University of Texas," which could end race as a criterion in university admissions. Edward Blum, founder of POFR, a conservative advocacy group, connected Fisher with Wiley Rein LLP,…

A Fine Reach Home: Excerpts from a Sailor's Wind Journal

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fels, Lynn

2008-01-01

Sailing, a harnessing of wind with canvas to propel a sailboat across distances of water, in winds shaped by landforms, airflow and temperature, requires constant renegotiation by skipper and crew in response to the wind's changeable presence. In a choreography of movement, sails secured by sheets are loosened or reined in by hand to allow wind…

Prescriptions for Change: Can Ideas from Health Care Cure Higher Education's Ills?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eckel, Peter D.

2012-01-01

Higher education is facing a series of tough questions: (1) Is its business model broken beyond repair?; (2) How can costs that are fast outpacing median family income be reined in?; (3) How can higher education demonstrate that students are getting the quality education they expect and deserve?; and (4) Is higher education competing in ways that…

KSC-04PD-1959

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. The Damage Assessment Recovery Team (DART) meets at the NASA KSC News Center following Hurricane Jeanne. At left (red shirt) is Center Director Jim Kennedy and Media Services Division Chief Mike Rein. A category 3 storm, Jeanne barreled through Central Florida Sept. 25-26, the fourth hurricane in 6 weeks to batter the state.

KSC-04pd1959

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-09-27

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The Damage Assessment Recovery Team (DART) meets at the NASA KSC News Center following Hurricane Jeanne. At left (red shirt) is Center Director Jim Kennedy and Media Services Division Chief Mike Rein. A category 3 storm, Jeanne barreled through Central Florida Sept. 25-26, the fourth hurricane in 6 weeks to batter the state.

You're a CEO--Now What? Veteran Advice for a New Generation of Community College Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ullman, Ellen

2013-01-01

What does it take to be an effective leader? That's a question 146 first-time community college presidents will be attempting to answer as they take the reins at their respective institutions this fall. Whether it's figuring out how to be a better listener or how to form relationships with trustees and board members and other stakeholders in the…

Tightening the Purchasing Process: Superintendents Get More Involved in Buying Policies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rivero, Victor

2009-01-01

Over the last 18 months, school district purchasing offices across the country have been tightening the reins like never before while more top-level administrators get involved in the budget process. "When the economy really hit the skids, states got hit hard, so a lot of school districts were forced to make severe budget cuts," says John Musso,…

Five Uncommon but Useful Knots.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chisnall, Rob

1997-01-01

Describes five useful, little-known knots: mooring hitch for securing a line to a stump or post; highwayman's cutaway for securing canoe lines or horses' reins; taut-line hitch or midshipman's hitch for securing tent guys; and Hedden knot and C&F belay hitch, used by rock climbers and mountaineers, which combine in a simple rescue haul system.…

Hung out to Dry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pluviose, David

2006-01-01

It was only three years ago that Dr. R. Wayne Branch was tapped to take over the reins at Clark College, a 70-year-old private college in Vancouver, Washington. As president of the Community College of Baltimore County-Essex, Branch oversaw the reorganization of the college after it was folded into a three-college system. Those organizational…

"Finger Kits:" An Interactive Demonstration of Biomaterials and Engineering for Elementary School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Canavan, Heather E.; Stanton, Michael; Lopez, Kaori; Grubin, Catherine; Graham, Daniel J.

2008-01-01

This article describes a hands-on activity and demonstration developed at the University of Washington and further reined at the University of New Mexico. In this activity, the authors present a real-world problem to the student: Someone has an injured finger joint, and the students in the class need to design an implant to replace it. After…

Ohio Vote to Scrap Bargaining a Labor Victory--For Now

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McNeil, Michele

2011-01-01

Voters in Ohio sent an unequivocal message to the state's Republican governor and lawmakers that they went too far in reining in collective bargaining for teachers and other public employees. But analysts say the conflict between the GOP and teachers' unions in Ohio and elsewhere is not over. By an overwhelming, 22-percentage-point margin,…

Last Step to Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Finkel, Ed

2016-01-01

First-time community college presidents are typically chosen from the senior ranks of two-year colleges' administrations, so they know what the job entails to some extent--at least from a close secondhand perspective. Leaders of community colleges who have taken the reins in the mid-2010s say that a close secondhand view only goes so far in…

Fuller Employment with Less Inflation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Siegel, Irving H.

This series of 10 essays, written at various times since the mid-1960s, explores the U.S. economy's proneness to both high inflation and high unemployment during this period. The essays present ideas that the author believes could have reined in price increases in the early stages, and that presently could speed the reduction of inflation and…

Mayoral School Leadership and Integrated Governance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for the Study of Education Policy, 2009

2009-01-01

The past two decades have seen an emerging trend in urban school governance: mayors taking the reins of school district leadership. The impetus for putting the mayor in charge of a city's schools usually stems from at least one of the following being documented or generally perceived about an urban school district: (1) Lack of accountability; (2)…

The effects of stage-specific selection on the development of benzimidazole resistance in Haemonchus contortus in sheep.

PubMed

Taylor, M A; Hunt, K R; Goodyear, K L

2002-10-16

Resistance to the benzimidazole (BDZ) class of anthelmintics in nematodes of sheep has become a common and global phenomenon. The rate at which the selection process and development of resistance occurs is influenced by a number of factors. Of these, the effects of stage-specific exposures to anthelmintic were investigated with a BDZ-resistant strain of Haemonchus contortus (HCR) over five parasite generations. Sheep were infected at each generation with the HCR strain and were treated with thiabendazole (TBZ), either 5 days post-infection (p.i.) (larval line), 21 days p.i. (adult line), or left untreated (no selection line). Additionally eggs from each generation were exposed to TBZ (egg line). Geometric worm burdens were calculated from post-mortem worm counts, both at the start of the study, and after the final selection studies for each of the selection lines. Egg hatch assays (EHAs) were also conducted throughout the study. All data relating to worm burdens and EHAs for each generation were analysed by linear regression to produce dose titration curves and lethal dose(50) (LD(50)) values for each of the selection lines. Over the five generations, LD(50) values on dose-response were increased and worm survival occurred at higher dose rates of TBZ irrespective of the parasite stage exposed to treatment. A similar picture was seen with ED(50) values, which showed a fluctuating but generally upward trend for each of the three selection lines. In contrast, LD(50) and ED(50) values were decreased in the no selection line, indicating some degree of reversion albeit to levels still considered to be BDZ-resistant.

Efficacy of albendazole against nematode parasites isolated from a goat farm in Ethiopia: relationship between dose and efficacy in goats.

PubMed

Eguale, Tadesse; Chaka, Hassen; Gizaw, Daniel

2009-10-01

A suspected case of albendazole resistance in a goat farm of Hawassa University was examined using faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT), controlled anthelmintic efficacy test and egg hatch assay (EHA) to verify the development of resistance and/or the need for higher doses of the drug in goats than in sheep. The experiment was conducted in 12 sheep (2 groups: treatment versus control) and 24 goats (4 groups: 3 treatments versus control, n = 6; per group) following artificial infection with infective larvae of Haemonchus contortus and Oesophagostomum columbianum. The first group of sheep and goats were treated orally with albendazole at the dose rate of 3.8 mg/kg body weight (i.e. manufacturer's recommended dose for sheep) while the second group of sheep and the fourth group of goats were left untreated. The second and the third group of goats were treated with albendazole at 5.7 and 7.6 mg/kg respectively. The FECRT showed an efficacy of albendazole in goats to be 65.5, 81.4 and 84.1% at the dose rate of 3.8, 5.7 and 7.6 mg/kg body weight respectively while in sheep it was 62% at the dose rate of 3.8 mg/kg. Increasing the dose to 1.5 the sheep recommended dose induced minor improvement of efficacy in goats; however the efficacy was almost the same at 1.5 and twice the dose recommended for sheep. Worm counts at day 15 post-treatment revealed that H. contortus has developed resistance to albendazole. EHA results also supported these findings. On the other hand, O. columbianum was 100% susceptible at all dose levels tested.

Expression of ORF2 partial gene of hepatitis E virus in tomatoes and immunoactivity of expression products.

PubMed

Ma, Ying; Lin, Shun-Quan; Gao, Yi; Li, Mei; Luo, Wen-Xin; Zhang, Jun; Xia, Ning-Shao

2003-10-01

To transfer hepatitis E virus (HEV) ORF2 partial gene to tomato plants, to investigate its expression in transformants and the immunoactivity of expression products, and to explore the feasibility of developing a new type of plant-derived HEV oral vaccine. Plant binary expression vector p1301E2, carrying a fragment of HEV open reading frame-2 (named HEV-E2), was constructed by linking the fragment to a constitutive CaMV35s promoter and nos terminator, then directly introduced into Agrobacterium tumefaciens EHA105. With leaf-disc method, tomato plants medicated by EHA105 were transformed and hygromycin-resistant plantlets were obtained in selective medium containing hygromycin. The presence and integration of foreign DNA in transgenic tomato genome were confirmed by Gus gene expression, PCR amplification and Southern dot blotting. The immunoactivity of recombinant protein extracted from transformed plants was examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) using a monoclonal antibody specifically against HEV. ELISA was also used to estimate the recombinant protein content in leaves and fruits of the transformants. Seven positive lines of HEV-E2-transgenic tomato plants confirmed by PCR and Southern blotting were obtained and the immunoactivity of recombinant protein could be detected in extracts of transformants. The expression levels of recombinant protein were 61.22 ng/g fresh weight in fruits and 6.37-47.9 ng/g fresh weight in leaves of the transformants. HEV-E2 gene was correctly expressed in transgenic tomatoes and the recombinant antigen derived from them has normal immunoactivity. Transgenic tomatoes may hold a good promise for producing a new type of low-cost oral vaccine for hepatitis E virus.

Selection of Single Domain Antibodies from Immune Libraries Displayed on the Surface of E. coli Cells with Two β-Domains of Opposite Topologies

PubMed Central

Martínez-Arteaga, Rocio; Ruano-Gallego, David; Fraile, Sofía; Margolles, Yago; Teira, Xema; Gutierrez, Carlos; Bodelón, Gustavo; Fernández, Luis Ángel

2013-01-01

Screening of antibody (Ab) libraries by direct display on the surface of E. coli cells is hampered by the presence of the outer membrane (OM). In this work we demonstrate that the native β-domains of EhaA autotransporter and intimin, two proteins from enterohemorrhagic E. coli O157:H7 (EHEC) with opposite topologies in the OM, are effective systems for the display of immune libraries of single domain Abs (sdAbs) from camelids (nanobodies or VHH) on the surface of E. coli K-12 cells and for the selection of high affinity sdAbs using magnetic cell sorting (MACS). We analyzed the capacity of EhaA and intimin β-domains to display individual sdAbs and sdAb libraries obtained after immunization with the extracellular domain of the translocated intimin receptor from EHEC (TirMEHEC). We demonstrated that both systems displayed functional sdAbs on the surface of E. coli cells with little proteolysis and cellular toxicity, although E. coli cells displaying sdAbs with the β-domain of intimin showed higher antigen-binding capacity. Both E. coli display libraries were screened for TirMEHEC binding clones by MACS. High affinity binders were selected by both display systems, although more efficiently with the intimin β-domain. The specificity of the selected clones against TirMEHEC was demonstrated by flow cytometry of E. coli cells, along with ELISA and surface plasmon resonance with purified sdAbs. Finally, we employed the E. coli cell display systems to provide an estimation of the affinity of the selected sdAb by flow cytometry analysis under equilibrium conditions. PMID:24086454

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.).

PubMed

Fu, Chunxiang; Hernandez, Timothy; Zhou, Chuanen; Wang, Zeng-Yu

2015-01-01

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is a high-quality forage crop widely grown throughout the world. This chapter describes an efficient protocol that allows for the generation of large number of transgenic alfalfa plants by sonication-assisted Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Binary vectors carrying different selectable marker genes that confer resistance to phosphinothricin (bar), kanamycin (npt II), or hygromycin (hph) were used to generate transgenic alfalfa plants. Intact trifoliates collected from clonally propagated plants in the greenhouse were sterilized with bleach and then inoculated with Agrobacterium strain EHA105. More than 80 % of infected leaf pieces could produce rooted transgenic plants in 4-5 months after Agrobacterium-mediated transformation.

Genetic Transformation of Switchgrass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xi, Yajun; Ge, Yaxin; Wang, Zeng-Yu

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a highly productive warm-season C4 species that is being developed into a dedicated biofuel crop. This chapter describes a protocol that allows the generation of transgenic switchgrass plants by Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation. Embryogenic calluses induced from caryopses or inflorescences were used as explants for inoculation with A. tumefaciens strain EHA105. Hygromycin phosphotransferase gene (hph) was used as the selectable marker and hygromycin was used as the selection agent. Calluses resistant to hygromycin were obtained after 5-6 weeks of selection. Soil-grown switchgrass plants were regenerated about 6 months after callus induction and Agrobacterium-mediated transformation.

Genetic transformation of switchgrass.

PubMed

Xi, Yajun; Ge, Yaxin; Wang, Zeng-Yu

2009-01-01

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a highly productive warm-season C4 species that is being developed into a dedicated biofuel crop. This chapter describes a protocol that allows the generation of transgenic switchgrass plants by Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation. Embryogenic calluses induced from caryopses or inflorescences were used as explants for inoculation with A. tumefaciens strain EHA105. Hygromycin phosphotransferase gene (hph) was used as the selectable marker and hygromycin was used as the selection agent. Calluses resistant to hygromycin were obtained after 5-6 weeks of selection. Soil-grown switchgrass plants were regenerated about 6 months after callus induction and Agrobacterium-mediated transformation.

Extreme Agility Micro Aerial Vehicle - Control of Hovering Maneuvers for a Mini-Aerial Vehicle with an Onboard Autopilot System

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-02-01

Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada as represented by the Minister of National Defence, 2011 c© Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que...que de faire voler le MiniAV. Dans ce rapport, l’aboutissement des efforts déployés pour mettre en oeuvre un auto- pilote à bord en cours qui exécute

Focusing on function to mine cancer genome data | Center for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

CCR scientists have devised a strategy to sift through the tens of thousands of mutations in cancer genome data to find mutations that actually drive the disease. They have used the method to discover that the JNK signaling pathway, which in different contexts can either spur cancerous growth or rein it in, acts as a tumor suppressor in gastric cancers. 

Using Design-Based Research in Informal Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reisman, Molly

2008-01-01

Design-Based Research (DBR) has been a tool of the learning sciences since the early 1990s, used as a way to improve and study learning environments. Using an iterative process of design with the goal of reining theories of learning, researchers and educators now use DBR seek to identify "how" to make a learning environment work. They then draw…

Twenty years (actually 16) in retrospect

USGS Publications Warehouse

Spall, H.

1990-01-01

I have been editor of Earthquakes and Volcanoes for the last 16 years. Since I will soon be handing over the reins to a consortium of editors who will produce the magazine at the USGS National Earthquake Information Center in Golden, Colorado, I thought I would offer a tetrospective view of editing a magazine designed for a diversified audience. 

In Iowa, a Life of the Mind, Heart, and Soul

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Selingo, Jefery

2005-01-01

When Dr. Skorton was tapped as Iowa's president, in 2003, his appointment was widely favored by faculty and staff members. Unlike most academics who give up their day jobs when they become college presidents, Dr. David J. Skorton 55, kept his when he took the reins at Iowa two years ago. A cardiologist by training, he still sees patients with…

AGARD Bulletin. Meetings, Publications, Membership.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-01-01

Chattin, 99 Directeur Technique SDT/C B-I 1180 Bru xelles Centre d’Essais en Vol 91 220 Br~tigny-sur-Orge CANADA Dr S.R.M.SINCLAIRGEMN (see under Deputy...Chef de Ia Sous-Seetion Contr6le et 31056 Toulouso- Cedex R&cption Technique (VDT/C) Etat-Major de la Force A&ienne M. GJUBE Quartier Reine Elizabeth

Changing Course: Thurgood Marshall College Fund President Johnny Taylor Seeks New Partnerships and Avenues of Support for Public HBCUs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stuart, Reginald

2011-01-01

When veteran educator Dr. N. Joyce Payne handed the reins of the organization she founded, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, to entertainment lawyer and board member Johnny Taylor, Taylor began pursuing a remake of the prestigious group that has turned it on its head in just a matter of months. Today, with just more than a year of leading the…

Shaking up the Joint? When Mark Chassin takes over as president of the Joint Commission next year, sources say, don't expect business as usual.

PubMed

Robeznieks, Andis

2007-08-06

The Joint Commission named Mark Chassin as its new president last week. He will take the reins from Dennis O'Leary on Jan. 1. John Toussaint, left, president of ThedaCare in Appleton, Wis., says Chassin has his work cut out for him at the Joint Commission. "The idea of compliance with processes that aren't working, in my opinion, needs to change".

A Linguistic Foundation for Communicating Geo-Information in the context of BML and geoBML

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-03-23

BML Standard. 2009 Spring Simulation Interoperability Workshop (09S- SIW -046). San Diego, CA. Rein, K., Schade, U. & Hieb, M.R. (2009). Battle...Formalizing Battle Management Language: A Grammar for Specifying Orders. 2006 Spring Simulation Interoperability Workshop (06S- SIW - 068). Huntsville...Hieb, M.R. (2007). Battle Management Language: A Grammar for Specifying Reports. 2007 Spring Simulation Interoperability Workshop (07S- SIW -036

Carbon footprint of dairy goat milk production in New Zealand.

PubMed

Robertson, Kimberly; Symes, Wymond; Garnham, Malcolm

2015-07-01

The aim of this study was to assess the cradle-to-farm gate carbon footprint of indoor and outdoor dairy goat farming systems in New Zealand, identifying hotspots and discussing variability and methodology. Our study was based on the International Organization for Standardization standards for life cycle assessment, although only results for greenhouse gas emissions are presented. Two functional units were included: tonnes of CO2-equivalents (CO2e) per hectare (ha) and kilograms of CO2e per kilogram of fat- and protein-corrected milk (FPCM). The study covered 5 farms, 2 farming systems, and 3yr. Two methods for the calculation of enteric methane emissions were assessed. The Lassey method, as used in the New Zealand greenhouse gas inventory, provided a more robust estimate of emissions from enteric fermentation and was used in the final calculations. The alternative dry matter intake method was shown to overestimate emissions due to use of anecdotal assumptions around actual consumption of feed. Economic allocation was applied to milk and co-products. Scenario analysis was performed on the allocation method, nitrogen content of manure, manure management, and supplementary feed choice. The average carbon footprint for the indoor farms (n=3) was 11.05 t of CO2e/ha and 0.81kg of CO2e/kg of FPCM. For the outdoor farms (n=2), the average was 5.38 t of CO2e/ha and 1.03kg of CO2e/kg of FPCM. The average for all 5 farms was 8.78 t of CO2e/ha and 0.90kg of CO2e/kg of FPCM. The results showed relatively high variability due to differences in management practices between farms. The 5 farms covered 10% of the total dairy goat farms but may not be representative of an average farm. Methane from enteric fermentation was a major emission source. The use of supplementary feed was highly variable but an important contributor to the carbon footprint. Nitrous oxide can contribute up to 18% of emissions. Indoor goat farming systems produced milk with a significantly higher carbon

Design and Evaluation of a Fully Implantable Control Unit for Blood Pumps

PubMed Central

Unthan, Kristin; Gräf, Felix; Laumen, Marco; Finocchiaro, Thomas; Sommer, Christoph; Lanmüller, Hermann; Steinseifer, Ulrich

2015-01-01

As the number of donor hearts is limited while more and more patients suffer from end stage biventricular heart failure, Total Artificial Hearts become a promising alternative to conventional treatment. While pneumatic devices sufficiently supply the patients with blood flow, the patient's quality of life is limited by the percutaneous pressure lines and the size of the external control unit. This paper describes the development of the control unit of the ReinHeart, a fully implantable Total Artificial Heart. General requirements for any implantable control unit are defined from a technical and medical point of view: necessity of a Transcutaneous Energy Transmission, autonomous operation, safety, geometry, and efficiency. Based on the requirements, a prototype is designed; it incorporates a LiFePo4 battery pack with charger, a rectifier for transcutaneous energy transmission, the motor's driver electronics, and a microcontroller which monitors and controls all functions. In validation tests, the control unit demonstrated a stable operation on TET and battery supply and a safe switching from one supply to the other. The overall mean efficiency is 14% on TET and 22% on battery supply. The control unit is suitable for chronic animal trials of the ReinHeart. PMID:26583095

Mobile Ad Hoc Networks: An Evaluation of Smartphone Technologies

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-10-01

National Defence, 2011 c© Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale, 2011 Abstract A...déploiement de protocoles au cours d’opérations des FC ; 4. le développement d’une implémentation de validation de principe sur un téléphone

The Coast Artillery Journal. Volume 80, Number 4, July-August 1937

DTIC Science & Technology

1937-08-01

800 Massachusetts and 200 Connecticut infantry commanded by Colore ! Prescott marched from Cambridge to seize and hold the heights above Charlestown... effectof additional rounds to each man of Prescott’s command. their close-rangefire. Furthermore, many rounds had been allocated to rein- Another...been without food throughout the entire day. Despite these various de- moralizing factors, the corps maintained its discipline. The retirement began

Defense Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR). Volume 1. Army Abstracts of Phase 1 Awards 1987.

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-04-01

TECHNOLOGY TO PROTECT LAMINATED FIBERGLASS REIN- FORCES STRUCTURES FROM CHEMICAL AGENTS AND DECONTAMINANTS . FLAME0 RETARDENCY, ADHESION, ABRASION RESISTANCE...OFFICE: BRDC- PVD ALTHOUGH THERE ARE NO INTRINSIC CONFLICTS FOR THE SAME MATERIAL SYSTEMS TO ACHIEVE BOTH THE RADAR ABSORPTION AND THERMAL SUPPRESSION...VEHICLE TOPIC# 135 OFFICE: BRDC- PVD THE OBJECTIVE OF THE PHASE I RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROPOSED HEREIN IS TO DETERMINE WHICH MAJOR COMPONENTS OF THE

KSC-04PD-0038

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Mike Rein (at left), division chief of KSC External Affairs, moderates the press conference featuring (second from left to right) U.S. Rep. Tom Feeney, Center Director Jim Kennedy and U.S. Rep. Dave Weldon. The media were interested in hearing Kennedys and the congressmens reactions to the new mission for NASA outlined by President George W. Bush Jan. 14.

Criteria for electrically heated temperature probes in flames.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, I. M.; Schryer, D. R.

1971-01-01

Measurement techniques proposed by Gilbert and Lobdell (1953) and Rein and O'Laughlin (1967) are considered, giving attention to an apparent paradox. The criteria under which the assumptions made for the measurement techniques apply are specified. If sensors of different diameters are tested and the resultant plots of the parameter ?S' vs the wire temperature intersect below the abscissa, the considered measurement techniques are not applicable.

Toward Adversarial Online Learning and the Science of Deceptive Machines

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-11-14

noise . Adver- saries can take advantage of this inherent blind spot to avoid detection (mimicry). Adversarial label noise is the intentional switching...of classification labels leading to de- terministic noise , error that the model cannot capture due to its generalization bias. An experiment in user...potentially infinite and with imperfect information. We will combine Monte-Carlo tree search ( MCTS ) with rein- forcement learning because the manipulation

Current state of total artificial heart therapy and introduction of the most important total artificial heart systems.

PubMed

Spiliopoulos, Sotirios; Hergesell, Vera; Wasler, Andrae; Dapunt, Otto

2018-06-14

Due to the declining instances of organ donation, total artificial heart (TAH) therapy is of increasing importance for the management of end-stage biventricular heart failure. We introduce the currently most important established and novel TAH systems (SynCardia, CARMAT, ReinHeart, BiVACOR), report clinical outcomes and discuss technical requirements for the successful implementation of TAH therapy as an alternative to cardiac transplantation.

Naval Gunfire Support of Amphibious Operations: Past, Present, and Future

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-10-01

New Zealand set two frigates in motion toward the Yellow Sea. British rein- forcements were not insignificant; they consisted of a light carrier and...destroyed by main battery fire of NEW YORK and NEVADA ....... 21 6 Examples of Omaha Beach defenses .... ........... ... 25 7 BOISE, one of the four light...leading to rocket-launcher emplacement on Iwo Jima ............. ..................... ... 80 vii PHOTOS (Continued) Photo__.ge 18 Battleship NEW YORK

Europe’s New Security Vocation

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-01-01

military force. The greatest need is for sustained consultation in the adaptation of modes and methods for Euro-American cooperation. Reining in the...instruments and methods through which Europe will assert itself are something that no one is able to predict confidently. Accordingly, adaptations in... constructionist position. French flexibility in using a loose interpretation of existing UNSC resolutions on Kosovo (1160, 1199, 1203), which were

Tribology of Ceramics

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-01-01

Surface crystallography must be studied as modified by friction. Toughening and embrittling phase transformations have been discovered and modify the...2) dispersed ceramic whiskers, (3) long fiber rein- forcement, (4) precipitation , and (5) ductile metal phase . Each of these results in a...structure. Metastable structures of certain ceramics (Kingery et al., 1976) such as ZrO 2 allow a martensitic transformation under stress, which confers

Medicare up, up and ... a way for the industry to get more money may be difficult, experts says, since CMS finds Medicare spending rose 19% in '06.

PubMed

DoBias, Matthew

2008-01-14

Medicare spending skyrocketed nearly 19% in 2006, fueled by the Part D drug benefit and expanded Medicare Advantage enrollment. That's likely to put pressure on lawmakers to rein in spending, but one expert said it could have been worse. "We are fortunate that the actual cost of Part D has continued to come in under what our earlier projections were," says CMS Chief Actuary Richard Foster, left.

Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation of blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.).

PubMed

Song, Guo-Qing; Sink, K C

2004-12-01

Transient expression studies using blueberry leaf explants and monitored by beta-glucuronidase (GUS) assays indicated Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain EHA105 was more effective than LBA4404 or GV3101; and the use of acetosyringone (AS) at 100 microM for inoculation and 6 days co-cultivation was optimum compared to 2, 4, 8, 10 or 12 days. Subsequently, explants of the cultivars Aurora, Bluecrop, Brigitta, and Legacy were inoculated with strain EHA105 containing the binary vector pBISN1 with the neomycin phosphotransferase gene (nptII) and an intron-interrupted GUS gene directed by the chimeric super promoter (Aocs)3AmasPmas. Co-cultivation was for 6 days on modified woody plant medium (WPM) plus 100 microM AS. Explants were then placed on modified WPM supplemented with 1.0 mg l(-1) thidiazuron, 0.5 mg l(-1) alpha-naphthaleneacetic, 10 mg l(-1) kanamycin (Km), and 250 mg l(-1) cefotaxime. Selection for Km-resistant shoots was carried out in the dark for 2 weeks followed by culture in the light at 30 microE m(-2) s(-1) at 25 degrees C. After 12 weeks, selected shoots that were both Km resistant and GUS positive were obtained from 15.3% of the inoculated leaf explants of cultivar Aurora. Sixty-eight independent clones derived from such shoots all tested positive by the polymerase chain reaction using a nptII primer. Eight of eight among these 68 clones tested positive by Southern hybridization using a gusA gene derived probe. The transformation protocol also yielded Km-resistant, GUS-positive shoots that were also PCR positive at frequencies of 5.0% for Bluecrop, 10.0% for Brigitta and 5.6% for Legacy.

Comparison of the in vitro anthelmintic effects of Acacia nilotica and Acacia raddiana

PubMed Central

Zabré, Geneviève; Kaboré, Adama; Bayala, Balé; Katiki, Luciana M.; Costa-Júnior, Lívio Martins; Tamboura, Hamidou H.; Belem, Adrien M.G.; Abdalla, Adibe L.; Niderkorn, Vincent; Hoste, Hervé; Louvandini, Helder

2017-01-01

Gastrointestinal nematodes are a major threat to small ruminant rearing in the Sahel area, where farmers traditionally use bioactive plants to control these worms, including Acacia nilotica and Acacia raddiana. The main aim of this study was to screen the potential anthelmintic properties of aqueous and acetone extracts of leaves of these two plants based on three in vitro assays: (1) the egg hatch inhibition assay (EHA); (2) the larvae exsheathment inhibition assay (LEIA) using Haemonchus contortus as a model; and (3) an adult mortality test (AMT) applied on Caenorhabditis elegans. For the EHA, only A. raddiana was effective with IC50 = 1.58 mg/mL for aqueous extract, and IC50 = 0.58 mg/mL for acetonic extract. For the LEIA, all extracts inhibited the exsheathment of larvae compared to the controls, and the aqueous extract of A. nilotica was more larvicidal with IC50 = 0.195 mg/mL. In general, all responses to the substances were dose-dependent and were significantly different from the control group (p < 0.05). For the AMT, the extracts of the two Acacia species were effective but A. raddiana showed greater efficacy with 100% mortality at 2.5 mg/mL and LC50 = 0.84 mg/mL (acetonic extract). The addition of polyvinyl polypyrrolidone (PVPP) to the extracts suggested that tannins were responsible for blocking egg eclosion and inducing adult mortality but were not responsible for exsheathment inhibition. These results suggest that the leaves of these Acacia species possess ovicidal and larvicidal activities in vitro against H. contortus, and adulticidal effects against C. elegans. PMID:29173278

Porter Takes Reins of the FNL Green Team | Poster

Cancer.gov

Courtesy of the FNL Green Team Melissa Porter, who recently joined the staff of Craig Reynolds, Ph.D., director, Office of Scientific Operations, as administrative manager, has stepped forward to lead the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research (FNL) Green Team in its efforts to promote a “green” work environment. “I am excited to lead the FNL Green Team and have

Pakistan’s Nuclear Future: Reining in the Risk

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-12-01

Pakistan has developed gaps between average yields and yields obtained by the best farmers; between the best farmers and those obtained by research... yield gap —outputs of the current livestock population compared with the output obtained in more developed systems—at between 60 to 80 percent. The...unprecedented increase in rate of inflation, a significant increase in the incidence of poverty, a widening in the already large regional income gap

Porter Takes Reins of the FNL Green Team | Poster

Cancer.gov

Courtesy of the FNL Green Team Melissa Porter, who recently joined the staff of Craig Reynolds, Ph.D., director, Office of Scientific Operations, as administrative manager, has stepped forward to lead the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research (FNL) Green Team in its efforts to promote a “green” work environment. “I am excited to lead the FNL Green Team and have been impressed by the enthusiasm and commitment of the FNL Green Team,” Porter said.

Dissipation of Energy in a Concentric ER Clutch and its Refined Quasi-Static Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oravský, Vladimír

A concentric electrorheological clutch (ERC) constituting the central part of a broader system: electro-hydro-aggregate (EHA) with an electrodrive (ED) on one side and a loading machine (brake B) on the other side is considered. The corresponding quasi-static model (at constant load and speed) is investigated and refined by insertion of power absorbed by electrorheological fluid (ERF). This increases the number of nondimensional parameters of the model from 8 to 12. Classification of several kinds of dissipation of energy in ERC is presented. Description and analysis of dissipation of the first kind are given more in detail and illustrated by synoptical diagrams. Also two definitions of efficiency of ERC are introduced and discussed.

Testing of a Shrouded, Short Mixing Stack Gas Eductor Model Using High Temperature Primary Flow.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-10-01

problem but of less significance than the heated surfaces of shipboard structure. Various types of electronic equipments and sensors carried by a combatant...here was to validate current procedures by comparison with previous data it was not considered essential to rein- stall these sensors or duplicate...sec) 205 tABLE XIX Mixing Stack Temperatura Data, Model B Thermocouple Axial Mixing Stack Temperature _ mbjr Posii--- .. (I IF) . Uptake 180 850 950

Issues in Intelligence Production: Summary of Interviews with Canadian Managers of Intelligence Analysts

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-12-01

la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de ...organisationnelles, ainsi qu’aux préjugés des analystes et des organismes du renseignement. Un tel constat exige la tenue d’un examen en profondeur de la ...processus de production du renseignement que l’on pourrait expliquer par la mise en application des connaissances et des méthodes acquises dans

Engineering Investigation of Information Integration Display (IID) Integration with Platform Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-07-01

Chair DRP © Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of National Defence, 2014 © Sa Majesté la Reine (en...Objectives Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) Atlantic has conducted a Cognitive Work Analysis (CWA) for key Victoria Class Submarine...tables, were added. The “Virtual Victoria Data Model” (reference [2]), “Assumptions and Specifications Matrix” (reference [3]), and a DRDC Atlantic

New York City group leads the way toward a more optimistic future for ASOs. ASO went from near bankruptcy to $26 million.

PubMed

2004-07-01

A do-it-yourself AIDS social organization: AIDS service organizations are struggling because of tighter reins on government funding, but an alternative organization in New York City is showing how it can be done. It has developed a successful social entrepreneur program that employs HIV-infected clients, pays them living wages, and makes money from retail, food services, and medical care business entities, contributing three-quarters of the organization's revenues.

Hybrid Warfare: Implications for CAF Force Development

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-08-01

of National Defence, 2014 © Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale, 2014...the spirit of international law. Finally, these basic definitions, however flawed, serve an additional purpose. Any investigation into the...Beyond official internal lessons learned reports from various militaries much useful information is contained in, for example, the many and topically

Face Recognition and Event Detection in Video: An Overview of PROVE-IT Projects

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-07-01

with Public Safety Canada. Led by Canada Border Services Agency partners included : Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Defence Research Development Canada...represented by the Minister of National Defence, 2014 © Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense...each of these settings. As secondary outputs, the projects produced technology demonstrations, refereed publications , and an alternative assessment

Survey of Commercial Technologies for Face Recognition in Video

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-01

by Defence Research and Development Canada’s Centre for Security Science, in partnership with Public Safety Canada. Led by Canada Border Services...Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale, 2014 Science and Engineering Directorate Border...Objectives CO1 – Engage in rapid assessment, transition and deployment of innovative technologies for public safety and security practitioners to achieve

Architecture and Assessment: Privacy Preserving Biometrically Secured Electronic Documents

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-01-01

very large public and private fingerprint databases comprehensive risk analysis and system security contribution to developing international ...Safety and Security Program which is led by Defence Research and Development Canada’s Centre for Security Science, in partnership with Public Safety...201 © Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale, 201 Science and Engineering

Experimental Evaluation of the IP Address Space Randomisation (IASR) Technique and Its Disruption to Selected Network Services

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-11-01

Canada (Department of National Defence), 2014 c© Sa Majesté la Reine en droit du Canada (Ministère de la Défense nationale), 2014 Abstract In recent...2006), Network security mechanisms utilising network address translation, International journal of critical infrastructures, 2(1), 10–49. [5] Dunlop...Lu, S. (2008), Full service hopping for proactive cyber-defense, In ICNSC 2008: IEEE International Conference on Networking, Sensing and Control, pp

The Current State and TRL Assessment of Unattended and Left-Behind Object Detection Technology

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-01

for Security Science, in partnership with Public Safety Canada. Led by Canada Border Services Agency partners included: Royal Canadian Mounted...Queen in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of National Defence, 2014 © Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée...methodology established in previous technical challenges that were put in place during international conferences. Keywords: video-surveillance

Conceiving an Army for the 21st Century

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-12-01

the Queen in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of National Defence, 2010 © Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit...international cooperation and peace through increased mutual- dependence in the North, poverty and subjugation of human rights in the South create conditions...based on the limitation of the rights of sovereign nations with respect to one another. DRDC CORA TM 2010-264 7 Investigation of the

US National Economic Security in a Global Market

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-01-01

13 (D) the Secretary of Commerce , 14 ( E ) the Secretary of Treasury, 15 (F) the United States Trade Representative, 16 and _ 17 (G) the Director of...OTe F!LE COPY --- National Security Program 00 N US NATIONAL ECONOMIC SECURITY IN A GLOBAL MARKET :I . DTIC ELECTE JAN14 1991 m S E D HARVARD...importantly, will become 5 I I ,,!"C is merica _ _ _ _ 44% 5AlAN leact rustwrthv __ 29% ’,’EST (E7,1RM.’y ,a ]i,- :. . 8 %FFR ANC E - 5% BRITAIN Does Jaan

Surface soil characterization of explosives and metals at the Land Force Central Area Training Centre (LFCA TC) Meaford, Ontario (Phase 2) Final report

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-10-01

Environment and Director General Environment © Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of National Defence, 2009 © Sa...Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale , 2009 DRDC Valcartier TR 2009-218 i...evaluation of the soil contamination by explosives and metals. In parallel, the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) conducted

CapDEM Exercise Gamma: Results and Discussion

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-01

DU MATERIEL Assurer la gestion et la prestation de services d’infrastructure fiables. L’utilisation d’infrastructures de ...Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale, 2011 DRDC Ottawa TR 2011-044 i Abstract...définition, l’ingénierie et la gestion collaboratives des capacités (DIGCap). L’objectif principal de ce dernier volet de la Stratégie

Picard Trajectory Approximation Iteration for Efficient Orbit Propagation

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-07-21

Eqn (8)) for an iterative ap- proximation of eccentric anomaly, and is transformed back to . The Lambert/ Kepler time – eccentric anomaly relationship...of Kepler motion based on spinor regulari- zation, Journal fur die Reine und Angewandt Mathematik 218, 204-219, 1965. [3] Levi-Civita T., Sur la...transformed back to  , ,x y z . The Lambert/ Kepler time – eccentric anomaly relationship is iterated by a Newton/Secant method to converge on the

Evaluation of Different Features for Face Recognition in Video

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-01

and Security Program (CSSP) which is led by Defence Research and Development Canada’s Centre for Security Science, in partnership with Public ...Minister of National Defence, 2014 © Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale, 2014...deployment of innovative technologies for public safety and security practitioners to achieve specific objectives; 4. Threats/Hazards F – Major trans-border

Automated Border Control Systems as Part of e-border Crossing Process

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-01-01

which is led by Defence Research and Development Canada’s Centre for Security Science, in partnership with Public Safety Canada. The project was led...Canada, as represented by the Minister of National Defence, 2015 © Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de...FAST US,EU (2013): AVATAR kiosks Examples: US, Canada: Deployed in Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto, and Chicago International Airports

A Class of CFAR Detectors Implemented in the SAR-GMTI Processor gmtipro2: Mathematical Formulation of the Algorithms

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-02-01

Right of Canada as represented by the Minister of National Defence, 2015 c© Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le...References [1] Chiu, S. (2010), Moving target parameter estimation for RADARSAT-2 Moving Object Detection EXperiment (MODEX), International Journal of...of multiple sinusoids in noise, In Proceedings. (ICASSP ’01). 2001 IEEE International Conference on Acoustics, Speech, and Signal Processing, Vol. 5

Traffic De-Anonymizer

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-11-01

November 2014 © Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of National Defence, 2014 © Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du...partnership with Public Safety Canada. The project was led by Public Safety Canada in partnership with Dalhousie University. Canadian Safety and...Development Canada’s Centre for Security Science in partnership with Public Safety Canada. The project was led by Public Safety Canada in partnership with

Modelling Metrics for Mine Counter Measure Operations

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-08-01

the Minister of National Defence, 2014 © Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale, 2014...a random search derived by Koopman is widely used yet it assumes no angular dependence (Ref [10]). In a series of publications considering tactics...Node Placement in Sensor Localization by Optimization of Subspace Principal Angles, In Proceedings of IEEE International Conference on Acoustics

Using the Smooth Receiver Operating Curve (ROC) Method for Evaluation and Decision Making in Biometric Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-07-01

partnership with Public Safety Canada. Led by Canada Border Services Agency partners included : Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Defence Research...Canada, as represented by the Minister of National Defence, 2014 © Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la...innovative technologies for public safety and security practitioners to achieve specific objectives; 4. Threats/Hazards F – Major trans-border criminal

The 2007 Surge in Iraq: An Alternative View

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-11-01

la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale, 2014 DRDC-RDDC-2014-R105 i Abstract...9 Figure 4 US, international (coalition partners), and ISF troop strength. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Figure 5 Sum of monthly SIGACT...Testing the Surge: Why Did Violence Decline in Iraq in 2007?” International Security, 37(1), (2012), pp. 7–40. 9 A SIGACT usually refers to

Modeling Continuous-Time Random Processes in Digital Computer Simulations of Physical Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-08-27

hf) + BD1QD1B31 + BD2QD2B62 + BD3QD3BZ3 + BD4QD4BZ4 (51) where ODk = E[NDk-_•k] for k = 1 to 4. Note that PD(ti+l) has four BDiQDiBZi terms, one from...3 , collecting terms, and rearrang- ing equation (95), results in (aUz 3 + a 2 z 2 + a3z + ag4)hBV(z)Xlz) , (96) z 4 - alhAz 3 - (1 + a2 hA)z 2 - a 3...approximate the Taylor series form of I(h,I)? To answer this question, expand equation (1ll) in a series form , collect terms and compare it to 1(hI) . EhA

North Korea’s Provocation and Escalation Calculus: Dealing with the Kim Jong-un Regime

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-08-01

regime. “The Interview” In the early 2000s, Seth Rogan and Evan Goldberg conceived of a plot for a comic take on the assassination of a world...responsible for the education and training of the regime’s cyber warriors.55  The State Security Department’s (secret police) communications monitoring and...is young and lacks the expansive and deep education his father had before taking the reins of power. This has created a certain narrative in the

Casualties Produced by Impact and Related Topics of People Survivability in a Direct Effects Environment

DTIC Science & Technology

1974-08-01

COPY Reinforced concrete members ( beams and columns ): sizes, spans, support conditions, reinforcement ratios Steel members (open web joists, beams ...order of 30 to 50 percent of gross wall area are expected in upper portions butnt i n areas ’housing EOC’s. Open web joists and precast concrete units...are expected to dominate roof systems. Floors over the EOC’s are expected to be of rein- forced concrete . Cast-in-place flat plates and precast

Public Safety Technical Program Planning Scenario Framework Final Report (Rapport Final sur le Cadre de Creation de Scenarios de Planification du Programme Technique de Securite Publique)

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-12-01

la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la ...scénarios sont essentiels pratiquement pour tous les aspects de la Sureté et de la sécurité publique et de la gestion des urgences. Tous les utilisateurs...création de scénarios de planification du Programme technique de sécurité publique (PTSP) soumis vise à aider une gamme d’intervenants, à la fois

V2010 Security Planning and Operations: A Social Network Study of Key Information Sharing Relationships

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-05-01

la scurit. Je vous remercie de votre temps et de votre contribution. Susan G. McIntyre Knowledge Management/ Gestion du savoir...National Defence, 2011 © Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale, 2011 DRDC CSS TR 2011...avantages du renforcement de la communication horizontale au sein du gouvernement fédéral, surtout en présence d’organismes de

Defence Output Measures: An Economics Perspective

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-11-01

Des budgets de la comptabilité des intrants, des extrants, de la gestion et des ressources ont été utilisés comme mesures relatives aux résultats...Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale, 2011 Abstract …….. This Contract Report...présent rapport de contrat examine la mesure des extrants en matière de

Soviet Military Objectives in the Artic Theater and How They Might be Attained

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-09-01

on NATO’s Northern Flank," Armed Forces Journal International, April 1984, 88 ff.; Roy Breivik , "Assuring the Security of Reinforcements to Norway...Publishing Co., 1985), 72-78 passim; Patrick Wall, "The Importance of NATO’s North- em Flank," Defence, vol. 10, no. 1 (January 1979), 9-11. 48. The...Ellingsen, Militaerbalansen 1983-1984; Breivik , "Assuring the Security of Rein- forcements to Norway," 66. 50. The reinforcements include a

Digitalisierung in der Energiewirtschaft - empirische Untersuchung und Wertschöpfungskette

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dell, Timo

Die Energiewirtschaft nutzt seit je her digitale Strukturen zur Umsetzung ihrer Prozesse. Durch den (neuen) verabschiedeten politischen Ordnungsrahmen - dem Gesetz zur Digitalisierung der Energiewende - und durch die rasante Fortentwicklung technologischer Strukturen ergeben sich jedoch die Wertschöpfungsstufen erweiternde, diversifizierende und innovative Möglichkeiten für Energieversorger (EVU) Geschäftsfelder auszubauen bzw. neue zu erschließen. Dabei ist die digitale (R)Evolution keine rein technische Umsetzung, sondern insbesondere auch eine unternehmensinterne, strategische und intern-kulturelle Herausforderung.

Southeast Asia Report

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-02-25

employment as possible relief measure. There are about 150,000 voters in this province where a significant anti- charter drive has been mounted by the...New People’s Army, the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan, and the Iglesia ni Cristo [Church of Christ], Local leaders said the Charter may just the same get at...the other hand, reportedly holds rein in the towns of Guimba, Talavera, Bongabon and San Jose. Officials here said the Iglesia ni Cristo leaders had

Analysis of Metrics for Human Detection behind Walls Using Experimental 3-D Synthetic Aperture Radar Imagery

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-12-01

Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale, 2014 Abstract …….. Defence Research and Development... International Symposium on Phased Array Systems and Technology, 551-558 (2010). [10] Chetty, K., Smith, G. E., Woodbridge, K., “Through-the-wall sensing of...radar,” IEEE International Conference on Communications and Signal Processing, 579-583 (2011). [13] Sévigny, P., DiFilippo, D., Laneve, T., Chan, B

3D Face Generation Tool Candide for Better Face Matching in Surveillance Video

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-07-01

Safety and Security Program (CSSP) which is led by Defence Research and Development Canada’s Centre for Security Science, in partnership with Public ...by the Minister of National Defence, 2014 © Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale... public safety and security practitioners to achieve specific objectives; 4. Threats/Hazards F – Major trans-border criminal activity – e.g. smuggling

Simulation Tool for Optimizing Non-Combatant Evacuation (STONE): Optimization of Evacuation Time and Transportation Resource Utilization

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-05-01

2015 © Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale, 2015 Abstract A Non-Combatant Evacuation...Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade recommended that more frequent assessments of NEO plans be conducted...étrangères et du commerce international a recommandé que des évaluations dans ses missions à l’étranger soient faites plus fréquemment

Usability and Utility of a Mobile Application for Marksmanship Training

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-01-01

Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of National Defence, 2015 © Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le...Empirical Evaluation of the System Usability Scale. International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction, 24(6), 574-594. BenMoussa, C. (2003). Workers on...Behavioral and Social Sciences. Jumisko-Pyykko, S., & Vainio, T. (2011). Framing the Context of Use for Mobile HCI. International Journal of Mobile

A Bayesian Approach to Estimating Detection Performance in a Multi-Sensor Environment

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-01

National Defence, 2014 © Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale, 2014 DRDC...emphasis can be seen in CF publications such as the Maritime Capability Planning Guidance (MCPG) 2010 [3]. To make effective use of these new remote...fixed installation, ship, aircraft, or satellite. Ships of a certain size or type are required by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to

Using Sentence-Level Classifiers for Cross-Domain Sentiment Analysis

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-01

National Defence, 2014 © Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale, 2014 DRDC-RDDC...domain sentiment classification via spectral feature alignment. In Proceedings of the 19th international conference on World Wide Web, WWW ’10...Dennis, S. 5. DATE OF PUBLICATION (Month and year of publication of document.) September 2014 6a. NO. OF PAGES (Total containing information

Assessment of Nuclear Medicine Capabilities in Responding to a Radiological Terrorism Event

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-09-01

Defence, 2006 © Sa Majesté la Reine , représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale, 2006 DRDC Ottawa TM 2006-237 i Abstract...important suite à un tel incident. Il serait donc avantageux d’établir des points de contact officiels avec cette communauté, de développer du matériel...both didactic and clinical training. Didactic course work includes: mathematics, chemistry, physics, computer science, radiation protection, anatomy

Loosening the Reins: How Flexibility Policies Contribute to Student Achievement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Education Commission of the States, Denver, CO.

Many states give individual schools the authority to make decisions in response to local conditions while still meeting state and district goals. Providing flexibility to local decision-makers is also a potential means for improving student achievement. This report provides a snapshot of several states' recent experiences with flexibility and…

Amid Fiscal Crisis, L.A. Gives Site Councils Budget Reins

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sawchuk, Stephen

2009-01-01

At Jefferson High School, a governing body made up of teachers, nonclassroom-based educators, parents, and Principal Michael Taft appears to be living the dream, to the extent such a thing is possible during a staggering fiscal crisis. The leadership team, officially known as a "school site council," has mainly used an infusion of…

High Court Case Could Rein in Private Placements under IDEA

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walsh, Mark

2007-01-01

This article reports on starkly contrasting portraits of special education that the justices are sure to hear on the first day of the new U.S. Supreme Court term. In a case from New York City, the 1.1 million-student district argues that school officials made every attempt to provide an appropriate education plan under the federal Individuals with…

In vitro effects of aqueous extract from Maytenus senegalensis (Lam.) Exell stem bark on egg hatching, larval migration and adult worms of Haemonchus contortus.

PubMed

Zangueu, Calvin Bogning; Olounlade, Abiodoun Pascal; Ossokomack, Marlyse; Djouatsa, Yolande Noelle Nangue; Alowanou, Goue Géorcelin; Azebaze, Anatole Guy Blaise; Llorent-Martínez, Eulogio José; de Córdova, Maria Luisa Fernández; Dongmo, Alain Bertrand; Hounzangbe-Adote, Mawulé Sylvie

2018-05-02

Maytenus senegalensis is a common shrub which is scattered in tropical Africa. Different parts of this plant have been reported to be useful in traditional medicine against gastrointestinal disorders and intestinal worms. This study evaluated the anthelmintic activity of the aqueous stem bark extract of M. senegalensis using egg hatch assay (EHA), larval migration inhibition assay (LMIA) and adult worms' motility inhibition assay (AMIA). On EHA, the extract concentrations tested resulted in a significant (p < 0.01) inhibition of egg hatching in concentration-dependent manner and ranged between 31.86% at 75 μg.mL - 1 to 54.92% at 2400 μg.mL - 1 after a 48 h post-exposure with eggs. For the LMI assays, the aqueous extract of M. senegalensis showed a significant (p < 0.05) inhibition of larval migration in a concentration-dependent manner. The highest concentration used (2400 μg.mL - 1 ) showed a 37.77% inhibition. The use of polyvinyl polypyrrolidone (PVPP) indicated that tannins and flavonoids were partly involved in the effect since the larval migration was inhibited by 15.5%, but other biochemical compounds were also implicated. On AMIA, M. senegalensis was associated with a reduced worm motility after a 24 h post exposure compared to phosphate buffered saline as control (p < 0.05). By this time 66.66% of the worms' were found immotile or dead in the wells containing plant extract at 2400 μg.mL - 1 . The Phytochemical analysis of aqueous extract of M. senegalensis by HPLC-ESI-MS n detected the presence of proanthocyanidins (20%) and flavonoids (> 50%). These in vitro results suggest the presence of some anthelmintic properties in M. senegalensis extract, which is traditionally used by small farmers in west and central Africa. These effects may be due to the flavonoids and proanthocyanidins present in the extract and need to be studied under in vivo conditions.

Reduction of benzimidazole resistance in established Haemonchus contortus populations in goats using a single infection with a benzimidazole-susceptible isolate.

PubMed

Chan-Pérez, J I; Torres-Acosta, J F J; Rodríguez-Vivas, R I; Villegas-Pérez, S L

2015-09-01

An in vivo study in goats evaluated the effect of superimposing a single artificial infection with a benzimidazole (BZ)-susceptible Haemonchus contortus isolate upon established H. contortus populations of known BZ resistance by measuring the phenotypic BZ resistance of eggs collected from faeces before and after re-infection. Two H. contortus isolates, one benzimidazole resistant (BZR) and the other susceptible (BZS), were used to infect worm-free goats. Eight goats were initially infected with 2000 third-stage larvae (L3). In each case the inoculum contained a pre-determined proportion of the two isolates: 100% BZS (one goat), 75% BZS/25% BZR (two goats), 50% BZS/50% BZR (two goats), 25%BZS/75% BZR (two goats) and, finally, 100% BZR (one goat). The phenotypic BZ susceptibility of the H. contortus population formed in each goat after the first infection was determined on days 30 and 36 post-infection using an egg-hatch assay (EHA) that estimated the concentration of thiabendazole (TBZ) required for 95% inhibition of larval hatching (EC(95)) with a 95% confidence interval (95% CI). On day 49 post-infection, goats were re-infected with 2000 L3 of the BZS isolate alone. A second set of EHA bioassays was performed 28 days and 34 days after re-infection. The first infection protocol produced three populations classified as BZS (EC(95) 0.055-0.065 μg TBZ/ml) while four were categorized as BZR (EC(95) 0.122-0.344 μg TBZ/ml). The status of one other population could not be determined. After re-infection with BZS L3, the number of susceptible populations increased to six (EC(95) 0.043-0.074 μg TBZ/ml) while the remaining two were deemed resistant (EC(95) 0.114-119 μg TBZ/ml). Re-infection with BZS L3 thereby reduced the resistance status of most H. contortus populations.

cyclostratigraphy, sequence stratigraphy and organic matter accumulation mechanism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cong, F.; Li, J.

2016-12-01

The first member of Maokou Formation of Sichuan basin is composed of well preserved carbonate ramp couplets of limestone and marlstone/shale. It acts as one of the potential shale gas source rock, and is suitable for time-series analysis. We conducted time-series analysis to identify high-frequency sequences, reconstruct high-resolution sedimentation rate, estimate detailed primary productivity for the first time in the study intervals and discuss organic matter accumulation mechanism of source rock under sequence stratigraphic framework.Using the theory of cyclostratigraphy and sequence stratigraphy, the high-frequency sequences of one outcrop profile and one drilling well are identified. Two third-order sequences and eight fourth-order sequences are distinguished on outcrop profile based on the cycle stacking patterns. For drilling well, sequence boundary and four system tracts is distinguished by "integrated prediction error filter analysis" (INPEFA) of Gamma-ray logging data, and eight fourth-order sequences is identified by 405ka long eccentricity curve in depth domain which is quantified and filtered by integrated analysis of MTM spectral analysis, evolutive harmonic analysis (EHA), evolutive average spectral misfit (eASM) and band-pass filtering. It suggests that high-frequency sequences correlate well with Milankovitch orbital signals recorded in sediments, and it is applicable to use cyclostratigraphy theory in dividing high-frequency(4-6 orders) sequence stratigraphy.High-resolution sedimentation rate is reconstructed through the study interval by tracking the highly statistically significant short eccentricity component (123ka) revealed by EHA. Based on sedimentation rate, measured TOC and density data, the burial flux, delivery flux and primary productivity of organic carbon was estimated. By integrating redox proxies, we can discuss the controls on organic matter accumulation by primary production and preservation under the high-resolution sequence

In vitro anthelmintic activity of Combretum molle (R. Br. ex G. Don) (Combretaceae) against Haemonchus contortus ova and larvae.

PubMed

Ademola, I O; Eloff, J N

2010-04-19

Parasitic nematodes, especially Haemonchus contortus (Rudolphi), are among the most common and economically important causes of disease in sheep and goats owned by pastoralists and small holder farmers in Africa. The control of these infections relies mainly on the use of anthelmintic drugs. However, herbal preparations are widely used by pastoralists and small holder farmers for the treatment of their livestock against helminth parasites. The anthelmintic effect of acetone leaf extract and fractions of Combretum molle was investigated to determine the relative efficacy of the components against gastrointestinal sheep nematodes. The fractions were obtained by solvent:solvent extraction from the acetone extract. These were evaluated for nematocidal activity by means of an egg hatch (EHA) and larval a development and viability assay (LDVA) in vitro. The effect of the test extracts on the hatchability of eggs and development of first to third stage larvae and the survival rate of the third stage larvae. H. contortus, were used to determine the relative bioactivities. Best-fit LC(50) values were computed using global model of nonlinear regression curve-fitting. The extracts inhibited egg hatching and development of the larvae of H. contortus in a concentration-dependent manner. Best-fit LC(50) values for the egg hatch test were 0.866, 0.333, 0.833, 0.747, and 0.065mg/mL for acetone extract, n-butanol, hexane, chloroform, and 35% water in methanol fractions, respectively. The best-fit LC(50) values for the LDVA were 0.604, 0.362, 1.077, 0.131 and 0.318mg/mL for the acetone extract, butanol, hexane, chloroform, and 35% water in methanol fractions, respectively. In the EHA the 35% water in methanol fraction was significantly more active than all the other fractions (p<0.05); however the activity was not significantly different with the LDVA. C. molle leaf could find application in anthelmintic therapy in veterinary practice.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - NASA Administrator Sean O’Keefe talks to the media at the Central Florida Research Park, near Orlando. He and government officials were at the park for a presentation about the assets of the research park as the site of NASA’s new Shared Services Center. Behind O’Keefe are (left to right) Pamella J. Dana, Ph.D., director, Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development in Florida; U.S. Representative Ric Keller; Florida Congressman Tom Feeney; and Congressman Dave Weldon. At right is Mike Rein, division chief of KSC External Affairs. Six sites around the U.S. are under consideration for location of the Center, which would centralize NASA’s payroll, accounting, human resources, facilities and procurement offices that are now handled at each field center. The consolidation is part of the One NASA focus. Others attending the presentation included U.S. Senator Bill Nelson and Center Director Jim Kennedy.

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-02-19

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - NASA Administrator Sean O’Keefe talks to the media at the Central Florida Research Park, near Orlando. He and government officials were at the park for a presentation about the assets of the research park as the site of NASA’s new Shared Services Center. Behind O’Keefe are (left to right) Pamella J. Dana, Ph.D., director, Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development in Florida; U.S. Representative Ric Keller; Florida Congressman Tom Feeney; and Congressman Dave Weldon. At right is Mike Rein, division chief of KSC External Affairs. Six sites around the U.S. are under consideration for location of the Center, which would centralize NASA’s payroll, accounting, human resources, facilities and procurement offices that are now handled at each field center. The consolidation is part of the One NASA focus. Others attending the presentation included U.S. Senator Bill Nelson and Center Director Jim Kennedy.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - NASA Administrator Sean O’Keefe talks to the media at the Central Florida Research Park, near Orlando. He and government officials were at the park for a presentation about the assets of the research park as the site of NASA’s new Shared Services Center. Behind O’Keefe are (left to right) Pamella J. Dana, Ph.D., director, Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development in Florida; Florida Congressman Tom Feeney; U.S. Representative Ric Keller; and Congressman Dave Weldon. At right is Mike Rein, division chief of KSC External Affairs. Six sites around the U.S. are under consideration for location of the Center, which would centralize NASA’s payroll, accounting, human resources, facilities and procurement offices that are now handled at each field center. The consolidation is part of the One NASA focus. Others attending the presentation included U.S. Senator Bill Nelson and Center Director Jim Kennedy.

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-02-19

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - NASA Administrator Sean O’Keefe talks to the media at the Central Florida Research Park, near Orlando. He and government officials were at the park for a presentation about the assets of the research park as the site of NASA’s new Shared Services Center. Behind O’Keefe are (left to right) Pamella J. Dana, Ph.D., director, Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development in Florida; Florida Congressman Tom Feeney; U.S. Representative Ric Keller; and Congressman Dave Weldon. At right is Mike Rein, division chief of KSC External Affairs. Six sites around the U.S. are under consideration for location of the Center, which would centralize NASA’s payroll, accounting, human resources, facilities and procurement offices that are now handled at each field center. The consolidation is part of the One NASA focus. Others attending the presentation included U.S. Senator Bill Nelson and Center Director Jim Kennedy.

Fine Resolution Imaging of Space Objects.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-02-01

Figur einschliesst," J. reine agnew. Math. 123, 241 (1901). 5. J. Christou, "Imaging of Star Clusters from Speckle Inter- ferometry," Opt. Commun...Also, at any point x, by definition g.+,(x) is the near- est value to gMx ) that satisfies the object-domain constraints. Therefore, at all...the point gk(x) rather than from g^(x) since presumably gMx ) is closer to the solution than gk(x). After using Eq. (40), one would employ Eq. (35

Translations on Eastern Europe. Political, Sociological, and Military Affairs, Number 1461

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-10-17

traditional and other social determinants. This at once amounts to a strict rejection of such theories as, for instance, advocated by Kelsen , in his "Pure...1975, pp 334 ff. 5. As to the pure law doctrine, H. Kelsen would like it understood as "a pure law theory, that is to say, cleansed of all political...ideology and all natural science elements" (cf. H. Kelsen , "Reine Rechtslehre," Vienna, 1960, preface). For a criticism of Kelsen’s legal positivism

eSecurity Portfolio : Overview, Analysis of Value Added, and Way Ahead

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-11-01

de mesurer l’ampleur et la profondeur du portefeuille, en plus de consolider et de récapituler les produits livrables pour que les...Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale, 2014 DRDC-RDDC-2014-R113 i Abstract …….. The...ii DRDC-RDDC-2014-R113 Résumé …….. La communauté de pratique de la sécurité électronique du Centre des

Research Using In Vivo Simulation of Meta-Organizational Shared Decision-making (SDM). Task 4: Modeling of Communication and Decision Functions within a Shared Decision-making (SDM) Framework

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-12-01

la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale 2011, Abstract...modélisation des fonctions de communication et de prise de décision dans le cadre de la prise de décision partagée (PDP) du volet de travail « Recherche par... la simulation in-vivo sur la prise de décision partagée des méta-organisations ». Cette composante du programme

Toward the Development of a Canadian Less Lethal Weapon Approval Process: A Study of Contemporary Process Models

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-10-01

la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale, 2011...validés par l’autorité d’approbation. Lorsqu’il n’existe pas de normes officielles, on utilise une approche de gestion du risque qui comprend une plus...gouvernance qui reprend les éléments clés du modèles du Royaume-Uni, l’incorporation d’un processus de gestion du risque, un énoncé des

The Meta-Organization: A Research and Conceptual Landscape

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-01

la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale...une approche globale en nous intéressant plus particulièrement aux problèmes pernicieux, à la convergence et à l’association, et à la gestion des ...rédigé dans le cadre du projet de modélisation de la collaboration et de la prise de décisions méta-organisationnelles financé par le

Development of Measures of Effectiveness and Performance from Cognitive Work Analysis Products

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-02-01

la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale, 2012 DRDC Atlantic CR 2011...le nouveau concept du système. Ce rapport vise à déterminer si les résultats du travail de conception peuvent aider à élaborer des mesures de ...l’information (IIDS). Le contrat actuel comportait deux objectifs : élaborer des mesures de l’efficacité (MOE) et du rendement (MOP) pour

Hierarchical Goal Analysis of Dynamic Decision Making in Microworld Experiments

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-01

7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS( ES ) Defence R&D Canada - Toronto,1133 Sheppard Avenue West,PO Box 2000,Toronto, Ontario, Canada M3M...3B9, 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER 9. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS( ES ) 10. SPONSOR/MONITOR’S ACRONYM(S) 11. SPONSOR...Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale, 2009 DRDC Toronto TM 2008-211 i

Capability Challenges in the Human Domain for Intelligence Analysis: Report on Community-Wide Discussions with Canadian Intelligence Professionals

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-01

renseignement au cours de l’AF 2012-2013. Cette enquête examinera plus en profondeur les problèmes humains dans la production du renseignement afin...the Queen in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of National Defence, 2011 © Sa Majesté la Reine ( en droit du Canada), telle que...ensemble. L’étude a également analysé de quelle façon la recherche en science du comportement peut aider la collectivité du renseignement à aborder

Likelihood Ratio Test Polarimetric SAR Ship Detection Application

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-12-01

menu. Under the Matlab menu, the user can export an area of an image to the MatlabTM MAT file format, as well as call RGB image and Pauli...must specify various parameters such as the area of the image to analyze. Export Image Area to MatlabTM (PoIGASP & COASP) Generates a MatlabTM file...represented by the Minister of National Defence, 2005 (0 Sa majest6 la reine, repr(sent(e par le ministre de la Defense nationale, 2005 Abstract This

Was leistet ein Sportler? Kraft, Leistung und Energie im Muskel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thaller, Sigrid; Mathelitsch, Leopold

2006-01-01

Der Leistungsbegriff ist im Sport weiter gefasst als in der Physik. In beiden Fällen liegt der Fokus jedoch auf einer pro Zeiteinheit erfolgten Energieumsetzung. Allerdings gibt die rein physikalische Leistung nicht immer Auskunft über den Energieumsatz der Muskeln. Die Muskelkraft hängt von der Kontraktionsgeschwindigkeit des Muskels ab. Ein Muskel verhält sich also anders als eine Feder. Für den Hochleistungssport müssen die Energieumsätze der Muskeln durch spezielle Trainings- und Nahrungsprogramme optimiert werden.

First Responder Immersive Training Environment (FRITSE): Development of a Games-Based Simulator for CBRN First Responder Training

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-11-01

SV © Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of National Defence, 2014 © Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada... dragged over to fire hydrants to be attached to the steamer caps. Bolt cutters can be used to cut holes in fences allowing better access to the train...derailment fire. Ground monitors (for blitz fire) can be positioned for fire attack. 65mm attack lines can be dragged from fire engines and

LRIT and AIS: An Analysis of October 2010 Data

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-01

Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale, 2014 DRDC Atlantic TM 2012-234 i Abstract...There have been amendments in the recent decade to Chapter V of the 1974 International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) which is...des modifications ont été apportées au chapitre V de la Convention internationale de 1974 pour la sauvegarde de la vie humaine en mer (SOLAS), qui

Power Analysis for a Proposed Group Randomized Control Trial (GRCT) on the Road to Mental Readiness (R2MP) Program

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-08-01

the Minister of National Defence, 2014 © Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale...specifically for the target GRCT population. The internal consistency and factorial validity of this new measure has been established in a series of studies...measure. Journal of general internal medicine. 2001;16(9):606-13. [11] Richards K, Fikretoglu D. Using Administrative Data to Inform the Design of a

Experimental Investigations on the Distortion of ISAR Images Using Different Radar Waveforms

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-09-01

des cibles fera partie int~grante d’une nouvelle approche pour la gestion des donn~es relatives A l’espace de combat, comme les nouvelles initiatives de ... risque de tir fratricide en conditions de combat. En somme, l’identification des cibles, particuli~rement en mode de non-cooperation, jouera un r~le...Defence, 2003 © Sa majest6 la reine, repr~sent~e par le ministre de la Defense nationale, 2003 Abstract Experimental results have shown that the

Economics of BAQ (Basic Allowance for Quarters)/Rent-Plus versus Government Leasing (USAREUR Family Housing)

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-05-01

o> \\T\\ -a* PH CM *• • • » mm m ^ ?. en s 00 «H *J ■■* vO *M « «H CM lA CM 3ii X sg« ■X* g > • u C %• • S3 55 O m «m ’ 6...125,063 146,080 271,143 55 4,930 04-05 6 W4 11,656 5,312 16,968 2 8,484 Goepplngen EI-B3** 0 0 0 0 0 E4-E6 531,860 466,360 998,220 178 5,608 E7-E9...prograaa would ba dapraaaad by aa epelalsele individual rnatal forecast. (ESC). d. Chare 19: VCSA seated ehae eh« eop; Una la ooe eh« Mr« qolc «aajie,M but

Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.).

PubMed

Feeney, Mistianne; Punja, Zamir K

2015-01-01

Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) suspension culture cells were transformed with Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain EHA101 carrying the binary plasmid pNOV3635. The plasmid contains a phosphomannose isomerase (PMI) selectable marker gene. Cells transformed with PMI are capable of metabolizing the selective agent mannose, whereas cells not expressing the gene are incapable of using the carbon source and will stop growing. Callus masses proliferating on selection medium were screened for PMI expression using a chlorophenol red assay. Genomic DNA was extracted from putatively transformed callus lines, and the presence of the PMI gene was confirmed using PCR and Southern hybridization. Using this method, an average transformation frequency of 31.23% ± 0.14 was obtained for all transformation experiments, with a range of 15.1-55.3%.

Simulation of the CRIPT Detector

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-03-01

National Defence, 2015 c© Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que réprésentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale, 2015 Abstract The...iron slabs of the spectrometer. The red plates are the panels containing the scintillator bars. 3 3 Monte Carlo Geometry The geometry of the detector is...instead of hollow), • parts were in wrong location (eg. spectrometer iron plates). To fix this, Computer Aided Design ( CAD ) drawings were provided for

Mixed-Signal Electronics Technology for Space (MSETS)

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-02-16

N A L P R O C E S S IN G (IN TE R P O LA TO R ) (D E LT A _S IG M A ) SCR Figure 1: Schematic representation of...Meeting on Electrical Performance of Electronic Packaging, pp 128-131, Oct. 1998 [8] M . Rickelt, H.- M . Rein and E . Rose, “ Influence of Impact... Embabi , J. Pineda de Gyvez, D.J. Allstot and E . Sanchez- Sinencio, “A capacitor cross-coupled common-gate low noise amplifier,” IEEE Trans. on

Optimal Alignment of Search and Rescue Response Posture with Historical Incident Occurrence

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-04-01

and Development Canada Scientific Report DRDC-RDDC-2014-R12 April 2014 © Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of...National Defence, 2014 © Sa Majesté la Reine en droit du Canada, telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale, 2014 Abstract The ...hour response posture (RP2hrs) for remaining hours. This report details the data, modelling and analysis for optimizing CAF SAR RP30 hours. Based on

Implementing Capability Based Planning within the Public Safety and Security Sector: Lessons from the Defence Experience

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-12-01

de l’équipement, cela comprend la doctrine et l’instruction. La gestion et la production de capacités sont généralement du ressort...les tendances en matière de gestion et de planification des activités et, en particulier, elle est étayée par l’évolution de la gestion du risque et...National Defence, 2011 © Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de

Virtual Reality (VR) as a Disruptive Technology

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-07-01

gestion et l’emploi de la M & S en tant que ressource du ministère de la Défense nationale (MDN). Quels sont les principaux facteurs favorables...represented by the Minister of National Defence, 2011 © Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense...nous expliquerons comment la RV pourrait être mise au service de l’instruction militaire en répondant à des questions précises du

Risk Assessment References: Documented Literature Search

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-10-01

the Minister of National Defence, 2012 © Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale...vise à démontrer la valeur de l’approche scientifique pour améliorer les capacités de gestion des situations d’urgence en se concentrant sur...l’évaluation des risques et les infrastructures essentielles. Au cours de la première phase du projet, RDDC a effectué une analyse documentaire

Spaceborne Ocean Intelligence Network: SOIN - Fiscal Year 10/11 Year-End Summary

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-10-01

la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de ...d’ouverture (RSO) de RADARSAT-2. La phase II en cours, d’une durée de trois ans, portera sur l’opérationnalisation et la mise en œuvre des capacités du RSRO...gouvernementales en observation de la Terre (IGOT). Le présent rapport donne un résumé des activités et des réalisations du projet durant l’exercice

Technology Insertion and Management: Options for the Canadian Forces

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-01-01

Minister of National Defence, 2010 © Sa Majesté la Reine ( en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale, 2010...semble indiquer qu’un changement de paradigme est en cours dans la façon dont les militaires élaborent et emploient la technologie à utiliser avec leurs...coûts-avantages fondée sur l’optimisation des options en matière d’insertion technologique. ii DRDC CORA TM 2010-015 This page

Combinatorial Problems of Applied Discrete Mathematics.

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-12-01

204 .I (30) 3. Steiner, Combinatorische Aufgabe, Z. Reine Angew. Math. 45 (1853) 18 1—182. (31) IC. Takeuchi, A table of difference sets generating...Assoc. Fr. Ay. Sd . 1 (1900) 122— 123; 2 (1901) 170—203. • (33) R.M. Wilson, Cyclotomy and difference fam ilies in elementary Abelian groups , 3. Number...the differe nt cliques containing either A or B. Let us first introduce the following notations. If A is a vertex in G, then 1(A) denotes the set of

Technologies for Protection and Resistance Enhancement of Critical Infrastructures againstExtreme Fire

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-05-01

in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of National Defence, 2014 © Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ...extreme fire protection of critical infrastructures. Résumé …..... Le présent rapport fournit de l’information qui pourrait aider à élaborer des...démarches nationales pour une atténuation du risque émergeant des conditions d’incendie extrêmes pour les infrastructures essentielles (IE). Les résultats

Findings of the Test and Evaluation Proof of Concept Trial at the NCOT Facility

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-04-01

Submitted by: M. L . Matthews, R. D. G. Webb, A. R. Keeble Humansystems Incorporated® 111 Farquhar Street, 2nd Floor Guelph, Ontario N1H 3N4 Project...Report DRDC- Toronto No. CR-2002-056 Q\\ l Humansystems Incorporated April2002 NCOT: Proof of Concept P517839.PDF [Page: 4 of 39] ~· ©HER MAJESTY THE...QUEEN IN RIGHT OF CANADA (2002) as represented by the Minister of National Defense ©SA MAJESTE LA REINE EN DROIT DUE CANADA (2002) Defense Nationale

Colloque S&T Symposium 2007: Understanding The Human Dimension in 21st Century Conflict/Warfare (Comprendre la Dimension Humaine du Conflit et de la Conduite de la Guerre au XXIe Siecle)

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-08-01

represented by the Minister of National Defence, 2007 © Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense...grandes œuvres historiques de fiction : Guerre et paix de Tolstoï, Le vieil homme et la mer d’Hemingway, Hamlet de Shakespeare, et Les Misérables de ...Colloque S&T Symposium 2007 Understanding The Human Dimension in 21st Century Conflict/Warfare - Comprendre la dimension humaine du conflit et de

An investigation of the Attenuation Provided by the Surefire EP3 Sonic Defender (Trademark) Earplug

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-05-01

Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale, 2008 DRDC Toronto TR 2008-040 i Abstract...Surefire chez cinq hommes et cinq femmes. Selon le fabricant, un orifice percé dans le bouchon permet aux sons dont le niveau est sans danger de ...dispositif avec l’orifice ouvert et fermé en l’absence de bruits impulsifs. Cinq hommes et cinq femmes y ont participé. Le seuil d’audibilité de chaque

Preliminary Review of Psychophysiological Technologies to Support Multimodal UAV Interface Design

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-05-01

l’information et réduire la charge de travail de l’opérateur et ainsi optimiser le rendement du système homme -machine. Les technologies de surveillance...Aviation Psychology, 12(1), 63-77. De Rivecourt, M., Kuperus, M. N., Post, W. J. & Mulder, L . J. M. (2008). Cardiovascular and eye activity measures as...Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of National Defence, 2010 © Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que

VENUS Ranging Study

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-12-01

Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que réprésentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale, 2014 Abstract The underwater acoustic propagation...50 km des capteurs sous-marins situés aux nœuds du réseau VENUS dont les données acoustiques et sismiques sont accessibles au public sur Internet...Southwest British Columbia, Geophysical Journal International , 170(2), 800–812. [15] Hamilton, E. L. (1979), Vp/Vs and Poisson’s ratios in marine

Gas Dynamics, Characterization, and Calibration of Fast Flow Flight Cascade Impactor Quartz Crystal Microbalances (QCM) for Aerosol Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grant, J.R.; Thorpe, A. N.; James, C.; Michael, A.; Ware, M.; Senftle, F.; Smith, S.

1997-01-01

During recent high altitude flights, we have tested the aerosol section of the fast flow flight cascade impactor quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) on loan to Howard University from NASA. The aerosol mass collected during these flights was disappointingly small. Increasing the flow through the QCM did not correct the problem. It was clear that the instrument was not being operated under proper conditions for aerosol collect ion primarily because the gas dynamics is not well understood. A laboratory study was therefore undertaken using two different fast flow QCM's in an attempt to establish the gas flow characteristics of the aerosol sections and its effect on particle collection, Some tests were made at low temperatures but most of the work reported here was carried out at room temperature. The QCM is a cascade type impactor originally designed by May (1945) and later modified by Anderson (1966) and Mercer et al (1970) for chemical gas analysis. The QCM has been used extensively for collecting and sizing stratospheric aerosol particles. In this paper all flow rates are given or corrected and referred to in terms of air at STP. All of the flow meters were kept at STP. Although there have been several calibration and evaluation studies of moderate flow cascade impactors of less than or equal to 1 L/rein., there is little experimental information on the gas flow characteristics for fast flow rates greater than 1 L/rein.

The use of the PMI/mannose selection system to recover transgenic sweet orange plants (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck).

PubMed

Boscariol, R L; Almeida, W A B; Derbyshire, M T V C; Mourão Filho, F A A; Mendes, B M J

2003-09-01

A new method for obtaining transgenic sweet orange plants was developed in which positive selection (Positech) based on the Escherichia coli phosphomannose-isomerase (PMI) gene as the selectable marker gene and mannose as the selective agent was used. Epicotyl segments from in vitro-germinated plants of Valencia, Hamlin, Natal and Pera sweet oranges were inoculated with Agrobacterium tumefaciens EHA101-pNOV2116 and subsequently selected on medium supplemented with different concentrations of mannose or with a combination of mannose and sucrose as a carbon source. Genetic transformation was confirmed by PCR and Southern blot. The transgene expression was evaluated using a chlorophenol red assay and isoenzymes. The transformation efficiency rate ranged from 3% to 23.8%, depending on cultivar. This system provides an efficient manner for selecting transgenic sweet orange plants without using antibiotics or herbicides.

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.).

PubMed

Radonic, Laura M; Lewi, Dalia M; López, Nilda E; Hopp, H Esteban; Escandón, Alejandro S; Bilbao, Marisa López

2015-01-01

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is still considered as a recalcitrant species to in vitro culture and transformation in spite of the publication of different protocols. Here we describe a routine transformation system of this crop which requires mature HA89 genotype seeds and Agrobacterium tumefaciens EHA105 strain for gene delivery, being both easily available. Selection of transformed shoots depends on root development in kanamycin-selective media, instead of shoot color, avoiding selection of escapes. The establishment of this protocol proved successful for the incorporation of both reporter and agronomic important genes and also for the evaluation of the specific expression patterns of different promoters in transgenic sunflower plants. Stable expression of the incorporated transgenes was confirmed by RT-PCR and GUS reporter gene visualization. Stable inheritance of transgenes was successfully followed until T2 generation in several independent lines.

Proceedings from the 1st Insights in Hematology Symposium, Cluj-Napoca, Romania March 11-12, 2016.

PubMed

Bojan, Anca; Berindan-Neagoe, Ioana; Ciurea, S; Dima, Delia; Fuji, Shigeo; Ghiaur, G; Grewal, Ravnit; Mccormack, Emmet; Tanase, Alina; Trifa, A; Tomuleasa, Ciprian

2016-09-01

In the March 2016 issue of the Lancet Haematology, the editorial office published a paper stating the roadmap for European research in hematology, based on the European Hematology Association (EHA) consensus document that outlines the directions in hematology for the following years across the continent. The meeting entitled "Insights in hematology" is organized a support for the initiative of a roadmap for European hematologists regarding research, may it be basic research or clinical research, but this consensus should not be focused mainly on European institutions, but rather form the backbone of global research between Europe and the United States, Japan or any other country. This will allow Europeans to learn as well as to share their experience with the rest of the scientific and medical community. And the Cluj-Napoca meeting should be followed by other such meetings all across the EU.

Executive Director Fred Spilhaus Steps Down; Interim Leader Takes AGU Reins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weiss, Peter

2009-02-01

After 39 years as AGU executive director, Fred Spilhaus has stepped down from his post; he will become executive director emeritus. At a 27 January 2009 staff meeting at AGU headquarters, in Washington, D. C., three of the Union officers introduced Robert T. Van Hook, who will serve as interim executive director while AGU conducts a worldwide search for a new executive director. The search is expected to start in the summer of 2009 and to take from 6 to 18 months. ``AGU is a growing, vibrant organization that wishes to thoughtfully chart its course for the coming decades,'' Van Hook said. ``I am a professional interim executive, here to build on Fred Spilhaus's legacy. I want to help this extraordinary Union of researchers, teachers, and students take careful stock of where it is today, where it wants to go tomorrow, and what kind of staff leader it needs to help it get there,'' he said. ``My job is to get you ready for the next executive director,'' Van Hook told AGU staff, noting that he is not a candidate for the position himself.

Surgical inflammatory stress: the embryo takes hold of the reins again

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

The surgical inflammatory response can be a type of high-grade acute stress response associated with an increasingly complex trophic functional system for using oxygen. This systemic neuro-immune-endocrine response seems to induce the re-expression of 2 extraembryonic-like functional axes, i.e. coelomic-amniotic and trophoblastic-yolk-sac-related, within injured tissues and organs, thus favoring their re-development. Accordingly, through the up-regulation of two systemic inflammatory phenotypes, i.e. neurogenic and immune-related, a gestational-like response using embryonic functions would be induced in the patient’s injured tissues and organs, which would therefore result in their repair. Here we establish a comparison between the pathophysiological mechanisms that are produced during the inflammatory response and the physiological mechanisms that are expressed during early embryonic development. In this way, surgical inflammation could be a high-grade stress response whose pathophysiological mechanisms would be based on the recapitulation of ontogenic and phylogenetic-related functions. Thus, the ultimate objective of surgical inflammation, as a gestational process, is creating new tissues/organs for repairing the injured ones. Since surgical inflammation and early embryonic development share common production mechanisms, the factors that hamper the wound healing reaction in surgical patients could be similar to those that impair the gestational process. PMID:23374964

Leading Change to Improve Student Achievement: Novice Leaders Take the Reins

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brazer, S. David; Bauer, Scott C.

2011-01-01

This article addresses the effects of education leadership candidates' experiences taking a non-traditional research course in which they identify a specific instructional performance gap in their school sites, then engage in action research, consult published literature, and develop an action plan to address the gap. Candidates are required to…

Take the Reins on Model Quality with ModelCHECK and Gatekeeper

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Corey

2012-01-01

Model quality and consistency has been an issue for us due to the diverse experience level and imaginative modeling techniques of our users. Fortunately, setting up ModelCHECK and Gatekeeper to enforce our best practices has helped greatly, but it wasn't easy. There were many challenges associated with setting up ModelCHECK and Gatekeeper including: limited documentation, restrictions within ModelCHECK, and resistance from end users. However, we consider ours a success story. In this presentation we will describe how we overcame these obstacles and present some of the details of how we configured them to work for us.

Using Profiles in GOSSIP to Examine Concepts Associated with the Afghan National Police in Open Source Media

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-10-01

Scientist © Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of National Defence, 2011 © Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du...raisonnables en raison de leur volume. Au cours des dernières années, les pays membres de l’Organisation du Traité de l’Atlantique Nord (OTAN) ont mis sur pied...pouvant être lus dans des délais raisonnables en raison de leur volume. Au cours des dernières années, les pays membres de l’Organisation du Traité

Superomniphobic Surfaces for Military Applications: Nano- and Micro-Fabrication Methods. Chapter 2: Investigation of Wear for Superhydrophobic Surfaces and Development of New Coatings

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

Queen in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of National Defence, 2011 © Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par...alors que dans d’autres, elles sont faibles (Ra, Rq, Rz) et ne permettent pas d’extraire les diverses transitions qui surviennent au cours du...existe une corrélation élevée entre certains paramètres de rugosité et les étapes de transition au cours du mouillage de la surface. On observe aussi que

Proceedings of Gas Turbine Materials 1972 Conference Held at the Naval Ship Engineering Center, Hyattsville, MD. on October 1972

DTIC Science & Technology

1972-10-01

available. The. ranking of the oxides rendering it noirprotective. The normally protective oxide Al203,Cr203,MoO3, V2O5 ,SiO2,WO 3 and 102 based on scale...oxide scales in acidic Na 2 SO4 solution cannot occur; only " glass " was insoluble in water. Based upon the AI 20 3 - that, based upon the experimental...soluble in water, it is concluded that pansion between the glass and the substrate. When rein- the fused salt present on the surface of the alloyed

Ship Dynamics Identification Using Simulator and Sea Trial Data

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-04-29

Committee "© Her Majesty the Queen as represented by the Minister of National Defence, 2002 "© Sa majest6 la reine, repr~sent~e par le ministre de la...cotes d’instructeurs. Le but du present rapport est de ddterminer la nature de la dynamique des navires virtuels et r6els de mani&re A ce que des...la dynamique du navire. Le pr6sent document pr6cise la dynamique du navire pour un navire de classe Bay des FC, ainsi que pour un navire simul6. Les

Harbour Siren: Technical Recommendations Report

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-05-01

de recommandations et une feuille de route à court terme pour l’interopérabilité dans la gestion des urgences (IGU) et l’interopérabilité du système...Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale, 2011 DRDC Atlantic CR 2010-179 i...maritime du Groupe de travail interministériel sur la sûreté maritime (GTISM). Le document présente un ensemble d’observations et de

Coalition Interoperability Measurement Frameworks Literature Survey

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-08-01

National Defence, 2011 © Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale, 2011 Abstract...interarmées élabore actuellement ce cadre et les travaux sont parrainés par le Groupe du Sous- ministre adjoint ( Gestion de l’information). L’intérêt...Groupe du Sous-ministre adjoint ( Gestion de l’information). Le type d’interopérabilité qui nous intéresse : 1. touche les Cinq pays (Australie

Validation of New Crack Monitoring Technique for Victoria Class High-Pressure Air Bottles

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-06-01

technique de corrélation d’images numériques a été employée pour mesurer le champ de déforma- tion dans la zone située du côté opposé à l’entaille... la Reine en droit du Canada (Ministère de la Défense nationale), 2014 Abstract High-pressure air bottles are used in the Victoria class submarines to...charges cycliques pouvant provoquer l’apparition et favoriser la croissance de fissures de fatigue. L’ob- servation d’une marque interne semblable à une

Research Using In Vivo Simulation of Meta-Organizational Shared Decision Making (SDM). Task 2: Development of an Experimental Plan for In Vivo Exercise and Simulation

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-12-01

la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale, 2011 DRDC CSS CR 2011-31 ii...participants. Résumé …..... Introduction : Ce rapport présente la Tâche 2 du projet « Recherche par la simulation in-vivo sur la prise de décision partagée...environnement sur la prise de décision partagée in-vivo des opérations de gestion des urgences et pour colliger des données

Study on Cyber Security and Threat Evaluation in SCADA Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-01

la sécurité de l’infrastructure essentielle du Canada. DRDC CSS CR 2012-06 vii • Les cadres de gestion des cybermenaces et des ...Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale, 2012 DRDC CSS CR 2012-06 i Abstract …….. This...ii DRDC CSS CR 2012-06 Résumé …..... Le présent rapport fait la synthèse des résultats du projet PTSP 02-0347eSec

Building Resilient Communities Workshop Report

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-06-01

Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale, 2014 CSSP-2013-CD-1120...EMBC) [ Gestion des urgences Colombie-Britannique], le Programme canadien pour la sûreté et la sécurité (PCSS) et Recherche et développement pour la ...comptes rendus de la mise à jour du rapport du RCERD sur la résilience des communautés autochtones. L’événement a aussi donné une tribune pour un groupe

Effects of Self-Esteem and Mortality Salience on Attitudes Toward Canadian Security: Exploring the Significance of Implicit-Explicit and Personal-Collective Distinctions (Les Effets de L’Estime de soi et de la Pregnance de la Mort sur les Attitudes a L’Egard de la Securite Canadienne: Analyse de L’Importance des Distinctions entre Implicite et Explicite d’une Part et entre Personnel et Collectif D’Autre Part)

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-04-01

la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale, 2011 DRDC Toronto TR... la gestion de la terreur, c’est parce que les êtres humains sont les seuls à posséder la capacité de comprendre la finitude de la vie qu’ils ont...entre autres l’adhésion à une vision du monde culturellement significative et un sentiment de sécurité basé sur l’estime de soi. À ce jour,

Current Flow Through Two Dimensional Arrays of Metal Nanoparticles as a Novel Sensor Platform

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-05-01

Suffield TM 2009-068; R & D pour la défense Canada – Suffield; août 2009. Les indicateurs d’exposition de type macarons sont une composante essentielle...fait que ces films de nanoparticules sont très at- trayants comme génération future des indicateurs d’exposition de type macaron personnel. Les ...Minister of National Defence, 2009 c© Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale

Expedition 50 Crew Hands Over the Space Station to Expedition 51

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-04-09

The reins of the International Space Station were passed from NASA’s Shane Kimbrough to NASA’s Peggy Whitson during a ceremony on the orbital outpost April 9. Kimbrough is returning to Earth April 10 with his Expedition 50 crewmates, Sergey Ryzhikov and Andrey Borisenko of Roscosmos in the Soyuz MS-02 spacecraft for a landing on the steppe of Kazakhstan to complete a 173-day mission. Whitson remains on the station as commander of Expedition 51 along with Flight Engineers Oleg Novitskiy of Roscosmos and Thomas Pesquet of the European Space Agency.

Contractor Final Report: For the Technology Demonstration of the Joint Network Defence and Management System (JNDMS)

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-10-01

opérationnel. Importance: Nous avons démontré des fonctions cruciales en utilisant des outils d’entreprise pour comprendre en profondeur un domaine...by the Minister of National Defence, 2009 © Sa Majesté la Reine ( en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale...interarmées de défense et de gestion des réseaux (SIDGR), en vertu du contrat W7714-04-0875/001/SV. Il touche l’exécution et les résultats de cette

Constraint-Based Argumentation for Decision Support in the Context of Combat Power Management

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-09-01

module anticipe les objections de l’opérateur et contre- argumente. Recherches futures : Cette méthodologie sera étudiée plus en profondeur , dans le...Scientist c© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada as represented by the Minister of National Defence, 2008 c© Sa Majesté la Reine ( en droit du...l’opérateur à prendre des décisions efficaces et sans erreur en temps opportun, tout en réduisant sa charge de travail. Or, étant donné la

Tailoring Wettability Through the Surface Modification of Electro-spun Polymers by Plasma and Sol-gel Treatments

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-11-01

Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale, 2014 DRDC-RDDC-2014-R102 i...avec la surface des matériaux est d’une importance fondamentale pour de nombreux processus, dont l’adhésion, les réactions chimiques, le transport...hydrodynamique et la nettoyabilité des surfaces. Les propriétés des surfaces peuvent se situer dans une gamme allant d’un caractère hydrophile ou

Change of Command aboard the Space Station

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-09-02

The reins of the International Space Station were passed from Fyodor Yurchikhin of Roscosmos to Randy Bresnik of NASA during a ceremony on the orbital outpost Sept. 1. Yurchikhin is returning to Earth with his crewmates, Peggy Whitson and Jack Fischer of NASA in the Soyuz MS-04 spacecraft for a landing Sept. 3. Whitson, who has logged more days in space than any other U.S. astronaut, is completing a 10-month mission, her third long duration flight, while Yurchikhin and Fischer are completing 136 days in space.

The Concentration Probability Density Function With Implications for Probabilistic Modeling of Chemical Warfare Agent Detector Responses for Source Reconstruction

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-05-01

efforts de gestion rétroactive des situations d’urgence actuelles comportant l’mission cachée d’agents chi- miques, biologiques et radiologiques (CBR...Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale, 2008 Original signed by E. Yee Original...context of the source reconstruction problem. DRDC Suffield TR 2008-077 i Résumé On a étudié les relations entre des moments variés de

Effects of Integrated Hearing Protection Headsets on the Quality of Radio Communications (Effets des Casques D’ecoute Munis d’un Dispositif Integre de Protection de L’Ouie sur la Qualite des Communications Radio)

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-07-01

National Defence, 2009 © Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale, 2009 DRDC Toronto TR...Parallèlement, on a évalué le degré d’acceptation de l’utilisateur à l’aide d’un questionnaire. Méthode: Cinq hommes ayant un seuil d’audition...hearing protection and usability. Résumé …..... L’intelligibilité de la parole en provenance d’un poste radio personnel (PRR) muni de casques

Biometrics of Intent: From Psychophysiology to Behaviour

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-11-01

pourrons comparer les profils de sujets individuels avec la base de données normatives. La mise sur pied de cette banque de données constitue donc la...of National Defence, 2009 © Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale, 2009 DRDC...intentionnel des états émotionnels négatifs engendrés par le stress. Ce qui est proposé ici, c’est un cadre théorique préliminaire qui applique les

Design and Test Results of AMIGO: A Novel Remote Ground Sensor System

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-01-01

prix ou dans l’IR à prix élevé); le corps principal équipé de capteurs et de composants électroniques de base à faible prix ; et une plate-forme...reine, représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale, 2007 DRDC Valcartier TR 2005-272 i Abstract The objectives of the project...Observation) a pour but d’étudier les technologies relatives aux systèmes de détecteurs autonomes au sol (DAS) et de mettre au point, puis de

Jatropha (Jatropha curcas L.).

PubMed

Maravi, Devendra Kumar; Mazumdar, Purabi; Alam, Shamsher; Goud, Vaibhav V; Sahoo, Lingaraj

2015-01-01

The seed oil of Jatropha (Jatropha curcas L.) as a source of biodiesel fuel is gaining worldwide importance. Commercial-scale exploration of Jatropha has not succeeded due to low and unstable seed yield in semiarid lands unsuitable for the food production and infestation to diseases. Genetic engineering is promising to improve various agronomic traits in Jatropha and to understand the molecular functions of key Jatropha genes for molecular breeding. We describe a protocol routinely followed in our laboratory for stable and efficient Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation of Jatropha using cotyledonary leaf as explants. The 4-day-old explants are infected with Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain EHA105 harboring pBI121 plant binary vector, which contains nptII as plant selectable marker and gus as reporter. The putative transformed plants are selected on kanamycin, and stable integration of transgene(s) is confirmed by histochemical GUS assay, polymerase chain reaction, and Southern hybridization.

Comparing the sensitivity of linear and volumetric MRI measurements to detect changes in the size of vestibular schwannomas in patients with neurofibromatosis type 2 on bevacizumab treatment.

PubMed

Morris, Katrina A; Parry, Allyson; Pretorius, Pieter M

2016-09-01

To compare the sensitivity of linear and volumetric measurements on MRI in detecting schwannoma progression in patients with neurofibromatosis type 2 on bevacizumab treatment as well as the extent to which this depends on the size of the tumour. We compared retrospectively, changes in linear tumour dimensions at a range of thresholds to volumetric tumour measurements performed using Brainlab iPlan(®) software (Feldkirchen, Germany) and classified for tumour progression according to the Response Evaluation in Neurofibromatosis and Schwannomatosis (REiNS) criteria. Assessment of 61 schwannomas in 46 patients with a median follow-up of 20 months (range 3-43 months) was performed. There was a mean of 7 time points per tumour (range 2-12 time points). Using the volumetric REiNS criteria as the gold standard, a sensitivity of 86% was achieved for linear measurement using a 2-mm threshold to define progression. We propose that a change in linear measurement by 2 mm (particularly in tumours with starting diameters 20-30 mm, the majority of this cohort) could be used as a filter to identify cases of possible progression requiring volumetric analysis. This pragmatic approach can be used if stabilization of a previously growing schwannoma is sufficient for a patient to continue treatment in such a circumstance. We demonstrate the real-world limitations of linear vs volumetric measurement in tumour response assessment and identify limited circumstances where linear measurements can be used to determine which patients require the more resource-intensive volumetric measurements.

Treatment of patella baja by a modified Z-plasty.

PubMed

Guido, Wierer; Christian, Hoser; Elmar, Herbst; Elisabeth, Abermann; Christian, Fink

2016-09-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of a modified Z-plasty for patellar tendon lengthening for the treatment of patella baja. Rather than adapting only two tendon reins according to the conventional Z-plasty method, the modified Z-plasty provides four reins to enable multifold overlapping of the tendon tissue. Between 2010 and 2012, a modified Z-plasty procedure was performed in four patients suffering from patella baja. Physical examinations and standardized scoring instruments served as the evaluation measures. The median preoperative CD ratio of 0.53 (range 0.43-0.62) was corrected to 1.03 (range 1-1.06) after a median follow-up of 34 months (range 23-41 months). The median preoperative flexion of 108° (range 80-135°) improved to 143° (range 110-145°) compared with the flexion of 145° (range 140-145°) of the unaffected knee. No patients showed any signs of extension lag. The median Lysholm score improved from 49 (range 22-80) to 91 (range 67-95), and the Tegner activity level improved from 2 (range 0-6) to 6 (range 2-6). The median VAS status for pain decreased from an average of 8.5 (range 4-10) to 1 (range 0-2). No complications were observed. The modified Z-plasty procedure is a valuable technique for the treatment of patella baja, especially if allografts are not available. This procedure allowed for early mobilization and achieved excellent clinical results. IV.

Science Town 2.0: An integrating Concept for S&T Support for Multi-Agency Crisis and Disaster Management

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-12-01

la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale, 2012 DRDC CSS TM 2012-029 i...importantes forces d’application de la loi et de sécurité nationale de l’histoire du Canada. L’empreinte de la sécurité du théâtre d’opérations des Jeux...sécurité et de défense par la mise en place d’une « ville scientifique » mobile. La réussite du déploiement des

Engine Fluid Leakage Detection: A Feasibility Study

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-07-01

2011 © Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale, 2011 DRDC Atlantic TM 2011-050 i... de détecter tout problème possible lié à la sécurité ou aux performances des moteurs à turbine à gaz d’aéronefs. Le signalement immédiat d’une fuite...carburant ou d’huile moteur nuisent non seulement aux performances d’un moteur, mais elles représentent également une menace réelle pour la sécurité de

Equations of Motion of a Ground Moving Target for a Multi-Channel Spaceborne SAR

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-01

Canada as represented by the Minister of National Defence, 2009 c© Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de...ex., RADARSAT- 2 ou TerraSAR-X). Les travaux menant au présent mémoire technique visaient à dériver un ensemble d’équations de mouvement d’une cible...Dragos̆ević ; DRDC Ottawa TM 2008-326 ; R & D pour la défense Canada – Ottawa ; mars 2009. Introduction : Le traitement des données des radars à synthèse

Synthetic Aperture Processing of Wideband Scattering Measurements Made in the DRDC Atlantic Acoustic Calibration Tank

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-09-01

as represented by the Minister of National Defence, 2008 © Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la...des mines ventouses d’entraînement réelles, sur un disque de un mètre de diamètre qui était suspendu dans le bassin d’étalonnage acoustique de RDDC...Atlantique à l’aide d’une perche rotative. Deux disques ont été examinés : un en aluminium et l’autre en fibre de verre . Ces disques ont été tournés

Netz ohne doppelten Boden: Internet-Sicherheit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fichtner, Johann

2002-07-01

Die Sicherheitslücken des heutigen Internets haben zwei Ursachen: sein ursprüngliches Design für rein militärische Zwecke sowie die gefährliche Sorglosigkeit der Entwickler und Betreiber von Internet-Komponenten. Dabei kann ein kleiner Kreis von Experten Angriffe auf die eigentlichen Netzknoten ausführen. Typische Hacker-Angriffe kommen von Endsystemen des Internets und richten sich auch gegen Endsysteme wie Firmen-Intranets oder einzelne PCs. Dagegen gibt es eine Reihe von Schutzmöglichkeiten. Es ist jedoch keine einfache Lösung zur Erhöhung der Internet-Sicherheit in Sicht.

Discrimination Power Control for Adaptive Target Tracking Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-07-01

represented by the Minister of National Defence, 2008 c© Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense...classification. Résumé Le travail présenté dans ce rapport porte sur le problème de la capacité discriminatoire dans des applications de pistage de cibles...objectifs d’une mission. La stratégie de contrôle est basée sur deux boucles imbriquées. La boucle externe utilise des techniques de regroupement de

Single pion production in neutrino-nucleon interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kabirnezhad, M.

2018-01-01

This work represents an extension of the single pion production model proposed by Rein [Z. Phys. C 35, 43 (1987)., 10.1007/BF01561054]. The model consists of resonant pion production and nonresonant background contributions coming from three Born diagrams in the helicity basis. The new work includes lepton mass effects, and nonresonance interaction is described by five diagrams based on a nonlinear σ model. This work provides a full kinematic description of single pion production in the neutrino-nucleon interactions, including resonant and nonresonant interactions in the helicity basis, in order to study the interference effect.

Combat Identification (15au): Project Summary and Closeout Report

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-07-01

represented by the Minister of National Defence, 2009 © Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la...l’interface homme -machine pour amener une utilisation en confiance plus appropriée de l’aide automatisée à la décision. D’autre part, le projet a...examen des objectifs du projet, ainsi qu’une mise en perspective sur ce qui rend le travail nécessaire. Il y a un résumé des réussites du projet et

Shin Clearance in the Hawk Mk115

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-01-01

represented by the Minister of National Defence, 2008 © Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense... de sélection anthropométrique pour les pilotes. La nouvelle norme base l’acceptation ou le rejet des candidats selon qu’ils sont physiquement...compatibles avec les postes de pilotage de la flotte; la norme précédente n’était pas aussi spécifique. En conséquence, la compatibilité des élèves pilotes

Development of Norms for the Post-deployment Reintegration Scale

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-09-01

semble pas y avoir de groupes manifestement à risque au sein des FC (Réserve par rapport à Force régulière, femmes par rapport aux hommes , renforts par...which read “j’ ai eu de la difficulté à réconcilier l ’ état de dévastation que j ’ai constaté là- bas et ma vie au Canada” in the French version...Canada. © Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of National Defence, 2010 © Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du

Who chooses a consumer-directed health plan?

PubMed

Barry, Colleen L; Cullen, Mark R; Galusha, Deron; Slade, Martin D; Busch, Susan H

2008-01-01

Consumer-directed health plans (CDHPs) hold the promise of reining in health spending by giving consumers a greater stake in health care purchasing, yet little is known about employers' experience with these products. In examining the characteristics of those selecting a CDHP offered by one large employer, we found stronger evidence of selection than has been identified in prior research. Our findings suggest that in the context of plan choice, CDHPs may offer little opportunity to greatly lower employers' cost burden, and they highlight concerns about the potential for risk segmentation and the value of conferring preferential tax treatment to CDHPs.

Who Chooses A Consumer-Directed Health Plan?

PubMed Central

Barry, Colleen L.; Cullen, Mark R.; Galusha, Deron; Slade, Martin D.; Busch, Susan H.

2012-01-01

Consumer-directed health plans (CDHPs) hold the promise of reining in health spending by giving consumers a greater stake in health care purchasing, yet little is known about employers’ experience with these products. In examining the characteristics of those selecting a CDHP offered by one large employer, we found stronger evidence of selection than has been identified in prior research. Our findings suggest that in the context of plan choice, CDHPs may offer little opportunity to greatly lower employers’ cost burden, and they highlight concerns about the potential for risk segmentation and the value of conferring preferential tax treatment to CDHPs. PMID:18997225

E.H.A., Part B Flow-Through Entitlement's Project Speak. O.E.E. Evaluation Report, 1981-82.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York City Board of Education, Brooklyn, NY. Office of Educational Evaluation.

This report presents an evaluation of the third and final year of Project Speak, funded under Part B of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act. Project Speak was initiated to stimulate the language development of preschool handicapped children through direct instruction and parent training. The program provided home-based language…

Putting reins on the brain. How the body and environment use it

PubMed Central

Dotov, Dobromir G.

2014-01-01

Radical embodied cognitive neuroscience (RECN) will probably rely on dynamical systems theory (DST) and complex systems theory for methods and formalism. Yet, there have been plenty of non-radical neurodynamicists out there for quite some time. How much of their work fits with radical embodied cognitive science, what do they need RECN for, and what are the inconsistencies between RECN and established neurodynamics that would have to be resolved? This paper is both theoretical hypothesis and review. First, it provides a brief overview of the typical, purely structural considerations why the central nervous systems (CNS) should be treated as a nonlinear dynamical system and what this entails. The reader will learn about the circular causality enclosing brain and behavior and different attempts to formalize this circularity. Then, three different attempts at linking dynamics and theory of brain function are described in more detail and criticized. A fourth method based on ecological psychology could fix some of the issues that the others encounter. It is argued that studying self-organization of the brain without taking its ecological embedding into account is insufficient. Finally, based on existing theoretical work we propose two roles that the CNS has to be fulfilling in order to allow an animal to behave adequately in its niche. In its first role the CNS has to be enslaved easily by patterns of behavior that guide the animal through its environment. In the second role the brain has to flexibly switch among patterns, what can be called the metastable circuit breaker. The relevance of this idea is supported using certain motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD). These symptoms can be explained as consequent to an excessive stability of the (metastable) circuit breaker. PMID:25346675

One Way to Rein in the Cost of Textbooks: Make Them Free

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Delespinasse, Paul F.

2008-01-01

The prices for college texts have soared way beyond inflation for the last quarter-century. As such, they have become a burden on today's financially strapped students. From the point of students and of faculty members who are concerned about their students' welfare, the important question is what can be done to drive text prices back down. In…

In vitro effects of Musa x paradisiaca extracts on four developmental stages of Haemonchus contortus.

PubMed

Marie-Magdeleine, C; Udino, L; Philibert, L; Bocage, B; Archimede, H

2014-02-01

This study was carried out to evaluate the in vitro effect of Musa x paradisiaca stem and leaf against the parasitic nematode of small ruminants Haemonchus contortus. Three extracts (aqueous, methanolic and/or dichloromethane) of Musa x paradisiaca stem and leaf were tested in vitro on four developmental stages of H. contortus using egg hatch assay (EHA), larval development assay (LDA), L3 migration inhibition assay (LMI) and adult worm motility assay (AWM). The highly significant (P<0.0001) ability to stop larval development (inhibition >67% for each extract) and the negative effect of the dichloromethane extract of leaf on adult worm motility (43% of inhibition of motility after 24h of incubation) compared to the negative controls, suggest anthelmintic properties of Musa x paradisiaca stem and leaf against H. contortus. The active principles responsible for the activity could be secondary metabolites such as terpenoid and flavonoid compounds present in the leaf and stem of the plant. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Plasma-induced polymerization for enhancing paper hydrophobicity.

PubMed

Song, Zhaoping; Tang, Jiebin; Li, Junrong; Xiao, Huining

2013-01-30

Hydrophobic modification of cellulose fibers was conducted via plasma-induced polymerization in an attempt to graft the hydrophobic polymer chains on paper surface, this increasing the hydrophobicity of paper. Two hydrophobic monomers, butyl acrylate (BA) and 2-ethylhexyl acrylate (2-EHA), were grafted on cellulose fibers, induced by atmospheric cold plasma. Various influencing factors associated with the plasma-induced grafting were investigated. Contact-angle measurement, Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) were used to ascertain the occurrence of the grafting and characterized the changes of the cellulose fiber after modification. The results showed that the hydrophobicity of the modified paper sheet was improved significantly after the plasma-induced grafting. The water contact angle on the paper surface reached up to 130°. The morphological differences between modified and unmodified samples were also revealed by SEM observation. The resulting paper is promising as a green-based packaging material. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation of Phellodendron amurense Rupr. using mature-seed explants.

PubMed

Yang, Jingli; Zhao, Bo; Kim, Yeon Bok; Zhou, Chenguang; Li, Chunyan; Chen, Yunlin; Zhang, Haizhen; Li, Cheng Hao

2013-01-01

An efficient transformation protocol was developed for Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of Phellodendron amurense Rupr. for using explants from mature seeds. The binary vector pCAMBIA1303, which contained hygromycin phosphotransferase (hptII) as a selectable marker gene and β-glucuronidase (GUS) as a reporter gene, was used for transformation studies. Different factors that affect survival of transformed buds, namely Agrobacterium infection method, bacterial strain, pre-culture duration, acetosyringone concentration, co-culture duration, and co-culture temperature were examined and optimized for transformation efficiency on the basis of GUS staining of hygromycin-resistant buds. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR), Southern blot and reverse transcription PCR confirmed the presence of the GUS gene. A transformation frequency of 13.1 % was achieved under optimized conditions for transformation (A. tumefaciens strain EHA105, 4 days co-cultivation at 4 °C, and infection of the pre-cultured mature-seed explants for 2 days). This is the first report of a successful genetic transformation protocol for P. amurense.

Improved production of transgenic Dioscorea zingiberensis (Dioscoreaceae) by Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation.

PubMed

Shi, L; Fan, J Q; Hu, C G; Luo, J; Yao, J L

2012-02-03

The establishment of high-efficiency Agrobacterium-mediated transformation techniques could improve the production of Dioscorea zingiberensis, a medicinal species with a high diosgenin content. We co-cultivated embryogenic calli induced from mature seeds with A. tumefaciens strain EHA105. A binary vector, pCAMBIA1381, which contains the gfp and hpt genes under the control of the ubiquitin promoter and the CaMV 35S promoter, respectively, was used for transformation. Pre-culture, basic medium, acetosyringone, and bacterial density were evaluated to establish the most efficient protocol. The optimal conditions consisted of MS medium without CaCl(2) for pre- and co-cultivation, three days for pre-culture, addition of 200 μM AS, and an OD(600) of 0.5. The transgenic plants grown under selection were confirmed by PCR analysis and Southern blot analysis. This protocol produced transgenic D. zingiberensis plants in seven months, with a transformation efficiency of 6%.

Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of protocorm-like bodies in Cymbidium.

PubMed

Chin, Dong Poh; Mishiba, Kei-ichiro; Mii, Masahiro

2007-06-01

Genetically transformed plants of Cymbidium were regenerated after cocultivating protocorm-like bodies (PLB) with Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain EHA101 (pIG121Hm) that harbored genes for beta-glucuronidase (gus), hygromycin phosphotransferase (hpt) and neomycin phosphotransferase II (nptII). PLB of three genotypes maintained in liquid new Dogashima medium (NDM), were subjected to transformation experiments. The PLB inoculated with Agrobacterium produced secondary PLB, 4 weeks after transfer onto 2.5 g L(-1) gellan gum-solidified NDM containing 10 g L(-1) sucrose, 20 mg L(-1) hygromycin and 40 mg L(-1) meropenem. Transformation efficiency was affected by genotype and the presence of acetosyringone during cocultivation. The highest transformation efficiency was obtained when PLB from the genotype L4 were infected and cocultivated with Agrobacterium on medium containing 100 muM acetosyringone. Transformation of the hygromycin-resistant plantlets regenerated from different sites of inoculated PLB was confirmed by histochemical GUS assay, PCR analysis and Southern blot hybridization.

Entropy of hydrological systems under small samples: Uncertainty and variability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Dengfeng; Wang, Dong; Wang, Yuankun; Wu, Jichun; Singh, Vijay P.; Zeng, Xiankui; Wang, Lachun; Chen, Yuanfang; Chen, Xi; Zhang, Liyuan; Gu, Shenghua

2016-01-01

Entropy theory has been increasingly applied in hydrology in both descriptive and inferential ways. However, little attention has been given to the small-sample condition widespread in hydrological practice, where either hydrological measurements are limited or are even nonexistent. Accordingly, entropy estimated under this condition may incur considerable bias. In this study, small-sample condition is considered and two innovative entropy estimators, the Chao-Shen (CS) estimator and the James-Stein-type shrinkage (JSS) estimator, are introduced. Simulation tests are conducted with common distributions in hydrology, that lead to the best-performing JSS estimator. Then, multi-scale moving entropy-based hydrological analyses (MM-EHA) are applied to indicate the changing patterns of uncertainty of streamflow data collected from the Yangtze River and the Yellow River, China. For further investigation into the intrinsic property of entropy applied in hydrological uncertainty analyses, correlations of entropy and other statistics at different time-scales are also calculated, which show connections between the concept of uncertainty and variability.

Development of Plant Gene Vectors for Tissue-Specific Expression Using GFP as a Reporter Gene

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jackson, Jacquelyn; Egnin, Marceline; Xue, Qi-Han; Prakash, C. S.

1997-01-01

Reporter genes are widely employed in plant molecular biology research to analyze gene expression and to identify promoters. Gus (UidA) is currently the most popular reporter gene but its detection requires a destructive assay. The use of jellyfish green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene from Aequorea Victoria holds promise for noninvasive detection of in vivo gene expression. To study how various plant promoters are expressed in sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas), we are transcriptionally fusing the intron-modified (mGFP) or synthetic (modified for codon-usage) GFP coding regions to these promoters: double cauliflower mosaic virus 35S (CaMV 35S) with AMV translational enhancer, ubiquitin7-intron-ubiquitin coding region (ubi7-intron-UQ) and sporaminA. A few of these vectors have been constructed and introduced into E. coli DH5a and Agrobacterium tumefaciens EHA105. Transient expression studies are underway using protoplast-electroporation and particle bombardment of leaf tissues.

Functionality and Usability Assessment of the Complement Generation Tool (CGT): A Preliminary Review (Evaluation de la Fonctionnalite et de la Convivialite de Generation de Complements (CGT) - Examen Preliminaire)

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-04-01

Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of National Defence, 2011 © Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle...l’utilité et la convivialité du CGT en ce qui concerne la détermination des besoins de main- d’œuvre au cours de la phase initiale de la conception d’une...lesquelles il a été conçu. L’évaluation a confirmé l’utilité du CGT en ce qui concerne la détermination des besoins de main-d’œuvre au cours de la phase

Measurement of Charged Pions from Neutrino-produced Nuclear Resonance

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

Simon, Clifford N.

2014-01-01

A method for identifying stopped pions in a high-resolution scintillator bar detector is presented. I apply my technique to measure the axial mass M Δ Afor production of the Δ(1232) resonance by neutrino, with the result M Δ A = 1.16±0.20 GeV (68% CL) (limited by statistics). The result is produced from the measured spectrum of reconstructed momentum-transfer Q 2. I proceed by varying the value of M Δ A in a Rein-Sehgal-based Monte Carlo to produce the best agreement, using shape only (not normalization). The consistency of this result with recent reanalyses of previous bubble-chamber experiments is discussed.

Simulated-Altitude Investigations of Performance of Tubular Aircraft Oil Coolers

DTIC Science & Technology

1948-04-01

lb/see W. oil flow, lb/rein AP static-~ essure drop, in. water AT temperature change of air across oil cooler, OF v viscosity of air, lb/(ft)(sec) p...K67 17 APEENDIX B PRESSURE-RROP-CORRELATION2JWMXERS IN FLOW TEIKKE3 TU8ES Inasmuch as the air p? essure hop is a function of the wei~ht flow, the...that PO = PI and PL = P2. Cl’ LWa 1.8 () w 2.0 ‘1 PI APO-L =~ () —+1+C2’.Q—. —— - 1 PI P2 P1 P2 (3) Upon entr~oe into the passage, the static ~ essure

Determining Fleet Size for a Modernized Canadian Maritime Patrol Aircraft

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-02-01

nécessiteraient une mise à jour si on devait retarder l’acquisition des CMA, comme on l’annonçait en février 2014. Importance pour la défense et la sécurité...on procède à la mise à jour du CP-140, cette étude conclue qu’il en faudra au moins 14 pour satisfaire aux critères de surveillance énoncés. C’est...RDDC-2014-R2 February 2014 c© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada (Department of National Defence), 2014 c© Sa Majesté la Reine en droit du Canada

New Advanced Mass Casualty Breathing System for Oxygen Therapy: Phase 1

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-10-01

of National Defence, 2006 © Sa Majesté la Reine , représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale, 2006 DRDC Toronto TM 2006-201 i...Toronto a été chargé d’examiner la performance du masque PulmanexMD Hi-OxMD (Hi-Ox) à des débits d’oxygène (O2) de 4 litres par minute (L·min-1) en...d’examiner la performance du masque PulmanexMD Hi-OxMD (Hi-Ox) à des débits d’oxygène (O2) de 4 litres par minute (L·min-1). Le masque Hi-Ox est un

Los Alamos Science, Number 25 -- 1997: Celebrating the Neutrino

DOE R&D Accomplishments Database

Cooper, N. G. ed.

1997-01-01

This issue is devoted to the neutrino and its remaining mysteries. It is divided into the following areas: (1) The Reines-Cowan experiment -- detecting the poltergeist; (2) The oscillating neutrino -- an introduction to neutrino masses and mixing; (3) A brief history of neutrino experiments at LAMPF; (4) A thousand eyes -- the story of LSND (Los Alamos neutrino oscillation experiment); (5) The evidence for oscillations; (6) The nature of neutrinos in muon decay and physics beyond the Standard Model; (7) Exorcising ghosts -- in pursuit of the missing solar neutrinos; (8) MSW -- a possible solution to the solar neutrino problem; (8) Neutrinos and supernovae; and (9) Dark matter and massive neutrinos.

A frame-critical policy analysis of Canada's response to the World Food Summit 1998-2008.

PubMed

Mah, Catherine L; Hamill, Catherine; Rondeau, Krista; McIntyre, Lynn

2014-01-01

The 2012 visit to Canada of Olivier De Schutter, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, led to a public rebuff by Canadian governmental officials. This paper adapts the frame-critical policy analysis of Schön and Rein (1994), to explore the rhetorical basis for this conflict. This examination is offered as an illustrative example of how food insecurity is framed as a public policy problem in a high-income nation and how this framing has changed over time. We analyze Canada's decade of sequential responses to the 1996 World Food Summit, spanning 1998-2008, in the form of Canada's Action Plan on Food Security, and its subsequent Progress Reports. We conducted a qualitative policy analysis, adapting the frame-critical approach first delineated by Schön and Rein (1994). This analysis uses a social constructionist approach to map out the relationships between tacit understanding of policy by particular actors, explicit rhetoric in the public domain, and action in this policy area over time. We identify three key ways in which competing rhetorical frames arise over time: frame shifts (e.g., a shift away from language highlighting the right to food and health); frame blending (e.g., discussion about poverty becomes obscured by complexity discourse); and within-frame incongruence (e.g., monitoring for health indicators that are unrelated to policy solutions). Together, these frames illustrate how the conflict embodied in the UN Special Rapporteur's visit has been deeply woven into the policy discourse on food insecurity in Canada over time. Frame-critical analysis is instructive for exposing and also predicting tensions that impede forward progress on difficult policy issues. Accordingly, such analyses may be helpful in not only dissecting how policy can become 'stuck' in the process of change but in active reframing towards new policy solutions.

KSC-05PD-1529

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. Mike Rein (right), division chief of Media Services at the NASA News Center, walks the area near the countdown clock (far right) at sunrise. The scene is the calm before the storm of journalists, photographers and television media who have descended upon KSC to capture the Return to Flight mission STS-114 to the International Space Station. This is the first Space Shuttle flight since the loss of Columbia, STS-107, on Feb. 1, 2003. Launch is scheduled for 3:51 p.m. EDT from Launch Pad 39B. The 12-day mission is expected to end with touchdown at NASA Kennedy Space Centers Shuttle Landing Facility at 11:06 a.m. July 25.

Los Alamos Science, Number 25 -- 1997: Celebrating the neutrino

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

Cooper, N.G.

1997-12-31

This issue is devoted to the neutrino and its remaining mysteries. It is divided into the following areas: (1) The Reines-Cowan experiment -- detecting the poltergeist; (2) The oscillating neutrino -- an introduction to neutrino masses and mixing; (3) A brief history of neutrino experiments at LAMPF; (4) A thousand eyes -- the story of LSND (Los Alamos neutrino oscillation experiment); (5) The evidence for oscillations; (6) The nature of neutrinos in muon decay and physics beyond the Standard Model; (7) Exorcising ghosts -- in pursuit of the missing solar neutrinos; (8) MSW -- a possible solution to the solarmore » neutrino problem; (8) Neutrinos and supernovae; and (9) Dark matter and massive neutrinos.« less

E54-55 Change of Command Ceremony_622857_hires

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-02-27

Expedition 54 Crew Hands Over the Space Station to Expedition 55---- The reins of the International Space Station were passed from Alexander Misurkin of Roscosmos to his cosmonaut crewmate Anton Shkaplerov during a ceremony on the orbital laboratory on Feb. 26. Misurkin is returning to Earth with his Expedition 54 crewmates, Mark Vande Hei and Joe Acaba of NASA, in the Soyuz MS-06 spacecraft. They will land on the steppe of Kazakhstan Feb. 28 (Feb. 27, U.S. time) to complete a five-and-a-half-month mission. Shkaplerov remains on the station as commander of Expedition 55 along with Flight Engineers Scott Tingle of NASA and Norishige Kanai of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).

Transformation of pecan and regeneration of transgenic plants.

PubMed

McGranahan, G H; Leslie, C A; Dandekar, A M; Uratsu, S L; Yates, I E

1993-09-01

A gene transfer system developed for walnut (Juglans regia L.) was successfully applied to pecan (Carya illinoensis [Wang] K. Koch). Repetitively embryogenic somatic embryos derived from open-pollinated seed of 'Elliott', 'Wichita', and 'Schley' were co-cultivated with Agrobacterium strain EHA 101/pCGN 7001, which contains marker genes for beta-glucuronidase activity and resistance to kanamycin. Several modifications of the standard walnut transformation techniques were tested, including a lower concentration of kanamycin and a modified induction medium, but these treatments had no measurable effect on efficiency of transformation. Nineteen of the 764 viable inoculated embryos produced transgenic subclones; 13 of these were from the line 'Elliott'6, 3 from 'Schley'5/3, and 3 from 'Wichita'9. Transgenic embryos of 'Wichita'9 germinated most readily and three subclones were successfully micropropagated. Three transgenic plants of one of these subclones were obtained by grafting the tissue cultured shoots to seedling pecan rootstock in the greenhouse. Gene insertion, initially detected by GUS activity, was confirmed by detection of integrated T-DNA sequences using Southern analysis.

Migration kinetics of four photo-initiators from paper food packaging to solid food simulants.

PubMed

Cai, Huimei; Ji, Shuilin; Zhang, Juzhou; Tao, Gushuai; Peng, Chuanyi; Hou, Ruyan; Zhang, Liang; Sun, Yue; Wan, Xiaochun

2017-09-01

The migration behaviour of four photo-initiators (BP, EHA, MBP and Irgacure 907) was studied by 'printing' onto four different food-packaging materials (Kraft paper, white cardboard, Polyethylene (PE)-coated paper and composite paper) and tracking movement into the food simulant: Tenax-TA (porous polymer 2,6-diphenyl furan resin). The results indicated that the migration of the photo-initiators was related to the molecular weight and log K o/w of each photo-initiator. At different temperatures, the migration rates of the photo-initiators were different in papers with different thicknesses. The amount of each photo-initiator found in the food was closely related to the food matrix. The Weibull model was used to predict the migration load into the food simulants by calculating the parameters τ and β and determining the relationship of the two parameters with temperature and paper thickness. The established Weibull model was then used to predict the migration of each photo-initiator with respect to different foods. A two-parameter Weibull model fitted the actual situation, with some deviation from the actual migration amount.

A dual purpose universal influenza vaccine candidate confers protective immunity against anthrax.

PubMed

Arévalo, Maria T; Li, Junwei; Diaz-Arévalo, Diana; Chen, Yanping; Navarro, Ashley; Wu, Lihong; Yan, Yongyong; Zeng, Mingtao

2017-03-01

Preventive influenza vaccines must be reformulated annually because of antigen shift and drift of circulating influenza viral strains. However, seasonal vaccines do not always match the circulating strains, and there is the ever-present threat that avian influenza viruses may adapt to humans. Hence, a universal influenza vaccine is needed to provide protective immunity against a broad range of influenza viruses. We designed an influenza antigen consisting of three tandem M2e repeats plus HA2, in combination with a detoxified anthrax oedema toxin delivery system (EFn plus PA) to enhance immune responses. The EFn-3×M2e-HA2 plus PA vaccine formulation elicited robust, antigen-specific, IgG responses; and was protective against heterologous influenza viral challenge when intranasally delivered to mice three times. Moreover, use of the detoxified anthrax toxin system as an adjuvant had the additional benefit of generating protective immunity against anthrax. Hence, this novel vaccine strategy could potentially address two major emerging public health and biodefence threats. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

KSC-04PD-0158

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. Armando Oliu, Final Inspection Team lead for the Shuttle program, speaks to reporters about the aid the Image Analysis Lab is giving the FBI in a kidnapping case. Behind him at right is Mike Rein, External Affairs division chief. Oliu oversees the image lab that is using an advanced SGI TP9500 data management system to review the tape of the kidnapping in progress in Sarasota, Fla. KSC installed the new $3.2 million system in preparation for Return to Flight of the Space Shuttle fleet. The lab is studying the Sarasota kidnapping video to provide any new information possible to law enforcement officers. KSC is joining NASAs Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama in reviewing the tape.

KSC-04PD-0710

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- NASA-KSC representatives pose with two students in front of Oscar Patterson Elementary Magnet School in Panama City, Fla. From left are Pam Biegert (chief of KSCs Education Programs and University Research Office), astronaut Sam Durrance, Center Director Jim Kennedy, John Halsema (chief, Government Relations Office), Steve Lewis (assistant to Kennedy), and Mike Rein (division chief, Communications). NASA-KSC officials are visiting NASA Explorer Schools in Florida and Georgia to share Americas new vision for space exploration with the next generation of explorers. Kennedy is talking with students about our destiny as explorers, NASAs stepping stone approach to exploring Earth, the Moon, Mars and beyond, how space impacts our lives, and how people and machines rely on each other in space.

Easy Words: Reference Resolution in a Malevolent Referent World.

PubMed

Gleitman, Lila R; Trueswell, John C

2018-06-15

This article describes early stages in the acquisition of a first vocabulary by infants and young children. It distinguishes two major stages, the first of which operates by a stand-alone word-to-world pairing procedure and the second of which, using the evidence so acquired, builds a domain-specific syntax-sensitive structure-to-world pairing procedure. As we show, the first stage of learning is slow, restricted in character, and to some extent errorful, whereas the second procedure is determinative, rapid, and essentially errorless. Our central claim here is that the early, referentially based learning procedure succeeds at all because it is reined in by attention-focusing properties of word-to-world timing and related indicants of referential intent. Copyright © 2018 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

A Lie-theoretic Description of the Solution Space of the tt*-Toda Equations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guest, Martin A.; Ho, Nan-Kuo

2017-12-01

We give a Lie-theoretic explanation for the convex polytope which parametrizes the globally smooth solutions of the topological-antitopological fusion equations of Toda type (tt ∗-Toda equations) which were introduced by Cecotti and Vafa. It is known from Guest and Lin (J. Reine Angew. Math. 689, 1-32 2014) Guest et al. (It. Math. Res. Notices 2015, 11745-11784 2015) and Mochizuki (2013, 2014) that these solutions can be parametrized by monodromy data of a certain flat S L n+ 1 ℝ-connection. Using Boalch's Lie-theoretic description of Stokes data, and Steinberg's description of regular conjugacy classes of a linear algebraic group, we express this monodromy data as a convex subset of a Weyl alcove of S U n+ 1.

Observations of electron phase-space holes driven during magnetic reconnection in a laboratory plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fox, W.; Porkolab, M.; Egedal, J.; Katz, N.; Le, A.

2012-03-01

This work presents detailed experimental observations of electron phase-space holes driven during magnetic reconnection events on the Versatile Toroidal Facility. The holes are observed to travel on the order of or faster than the electron thermal speed, and are of large size scale, with diameter of order 60 Debye lengths. In addition, they have 3D spheroidal structure with approximately unity aspect ratio. We estimate the direct anomalous resistivity due to ion interaction with the holes and find it to be too small to affect the reconnection rate; however, the holes may play a role in reining in a tail of accelerated electrons and they indicate the presence of other processes in the reconnection layer, such as electron energization and electron beam formation.

Taking the Reins: Institutional Transformation in Higher Education. The ACE Series on Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eckel, Peter D.; Kezar, Adrianna

2011-01-01

Peter Eckel and Adrianna Kezar have written this book to offer insight to campus leaders who face transformational change--to help them mount a proactive, rather than a reactive, process to effect transformation. They believe that most institutional leaders have little to no experience with implementing large-scale change and lack a solid…

How do farm models compare when estimating greenhouse gas emissions from dairy cattle production?

PubMed

Hutchings, N J; Özkan Gülzari, Ş; de Haan, M; Sandars, D

2018-01-09

The European Union Effort Sharing Regulation (ESR) will require a 30% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030 compared with 2005 from the sectors not included in the European Emissions Trading Scheme, including agriculture. This will require the estimation of current and future emissions from agriculture, including dairy cattle production systems. Using a farm-scale model as part of a Tier 3 method for farm to national scales provides a more holistic and informative approach than IPCC (2006) Tier 2 but requires independent quality control. Comparing the results of using models to simulate a range of scenarios that explore an appropriate range of biophysical and management situations can support this process by providing a framework for placing model results in context. To assess the variation between models and the process of understanding differences, estimates of GHG emissions from four farm-scale models (DairyWise, FarmAC, HolosNor and SFARMMOD) were calculated for eight dairy farming scenarios within a factorial design consisting of two climates (cool/dry and warm/wet)×two soil types (sandy and clayey)×two feeding systems (grass only and grass/maize). The milk yield per cow, follower:cow ratio, manure management system, nitrogen (N) fertilisation and land area were standardised for all scenarios in order to associate the differences in the results with the model structure and function. Potential yield and application of available N in fertiliser and manure were specified separately for grass and maize. Significant differences between models were found in GHG emissions at the farm-scale and for most contributory sources, although there was no difference in the ranking of source magnitudes. The farm-scale GHG emissions, averaged over the four models, was 10.6 t carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e)/ha per year, with a range of 1.9 t CO2e/ha per year. Even though key production characteristics were specified in the scenarios, there were still significant

Vestibular convergence patterns in vestibular nuclei neurons of alert primates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dickman, J. David; Angelaki, Dora E.

2002-01-01

Sensory signal convergence is a fundamental and important aspect of brain function. Such convergence may often involve complex multidimensional interactions as those proposed for the processing of otolith and semicircular canal (SCC) information for the detection of translational head movements and the effective discrimination from physically congruent gravity signals. In the present study, we have examined the responses of primate rostral vestibular nuclei (VN) neurons that do not exhibit any eye movement-related activity using 0.5-Hz translational and three-dimensional (3D) rotational motion. Three distinct neural populations were identified. Approximately one-fourth of the cells exclusively encoded rotational movements (canal-only neurons) and were unresponsive to translation. The canal-only central neurons encoded head rotation in SCC coordinates, exhibited little orthogonal canal convergence, and were characterized with significantly higher sensitivities to rotation as compared to primary SCC afferents. Another fourth of the neurons modulated their firing rates during translation (otolith-only cells). During rotations, these neurons only responded when the axis of rotation was earth-horizontal and the head was changing orientation relative to gravity. The remaining one-half of VN neurons were sensitive to both rotations and translations (otolith + canal neurons). Unlike primary otolith afferents, however, central neurons often exhibited significant spatiotemporal (noncosine) tuning properties and a wide variety of response dynamics to translation. To characterize the pattern of SCC inputs to otolith + canal neurons, their rotational maximum sensitivity vectors were computed using exclusively responses during earth-vertical axis rotations (EVA). Maximum sensitivity vectors were distributed throughout the 3D space, suggesting strong convergence from multiple SCCs. These neurons were also tested with earth-horizontal axis rotations (EHA), which would activate

Relevant in times of turmoil: WHO and public health in unstable situations.

PubMed

Loretti, A; Leus, X; Van Holsteijn, B

2001-01-01

For millions of people world-wide, surviving the pressure of extreme events is the predominant objective in daily existence. The distinction between natural and human-induced disasters is becoming more and more blurred. Some countries have known only armed conflict for the last 25 years, and their number is increasing. Recently, humanitarian sources reported 24 ongoing emergencies, each of them involving at least 300,000 people "requiring international assistance to avoid malnutrition or death". All together, including the countries still only at risk and those emerging from armed conflicts, 73 countries, i.e., almost 1.8 trillion people, were undergoing differing degrees of instability. Instability must be envisioned as a spectrum extending between "Utopia" and "Chaos". As emergencies bring forward extreme challenges to human life, medical and public health ethics make it imperative for the World Health Organisation (WHO) to be involved. As such, WHO must enhance its presence and effectiveness in its capacity as a universally accepted advocate for public health. Furthermore, as crises become more enmeshed with the legitimacy of the State, and armed conflicts become more directed against countries' social capital, they impinge more on WHO's work, and WHO must reconcile its unique responsibility in the health sector, the humanitarian imperative and the mandate to assist its primary constituents. Health can be viewed as a bridge to peace. The Organization specifically has recognised that disasters can and do affect the achievement of health and health system objectives. Within WHO, the Department of Emergency and Humanitarian Action (EHA) is the instrument for intervention in such situations. The scope of EHA is defined in terms of humanitarian action, emergency preparedness, national capacity building, and advocacy for humanitarian principles. The WHO's role is changing from ensuring a two-way flow of information on new scientific developments in public health in

Clinical Research Abstracts of the British Equine Veterinary Association Congress 2015.

PubMed

Simons, V; Weller, R; Stubbs, N C; Rombach, N; Pfau, T

2015-09-01

Training and rehabilitation techniques which improve core muscle strength are beneficial for improvement of dynamic stability of the equine vertebral column. The Equiband™ system, consisting of resistance bands attached to a customised saddle pad, is suggested to provide constant proprioceptive feedback during motion to encourage recruitment of abdominal and hindquarter musculature. To quantify the effect of the Equiband™ system on back kinematics and movement symmetry. Longitudinal intervention study. Quantitative analysis of back movement and gait symmetry before/after a 4-week exercise programme. Inertial sensor data was collected from 7 horses at Weeks 0 and 4 of a fixed exercise protocol. Analysis with and without the Equiband™ system was completed at trot in hand on a hard surface, and for both reins on the lunge on a soft surface. Six back kinematic and 3 movement symmetry parameters were calculated according to published methods. Movement symmetry values were side-corrected to allow comparison between reins on the lunge. A mixed model (P<0.05) evaluated the effects of the Equiband™ system over time, and trotting direction on back kinematic and movement symmetry parameters. The Equiband™ system significantly reduced (all P<0.02) roll, pitch and mediolateral displacement in the cranial-mid thoracic region. Across all horses, back displacement and range of motion values were significantly greater (P<0.01) on the lunge than in a straight line, movement symmetry was consistent with having corrected all horses to be left-sided. Preliminary results suggest the Equiband™ system may aid dynamic stabilisation of the vertebral column. Ethical animal research: This study was authorised by the Ethics and Welfare Committee of the Royal Veterinary College, London (URN Approval Number 1238). Written consent was obtained from the owner/keeper of each animal. Royal Veterinary College. Competing interests: N.C. Stubbs and N. Rombach developed the Equiband�

Preventing Proximal Adjacent Level Kyphosis With Strap Stabilization.

PubMed

Zaghloul, Khaled M; Matoian, Brett J; Denardin, Nicholas B; Patel, Vikas V

2016-07-01

A substantial proportion of patients develop proximal junctional kyphosis following spinal surgery. To combat this postoperative change, several techniques have focused on maintaining the structural integrity of adjacent spinal levels and adapting the proximal end of the fusion construct to accommodate the increased mechanical stressors produced by long spinal fusion. The use of Mersilene tape (Ethicon, Somerville, New Jersey) for spine and orthopedic surgery is well documented, although considerably less is known about its use for preventing proximal junctional kyphosis. This article describes a proposed technique using Mersilene tape to provide a check-rein strap stabilization at the proximal end of fusion constructs. Initial data suggest that use of this technique may prevent formation of proximal junctional kyphosis. [Orthopedics. 2016; 39(4):e794-e799.]. Copyright 2016, SLACK Incorporated.

Einsatz molekularer Methoden für Starterkulturen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ehrmann, Matthias A.; Pavlovic, Melanie

Unter Starterkulturen versteht man Mikroorganismen (Bakterien, Hefen, Pilze), die pflanzlichen bzw. tierischen Rohstoffen zur gezielten Veränderung ihrer chemischen Zusammensetzung zugesetzt werden. Sie dienen im Wesentlichen der Aromabildung, der Strukturveränderung und der Konservierung der Lebensmittel und werden aufgrund spezieller, funktioneller Eigenschaften selektiert. Die Zugabe von Starterkulturen erfolgt in der Regel in relativ hohen Keimzahlen in Form von Rein- oder Mischkulturen. Die zum Einsatz kommenden Mikroorganismen sind ebenso zahlreich wie die daraus resultierenden Produkte und reichen von der Fermentation von Milchprodukten, Fleisch und Gemüse durch Milchsäurebakterien über die Essigsäureherstellung bis hin zum Einsatz von Hefen in der Brau- und Weinindustrie. Hieraus ergibt sich auch eine zunehmende Bedeutung schneller und zuverlässiger Methoden zur taxonomischen Identifizierung, aber auch zur Charakterisierung des genetischen Potenzials der jeweiligen Starterkulturen.

The habenula.

PubMed

Namboodiri, Vijay Mohan K; Rodriguez-Romaguera, Jose; Stuber, Garret D

2016-10-10

The habenula is a tiny brain region the size of a pea in humans. This region is highly conserved across vertebrates and has been traditionally overlooked by neuroscientists. The name habenula is derived from the Latin word habena, meaning "little rein", because of its elongated shape. Originally its function was thought to be related to the regulation of the nearby pineal gland (which Rene Descartes described as the "principal seat of the soul"). More recent evidence, however, demonstrates that the habenula acts as a critical neuroanatomical hub that connects and regulates brain regions important for divergent motivational states and cognition. In this Primer, we will discuss the recent and converging evidence that points to the habenula as a key brain region for motivation and decision-making. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The brave new world of managed care.

PubMed

Korcok, M

1995-07-01

Canadian hospitals that think they can charge higher-than-normal rates to foreign visitors are learning a lesson as US-style managed care moves north of the border. Dr. Robert MacMillan, president and medical director of Florida-based Insurance Claims Management Systems and past president of the Ontario Medical Association, says that south of the border US-style managed care has already hauled in the reins on wild expectations about high payments, and it is expected to do the same for Canadian hospitals that charge private insurers "as much as the traffic will bear." He says it is no longer uncommon for a large Toronto hospital to charge a foreign patient $3000 a day for care that can now be purchased in a US hospital for one-third that price.

Opioid substitution treatment with sublingual buprenorphine in Manipur and Nagaland in Northeast India: what has been established needs to be continued and expanded

PubMed Central

Kumar, M Suresh; Natale, Richard D; Langkham, B; Sharma, Charan; Kabi, Rachel; Mortimore, Gordon

2009-01-01

Manipur and Nagaland in northeast India report an antenatal HIV prevalence of > 1% and the current HIV prevalence among injecting drug users is 24% and 4.5% respectively. Through support from DFID's Challenge Fund, Emmanuel Hospital Association (EHA) established thirteen drop-in-centres across the two states to deliver opioid substitution treatment with sublingual buprenorphine for 1200 injecting drug users. Within a short span of time the treatment has been found to be attractive to the clients and currently 1248 injecting opioid users are receiving opioid substitution treatment. The project is acceptable to the drug users, the families, the communities, religious as well as the militant groups. The treatment centres operate all days of the week, have trained staff members, utilize standardized protocols and ensure a strict supervised delivery system to prevent illicit diversion of buprenorphine. The drug users receiving the substitution treatment are referred to HIV voluntary counselling and testing. As this treatment has the potential to change HIV related risk behaviours, what has been established in the two states needs to be continued and expanded with the support from the Government of India. PMID:19243636

Parametric regression model for survival data: Weibull regression model as an example

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Weibull regression model is one of the most popular forms of parametric regression model that it provides estimate of baseline hazard function, as well as coefficients for covariates. Because of technical difficulties, Weibull regression model is seldom used in medical literature as compared to the semi-parametric proportional hazard model. To make clinical investigators familiar with Weibull regression model, this article introduces some basic knowledge on Weibull regression model and then illustrates how to fit the model with R software. The SurvRegCensCov package is useful in converting estimated coefficients to clinical relevant statistics such as hazard ratio (HR) and event time ratio (ETR). Model adequacy can be assessed by inspecting Kaplan-Meier curves stratified by categorical variable. The eha package provides an alternative method to model Weibull regression model. The check.dist() function helps to assess goodness-of-fit of the model. Variable selection is based on the importance of a covariate, which can be tested using anova() function. Alternatively, backward elimination starting from a full model is an efficient way for model development. Visualization of Weibull regression model after model development is interesting that it provides another way to report your findings. PMID:28149846

Studies on hydrogenase

PubMed Central

YAGI, Tatsuhiko; HIGUCHI, Yoshiki

2013-01-01

Hydrogenases are microbial enzymes which catalyze uptake and production of H2. Hydrogenases are classified into 10 classes based on the electron carrier specificity, or into 3 families, [NiFe]-family (including [NiFeSe]-subfamily), [FeFe]-family and [Fe]-family, based on the metal composition of the active site. H2 is heterolytically cleaved on the enzyme (E) to produce EHaHb, where Ha and Hb have different rate constants for exchange with the medium hydron. X-ray crystallography unveiled the three-dimensional structures of hydrogenases. The simplest [NiFe]-hydrogenase is a heterodimer, in which the large subunit bears the Ni-Fe center buried deep in the protein, and the small subunit bears iron-sulfur clusters, which mediate electron transfer between the Ni-Fe center and the protein surface. Some hydrogenases have additional subunit(s) for interaction with their electron carriers. Various redox states of the enzyme were characterized by EPR, FTIR, etc. Based on the kinetic, structural and spectroscopic studies, the catalytic mechanism of [NiFe]-hydrogenase was proposed to explain H2-uptake, H2-production and isotopic exchange reactions. PMID:23318679

High-frequency transformation of Lobelia erinus L. by Agrobacterium-mediated gene transfer.

PubMed

Tsugawa, H; Kagami, T; Suzuki, M

2004-05-01

A highly efficient transformation procedure was developed for Lobelia erinus. Leaf or cotyledon discs were inoculated with Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain EHA105 harboring the binary vector plasmid pIG121Hm, which contains a beta-glucuronidase gene with an intron as a reporter gene and both the neomycin phosphotransferase II and hygromycin phosphotransferase genes as selectable markers. The hygromycin-resistant calli produced on the selection medium were transferred to MS medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/l benzyladenine and 0.2 mg/l indole-3-acetic acid for regeneration of adventitious shoots. Transgenic plants were obtained as a result of the high regeneration rate of the transformed calli, which was as high as 83%. In contrast, no transgenic plant was obtained by the procedure of direct shoot formation following inoculation with A. tumefaciens. Transgenic plants flowered 3-4 months after transformation. Integration of the transgenes was detected using PCR and Southern blot analysis, which revealed that one to several copies were integrated into the genomes of the host plants. The transformation frequency at the stage of whole plants was very high--45% per inoculated disc. Copyright 2004 Springer-Verlag

Heuristics for Multiobjective Optimization of Two-Sided Assembly Line Systems

PubMed Central

Jawahar, N.; Ponnambalam, S. G.; Sivakumar, K.; Thangadurai, V.

2014-01-01

Products such as cars, trucks, and heavy machinery are assembled by two-sided assembly line. Assembly line balancing has significant impacts on the performance and productivity of flow line manufacturing systems and is an active research area for several decades. This paper addresses the line balancing problem of a two-sided assembly line in which the tasks are to be assigned at L side or R side or any one side (addressed as E). Two objectives, minimum number of workstations and minimum unbalance time among workstations, have been considered for balancing the assembly line. There are two approaches to solve multiobjective optimization problem: first approach combines all the objectives into a single composite function or moves all but one objective to the constraint set; second approach determines the Pareto optimal solution set. This paper proposes two heuristics to evolve optimal Pareto front for the TALBP under consideration: Enumerative Heuristic Algorithm (EHA) to handle problems of small and medium size and Simulated Annealing Algorithm (SAA) for large-sized problems. The proposed approaches are illustrated with example problems and their performances are compared with a set of test problems. PMID:24790568

Molecular structure, chemical synthesis, and antibacterial activity of ABP-dHC-cecropin A from drury (Hyphantria cunea).

PubMed

Zhang, Jiaxin; Movahedi, Ali; Wang, Xiaoli; Wu, Xiaolong; Yin, Tongming; Zhuge, Qiang

2015-06-01

The increasing resistance of bacteria and fungi to currently available antibiotics is a major concern worldwide, leading to enormous efforts to develop new antibiotics with new modes of actions. In this paper, cDNA encoding cecropin A was amplified from drury (Hyphantria cunea) (dHC) pupa fatbody total RNA using RT-PCR. The full-length dHC-cecropin A cDNA encoded a protein of 63 amino acids with a predicted 26-amino acid signal peptide and a 37-amino acid functional domain. We synthesized the antibacterial peptide (ABP) from the 37-amino acid functional domain (ABP-dHC-cecropin A), and amidated it via the C-terminus. Time-of-flight mass spectrometry showed its molecular weight to be 4058.94. The ABP-dHC-cecropin A was assessed in terms of its protein structure using bioinformatics and CD spectroscopy. The protein's secondary structure was predicted to be α-helical. In an antibacterial activity analysis, the ABP-dHC-cecropin A exhibited strong antibacterial activity against E. coli K12D31 and Agrobacterium EHA105. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

"Relinquish the reins": persuasion and consensus in the discourse of pregnancy and childbirth advice literature.

PubMed

Rodgers, Ornaith

2015-03-01

Popular pregnancy and childbirth advice books constitute an important source of information for pregnant women. These texts shape women's perceptions of pregnancy, childbirth and the medical care they will receive during this time. This article reports on a study of the enactment of power relations between pregnant women and their medical caregivers in the discourse of pregnancy and childbirth advice literature and its implications for practice. The study focuses on the discursive positioning of women in relation to medical personnel through a critical discourse analysis of two popular advice books, one in English and one in French. The article suggests that through the use of a number of key discursive strategies, pregnant women are constructed as under the control of the medical institution in these texts. However, this control is not achieved by an overt oppressive discourse, instead it is achieved through persuasion and consensus by generating the consent of pregnant women to comply with medical norms. The medical institution is represented in these texts as a dominant force while women are constructed as powerless recipients of medical care. Medical professionals should firstly consider whether the power relations represented in these texts correspond to those enacted in clinics and delivery rooms. Secondly, caregivers should be cautious about recommending popular pregnancy and childbirth advice books to women as the relationship between pregnant women and their caregivers may be undermined by the negative power asymmetry enacted in these texts. Copyright © 2014 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Taking the reins: the effects of new leader status and leadership style on team performance.

PubMed

Sauer, Stephen J

2011-05-01

New leaders face a challenging task when they take charge of their teams. They have to determine how best to guide the work process, and they must understand how their behaviors will affect the members of their team. This research examines how a newly assigned team leader's status moderates subordinates' reactions to different leadership styles to affect assessments of the leader's self-confidence and effectiveness, and how this impacts team performance. Across 2 experimental studies, results demonstrate that low-status leaders are rated as more effective when they use a directive style, whereas high-status leaders are viewed as more effective when they use a participative style, and this relationship is mediated by perceptions of self-confidence. In addition, teams whose leaders are viewed more favorably perform better on a complex group task. These findings imply that low-status individuals are able to enhance their level of personal power by drawing on whatever positional power they hold, whereas high-status individuals are better off relying solely on their personal power to influence others. This research also provides a clear demonstration that assessments of new leaders' behaviors are subject to an appraisal that is clouded by observers' status perceptions and attributions.

Understanding differences between high- and low-price hospitals: implications for efforts to rein in costs.

PubMed

White, Chapin; Reschovsky, James D; Bond, Amelia M

2014-02-01

Private insurers pay widely varying prices for inpatient care across hospitals. Previous research indicates that certain hospitals use market clout to obtain higher payment rates, but there have been few in-depth examinations of the relationship between hospital characteristics and pricing power. This study used private insurance claims data to identify hospitals receiving inpatient prices significantly higher or lower than the median in their market. High-price hospitals, compared to other hospitals, tend to be larger; be major teaching hospitals; belong to systems with large market shares; and provide specialized services, such as heart transplants and Level I trauma care. High-price hospitals also receive significant revenues from nonpatient sources, such as state Medicaid disproportionate-share hospital funds, and they enjoy healthy total financial margins. Quality indicators for high-price hospitals were mixed: High-price hospitals fared much better than low-price hospitals did in U.S. News & World Report rankings, which are largely based on reputation, while generally scoring worse on objective measures of quality, such as postsurgical mortality rates. Thus, insurers may face resistance if they attempt to steer patients away from high-price hospitals because these facilities have good reputations and offer specialized services that may be unique in their markets.

New Therapeutic Targets in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. Aiming to Rein in Runaway Wound-Healing Responses

PubMed Central

Ahluwalia, Neil; Shea, Barry S.

2014-01-01

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a devastating disease, with a median survival as short as 3 years from the time of diagnosis and no pharmacological therapies yet approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. To address the great unmet need for effective IPF therapy, a number of new drugs have recently been, or are now being, evaluated in clinical trials. The rationales for most of these therapeutic candidates are based on the current paradigm of IPF pathogenesis, in which recurrent injury to the alveolar epithelium is believed to drive aberrant wound healing responses, resulting in fibrosis rather than repair. Here we discuss drugs in recently completed or currently ongoing phase II and III IPF clinical trials in the context of their putative mechanisms of action and the aberrant repair processes they are believed to target: innate immune activation and polarization, fibroblast accumulation and myofibroblast differentiation, or extracellular matrix deposition and stiffening. Placed in this context, the positive results of recently completed trials of pirfenidone and nintedanib, and results that will come from ongoing trials of other agents, should provide valuable insights into the still-enigmatic pathogenesis of this disease, in addition to providing benefits to patients with IPF. PMID:25090037

E.H.A. Part B Supplementary Services for Handicapped Students Health Education Paraprofessionals Program. 1982-83. O.E.E. Evaluation Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tobias, Robert; And Others

The report summarizes accomplishments of the Health Education Paraprofessionals program, which provided individual instruction in self-care and hygiene skills to 363 severely to profoundly handicapped students. Nearly all (98%) of participants mastered one or more new skills, as measured on selected strands of the Santa Cruz VORT Behavioral…

[Ambroise Paré in French literature].

PubMed

Dumaitre, P

1995-01-01

The 16th century by its passionate side has been the favourite one of authors of historical novels in which among the heroes of "cloak and dagger stories" appears sometime Ambroise Paré. Alexandre Dumas (the father) has shown him at the court of Charles IX in La Reine Margot (1845) where he does not however play a great role. On the contrary, Balzac in Le Martyr calviniste (1842) has given him a capital part close to the dying François II, whom he intended to trepanize but had to give up this idea as a consequence of the opposition of the queen-mother Catherine de Médicis. In the present century, Robert Merle in Paris ma bonne ville (Fortune de France, 3, 1980) shows Paré at the time of the Saint Barthélemy.

Much Ado About (Almost!) Nothing: The Experimental Study of Neutrino Masses and Mixing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Messier, Mark

2009-11-01

Neutrinos have been described by their discoverer Frederick Reines as ``the most tiny quantity of reality ever imagined by a human being.'' Yet these particles which verge on nothingness have had an enormous influence on the past and future evolution of the universe and are the subject of an increasingly active program of experimental physics. In this talk I will review some of the basic properties of neutrinos and summarize the recent results on neutrino masses and mixing from studies of neutrinos produced in the Sun, cosmic rays, reactors, and accelerators including searches for zero neutrino double beta decay. Looking ahead, I will outline the future course of experiments in the U.S., Asia, and Europe which will address the questions of the fundamental character of the neutrino, the hierarchy of their masses, and their matter anti-matter symmetries.

Genetic mitigation strategies to tackle agricultural GHG emissions: The case for biological nitrification inhibition technology.

PubMed

Subbarao, G V; Arango, J; Masahiro, K; Hooper, A M; Yoshihashi, T; Ando, Y; Nakahara, K; Deshpande, S; Ortiz-Monasterio, I; Ishitani, M; Peters, M; Chirinda, N; Wollenberg, L; Lata, J C; Gerard, B; Tobita, S; Rao, I M; Braun, H J; Kommerell, V; Tohme, J; Iwanaga, M

2017-09-01

Accelerated soil-nitrifier activity and rapid nitrification are the cause of declining nitrogen-use efficiency (NUE) and enhanced nitrous oxide (N 2 O) emissions from farming. Biological nitrification inhibition (BNI) is the ability of certain plant roots to suppress soil-nitrifier activity, through production and release of nitrification inhibitors. The power of phytochemicals with BNI-function needs to be harnessed to control soil-nitrifier activity and improve nitrogen-cycling in agricultural systems. Transformative biological technologies designed for genetic mitigation are needed, so that BNI-enabled crop-livestock and cropping systems can rein in soil-nitrifier activity, to help reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and globally make farming nitrogen efficient and less harmful to environment. This will reinforce the adaptation or mitigation impact of other climate-smart agriculture technologies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The coming fiscal crisis: nephrology in the line of fire.

PubMed

Andersen, Martin J; Friedman, Allon N

2013-07-01

Nephrologists in the United States face a very uncertain economic future. The astronomical federal debt and unfunded liability burden of Medicare combined with the aging population will place unprecedented strain on the health care sector. To address these fundamental problems, it is conceivable that the federal government will ultimately institute rationing and other budget-cutting measures to rein in costs of ESRD care, which is generously funded relative to other chronic illnesses. Therefore, nephrologists should expect implementation of cost-cutting measures, such age-based rationing, mandated delayed dialysis and home therapies, compensated organ donation, and a shift in research priorities from the dialysis to the predialysis patient population. Nephrologists also need to recognize that these changes, which are geared toward the population level, may make it more difficult to advocate effectively for the needs of individual patients.

KSC-05PD-0359

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. During an End-to-End (ETE) Mission Management Team (MMT) launch simulation at KSC, Mike Rein, division chief of Media Services, and Lisa Malone, director of External Relations and Business Development at KSC, work the consoles. In Firing Room 1 at KSC, Shuttle launch team members put the Shuttle system through an integrated simulation. The control room is set up with software used to simulate flight and ground systems in the launch configuration. The ETE MMT simulation included L-2 and L-1 day Prelaunch MMT meetings, an external tanking/weather briefing, and a launch countdown. The ETE transitioned to the Johnson Space Center for the flight portion of the simulation, with the STS-114 crew in a simulator at JSC. Such simulations are common before a launch to keep the Shuttle launch team sharp and ready for liftoff.

Proceedings of the 1973 Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center Endocrine Program Conference

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

Papers given at the conference are presented. Subjects covered include the following: biochemical changes during 28 days of space flight, modulating the pituitary-adrenal response to stress, the significance of biorhythms in space flight, the importance of the rein-angiotensin system in normal cardiovascular homeostasis, a progress report of stress-induced changes in corticosteroid metabolism, recent studies of physiological factors involved in the regulation of serotonin content and turnover in the brain, the role of brain biogenic amines in the control of pituitary-adrenocortical activity, application of the water immersion model to man by studies of acid-base homeostasis during simulated weightlessness, the present status of physiological studies and analysis of calcium homeostasis in the Apollo and Skylab programs, and endocrine considerations in the red-cell-mass and plasma-volume changes of Skylab 2 and 3 crews.

Surprise: Dwarf Galaxy Harbors Supermassive Black Hole

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2011-01-01

The surprising discovery of a supermassive black hole in a small nearby galaxy has given astronomers a tantalizing look at how black holes and galaxies may have grown in the early history of the Universe. Finding a black hole a million times more massive than the Sun in a star-forming dwarf galaxy is a strong indication that supermassive black holes formed before the buildup of galaxies, the astronomers said. The galaxy, called Henize 2-10, 30 million light-years from Earth, has been studied for years, and is forming stars very rapidly. Irregularly shaped and about 3,000 light-years across (compared to 100,000 for our own Milky Way), it resembles what scientists think were some of the first galaxies to form in the early Universe. "This galaxy gives us important clues about a very early phase of galaxy evolution that has not been observed before," said Amy Reines, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Virginia. Supermassive black holes lie at the cores of all "full-sized" galaxies. In the nearby Universe, there is a direct relationship -- a constant ratio -- between the masses of the black holes and that of the central "bulges" of the galaxies, leading them to conclude that the black holes and bulges affected each others' growth. Two years ago, an international team of astronomers found that black holes in young galaxies in the early Universe were more massive than this ratio would indicate. This, they said, was strong evidence that black holes developed before their surrounding galaxies. "Now, we have found a dwarf galaxy with no bulge at all, yet it has a supermassive black hole. This greatly strengthens the case for the black holes developing first, before the galaxy's bulge is formed," Reines said. Reines, along with Gregory Sivakoff and Kelsey Johnson of the University of Virginia and the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO), and Crystal Brogan of the NRAO, observed Henize 2-10 with the National Science Foundation's Very Large Array radio telescope and

Surprise: Dwarf Galaxy Harbors Supermassive Black Hole

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2011-01-01

The surprising discovery of a supermassive black hole in a small nearby galaxy has given astronomers a tantalizing look at how black holes and galaxies may have grown in the early history of the Universe. Finding a black hole a million times more massive than the Sun in a star-forming dwarf galaxy is a strong indication that supermassive black holes formed before the buildup of galaxies, the astronomers said. The galaxy, called Henize 2-10, 30 million light-years from Earth, has been studied for years, and is forming stars very rapidly. Irregularly shaped and about 3,000 light-years across (compared to 100,000 for our own Milky Way), it resembles what scientists think were some of the first galaxies to form in the early Universe. "This galaxy gives us important clues about a very early phase of galaxy evolution that has not been observed before," said Amy Reines, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Virginia. Supermassive black holes lie at the cores of all "full-sized" galaxies. In the nearby Universe, there is a direct relationship -- a constant ratio -- between the masses of the black holes and that of the central "bulges" of the galaxies, leading them to conclude that the black holes and bulges affected each others' growth. Two years ago, an international team of astronomers found that black holes in young galaxies in the early Universe were more massive than this ratio would indicate. This, they said, was strong evidence that black holes developed before their surrounding galaxies. "Now, we have found a dwarf galaxy with no bulge at all, yet it has a supermassive black hole. This greatly strengthens the case for the black holes developing first, before the galaxy's bulge is formed," Reines said. Reines, along with Gregory Sivakoff and Kelsey Johnson of the University of Virginia and the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO), and Crystal Brogan of the NRAO, observed Henize 2-10 with the National Science Foundation's Very Large Array radio telescope and

Keeping a tight grip on the reins: donor control over aid coordination and management in Bangladesh.

PubMed

Buse, K

1999-09-01

A long-standing consensus that aid coordination should be owned by recipient authorities has been eclipsed by accord on the desirability of recipient management of aid along-side domestic resources. Nonetheless, in many low and lower-middle income countries, donors remain remarkably uncoordinated; where attempts at coordination are made, they are often donor-driven, and only a small proportion of aid is directly managed by recipients. This paper draws on evidence from an in-depth review of aid to the health sector in Bangladesh to analyze the systems by which external resources are managed. Based on interviews with key stakeholders, a questionnaire survey and analysis of documentary sources, the factors constraining the government from assuming a more active role in aid management are explored. The results suggest that donor perceptions of weak government capacity, inadequate accountability and compromised integrity only partially account for the propensity for donor leadership. Equally important is the consideration that aid coordination has a markedly political dimension. Stakeholders are well aware of the power, influence and leverage which aid coordination confers, an awareness which colours the desire of some stakeholders to lead aid coordination processes, and conditions the extent and manner by which others wish to be involved. It is argued that recipient management of external aid is dependent on major changes in the attitudes and behaviours of recipients and donors alike.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: FARGO_THORIN 1.0 hydrodynamic code (Chrenko+, 2017)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chrenko, O.; Broz, M.; Lambrechts, M.

2017-07-01

This archive contains the source files, documentation and example simulation setups of the FARGO_THORIN 1.0 hydrodynamic code. The program was introduced, described and used for simulations in the paper. It is built on top of the FARGO code (Masset, 2000A&AS..141..165M, Baruteau & Masset, 2008ApJ...672.1054B) and it is also interfaced with the REBOUND integrator package (Rein & Liu, 2012A&A...537A.128R). THORIN stands for Two-fluid HydrOdynamics, the Rebound integrator Interface and Non-isothermal gas physics. The program is designed for self-consistent investigations of protoplanetary systems consisting of a gas disk, a disk of small solid particles (pebbles) and embedded protoplanets. Code features: I) Non-isothermal gas disk with implicit numerical solution of the energy equation. The implemented energy source terms are: Compressional heating, viscous heating, stellar irradiation, vertical escape of radiation, radiative diffusion in the midplane and radiative feedback to accretion heating of protoplanets. II) Planets evolved in 3D, with close encounters allowed. The orbits are integrated using the IAS15 integrator (Rein & Spiegel, 2015MNRAS.446.1424R). The code detects the collisions among planets and resolve them as mergers. III) Refined treatment of the planet-disk gravitational interaction. The code uses a vertical averaging of the gravitational potential, as outlined in Muller & Kley (2012A&A...539A..18M). IV) Pebble disk represented by an Eulerian, presureless and inviscid fluid. The pebble dynamics is affected by the Epstein gas drag and optionally by the diffusive effects. We also implemented the drag back-reaction term into the Navier-Stokes equation for the gas. Archive summary: ------------------------------------------------------------------------- directory/file Explanation ------------------------------------------------------------------------- /in_relax Contains setup of the first example simulation /in_wplanet Contains setup of the second

The period function of the generalized Lotka-Volterra centers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Villadelprat, J.

2008-05-01

The present paper deals with the period function of the quadratic centers. In the literature different terminologies are used to classify these centers, but essentially there are four families: Hamiltonian, reversible , codimension four Q4 and generalized Lotka-Volterra systems . Chicone [C. Chicone, Review in MathSciNet, Ref. 94h:58072] conjectured that the reversible centers have at most two critical periods, and that the centers of the three other families have a monotonic period function. With regard to the second part of this conjecture, only the monotonicity of the Hamiltonian and Q4 families [W.A. Coppel, L. Gavrilov, The period function of a Hamiltonian quadratic system, Differential Integral Equations 6 (1993) 1357-1365; Y. Zhao, The monotonicity of period function for codimension four quadratic system Q4, J. Differential Equations 185 (2002) 370-387] has been proved. Concerning the family, no substantial progress has been made since the middle 80s, when several authors showed independently the monotonicity of the classical Lotka-Volterra centers [F. Rothe, The periods of the Volterra-Lokta system, J. Reine Angew. Math. 355 (1985) 129-138; R. Schaaf, Global behaviour of solution branches for some Neumann problems depending on one or several parameters, J. Reine Angew. Math. 346 (1984) 1-31; J. Waldvogel, The period in the Lotka-Volterra system is monotonic, J. Math. Anal. Appl. 114 (1986) 178-184]. By means of the first period constant one can easily conclude that the period function of the centers in the family is monotone increasing near the inner boundary of its period annulus (i.e., the center itself). Thus, according to Chicone's conjecture, it should be also monotone increasing near the outer boundary, which in the Poincaré disc is a polycycle. In this paper we show that this is true. In addition we prove that, except for a zero measure subset of the parameter plane, there is no bifurcation of critical periods from the outer boundary. Finally we

School-Based Support Teams, 1981-82 and 1982-83. E.H.A. Part B Flow-Through Entitlement. O.E.E. Evaluation Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York City Board of Education, Brooklyn. Office of Educational Assessment.

The report documents the 1981-82 and 1982-83 cycles of School-Based Support Team (SBST) services administered by the New York City Public Schools Division of Special Education. SBSTs include school social workers, psychologists, and educational evaluators as core members and are intended to provide consultation and support to regular education…

The preparation of RVNRL using Malaysian - produced latices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zin, Wan Manshol bin W.; Mohid, Norjanah bte; Hasan, Jusoh bin; Noor, Wan Khairul Amalina bte Wan Md.; Jaafar, Zulkifli

1993-07-01

The research project is carried out using the latices supplied by three of the suppliers in Malaysia. From the results of the studies carried out in search for the best sensitiser for RVNRL preparation, the use of n-butyl acrylate ( n-BA ) as a sensitiser seemed to give the most promising results. However, its use as a sensitiser is not universal to all latices available in the country. The problem was overcome by the use of different formulations for different latices. For the latex supplied by Golden Hope ( Hytex ), a combination of sensitisers i.e. n-BA plus 2-ethyl hexyl acrylate ( 2-EHA ) with a 10 % potassium hydroxide solution as the stabiliser, was the requirement. Latex supplied by MARDEC ( Matex ), seemed to need only n-BA as the sensitiser. Nevertheless, a stabiliser was still required and the use of a 10 % KOH solution was found to be suitable. A large range of stabilisers and sensitisers were applicable to Guthrie latex. The use of n-BA as the sensitiser and potassium laurylic acid as the stabiliser seemed the most favourable formulation. All the results are discussed in the form of correlation between dose and the tensile properties of RVNRL vulcanizates, equilibrium swelling ratio and standing time of the latex formulation.

An efficient in planta transformation of Jatropha curcas (L.) and multiplication of transformed plants through in vivo grafting.

PubMed

Jaganath, Balusamy; Subramanyam, Kondeti; Mayavan, Subramanian; Karthik, Sivabalan; Elayaraja, Dhandapani; Udayakumar, Rajangam; Manickavasagam, Markandan; Ganapathi, Andy

2014-05-01

An efficient and reproducible Agrobacterium-mediated in planta transformation was developed in Jatropha curcas. The various factors affecting J. curcas in planta transformation were optimized, including decapitation, Agrobacterium strain, pin-pricking, vacuum infiltration duration and vacuum pressure. Simple vegetative in vivo cleft grafting method was adopted in the multiplication of transformants without the aid of tissue culture. Among the various parameters evaluated, decapitated plants on pin-pricking and vacuum infiltrated at 250 mmHg for 3 min with the Agrobacterium strain EHA 105 harbouring the binary vector pGA 492 was proved to be efficient in all terms with a transformation efficiency of 62.66%. Transgene integration was evinced by the GUS histochemical analysis, and the GUS positive plants were subjected to grafting. Putatively transformed J. curcas served as "Scion" and the wild type J. curcas plant severed as "Stock". There was no occurrence of graft rejection and the plants were then confirmed by GUS histochemical analysis, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Southern hybridization. Genetic stability of the grafted plants was evaluated by using randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), marker which showed 100% genetic stability between mother and grafted plants. Thus, an efficient in planta transformation and grafting based multiplication of J. curcas was established.

Successful recovery of transgenic cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) using the 6-phosphomannose isomerase gene as the selectable marker.

PubMed

Bakshi, Souvika; Saha, Bedabrata; Roy, Nand Kishor; Mishra, Sagarika; Panda, Sanjib Kumar; Sahoo, Lingaraj

2012-06-01

A new method for obtaining transgenic cowpea was developed using positive selection based on the Escherichia coli 6-phosphomannose isomerase gene as the selectable marker and mannose as the selective agent. Only transformed cells were capable of utilizing mannose as a carbon source. Cotyledonary node explants from 4-day-old in vitro-germinated seedlings of cultivar Pusa Komal were inoculated with Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain EHA105 carrying the vector pNOV2819. Regenerating transformed shoots were selected on medium supplemented with a combination of 20 g/l mannose and 5 g/l sucrose as carbon source. The transformed shoots were rooted on medium devoid of mannose. Transformation efficiency based on PCR analysis of individual putative transformed shoots was 3.6%. Southern blot analysis on five randomly chosen PCR-positive plants confirmed the integration of the pmi transgene. Qualitative reverse transcription (qRT-PCR) analysis demonstrated the expression of pmi in T₀ transgenic plants. Chlorophenol red (CPR) assays confirmed the activity of PMI in transgenic plants, and the gene was transmitted to progeny in a Mendelian fashion. The transformation method presented here for cowpea using mannose selection is efficient and reproducible, and could be used to introduce a desirable gene(s) into cowpea for biotic and abiotic stress tolerance.

Selection system and co-cultivation medium are important determinants of Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of sugarcane.

PubMed

Joyce, Priya; Kuwahata, Melissa; Turner, Nicole; Lakshmanan, Prakash

2010-02-01

A reproducible method for transformation of sugarcane using various strains of Agrobacterium tumefaciens (A. tumefaciens) (AGL0, AGL1, EHA105 and LBA4404) has been developed. The selection system and co-cultivation medium were the most important factors determining the success of transformation and transgenic plant regeneration. Plant regeneration at a frequency of 0.8-4.8% occurred only when callus was transformed with A. tumefaciens carrying a newly constructed superbinary plasmid containing neomycin phosphotransferase (nptII) and beta-glucuronidase (gusA) genes, both driven by the maize ubiquitin (ubi-1) promoter. Regeneration was successful in plants carrying the nptII gene but not the hygromycin phosphotransferase (hph) gene. NptII gene selection was imposed at a concentration of 150 mg/l paromomycin sulphate and applied either immediately or 4 days after the co-cultivation period. Co-cultivation on Murashige and Skoog (MS)-based medium for a period of 4 days produced the highest number of transgenic plants. Over 200 independent transgenic lines were created using this protocol. Regenerated plants appeared phenotypically normal and contained both gusA and nptII genes. Southern blot analysis revealed 1-3 transgene insertion events that were randomly integrated in the majority of the plants produced.

Efficient calculation of the polarizability: a simplified effective-energy technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berger, J. A.; Reining, L.; Sottile, F.

2012-09-01

In a recent publication [J.A. Berger, L. Reining, F. Sottile, Phys. Rev. B 82, 041103(R) (2010)] we introduced the effective-energy technique to calculate in an accurate and numerically efficient manner the GW self-energy as well as the polarizability, which is required to evaluate the screened Coulomb interaction W. In this work we show that the effective-energy technique can be used to further simplify the expression for the polarizability without a significant loss of accuracy. In contrast to standard sum-over-state methods where huge summations over empty states are required, our approach only requires summations over occupied states. The three simplest approximations we obtain for the polarizability are explicit functionals of an independent- or quasi-particle one-body reduced density matrix. We provide evidence of the numerical accuracy of this simplified effective-energy technique as well as an analysis of our method.

Older persons' lived experiences of depression and self-management.

PubMed

Holm, Anne Lise; Lyberg, Anne; Lassenius, Erna; Severinsson, Elisabeth; Berggren, Ingela

2013-10-01

Mental ill-health, such as depression in the elderly, is a complex issue that is influenced by the life-world perspective of older persons. Their self-management ability should be strengthened based on an understanding of their situation, perspectives, and vulnerability. The aim of this study was to explore and increase understanding of old persons' lived experiences of depression and self-management using an interpretative explorative design. Understanding was developed by means of hermeneutic interpretation. One theme, Relationships and Togetherness, and four subthemes, A Sense of Carrying a Shoulder Bag, Walking on Eggshells, Holding the Reins, and Estrangement--a Loss of Togetherness, emerged. A collaborative approach can be important for empowering older persons through self-development and management. Although the findings of the present study cannot be considered conclusive or definitive, they nevertheless contribute new knowledge of older persons' lived experiences of depression in everyday life.

The Einstein-Vlasov System/Kinetic Theory.

PubMed

Andréasson, Håkan

2011-01-01

The main purpose of this article is to provide a guide to theorems on global properties of solutions to the Einstein-Vlasov system. This system couples Einstein's equations to a kinetic matter model. Kinetic theory has been an important field of research during several decades in which the main focus has been on non-relativistic and special relativistic physics, i.e., to model the dynamics of neutral gases, plasmas, and Newtonian self-gravitating systems. In 1990, Rendall and Rein initiated a mathematical study of the Einstein-Vlasov system. Since then many theorems on global properties of solutions to this system have been established. This paper gives introductions to kinetic theory in non-curved spacetimes and then the Einstein-Vlasov system is introduced. We believe that a good understanding of kinetic theory in non-curved spacetimes is fundamental to a good comprehension of kinetic theory in general relativity.

Neutrino-induced meson productions off nucleon at forward limit in nucleon resonance region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakamura, S. X.; Kamano, H.; Lee, T.-S. H.; Sato, T.

2015-05-01

We study forward neutrino-induced meson production off the nucleon in the resonance region. Our calculation is based on a dynamical coupled-channels (DCC) model that reasonably describes π(γ)N → πN, ηN, KΛ, KΣ data in the resonance region. We apply the PCAC hypothesis to the DCC model to relate the πN reaction amplitude to the forward neutrino reaction amplitude. In this way, we give a prediction for νN → πN, ππN, ηN, KΛ, KΣ reaction cross sections. The predicted νN → ππN, ηN, KΛ, KΣ cross sections are, for the first time, based on a model extensively tested by data. We compare our results with those from the Rein-Sehgal model that has been very often used in the existing Monte Carlo simulators for neutrino experiments. We find a significant difference between them.

The emotionally competent leader.

PubMed

Goleman, D

1998-01-01

Aristotle once challenged man "to be angry with the right person, to the right degree, at the right time, for the right purpose, and in the right way" (The Nicomachean Ethics). Daniel Goleman, Ph.D., a journalist for the New York Times, expands on this statement in his new book, "Emotional Intelligence." He defines emotional intelligence as the ability to rein in emotional impulses, to read another's innermost feelings and to handle relationships and conflict smoothly. This new model of intelligence puts emotions at the center of our aptitudes for living. Goleman asserts that these emotional aptitudes can preserve relationships, protect our health and improve our success at work. The following adaptation from "Emotional Intelligence" (Bantam Books, 1995) offers suggestions to managers and supervisors on how they can create a more cost-effective and healthier workplace for their employees by becoming more aware of their own emotional. intelligence.

Military Wives' Transition and Coping: Deployment and the Return Home

PubMed Central

Marnocha, Suzanne

2012-01-01

The objective of this qualitative study is to explore the experiences of wives of deployed soldiers. Semistructured interviews were used to answer the research questions. Meleis' Transitions Theory was used to guide the understanding of the wives' experiences. Phase One: news of deployment, property of awareness, themes of emotional chaos and making preparations. Phase Two: during deployment, property of engagement, themes of taking the reins and placing focus elsewhere, along with the property of change and difference, with themes of emotional and physical turmoil, staying strong, and reaching out. Phase Three: after deployment, property of time span, themes of absence makes the heart grow fonder and reestablishing roles. The study concluded that the wife often feels forgotten during deployment. Nurses can give better care by understanding how the different phases of deployment and separation affect the wife's coping ability and her physical and emotional health. PMID:22844613

Detecting the Neutrino

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arns, Robert G.

In 1930 Wolfgang Pauli suggested that a new particle might be required to make sense of the radioactive-disintegration mode known as beta decay. This conjecture initially seemed impossible to verify since the new particle, which became known as the neutrino, was uncharged, had zero or small mass, and interacted only insignificantly with other matter. In 1951 Frederick Reines and Clyde L. Cowan, Jr., of the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory undertook the difficult task of detecting the free neutrino by observing its inverse beta-decay interaction with matter. They succeeded in 1956. The neutrino was accepted rapidly as a fundamental particle despite discrepancies in reported details of the experiments and despite the absence of independent verification of the result. This paper describes the experiments, examines the nature of the discrepancies, and discusses the circumstances of the acceptance of the neutrino's detection by the physics community.

KSC-04PD-0280

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. NASA Administrator Sean OKeefe talks to the media at the Central Florida Research Park, near Orlando. He and government officials were at the park for a presentation about the assets of the research park as the site of NASAs new Shared Services Center. Behind OKeefe are (left to right) Pamella J. Dana, Ph.D., director, Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development in Florida; Florida Congressman Tom Feeney; U.S. Representative Ric Keller; and Congressman Dave Weldon. At right is Mike Rein, division chief of KSC External Affairs. Six sites around the U.S. are under consideration for location of the Center, which would centralize NASAs payroll, accounting, human resources, facilities and procurement offices that are now handled at each field center. The consolidation is part of the One NASA focus. Others attending the presentation included U.S. Senator Bill Nelson and Center Director Jim Kennedy.

KSC-04PD-0290

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. NASA Administrator Sean OKeefe talks to the media at the Central Florida Research Park, near Orlando. He and government officials were at the park for a presentation about the assets of the research park as the site of NASAs new Shared Services Center. Behind OKeefe are (left to right) Pamella J. Dana, Ph.D., director, Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development in Florida; U.S. Representative Ric Keller; Florida Congressman Tom Feeney; and Congressman Dave Weldon. At right is Mike Rein, division chief of KSC External Affairs. Six sites around the U.S. are under consideration for location of the Center, which would centralize NASAs payroll, accounting, human resources, facilities and procurement offices that are now handled at each field center. The consolidation is part of the One NASA focus. Others attending the presentation included U.S. Senator Bill Nelson and Center Director Jim Kennedy.

Faster, better, cheaper: lean labs are the key to future survival.

PubMed

Bryant, Patsy M; Gulling, Richard D

2006-03-28

Process improvement techniques have been used in manufacturing for many years to rein in costs and improve quality. Health care is now grappling with similar challenges. The Department of Laboratory Services at Good Samaritan Hospital, a 560-bed facility in Dayton, OH, used the Lean process improvement method in a 12-week project to streamline its core laboratory processes. By analyzing the flow of samples through the system and identifying value-added and non-value-added steps, both in the laboratory and during the collection process, Good Samaritan's project team redesigned systems and reconfigured the core laboratory layout to trim collection-to-results time from 65 minutes to 40 minutes. As a result, virtually all morning results are available to physicians by 7 a.m., critical values are called to nursing units within 30 minutes, and core laboratory services are optimally staffed for maximum cost-effectiveness.

A review of new drugs and indications in 2002: financial speculation or better patent care?

PubMed

2003-04-01

(1) Once again, our review of drug developments in France in 2002 shows that, in an unfettered market drugs that offer patients no concrete advantages are announced with the biggest fanfare, while drugs that represent real therapeutic advance risk going unnoticed. (2) Regulatory agencies continue to fail in their duty to provide health professionals and patients with the information they need to cut through the hype and to use (correctly) the drugs with the best risk-benefit ratios. (3) The draft modifications to the European Regulation on medicinal products published in 2002 would have made the situation even worse (and may still do so). Fortunately, the European Parliament reined in the Commission's eagerness to please the drugs industry. But all of us who want to see a European drugs policy that serves patients' best interests rather than stockholders' portfolios must remain vigilant in 2003.

Home Health Aides' Perceptions of Quality Care: Goals, Challenges, and Implications for a Rapidly Changing Industry.

PubMed

Franzosa, Emily; Tsui, Emma K; Baron, Sherry

2018-02-01

Home care payment models, quality measures, and care plans are based on physical tasks workers perform, ignoring relational care that supports clients' cognitive, emotional, and social well-being. As states seek to rein in costs and improve the efficiency and quality of care, they will need to consider how to measure and support relational care. In four focus groups ( n = 27) of unionized, agency-based New York City home health aides, workers reported aide-client relationships were a cornerstone of high-quality care, and building them required communication, respect, and going the extra mile. Since much of this care was invisible outside the worker-client relationship, aides received little supervisory support and felt excluded from the formal care team. Aligning payment models with quality requires understanding the full scope of services aides provide and a quality work environment that offers support and supervision, engages aides in patient care, and gives them a voice in policy decisions.

Modulare und durchgängige Produktmodelle als Erfolgsfaktor zur Bedienung einer Omni-Channel-Architektur - PLM 4.0

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Golovatchev, Julius; Felsmann, Marcus

Mit der Transformation der Wertschöpfungsstrukturen von Utility 1.0 zu Utility 4.0 erfolgt offensichtlich auch eine Veränderung des Produkts. Vor dem Hintergrund disruptiver Technologien (IoT, Big Data, Cloud, Robotics etc.) und auch gesellschaftlicher Veränderungen entstehen ständig neue Geschäftsmodelle und Produkte, die über die reine Versorgungsdienstleistung (z. B. Strom) hinausgehen. Dabei muss der wertvolle Rohstoff Produktdaten für smarte Produkte durchgängiger und schneller nutzbar gemacht werden. Die modularen und durchgängigen Produktstrukturen leisten einen Beitrag zur Beherrschung von Komplexität und stellen somit einen wesentlichen Hebel für erfolgreiche Produktentwicklung und -management dar. In diesem Beitrag werden Ansätze beschrieben, wie es den vor der Herausforderung Utility 4.0 stehenden Unternehmen gelingen kann, Smart-Energy-Produkte so zu modellieren, dass sie die Interoperabilität der einzelnen Produktionsmodule sicherstellt und ein Ende-zu-Ende-Management ermöglicht.

Depth of origin of solar active regions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parker, E. N.

1984-01-01

Observations show that the individual bipolar magnetic regions on the sun remain confined during their decay phase, with much of the magnetic field pulling back under the surface, in reverse of the earlier emergence. This suggests that the magnetic field is held on a short rein by subsurface forces, for otherwise the region would decay entirely by dispersing across the face of the sun. With the simple assumption that the fields at the surface are controlled from well-defined anchor points at a depth h, it is possible to relate the length l of the bipolar region at the surface to the depth h, with h about equal to l. The observed dimensions l about equal to 100,000 km for normal active regions, and l about equal to 10,000 km for the ephemeral active regions, indicate comparable depths of origin. More detailed observational studies of the active regions may be expected to shed further light on the problem.

[The effect of denture base resins coated with antibacterial coating on water sorption, solubility and monomer elution].

PubMed

Yang, Yang; Gong, Hai-Huan; Song, Ai-Yang; Feng, Dan; Jin, Jie; Zhu, Song

2015-02-01

To determine the influence of denture base resins coated with antibacterial coating on water sorption, solubility and monomer elution. The values of water sorption and solubility were measured according to YY 0270-2003 and gas chromatography was used to examine the leachability of 4 commercially available heat-cured acrylic resins between experimental group and control group. Degree of crosslinking of the experimental heat-cured acrylic denture bases we remeasured by soxhlet extraction method. The data was analyzed by 17.0 software package. The values of water sorption, solubility and monomer elution of experimental group were lower compared to the control group. Degree of crosslinking of Heraeus reins was the highest among the experimental heat-cured acrylic denture bases. There is a same trend among water sorption, degree of crosslinking and the monomer elution. When the degree of crosslinking increases, the values of water sorption and monomer elution decrease. Antibacterial coating can improve the comprehensive properties of the denture base resins.

A Blended Learning Course Design in Clinical Pharmacology for Post-graduate Dental Students

PubMed Central

Rosenbaum, Paul-Erik Lillholm; Mikalsen, Øyvind; Lygre, Henning; Solheim, Einar; Schjøtt, Jan

2012-01-01

Postgraduate courses in clinical pharmacology are important for dentists to be updated on drug therapy and information related to their clinical practice, as well as knowledge of relevant adverse effects and interactions. A traditional approach with classroom delivery as the only method to teaching and learning has shortcomings regarding flexibility, individual learning preferences, and problem based learning (PBL) activities compared to online environments. This study examines a five week postgraduate course in clinical pharmacology with 15 hours of lectures and online learning activities, i.e. blended course design. Six postgraduate dental students participated and at the end of the course they were interviewed. Our findings emphasize that a blended learning course design can be successfully used in postgraduate dental education. Key matters for discussion were time flexibility and location convenience, change in teacher’s role, rein-forced learning strategies towards professional needs, scarcity in online communication, and proposed future utilization of e-learning components. PMID:23248716

"My reins admonish me at night" (Psalm 16:7): the kidneys in ancient and medieval Jewish sources.

PubMed

Kottek, Samuel S

2010-01-01

David Macht already stated that in several ancient languages the same term is used for kidneys and testes. "Preparation or elaboration of the semen was considered to be one of the functions of the kidneys in man". In the Bible, however, this confusion does not exist, at least not on the anatomical level. Together with the heart, the kidneys are paradigmatic of the innermost organs, wherefrom result their metaphoric association in being the seat of emotions and of wisdom. Some of these aspects will be delineated in the present study, briefly in Bible and Talmud, while stressing medieval Jewish sources, including the works of Shabtai Donnolo, Judah Halevi, Shem-Tov Falaquera, and Meir ibn Aldabi.

Expression of hemagglutinin protein of Rinderpest virus in transgenic pigeon pea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.] plants.

PubMed

Satyavathi, V V; Prasad, V; Khandelwal, Abha; Shaila, M S; Sita, G Lakshmi

2003-03-01

Rinderpest virus is the causative agent of a devastating, often fatal disease in wild and domestic bovids that is endemic in Africa, the Middle East and South Asia. The existing live attenuated vaccine is heat-labile, and thus there is a need for the development of new strategies for vaccination. This paper reports the development of transgenic pigeon pea [ Cajanus cajun (L.) Millsp.] expressing one of the protective antigens, the hemagglutinin (H) protein of Rinderpest virus. A 2-kb fragment containing the coding region of the H protein was cloned into pBI121 and mobilized into Agrobacterium tumefaciensstrain EHA105. Embryonic axes and cotyledonary nodes from germinated seeds of pigeon pea were used for transformation. The presence of the transgene in transgenic plants was confirmed by Southern blots, and the specific transcription of the marker gene in the plants was demonstrated by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Integration of the H gene into the pigeon pea genome was confirmed by Southern hybridization. The expression of the H protein in the transgenic lines was confirmed by Western blot analysis using a polyclonal monospecific antibody to the H protein. The highest level of expression of the hemagglutinin protein in leaves of pigeon pea was 0.49% of the total soluble protein. The transgenic plants were fertile and the transgene expressed in the progeny.

Expression of anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) single-chain variable fragment (scFv) in Spirodela punctata plants transformed with Agrobacterium tumefaciens.

PubMed

Balaji, Parthasarathy; Satheeshkumar, P K; Venkataraman, Krishnan; Vijayalakshmi, M A

2016-05-01

Therapeutic antibodies against tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) have been considered effective for some of the autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's diseases, and so on. But associated limitations of the current therapeutics in terms of cost, availability, and immunogenicity have necessitated the need for alternative candidates. Single-chain variable fragment (scFv) can negate the limitations tagged with the anti-TNFα therapeutics to a greater extent. In the present study, Spirodela punctata plants were transformed with anti-TNFα through in planta transformation using Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain, EHA105. Instead of cefotaxime, garlic extract (1 mg/mL) was used to remove the agrobacterial cells after cocultivation. To the best of our knowledge, this report shows for the first time the application of plant extracts in transgenic plant development. 95% of the plants survived screening under hygromycin. ScFv cDNA integration in the plant genomic DNA was confirmed at the molecular level by PCR. The transgenic protein expression was followed up to 10 months. Expression of scFv was confirmed by immunodot blot. Protein expression levels of up to 6.3% of total soluble protein were observed. β-Glucuronidase and green fluorescent protein expressions were also detected in the antibiotic resistant plants. The paper shows the generation of transgenic Spirodela punctuata plants through in planta transformation. © 2015 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

[Obtaining marker-free transgenic soybean plants with optimal frequency by constructing three T-DNAs binary vector].

PubMed

Ye, Xing-Guo; Qin, Hua

2007-01-01

Obtaining marker-free plants with high efficiency will benefit the environmental release of transgenic crops. To achieve this point, a binary vector pNB35SVIP1 with three T-DNAs was constructed by using several mediate plasmids, in which one copy of bar gene expression cassette and two copies of VIP1 gene expression cassette were included. EHA101 Agrobacterium strain harboring the final construct was applied to transform soybean (Glycine max) cotyledon nodes. Through 2 - 3 months regeneration and selection on 3 - 5mg/L glufosinate containing medium, transgenic soybean plants were confirmed to be obtained at 0.83% - 3.16%, and co-transformation efficiency of both gene in the same individual reached up to 86.4%, based on southern blot test. By the analysis of PCR, southern blot and northern blot combining with leaf painting of herbicide in T1 progenies, 41 plants were confirmed to be eliminated of bar gene with the frequency of 7.6% . Among the T1 populations tested, the loss of the alien genes happened in 22.7% lines, the silence of bar gene took place in 27.3% lines, and VIP1 gene silence existed in 37.1% marker-free plants. The result also suggested that the plasmid with three T-DNAs might be an ideal vector to generate maker-free genetic modified organism.

An improved Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of recalcitrant indica rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars.

PubMed

Shri, Manju; Rai, Arti; Verma, Pankaj Kumar; Misra, Prashant; Dubey, Sonali; Kumar, Smita; Verma, Sikha; Gautam, Neelam; Tripathi, Rudra Deo; Trivedi, Prabodh Kumar; Chakrabarty, Debasis

2013-04-01

Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of indica rice varieties has been quite difficult as these are recalcitrant to in vitro responses. In the present study, we established a high-efficiency Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation system of rice (Oryza sativa L. ssp. indica) cv. IR-64, Lalat, and IET-4786. Agrobacterium strain EHA-101 harboring binary vector pIG121-Hm, containing a gene encoding for β-glucuronidase (GUS) and hygromycin resistance, was used in the transformation experiments. Manipulation of different concentrations of acetosyringone, days of co-culture period, bacterial suspension of different optical densities (ODs), and the concentrations of L-cysteine in liquid followed by solid co-culture medium was done for establishing the protocol. Among the different co-culture periods, 5 days of co-culture with bacterial cells (OD600 nm = 0.5-0.8) promoted the highest frequency of transformation (83.04 %) in medium containing L-cysteine (400 mg l(-1)). Putative transformed plants were analyzed for the presence of a transgene through genomic PCR and GUS histochemical analyses. Our results also suggest that different cultural conditions and the addition of L-cysteine in the co-culture medium improve the Agrobacterium-mediated transformation frequencies from an average of 12.82 % to 33.33 % in different indica rice cultivars.

Independent academic Data Monitoring Committees for clinical trials in cardiovascular and cardiometabolic diseases.

PubMed

Filippatos, Gerasimos S; de Graeff, Pieter; Bax, Jeroen J; Borg, John-Joseph; Cleland, John G F; Dargie, Henry J; Flather, Marcus; Ford, Ian; Friede, Tim; Greenberg, Barry; Henon-Goburdhun, Cécile; Holcomb, Richard; Horst, Bradley; Lekakis, John; Mueller-Velten, Guenther; Papavassiliou, Athanasios G; Prasad, Krishna; Rosano, Giuseppe M C; Severin, Thomas; Sherman, Warren; Stough, Wendy Gattis; Swedberg, Karl; Tavazzi, Luigi; Tousoulis, Dimitris; Vardas, Panagiotis; Ruschitzka, Frank; Anker, Stefan D

2017-04-01

Data Monitoring Committees (DMCs) play a crucial role in the conducting of clinical trials to ensure the safety of study participants and to maintain a trial's scientific integrity. Generally accepted standards exist for DMC composition and operational conduct. However, some relevant issues are not specifically addressed in current guidance documents, resulting in uncertainties regarding optimal approaches for communication between the DMC, steering committee, and sponsors, release of information, and liability protection for DMC members. The Heart Failure Association (HFA) of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), in collaboration with the Clinical Trials Unit of the European Heart Agency (EHA) of the ESC convened a meeting of international experts in DMCs for cardiovascular and cardiometabolic clinical trials to identify specific issues and develop steps to resolve challenges faced by DMCs.The main recommendations from the meeting relate to methodological consistency, independence, managing conflicts of interest, liability protection, and training of future DMC members. This paper summarizes the key outcomes from this expert meeting, and describes the core set of activities that might be further developed and ultimately implemented by the ESC, HFA, and other interested ESC constituent bodies. The HFA will continue to work with stakeholders in cardiovascular and cardiometabolic clinical research to promote these goals. © 2017 The Authors. European Journal of Heart Failure © 2017 European Society of Cardiology.

The kidneys in the Bible: what happened?

PubMed

Eknoyan, Garabed

2005-12-01

The kidneys, always used in the plural (kelayot), are mentioned more than 30 times in the Bible. In the Pentateuch, the kidneys are cited 11 times in the detailed instructions given for the sacrificial offering of animals at the altar. Whereas those instructions were for purification ceremonies at the Temple, sacrificial offerings were made subsequently in seeking divine intervention for the relief of medical problems. In the books of the Bible that follow the Pentateuch, mostly in Jeremiah and Psalms, the human kidneys are cited figuratively as the site of temperament, emotions, prudence, vigor, and wisdom. In five instances, they are mentioned as the organs examined by God to judge an individual. They are cited either before or after but always in conjunction with the heart as mirrors of the psyche of the person examined. There is also reference to the kidneys as the site of divine punishment for misdemeanors, committed or perceived, particularly in the book of Job, whose suffering and ailments are legendary. In the first vernacular versions of the Bible in English, the translators elected to use the term "reins" instead of kidneys in differentiating the metaphoric uses of human kidneys from that of their mention as anatomic organs of sacrificial animals burned at the altar. This initial effort at linguistic purity or gentility has progressed further in recent versions of the Bible, in which the reins are now replaced by the soul or the mind. The erosion may have begun in the centuries that followed the writing of the Bible, when recognition of the kidneys as excretory organs deprived them of the ancient aura of mysterious organs hidden deep in the body but accessible to the look of God. At approximately the same time, Greek analytical philosophy argued that the brain, which is never mentioned in the Bible, was the most divine and sacred part of the body. This argument gained ground in the past century, when the functions of the brain were elucidated, and

The Fierce Urgency of Now: What, if Any, Lessons Have We Learned about Educating Children Who Were Excluded from Public Schools Prior to EHA?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Anne

2009-01-01

This special issue of Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities (RPSD) is timely and resonates with the theme of the 2009 TASH Conference, "If not Us, Who? If not NOW, When?" The articles grapple with critical issues across a number of dimensions that reflect the complexity of inclusion and exclusion, the importance of…

Pills, shots, implants, vaccines: can the elusive sperm be reined in? Male contraceptive research extremely slow, but promising.

PubMed

1995-08-01

Although it may be 20 years before a male contraceptive is marketed, researchers continue to explore various options. Part of the difficulty with male contraception is the fact that the oral contraceptives were so successful in women that they cornered the market. Another problem is that it is easier to control one egg per month than hundreds of millions of sperm cells each day. Another is that it is more expensive to do research on male than on female rats since the males require separate cages. The physiologic targets for male birth control are 1) the process of spermatogenesis, 2) the process of sperm maturation, and 3) the process of capacitation. The substance gossypol, which suppresses sperm without affecting androgen levels, has been the subject of male contraceptive research in the US since the 1970s. Clinical trials of gossypol are planned by a collaborative groups of investigators from developing countries. Research has also continued for more than 20 years on compounds to alter male hormone levels. The use of one such compound, testosterone enanthate, required weekly injections, so current research is centered on finding a more marketable product, such as a 3-month injectable that uses testosterone buciclate. The combination of testosterone enanthate with cyproterone acetate is also showing promise in achieving complete azoospermia in trials in men. The dosing schedule makes this regimen unmarketable, however. Protocols have also been completed for a clinical trial using two implanted rods to deliver a GnRH analog and a specially developed androgen. Work is also proceeding on the development of a GnRH vaccine and on a vaccine specific only to follicle-stimulating hormone. Other avenues of research are focusing on nifedipine, a drug used to treat high blood pressure, on mifepristone (RU-486) which temporarily blocks calcium, and on etoprine, which suppresses rapidly dividing sperm cells. Research has halted on two compounds that protect cells from oxidative damage (superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase) because of the potential damage to sperm DNA, which could cause early miscarriage or birth defects.

Social heuristics shape intuitive cooperation.

PubMed

Rand, David G; Peysakhovich, Alexander; Kraft-Todd, Gordon T; Newman, George E; Wurzbacher, Owen; Nowak, Martin A; Greene, Joshua D

2014-04-22

Cooperation is central to human societies. Yet relatively little is known about the cognitive underpinnings of cooperative decision making. Does cooperation require deliberate self-restraint? Or is spontaneous prosociality reined in by calculating self-interest? Here we present a theory of why (and for whom) intuition favors cooperation: cooperation is typically advantageous in everyday life, leading to the formation of generalized cooperative intuitions. Deliberation, by contrast, adjusts behaviour towards the optimum for a given situation. Thus, in one-shot anonymous interactions where selfishness is optimal, intuitive responses tend to be more cooperative than deliberative responses. We test this 'social heuristics hypothesis' by aggregating across every cooperation experiment using time pressure that we conducted over a 2-year period (15 studies and 6,910 decisions), as well as performing a novel time pressure experiment. Doing so demonstrates a positive average effect of time pressure on cooperation. We also find substantial variation in this effect, and show that this variation is partly explained by previous experience with one-shot lab experiments.

The Einstein-Vlasov System/Kinetic Theory.

PubMed

Andréasson, Håkan

2005-01-01

The main purpose of this article is to provide a guide to theorems on global properties of solutions to the Einstein-Vlasov system. This system couples Einstein's equations to a kinetic matter model. Kinetic theory has been an important field of research during several decades in which the main focus has been on nonrelativistic and special relativistic physics, i.e. to model the dynamics of neutral gases, plasmas, and Newtonian self-gravitating systems. In 1990, Rendall and Rein initiated a mathematical study of the Einstein-Vlasov system. Since then many theorems on global properties of solutions to this system have been established. The Vlasov equation describes matter phenomenologically, and it should be stressed that most of the theorems presented in this article are not presently known for other such matter models (i.e. fluid models). This paper gives introductions to kinetic theory in non-curved spacetimes and then the Einstein-Vlasov system is introduced. We believe that a good understanding of kinetic theory in non-curved spacetimes is fundamental to good comprehension of kinetic theory in general relativity.

The Einstein-Vlasov System/Kinetic Theory.

PubMed

Andréasson, Håkan

2002-01-01

The main purpose of this article is to provide a guide to theorems on global properties of solutions to the Einstein-Vlasov system. This system couples Einstein's equations to a kinetic matter model. Kinetic theory has been an important field of research during several decades in which the main focus has been on nonrelativistic and special relativistic physics, i.e. to model the dynamics of neutral gases, plasmas, and Newtonian self-gravitating systems. In 1990, Rendall and Rein initiated a mathematical study of the Einstein-Vlasov system. Since then many theorems on global properties of solutions to this system have been established. The Vlasov equation describes matter phenomenologically, and it should be stressed that most of the theorems presented in this article are not presently known for other such matter models (i.e. fluid models). This paper gives introductions to kinetic theory in non-curved spacetimes and then the Einstein-Vlasov system is introduced. We believe that a good understanding of kinetic theory in non-curved spacetimes is fundamental to good comprehension of kinetic theory in general relativity.

Follow the heart or the head? The interactive influence model of emotion and cognition.

PubMed

Luo, Jiayi; Yu, Rongjun

2015-01-01

The experience of emotion has a powerful influence on daily-life decision making. Following Plato's description of emotion and reason as two horses pulling us in opposite directions, modern dual-system models of decision making endorse the antagonism between reason and emotion. Decision making is perceived as the competition between an emotion system that is automatic but prone to error and a reason system that is slow but rational. The reason system (in "the head") reins in our impulses (from "the heart") and overrides our snap judgments. However, from Darwin's evolutionary perspective, emotion is adaptive, guiding us to make sound decisions in uncertainty. Here, drawing findings from behavioral economics and neuroeconomics, we provide a new model, labeled "The interactive influence model of emotion and cognition," to elaborate the relationship of emotion and reason in decision making. Specifically, in our model, we identify factors that determine when emotions override reason and delineate the type of contexts in which emotions help or hurt decision making. We then illustrate how cognition modulates emotion and how they cooperate to affect decision making.

HNBody: A Simulation Package for Hierarchical N-Body Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rauch, Kevin P.

2018-04-01

HNBody (http://www.hnbody.org/) is an extensible software package forintegrating the dynamics of N-body systems. Although general purpose, itincorporates several features and algorithms particularly well-suited tosystems containing a hierarchy (wide dynamic range) of masses. HNBodyversion 1 focused heavily on symplectic integration of nearly-Kepleriansystems. Here I describe the capabilities of the redesigned and expandedpackage version 2, which includes: symplectic integrators up to eighth order(both leap frog and Wisdom-Holman type methods), with symplectic corrector andclose encounter support; variable-order, variable-timestep Bulirsch-Stoer andStörmer integrators; post-Newtonian and multipole physics options; advancedround-off control for improved long-term stability; multi-threading and SIMDvectorization enhancements; seamless availability of extended precisionarithmetic for all calculations; extremely flexible configuration andoutput. Tests of the physical correctness of the algorithms are presentedusing JPL Horizons ephemerides (https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/?horizons) andpreviously published results for reference. The features and performanceof HNBody are also compared to several other freely available N-body codes,including MERCURY (Chambers), SWIFT (Levison & Duncan) and WHFAST (Rein &Tamayo).

Semi-exact concentric atomic density fitting: Reduced cost and increased accuracy compared to standard density fitting

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

Hollman, David S.; Department of Chemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061; Schaefer, Henry F.

2014-02-14

A local density fitting scheme is considered in which atomic orbital (AO) products are approximated using only auxiliary AOs located on one of the nuclei in that product. The possibility of variational collapse to an unphysical “attractive electron” state that can affect such density fitting [P. Merlot, T. Kjærgaard, T. Helgaker, R. Lindh, F. Aquilante, S. Reine, and T. B. Pedersen, J. Comput. Chem. 34, 1486 (2013)] is alleviated by including atom-wise semidiagonal integrals exactly. Our approach leads to a significant decrease in the computational cost of density fitting for Hartree–Fock theory while still producing results with errors 2–5 timesmore » smaller than standard, nonlocal density fitting. Our method allows for large Hartree–Fock and density functional theory computations with exact exchange to be carried out efficiently on large molecules, which we demonstrate by benchmarking our method on 200 of the most widely used prescription drug molecules. Our new fitting scheme leads to smooth and artifact-free potential energy surfaces and the possibility of relatively simple analytic gradients.« less

U.S. National Science Foundation Slated for Large Budget Increase

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Showstack, Randy

2010-03-01

Although the Obama administration has promoted its proposed $3.8 trillion federal budget for fiscal year (FY) 2011 as one that works toward reining in budget deficits and living within the nation's means, research is among the areas slated for increases. The National Science Foundation (NSF) would receive $7.42 billion, an 8% increase above the FY 2010 enacted level of $6.87 billion, which pleases NSF administrators. This proposal would keep the agency on track for doubling its budget between about 2007 and 2017. “The president sees science as a way to build our economy. It’s a way to make the nation strong in the future. It’s a way of bringing change in society, and in addressing some of the global challenges that we are facing,” NSF director Arden Bement Jr. explained at a 1 February briefing. Bement, who has been at the helm of the agency for more than 6 years, announced in early February that he is leaving later this year to head up the Global Policy Research Institute at Purdue University.

Genotype-independent and enhanced in planta Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated genetic transformation of peanut [Arachis hypogaea (L.)].

PubMed

Karthik, Sivabalan; Pavan, Gadamchetty; Sathish, Selvam; Siva, Ramamoorthy; Kumar, Periyasamy Suresh; Manickavasagam, Markandan

2018-04-01

Agrobacterium infection and regeneration of the putatively transformed plant from the explant remains arduous for some crop species like peanut. Henceforth, a competent and reproducible in planta genetic transformation protocol is established for peanut cv. CO7 by standardizing various factors such as pre-culture duration, acetosyringone concentration, duration of co-cultivation, sonication and vacuum infiltration. In the present investigation, Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain EHA105 harboring the binary vector pCAMBIA1301- bar was used for transformation. The two-stage selection was carried out using 4 and 250 mg l -1 BASTA ® to completely eliminate the chimeric and non-transformed plants. The transgene integration into plant genome was evaluated by GUS histochemical assay, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and Southern blot hybridization. Among the various combinations and concentrations analyzed, highest transformation efficiency was obtained when the 2-day pre-cultured explants were subjected to sonication for 6 min and vacuum infiltrated for 3 min in Agrobacterium suspension, and co-cultivated on MS medium supplemented with 150 µM acetosyringone for 3 days. The fidelity of the standardized in planta transformation method was assessed in five peanut cultivars and all the cultivars responded positively with a transformation efficiency ranging from minimum 31.3% (with cv. CO6) to maximum 38.6% (with cv. TMV7). The in planta transformation method optimized in this study could be beneficial to develop superior peanut cultivars with desirable genetic traits.

[Construction of transgenic tobacco expressing popW and analysis of its biological phenotype].

PubMed

Wang, Cui; Liu, Hongxia; Cao, Jing; Wang, Chao; Guo, Jianhua

2014-04-01

In a previous study, we cloned popW from Ralstonia solanacearum strain ZJ3721, coding PopW, a new harpin protein. The procaryotically expressed PopW can induce resistance to Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), enhance growth and improve quality of tobacco, when sprayed onto tobacco leaves. Here, we constructed an expression vector pB- popW by cloning popW into the bionary vector pBI121 and transformed it into Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain EHA105 via freeze-thaw method. Tobacco (Nicotiana tobacum cv. Xanthi nc.) transformation was conducted by infection of tobacco leaf discs with recombinant A. tumefaciens. After screening on MS medium containing kanamycin, PCR and RT-PCR analysis, 21 T3 lines were identified as positive transgenic. Genomic intergration and expression of the transferred gene were determined by PCR and RT-PCR. And GUS staining analysis indicated that the protein expressed in transgenic tobacco was bioactive and exhibited different expression levels among lines. Disease bioassays showed that the transgenic tobacco had enhanced resistance to TMV with biocontrol efficiency up to 54.25%. Transgenic tobacco also exhibited enhanced plant growth, the root length of 15 d old seedlings was 1.7 times longer than that of wild type tobacco. 60 d after transplanting to pots, the height, fresh weight and dry weight of transgenic tobacco were 1.4, 1.7, 1.8 times larger than that of wild type tobacco, respectively.

Development of disease-resistant marker-free tomato by R/RS site-specific recombination.

PubMed

Khan, Raham Sher; Nakamura, Ikuo; Mii, Masahiro

2011-06-01

The selection marker genes, imparting antibiotic or herbicide resistance, in the final transgenics have been criticized by the public and considered a hindrance in their commercialization. Multi-auto-transformation (MAT) vector system has been one of the strategies to produce marker-free transgenic plants without using selective chemicals and plant growth regulators (PGRs). In the study reported here, isopentenyltransferase (ipt) gene was used as a selection marker and wasabi defensin (WD) gene, isolated from Wasabia japonica as a target gene. WD was cloned from the binary vector, pEKH-WD to an ipt-type MAT vector, pMAT21 by gateway cloning and transferred to Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain EHA105. Infected cotyledons of tomato cv. Reiyo were cultured on PGR- and antibiotic-free MS medium. Adventitious shoots were developed by the explants infected with the pMAT21/wasabi defensin. The same PGR- and antibiotic-free MS medium was used in subcultures of the adventitious shoot lines (ASLs) to produce ipt and normal shoots. Approximately, 6 months after infection morphologically normal shoots were produced. Molecular analyses of the developed shoots confirmed the integration of gene of interest (WD) and excision of the selection marker (ipt). Expression of WD was confirmed by Northern blot and Western blot analyses. The marker-free transgenic plants exhibited enhanced resistance against Botrytis cinerea (gray mold), Alternaria solani (early blight), Fusarium oxysporum (Fusarium wilt) and Erysiphe lycopersici (powdery mildew).

Highly efficient Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of embryogenic cell suspensions of Musa acuminata cv. Mas (AA) via a liquid co-cultivation system.

PubMed

Huang, Xia; Huang, Xue-Lin; Xiao, Wang; Zhao, Jie-Tang; Dai, Xue-Mei; Chen, Yun-Feng; Li, Xiao-Ju

2007-10-01

A high efficient protocol of Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of Musa acuminata cv. Mas (AA), a major banana variety of the South East Asia region, was developed in this study. Male-flower-derived embryogenic cell suspensions (ECS) were co-cultivated in liquid medium with Agrobacterium strain EHA105 harboring a binary vector pCAMBIA2301 carrying nptII and gusA gene in the T-DNA. Depending upon conditions and duration of co-cultivation in liquid medium, 0-490 transgenic plants per 0.5 ml packed cell volume (PCV) of ECS were obtained. The optimum duration of inoculation was 2 h, and the highest transformation frequency was achieved when infected ECS were co-cultivated in liquid medium first for 12 h at 40 rpm and then for 156 h at 100 rpm on a rotary shaker. Co-cultivation for a shorter duration (72 h) or shaking constantly at 100 rpm at the same duration gave 1.6 and 1.8 folds lower transformation efficiency, respectively. No transgenic plants were obtained in parallel experiments carried on semi-solid media. Histochemical GUS assay and molecular analysis in several tissues of the transgenic plants demonstrated that foreign genes were stably integrated into the banana genome. Compared to semi-solid co-cultivation transformation in other banana species, it is remarkable that liquid co-cultivation was much more efficient for transformation of the Mas cultivar, and was at least 1 month faster for regenerating transgenic plants.

Alkylated hydroxylamine derivatives eliminate peripheral retinylidene Schiff bases but cannot enter the retinal binding pocket of light-activated rhodopsin.

PubMed

Piechnick, Ronny; Heck, Martin; Sommer, Martha E

2011-08-23

Besides Lys-296 in the binding pocket of opsin, all-trans-retinal forms adducts with peripheral lysine residues and phospholipids, thereby mimicking the spectral and chemical properties of metarhodopsin species. These pseudophotoproducts composed of nonspecific retinylidene Schiff bases have long plagued the investigation of rhodopsin deactivation and identification of decay products. We discovered that, while hydroxylamine can enter the retinal binding pocket of light-activated rhodopsin, the modified hydroxylamine compounds o-methylhydroxylamine (mHA), o-ethylhydroxylamine (eHA), o-tert-butylhydroxylamine (t-bHA), and o-(carboxymethyl)hydroxylamine (cmHA) are excluded. However, the alkylated hydroxylamines react quickly and efficiently with exposed retinylidene Schiff bases to form their respective retinal oximes. We further investigated how t-bHA affects light-activated rhodopsin and its interaction with binding partners. We found that both metarhodopsin II (Meta II) and Meta III are resistant to t-bHA, and neither arrestin nor transducin binding is affected by t-bHA. This discovery suggests that the hypothetical solvent channel that opens in light-activated rhodopsin is extremely stringent with regard to size and/or polarity. We believe that alkylated hydroxylamines will prove to be extremely useful reagents for the investigation of rhodopsin activation and decay mechanisms. Furthermore, the use of alkylated hydroxylamines should not be limited to in vitro studies and could help elucidate visual signal transduction mechanisms in the living cells of the retina. © 2011 American Chemical Society

Genomic Characterization of Methanomicrobiales Reveals Three Classes of Methanogens

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

Anderson, Iain; Ulrich, Luke; Lupa, Boguslaw

2009-01-01

Background Methanomicrobiales is the least studied order of methanogens. While these organisms appear to be more closely related to the Methanosarcinales in ribosomal-based phylogenetic analyses, they are metabolically more similar to Class I methanogens. Methodology/Principal Findings In order to improve our understanding of this lineage, we have completely sequenced the genomes of two members of this order, Methanocorpusculum labreanum Z and Methanoculleus marisnigri JR1, and compared them with the genome of a third, Methanospirillum hungatei JF-1. Similar to Class I methanogens, Methanomicrobiales use a partial reductive citric acid cycle for 2-oxoglutarate biosynthesis, and they have the Eha energy-converting hydrogenase. Inmore » common with Methanosarcinales, Methanomicrobiales possess the Ech hydrogenase and at least some of them may couple formylmethanofuran formation and heterodisulfide reduction to transmembrane ion gradients. Uniquely, M. labreanum and M. hungatei contain hydrogenases similar to the Pyrococcus furiosus Mbh hydrogenase, and all three Methanomicrobiales have anti-sigma factor and anti-anti-sigma factor regulatory proteins not found in other methanogens. Phylogenetic analysis based on seven core proteins of methanogenesis and cofactor biosynthesis places the Methanomicrobiales equidistant from Class I methanogens and Methanosarcinales. Conclusions/Significance Our results indicate that Methanomicrobiales, rather than being similar to Class I methanogens or Methanomicrobiales, share some features of both and have some unique properties. We find that there are three distinct classes of methanogens: the Class I methanogens, the Methanomicrobiales (Class II), and the Methanosarcinales (Class III).« less

Genomic Characterization of Methanomicrobiales Reveals Three Classes of Methanogens

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

Anderson, Iain; Ulrich, Luke E.; Lupa, Boguslaw

2009-05-01

Methanomicrobiales is the least studied order of methanogens. While these organisms appear to be more closely related to the Methanosarcinales in ribosomal-based phylogenetic analyses, they are metabolically more similar to Class I methanogens. In order to improve our understanding of this lineage, we have completely sequenced the genomes of two members of this order, Methanocorpusculum labreanum Z and Methanoculleus marisnigri JR1, and compared them with the genome of a third, Methanospirillum hungatei JF-1. Similar to Class I methanogens, Methanomicrobiales use a partial reductive citric acid cycle for 2-oxoglutarate biosynthesis, and they have the Eha energy-converting hydrogenase. In common with Methanosarcinales,more » Methanomicrobiales possess the Ech hydrogenase and at least some of them may couple formylmethanofuran formation and heterodisulfide reduction to transmembrane ion gradients. Uniquely, M. labreanum and M. hungatei contain hydrogenases similar to the Pyrococcus furiosus Mbh hydrogenase, and all three Methanomicrobiales have anti-sigma factor and anti-anti-sigma factor regulatory proteins not found in other methanogens. Phylogenetic analysis based on seven core proteins of methanogenesis and cofactor biosynthesis places the Methanomicrobiales equidistant from Class I methanogens and Methanosarcinales. Our results indicate that Methanomicrobiales, rather than being similar to Class I methanogens or Methanomicrobiales, share some features of both and have some unique properties. We find that there are three distinct classes of methanogens: the Class I methanogens, the Methanomicrobiales (Class II), and the Methanosarcinales (Class III).« less

Obituary: Glenn M. Frye (1926-2007)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fickinger, William

2011-12-01

Glenn M. Frye, professor emeritus of physics at Case Western Reserve University, died in January 2007. His research interests at Case centered on the detection and identification of cosmic rays at the top of the atmosphere. Glenn was born in Michigan in 1926. He completed both his undergraduate and graduate studies at the University of Michigan. After earning his doctorate in 1950, he joined the nuclear physics research staff at Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory. Frye's research changed direction when he joined Fred Reines, who was also at LASL, in a cosmic ray experiment. In 1959, Reines moved east to become chair of the Case Institute of Technology physics department, and the following year Frye joined him there. The first years at Case Tech were devoted to the development of the rather complex spark chamber detectors which were destined to be suspended from high altitude balloons. Frye s experiments would be carried by the winds for hundreds of miles at altitudes greater than thirty miles, in both the northern and southern hemispheres. The maiden flights were launched in 1965 from the Palestine, Texas National Center for Atmospheric Research Balloon Base. The object was to search for gammas in the 30 to 500 MeV range coming from discrete point sources. Three years later the Frye team, along with collaborators from the University of Melbourne, reported success in this search. In a later Texas flight, high energy gammas were observed to come from the direction of the Crab Nebula, and, much more significantly, they arrived in the correct one millisecond bin of the known thirty millisecond period of the responsible pulsar. In later flights, involving ever more sophisticated detection schemes, Frye and his team collected valuable data on energetic gamma rays emitted by a dozen other sources. Through the 1970s and 1980s, they employed detectors with improved sensitivity and directionality to determine the energy distribution of cosmic gammas. With the participation of

Holding the Reins of the Professional Learning Community: Eight Themes from Research on Principals' Perceptions of Professional Learning Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cranston, Jerome

2009-01-01

Using a naturalistic inquiry approach and thematic analysis, this paper outlines the findings of a research study that examined 12 Manitoba principals' conceptions of professional learning communities. The study found that these principals consider the development of professional learning communities to be a normative imperative within the…

Chinese Students in Canadian Higher Education: A Case for Reining in Our Use of the Term "Generation 1.5"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marshall, Steve; Lee, Ena

2017-01-01

Roberge defines the 1.5 Generation as "those who immigrate as young children and have life experiences that span two or more countries, cultures and languages" (2009, p. 4). In US and Canadian higher education, the term has gained considerable recognition, with the scope of the term broadening among some educators to include…

[The decree of June 15th, 1888, the first text that legislates the pharmacy practice in Tunisia and the progress of the pharmaceutical legislation before and after the independence].

PubMed

Ben Azzouna, Rana; Hamdane, Ridha

2007-01-01

In 1881, the French protectorate is established in Tunisia whose independence will not be officially declared before March 20th, 1956. This article presents the content of the decree of June 15th, 1888, the first text that legislates pharmacy practice in Tunisia. The publication of this decree, a real fundamental text, did not put an end to the illegal practice of pharmacy in the Regency, which could be explained by the few shortcomings of the text, the legislator's inability to implement the law, the ignorance and the inadvertency of the diplomats, and also the "regime of the surrenders" (le régime des capitulations) which, by preventing the pharmaceutical inspection, gave free rein to all the offenders. This situation led in the course of time to the promulgation of a number of laws which progressively allowed a better organization of the pharmaceutical profession in the Regency. The progress made by the pharmaceutical legislation throughout the French protectorate continued after the independence of Tunisia as is attested by the law number 73-55 of August 3rd, 1973 which is still in use at present.

Follow the heart or the head? The interactive influence model of emotion and cognition

PubMed Central

Luo, Jiayi; Yu, Rongjun

2015-01-01

The experience of emotion has a powerful influence on daily-life decision making. Following Plato’s description of emotion and reason as two horses pulling us in opposite directions, modern dual-system models of decision making endorse the antagonism between reason and emotion. Decision making is perceived as the competition between an emotion system that is automatic but prone to error and a reason system that is slow but rational. The reason system (in “the head”) reins in our impulses (from “the heart”) and overrides our snap judgments. However, from Darwin’s evolutionary perspective, emotion is adaptive, guiding us to make sound decisions in uncertainty. Here, drawing findings from behavioral economics and neuroeconomics, we provide a new model, labeled “The interactive influence model of emotion and cognition,” to elaborate the relationship of emotion and reason in decision making. Specifically, in our model, we identify factors that determine when emotions override reason and delineate the type of contexts in which emotions help or hurt decision making. We then illustrate how cognition modulates emotion and how they cooperate to affect decision making. PMID:25999889

Die Energiebranche am Beginn der digitalen Transformation: aus Versorgern werden Utilities 4.0

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doleski, Oliver D.

Die traditionelle Energieversorgung befindet sich in einer Zäsur. Das seit Jahrzehnten bewährte und stabile Geschäftsmodell einer zuverlässig planbaren, zentralen Energieerzeugung mit anschließender unidirektionaler Verteilung geriet spätestens seit der Energiewende des Jahres 2011 immer mehr unter Druck. Angesichts fortschreitender Digitalisierung und Dezentralisierung einerseits und gestiegener Erwartungshaltung der Kunden gegenüber "ihrem" Versorger andererseits sieht sich die Energiebranche heute einem epochalen Transformationsprozess gegenübergestellt. Bei diesem entwickeln sich aus den monopolistischen Versorgern des 19. und 20. Jahrhunderts (Utility 1.0), über die liberalisierten Energieversorgungsunternehmen (Utility 2.0) und Energiedienstleistungsunternehmen (Utility 3.0) heutiger Prägung, die digitalen Energiedienstleistungsunternehmen (Utility 4.0) von morgen. Oliver D. Doleski beschränkt sich in seinem Beitrag nicht auf die reine Beschreibung dieses Veränderungsprozesses an sich. Vielmehr werden darüber hinaus sowohl die mit dieser Entwicklung verbundenen übergeordneten Ziele als auch die wesentlichen Anforderungen an erfolgreiche Utilities 4.0 skizziert. Das Kapitel endet mit einem prägnanten Überblick profitabler Betätigungsfelder, die zur Sicherung der ökonomischen Zukunft von Energiekonzernen, Regionalversorgern und Stadtwerken beitragen können.

Selling space colonization and immortality: A psychosocial, anthropological critique of the rush to colonize Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slobodian, Rayna Elizabeth

2015-08-01

Extensive media coverage regarding the proposal to send four people to Mars by 2025 has exploded recently. Private enterprise has taken the reins to venture into space, which has typically only been reserved for government agencies. I argue, that with this new direction comes less regulation, raising questions regarding the ethics of sending people into outer space to colonize Mars within a decade. Marketers selling colonization to the public include perspectives such as biological drives, species survival, inclusiveness and utopian ideals. I challenge these narratives by suggesting that much of our desire to colonize space within the next decade is motivated by ego, money and romanticism. More specifically, I will examine the roles that fear and stories of immortality play within selling space and how those stories are marketed. I am passionate about space and hope that one day humanity will colonize other worlds, but the rush to settle is dangerous and careless. I assert that humanity should first gain more experience and knowledge before colonizing outer space, using this research to mitigate the risk to astronauts and proceed with careful consideration for the lives of potential astronauts.

Models for psychiatry: icons or effigies?

PubMed

Morrison, H L

1982-01-01

Toulmin notes that a good model takes us beyond the phenomena from which we began [67]. It also tempts us. Models demand that we attempt to represent the dynamic relationships between variables. When we use them, we risk insulating our findings from empirical disproof [68]. Self-certifying myths, like articles of faith, need to yield to the demands of science. Psychiatric theory and practice need to yield to the demands of experience. We need to move away from ethereal assumptions to tangible mastery of the understanding of behavior. Freud, in The Interpretation of Dreams [69], writes, "Analogies of this kind are only intended to assist us in our attempt to make the complications of mental functioning intelligible. We are justified, in my view, in giving free rein to our speculations so long as we retain the coolness of our judgment and do not mistake the scaffolding for the building. We have been obliged to build. If we are not wholly in error, other lines of approach are bound to lead us into much the same region and the time may come when we shall find ourselves more at home in it!"

The darker side of fatherhood: clinical and developmental ramifications of the "Laius motif".

PubMed

Ross, J M

"The Darker Side of Fatherhood" is intended as a clinical sequel to an earlier article, "Oedipus Revisited: Laius and the 'Laius Complex'". After briefly summarizing the allegorical implications of the various forgotten Oedipus myths and the father's fateful role within the Theban tragedy, this paper elaborates on those pederastic and filicidal inclinations that I believe to be universal among fathers. When such wishes are subject to primal repression, they enhance adaptation, fueling a father's aggressive dialogue with sons and daughters from infancy through the oedipal era into adolescence. Maladaptations arise when fathers give free rein to a more or less unalloyed destructive aggressivity toward offspring, a manifest hostility that can further serve to defend against ambisexual amibitions or identifications. Another pathogenic situation occurs when a father succumbs to an excessive neurotic inhibition in a desperate effort to repress such urges, thereby depriving his children of age- and state-appropriated aggressive stimulation in the form of play, active providing, and necessary discipline. Observational, analytic, and clinical case examples are presented to illustrate the implications for observation, developmental theory, and technique of an emphasis on a father's gender- and generation-specific aggression toward his offspring and its abiding intrapsychic reverberations.

Nom et lumière: enlightenment through nomenclature (the 1996 Kenneth F. Russell Memorial Lecture).

PubMed

Pearn, J

1997-08-01

The classification of living things is both an acknowledgement of biological relationships and an identification of their differences. When Linnaeus, in 1735, published Systema Naturae, he set in place a system of biological classification that saw its apogee in the invention of binomial nomenclature: the description of every living thing being embodied simply in two names, (i.e. a genus and the species within it). Linnaeus built on the work of scientific forebears, of whom Nehemiah Grew (1641-1712) was one of the most influential. Grew was a surgeon-physician whose passionate interest was plant anatomy; his work led to the discovery and documentation of sexual dimorphism in plants. Grew's life and works are a witness to that philosophy which views nature as a continuum, a broad holistic entity in which discoveries in one biological field have ramifications in other areas. Grew allowed his scientific curiosity full rein, manifested the courage to publish his work and possessed the self-discipline to stand by the audit of his peers. Modern biological research and contemporary clinical practice owes much to the enlightenment engendered by the classification and nomenclature that developed from his work.

Not a slippery slope or sudden subversion: German medicine and national socialism in 1933.

PubMed

Hanauske-Abel, H M

1996-12-07

The history of medicine this century is darkened by the downfall of the German medical profession, exposed during the doctors' trial at Nuremberg in 1946. Relying largely on documents published during 1933 in German medical journals, this paper examines two widely accepted notions of those events, metaphorically termed "slippery slope" and "sudden subversion." The first connotes a gradual slide over infinitesimal steps until, suddenly, all footing is lost; the second conveys forced take over of the profession's leadership and values. Both concepts imply that the medical profession itself became the victim of circumstances. The slippery slope concept is a prominent figure of argument in the current debate on bioethics. The evidence presented here, however, strongly suggests that the German medical community set its own course in 1933. In some respects this course even outpaced the new government, which had to rein in the profession's eager pursuit of enforced eugenic sterilizations. In 1933 the convergence of political, scientific, and economic forces dramatically changed the relationship between the medical community and the government. That same convergence is occurring again and must be approached with great caution if medicine is to remain focused on the preservation of physical and medical integrity.

Blockbusters and controlled substances: Miltown, Quaalude, and consumer demand for drugs in postwar America.

PubMed

Herzberg, David

2011-12-01

In 1955 Carter Products launched its new tranquilizer Miltown with a huge marketing blitz; Miltown soon became one of America's earliest "blockbuster" celebrity drugs. In 1981, federal agents shut down a network of "stress clinics" and arrested the owners, medical staff, and other personnel for illegally trafficking in the sedative Quaalude; Quaalude soon became a "Schedule I Controlled Substance." Both of these stories are familiar, indeed archetypal, moments from America's postwar medical system. As the Miltown example reminds us, this fundamentally commercial system was built on the creation and courting of consumer demand for medical products and services, particularly drugs. As the Quaalude example shows, however, this system also incorporated tools for reining in excessive consumer demand. Together the two episodes affirm an enduring irony of the American medical system: the need for regulatory campaigns to tame lively markets for drugs that had become popular, in part, because of advertising campaigns. This article uses the Miltown and Quaalude sagas to explore the issue of consumer demand for prescription medicines, arguing that efforts to stoke or quash that demand have shaped (and linked) America's medical system and its drug control regimes. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Finding The Most Important Actor in Online Crowd by Social Network Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuliana, I.; Santosa, P. I.; Setiawan, N. A.; Sukirman

2017-02-01

Billion of people create trillions of connections through social media every single day. The increasing use of social media has led to dramatic changes in the of way science, government, healthcare, entertainment and enterprise operate. Large-scale participation in Technology-Mediated Social Participation (TMSP) system has opened up incredible new opportunities to deploy online crowd. This descriptive-correlational research used social network analysis (SNA) on data gathered from Fanpage Facebook of Greenpeace Indonesia related to important critical issues, the bushfires in 2015. SNA identifies relations on each member by sociometrics parameter such as three centrality (degree, closeness and betweenesse) for measuring and finding the most important actor in the online community. This paper use Fruchterman Rein-gold algorithm to visualize the online community in a graph, while Clauset-Newman-Moore is a technique to identify groups in community. As the result found 3735 vertices related to actors, 6927 edges as relation, 14 main actors in size order and 22 groups in Greenpeace Indonesia online community. This research contributes to organize some information for Greenpeace Indonesia managing their potency in online community to identify human behaviour.

Effect of selection agents to Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium) callus growth after Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sjahril, R.; Jamaluddin, I.; Nadir, M.; Asman; Dungga, N. E.

2018-05-01

Genetic transformation mediated by Agrobacterium tumefaciens requires an efficient selection method for successful progress of transformation. This study aims to determine the concentration and kind of antibiotics and selection agents used during transformation to formulate standard protocol of chrysanthemum in the process of propagating disease resistant Chrysanthemum mediated by Agrobacterium tumefaciens EHA105 (pEKB-WD). The experiments were performed by planting chrysanthemum explants leaf cutting (5 mm diameter on NAA medium 2 mg L-1 BAP 2 mg L-1) with addition of Kanamycin: 25, 50, 100, 150 and 200 (mg L-1); Hygromycin: 5, 10, 25, 50 and 75 (mg L-1); Paromomycin: 10, 25, 50, 75 and 100 (mg L-1). Experiment was arranged in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). Each treatment was repeated five times thus 75 bottles of culture were used; each bottle consists of 5 pieces of leaf cuttings, resulted in total of 375 pieces. The results showed that selection agent had a critical value for Hygromycin 25 mg L-1 and Kanamycin 100 mg L-1 which can make explant experienced necrosis better than Paromomycin. Paromomycin at 100 mg L-1 was only able to kill explant’s periphery. Remained callus stayed fresh more than 50% so that when used as the selection agent could produce more escape cell. The optimum transformation with concentration of 10% Agrobacterium (vol/vol) with 30 minutes co-cultivation can produce more efficient transformed callus. Considering the high price of Hygromycin, it was best to use Kanamycin as selective agents.

Development of transgenic cotton lines expressing Allium sativum agglutinin (ASAL) for enhanced resistance against major sap-sucking pests.

PubMed

Vajhala, Chakravarthy S K; Sadumpati, Vijaya Kumar; Nunna, Hariprasad Rao; Puligundla, Sateesh Kumar; Vudem, Dashavantha Reddy; Khareedu, Venkateswara Rao

2013-01-01

Mannose-specific Allium sativum leaf agglutinin encoding gene (ASAL) and herbicide tolerance gene (BAR) were introduced into an elite cotton inbred line (NC-601) employing Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation. Cotton transformants were produced from the phosphinothricin (PPT)-resistant shoots obtained after co-cultivation of mature embryos with the Agrobacterium strain EHA105 harbouring recombinant binary vector pCAMBIA3300-ASAL-BAR. PCR and Southern blot analysis confirmed the presence and stable integration of ASAL and BAR genes in various transformants of cotton. Basta leaf-dip assay, northern blot, western blot and ELISA analyses disclosed variable expression of BAR and ASAL transgenes in different transformants. Transgenes, ASAL and BAR, were stably inherited and showed co-segregation in T1 generation in a Mendelian fashion for both PPT tolerance and insect resistance. In planta insect bioassays on T2 and T3 homozygous ASAL-transgenic lines revealed potent entomotoxic effects of ASAL on jassid and whitefly insects, as evidenced by significant decreases in the survival, development and fecundity of the insects when compared to the untransformed controls. Furthermore, the transgenic cotton lines conferred higher levels of resistance (1-2 score) with minimal plant damage against these major sucking pests when bioassays were carried out employing standard screening techniques. The developed transgenics could serve as a potential genetic resource in recombination breeding aimed at improving the pest resistance of cotton. This study represents the first report of its kind dealing with the development of transgenic cotton resistant to two major sap-sucking insects.

Development of Transgenic Cotton Lines Expressing Allium sativum Agglutinin (ASAL) for Enhanced Resistance against Major Sap-Sucking Pests

PubMed Central

Nunna, Hariprasad Rao; Puligundla, Sateesh Kumar; Vudem, Dashavantha Reddy; Khareedu, Venkateswara Rao

2013-01-01

Mannose-specific Allium sativum leaf agglutinin encoding gene (ASAL) and herbicide tolerance gene (BAR) were introduced into an elite cotton inbred line (NC-601) employing Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation. Cotton transformants were produced from the phosphinothricin (PPT)-resistant shoots obtained after co-cultivation of mature embryos with the Agrobacterium strain EHA105 harbouring recombinant binary vector pCAMBIA3300-ASAL-BAR. PCR and Southern blot analysis confirmed the presence and stable integration of ASAL and BAR genes in various transformants of cotton. Basta leaf-dip assay, northern blot, western blot and ELISA analyses disclosed variable expression of BAR and ASAL transgenes in different transformants. Transgenes, ASAL and BAR, were stably inherited and showed co-segregation in T1 generation in a Mendelian fashion for both PPT tolerance and insect resistance. In planta insect bioassays on T2 and T3 homozygous ASAL-transgenic lines revealed potent entomotoxic effects of ASAL on jassid and whitefly insects, as evidenced by significant decreases in the survival, development and fecundity of the insects when compared to the untransformed controls. Furthermore, the transgenic cotton lines conferred higher levels of resistance (1–2 score) with minimal plant damage against these major sucking pests when bioassays were carried out employing standard screening techniques. The developed transgenics could serve as a potential genetic resource in recombination breeding aimed at improving the pest resistance of cotton. This study represents the first report of its kind dealing with the development of transgenic cotton resistant to two major sap-sucking insects. PMID:24023750

Transformation of apple (Malus × domestica) using mutants of apple acetolactate synthase as a selectable marker and analysis of the T-DNA integration sites.

PubMed

Yao, Jia-Long; Tomes, Sumathi; Gleave, Andrew P

2013-05-01

Apple acetolactate synthase mutants were generated by site-specific mutagenesis and successfully used as selection marker in tobacco and apple transformation. T-DNA/Apple genome junctions were analysed using genome-walking PCR and sequencing. An Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation system was developed for apple (Malus × domestica), using mutants of apple acetolactate synthase (ALS) as a selectable marker. Four apple ALS mutants were generated by site-specific mutagenesis and subsequently cloned under the transcriptional control of the CaMV 35S promoter and ocs 3' terminator, in a pART27-derived plant transformation vector. Three of the four mutations were found to confer resistance to the herbicide Glean(®), containing the active agent chlorsulfuron, in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) transformation. In apple transformation, leaf explants infected with Agrobacterium tumefaciens EHA105 containing one of the three ALS mutants resulted in the production of shoots on medium containing 2-8 μg L(-1) Glean(®), whilst uninfected wild-type explants failed to regenerate shoots or survive on medium containing 1 and 3 μg L(-1) Glean(®), respectively. Glean(®)-resistant, regenerated shoots were further multiplied and rooted on medium containing 10 μg L(-1) Glean(®). The T-DNA and apple genome-DNA junctions from eight rooted transgenic apple plants were analysed using genome-walking PCR amplification and sequencing. This analysis confirmed T-DNA integration into the apple genome, identified the genome integration sites and revealed the extent of any vector backbone integration, T-DNA rearrangements and deletions of apple genome DNA at the sites of integration.

Governing equations for electro-conjugate fluid flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hosoda, K.; Takemura, K.; Fukagata, K.; Yokota, S.; Edamura, K.

2013-12-01

An electro-conjugation fluid (ECF) is a kind of dielectric liquid, which generates a powerful flow when high DC voltage is applied with tiny electrodes. This study deals with the derivation of the governing equations for electro-conjugate fluid flow based on the Korteweg-Helmholtz (KH) equation which represents the force in dielectric liquid subjected to high DC voltage. The governing equations consist of the Gauss's law, charge conservation with charge recombination, the KH equation, the continuity equation and the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations. The KH equation consists of coulomb force, dielectric constant gradient force and electrostriction force. The governing equation gives the distribution of electric field, charge density and flow velocity. In this study, direct numerical simulation (DNS) is used in order to get these distribution at arbitrary time. Successive over-relaxation (SOR) method is used in analyzing Gauss's law and constrained interpolation pseudo-particle (CIP) method is used in analyzing charge conservation with charge recombination. The third order Runge-Kutta method and conservative second-order-accurate finite difference method is used in analyzing the Navier-Stokes equations with the KH equation. This study also deals with the measurement of ECF ow generated with a symmetrical pole electrodes pair which are made of 0.3 mm diameter piano wire. Working fluid is FF-1EHA2 which is an ECF family. The flow is observed from the both electrodes, i.e., the flow collides in between the electrodes. The governing equation successfully calculates mean flow velocity in between the collector pole electrode and the colliding region by the numerical simulation.

High efficiency transformation of banana [Musa acuminata L. cv. Matti (AA)] for enhanced tolerance to salt and drought stress through overexpression of a peanut salinity-induced pathogenesis-related class 10 protein.

PubMed

Rustagi, Anjana; Jain, Shalu; Kumar, Deepak; Shekhar, Shashi; Jain, Mukesh; Bhat, Vishnu; Sarin, Neera Bhalla

2015-01-01

Bananas and plantains (Musa spp. L.) are important subsistence crops and premium export commodity in several countries, and susceptible to a wide range of environmental and biotic stress conditions. Here, we report efficient, rapid, and reproducible Agrobacterium-mediated transformation and regeneration of an Indian niche cultivar of banana [M. acuminata cv. Matti (AA)]. Apical meristem-derived highly proliferative multiple shoot clump (MSC) explants were transformed with the Agrobacterium strain EHA105 harboring a binary vector pCAMBIA-1301 carrying hptII and uidA. Sequential agro-infiltration (10 min, 400 mmHg), infection (additional 35 min, Agrobacterium density A 600 = 0.8) and co-cultivation (18 h) regimen in 100 µM acetosyringone containing liquid medium were critical factors yielding high transformation efficiency (~81 %) corroborated by transient GUS expression assay. Stable transgenic events were recovered following two cycles of meristem initiation and selection on hygromycin containing medium. Histochemical GUS assay in several tissues of transgenic plants and molecular analyses confirmed stable integration and expression of transgene. The protocol described here allowed recovery of well-established putative transgenic plantlets in as little as 5 months. The transgenic banana plants could be readily acclimatized under greenhouse conditions, and were phenotypically similar to the wild-type untransformed control plants (WT). Transgenic plants overexpressing Salinity-Induced Pathogenesis-Related class 10 protein gene from Arachis hypogaea (AhSIPR10) in banana cv. Matti (AA) showed better photosynthetic efficiency and less membrane damage (P < 0.05) in the presence of NaCl and mannitol in comparison to WT plants suggesting the role of AhSIPR10 in better tolerance of salt stress and drought conditions.

Biofilm-Forming Abilities of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli Isolates Associated with Human Infections

PubMed Central

Vogeleer, Philippe; Tremblay, Yannick D. N.; Jubelin, Grégory; Jacques, Mario

2015-01-01

Forming biofilms may be a survival strategy of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli to enable it to persist in the environment and the food industry. Here, we evaluate and characterize the biofilm-forming ability of 39 isolates of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli isolates recovered from human infection and belonging to seropathotypes A, B, or C. The presence and/or production of biofilm factors such as curli, cellulose, autotransporter, and fimbriae were investigated. The polymeric matrix of these biofilms was analyzed by confocal microscopy and by enzymatic digestion. Cell viability and matrix integrity were examined after sanitizer treatments. Isolates of the seropathotype A (O157:H7 and O157:NM), which have the highest relative incidence of human infection, had a greater ability to form biofilms than isolates of seropathotype B or C. Seropathotype A isolates were unique in their ability to produce cellulose and poly-N-acetylglucosamine. The integrity of the biofilms was dependent on proteins. Two autotransporter genes, ehaB and espP, and two fimbrial genes, z1538 and lpf2, were identified as potential genetic determinants for biofilm formation. Interestingly, the ability of several isolates from seropathotype A to form biofilms was associated with their ability to agglutinate yeast in a mannose-independent manner. We consider this an unidentified biofilm-associated factor produced by those isolates. Treatment with sanitizers reduced the viability of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli but did not completely remove the biofilm matrix. Overall, our data indicate that biofilm formation could contribute to the persistence of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli and specifically seropathotype A isolates in the environment. PMID:26712549

Biofilm-Forming Abilities of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli Isolates Associated with Human Infections.

PubMed

Vogeleer, Philippe; Tremblay, Yannick D N; Jubelin, Grégory; Jacques, Mario; Harel, Josée

2015-12-28

Forming biofilms may be a survival strategy of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli to enable it to persist in the environment and the food industry. Here, we evaluate and characterize the biofilm-forming ability of 39 isolates of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli isolates recovered from human infection and belonging to seropathotypes A, B, or C. The presence and/or production of biofilm factors such as curli, cellulose, autotransporter, and fimbriae were investigated. The polymeric matrix of these biofilms was analyzed by confocal microscopy and by enzymatic digestion. Cell viability and matrix integrity were examined after sanitizer treatments. Isolates of the seropathotype A (O157:H7 and O157:NM), which have the highest relative incidence of human infection, had a greater ability to form biofilms than isolates of seropathotype B or C. Seropathotype A isolates were unique in their ability to produce cellulose and poly-N-acetylglucosamine. The integrity of the biofilms was dependent on proteins. Two autotransporter genes, ehaB and espP, and two fimbrial genes, z1538 and lpf2, were identified as potential genetic determinants for biofilm formation. Interestingly, the ability of several isolates from seropathotype A to form biofilms was associated with their ability to agglutinate yeast in a mannose-independent manner. We consider this an unidentified biofilm-associated factor produced by those isolates. Treatment with sanitizers reduced the viability of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli but did not completely remove the biofilm matrix. Overall, our data indicate that biofilm formation could contribute to the persistence of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli and specifically seropathotype A isolates in the environment. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Stable integration and expression of wasabi defensin gene in "Egusi" melon (Colocynthis citrullus L.) confers resistance to Fusarium wilt and Alternaria leaf spot.

PubMed

Ntui, Valentine Otang; Thirukkumaran, Gunaratnam; Azadi, Pejman; Khan, Raham Sher; Nakamura, Ikuo; Mii, Masahiro

2010-09-01

Production of "Egusi" melon (Colocynthis citrullus L.) in West Africa is limited by fungal diseases, such as Alternaria leaf spot and Fusarium wilt. In order to engineer "Egusi" resistant to these diseases, cotyledonary explants of two "Egusi" genotypes, 'Ejagham' and NHC1-130, were transformed with Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain EHA101 harbouring wasabi defensin gene (isolated from Wasabia japonica L.) in a binary vector pEKH1. After co-cultivation for 3 days, infected explants were transferred to MS medium containing 100 mg l(-l) kanamycin to select transformed tissues. After 3 weeks of culture, adventitious shoots appeared directly along the edges of the explants. As much as 19 out of 52 (36.5%) and 25 out of 71 (35.2%) of the explants in genotype NHC1-130 and 'Ejagham', respectively, formed shoots after 6 weeks of culture. As much as 74% (14 out of 19) of the shoots regenerated in genotype NHC1-130 and 72% (18 out of 25) of those produced in genotype 'Ejagham' were transgenic. A DNA fragment corresponding to the wasabi defensin gene or the selection marker nptII was amplified by PCR from the genomic DNA of all regenerated plant clones rooted on hormone-free MS medium under the same selection pressure, suggesting their transgenic nature. Southern blot analysis confirmed successful integration of 1-5 copies of the transgene. RT-PCR, northern and western blot analyses revealed that wasabi defensin gene was expressed in transgenic lines. Transgenic lines showed increased levels of resistance to Alternaria solani, which causes Alternaria leaf spot and Fusarium oxysporum, which causes Fusarium wilt, as compared to that of untransformed plants.

Generation of selectable marker-free transgenic eggplant resistant to Alternaria solani using the R/RS site-specific recombination system.

PubMed

Darwish, Nader Ahmed; Khan, Raham Sher; Ntui, Valentine Otang; Nakamura, Ikuo; Mii, Masahiro

2014-03-01

Marker-free transgenic eggplants, exhibiting enhanced resistance to Alternaria solani , can be generated on plant growth regulators (PGRs)- and antibiotic-free MS medium employing the multi-auto-transformation (MAT) vector, pMAT21 - wasabi defensin , wherein isopentenyl transferase ( ipt ) gene is used as a positive selection marker. Use of the selection marker genes conferring antibiotic or herbicide resistance in transgenic plants has been considered a serious problem for environment and the public. Multi-auto-transformation (MAT) vector system has been one of the tools to excise the selection marker gene and produce marker-free transgenic plants. Ipt gene was used as a selection marker gene. Wasabi defensin gene, isolated from Wasabia japonica (a Japanese horseradish which has been a potential source of antimicrobial proteins), was used as a gene of interest. Wasabi defensin gene was cloned from the binary vector, pEKH-WD, to an ipt-type MAT vector, pMAT21, by gateway cloning technology and transferred to Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain EHA105. Infected cotyledon explants of eggplant were cultured on PGRs- and antibiotic-free MS medium. Extreme shooty phenotype/ipt shoots were produced by the explants infected with the pMAT21-wasabi defensin (WD). The same PGRs- and antibiotic-free MS medium was used in subcultures of the ipt shoots. Subsequently, morphologically normal shoots emerged from the Ipt shoots. Molecular analyses of genomic DNA from transgenic plants confirmed the integration of the WD gene and excision of the selection marker (ipt gene). Expression of the WD gene was confirmed by RT-PCR and Northern blot analyses. In vitro whole plant and detached leaf assay of the marker-free transgenic plants exhibited enhanced resistance against Alternaria solani.

Ecosystem Health Assessment of Mining Cities Based on Landscape Pattern

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, W.; Liu, Y.; Lin, M.; Fang, F.; Xiao, R.

2017-09-01

Ecosystem health assessment (EHA) is one of the most important aspects in ecosystem management. Nowadays, ecological environment of mining cities is facing various problems. In this study, through ecosystem health theory and remote sensing images in 2005, 2009 and 2013, landscape pattern analysis and Vigor-Organization-Resilience (VOR) model were applied to set up an evaluation index system of ecosystem health of mining city to assess the healthy level of ecosystem in Panji District Huainan city. Results showed a temporal stable but high spatial heterogeneity landscape pattern during 2005-2013. According to the regional ecosystem health index, it experienced a rapid decline after a slight increase, and finally it maintained at an ordinary level. Among these areas, a significant distinction was presented in different towns. It indicates that the ecosystem health of Tianjijiedao town, the regional administrative centre, descended rapidly during the study period, and turned into the worst level in the study area. While the Hetuan Town, located in the northwestern suburb area of Panji District, stayed on a relatively better level than other towns. The impacts of coal mining collapse area, land reclamation on the landscape pattern and ecosystem health status of mining cities were also discussed. As a result of underground coal mining, land subsidence has become an inevitable problem in the study area. In addition, the coal mining subsidence area has brought about the destruction of the farmland, construction land and water bodies, which causing the change of the regional landscape pattern and making the evaluation of ecosystem health in mining area more difficult. Therefore, this study provided an ecosystem health approach for relevant departments to make scientific decisions.

How Can a Little Shrimp Do so Much Damage?: Ecosystem Service Losses Associated with Land Cover Change in Mangroves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kauffman, J. B.; Bhomia, R. K.

2014-12-01

Mangroves provide a number of ecosystem services including habitats for many species of fish and shellfish, storm protection, influences on water quality, wood, aesthetics, and a source of nutrients and energy for adjacent marine ecosystems. C stocks of mangroves are among the highest of any forest type on Earth. We have measured the ecosystem carbon stocks in mangroves across the world and found them to range from 250 to >2000 Mg C/ha which is a CO2 equivalence of 917 to 7340 Mg/ha. Because the numerous values of mangroves are well known, it is ironic that rates of deforestation largely relating to land use/land cover change are among the highest of any forest type on earth exceeding that of tropical rain forests. Dominant causes of deforestation include conversion to aquaculture (shrimp), agricultural conversion, and coastal development. The carbon emissions arising from conversion of mangroves to other uses is exceptionally high. This is because vulnerability of the soil carbon stocks to losses with conversion. Emissions from conversion of mangrove to shrimp ponds range from about 800 to over 3000 Mg CO2e/ha. This places the carbon footprint of shrimp arising from such ponds as among the highest of any food product available. Of great interest is the potential value of mangroves in carbon marketing strategies and other financial incentives that are derived from the conservation of standing forests. This is because of the combination of high carbon stocks in intact mangroves, the high greenhouse gas emissions arising from their conversion, and the conservation of other valuable ecosystem services provided by intact mangroves.

Three-body wear of resin denture teeth with and without nanofillers.

PubMed

Stober, Thomas; Henninger, Moritz; Schmitter, Marc; Pritsch, Maria; Rammelsberg, Peter

2010-02-01

The wear behavior of newly developed denture teeth with nanofillers may be different from teeth with other chemical formulations. The purpose of this study was to examine the 3-body wear resistance of 11 different commercially available resin denture teeth. The materials tested were conventional (SR Orthotyp PE, Orthognath) and cross-linked acrylic resin teeth without inorganic fillers (Premium 8, SR Postaris DCL, Trubyte Portrait, Artiplus), composite resin teeth with inorganic fillers (SR Orthosit PE, Vitapan), and composite resin teeth (experimental materials) with inorganic nanofillers (NC Veracia Posterior, e-Ha, Mondial). Human enamel and a ceramic denture tooth (Lumin Vacuum) were used as reference materials. The 3-body wear test was performed in a wear machine developed by the Academic Center for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), with millet suspension acting as an abrasive medium (n=10, test load: 15 N, slip rate: 20%, number of cycles: 100,000). Wear was determined with the aid of a profilometer. Data were analyzed with the Kruskal-Wallis test and Mann-Whitney U test using the closed testing approach (significance level for familywise error rate, alpha=.05). None of the acrylic and composite resin materials tested in this study demonstrated the 3-body wear resistance of ceramic teeth or human enamel. Teeth with inorganic fillers demonstrated significantly lower wear values than conventional or cross-linked acrylic resin teeth without fillers. Composite resin teeth with traditional fillers showed significantly lower wear than composite resin teeth with nanofillers. Denture teeth with and without inorganic fillers differed significantly with regard to the degree of wear generated in the ACTA wear simulator. The incorporation of nanofillers did not improve the wear resistance compared to teeth with traditional fillers.

Black Hole Masses for Type I Active Galactic Nuclei in the Chandra Cosmos Legacy Survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagaraj, Gautam; Fornasini, Francesca; Civano, Francesca Maria

2018-01-01

Tight local relations between SMBH masses and galaxy properties have established the fundamental connection between SMBHs and their host galaxies. However, in order to better understand the coevolution of SMBHs and their host galaxies over cosmic time, we need measurements of black hole masses, AGN luminosities, and galaxy stellar masses from sizable samples of AGN covering lower luminosities than the brightest quasars spanning a wide redshift range. In this study, we report masses of the SMBHs of 224 Type I AGNs from the Chandra COSMOS Legacy Survey as determined by the line widths of Mg II 2798, Hb 4862, and Ha 6564 via scaling relations derived from reverberation mapping. Preliminary comparison with host galaxy luminosities and stellar masses suggests an increase in Eddington ratio with redshift, consistent with previous studies. In addition, our derived SMBH masses fall above the local AGN MBH--M* (galactic stellar mass) relation from Reines & Volonteri (2015), but it is still not clear whether this results from redshift evolution of the MBH--M* relation or from the incompleteness of the spectroscopic surveys available. The SAO REU program is funded by the National Science Foundation REU and Department of Defense ASSURE programs under NSF Grant AST-1659473, and by the Smithsonian Institution.

2011 Einstein Fellows Chosen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2011-03-01

ASA has announced the selection of the 2011 Einstein Fellows who will conduct research related to NASA's Physics of the Cosmos program, which aims to expand our knowledge of the origin, evolution, and fate of the Universe. The Einstein Fellowship provides support to the awardees for three years, and the Fellows may pursue their research at a host university or research center of their choosing in the United States. The new Fellows will begin their programs in the fall of 2011. The new Einstein Fellows and their host institutions are listed below: * Akos Bogdan (Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, Mass.) * Samuel Gralla (University of Maryland, College Park, Md.) * Philip Hopkins (University of California at Berkeley) * Matthew Kunz (Princeton University, Princeton, N.J.) * Laura Lopez (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass.) * Amy Reines (National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Charlottesville, Virg.) * Rubens Reis (University of Michigan, Ann Arbor) * Ken Shen (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, Calif.) * Jennifer Siegal-Gaskins (California Institute of Technology, Pasadena) * Lorenzo Sironi (Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.) NASA has two other astrophysics theme-based fellowship programs: the Sagan Fellowship Program, which supports research into exoplanet exploration, and the Hubble Fellowship Program, which supports research into cosmic origins. More information on the Einstein Fellowships can be found at: http://cxc.harvard.edu/fellows/

Gauß and beyond: the making of Easter algorithms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bien, Reinhold

2004-07-01

It is amazing to see how many webpages are devoted to the art of finding the date of Easter Sunday. Just for illustration, the reader may search for terms such as Gregorian calendar, date of Easter, or Easter algorithm. Sophisticated essays as well as less enlightening contributions are presented, and many a doubt is expressed about the reliability of some results obtained with some Easter algorithms. In short, there is still a great interest in those problems. Gregorian Easter algorithms exist for two centuries (or more?), but most of their history is rather obscure. Some reasons may be that some important sources are written in Latin or in the German of Goethe's time, or they are difficult to discover. Without being complete, the following paper is intended to shed light on how those techniques emerged and evolved. Like a microcosm, the history of Easter algorithms resembles the history of any science: it is a story of trials, errors, and successes, and, last but not least, a story of offended pride. A number of articles, published before 1910, are cited in: A. Fraenkel, Die Berechnung des Osterfestes. Journal für die reine und angewandte Mathematik, Volume 138 (1910), 133-146.

Ulcérations buccales et péri-anales: un mode de révélation inhabituel d'une granulomatose avec polyangéite - à propos d'un cas

PubMed Central

Jaafoura, Neirouz Ghannouchi; Thaljaoui, Wathek; Atig, Amira; Bouker, Ahmed; Khalifa, Mabrouk; Bahri, Fathi

2014-01-01

La granulomatose avec polyangéite, est une vascularite systémique rare qui touche avec prédilection les voies aériennes supérieures, les poumons et les reins. L'atteinte cutanéo-muqueuse ainsi que l'atteinte digestive ne sont pas inhabituelles mais elles sont rarement inaugurales de la maladie. Nous rapportons l'observation d'une femme âgée de 57 ans, ayant une granulomatose avec polyangéite multi-systémique avec comme premières manifestations une atteinte cutanéo-muqueuse à type de nécrose de la langue et d'ulcérations péri-anales ainsi que des rectorragies. La présence de signes radiologiques orientant vers une hémmorragie intra-alvéolaire, l'atteinte rénale, l'atteinte neurologique périphérique ainsi que la positivité des C-ANCA de type anti-PR3 ont permis de rattacher les manifestations dermatologiques à cette vascularite. Des manifestations cutanéo-muqueuses atypiques, au cours d'une granulomateuse avec polyangéite, doivent être connues par le clinicien pour un diagnostic et une prise en charge adéquate. PMID:25404981

Means and ENDS - e-cigarettes, the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, and global health diplomacy in action.

PubMed

Russell, Andrew; Wainwright, Megan; Tilson, Melodie

2018-01-01

E-cigarettes are a new and disruptive element in global health diplomacy (GHD) and policy-making. This is an ethnographic account of how e-cigarettes and other Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) were tackled at the 6th Conference of the Parties to the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. It demonstrates how uncertainty about ENDS and differences of opinion are currently so great that 'agreeing to disagree' as a consensus position and 'strategic use of time' were the principles that ensured effective GHD in this case. Observers representing accredited non-governmental organisations were active in briefing and lobbying country delegates not to spend too much time debating an issue for which insufficient evidence exists, and for which countries were unlikely to reach a consensus on a specific regulatory approach or universally applicable regulatory measures. Equally, the work of Costa Rica in preparing and re-negotiating the draft decision, and the work of the relevant Committee Chair in managing the discussion, contributed to effectively reining in lengthy statements from Parties and focusing on points of consensus. As well as summarising the debate itself and analysing the issues surrounding it, this account offers an example of GHD working effectively in a situation of epistemic uncertainty.

The Changing Health Care Landscape and Implications of Organizational Ethics on Modern Medical Practice.

PubMed

Castlen, Joseph P; Cote, David J; Moojen, Wouter A; Robe, Pierre A; Balak, Naci; Brennum, Jannick; Ammirati, Mario; Mathiesen, Tiit; Broekman, Marike L D

2017-06-01

Medicine is rapidly changing, both in the level of collective medical knowledge and in how it is being delivered. The increased presence of administrators in hospitals helps to facilitate these changes and ease administrative workloads on physicians; however, tensions sometimes form between physicians and administrators. This situation is based on perceptions from both sides that physicians obstruct cost-saving measures and administrators put profits before patients. In reality, increasing patient populations and changes in health care are necessitating action by hospitals to prevent excessive spending as health care systems become larger and more difficult to manage. Recognizing the cause of changes in health care, which do not always originate with physicians and administrators, along with implementing changes in hospitals such as increased physician leadership, could help to ease tensions and promote a more collaborative atmosphere. Ethically, there is a need to preserve physician autonomy, which is a tenet of medical professionalism, and a need to rein in spending costs and ensure that patients receive the best possible care. Physicians and administrators both need to have a well-developed personal ethic to achieve these goals. Physicians need be allowed to retain relative autonomy over their practices as they support and participate in administrator-led efforts toward distributive justice. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

FROGS (Friends of Granites) report

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, Calvin

This VGP News, which is devoted to petrology, is a good one for noting the existence of FROGS. FROGS is, as the name suggests, an informal organization of people whose research relates in one way or another to granitic rocks. Its purpose has been to promote communication among geoscientists with different perspectives and concerns about felsic plutonism. Initially, a major focus was experimental petrology and integration of field-oriented and lab-oriented viewpoints; now that there is the opportunity to communicate with the Eos readership, an obvious additional goal will be to bring together volcanic and plutonic views of felsic magmatism.FROGS first gathered in late 1982 under the guidance of E-an Zen and Pete Toulmin (both at U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Reston, Va.), who saw a need for greater interaction among those interested in granites and for renewed, focused experimental investigations. They produced two newsletters (which were sent out by direct mail) and organized an informal meeting at the Geological Society of America meeting at Indianapolis, Ind., and then turned over the FROG reins to Sue Kieffer (USGS, Flagstaff, Ariz.) and John Clemens (Arizona State University, Tempe). They generated another newsletter, which was directly mailed to a readership that had grown beyond 200.

The American Quarter Horse: Population Structure and Relationship to the Thoroughbred

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

A breed known for its versatility, the American Quarter Horse (QH), is increasingly bred for performance in specific disciplines. The impact of selective breeding on the diversity and structure of the QH breed was evaluated using pedigree analysis and genome-wide SNP data from horses representing 6 performance groups (halter, western pleasure, reining, working cow, cutting, and racing). Genotype data (36 037 single nucleotide polymorphisms [SNPs]) from 36 Thoroughbreds were also evaluated with those from the 132 performing QHs to evaluate the Thoroughbred’s influence on QH diversity. Results showed significant population structure among all QH performance groups excepting the comparison between the cutting and working cow horses; divergence was greatest between the cutting and racing QHs, the latter of which had a large contribution of Thoroughbred ancestry. Significant coancestry and the potential for inbreeding exist within performance groups, especially when considering the elite performers. Relatedness within performance groups is increasing with popular sires contributing disproportionate levels of variation to each discipline. Expected heterozygosity, inbreeding, F ST, cluster, and haplotype analyses suggest these QHs can be broadly classified into 3 categories: stock, racing, and pleasure/halter. Although the QH breed as a whole contains substantial genetic diversity, current breeding practices have resulted in this variation being sequestered into subpopulations. PMID:24293614

Estimation of Filling and Afterload Conditions by Pump Intrinsic Parameters in a Pulsatile Total Artificial Heart.

PubMed

Cuenca-Navalon, Elena; Laumen, Marco; Finocchiaro, Thomas; Steinseifer, Ulrich

2016-07-01

A physiological control algorithm is being developed to ensure an optimal physiological interaction between the ReinHeart total artificial heart (TAH) and the circulatory system. A key factor for that is the long-term, accurate determination of the hemodynamic state of the cardiovascular system. This study presents a method to determine estimation models for predicting hemodynamic parameters (pump chamber filling and afterload) from both left and right cardiovascular circulations. The estimation models are based on linear regression models that correlate filling and afterload values with pump intrinsic parameters derived from measured values of motor current and piston position. Predictions for filling lie in average within 5% from actual values, predictions for systemic afterload (AoPmean , AoPsys ) and mean pulmonary afterload (PAPmean ) lie in average within 9% from actual values. Predictions for systolic pulmonary afterload (PAPsys ) present an average deviation of 14%. The estimation models show satisfactory prediction and confidence intervals and are thus suitable to estimate hemodynamic parameters. This method and derived estimation models are a valuable alternative to implanted sensors and are an essential step for the development of a physiological control algorithm for a fully implantable TAH. Copyright © 2015 International Center for Artificial Organs and Transplantation and Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Integrating early detection with DNA barcoding: species identification of a non-native monitor lizard (Squamata: Varanidae) carcass in Mississippi, U.S.A.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reed, Robert N.; Hopken, Matthew W.; Steen, David A.; Falk, Bryan G.; Piaggio, Antoinette J.

2016-01-01

Early detection of invasive species is critical to increasing the probability of successful management. At the primary stage of an invasion, invasive species are easier to control as the population is likely represented by just a few individuals. Detection of these first few individuals can be challenging, particularly if they are cryptic or otherwise characterized by low detectability. The engagement of members of the public may be critical to early detection as there are far more citizen s on the landscape than trained biologists. However, it can be difficult to assess the credibility of public reporting, especially when a diagnostic digital image or a physical specimen in good condition are lacking. DNA barcoding can be used for verification when morphological identification of a specimen is not possible or uncertain (i.e., degraded or partial specimen). DNA barcoding relies on obtaining a DNA sequence from a relatively small fragment of mitochondrial DNA and comparing it to a database of sequences containing a variety of expertly identified species. He rein we report the successful identification of a degraded specimen of a non-native, potentially invasive reptile species (Varanus niloticus) via DNA barcoding, after discovery and reporting by a member of the public.

Reduced Investment in Science: An Examination of the Current Federal Budget and a Case Study on Its Impact on the Scientific Community

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uhlenbrock, K.; Landau, E. A.; Hankin, E. R.

2013-12-01

Federally funded scientific research is one of the building blocks of technological advancement and economic growth. This research can also lead to transformational ideas and discoveries. In our current fiscal environment, strategies to rein in federal spending have become a priority, although they have proven to be complex. The possible deals and negotiations to reduce federal spending may hinder the work of the scientific community to serve society. Since 2005 federal investment in research and development has slowed. The average annual growth in federal funding for scientific research from 2004 - 2009 was 0.9% as compared to 3.3% over the previous 20 years. What does the current budget situation mean for science? It means reductions in basic and applied research, interruptions in long-term monitoring and data collection, an inability to repair or build infrastructure, and less federal grant support for current and future scientists. I will first provide an update on the current federal budget situation and examples of how current policies are impacting the scientific community. Second, I will present a case study of the effect of reduced federal investment in science. Specifically, I will discuss how investments in research and development have far-reaching impacts on society and examine how reduced funding impairs valuable research efforts.

Contrary to cost-shift theory, lower Medicare hospital payment rates for inpatient care lead to lower private payment rates.

PubMed

White, Chapin

2013-05-01

Many policy makers believe that when Medicare constrains its payment rates for hospital inpatient care, private insurers end up paying higher rates as a result. I tested this "cost-shifting" theory using a unique new data set that combines MarketScan private claims data with Medicare hospital cost reports. Contrary to the theory, I found that hospital markets with relatively slow growth in Medicare inpatient hospital payment rates also had relatively slow growth in private hospital payment rates during 1995-2009. Using regression analyses, I found that a 10 percent reduction in Medicare payment rates led to an estimated reduction in private payment rates of 3 percent or 8 percent, depending on the statistical model used. These payment rate spillovers may reflect an effort by hospitals to rein in their operating costs in the face of lower Medicare payment rates. Alternatively, hospitals facing cuts in Medicare payment rates may also cut the payment rates they seek from private payers to attract more privately insured patients. My findings indicate that repealing cuts in Medicare payment rates would not slow the growth in spending on hospital care by private insurers and would in fact be likely to accelerate the growth in private insurers' costs and premiums.

Reproduce and die! Why aging? Part II.

PubMed

Schuiling, Gerard A

2005-06-01

Whilst in part I of this diptych on aging the question why aging exists at all is discussed; this part deals with the question which mechanisms underly aging and, ultimately, dying. It appears that aging is not just an active process as such--although all kinds of internal (e.g., oxigen-free radicals) and external (e.g., UV radiation; disease) actively damage the organism--but more a passive one: it is mainly the result of a diminishing capacity to resist damaging internal and external influences, notably the capacity to repair the ensuing damage of DNA, until, indeed, the genome is entirely beyond repair and all kinds of vital functions detoriate with as a result that, in the end, the body collapses due to some final internal (e.g., a neoplasm or a CVA) or external (e.g., some infection, accident or attack) push. The time-course with which the capacity to repair DNA diminishes, however, is genetically fixed, and is associated with (even determined by) the reproductive strategy of the species in question: once the phase of reproduction is over, the reins are loosened and all kinds of genetic and physiological errors accumulate, giving rise to a large variety of pathology which ultimately carries the pertinent individual to the grave.

Neocolonialism and Health Care Access among Marshall Islanders in the United States.

PubMed

Duke, Michael R

2017-09-01

In the Marshall Islands, a history of extensive nuclear weapons testing and covert biomedical research, coupled with the U.S.'s ongoing military presence in the country, has severely compromised the health of the local population. Despite the U.S.'s culpability in producing ill health along with high rates of emigration from the islands to the mainland United States, the large portion of Marshallese who reside in the United States face substantial barriers to accessing health care. Drawing from ongoing field research with a Marshallese community in Arkansas, this article explores the multifaceted impediments that U.S.-based Marshall Islanders face in receiving medical treatment. Calling on an expansive and inclusive notion of neocolonialism, I argue that Marshallese structural vulnerability with regard to health and health care treatment derives from their status as neocolonial subjects and from their limited claims to health-related deservingness associated with this status. [Marshall Islanders, health care access, neocolonialism, radiation exposure, immigrant health] L̗ōmn̗ak ko rōttin̗o: Ilo M̗ajel̗, juon bwebwenato kōn kōmmālmel im nuclear baam̗ ko im ekkatak ko rōttin̗o̗ kōn wāwein an baijin ko jelōt armej, barāinwōt an to an ri tarinae ro an Amedka pād ilo aelōn̄ kein, em̗ōj an jelōt ājmour an armej ro ilo aelōn̄ kein. Men̄e alikkar bwe Amedka in ear jino nan̄inmej kein im ej un eo armej rein rej em̗m̗akūt jān āne kein āne er n̄an ioon Amedka, elōn̄ iaan ri M̗ajel̗ rein rej jelm̗ae elōn̄ apan̄ ko n̄an aer del̗o̗n̄e jikin ājmour ko. Jān ekkatak eo ej bōk jikin kiō, jerbal in ej etali kabōjrak rak kein rōlōn̄ im armej in M̗ajel̗ ro ioon Amedka in rej jelm̗ae ilo aer jibadōk lo̗k jikin taktō. Ilo an kar Amedka jibadōk juon jea eo eutiej imejān lal̗ in, ij kwal̗ok juon aō akweelel bwe apan̄ ko an armej in M̗ajel̗ ikijjeen ājmour im jikin taktō ej itok jān aer kar ri kōm̗akoko ilo an kar

Regional Haze Evolved from Peat Fires - an Overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Yuqi; Rein, Guillermo

2016-04-01

-fire-induced haze has become a regional seasonal phenomenon. Exposure to smoky haze results in deleterious physiologic responses, predominantly to the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. In 1997, an estimation of 100 million people in 5 countries in Southeast Asia were affected by Indonesia haze episode while 20 million people suffered from respiratory problems in Indonesia alone. Fine PM fraction generated from peat fires could penetrate into lower respiratory tracks and exacerbate respiratory diseases including chronic bronchitis, emphysema and asthma. Epidemiological studies show that direct exposure to haze pollution is associated with decreased pulmonary function and increased morbidity and mortality among individuals with pre-existent cardiovascular diseases. Reported cases of acute respiratory infection increased 3.8 times during the 1997 Indonesia haze episode (1,446,120 cases in total with 527 haze-related deaths). Collectively, peat fire and the resultant haze considerably affect the local society in many aspects, and more thorough research need to be carried out for further haze mitigation and governance. Corresponding author: Dr. Guillermo Rein: g.rein@imperial.ac.uk

An Introduction to Human Resource Development in Taiwan, R.O.C. = Jong Hwa Min Gwo Ren Li Tz Yuan Fa Jaan Jyan Jieh.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Lung-Sheng; Chen, Ya-Yan

In Taiwan, human resource development (HRD) is defined as the systematic education, training, and development employers provide for their employees as well as organizational development for corporations. A history of HRD development indicates that in the 1960s, the government began to implement planning measures for HRD in business and industry;…

5′ and 3′ Untranslated Regions Strongly Enhance Performance of Geminiviral Replicons in Nicotiana benthamiana Leaves

PubMed Central

Diamos, Andrew G.; Rosenthal, Sun H.; Mason, Hugh S.

2016-01-01

We previously reported a recombinant protein production system based on a geminivirus replicon that yields high levels of vaccine antigens and monoclonal antibodies in plants. The bean yellow dwarf virus (BeYDV) replicon generates massive amounts of DNA copies, which engage the plant transcription machinery. However, we noticed a disparity between transcript level and protein production, suggesting that mRNAs could be more efficiently utilized. In this study, we systematically evaluated genetic elements from human, viral, and plant sources for their potential to improve the BeYDV system. The tobacco extensin terminator enhanced transcript accumulation and protein production compared to other commonly used terminators, indicating that efficient transcript processing plays an important role in recombinant protein production. Evaluation of human-derived 5′ untranslated regions (UTRs) indicated that many provided high levels of protein production, supporting their cross-kingdom function. Among the viral 5′ UTRs tested, we found the greatest enhancement with the tobacco mosaic virus omega leader. An analysis of the 5′ UTRs from the Arabidopsis thaliana and Nicotinana benthamiana photosystem I K genes found that they were highly active when truncated to include only the near upstream region, providing a dramatic enhancement of transgene production that exceeded that of the tobacco mosaic virus omega leader. The tobacco Rb7 matrix attachment region inserted downstream from the gene of interest provided significant enhancement, which was correlated with a reduction in plant cell death. Evaluation of Agrobacterium strains found that EHA105 enhanced protein production and reduced cell death compared to LBA4301 and GV3101. We used these improvements to produce Norwalk virus capsid protein at >20% total soluble protein, corresponding to 1.8 mg/g leaf fresh weight, more than twice the highest level ever reported in a plant system. We also produced the monoclonal antibody

Anthelmintic activity of acetone-water extracts against Haemonchus contortus eggs: interactions between tannins and other plant secondary compounds.

PubMed

Vargas-Magaña, J J; Torres-Acosta, J F J; Aguilar-Caballero, A J; Sandoval-Castro, C A; Hoste, H; Chan-Pérez, J A

2014-12-15

This study aimed at (i) describing the effects of acetone-water extracts obtained from a range of different plant materials, on the hatching process of Haemonchus contortus eggs under in vitro conditions and (ii) identifying the role of tannins and other plant secondary compounds (PSC), on these AH effects by using polyvinylpolypyrrolidone (PVPP), an inhibitor of tannins and other polyphenols. An egg hatch assay (EHA) was used to determine the AH effect. Acetone-water (70:30) extracts from different foliages (Lysiloma latisiliquum, Laguncularia racemosa, Rizophora mangle, Avicennia germinans) and plant by-products (Theobroma cacao seed husk and pulp, and percolated Coffea arabica) were obtained. Fresh H. contortus eggs were incubated in PBS with increasing concentrations of each extract (0, 600, 1200, 2400 and 3600 μg/ml PBS). A general linear model was used to determine the dose effect of each extract. A mild ovicidal activity was only recorded for T. cacao extracts (seed husk and pulp). The main anthelmintic (AH) effect for all the extracts, except for C. arabica, was to block the eclosion of larvated eggs. The use of PVPP at 3600 μg/ml PBS showed that tannins of the L. racemosa extract were responsible for blocking eclosion of larvated eggs. Extracts of L. latisiliquum, A. germinans, T. cacao seed husk and pulp also blocked eclosion of larvated eggs but the addition of PVPP indicated that tannins were not responsible for that activity. In contrast, it suggested unfavorable interactions between polyphenols and other PSC contained in those extracts, limiting the AH effect on the egg hatching process. The present results suggest that the interactions between tannins and other PSC are complex and may reduce the AH effects against H. contortus eggs. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fugong virus, a novel hantavirus harbored by the small oriental vole (Eothenomys eleusis) in China.

PubMed

Ge, Xing-Yi; Yang, Wei-Hong; Pan, Hong; Zhou, Ji-Hua; Han, Xi; Zhu, Guang-Jian; Desmond, James S; Daszak, Peter; Shi, Zheng-Li; Zhang, Yun-Zhi

2016-02-16

Rodents are natural reservoirs of hantaviruses, which cause two disease types: hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in Eurasia and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in North America. Hantaviruses related human cases have been observed throughout Asia, Europe, Africa, and North America. To date, 23 distinct species of hantaviruses, hosted by reservoir, have been identified. However, the diversity and number of hantaviruses are likely underestimated in China, and hantavirus species that cause disease in many regions, including Yunnan province, are unknown. In August 2012, we collected tissue samples from 189 captured animals, including 15 species belonging to 10 genera, 5 families, and 4 orders in Fugong county, Yunnan province, China. Seven species were positive for hantavirus: Eothenomys eleusis (42/94), Apodemus peninsulae (3/25), Niviventer eha (3/27), Cryptotis montivaga (2/8), Anourosorex squamipes (1/1), Sorex araneus (1/1), and Mustela sibirica (1/2). We characterized one full-length genomic sequence of the virus (named fugong virus, FUGV) from a small oriental vole (Eothenomys eleusis). The full-length sequences of the small, medium, and large segments of FUGV were 1813, 3630, and 6531 nt, respectively. FUGV was most closely related to hantavirus LX309, a previously reported species detected in the red-backed vole in Luxi county, Yunnan province, China. However, the amino acid sequences of nucleocapsid (N), glycoprotein (G), and large protein (L) were highly divergent from those of Hantavirus LX309, with amino acid differences of 11.2, 15.3, and 12.7 %, respectively. In phylogenetic trees, FUGV clustered in the lineage corresponding to hantaviruses carried by rodents in the subfamily Arvicolinae. High prevalence of hantavirus infection in small mammals was found in Fugong county, Yunnan province, China. A novel hantavirus species FUGV was identified from the small oriental vole. This virus is phylogenetic clustering with another hantavirus LX309, but shows

Report from the European Myeloma Network on interphase FISH in multiple myeloma and related disorders

PubMed Central

Ross, Fiona M.; Avet-Loiseau, Hervé; Ameye, Geneviève; Gutiérrez, Norma C.; Liebisch, Peter; O’Connor, Sheila; Dalva, Klara; Fabris, Sonia; Testi, Adele M.; Jarosova, Marie; Hodkinson, Clare; Collin, Anna; Kerndrup, Gitte; Kuglik, Petr; Ladon, Dariusz; Bernasconi, Paolo; Maes, Brigitte; Zemanova, Zuzana; Michalova, Kyra; Michau, Lucienne; Neben, Kai; Hermansen, N. Emil U.; Rack, Katrina; Rocci, Alberto; Protheroe, Rebecca; Chiecchio, Laura; Poirel, Hélène A; Sonneveld, Pieter; Nyegaard, Mette; Johnsen, Hans E.

2012-01-01

The European Myeloma Network has organized two workshops on fluorescence in situ hybridization in multiple myeloma. The first aimed to identify specific indications and consensus technical approaches of current practice. A second workshop followed a quality control exercise in which 21 laboratories analyzed diagnostic cases of purified plasma cells for recurrent abnormalities. The summary report was discussed at the EHA Myeloma Scientific Working Group Meeting 2010. During the quality control exercise, there was acceptable agreement on more than 1,000 tests. The conclusions from the exercise were that the primary clinical applications for FISH analysis were for newly diagnosed cases of MM or frank relapse cases. A range of technical recommendations included: 1) material should be part of the first draw of the aspirate; 2) samples should be sent at suitable times to allow for the lengthy processing procedure; 3) most importantly, PCs must be purified or specifically identified; 4) positive cut-off levels should be relatively conservative: 10% for fusion or break-apart probes, 20% for numerical abnormalities; 5) informative probes should be combined to best effect; 6) in specialist laboratories, a single experienced analyst is considered adequate; 7) at least 100 PC should be scored; 8) essential abnormalities to test for are t(4;14), t(14;16) and 17p13 deletions; 9) suitable commercial probes should be available for clinically relevant abnormalities; 10) the clinical report should be expressed clearly and must state the percentage of PC involved and the method used for identification; 11) a retrospective European based FISH data bank linked to clinical data should be generated; and 12) prospective analysis should be centralized for upcoming trials based on the recommendations made. The European Myeloma Network aims to build on these recommendations to establish standards for a common European data base to define subgroups with prognostic significance. PMID:22371180

[Construction of a plant effective expression vector containing the gene of hepatitis B virus surface antigen].

PubMed

Lin, Bing-Ying; Jin, Zhi-Qiang; Li, Mei

2006-11-01

To construct a plant effective expression vector driven by a fruit specific promoter for the expression of hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg), to further improve the expression of exogenous gene in plant, and to prepare for the development of an effective anti-hepatitis vaccine. Tomato fruit-specific promoters' gene 2A12 and E8 were respectively introduced to pBPFOmega7 to form pB2A12 and pBE8. The DNA fragment containing HBsAg-s gene from plasmid YEP-HBs was inserted respectively into pB2A12 and pBE8 to form pB2A12-HBs and pBE8-HBs. The fragment containing "p35S+2A12+Omega+HBsAg-s+Tnos" of the pB2A12-HBs was sub-cloned into plasmid pCAMBIA1301 to yield the reconstructed plant binary expression plasmid pCAM2A12-HBs, and the fragment containing "p35S+E8+Omega+HBsAg-s+Tnos" of the pBE8-HBs was sub-cloned into plasmid pCAMBIA1301 to yield the plasmid pCAME8-HBs. The inserted gene HBsAg and fruit-specific promoters in the reconstructed plant binary expression vectors were confirmed by sequencing. Then, pCAM2A12-HBs and pCAME8-HBs were directly introduced into Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain EHA105. Digestion with restriction enzymes proved that all recombinant vectors had the inserts with expected length of the target fragments, and the sequencing results were confirmed correct. In this study, plant expression vector containing HBsAg gene driven by fruit specific promoter and CaMV35s promoter was successfully constructed.

In vitro anthelmintic effects of Spigelia anthelmia protein fractions against Haemonchus contortus.

PubMed

Araújo, Sandra Alves; Soares, Alexandra Martins Dos Santos; Silva, Carolina Rocha; Almeida Júnior, Eduardo Bezerra; Rocha, Cláudia Quintino; Ferreira, André Teixeira da Silva; Perales, Jonas; Costa-Júnior, Livio M

2017-01-01

Gastrointestinal nematodes are a significant concern for animal health and well-being, and anthelmintic treatment is mainly performed through the use of chemical products. However, bioactive compounds produced by plants have shown promise for development as novel anthelmintics. The aim of this study is to assess the anthelmintic activity of protein fractions from Spigelia anthelmia on the gastrointestinal nematode Haemonchus contortus. Plant parts were separated into leaves, stems and roots, washed with distilled water, freeze-dried and ground into a fine powder. Protein extraction was performed with sodium phosphate buffer (75 mM, pH 7.0). The extract was fractionated using ammonium sulfate (0-90%) and extensively dialyzed. The resulting fractions were named LPF (leaf protein fraction), SPF (stem protein fraction) and RPF (root protein fraction), and the protein contents and activities of the fractions were analyzed. H. contortus egg hatching (EHA), larval exsheathment inhibition (LEIA) and larval migration inhibition (LMIA) assays were performed. Proteomic analysis was conducted, and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) chromatographic profiles of the fractions were established to identify proteins and possible secondary metabolites. S. anthelmia fractions inhibited H. contortus egg hatching, with LPF having the most potent effects (EC50 0.17 mg mL-1). During LEIA, SPF presented greater efficiency than the other fractions (EC50 0.25 mg mL-1). According to LMIA, the fractions from roots, stems and leaves also reduced the number of larvae, with EC50 values of 0.11, 0.14 and 0.21 mg mL-1, respectively. Protein analysis indicated the presence of plant defense proteins in the S. anthelmia fractions, including protease, protease inhibitor, chitinase and others. Conversely, secondary metabolites were absent in the S. anthemia fractions. These results suggest that S. anthelmia proteins are promising for the control of the gastrointestinal nematode H. contortus.

Unravelling Orbital Climatic Cycles from Devonian Magnetic Susceptibility Signal - The Quest for a Better Age Model for the Lochkovian and Pragian Stages (Czech Republic)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

da Silva, A. C.; Chadimova, L.; Hladil, J.; Slavik, L.; Hilgen, F. J.; Dekkers, M. J.

2015-12-01

The uncertainties on the Devonian stage boundaries are currently in the order of several millions of years. When shown to reflect a detrital signal, which is influenced by climatic variations, Magnetic Susceptibility (MS) has been proven as a useful tool for identifying climatic cycles; which can subsequently be used to improve the time scale. Here, we focus on two sections from the Prague Synform (Czech Republic) cutting through the Lochkovian, Pragian and the lower part of the Emsian. Sedimentation is rhythmic, dominated by slightly clayey offshore limestones, being mostly calciturbidites and hemipelagites. We provide hysteresis analysis in order to get insight into the nature and the origin of the magnetic minerals driving the variation in the MS signal. The results point to a MS signal mostly carried by clay minerals. Subsequently, to improve estimation of the duration of the stages, we apply different spectral analysis techniques on this MS signal. From the Continuous Wavelet Transform (CWT), Evolutive Harmonic Analysis (EHA) and field observations, we subdivide the section into portions with a steady sedimentation rate (a first estimate of this rate is also delivered by these analyzes). Then, we apply Multitaper Method (MTM) and Multitaper harmonic Analysis (F-test) and extract the frequencies reaching 95% Confidence Level. These frequencies are then implemented into the Average Spectral Misfit procedures (ASM) which enables comparison with orbital targets. By combining these different techniques, 405 kyr cyclicty is identifed, a powerful duration paleochronometer. These new results indicate a duration of 7.7 ± 2 Myr for the Lochkovian stage and of 1.7 Myr ± 1.4 for the Pragian stage (compared to respectively 8.4 ± 6 Myr and 3.2 ± 5.4 Myr in the 2012 Geological Time Scale).

Factors enhancing Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated gene transfer in peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Egnin, M.; Mora, A.; Prakash, C. S.; Mortley, D. G. (Principal Investigator)

1998-01-01

Parameters enhancing Agrobacterium-mediated transfer of foreign genes to peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) cells were investigated. An intron-containing beta-glucuronidase uidA (gusA) gene under the transcriptional control of CaMV 35S promoter served as a reporter. Transformation frequency was evaluated by scoring the number of sectors expressing GUS activity on leaf and epicotyl explants. The 'Valencia Select' market type cv. New Mexico was more amenable to Agrobacterium transformation than the 'runner' market type cultivars tested (Florunner, Georgia Runner, Sunrunner, or South Runner). The disarmed Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain EHA101 was superior in facilitating the transfer of uidA gene to peanut cells compared to the disarmed strain C58. Rinsing of explants in half-strength Murashige-Skoog (MS) media prior to infection by Agrobacterium significantly increased the transformation efficiency. The use of cocultivation media containing high auxin [1.0 or 2.5 mg/l (4.53 micromolar or 11.31 micromolar) 2,4-D] and low cytokinin [0.25 or 0.5 mg/l (1.0 micromolar or 2.0 micromolar) BA] promoted higher transformation than either hormone-free or thidiazuron-containing medium. The polarity of the epicotyl during cocultivation was important; explants incubated in an inverted (vertically) manner followed by a vertically upright position resulted in improved transformation and shoot regeneration frequencies. Preculture of explants in MS basal medium or with 2.5 mg thidiazuron per l prior to infection drastically decreased the number of transformed zones. The optimized protocol was used to obtain transient transformation frequencies ranging from 12% to 36% for leaf explants, 15% to 42% for epicotyls. Initial evidence of transformation was obtained by polymerase chain reaction and subsequently confirmed by Southern analysis of regenerated plants.

A simple and reliable multi-gene transformation method for switchgrass.

PubMed

Ogawa, Yoichi; Shirakawa, Makoto; Koumoto, Yasuko; Honda, Masaho; Asami, Yuki; Kondo, Yasuhiro; Hara-Nishimura, Ikuko

2014-07-01

A simple and reliable Agrobacterium -mediated transformation method was developed for switchgrass. Using this method, many transgenic plants carrying multiple genes-of-interest could be produced without untransformed escape. Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a promising biomass crop for bioenergy. To obtain transgenic switchgrass plants carrying a multi-gene trait in a simple manner, an Agrobacterium-mediated transformation method was established by constructing a Gateway-based binary vector, optimizing transformation conditions and developing a novel selection method. A MultiRound Gateway-compatible destination binary vector carrying the bar selectable marker gene, pHKGB110, was constructed to introduce multiple genes of interest in a single transformation. Two reporter gene expression cassettes, GUSPlus and gfp, were constructed independently on two entry vectors and then introduced into a single T-DNA region of pHKGB110 via sequential LR reactions. Agrobacterium tumefaciens EHA101 carrying the resultant binary vector pHKGB112 and caryopsis-derived compact embryogenic calli were used for transformation experiments. Prolonged cocultivation for 7 days followed by cultivation on media containing meropenem improved transformation efficiency without overgrowth of Agrobacterium, which was, however, not inhibited by cefotaxime or Timentin. In addition, untransformed escape shoots were completely eliminated during the rooting stage by direct dipping the putatively transformed shoots into the herbicide Basta solution for a few seconds, designated as the 'herbicide dipping method'. It was also demonstrated that more than 90 % of the bar-positive transformants carried both reporters delivered from pHKGB112. This simple and reliable transformation method, which incorporates a new selection technique and the use of a MultiRound Gateway-based binary vector, would be suitable for producing a large number of transgenic lines carrying multiple genes.

Multi-locus phylogeny using topotype specimens sheds light on the systematics of Niviventer (Rodentia, Muridae) in China.

PubMed

Zhang, Bin; He, Kai; Wan, Tao; Chen, Peng; Sun, Guozheng; Liu, Shaoying; Nguyen, Truong Son; Lin, Liangkong; Jiang, Xuelong

2016-12-01

Niviventer is a genus of white-bellied rats that are among the most common rodents in the Indo-Sundaic region. The taxonomy of the genus has undergone extensive revisions and remains controversial. The current phylogeny is unresolved and was developed primarily on the basis of mitochondrial genes. Identification is extremely difficult, and a large number of GenBank sequences seem to be problematic. We extensively sampled specimens of Niviventer in China and neighboring northern Vietnam, including topotypes of the most reported species (n = 6), subspecies (n = 8), and synonyms (n = 4). We estimated phylogenetic relationships on the basis of one mitochondrial and three nuclear genes, using concatenation and coalescent-based approaches. We also employed molecular species delimitation approaches to test the existence of cryptic and putative new species. Our phylogeny was finely resolved, especially for the N. confucianus-like species. Our data provided the first support for N. brahma and N. eha as sister species, an assignment that is congruent with their morphological similarities. Species delimitation analyses provided new insight into species diversity and systematics. Three geographic populations of N. confucianus and one of N. fulvescens were supported as genetically distinct in our species delimitation analyses, while three recognized species (N. coninga, N. huang, and N. lotipes) were not strongly supported as distinct. Our results suggested that several genetically distinct species may be contained within the species currently known as N. confucianus and N. fulvescens. In addition, the results of Bayesian Phylogenetics and Phylogeography (BPP) for N. coninga, N. huang, and N. lotipes indicated that either inter-specific gene flow had occurred or imperfect taxonomy was present. Morphological examinations and morphometric analyses are warranted to examine the molecular results.

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O22:H8 isolated from cattle reduces E. coli O157:H7 adherence in vitro and in vivo.

PubMed

Martorelli, L; Albanese, A; Vilte, D; Cantet, R; Bentancor, A; Zolezzi, G; Chinen, I; Ibarra, C; Rivas, M; Mercado, E C; Cataldi, A

2017-09-01

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) are a group of bacteria responsible for food-associated diseases. Clinical features include a wide range of symptoms such as diarrhea, hemorrhagic colitis and the hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a life-threatening condition. Our group has observed that animals naturally colonized with STEC strains of unknown serotype were not efficiently colonized with E. coli O157:H7 after experimental infection. In order to assess the basis of the interference, three STEC strains were isolated from STEC persistently-colonized healthy cattle from a dairy farm in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The three isolated strains are E. coli O22:H8 and carry the stx1 and stx2d genes. The activatable activity of Stx2d was demonstrated in vitro. The three strains carry the adhesins iha, ehaA and lpf O113 . E. coli O22:H8 formed stronger biofilms in abiotic surface than E. coli O157:H7 (eae+, stx2+) and displayed a more adherent phenotype in vitro towards HeLa cells. Furthermore, when both serotypes were cultured together O22:H8 could reduce O157:H7 adherence in vitro. When calves were intragastrically pre-challenged with 10 8 CFU of a mixture of the three STEC strains and two days later challenged with the same dose of the strain E. coli O157:H7 438/99, the shedding of the pathogen was significantly reduced. These results suggest that E. coli O22:H8, a serotype rarely associated with human illness, might compete with O157:H7 at the bovine recto-anal junction, making non-O157 carrying-calves less susceptible to O157:H7 colonization and shedding of the bacteria to the environment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Enhanced iron and zinc accumulation in genetically engineered pineapple plants using soybean ferritin gene.

PubMed

Mhatre, Minal; Srinivas, Lingam; Ganapathi, Thumballi R

2011-12-01

Pineapple (Ananas comosus L. Merr., cv. "Queen") leaf bases were transformed with Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain EHA 105 harboring the pSF and pEFESF plasmids with soybean ferritin cDNA. Four to eight percent of the co-cultivated leaf bases produced multiple shoots 6 weeks after transfer to Murashige and Skoog's medium supplemented with α-naphthalene acetic acid 1.8 mg/l, indole-3-butyric acid 2.0 mg/l, kinetin 2.0 mg/l, cefotaxime 400 mg/l, and kanamycin 50 mg/l. Putatively transformed shoots (1-2 cm) were selected and multiplied on medium of the same composition and elongated shoots (5 cm) were rooted on liquid rooting medium supplemented with cefotaxime 400 mg/l and kanamycin 100 mg/l. The rooted plants were analyzed through PCR, genomic Southern analysis, and reverse transcription PCR. The results clearly confirmed the integration and expression of soybean ferritin gene in the transformed plants. Atomic absorption spectroscopic analysis carried out with six independently transformed lines of pSF and pEFE-SF revealed a maximum of 5.03-fold increase in iron and 2.44-fold increase in zinc accumulation in the leaves of pSF-transformed plants. In pEFE-SF-transformed plants, a 3.65-fold increase in iron and 2.05-fold increase in zinc levels was observed. Few of the transgenic plants were hardened in the greenhouse and are being grown to maturity to determine the enhanced iron and zinc accumulation in the fruits. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report on the transformation of pineapple with soybean ferritin for enhanced accumulation of iron and zinc content in the transgenic plants.

Power management and distribution system for a More-Electric Aircraft (MADMEL) -- Program status

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

Maldonado, M.A.; Shah, N.M.; Cleek, K.J.

1995-12-31

A number of technology breakthroughs in recent years have rekindled the concept of a more-electric aircraft. High-power solid-state switching devices, electrohydrostatic actuators (EHAs), electromechanical actuators (EMAs), and high-power generators are just a few examples of component developments that have made dramatic improvements in properties such as weight, size, power, and cost. However, these components cannot be applied piecemeal. A complete, and somewhat revolutionary, system design approach is needed to exploit the benefits that a more-electric aircraft can provide. A five-phase Power Management and Distribution System for a More-Electric Aircraft (MADMEL) program was awarded by the Air Force to the Northrop/Grumman,more » Military Aircraft Division team in September 1991. The objective of the program is to design, develop, and demonstrate an advanced electrical power generation and distribution system for a more-electric aircraft (MEA). The MEA emphasizes the use of electrical power in place of hydraulics, pneumatic, and mechanical power to optimize the performance and life cycle cost of the aircraft. This paper presents an overview of the MADMEL program and a top-level summary of the program results, development and testing of major components to date. In Phase 1 and Phase 2 studies, the electrical load requirements were established and the electrical power system architecture was defined for both near-term (NT-year 1996) and far-term (FT-year 2003) MEA application. The detailed design and specification for the electrical power system (EPS), its interface with the Vehicle Management System, and the test set-up were developed under the recently completed Phase 3. The subsystem level hardware fabrication and testing will be performed under the on-going Phase 4 activities. The overall system level integration and testing will be performed in Phase 5.« less

Neurocognitive outcomes in neurofibromatosis clinical trials: Recommendations for the domain of attention.

PubMed

Walsh, Karin S; Janusz, Jennifer; Wolters, Pamela L; Martin, Staci; Klein-Tasman, Bonita P; Toledo-Tamula, Mary Anne; Thompson, Heather L; Payne, Jonathan M; Hardy, Kristina K; de Blank, Peter; Semerjian, Claire; Gray, Laura Schaffner; Solomon, Sondra E; Ullrich, Nicole

2016-08-16

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is associated with neurocognitive deficits that can impact everyday functioning of children, adolescents, and adults with this disease. However, there is little agreement regarding measures to use as cognitive endpoints in clinical trials. This article describes the work of the Neurocognitive Committee of the Response Evaluation in Neurofibromatosis and Schwannomatosis (REiNS) International Collaboration. The goal of this committee is to identify standardized and specific cognitive assessment tools for use in NF clinical trials. The committee first identified cognitive domains relevant to NF1 and prioritized attention as the first domain of focus given prior and current trends in NF1 cognitive clinical trials. Performance measures and behavioral rating questionnaires of attention were reviewed by the group using established criteria to assess patient characteristics, psychometric properties, and feasibility. The highest rated tests underwent side-by-side comparison. The Digit Span subtest from the Wechsler scales was given the highest ratings of the performance measures due to its good psychometrics, feasibility, utility across a wide age range, and extensive use in previous research. The Conners scales achieved the highest ratings of the behavioral questionnaires for similar reasons. Future articles will focus on other cognitive domains, with the ultimate goal of achieving agreement for cognitive endpoints that can be used across NF clinical trials. © 2016 American Academy of Neurology.

Light-induced degradation in gallium-doped silicon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lindroos, Jeanette; Yli-Koski, Marko; Haarahiltunen, Antti; Schubert, Martin C.; Savin, Hele

2012-02-01

Light-induced degradation (LID) is a lifetime-decreasing effect in silicon solar cells attributed to the formation of B-O defect complexes during illumination [1-2]. However, Savin et al. [3] have recently observed degradation similar to LID in B- and P-doped Si contaminated with Cu, suggesting that Cu might be the cause of LID. Since Ga-doped Si is considered a degradation-free option to conventional B-doped Si [2], lifetime stability should also be studied in Cu-contaminated Ga-Si. Hence, in this paper, we intentionally contaminated high-oxygen 0.41 and 10.1 φcm Ga-doped Cz-Si with Cu and subjected the material to illumination. No lifetime degradation was measured with μ-PCD in clean Ga-Si or at low Cu levels, which is in agreement with the previously reported LID-free behavior of Ga-Si [2]. However, at higher Cu levels (20 ppb), a clear lifetime degradation was observed in Ga-Si. This lifetime degradation increased with increasing Cu concentration or with increasing wafer resistivity. [1] J. Schmidt, A.G. Aberle and R. Hezel, 26th IEEE PVSC, Anaheim, CA, USA, p.13-18 (1997). [2] S.W. Glunz, S. Rein, W. Warta, J. Knobloch and W. Wettling. Sol. Energ. Mat. Sol. C. 65, 219-229 (2001). [3] H. Savin, M. Yli-Koski and A. Haarahiltunen. Appl. Phys. Lett. 95, 152111 (2009).

Self-referral of imaging and increased utilization: some practical perspectives on tackling the dilemma.

PubMed

Romano, Donald H

2009-11-01

Health care costs are higher in the United States than in any other country in the world, and imaging services have been growing much more rapidly than other services. Studies have shown a tendency for increased utilization of services, including imaging services, when referring physicians have ownership interest in the services. In recent years, the CMS has taken some action with respect to how it pays for imaging, including reducing physician payments when multiple images are taken on contiguous body parts during the same visit, establishing a cap on payments for certain imaging services, and imposing an antimarkup rule on diagnostic tests. In addition, CMS has made some changes to the Stark rules, which included adding nuclear medicine to the list of designated health services, prohibiting certain per-service or per-click leasing arrangements, and prohibiting physicians from owning entities that sell services to providers that then bill for them under arrangements. Because it is unclear whether these policy changes will have much effect on imaging utilization, CMS will continue to seek new ways to rein in utilization. In the near future, CMS and the US Department of Health and Human Services are likely to attempt to curb utilization not only through postpayment review and education but also through its various initiatives on improving the quality of services furnished to Medicare benificiaries.

The mPEG-PCL Copolymer for Selective Fermentation of Staphylococcus lugdunensis Against Candida parapsilosis in the Human Microbiome

PubMed Central

Kao, Ming-Shan; Wang, Yanhan; Marito, Shinta; Huang, Stephen; Lin, Wan-Zhen; Gangoiti, Jon A; Barshop, Bruce A; Hyun, Choi; Lee, Woan-Ruah; Sanford, James A; Gallo, Richard L; Ran, Yuping; Chen, Wan-Tzu; Huang, Chun-Jen; Hsieh, Ming-Fa; Huang, Chun-Ming

2017-01-01

Many human skin diseases, such as seborrheic dermatitis, potentially occur due to the over-growth of fungi. It remains a challenge to develop fungicides with a lower risk of generating resistant fungi and non-specifically killing commensal microbes. Our probiotic approaches using a selective fermentation initiator of skin commensal bacteria, fermentation metabolites or their derivatives provide novel therapeutics to rein in the over-growth of fungi. Staphylococcus lugdunensis (S. lugdunensis) bacteria and Candida parapsilosis (C. parapsilosis) fungi coexist in the scalp microbiome. S. lugdunensis interfered with the growth of C. parapsilosis via fermentation. A methoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(ε-caprolactone) (mPEG-PCL) copolymer functioned as a selective fermentation initiator of S. lugdunensis, selectively triggering the S. lugdunensis fermentation to produce acetic and isovaleric acids. The acetic acid and its pro-drug diethyleneglycol diacetate (Ac-DEG-Ac) effectively suppressed the growth of C. parapsilosis in vitro and impeded the fungal expansion in the human dandruff. We demonstrate for the first time that S. lugdunensis is a skin probiotic bacterium that can exploit mPEG-PCL to yield fungicidal short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). The concept of bacterial fermentation as a part of skin immunity to re-balance the dysbiotic microbiome warrants a novel avenue for studying the probiotic function of the skin microbiome in promoting health. PMID:28111598

General topology meets model theory, on and

PubMed Central

Malliaris, Maryanthe; Shelah, Saharon

2013-01-01

Cantor proved in 1874 [Cantor G (1874) J Reine Angew Math 77:258–262] that the continuum is uncountable, and Hilbert’s first problem asks whether it is the smallest uncountable cardinal. A program arose to study cardinal invariants of the continuum, which measure the size of the continuum in various ways. By Gödel [Gödel K (1939) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 25(4):220–224] and Cohen [Cohen P (1963) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 50(6):1143–1148], Hilbert’s first problem is independent of ZFC (Zermelo-Fraenkel set theory with the axiom of choice). Much work both before and since has been done on inequalities between these cardinal invariants, but some basic questions have remained open despite Cohen’s introduction of forcing. The oldest and perhaps most famous of these is whether “,” which was proved in a special case by Rothberger [Rothberger F (1948) Fund Math 35:29–46], building on Hausdorff [Hausdorff (1936) Fund Math 26:241–255]. In this paper we explain how our work on the structure of Keisler’s order, a large-scale classification problem in model theory, led to the solution of this problem in ZFC as well as of an a priori unrelated open question in model theory. PMID:23836659

Motivating salespeople: what really works.

PubMed

Steenburgh, Thomas; Ahearne, Michael

2012-01-01

No sales force consists entirely of stars; sales staffs are usually made up mainly of solid perfomers, with smaller groups of laggards and rainmakers. Though most compensation plans approach these three groups as if they were the same, research shows that each is motivated by something different. By accounting for those differences in their incentive programs, companies can coax better performance from all their salespeople. As the largest cadre, core performers typically represent the greatest opportunity, but they're often ignored by incentive plans. Contests with prizes that vary in nature and value (and don't all go to stars) will inspire them to ramp up their efforts, and tiered targets will guide them up the performance curve. Laggards need quarterly bonuses to stay on track; when they have only annual bonuses, their revenues will drop 10%, studies show. This group is also motivated by social pressure-especially from new talent on the sales bench. Stars tend to get the most attention in comp plans, but companies often go astray by capping their commissions to control costs. If firms instead remove commission ceilings and pay extra for overachievement, they'll see the sales needle really jump. The key is to treat sales compensation not as an expense to rein in but as a portfolio of investments to manage. Companies that do this will be rewarded with much higher returns.